JP4028639B2 - Printer cutting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer cutting mechanism, and more particularly to a printer cutting mechanism that facilitates maintenance.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional printer will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a conventional printer. The printer 1 includes a housing 2, a supply unit 3, a printing unit 11, and a cutting unit 6.
[0003]
The supply unit 3 temporarily attaches a plurality of labels 9 to the belt-like mount 8 at a predetermined interval, rotatably holds the roll-shaped label continuous body, and feeds the label continuous body 7 (printing) Medium) is transferred to the printing unit 11.
The printing unit 11 has a platen roller 4 and a thermal head 5, and a label continuum 7 is inserted therebetween. Further, the thermal head 5 is provided so as to be able to contact with and separate from the platen roller 4.
[0004]
The cutting unit 6 includes a fixed blade (not shown) and a rotary cutter or a movable blade such as a swing type that reciprocates. The cutting unit 6 is disposed downstream of the printing unit 11 and feeds the transferred label continuous body 7 to the discharge port 10. The label continuous body 7 can be cut at a predetermined pitch to obtain a single-leaf label piece L with an arbitrary length by rotational driving of a movable blade (not shown).
[0005]
In the printer 1 having such a structure, a single-leaf label piece L is formed by the thermal printing accompanying the forward transfer of the label continuous body 7 and the cutting unit 6 that cuts the label continuous body 7 at a predetermined position. Thereafter, the label continuum 7 is transported in the reverse direction and stopped at a predetermined print start position.
[0006]
By repeating the above-described thermal printing and cutting over a long period of time, the cutting ability of the cutter is reduced by the adhesive or paper dust applied to the labels of the fixed blade and the movable blade of the cutting unit 6, and the printing medium Since the cutting of a certain label continuous body 7 becomes incomplete and troubles such as label clogging occur, maintenance such as cleaning of the blade edge must be periodically performed.
On the other hand, since paper dust, dust and the like attached to the print medium adhere to the heating element of the thermal head 5, maintenance such as periodic cleaning is required.
[0007]
However, in order to ensure the cutting of the continuous label 7, the cutting portion 6 is formed in a block shape so that the fixed blade and the movable blade are integrally formed, and is fixed so that the cutting position does not easily shift.
Moreover, it arrange | positions so that there may be only the clearance gap between the cutting part 6 and the printing part 11 so that a cutting position may not shift | deviate by the bending of the label continuous body 7, etc. FIG.
[0008]
In such a state, the thermal head 5 is separated from the platen roller 4 (open state), and the cutting edge of the cutting unit 6 and the heating element of the thermal head 5 are cleaned. Since there is only a slight gap between the part 6 and the blade 6 and the thermal head 5 cannot be easily cleaned.
Therefore, since it is difficult to clean the blade edge and the heating element of the thermal head 5, there is a problem in that time is wasted for maintenance and the print issuing operation is put on standby for a long time.
[0009]
Furthermore, the fixed blade and the movable blade are fixedly formed in a block shape, and when the cutting edge and the printing portion are placed, the space in the back side is narrow and sufficient cleaning cannot be performed, resulting in a cleaning maintenance cycle. There is a problem of shortening. On the other hand, the fixed blade and the movable blade are formed in a block shape even in the replacement operation of the print medium, which causes a problem that the setting property of the print medium becomes complicated.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention reduces the time required for maintenance such as cleaning by facilitating the cleaning of the cutting edge of the cutting portion and the heating element of the thermal head, and does not wait for a print issuance operation for a long time. Provides a cutting mechanism.
[0011]
The present invention provides a cutting mechanism for a printer that facilitates cleaning of the cutting edge of the cutting part and the heating element of the thermal head, thereby extending the cleaning cycle.
