JP2011031593A - Transportation guide mechanism and recording device having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyance guide mechanism capable of smoothly and stably feeding a sheet-like medium without impairing maintainability, and a recording apparatus including the conveyance guide mechanism.
A discharge port is provided between a discharge port 4 of a paper feed mechanism 3 that can be opened and closed with respect to a printer body 2 and a ticket transport path 12 through which a recording paper P fed from the paper feed mechanism 3 passes. Is a transport guide mechanism 61 for guiding the recording paper P delivered from the paper to the ticket transport path 12, and includes a lower guide plate portion 63 that constitutes a guide path 64 through which the recording paper P can pass. It is supported by a paper feed mechanism 3 that is opened and closed with respect to the printer main body 2 so as to be displaceable at a position deviating from the movement locus of the paper feed mechanism 3.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveyance guide mechanism that guides a medium to be conveyed and a recording apparatus including the conveyance guide mechanism.

  In general, a printer applied to an electronic cash register used in a POS (Point Of Sale) system, etc., prints on a roll-like recording paper by a thermal head or the like and then issues it as a receipt. Yes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2000-167799 A

Since the printer as described above is built in a ticket issuing device such as a register, the recording paper printed and sent out by the printer is guided to the ticket issuing port provided in the case of the ticketing device, and from this ticket issuing port. The paper is ejected.
In this type of printer, it is necessary to open and close the printer main body by rotating the paper feed mechanism or the like for maintenance such as clearing a paper jam or cleaning the paper feed mechanism that feeds the recording paper.
By the way, in order to be able to open and close the paper feed mechanism, it is necessary to make a gap between the ticket issuing port of the ticket issuing device and the discharge port of the printer in order to secure a space necessary for opening and closing the paper feed mechanism. However, the recording paper delivered from the paper feeding mechanism may be removed from the transport path through the gap, and may not be fed into the ticket issuing port of the case of the ticket issuing device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a transport guide mechanism capable of smoothly and stably feeding a sheet-like medium without impairing maintainability, and a recording apparatus including the transport guide mechanism. is there.

In order to achieve the above object, the transport guide mechanism according to the present invention predetermines a medium discharged from a discharge port formed between the main body and the open / close member supported to be openable and closable by the main body. A transport guide mechanism for guiding in a direction,
It has a guide member that is supported by the main body so as to be movable and is pressed by the opening and closing member that is opened and closed to move to a position deviating from the movement locus of the opening and closing member.

According to the transport guide mechanism having this configuration, the medium sent out from the discharge port by the guide member can be guided in a predetermined direction, so that it can be guided to the medium transport section of the case that accommodates the apparatus provided with the transport mechanism. Even if the position of the medium conveyance path of the case varies depending on the type of case, it can be dealt with by changing only the conveyance guide mechanism.
Further, since the guide member is supported by the feed mechanism that is opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body so as to be displaceable at a position deviating from the movement locus of the feed mechanism, the guide member can be set close to the discharge port side. Therefore, the medium discharged from the discharge port does not come off from the conveyance path formed by the guide member, and the function of easily opening the opening / closing member with respect to the main body and removing the jam of the medium or performing maintenance such as cleaning is also maintained. can do.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the said guide member is rotatably supported by the said main body. Thus, since the guide member is pressed and moved by the feed mechanism that is opened with respect to the apparatus main body, the guide member does not get in the way when the feed mechanism is opened, thus improving the maintainability of the feed mechanism. be able to. In addition, since the guide member is moved toward the conveyance path, the guide member can be moved without a problem that the position of the guide member is removed from the conveyance path by moving the guide member.

Further, it is preferable that the guide member is pressed by the feed mechanism that is closed with respect to the apparatus main body and rotated around a fulcrum on the side of the conveyance path. As described above, the guide member is pressed and rotated by the feed mechanism that is closed with respect to the apparatus main body, and therefore, the guide member does not become an obstacle when the feed mechanism is closed. Can be increased. In addition, since the guide member is rotated around a fulcrum on the conveyance path side, the guide member can be moved without a problem that the position of the guide member is removed from the conveyance path by rotating the guide member. it can.
Moreover, it is more desirable than the simple structure that the guide member of the present invention is rotatably supported by the main body.
Further, it is desirable that the guide member is urged to a predetermined position by the urging member because the position is stable.

