The present invention relates to a printer, e.g., a label printer configured to print desired information, such as letters, symbols, graphics, barcodes, or the like on a label temporarily adhering to a mount and having a separation ejection function to separate the label from the mount and eject the same.
Label printers include a thermal head and a platen roller. The label printers pinch one end in the longitudinal direction of a label continuous body wound into a roll between the thermal head and the platen roller, reel off the label continuous body, and rotate the platen roller to feed the label continuous body in a sheet shape, for example. During this feeding, the thermal head in this label printer prints desired information on each of a plurality of labels temporarily adhering to a long strip of mount included in the label continuous body.
There are two types of ejection schemes for such label printers, including continuous ejection and separation ejection. The continuous ejection is to eject labels while leaving the labels temporarily adhering to a mount. The separation ejection is to separate labels from a mount and then eject the same.
In the case of the continuous ejection, the operator cuts off a mount having a required number of labels attached thereon from a label continuous body. Then the operator can bring this cut-off mount to the site, and can separate the labels from the mount for attachment at the site. The continuous ejection is therefore suitable for the case where a target for attachment of the labels is located in a place away from the printer.
Meanwhile in the case of the separation ejection, the printer ejects labels separated from a mount one by one. The separation ejection is therefore suitable for the case where a target for attachment of the labels is located near the operator. For the separation ejection, a separation unit attached to the printer is set at the separation ejection position. Then one end in the longitudinal direction of the mount is bent via a separation pin, and the one end is pinched between a separation roller of the separation unit and a platen roller. Thereby, when the label continuous body is fed for printing by rotating the platen roller, the mount is fed while being pinched between the separation roller and the platen roller. During the feeding, the printed labels are separated from the mount one by one and are ejected from the printer.
For a printer having the two types of ejection modes including the continuous ejection and the separation ejection, the printer described in Laid open patent publication JP 2006-150858 A is known, for example.
Such printers having the two types of ejection modes of continuous ejection and separation ejection are required to easily switch the separation unit from the continuous ejection position to the separation ejection position.
In view of the technical background as described above, the present invention aims to provide a printer capable of easily switching the separation unit from a continuous ejection position to a separation ejection position.
A printer according to a first aspect of the present invention is configured to print on a print medium including a label temporarily adhering to a mount, and the printer comprises: a housing; an opening and closing cover pivotally supported at the housing and configured to swing; a feed roller located rotatable at the opening and closing cover, the feed roller configured to feed the print medium; a print head located so as to be adjacent to the feed roller at a closed position of the opening and closing cover, the print head configured to print on the print medium; a support board including a swing shaft; and a separation unit attached to the support board so as to be swingable about the swing shaft, the separation unit including a separation roller that is rotatably located on the separation unit on a forward end side thereof that is one end side adjacent to the opening and closing cover, the separation unit being located at a separation ejection position where the separation roller is adjacent to the feed roller and being located at a continuous ejection position where the separation roller is stored inside of the housing so as not to be adjacent to the feed roller.
A printer according to a second aspect of the present invention may further comprise a container to contain the print medium, wherein the separation unit swings in a first rotation direction in which the separation roller moving away from the print head to a swing end position, the separation unit on the forward end side engages with the opening and closing cover moving to the closed position to close the container, and the separation unit swings in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to the separation ejection position where the separation roller is adjacent to the feed roller.
