JP3884576B2 - Label printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a label printer that detects a print reference position with respect to a roll paper that is pulled out and conveyed from a roll state, and prints a predetermined item by a print head in accordance with the detection result.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a label printer that prints predetermined items on a roll paper, a sensor in which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are opposed to each other conveys the roll paper in order to detect a print reference position with respect to the roll paper that is pulled out and conveyed from the roll state. It is provided on the route. This sensor has a roll paper passage portion for passing the roll paper between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, the roll paper passage portion is set to a narrow gap dimension, and the gap dimension is fixed. .
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For this reason, when exchanging roll paper, it is necessary to insert the roll paper into the roll paper passage portion having a narrow gap size, which takes time and labor for exchanging the roll paper. In addition, when the roll paper is jammed, it takes time to handle the jam.
[0004]
In view of this, the present invention replaces roll paper by widening a gap between the guide portion of the conveyance path provided in the printer main body and the sensor holder to which the sensor is attached at the time of roll paper replacement or jam processing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a label printer that can easily perform work and jam processing.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the holder portion to which the print head is attached is attached so as to be rotatable and freely fixed in the direction approaching and separating from the printer main body, and the roll is drawn out and conveyed from the roll state. In a label printer that detects a print reference position with respect to the roll paper with a sensor arranged to face the paper and prints a predetermined item on the roll paper by the print head based on the detection result of the sensor, the label printer is provided in the printer main body. A sensor holder that is opposed to the guide section with a conveyance path through which the roll paper is conveyed is provided, the sensor is attached to the sensor holder, and one end of the sensor holder in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the roll paper is provided. A fulcrum part is pivotally attached to the printer main body, and the holder part moves away from the printer main body. The other end of the sensor holder when moving are linked by the link member between the sensor holder and the holder part to rotate in a direction away to the printer main body about said fulcrum.
[0006]
Therefore, when the holder part is rotated upward, the other end side of the sensor holder connected to the holder part by the link member is rotated upward with the fulcrum part as a fulcrum, and is transported between the sensor holder and the guide part. The route opens greatly. For this reason, the roll paper can be easily replaced or jammed by inserting the roll paper between the sensor holder and the guide portion.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of a label printer. This label printer comprises a printer main body 1 and a roll paper holder portion 2. The printer main body 1 has a vertical direction between a lower position approaching the printer main body 1 as shown in FIG. 1 and an upper position separated from the printer main body 1 as shown in FIG. A rotatable holder part 4, a platen 5 that is rotated by a drive motor (not shown), a lock lever 6 for locking the holder part 4 at the lower position shown in FIG. An ink ribbon 7, a thermal head 8 that is a print head, and the like are attached to the holder unit 4.
[0008]
The roll paper holder unit 2 is provided with a roll paper 9 in which a number of labels attached to a mount are wound in a roll shape. The roll paper 9 is pulled out from the roll state and then inserted into the printer main body 1, and the ink ribbon 7 is interposed between the platen 5 and the thermal head 8 when the holder portion 4 is rotated downward as shown in FIG. And superimposed.
[0009]
Further, a transport path 10 through which the roll paper 9 is transported is formed in the printer main body 1, and a sensor holder 12 is disposed at a position facing the guide portion 11 on the entrance side of the transport path 10 from above. . The sensor holder 12 is formed in a long shape and is arranged so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the roll paper 9. A light receiving unit 13 that is a part of the sensor is attached to the sensor holder 12, and a light emitting unit 14 that is a part of the sensor is attached to a position of the guide unit 11 that faces the light receiving unit 13.
[0010]
A fulcrum portion 15 held with flexibility is formed at one end of the sensor holder 12, and an engagement hole 16 in which the fulcrum portion 15 is engaged is formed in the printer main body 1. Then, by engaging the fulcrum part 15 with the engagement hole 16, the sensor holder 12 can be rotated in the vertical direction at the other end with the fulcrum part 15 as a fulcrum.
[0011]
At the other end of the sensor holder 12, a holding shaft 17 that protrudes in the extending direction of the sensor holder 12 is integrally formed. The printer body 1 is integrally formed with a holding plate 19 having a holding groove 18 that opens upward to hold the holding shaft 17.
[0012]
An upper end portion of the link member 20 is rotatably connected to the side plate 4 a of the holder portion 4 by a support shaft 21. A long hole 22 that is long in the vertical direction is formed at the lower end of the link member 20, and the holding shaft 17 of the sensor holder 12 is inserted into the long hole 22.
[0013]
In such a configuration, FIGS. 1 and 3 show a state in which the holder unit 4 is rotated to the lower position and locked, and FIGS. 2 and 4 release the locked state and rotate the holder unit 4 to the upper position. It shows the state of being moved.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in a state where the holder portion 4 is rotated to the lower position and locked, the sensor holder 12 and the guide portion 11 face each other in parallel, and the light emitting portion 14 and the light receiving portion 13. Are opposed to each other in the vertical direction, and the roll paper 9 drawn out from the roll state is conveyed between the light emitting unit 14 and the light receiving unit 13. Then, the portion of the mount only between the label attached to the mount during the conveyance is detected by the light emitting section 14 and the light receiving section 13, and the print position on the label is controlled based on the detection result. Done.
