JPH0411394B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, and more particularly to a recording apparatus that performs recording using a thermal head.

Among recording devices that perform recording using a thermal head, there are few that are constructed so that the thermal head can be easily replaced from the outside. In many cases, when a thermal head is damaged, a service person is required to disassemble the device and replace or repair it.

Although some devices have a structure that allows them to be replaced externally, conventional devices of this type often use connectors with extremely complex structures for the electrical connections that connect the thermal head and the control circuit. . If such a structure is adopted, the cost will be high due to the complicated connector type, and the weight will increase, so a large torque motor will be required as a drive source for the carriage equipped with the thermal head. As the weight increases, complicated control means are required to control the start-up and stop of the carriage during drive.

The structure of a conventional recording apparatus having this type of structure is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 denotes a carriage, which is slidably attached to two guide bars 2, 2, and is run left and right by an endless wire or belt (not shown).

A head mount 3 is rotatably attached to the edge of the carriage 1 on the side facing a platen (not shown) via a shaft 4. A heat sink 5 is fixed to the mounting base 3, and a head chip 6 is attached to the front surface of the heat sink 5. A plurality of recording elements 7 are provided in a vertical row on the head chip 6.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a flexible printed circuit board, and the printed circuit board 8 is pressed against the head chip 6 to bring the circuit patterns into contact with each other to establish an electrical connection.

A backing plate 9 is used to press the flexible printed circuit board 8 against the head chip.

The backing plate 9 is fixed to the mounting base 3 with screws 10, 10. The heat sink 5 and head chip 6 are also attached together when the flexible printed circuit board 8 is pressed by the backing plate 9.

If such a structure is adopted, when replacing the head chip 6, it is necessary to loosen the screws 10, 10, remove the backing plate 9, disassemble the heat sink 5, head chip 6, and flexible printed circuit board 8, replace the head chip 6 with a new one, and reassemble it again. There is a need.

As described above, replacing the head is extremely troublesome and difficult to perform easily.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and provides a recording device that has an extremely simple and clever structure that allows head replacement to be carried out easily and accurately. The purpose is to

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fitting part for removably attaching the head unit to the head mounting base provided on the carriage, and also fixes the head unit at the reference mounting position.
A structure is adopted in which the axis of the tightening member to be released is provided in an oblique direction.

Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be explained based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 2 and subsequent figures illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, and the same parts as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

In the figure, the reference numeral 11 denotes a mounting base for the head, which is rotatably supported on a bracket 12 provided at the tip of the carriage 1 via a shaft 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the head mounting base 11 has a recess 11a formed on its front side, which is a fitting part in which a head unit, which will be described later, is accommodated, and dovetail-shaped grooves are formed on both sides of this fitting part 11a. Slanted surfaces 11b, 11b for positioning are formed.

Further, a screw 14, which is a tightening member, is attached to one side of the shoulder portion of the mounting base 11. As shown in FIG. 2, this screw 14 is installed in an inclined state at a predetermined angle α with respect to the horizontal plane. This angle α is set to at least 20° or more, and is determined by the operability when tightening or loosening screws from the top, but if α is close to 60°, the horizontal The component force in the direction becomes smaller.

One end of a flexible printed circuit board 15 is guided and fixed to the bottom of the recess 11a of the mounting base 11, and its conductive pattern 15a is exposed.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows a head unit, and this head unit 16 is assembled with a heat sink 17 as a base. The heat sink 17 has inclined surfaces 11b, 11 on both left and right sides for positioning the mounting base 11.
It has protrusions 17b, 17b having an inclined surface 17a having a shape complementary to that of protrusions 17b, and a knob 17c is protrudingly provided on one side of the upper end thereof.

A head chip 18 is attached to the front surface of the heat sink 17. The head chip 18 has a plurality of recording elements 18a arranged in a vertical line, and each of the recording elements 18a is connected to a conductive pattern 18b formed on the head chip 18.

Reference numeral 19 indicates a flexible printed circuit board for connection, and the end of the board that is overlapped with the head chip 18 has a through hole 19 facing the screw holes 17d and 17b formed on the left and right sides of the front surface of the heat sink 17.
a, 19a are formed. As shown in FIG. 4B, the other end 19b of the flexible printed circuit board 19 is folded back from the bottom of the heat sink 17 and adhered to the back surface of the heat sink 17 using an adhesive or the like.

The flexible printed circuit board 19 has a conductive pattern exposed at one end which overlaps the conductive pattern 18b of the head chip 18, and a mounting base 1 on the other end 19b side as shown by reference numeral 19c in FIG. 4A.
Flexible printed circuit board 15 fixed on the 1 side
has a conductive pattern that is in contact with the exposed conductive pattern 15a.