[0012]
According to the present invention, since the heating element of the thermal head can be easily cleaned from the front side to the back side, a printer cutting mechanism that improves the print quality and facilitates the setting of the print medium is provided. provide.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention focuses on separating the fixed blade and the movable blade, and in a cutting mechanism of a printer having a cutter that cuts a print medium printed by a printing unit every predetermined unit, the printing unit includes A platen roller, a printing unit provided so as to be rotatable in contact with and away from the platen roller, and a cutter frame unit provided on the downstream side of the printing unit in the transfer direction of the printing medium . A thermal head holder provided with a thermal head; a fixed blade provided on the thermal head holder via a fixed blade mounting plate; and guide plates formed on both sides of the fixed blade mounting plate. the unit to form a claw portion which is guided by the guide plate, and a movable blade which is provided to be reciprocated in the fixed blade, the Provided and urging means for urging the movable blade in the printing unit, during opening and closing of the printing unit, characterized in that provided to guide the claw portion of the slidably movable blade to the guide plate Printer cutting mechanism.
[0014]
Therefore, when the thermal head is separated from the platen roller (open state), the fixed blade and the movable blade are separated from each other, so that the cutting edge of the cutting portion and the thermal head can be easily cleaned and the maintenance time is shortened. Thus, there is no waiting for printing issuance for a long time.
Furthermore, since the blade tip and the heating element of the thermal head can be sufficiently cleaned, the cleaning cycle can be extended. Further, since the fixed blade and the movable blade are separated from each other, it is easy to set the paper.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the same parts as those in the prior art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and details thereof are omitted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a printer according to the present invention. The printer 40 includes a housing 2, a supply unit 3, and a printing unit 36.
[0016]
The supply unit 3 rotatably supports a roll-shaped label continuous body. The printing unit 36 includes a printing unit 20, a platen roller 4, and a cutting mechanism 12. The printing unit 20 is attached to the platen roller 4. contrast, are provided freely separable about the axis direction of the support shaft 39 provided as you orthogonal to the transport direction of the print medium. The cutting mechanism 12 is disposed downstream of the print unit 20 in the print medium transfer direction, cuts the label continuous body 7 as a print medium in the width direction of the label continuous body 7 at a predetermined interval, and the single-leaf label from the discharge port 10. It feeds out as a piece L.
[0017]
The printing unit 20 includes a thermal head 5, which will be described later, a thermal head holder 20a, and a flat fixed blade 23. The print blade 20 can slide on the fixed blade 23 to receive a print medium (label continuous body 7). A cutter frame unit 13 having a movable blade 15 that can be cut is provided, and the label continuous body 7 fed out from the supply unit 3 is inserted between the printing unit 20 and the platen roller 4, and a heating element ( Predetermined information is thermally printed on the label 9 by an exothermic action (not shown).
[0018]
Further, detection marks (not shown) are printed at a predetermined interval on the surface opposite to the surface on which the label 9 of the label continuous body 7 is temporarily attached, although not shown in the transfer path of the label continuous body 7. A sensor for detecting the detection mark is arranged to detect the presence or absence of the label 9.
[0019]
Next, the cutting mechanism 12 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cutting mechanism, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the cutting mechanism. The cutter frame unit 13 disposed downstream of the printing unit 20 is provided with a cutter frame 14, a movable blade 15, and a drive unit 16.
A paper guide plate 17 that guides the label continuous body 7 is fixed to the cutter frame 14 by screws 18 and 18.
[0020]
The printing unit 20 has a thermal head holder 20 a equipped with a thermal head 5, and a fixed blade mounting plate 21, a fixed blade 23, and a protective plate 25 are disposed at the tip of the thermal unit 5. The protective plate, the fixed blade 23, and the fixed blade mounting plate 21 are fixed. Furthermore, the fixed blade mounting plate 21 is fixed to the tip of the thermal head holder 20a by screws 26, 26.
[0021]
Further, the label detection sensor 24 is provided on the protective plate 25 to detect the presence or absence of the cut label piece L. When the label piece L is detected, printing is waited for and the label piece L is When removed, printing is started when there is a print signal.
Guide plates 22 and 22 are provided on both sides of the fixed blade 21 to guide a movable blade 15 to be described later. The guide plate 22 has a partially protruding shape so that the fixed blade 21 and the fixed blade 21 are closed when the printing unit 20 is closed. Contact between the blades with the movable blades 22 and 22 is prevented.