A printer according to a third aspect of the present invention is configured to print on a print medium including a label temporarily adhering to a mount, and the printer comprises: a housing; a container configured to contain the print medium; an opening and closing cover pivotally supported at the housing and configured to swing to open and close the container; a feed roller rotatably located on the opening and closing cover, the feed roller configured to feed the print medium; a print head located so as to be adjacent to the feed roller at a closed position of the opening and closing cover, the print head configured to print on the print medium; a support board including a swing shaft; and a separation unit including a pair of supporters each having a long hole and attached to the support board, each long hole engaging with the swing shaft so that the separation unit is slidable along the swing shaft and swingable about the swing shaft, the separation unit including a separation roller that is rotatably located on the separation unit on a forward end side thereof that is one end side adjacent to the opening and closing cover, the separation unit being located at a continuous ejection position where the swing shaft is located on one side of each long hole and the separation roller is not adjacent to the feed roller, the separation unit sliding from the continuous ejection position along the swing shaft until the swing shaft is located on the other side of each long hole, and then swinging in a first rotation direction about the swing shaft, the separation roller moving away from the print head in the first rotation direction, the separation unit being located at a swing end position where a first claw of the separation unit comes in contact with a first stopper of the support board and the separation unit on the forward end side is present within a swing trajectory of the opening and closing cover, the separation unit swinging from the swing end position in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction about the swing shaft located on the other side of each long hole while engaging on the forward end side thereof with the opening and closing cover moving from an opening position where the container is open to the closed position where the container is closed, and the separation unit being located at a separation ejection position where the separation roller is adjacent to the feed roller so as to follow the closing of the opening and closing cover.
A printer according to a fourth aspect of the present invention may further comprise a coil spring located between the separation unit and the support board, wherein the coil spring is configured to apply a first biasing force to the separation unit in a direction that brings the swing shaft toward the other side of each long hole, the first biasing force causes the separation unit to swing in the first rotation direction about the swing shaft located on the other side of each long hole, the coil spring is configured to apply a second biasing force, and the second biasing force causes the separation unit to swing in the first rotation direction about the swing shaft that is located at the other side of each long hole due to the first biasing force.
In a printer according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the support board may have a guide surface configured to guide a movement direction of the separation unit sliding from the continuous ejection position along the swing shaft, and the first claw slide on the guide surface.
In a printer according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the separation unit may have a second claw configured to come in contact with a second stopper located at the support board at the separation ejection position so as to regulate the separation unit to return to the continuous ejection position.
In a printer according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the support board may have a regulation surface, the first claw slides on the regulation surface when the separation unit swings from the swing end position in the second rotation to move to the separation ejection position so as to regulate the separation unit to return to the continuous ejection position.
According to the present invention, the separation unit can be easily switched from the continuous ejection position to the separation ejection position.
The present invention relates to Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-096924, filed on May 8, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The following describes one embodiment of the present invention as one example in details, with reference to the drawings. In the drawings to describe the embodiment, the same reference numerals are basically assigned to the corresponding elements, and the repeated descriptions thereon are omitted.
As shown in
The body case 2 is a housing that defines a part of the outer shape of the printer 1. On one face of the body case 2, an opening 2a is formed as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The opening and closing cover 3 is an opening and closing cover of the paper container 6. In order that one end in the longitudinal direction (at a part closer to the center of the body case 2 in the longitudinal direction) of the opening and closing cover 3 can move away and closer to the body case 2, the other end in the longitudinal direction of the opening and closing cover 3 is pivotally supported at one end part in the longitudinal direction of the body case 2 via a hinge or the like. The opening and closing cover 3 is biased to the opening direction (the direction in which the one end in the longitudinal direction of the opening and closing cover 3 moves away from the body case 2) with a torsional spring (not illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The separation unit 4 has a function to separate the labels PL from the mount PM during the separation ejection and to cause the feeding paths of the mount PM and the labels PL to branch. The one end in the longitudinal direction of the separation unit 4 can move between the continuous ejection position inside of the printer 1 and the separation ejection position outside of the printer 1. The configuration of the separation unit 4 is described later.
As shown in
The display unit 15 is a screen to display an operation command, a message or the like. The display unit 15 is an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), for example. The operation buttons 16a, 16b are configured to manipulate the operation of the printer 1. The power-supply button 17 is configured to turn the power supply of the printer 1 on or off.
The cover-open button 18 is configured to open the opening and closing cover 3. The release levers 19 are configured to hold the separation unit 4 at the continuous ejection position. The held separation unit 4 can be released by moving these release levers 9 closer to each other.