In addition, a recording apparatus according to the present invention includes any one of the conveyance guide mechanisms described above, and includes a print processing unit that performs print processing on the medium.
According to this recording apparatus, the sheet-like medium subjected to the printing process can be smoothly and stably sent out by the transport guide mechanism, and maintenance of the feed mechanism can be easily performed.

1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a recording apparatus showing a structure of a conveyance guide mechanism portion. It is an expanded sectional view of a conveyance guide mechanism part. It is an expanded sectional view explaining a motion of a conveyance guide mechanism. It is an expanded sectional view explaining a motion of a conveyance guide mechanism. It is a cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the conveyance guide mechanism part in other embodiment of this invention.

Embodiments of a transport guide mechanism and a recording apparatus including the same according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the recording apparatus showing the structure of the conveyance guide mechanism portion, FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the conveyance guide mechanism portion, and FIGS. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view for explaining the movement of the transport guide mechanism.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a printer 1 that is a recording apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a printer main body (apparatus main body) 2 and a paper feed mechanism (feeding) provided below the front side of the printer main body 2. Mechanism) 3.

  The printer 1 is built in, for example, a ticket issuing device that issues a receipt, and the printed recording paper (medium) P is sent out from the discharge port 4 of the paper feeding mechanism 3 and provided in the case 11 of the ticket issuing device. It is guided to the ticket transport passage (conveyance passage) 12 and discharged from the ticket issuing port 13 on one end side of the ticket transport passage 12. The ticket transport path 12 includes an upper plate 12a and a lower plate 12b. The upper plate 12a and the lower plate 12b are inclined downward toward the discharge direction A of the recording paper P, and are mutually connected. Is gradually narrowed. The ticket transport passage 12 has a ticket introduction port 14 on the printer 1 side, and the recording paper P sent out from the discharge port 4 of the paper feed mechanism 3 is fed from the ticket introduction port 14 side.

  The printer main body 2 includes a stepping motor 21. The stepping motor 21 rotationally drives a motor gear 22, and a transmission gear 23 is engaged with the motor gear 22. An outer gear 24 is engaged with the transmission gear 23, and the rotational force of the motor gear 22 is transmitted to the outer gear 24 via the transmission gear 23. The outer gear 24 is provided with an inner gear 25 on the same rotation shaft, and the inner gear 25 is rotated together with the outer gear 24 when the outer gear 24 is rotated.

The paper feed mechanism 3 is connected to the printer main body 2 so as to be able to rotate to the front side of the printer 1 around a rotating shaft 31 on the lower side. The paper feed mechanism 3 is provided with a platen gear 32 that meshes with the internal gear 25 on the printer body 2 side. A platen roller 33 is provided on the same rotational axis as the platen gear 32, and the platen roller 33 is rotated together with the platen gear 32 when the platen gear 32 is rotated.
The printer main body 2 is provided with a thermal head (printing processing unit) 35 that records on the recording paper P at a position above the platen roller 33 of the paper feed mechanism 3 and is pressed against the platen roller 33 by a spring (not shown). It is energized.

Then, the recording paper P made of roll paper disposed on the lower side of the printer 1 is wound around the platen roller 33 from the lower side of the paper feeding mechanism 3 and passes between the platen roller 33 and the thermal head 35. At this time, printing is performed by the thermal head 35 and is sent out from the discharge port 4 of the paper feed mechanism 3.
Further, the printer 1 is provided with a cutter mechanism 53 including cutting blades 51 and 52 provided on the printer main body 2 side and the paper feed mechanism 3 side. The cutter mechanism 53 is a recording paper fed forward. P is cut at a predetermined timing.

