JP2011006159A - Roll paper storage device and printer including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a roll paper storage device capable of appropriately and easily exchanging roll paper with a simple structure, and a printer including the roll paper storage device.
A discharge port provided at the bottom of a storage unit for storing roll paper and discharged so that a used roll core falls off, and facing the discharge port to prevent discharge of the roll core and newly There is provided a roll paper storage device including a discharge mechanism that allows discharge of a roll core by at least one of weight and push-in of the roll paper that has been input, and a printer including the roll paper storage device.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a roll paper accommodation device that accommodates a roll paper in which continuous paper is wound around a roll core in a throwing manner, and a printer including the roll paper accommodation device.

  In a printer using roll paper, a roll paper loading mechanism has been proposed in which the open / close lid of the roll core discharge port opens and closes in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the open / close lid of the roll paper input port in order to discharge the used roll core. (See Reference 1). The roll paper loading mechanism includes a case-shaped roll paper loading unit, a roll paper loading port opened at the top of the roll paper loading unit, a loading port opening / closing lid that opens and closes the roll paper loading port, and a roll paper loading unit. A discharge opening for discharging the used roll core opened at the bottom, a discharge opening / closing cover for opening / closing the discharge opening, and an interlocking mechanism for interlocking opening / closing of the input opening / closing cover and the discharge opening / closing cover. It is configured. The discharge port is opened slightly larger than the outer diameter of the roll core, and when the used roll core remains in the roll paper loading unit, when the input port opening / closing lid is opened to newly load the roll paper, The discharge port opening / closing lid is opened via the interlocking mechanism, and the roll core falls from the discharge port by its own weight and is discharged to the outside.

JP 2000-103549 A

However, in the roll paper loading mechanism as described above, not only an interlocking mechanism is required to interlock the discharge opening / closing cover with the input opening / closing cover, but also the structure of the input opening / closing cover, the discharge opening / closing cover, and the interlocking mechanism. There was a problem that became complicated.
In addition, if the roll opening / closing cover is opened accidentally or in order to eliminate jamming with the remaining roll paper remaining, the discharge opening / closing cover is also opened in conjunction with this, which is contrary to the intention of the user. There is also a problem that the roll core falls from the discharge port.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a roll paper accommodation device capable of appropriately and easily exchanging roll paper with a simple structure, and a printer including the roll paper accommodation device.

  The roll paper storage device of the present invention is provided with a storage unit for storing roll paper in which continuous paper is wound around a roll core by a throw-in method, and a bottom portion of the storage unit, and the used roll core is discharged so as to fall off. And a discharge mechanism that faces the discharge port, prevents discharge of the roll core, and allows discharge of the roll core by at least one of the weight and push-in of newly introduced roll paper. It is characterized by.

  According to this configuration, the discharge mechanism allows the discharge of the roll core from the discharge port only by the weight of the newly input roll paper or the pressing force received through the roll paper. Unless done, the roll core will not be accidentally ejected. Further, since the roll core has a structure that is directly discharged by a new roll paper, the structure of the discharge mechanism can be simplified. Therefore, the roll paper can be exchanged appropriately and easily.

  In this case, the discharge mechanism faces the discharge port and blocks the slide member and the slide member that are slidably mounted between a blocking position that prevents discharge of the roll core and an allowable position that allows discharge of the roll core. It is preferable to have slide member urging means that urges toward the position and allows the slide member to move from the blocking position to the allowable position by at least one of the weight and pushing of the roll paper. .

  According to this configuration, the slide member is urged to the roll core discharge prevention position by the slide member urging means, so that the discharge of the roll core in the free state is prevented, and the pressing force or the like from the roll paper is applied to the roll core. When acted, the slide member moves to an allowable position and discharge of the roll core is allowed, so that the roll core can be discharged appropriately and easily without requiring a complicated device or control system. In addition, it is preferable that the front-end | tip of a slide member and the edge of the discharge port which opposes this are spaced apart so that a roll core may be fitted so that opening operation | movement of a slide member may be performed easily.

  In this case, it is preferable that a roller provided on each of the contact end of the slide member that contacts the roll core and the edge of the discharge port facing the contact end is further provided.

  According to this configuration, when the roll core that has received a pressing force or the like moves the slide member toward the allowable position, friction between the roll core and the contact end and the edge provided with the roller is reduced, The roll core can be discharged smoothly.