[0022]
The movable blade 15 has a vertically long hole portion 29, and a guide pin 30 is provided in the cutter frame 14 so as to penetrate through the vertically long hole portion 29. Further, on both sides of the movable blade 15, the claw portion 15b, 15 b that is guided by a guide plate 22 described above, it is formed. On the other hand, the movable blade 15 is formed with a substantially V-shaped cutout portion 15a, and when the printing unit 20 is closed, an opening is formed between the fixed blade 23 and the movable blade 15 by the cutout portion 15a. The continuous label 7 is inserted into the opening so as to be cut.
[0023]
The drive unit 16 transmits a drive source 28, a gear (not shown) that rotates as the drive source 28 is driven, and a link that transmits the gear and the movable blade 15 to move the movable blade 15 in the vertical direction. A member (not shown) is provided, and the movable blade 15 moves up and down along the vertically long hole 29 by a predetermined drive of the drive source 28.
A front frame 2 a as a part of the frame 2 of the printer 1 is fixed to the cutter frame 14 by screws 19 and 19.
[0024]
4A to 4D are explanatory views showing the opening / closing operation of the cutting portion.
FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram in which the printing unit is opened.
In the fixed blade mounting plate 21, guide plates 22 and 22 are formed on both sides in the width direction, and the guide plates 22 and 22 are engaged with claw portions 15b and 15b formed on both upper sides of the movable blade 15. It has become.
Further, a washer 31 is inserted into the guide pin 30 and a coil spring 32 is inserted therein. One of the coil springs 32 is provided in contact with the washer 31 and the other is provided in contact with the movable blade 15 to be movable. The blade 15 is pressed in the direction of the printing unit 20.
[0025]
A stopper pin 33 is provided on the cutter frame 14 on the surface of the movable blade 15 opposite to the surface on which the coil spring 32 abuts. When the printing unit 20 is in a closed state (printable state), the movable blade 15 is a fixed blade. It is made to the position which slides with respect to. In the state where the printing unit 20 is separated from the platen roller 4 (open state), the movable blade 15 and the fixed blade 23 are in a positional relationship, so that the blade edges of the fixed blade 23 and the movable blade 15 are in this state. Can be easily cleaned up to the depth direction, and the heating element of the thermal head 5 can be easily cleaned.
Further, even when the label continuous body 7 is set, there is no member that restricts the front side, and the movable blade 15 and the fixed blade 23 are separated from each other, so that the setting property of the print medium is easy.
[0026]
After the printing unit 20 is in the open state, the blade edge is cleaned and the continuous label body 7 is set, and then the printing unit 20 is pushed down so as to rotate around the support shaft 39, so that both sides of the fixed blade mounting plate 21 are placed. The claw portions 15b on both sides of the movable blade 15 abut on the provided guide plates 22. Further, referring to FIG. 4B, when the printing unit 20 is pushed down to reach the protruding top of each guide plate 22, the movable blade 15 is pushed in the opposite direction against the biasing direction of the coil spring 32, and the fixed blade The positional relationship reaches the front surface of 23. As a result, the fixed blade 15 and the blade edge 23 a of the fixed blade 23 do not come into contact with each other. (See Fig. 4 (c))
[0027]
Further, by depressing the printing unit 20, each claw portion 15b reaches a position where the surface of the movable blade 15 and the surface of the fixed blade 23 can slide from the state in which the guide plate 22 abuts. The printing unit 20 slides to a position where the printing unit 20 is fixed while sliding on the surface of the fixed blade 23. (Closed state)
At the position where the printing unit 20 is fixed, the thermal head 5 and the platen roller 4 are pressed through the label continuum 7, and printing is possible on the printing medium. See FIG. 4 (d).
In such a cutting mechanism, at the time of printing, the label continuum 7 is transferred, and the heat generated by the thermal head 5 causes the label 9 to develop heat-sensitive color, thereby printing predetermined information. The printed label 9 is transferred to the discharge port 10 and the movable blade 15 is moved upward at a predetermined timing to cut the continuous label body 7 in the width direction. Thus, the label piece L can be obtained by the cooperative action of the movable blade 15 and the fixed blade 23.
Then, after cutting, the label continuous body 7 is transferred in the backward direction (reverse direction) and stopped at a predetermined printing start position, and this is repeatedly issued.