The paper feed mechanism 3 has a locking plate 41 supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and is urged upward by a tension spring 42. A locking claw 43 is formed on the locking plate 41, and the locking claw 43 is formed on the printer body 2 side in a state where the locking plate 41 is urged upward by the tension spring 42. The rotation of the paper feed mechanism 3 is restricted by being locked to the locking portion 44. Further, the paper feed mechanism 3 is provided with a lock release lever 45, and the lock plate 41 is pulled down against the urging force of the tension spring 42 by depressing the lock release lever 45, The locked state to the locking part 44 by the locking claw 43 is released. Thereby, the paper feed mechanism 3 can be rotated to the front side of the printer 1 around the rotation shaft 31.
Then, by rotating the paper feeding mechanism 3 forward, the space between the platen roller 33 and the thermal head 35 is opened, and maintenance such as paper jam elimination and cleaning becomes possible.

Further, the printer 1 is provided with a conveyance guide mechanism 61 that protrudes from the printer body 2 toward the ticket conveyance path 12 between the discharge port 4 of the paper feed mechanism 3 and the ticket conveyance path 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the transport guide mechanism 61 includes an upper guide plate portion 62 and a lower guide plate portion (guide member) 63, and between these upper guide plate portion 62 and the lower guide plate portion 63. Is a guide path 64 through which the recording paper P is guided. The leading end of the guide passage 64 enters the ticket introduction port 14 in the ticket transport passage 12.
The upper guide plate portion 62 and the lower guide plate portion 63 have flat plate portions 65 and 66 that are parallel to each other. The upper guide plate portion 62 protrudes from the flat plate portion 65 toward the ticket transport passage 12 side. An inclined plate portion 67 that is inclined along the conveyance path 12 is extended.

Support plate portions 71 bent toward the lower guide plate portion 63 are formed on both sides of the upper guide plate portion 62, and bent toward the upper guide plate portion 62 side at both sides of the lower guide plate portion 63. The formed connecting plate portion 72 is formed along the outer surface of the support plate portion 71.
A guide plate portion 73 projecting sideways is formed on the support plate portion 71 of the upper guide plate portion 62, and a guide through which the guide plate portion 73 is inserted into the connecting plate portion 72 of the lower guide plate portion 63. A groove 74 is formed.

An upper side of the guide groove 74 is a guide side portion 74 a along the front-rear direction of the printer 1. A recess 74 b is formed on the lower side of the guide groove 74.
A tension spring 75 is connected between the guide plate portion 73 and the upper portion of the connecting plate portion 72 on the ticket transport path 12 side, and the lower guide plate portion 63 is connected to the printer 1 side by the tension spring 75. It is biased diagonally downward. As a result, the end 73 a of the guide plate 73 on the side of the ticket transport passage 12 is brought into contact with the end 74 c of the guide groove 74 on the side of the ticket transport passage 12, and the guide plate 73 is a guide side of the guide groove 74. The state is in contact with 74a.

  Further, a contact plate portion 81 is formed on the lower guide plate portion 63 on the printer 1 side. The contact plate 81 is disposed on a turning locus (movement locus) through which the frame (opening / closing member) 3a of the paper feeding mechanism 3 passes when the paper feeding mechanism 3 is rotated about the rotation shaft 31. Yes.

  In the printer 1 having the transport guide mechanism 61, the recording paper P that is printed by the thermal head 35 and is sent out from the discharge port 4 to the front side of the printer 1 is between the discharge port 4 and the ticket transport path 12. In the meantime, it passes through the guide passage 64 of the transport guide mechanism 61 that protrudes from the printer body 2 toward the ticket transport passage 12 and enters the ticket introduction port 14 in the ticket transport passage 12. As a result, the recording paper P is fed into the ticket transport path 12 and is sent out from the ticket issuing port 13 without being deviated from the transport path between the discharge port 4 and the ticket transport path 12.

  Next, in the printer 1 having the above-described conveyance guide mechanism 61, a case where the paper feeding mechanism 3 is opened and closed for maintenance such as paper jam elimination and cleaning will be described.

(When paper feed mechanism is opened)
When the paper feed mechanism 3 is rotated to the front side of the printer 1 around the rotation shaft 31 in order to open the paper feed mechanism 3, the lower guide plate portion in which the frame 3 a of the paper feed mechanism 3 constitutes the conveyance guide mechanism 61. 63 abuts against the end of the abutting plate 81.
When the paper feed mechanism 3 is further rotated, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower guide plate portion 63 is resisted against the urging force of the tension spring 75 by the frame 3a of the paper feed mechanism 3 so It is pushed out toward.