  In the roll paper storage device of the present invention, the discharge mechanism is configured to open and close around the hinge between a blocking position facing the discharge port and blocking the roll core discharge and an allowable position allowing the roll core discharge. And an opening / closing member urging means for urging the opening / closing member toward the blocking position and allowing the opening / closing member to be opened from the blocking position to the allowable position by at least one of weight and pushing of the roll paper. It is preferable to have.

  According to this configuration, the opening / closing member is urged to the roll core discharge prevention position by the opening / closing member urging means, whereby the discharge of the roll core in the free state is prevented, and the pressing force from the roll paper is applied to the roll core. In this case, since the opening / closing member opens to the permissible position and discharge of the roll core is permitted, the roll core can be discharged appropriately and easily without requiring a complicated device or control system. In addition, it is preferable that the front-end | tip of an opening-and-closing member and the edge of the discharge port which opposes this are spaced apart so that a roll core may be fitted so that opening operation of an opening-and-closing member may be performed easily.

  In this case, it is preferable that a roller provided at each of the contact end of the opening / closing member that contacts the roll core and the edge of the discharge port facing the contact end is further provided.

  According to this configuration, when the roll core that receives the pressing force or the like opens the opening / closing member toward the permissible position, friction between the roll core and the contact end and the edge provided with the roller is reduced, The roll core can be discharged smoothly.

  In the roll paper accommodation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the bottom of the accommodation portion is formed in a downward slope toward the discharge port.

  According to this configuration, since the roll core in the free state is always guided onto the discharge port, the pressure from the newly introduced roll paper acts appropriately on the roll core, and the roll core interlocked with the introduction of the new roll paper. Ejection can be performed smoothly.

  In the roll paper accommodation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the discharge mechanism further includes a core receiving portion that is located immediately below the discharge port and that receives the discharged roll core.

  According to this configuration, the discharged roll core can be received directly under the discharge port. For this reason, it is effective for management of the roll core after discharge, such as discarding a plurality of roll cores together. It is preferable that an opening is provided in the core receiving portion so that the user who has loaded the roll paper can easily take out the discharged roll core.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer comprising: the roll paper storage device; a feeding unit that feeds and feeds continuous paper from the roll paper; and a printing unit that prints on the continuous paper in synchronization with the feeding unit. And

  According to this configuration, it is possible to realize a printer including a roll paper accommodation device that can exchange roll paper appropriately and easily.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of the receipt printer which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an expanded sectional view around the roll core discharge mechanism according to the first embodiment. It is the figure which represented typically the motion at the time of roll core discharge of the roll core discharge mechanism which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an expanded sectional view around the roll core discharge mechanism according to the second embodiment. It is the figure which represented typically the motion at the time of roll core discharge | emission of the roll core discharge mechanism which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a receipt printer to which a roll paper accommodation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the receipt printer (printer) according to the present embodiment performs a receipt printing by throwing in a roll paper in which a continuous paper is wound around a roll core.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of the receipt printer 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the receipt printer 1 houses an assembled printer mechanism in an apparatus case 2 including a main body case 3 and a lid case 4 attached to the main body case 3 so as to be freely opened and closed. It is configured. A receipt discharge port 5 for discharging a receipt is formed in the upper part of the front surface of the apparatus case 2, and a roll core outlet 6 for taking out a roll core 31 described later is formed in the lower part. Although not shown in the drawing, a power switch and various lamps are attached to the upper surface of the device case 2, and various connectors for connecting to external devices are attached to the rear surface.

  Inside the apparatus case 2, there is disposed a roll paper loading mechanism (roll paper accommodation device) 10 that is located on the back side and accommodates the roll paper 30. In this case, the roll paper 30 is configured by winding a continuous paper 32 around a cylindrical roll core 31 and is thrown into the roll paper loading mechanism 10 by a throwing method. Further, inside the apparatus case 2, a printing unit 11, a cutter unit 12, and a paper discharge roller 13 are arranged in this order on the front side. Further, a path guide 14 is provided at the front edge portion of the roll paper loading mechanism 10, and a horizontal path for feeding the roll paper 30 (continuous paper 32) from the path guide 14 to the receipt discharge port 5 is provided. A paper feed path 15 is configured.

  The printing unit 11 includes a print head 16 and a platen roller 17 that face each other with the paper feed path 15 interposed therebetween, and the print head 16 is constituted by, for example, a thermal head. The platen roller 17 also serves as a feed roller, and feeds the continuous paper 32 from the roll paper 30 along the paper feed path 15. The print head 16 is driven in synchronism with the feeding of the continuous paper 32 by the platen roller 17, and desired printing is performed on the continuous paper 32. The cutter unit 12 is composed of, for example, a rotary cutter, and cuts a printed portion of the continuous paper 32. The paper discharge roller 13 is configured by a so-called nip roller including a driving roller 18 and a driven roller 19, and sends out a printed portion of the cut continuous paper 32 from the receipt discharge port 5 (paper discharge).