The cutter 20 is configured to cut the mount PM of the label continuous body P that is continuously ejected. The cutter 20 is located at a forward end part of the front cover 5 on the opposite side of the opening and closing cover 3. The cutter 20 extends along the width direction of the label continuous body P. The outlet is formed between the opening and closing cover 3 and the front cover 5.
The following describes the separation unit 4 with reference to
The separation unit 4 includes a separation roller 4a, a shaft 4b, a pair of supporters 4c, a pair of plate springs 4da and a screw 4e.
The separation roller 4a is rotatably located at the separation unit on the forward end side that is on one end side adjacent to the opening and closing cover 3. The separation roller 4a is located so as to be adjacent to the platen roller 10 during the separation ejection. Therefore, the mount PM inserted between this separation roller 4a and the platen roller 10 is fed while being pinched between the separation roller 4a and the platen roller 10.
This separation roller 4a is made of an elastic member such as rubber. The separation roller 4a is pivotally supported at the shaft 4b that is sandwiched between one ends in the longitudinal direction of the pair of supporters 4c, so as to rotate. The separation roller 4a has a length that is shorter than the overall length of the shaft 4b. That is, the separation roller 4a is partly located at the center in the axial direction of the shaft 4b. The separation roller 4a is pressed toward the platen roller 10 via the label continuous body P during the separation ejection, so as to rotate following the rotation of the platen roller 10.
The pair of supporters 4c is configured to support the separation roller 4a and the shaft 4b. An eave 4cp is formed at an upper part on one end side in the longitudinal direction of each supporter 4c. The eave 4cp extends outwardly from a lateral face of each supporter 4c. As shown in
The pair of plate springs 4da is an elastic structure that comes into contact with the pressing parts 3a of the opening and closing cover 3 so as to bias the separation roller 4a toward the platen roller 10 when the opening and closing cover 3 is closed while the separation unit 4 moves to the separation ejection position. In an outer lateral face of each supporter 4c, each plate spring 4da is fixed at the one end side in the longitudinal direction of the supporter 4c (the side on which the separation roller 4a is located), and extends from the one end side in the longitudinal direction of the supporter 4c like a curve toward the other end side (the side on which the guide rail hole 4ch is located) in the longitudinal direction. The terminal end of each plate spring 4da floats.
The internal configuration of the printer 1 is described with reference to
As shown in
The head bracket 27 is configured to hold the opening and closing cover 3 that is closed. This head bracket 27 is located in the body case 2 so as to swing about a rotating shaft 27a on the opposite side of the platen roller 10 when the opening and closing cover 3 is closed.
This head bracket 27 has a groove 27b. In this groove 27b, the platen shaft 10a of the platen roller 10 is fitted so that the head bracket 27 holds the opening and closing cover 3.
The head bracket 27 has a pressurization part 27c. This pressurization part 27c is located at a position (immediately below) adjacent to the cover-open button 18 shown in
The thermal head 28 (see
The coil spring 29 (see
As shown in
The continuous ejection and the separation ejection by the printer 1 are described with reference to
In both of the continuous ejection mode and the separation ejection mode, at the printing step, while the label continuous body P reeled off from the paper container 6 is pinched between the thermal head 28 and the platen roller 10, the platen roller 10 is rotated to feed the label continuous body P. During this feeding, print timing is determined based on the information detected by the sensors 12. Then heat is selectively generated at the heater resistors of the thermal head 28 in accordance with the print signals transmitted to the thermal head 28 at the determined print timing, whereby desired information is printed on the labels PL of the label continuous body P.
During the continuous ejection mode, as shown in
As shown in
Meanwhile, during the separation ejection mode, as shown in
The printer 1 of the present embodiment can be switched between the continuous ejection mode and the separation ejection mode. Therefore, this printer 1 can support two situations including the situation in which the target for attachment of labels PL is located close to the printer 1, and the other situation in which such target is away from the printer 1. This makes the printer 1 useful and economical.