When the frame 3a of the paper feed mechanism 3 moves to the front side in the rotational direction from the position of the contact plate 81 of the lower guide plate 63, the contact of the frame 3a with the contact plate 81 is released. .
As a result, the lower guide plate portion 63 is pulled toward the printer 1 by the urging force of the tension spring 75, and the end portion 73 a of the guide plate portion 73 on the ticket transport passage 12 side is the end portion of the guide groove 74 on the ticket transport passage 12 side. The guide plate portion 73 is disposed at a fixed position in contact with the guide side portion 74a.

(When paper feed mechanism is closed)
When the paper feed mechanism 3 is rotated to the rear side of the printer 1 around the rotation shaft 31 in order to close the opened paper feed mechanism 3, the frame 3 a of the paper feed mechanism 3 forms a lower part of the conveyance guide mechanism 61. It contacts the lower surface of the contact plate portion 81 of the guide plate portion 63.
Further, when the paper feed mechanism 3 is rotated, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower guide plate portion 63 is rotated about the side of the ticket transport path 12 by the frame 3a of the paper feed mechanism 3, and the guide plate portion. 73 enters the recess 74b.

When the frame 3a of the paper feed mechanism 3 moves to the front side in the rotational direction from the position of the contact plate 81 of the lower guide plate 63, the contact of the frame 3a with the contact plate 81 is released. .
Accordingly, the lower guide plate portion 63 is rotated in the reverse direction by the urging force of the tension spring 75, and the end portion 73 a on the ticket transport passage 12 side of the guide plate portion 73 is the end portion on the ticket transport passage 12 side in the guide groove 74. The guide plate portion 73 is disposed at a fixed position in contact with the guide side portion 74a.

As described above, according to the transport guide mechanism of the above-described embodiment, the recording paper P fed from the discharge port 4 of the paper feed mechanism 3 is passed through the guide path 64, so that the discharge port 4 of the paper feed mechanism 3 The recording paper P can be smoothly and stably sent out in the gap with the ticket transport path 12.
Further, the lower guide plate portion 63 constituting the transport guide mechanism 61 is supported by the paper feed mechanism 3 that is opened and closed with respect to the printer main body 2 so as to be displaceable at a position deviating from the movement locus of the paper feed mechanism 3. Therefore, the paper feeding mechanism 3 can be opened with respect to the printer main body 2 to easily perform maintenance such as elimination of clogging of the recording paper P and cleaning.
That is, the recording paper P that has been printed by the thermal head 35 can be smoothly and stably sent out by the transport guide mechanism 61, and the maintenance of the paper feed mechanism 3 can be easily performed.

In particular, the lower guide plate 63 is pressed by the paper feed mechanism 3 that is opened with respect to the printer main body 2, is moved toward the ticket transport path 12, and is pressed by the paper feed mechanism 3 that is closed with respect to the printer main body 2. Since it is rotated about the fulcrum on the side of the ticket conveyance path 12, the lower guide plate portion 63 does not get in the way when the paper feed mechanism 3 is opened and closed, thus improving the maintainability of the paper feed mechanism 3. be able to.
The lower guide plate 63 is moved toward the ticket transport path 12 when the paper feed mechanism 3 is opened, and is rotated around a fulcrum on the ticket transport path 12 when the paper feed mechanism 3 is closed. The lower guide plate portion 63 can be moved and rotated without a problem that the position of the lower guide plate portion 63 is removed from the ticket transport path 12 by moving and rotating the lower guide plate portion 63.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made. FIG. 6 is an example thereof, and is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a conveyance guide mechanism portion in another embodiment. In the drawings and description, parts having the same or the same functions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the transport guide mechanism 61 a that protrudes from the printer body 2 toward the ticket transport path 12 is supported by a lower guide plate portion (guide member) 63 a so that the upper guide plate portion 62 a can be rotated by a support shaft 76. Has been.
Further, the lower guide plate portion 63a is urged counterclockwise in FIG. 6 by a tension spring 77 provided on the upper guide plate portion 62a, and the lower guide plate portion 63a is provided on the connecting plate portion 72a. The latch portion 81c abuts on the stop portion 62b provided on the upper guide plate portion 62a, or the abutment plate portion 81a provided on the lower guide plate portion 63a abuts on the abutment surface 3c of the frame 3b. That attitude is regulated.
In the above configuration, the case where the frame 3b is opened and the case where the opened frame 3b is closed will be described in detail.