  In the receipt printer 1 of the present embodiment, the print head 16, the cutter unit 12, and the driven roller 19 of the paper discharge roller 13 are mounted on the lid case 4, and the paper feed path 15 is opened by opening the lid case 4. It has come to be. In this state, the roll paper 30 is loaded into the roll paper loading mechanism 10, the feeding end of the continuous paper 32 is pulled out to the receipt discharge port 5, and the lid case 4 is closed, whereby the roll paper 30 is set.

  The roll paper loading mechanism 10 includes a roll paper storage unit 20 into which the roll paper 30 is loaded, a roll core discharge mechanism 21A provided at the bottom of the roll paper storage unit 20, a roll core receiving tray (core receiving unit) 22, It has. The roll paper storage unit 20 is formed in a box shape having an open upper end, and the roll paper 30 is fed from this portion. The used roll core 31 is pushed by the newly loaded roll paper 30 and is forcibly discharged from the roll paper storage unit 20 by the roll core discharge mechanism 21A. The discharged roll core 31 falls onto the roll core receiving tray 22 and rolls forward to reach the roll core outlet 6. That is, the user inputs a new roll paper 30 into the roll paper storage unit 20 and picks up a used roll core 31 from the roll core outlet 6.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the roll paper container 20 is formed in a box shape with sheet metal or the like, and is opened at the top and a roll paper slot 23 for feeding the roll paper 30, and is opened at the bottom and used. And a roll core discharge port 24 for discharging the roll core 31. Further, the bottom surface 25 of the roll paper accommodation unit 20 forms a downward gradient toward the roll core discharge port 24. The roll core discharge port 24 has such a size that the roll core 31 remaining after use of the continuous paper 32 can pass (drop), and a roll core discharge mechanism 21A, which will be described later, is inserted into the roll core discharge port 24 from one side. The slide plate 41 faces. In other words, a slide plate 41 is attached to one bottom plate 26a having a downward slope, the tip of the slide plate 41 passes over the one bottom plate 26a, faces the roll core discharge port 24, and faces the tip of the other bottom plate 26b. ing. The tip of the slide plate 41 and the tip of the other bottom plate 26 b have a slit gap (gap for preventing the fall) into which the roll core 31 is fitted, and the bottom surface (both bottom plates 26 a and 26 b) 25 is inclined downward. The used roll core 31 in a free state automatically rolls into the slit gap.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the roll core discharge mechanism 21 </ b> A includes a slide plate 41 attached to one bottom plate 26 a of the roll paper storage unit 20 from below, and a slide for guiding the slide operation of the slide plate 41. A plate guide 43 and a slide plate biasing spring 42 that biases the slide plate 41 in the forward direction are provided. The slide plate 41 has a width corresponding to the depth of the roll core discharge port 24, a blocking position for preventing the roll core 31 from falling between the other bottom plate 26b of the roll paper storage unit 20, and a roll It is configured to be slidable between an allowable position that allows the core 31 to drop. Further, a freely rotating roller 44 is attached to the tip (edge) of the other bottom plate 26b and the tip of the slide plate 41, respectively. In addition, you may make it comprise the slide board 41 with a frame-shaped member.

  In this case, the roller 44 on the bottom plate 26b side is arranged so that the tangent line on the upper side thereof is on the extension of the upper surface (bottom surface 25) of the bottom plate 26b. Similarly, the roller 44 on the slide plate 41 side is arranged such that the upper tangent line is on the extension of the upper surface of the slide plate 41. As a result, the roll core 31 automatically rolls into the slit gap. When the pressure from the roll paper 30 acts on the roll core 31, the roll core 31 bites between the two rollers 44 so as to push open the slit gap. That is, the pressing force acting on the roll core 31 acts on the roller 44 as a component force, causing the slide plate 41 to slide toward the allowable position, and eventually allowing the roll core 31 to pass. In this case, since the friction between the two rolls 44 and the roll core 31 passing therethrough is suppressed, the roll core 31 is smoothly discharged.