Referring to
The support board 41 is located in the opening 2a of the body case 2. This support board 41 has a base 41a. At this base 41a, a separation sensor 43 is located that is a light-reflective sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of the labels PL during the separation ejection. At both ends in the width direction of the base 41a, a pair of unit attachment parts 41b configured to attach the separation unit 4 is located.
Each of the unit attachment parts 41b has a first attachment piece 41ba located outside in the width direction of the base 41a and a second attachment piece 41bb located inside in the width direction of the base 41a. This second attachment piece 41bb is adjacent to the first attachment piece 41ba. The small gap is formed between the first attachment piece 41ba and the second attachment piece 41bb. The supporter 4c of the separation unit 4 is located at the small gap and sandwiched between the first attachment piece 41ba and the second attachment piece 41bb.
At each of the unit attachment parts 41b, a shaft 42 is mounted so as to extend between the first attachment piece 41ba and the second attachment piece 41bb. This shaft 42 is inserted into the guide rail hole 4ch that is formed at the supporter 4c. The supporter 4c is sandwiched between the first attachment piece 41ba and the second attachment piece 41bb. That is, the guide rail hole 4ch engages with the shaft 42.
Therefore, as the guide rail hole 4ch moves along the shaft 42, the separation unit 4 can slide along the shaft 42 and can swing about the shaft 42.
As shown in
This configuration applies the separation unit 4 receives a first biasing force and a second biasing force to the separation unit 4. The direction of the first biasing force is a direction in which the guide rail hole 4ch on the attachment protrusion 4ci side contacts with the shaft 42 (in the opposite direction from the continuous ejection position). The direction (one example of a first rotation direction) of the second biasing force is a direction in which the separation unit 4 swings away from the thermal head 28 about the guide rail hole 4ch on the attachment protrusion 4ci side as the fulcrum that is in contact with the shaft 42 due to the first biasing force. That is, the coil spring 44 applies the two biasing forces, including the first biasing force for sliding and the second biasing force for swinging in the first rotation direction, to the separation unit 4.
Thereby, when the holding at the continuous ejection position is released by the release levers 19, the biasing force of the coil spring 44 causes the separation unit 4 to move (slide) in the opposite direction from the continuous ejection position. When the one end of the guide rail hole 4ch comes in contact with the shaft 42 (slide movement position), the separation unit 4 swings about the shaft 42 as the fulcrum in the first rotation direction to a predetermined swing end (swing end position).
As shown in
The first protrusion 41be has a guide surface 45. When the separation unit 4 slides from the continuous ejection position to the opposite side along the shaft 42, the first claw 4cj slides along this guide surface 45 so as to guide the movement direction of the separation unit 4. The first protrusion 41be has a first stopper 46 as well. This first stopper 46 is configured to come in contact with the first claw 4cj when the separation unit 4 swings about the shaft 42 as the fulcrum in the first rotation direction as described above, so as to define the swing end position. The first protrusion 41be has a regulation surface 47 as well. When the separation unit 4 swings from the swing end position in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to move to the separation ejection position, this regulation surface 47 is configured to regulate the first claw 4cj to slide and the separation unit 4 to return to the continuous ejection position.
At the swing end position of the separation unit 4 at which the first claw 4cj comes in contact with the first stopper 46, the separation unit 4 on the one end side that is adjacent to the opening and closing cover 3 (one example of the forward end side) is within the swing trajectory of the opening and closing cover 3.
Meanwhile, the second protrusion 41bf is located at a second stopper 48. When the separation unit 4 is positionable in the separation ejection position, the second claw 4ck comes in contact with the second protrusion 41bf so as to regulate the separation unit 4 to return to the continuous ejection position.