(When paper feed mechanism is opened)
When the frame 3b is rotated about the rotation shaft 31 to the front side of the printer 1 to open the conveyance path of the paper feed mechanism 3, the contact plate portion 81a of the lower guide plate portion 63a is brought into contact with the frame 3b. Since it is moved to the guide passage 64 side by the surface 3 c, the lower guide plate portion 63 a is rotated clockwise against the urging force of the tension spring 77.
Then, when the contact surface 3c of the frame 3b rotates to the rotational direction side with respect to the position of the contact plate portion 81a of the lower guide plate portion 63a, the contact of the frame 3b with the contact plate portion 81a is released. .
As a result, the lower guide plate portion 63a is rotated counterclockwise by the urging force of the tension spring 77, and the latching portion 81c comes into contact with the stop portion 62b provided on the upper guide plate portion 62a so that the posture is regulated and fixed. Placed in position.

(When paper feed mechanism is closed)
When the frame 3b is rotated to the rear side of the printer 1 around the rotation shaft 31 in order to close the opened paper feed mechanism 3, the upper end 3d of the frame 3b contacts the lower surface 81b of the lower guide plate 63b. Touch.
Further, when the frame 3b is rotated, the lower guide plate portion 63a is rotated clockwise around the support shaft 76 against the urging force of the tension spring 77, and the upper end portion 3d has the lower surface 81b and the contact plate portion. The lower guide plate 63a is rotated clockwise until the sliding of 81a is completed. Then, as the upper end portion 3d is disengaged from the contact plate portion 81, the lower guide plate portion 63a is rotated counterclockwise by the tension spring 77, and in the state where the contact plate portion 81 is in contact with the stop portion 62b. Is regulated and becomes a fixed position.
In this embodiment, the lower guide plate portion 63a is a simple mechanism because it only needs to rotate, and its operation is desirable because it is stable.

In the above embodiment, the thermal printer that applies heat to the recording paper P by the thermal head 35 is described as an example. However, the present invention ejects ink onto a recording medium such as the recording paper P. It can also be applied to an inkjet printer.
In the above embodiment, the lower guide plate 63a, which is a guide member, is urged by the tension spring 77. However, the urging member that urges the predetermined position is not limited to the tension spring, and a torsion coil spring. Or a compression spring or elastically deformed rubber.
Further, the guide path 64 through which the recording paper P is guided is described by taking the example of the two parts of the upper guide plate part 62a and the lower guide plate part 63a. However, the guide path 64 is constituted by one part. In this case, the guide member forming the guide passage 64 may be supported by the main body so as to be movable.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer (recording apparatus), 2 ... Printer main body (apparatus main body), 3 ... Paper feed mechanism (feed mechanism), 4 ... Discharge port, 12 ... Ticket conveyance path (conveyance path), 35 ... Thermal head (print processing part) , 61... Transport guide mechanism, 63... Lower guide plate portion (guide member), 64... Guide passage, P.

Claims (5)

A transport guide mechanism for guiding a medium discharged from a discharge port formed between the main body and a predetermined direction when an opening / closing member supported to be openable / closable by the main body is closed,
A transport guide mechanism comprising a guide member which is supported by the main body so as to be movable and is pressed by the opening and closing member which is opened and closed to move to a position deviating from a movement locus of the opening and closing member. The transport guide mechanism according to claim 1,
The conveyance guide mechanism, wherein the guide member is rotatably supported by the main body. The transport guide mechanism according to claim 1 or 2,
The conveyance guide mechanism, wherein the guide member is urged to a predetermined position by an urging member. It is a conveyance guide mechanism as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3, Comprising:
The conveyance guide mechanism, wherein the main body includes an upper guide portion for guiding the medium together with the guide member.   5. A recording apparatus comprising the conveyance guide mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a print processing unit that performs print processing on the medium.

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