JP2835786B2 - Ribbon separator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribbon separator used by attaching to a print head of a dot impact printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a side view showing the outline of the vicinity of a printing section of a conventional dot impact type line printer having a 4-tractor structure. In FIG. 3, 1 is a print head, 2 is a platen, 3 is a ribbon separator, and 4 is a ribbon separator. Ink ribbon, 5 is upper tractor,
6 is a lower tractor. The ribbon separator 3 is used to prevent the entire surface of the ink ribbon 4 from contacting the paper 100, and is used by attaching a lower end to a print head. The upper tractor 5 is provided above the platen 2 so as to be vertically opposed to the plane of FIG. 3, and the lower tractor 6 is similarly provided below the platen 2 so as to be opposed.

Since the ribbon separator 3 has a length substantially covering the entire paper mounting width to fulfill the above-mentioned role, the ribbon separator 3 is generated by the relative movement of the ink ribbon 4 during printing. A means for eliminating the abrasion powder (dust) is required. Therefore, conventionally, as shown in detail in FIG. 4, a plurality of notches 7 for dust fall are provided at the end of the ribbon separator 3 on the paper entry side. Reference numeral 8 denotes a hole through which a wire passes during printing.

Further, this printer has an auto-load function, and the paper mounted on the lower tractor 6 is automatically inserted into the upper tractor 5 through a printing portion between the print head 1 and the platen 2. .

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional structure, the leading edge of the sheet often hits the upper end 7a of the notch 7 of the ribbon separator 3 during the automatic loading, causing a jam. In addition, when inserting paper manually without using the auto-load method, there is a problem that the leading end of the paper abuts on the upper end 7a and it is difficult to insert the paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon separator which enables easy and reliable insertion of paper at the time of automatic loading and manually.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a ribbon which is used by being attached to a print head of a dot impact printer and has a cutout for dust fall at an end portion on the paper entry side. In the separator, a guide portion for reliably passing the sheet is added to the notch portion so as to protrude toward the sheet traveling path side (first configuration).

Further, in the ribbon separator of the first configuration, the surface of the guide portion is located near the paper traveling path (second configuration).

[0009]

A guide portion is provided in a notch portion of the ribbon separator, and the guide portion protrudes toward the paper traveling path. Therefore, since a step is formed between the guide portion and the portion other than the notch at the lower end of the ribbon separator, the sheet surely passes through the notch forming portion without hitting the upper end of the notch. As a result, the reliability of automatic loading and manual paper insertion can be greatly improved. In particular, in the case of the second configuration, since the surface of the guide portion is located near the paper traveling path, it is more effective.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the outline of the vicinity of a printing section of a dot impact type line printer of this embodiment.
Is a ribbon separator. The same members as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ribbon separator 11 has a guide portion 12 protruding toward the paper traveling path at the notch 7. In this example, the guide portion 12 is formed integrally by bending a portion corresponding to the guide portion 13 left as shown by a chain line at the time of punching the material plate at the initial stage of the ribbon separator forming into a substantially U-shape.

As described above, the guide portion 12 is protruded from the notch 7 of the ribbon separator 11, and is provided between the surface 12 a of the guide portion 12 and a portion other than the notch 7 at the lower end of the ribbon separator 11. Since there is a step, the paper entering in the direction of the arrow at the time of automatic loading or the like surely passes through the notch 7 forming portion without hitting the upper end of the notch 7. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a jam at the time of automatic loading, and it is possible to greatly improve the reliability of sheet insertion including manual operation. Dust such as abrasion powder of the ink ribbon can be easily discharged from the gap between the steps of the guide portion 12.

By the way, at the time of automatic loading, it is necessary to open a transport path between the ribbon separator 11 and the platen 2 which are in contact during printing, in order to facilitate the insertion of paper. For this reason, the platen 2 or the print head 1 is actually retracted from the normal position (in FIG.
Has receded). Thus, the paper traveling path is secured, but in order for the paper to be accurately inserted into the upper tractor 5, the traveling path of the paper is on a straight line connecting the exit of the lower tractor 6 and the entrance of the upper tractor 5. It is desirable. Therefore, the surface 12a of the guide portion 12 of the ribbon separator 11
Is positioned near the paper traveling path, the paper transportability during auto loading is stabilized.

Further, separately from this, the ribbon separator 1
If the upper side of the main body of the printer 1 is formed so as to be positively inclined toward the platen 2 when the platen 2 is retracted, the running direction of the paper after passing the printing unit can also be controlled. (It is guided on the guide surface 5a of the tractor 5), so that the sheet transportability at the time of automatic loading is further improved.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, the guide portion for reliably passing the paper is added to the notch portion of the ribbon separator so as to protrude toward the paper traveling path side. A step is formed between the surface of the guide and a portion other than the notch at the lower end of the ribbon separator, and the entering paper reliably passes without hitting the upper end of the notch. Therefore,
The reliability of auto loading and manual paper insertion can be greatly improved. It is more effective if the position of the surface of the guide portion is near the paper traveling path.

Also, dust such as abrasion powder generated by the relative movement between the ribbon separator and the ink ribbon is discharged from the gap between the steps of the guide portion. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the vicinity of a printing unit of a dot impact type line printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing details of a ribbon separator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an outline around a printing section of a conventional dot impact type line printer.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing details of the ribbon separator of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Print head 7 Notch 11 Ribbon separator 12 Guide part 12a Surface

Continuation of front page (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 11/62 B41J 17/30 B41J 35/00 B41J 35/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A ribbon separator which is used by being attached to a print head of a dot impact printer and has a notch (7) for dropping dust at an end on the paper entry side, wherein the notch (7) has A ribbon separator characterized in that a guide portion (12) for reliably passing a sheet is added so as to protrude toward the sheet traveling path. 2. The ribbon separator according to claim 1, wherein the surface (12a) of the guide portion (12) is located near the paper traveling path.