  The slide plate urging spring 42 is constituted by, for example, a coil spring, and urges the slide plate 41 forward, that is, toward the blocking position. The used free roll core 31 is placed between the two rollers 44 and is prevented from dropping by the slide plate 41 moved to the blocking position. When a new roll paper 30 is inserted from above the roll core 31 from this state, the slide plate 41 slides (moves) to an allowable position against the slide plate urging spring 42 by the pressing. In this case, the spring force (spring load) of the slide plate urging spring 42 may be one that allows the slide plate 41 to slide to an allowable position with the weight of the newly loaded roll paper 30, or the roll The slide plate 41 may be allowed to slide to the allowable position by the weight of the paper 30 + the pushing force of the user pushing the roll paper 30.

  The roll core receiving tray 22 includes a rolling path 27 that extends from directly below the roll core discharge port 24 to the roll core outlet 6 and an inclined plate 28 that constitutes a bottom plate of the rolling path 27. The rolling path 27 is defined by a partition plate provided at the lower part of the main body case 3, and a receiving opening 29 for receiving the fall of the roll core 31 is formed immediately below the roll core discharge port 24. The inclined plate 28 has a downward slope from the position of the receiving opening 29 toward the roll core outlet 6, and the roll core 31 dropped through the receiving opening 29 rolls on the inclined plate 28 to roll. Reach the centering exit 6. That is, the roll core 31 discharged from the roll paper storage unit 20 is taken out from the roll core outlet 6.

  FIG. 3 shows the movement of the roll core discharge mechanism 21A when the roll core 31 is discharged. The free roll core 31 guided on the roll core discharge port 24 is prevented from being discharged by the slide plate 41 with the roll core discharge port 24 closed. At this time, the roll core 31 is positioned so as to fit into a slit gap formed between the tip of the slide plate 41 and the tip of the other bottom plate 26b (see FIG. 5A). When the lid case 4 is opened from this state and a new roll paper 30 is inserted into the roll paper storage unit 20, the pressing force from the roll paper 30 pushes the roll core 31 downward, and the spring force of the slide plate urging spring 42 is applied. It overcomes and the slide plate 41 slides to the allowable position (opening direction). As a result, the space between the tip of the slide plate 41 and the tip of the other bottom plate 26b expands, and the roll core 31 passes downward (see FIG. 5B). When the roll core 31 sandwiched between the rollers 44 passes through half of the roll core 31, the roll core 31 is rotated by the rotation of the roller 44 due to the spring force of the slide plate biasing spring 42 to return the slide plate 41. It is discharged so as to fall from 20 (see (c) and (d) in the figure). Then, the roll core 31 dropped on the roll core receiving tray 22 rolls on the inclined plate 28 and reaches the roll core outlet 6.

[Second Embodiment]
The roll paper loading mechanism (roll paper storage device) according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In the present embodiment, the roll core discharge mechanism 21B is adapted to a roll paper loading mechanism (roll paper storage device), and only differences from the first embodiment will be described. The description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the roll core discharge mechanism 21 </ b> B is attached to a hinge 54 provided at the edge of the bottom plate 26 a of the roll paper storage unit 20, and the roll core discharge port 24 can be opened and closed around the hinge 54. An opening / closing plate 55, an opening / closing plate urging spring 56 for urging the opening / closing plate 55 in the closing direction of the roll core outlet 24, and a freely rotating roller 44 attached to the edge of the bottom plate 26b and the tip of the opening / closing plate 55, respectively. ,have.

  The opening / closing plate 55 has a width corresponding to the depth of the roll core discharge port 24, a blocking position for preventing the roll core 31 from falling between the other bottom plate 26 b of the roll paper storage unit 20, and the roll It is configured to be openable and closable (rotatable) with respect to an allowable position that allows the core 31 to drop. In this case, the blocking position is the closing position of the opening / closing plate 55 facing the roll core discharge port 24, and in this state, the bottom plate 26a and the opening / closing plate 55 are disposed flush with each other at the same inclination angle. Note that the opening / closing plate 55 may be formed of a frame-shaped member.

  The opening / closing plate urging spring 56 is constituted by a torsion coil spring provided so as to be wound around the hinge 54, and urges the opening / closing plate 55 toward the blocking position. Also in this case, the spring force (spring load) of the opening / closing plate urging spring 56 may allow the opening / closing plate 55 to rotate to the allowable position by the weight of the newly loaded roll paper 30. Further, the opening / closing plate 55 may be allowed to rotate to the permissible position by the weight of the roll paper 30 + the pushing force of the user pushing the roll paper 30.