This flexible printed circuit board 19 for connection is attached by fixing a backing plate 21 with screws 22 via a cushion material 20 made of rubber or the like. Insert the screw 22 into the screw hole 17 of the heat sink 17.
Through holes 20a and 21a are formed in the cushion material 20 and the backing plate 21 to be screwed into the cushion material 20 and the backing plate 21, respectively.
The head chip 18 and flexible printed circuit board 19 are fixed to the heat sink 17 by this backing plate 21.

The head unit 16 constructed as described above is mounted by pinching the knob 17c with fingers and pushing the protruding portion 17b having the sloped surface 17a along the sloped surface 11b of the mounting base 11. When installing the head unit 16, loosen the screws 14 so that the head unit can be fitted smoothly, and tighten the screws 14 when the head unit is completely fitted so that the head unit 16 is completely fixed.

In this state, the exposed conductive pattern 19c of the flexible printed circuit board 19 folded back to the back side of the heat sink 17 is connected to the flexible printed circuit board 15.
The conductive pattern 15a overlaps with the exposed conductive pattern 15a, and is electrically connected reliably.

By adopting the structure for attaching the head unit 16 in this manner, the head can be freely replaced with one touch by simply loosening or tightening the screw 14.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5B, the tightening force F _A generated when the heat sink 17 of the head unit 16 is tightened with the screw 14 has a horizontal component F _X and a vertical component F _y . The component force _F
X , and the component force F _y moves the heat sink 17 to the lower edge 1 of the recess 11a of the mounting base 11, which is the reference position in the vertical direction.
1 Press _y . As a result, the heat sink 17, ie, the head unit 16, is accurately positioned and fixed.

On the other hand, FIG. 6 explains the main parts of a recording device equipped with a head mount mechanism having the above-mentioned mounting structure. In the figure, reference numerals 23 and 23 indicate the frame of the device, and the guide bar 2, 2 is suspended between them. An endless belt 26 stretched between pulleys 24 and 25 is disposed below the guide bars 2, 2, and a protrusion 1a projecting from the lower end of the carriage 1 is fixed to this belt 26.

Further, one pulley 25 is fixed to an output shaft 27a of a drive motor 27 such as a pulse motor, and is rotated according to a control signal to cause the carriage 1 to reciprocate via a belt 26.

A platen 28 is horizontally suspended opposite the mounting base 11 of the carriage 1, and the recording paper 29 is stored in the lower part in front of the platen. The recording paper 29 is guided between paper feed rollers 30 and 31, and is guided to the platen 2.
Another paper feed roller 32 passes in front of 8,
It passes between the pinch rollers 33 and is led out. The pinch roller 33 is rotatably supported on a shaft 35 that is horizontally suspended between the free ends of a rotating lever 34 that is rotatably supported by a pin 34a, and presses the recording paper 29 against the paper feed roller 32. .

When the carriage 1 is driven with the above structure, the head tip 18 comes into contact with the platen 28 via the recording paper 29, and the recording element 18a is energized according to the control signal, thereby recording the heat-sensitive recording. paper 2
9, dot type recording is performed.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the mounting base of the head unit provided on the carriage is provided with a fitting portion into which the head unit is removably fitted, and the head unit is mounted on the mounting base at the reference mounting position. Since the structure is equipped with a tightening member that presses diagonally against the head, the head can be freely replaced from outside the device by simply loosening or tightening the tightening member. This has the excellent effect of ensuring electrical connection through accurate positioning.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the conventional structure, Figures 2 to 6
The figures show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the head unit before installation, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the head unit, and Figs. 4 A to C are rear views, side views, and front views of the head unit. 5A is a perspective view after the head unit is installed, FIG. 5B is an explanatory view showing the action of a screw as a tightening member, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main parts of the recording apparatus. 1...Carriage, 11...Mounting base, 11a...
...fitting part, 11b...slope, 14...screw, 15,
19... Flexible printed circuit board, 16... Head unit, 17... Heat sink, 18... Head chip.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A recording device in which a head unit is mounted on a reciprocating carriage, comprising: a mounting base fixed to the carriage; and a dovetail-shaped fitting portion for removably fitting the head unit to the mounting base. a tightening member that is arranged to be inclined with respect to a predetermined surface of the mount and presses the head unit against the fitting portion; a first conductive member facing the fitting portion of the mount; and a second conductive member connected to the recording element disposed on the front side and facing the back side of the head unit, and the side and bottom surfaces of the head unit are pressed into the fitting portion by the force exerted by the pressing member. The second electrically conductive member is pressed and fixed at the reference position of the electrically conductive member.
A recording device characterized by having a configuration in which connection is made by pressing a conductive member.