[0029]
As described above, when the printing unit is open (open state), the movable blade and the fixed blade of the cutting part are separated, so that the setting of the paper is improved and the cutting edge of the cutter is cleaned from the near side to the far side. Easy to go in the direction.
[0030]
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and are omitted.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram when the printing unit is closed, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram when the printing unit is open.
The printing unit 40 includes a printing unit 41 and a platen roller 4. The printing unit 41 includes the thermal head 5, the fixed blade mounting plate 21, the fixed blade 23, and a label detection sensor (not shown) as described above. And a protective plate.
The cutter frame unit 13 includes a cutter frame 14 and a movable blade 15, and is provided with a vertically long hole 29 and a guide pin 30 so that the movable blade 15 can be moved in the vertical direction.
[0031]
The printing unit 41 is provided parallel to the direction in which the label continuum 7 is transported, and is rotatable about the axial direction of the support shaft 42. When the printing unit 41 is closed, the thermal head 5 is pressed against the platen roller 5 via the label continuum 7. Further, when the printing unit 41 is in the open state, the support shaft 42 disposed on the back side of the printing medium 7 is rotated around the axial direction, so that the front side is opened when the printing unit 41 is lifted up. Ease of setting of the print medium 7, ease of cleaning of the fixed blade 23 and the movable blade 15, and cleaning of the thermal head 5, etc. make maintenance easier, so that the issuance process is waiting for shortening the maintenance time. Since the time is shortened, the print issuing process can be improved.
[0032]
The label described in the embodiment of the present invention has been described with thermal paper that produces heat-sensitive color, but is not limited to this, and is not limited to this, but is one that is thermally transferred by an ink ribbon coated with plain paper or the like, or has a strip shape without a mount. Various labels can be used.
In addition, when an ink ribbon is used, the printer is provided with a supply shaft and a take-up shaft for the ink ribbon, and when a strip-shaped label without a mount is used, a platen roller whose surface is peeled and a transport path for the strip-shaped label In this case, a peeled member is used.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, the present invention can easily clean the paper dust and adhesive adhering to the cutting edges of the fixed blade and the movable blade that cut the print medium, and the ease of setting the print medium is improved. Therefore, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect that maintenance work such as cleaning and print medium replacement work can be performed in a short time.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a printer showing a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cutter unit according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a cutting mechanism in a set state (printing unit closed).
FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram in which a printing unit is opened.
(B) It is explanatory drawing which showed the state which the movable blade and the fixed blade attachment plate contact | abutted.
(C) It is explanatory drawing which showed the state which the movable blade contact | abutted at the front-end | tip of the protrusion part of a guide plate.
(D) It is explanatory drawing which showed the printing unit in the set state.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a cutter unit showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an open state of a printing unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a conventional printer.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Printer 4 Platen roller 7 Label continuum (printing medium)
12 cutting mechanism 13 cutter frame unit 14 cutter frame 15 movable blade 20 printing unit (first embodiment)
23 Fixed blade 29 Vertically long hole portion 30 Guide pin 35 Support shaft (first embodiment)
36 Printing Unit 41 Printing Unit (Second Embodiment)
42 Support shaft (second embodiment)

Claims (1)

In a cutting mechanism of a printer provided with a cutter that cuts a printing medium printed by a printing unit for each predetermined unit,
A platen roller in the printing unit, and a printing unit provided so as to be able to rotate freely in contact with and away from the platen roller;
A cutter frame unit provided on the downstream side in the transfer direction of the printing medium of the printing unit ,
A thermal head holder provided with a thermal head in the printing unit, a fixed blade provided on the thermal head holder via a fixed blade mounting plate, and guide plates formed on both sides of the fixed blade mounting plate. Provided,
In the cutter frame unit, a claw portion guided by the guide plate is formed, and a movable blade provided in a reciprocating manner on the fixed blade ;
A biasing means for biasing the movable blade to the printing unit;
A cutting mechanism for a printer , wherein the claw portion of the movable blade is slidably guided to the guide plate when the printing unit is opened and closed .

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