Typewriting machines – Sheet or web – For feeding web record-medium
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-19
2002-11-05
Hirshfeld, Andrew H. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Sheet or web
For feeding web record-medium
C400S611000, C400S691000, C400S693000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474883
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer performing print by means of a printing head such as an ink-jet head onto a recording sheet of paper delivered from a recording paper roll housed in a roll paper housing. More particularly, the invention relates to a printer of a type in which replacement operation of a recording sheet roll is accomplished via an opening formed in the front surface of a roll paper housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a printer printing on a recording paper roll, there is known a type in which an opening/closing cover for replacing a recording paper roll is attached to the front surface of the printer, and when the cover is pulled down forward, the roll paper housing is exposed. Such a printer is disclosed, for example, in JP-A 3-258575. In the disclosed printer, a printing head is arranged downward above the roll paper housing, and a platen roller for regulating the printing position on the recording sheet is arranged opposite thereto. The recording sheet delivered from a recording paper roll housed in the roll paper housing is printed while passing on the printing position, and then, discharged outside from a paper discharge port formed above an opening for replacing the recording sheet in the front portion of the printer. In general, a cutter is attached near the paper discharge port to permit cutting of a tape-shaped recording sheet after printing automatically or manually.
The cover blocking the opening of the roll paper housing is locked by a locking mechanism at a closing position, so that, by releasing the lock, the cover falls down forwardly by a spring force to expose the roll paper housing. A platen roller which is a component part of the paper feed mechanism is attached on the cover side, to facilitate replacement of the recording sheet via the opening.
In a cover opening/closing mechanism in which parts composing the paper feed mechanism such as the platen roller are as well moved, together with the cover, the paper feed troubles may be caused unless the movable-side components of the paper feed mechanism returns to the original positions accurately in a closed state of the cover. Particularly when an ink-jet head is used as a printing head, the platen gap fluctuates, producing disadvantages such as a decrease in the print quality.
On the other hand, the printer using a recording paper roll is popularly applied as a receipt issuing printer at pay window of a kiosk or the like, and in such a case, the available space for installation is small in many cases. There is and has been therefore an increasing demand for development of a smaller-sized or more compact printer in this area of application. With this fact in view, it is desirable to configure a locking mechanism for locking the cover blocking the roll paper housing at the closed position thereof, and a mechanism for releasing the lock by the locking mechanism, into a compact shape without the need for a large space for installation.
In addition, it is always demanded to permit simple and safe opening/closing operation of the cover, and easy replacement of the recording paper roll.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a printer which carries out replacement of the recording paper roll by opening the cover attached to the front surface of the printer, which permits simple replacement operation of the recording paper roll.
Another object of the invention is to provide a printer which carries out replacement of the recording paper roll by opening the cover attached to the front surface of the printer, and causes movement of also some component parts of the paper feed mechanism transferring a recording sheet by a printing head via the printing position together with the cover, which permits accurate return of the moving parts, together with the cover, to the operating positions.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a printer which carries out replacement of the recording paper roll by opening the cover attached to the front surface of the printer, and causes movement of also some component parts of the paper feed mechanism transferring a recording sheet by a printing head via the printing position together with the cover, which permits accurate return of the moving parts, together with the cover, to the operating position, and ensures certain feed of recording sheets of paper without causing slip.
Further another object of the invention is to provide a printer which carries out replacement of the recording paper roll by opening the cover attached to the front surface of the printer, and in which a locking mechanism locking the cover at the closed position and a mechanism for releasing lock made by the locking mechanism are small and compact in size.
In addition, another object of the invention is to provide a printer which carries out replacement of the recording paper roll by opening the cover attached to the front surface of the printer, which permits simple and safe opening/closing operation of the cover.
To achieve the above and other objects, the printer of the present invention comprises a roll paper housing; a cover attached to the front surface of the printer for opening and closing the roll paper housing; a printing head for printing on a tape-shaped recording sheet of paper delivered from a recording paper roll charged in the roll paper housing; a paper feed mechanism for transferring the tape-shaped recording sheet through a printing position of the printing head; the paper feed mechanism comprising a fixed-side paper feed mechanism section and a movable-side paper feed mechanism section movable to an operating position and a shunting position distant from the fixed-side paper feed mechanism section, engaging with the fixed-side paper feed mechanism section; and the recording sheet being held between the fixed-side paper feed mechanism section and the movable-side paper feed mechanism section; and a parallel linking mechanism which causes the movable-side paper feed mechanism section to move to the operating position in linkage with the closing operation of the cover, and causes the movable-side paper feed mechanism section to move from the operating position to the shunting position while keeping the posture at the operating position, in linkage with the opening operation of the cover.
The aforementioned parallel linking mechanism may have a configuration in which the parallel linking mechanism has a pair of swinging arms; and the lower end of each swinging arm is rotatably supported by the roll paper housing side, and the upper end of each swinging arm is hinge-connected by the movable-side paper feed mechanism section.
The aforementioned paper feed mechanism may have a configuration in which the fixed-side paper feed mechanism section comprises a first roller and a second roller arranged in the upstream and in the downstream, respectively, of the printing head in the recording paper transferring direction; the movable-side paper feed mechanism section comprises a third roll in contact with the first roller and a fourth roller in contact with the second roller at the operating position; and the recording sheet is transferred between the first and third rollers, and between the second and fourth rollers.
In this case, the fixed-side paper feed mechanism section may have a configuration in which it further comprises a motor driving one of the first and second rollers, and a driven gear for transferring the driving force of the motor to the movable-side paper feed mechanism section. The movable-side paper feed mechanism section may further comprise a follower gear engaging with the driven gear at the operating position, and it suffices to derive one of the third and fourth rollers by driving force of the motor transferred to the follower gear.
Typically, the configuration may be such that the first and fourth rollers are driven by the motor. In this case, the movable-side paper feed mechanism section should preferably have a spring which presses the third r
Iwaya Satoshi
Kawakami Hideki
Oshida Kazuya
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Seiko Epson Corporation
Williams Kevin D.
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