Referring to
As shown in
From this continuous ejection position, the opening and closing cover 3 is moved to the opening position when the cover-open button 18 is pushed. The holding of the separation unit 4 at the continuous ejection position is released when the release levers 19 is manipulated. When the holding of the separation unit 4 is released, as shown in
Subsequently, as shown in
As described above, when the separation unit 4 is positionable in the swing end position, the separation unit 4 on the forward end side that is the one end side adjacent to the opening and closing cover 3 is within the swing trajectory of the opening and closing cover 3.
As shown in
When the opening and closing cover 3 is completely closed, as shown in
In order to move the separation unit 4 from the separation ejection position to the continuous ejection position, the opening and closing cover 3 is moved to the open position by pressing the cover-open button 18, so as to release the holding of the separation unit 4 that is held at the separation ejection position by the opening and closing cover 3. Thereby, the biasing force of the coil spring 44 causes the separation unit 4 to swing in the first rotation direction. When the separation unit 4 swings in the first rotation direction, the first claw 4cj of the supporter 4c comes in contact with the first stopper 46 of the support board 41. Thereby, the separation unit 4 is positionable in the swing end position.
The separation unit 4 is caused to swing in the second rotation direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 44 by pressing the first claw 4cj of the separation unit 4 against the regulation surface 47 of the support board 41. When the separation unit 4 reaches at the end of the regulation surface 47, the separation unit 4 moves to the slide movement position (the position where the separation unit slides in the opposite side of the continuous ejection position) as described above. When the separation unit 4 is pressed against the biasing force of the coil spring 44, the separation unit 4 is positionable in the continuous ejection position and is fixed to the continuous ejection position by the release levers 19.
In this way, in the present embodiment, when the holding of the separation unit 4 at the continuous ejection position is released, the separation unit 4 swings in the first rotation direction, so that the one end side of the separation unit that is adjacent to the opening and closing cover 3 is positionable in the swing end position within the swing trajectory of the opening and closing cover 3. Therefore, as the opening and closing cover 3 is closed, the forward end of the separation unit 4 engages with the forward end of the opening and closing cover 3 and swings. When the opening and closing cover 3 is located at the closed position, the separation unit 4 is positionable in the separation ejection position. In this way, the separation unit 4 can be easily switched from the continuous ejection position to the separation ejection position.
The specific description of the invention by the present inventor have been provided by way of the embodiments, however, the embodiments disclosed in the specification are illustrative in all aspects and should not be limited to the disclosed techniques. That is, the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed limitedly based on the descriptions on the above embodiments, but should be construed in accordance with the definitions of the claims. The present invention should cover equivalent and all modifications thereof without departing from the scope of claims.
For instance, in the present embodiment, the guide rail hole 4ch that is the long hole comes in contact with the shaft 42 as the swing shaft at the one end or the other end. However, the guide rail hole 4ch may not come in contact with the shaft 42 at their ends. That is, it is enough that the shaft 42 as the swing shaft may be located on the one side or on the other side of the guide rail hole 4ch as the long hole.
Although the present embodiment describes the case using a label continuous body including a plurality of labels temporarily adhering to a mount as a print medium, the present invention is not limited to this. For instance, a label continuous body (mountless label) having one face as an adhesive face or a continuous sheet without an adhesive face as well as film which can be printed with a thermal head instead of the paper may be used as the print medium. The mountless label, the continuous sheet or the film may have location detection marks thereon. In order to feed a mountless label that exposes adhesive, the feeding path may be coated with non-adhesive and a non-adhesive roller containing silicone may be used.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2014-096924 | May 2014 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2015/060947 | 4/8/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2015/170543 | 11/12/2015 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
6530705 | Petteruti et al. | Mar 2003 | B1 |
7891893 | Sekino | Feb 2011 | B2 |
8907997 | Takahashi | Dec 2014 | B1 |
8994767 | Liao | Mar 2015 | B1 |
20060151118 | Murata et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2006-150858 | Jun 2006 | JP |
2007-185774 | Jul 2007 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20170036462 A1 | Feb 2017 | US |