  FIG. 5 shows the movement of the roll core discharge mechanism 21B when the roll core 31 is discharged. The free roll core 31 guided on the roll core discharge port 24 is prevented from being discharged by an opening / closing plate 55 that closes the roll core discharge port 24. At this time, the roll core 31 is positioned so as to be fitted into a slit gap formed between the front end of the opening / closing plate 55 and the front end of the other bottom plate 26b (see FIG. 5A). When the lid case 4 is opened from this state and a new roll paper 30 is put into the roll paper storage unit 20, the pressing force from the roll paper 30 acts on the roll core 31 and the opening / closing plate 55 downward, and the opening / closing plate biasing spring. Overcoming the spring force of 56, the opening / closing plate 55 is rotated in the opening direction. As a result, the roll core discharge port 24 is opened, and the roll core 31 passes through the roll core discharge port 24 (see FIG. 4B). When substantially the entire roll core 31 passes through the roll core discharge port 24, the roll core 31 is pushed out in the discharge direction by the spring force of the opening / closing plate biasing spring 56 trying to return the opening / closing plate 55 and the rotation of the roller 44. The paper is discharged from the roll paper container 20 so as to fall (see FIGS. 3C and 3D). Then, the roll core 31 dropped on the roll core receiving tray 22 rolls on the inclined plate 28 and reaches the roll core outlet 6.

  According to these embodiments, since the roll core 31 can be discharged in conjunction with the loading of a new roll paper 30, the used roll core 31 can be taken out from the roll paper inlet 23 for replacing the roll paper 30. The roll core 31 can be discharged appropriately and easily without accidentally discharging the roll core. Further, since the roll core discharge port 24 opened in the roll paper storage unit 20 is opened and closed by a spring force and the roll core 31 is discharged, the roll core can be discharged without requiring a complicated device or control system. It is possible to configure a discharge mechanism that discharges the water properly and easily.

  In addition, although the roll paper accommodation apparatus which concerns on said embodiment illustrated what applied this invention to the receipt printer 1, this invention is a container etc. which accommodate the toilet paper which wound the continuous paper around the roll core, etc. It can be applied to other storage devices and various printers.

  1: Receipt printer 10: Roll paper loading mechanism 11: Printing unit 13: Paper discharge roller 21A: Roll core discharge mechanism 21B: Roll core discharge mechanism 22: Roll core receiving tray 24: Roll core discharge port 25: Bottom surface 30: Roll paper 31: Roll core 41: Slide plate 42: Slide plate biasing spring 44: Roller 55: Opening / closing plate 56: Opening / closing plate biasing spring

Claims (8)

A storage section for storing roll paper, in which continuous paper is wound around a roll core, by a throw-in method;
A discharge port which is provided at the bottom of the housing part and is discharged so that the used roll core falls off;
A discharge mechanism that faces the discharge port, prevents discharge of the roll core, and allows discharge of the roll core by at least one of weight and push-in of the newly loaded roll paper. Roll paper storage device. The discharge mechanism is
A slide member that is slidably mounted between a blocking position that faces the discharge port and prevents discharge of the roll core and an allowable position that allows discharge of the roll core;
A slide member biasing means for biasing the slide member toward the blocking position and allowing the slide member to move from the blocking position to the allowable position by at least one of a weight and a push of the roll paper; The roll paper accommodation device according to claim 1, wherein the roll paper accommodation device is provided.   The roll paper accommodation according to claim 2, further comprising rollers respectively provided at a contact end of the slide member that contacts the roll core and an edge of the discharge port facing the contact end. apparatus. The discharge mechanism is
An opening / closing member configured to open and close around a hinge between a blocking position that faces the discharge port and prevents discharge of the roll core and an allowable position that allows discharge of the roll core,
An opening / closing member urging means for urging the opening / closing member toward the blocking position, and allowing the opening / closing member to be opened from the blocking position to the allowable position by at least one of weight and pushing of the roll paper; The roll paper accommodation device according to claim 1, wherein the roll paper accommodation device is provided.   The roll paper accommodation according to claim 4, further comprising a roller provided at each of a contact end of the opening / closing member that contacts the roll core and an edge of the discharge port facing the contact end. apparatus. The bottom of the container is
The roll paper accommodation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the roll paper accommodation device is formed in a downward slope toward the discharge port. The discharge mechanism is
The roll paper accommodation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a core receiving portion that is located immediately below the discharge port and receives the discharged roll core. A roll paper accommodation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A feeding means for feeding the continuous paper out of the roll paper;
A printer comprising: a printing unit configured to print on the continuous paper in synchronization with the feeding unit.

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