[0015]
During the conveyance of the roll paper 9, as shown in FIG. 5A, the upper side edge portion of the long hole 22 of the link member 20 is in contact with the upper outer peripheral surface of the holding shaft 17. Is reliably fixed in position and can reliably guide the roll paper 9 to be conveyed. Since the outer roll paper 9 is used instead of the inner roll paper 9 shown in FIG. 1, the sensor holder 12 is not lifted even when an upward pushing force is applied to the sensor holder 12. It is possible to reliably guide the roll paper.
[0016]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the holder portion 4 is rotated to the upper position, the link member 20 moves to the upper position along with the rotation. The holding shaft 17 side of the sensor holder 12 engaged with 22 rotates upward about the fulcrum portion 15. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5B, the holding shaft 17 is separated from the holding groove 18, and the lower side edge portion of the elongated hole 22 is in contact with the lower outer peripheral surface of the holding shaft 17.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 4, the holding shaft 17 side of the sensor holder 12 rotates upward about the fulcrum portion 15, so that the gap in the portion where the roll paper 9 is transported between the sensor holder 12 and the guide portion 11. Opens greatly. Therefore, when the roll paper 9 is replaced, the work of inserting the roll paper 9 between the guide portion 11 and the sensor holder 12 can be easily performed, and the replacement work of the roll paper 9 can be easily performed in a short time. Further, when the roll paper 9 is jammed between the sensor holder 12 and the guide portion 11, the jam processing can be easily performed.
[0018]
The sensor holder 12 is attached to the printer main body 1 by engaging the flexible fulcrum 15 with the engagement hole 16 and inserting the holding shaft 17 through the elongated hole 22 and holding it with the holding groove 18. It has been broken. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 6B, the sensor holder 12 can be easily detached from the printer body 1 by bending the fulcrum 15 and removing it from the engagement hole 16. By removing the sensor holder 12 from the printer main body 1, it is possible to easily perform removal work when the label peeled off from the mount is attached to the sensor holder 12, cleaning work of the light receiving unit 13 and the light emitting unit 14, and the like.
[0019]
In the present embodiment, as an example of the roll paper 9, a description has been given of an example in which a number of labels are attached to the mount and wound in a roll shape. However, the tag paper is wound in a roll shape. It may be.
[0020]
Further, in the present embodiment, the light receiving unit 13 of the transmission type sensor has been described as an example of the sensor attached to the sensor holder 12, but the light emitting unit 14 may be attached to the sensor holder 12. Further, a reflection type sensor may be attached to the sensor holder 12.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
According to the label printer of the first aspect of the invention, when the holder portion to which the print head is attached is rotated in a direction away from the printer main body, one end is rotatably attached to the printer main body by the fulcrum portion. The other end of the sensor holder can be rotated in a direction away from the printer body via the link member. As a result, the conveyance path of the roll paper between the sensor holder and the guide unit can be opened widely, and the roll paper replacement work and jam processing performed by inserting the roll paper between the sensor holder and the guide unit can be performed. It can be done easily.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a holder is rotated to a lower position and locked.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the label printer in a state in which a holder portion is rotated to an upper position.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the printer main body in a state where the holder portion is rotated to a lower position and locked.
FIG. 4 is a front view showing the printer main body in a state in which a holder portion is rotated to an upper position.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are side views showing a holding state of the holding shaft of the sensor holder, in which FIG. 5A shows a state when the holder portion is turned to the lower position, and FIG. 5B shows a state where the holder portion is turned to the upper position. Is the state of time.
6A and 6B show the structure of the fulcrum part of the sensor holder, where FIG. 6A shows a state when the sensor holder is attached to the printer main body, and FIG. 6B shows a state when the sensor holder is removed from the printer main body. .
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer main body 4 Holder part 8 Print head 9 Roll paper 10 Conveyance path 11 Guide part 12 Sensor holder 13 Sensor 15 Supporting point part 20 Link member

Claims (1)

A sensor in which a holder portion to which a print head is attached is rotatably mounted in a direction approaching and separating from a printer main body and can be freely fixed at an arbitrary position, and is disposed so as to face a roll paper that is pulled out and transported. In the label printer that detects the printing reference position with respect to the roll paper and prints predetermined items on the roll paper by the print head based on the detection result of the sensor,
A sensor holder is provided in a guide portion provided in the printer body so as to be opposed to the conveyance path through which the roll paper is conveyed. The sensor is attached to the sensor holder, and the sensor holder is orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the roll paper. One end of the sensor holder is pivotally attached to the printer body by a fulcrum part, and the other end side of the sensor holder is centered on the fulcrum part when the holder part is rotated in a direction away from the printer body. A label printer characterized in that the sensor holder and the holder part are connected by a link member so as to rotate in a direction away from the main body.

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