Printer and data processing apparatus having printing unit

A printer having a printer body and a print unit is disclosed. The printer body has an upper surface that supports a sheet in a horizontal plane and a drive roller below the horizontal plane. The print unit has a print head and a driven roller and rotates about the drive roller. The print unit is rotatable to printing and non-printing positions in which the printing unit is above and below the horizontal plane, respectively. A data processing apparatus having a printing unit with a print head, a display unit with a cover and display, and an input body with an upper surface that defines a horizontal plane is also disclosed. The display unit is rotatable to open and closed positions. The printing unit is above the horizontal plane in a printing position when the display unit is in the open position and below the horizontal plane in a non-printing position when the display unit is in the closed position. In the printing position, the print head is in a first orientation, and in the non-printing position, the print head is in a second orientation at about a right angle with respect to the first orientation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a structure of a printer and a structure 
of a data processing apparatus having a printing unit, particularly 
relates to a structure of a horizontal type printer for printing on a 
printing medium while feeding the printing medium horizontally and a 
structure of a data processing apparatus having a horizontal type printing 
unit. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Meeting the demands of users for personal use printers of low priced 
printers, there have been provided printers each structure of which is 
stressed on making the printer small in size, low in price and high in 
printing quality. However, these printers are placed under various 
restricting conditions, e.g. in a size, thickness or kind of a printing 
medium. If these printers are used for a business purpose, they are 
limited in their use. To relax these restricting conditions, there has 
been developed a horizontal type printer which can move a printing medium 
horizontally and print on the printing medium by a print head attached to 
the printer above a surface of the traveling printing medium. Since the 
printing medium is fed horizontally in this kind of printer, the printing 
medium is less curled or skewed. Accordingly, this printer has an effect 
that it can print on a small printing medium such as a thick paper or a 
check. However, there are problems to be solved in this horizontal type 
printer so that it can be more widely used by users as a printer adapted 
for a business use while meeting the demand of a personal use. In the 
prior art horizontal printer, a print head portion is always positioned 
above the printer body. Accordingly, there was a problem in that the 
printer is poorly accommodated since the upper portion of the printer 
projects even in a non-printing operation state. In an ink jet type print 
head, there is an additional problem to be solved. A print head of the 
prior art ink jet type horizontal printer is always mounted on the printer 
in a downward direction. Accordingly, if the printer is left unused for a 
long period of time, there was a problem in that ink drops from the print 
head to thereby stain the printing medium or a printing paper traveling 
path. 
The problem of the poor accommodation of the printer because of the 
projection of the upper portion of the printer even in the non-printing 
operation state was also kept unsolved in a data processing apparatus 
having a prior art horizontal printing unit. 
If the data processing apparatus is left unused for a long period of time, 
the problem that ink drops from the print head to thereby stain the 
printing medium or printing paper traveling path was also kept unsolved in 
the data processing apparatus having the prior art horizontal printing 
unit. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a first object of the invention to provide a horizontal type printer 
or a data processing apparatus having a horizontal printing unit which is 
made compact in a non-printing operation state. It is another object of 
the invention to provide a horizontal type printer or a data processing 
apparatus having a horizontal printing unit which does not stain a 
printing medium or a printing paper traveling path even if the printer or 
the data processing apparatus has been left unused for a long period of 
time. 
To achieve the first object of the invention, the horizontal type printer 
or the data processing apparatus having the horizontal printing unit 
comprises a feeding means for feeding a printing paper in a substantially 
horizontal direction, a print head for printing on the printing paper, 
which is fed by the feeding means, at the position above the printing 
paper, a drive means for driving the feeding means, and a control means 
for controlling the drive means and the print head wherein the print head 
and a printing unit including at least a part of the fee,fling means are 
movable relative to a printer body. 
The printing unit is positioned above the printer body in a printing 
operation time or state while it is positioned under an upper surface of 
the printer body in a non-printing operation state. The movement of the 
printing unit to both positions may be performed by rotary or linear 
motion thereof. 
According to the present invention, since the printing unit is structured 
to be positioned under the upper surface of the printer body in the 
non-printing operation state, the printer or the data processing apparatus 
can be made compact. Furthermore, since the printing unit is moved to the 
position under the upper surface of the printer body by the rotary motion 
thereof in the non-printing operation state, the printing unit is in the 
horizontal state in the non-printing operation state. With such an 
arrangement, there does not occur the problem in that ink drops from the 
print head to thereby stain the printing medium or printing paper 
traveling path even if the print head is the ink jet type one.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
First Embodiment 
FIGS. 1 to 9 
A printer 1 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to 
FIGS. 1 to 9. 
In FIG. 2, the printer 1 comprises a printer body 2 and a printing unit 3 
which is mounted on the printer body 2 so as to be turned relative to the 
printer body 2. The printer body 2 includes an operation portion 4 for 
performing various functions of the printer and a set table 5 for setting 
a printing paper thereon. 
FIG. 1 shows schematically various internal elements which are housed in 
the printer 1. A carriage 6 is provided in the printing unit 3 and it is 
supported by a guide shaft 7 and a lead screw 8 so as to be movable in a 
spacing direction. An ink jet type print head 9 is mounted on the carriage 
6 in the downward direction. The guide shaft 7 is rotatably supported at 
the both ends thereof by side frames 3a and 3b of the printing unit 3. The 
lead screw 8 is rotated by a carriage motor, not shown. The carriage 6 is 
moved together with the print head 9 in the spacing direction when the 
lead screw 8 rotates. There is provided a feed path 10 under the print 
head 9. There are provided an upper sheet guide 11 and a lower sheet guide 
12 on the feed path 10. There are provided a first feed roller 13 and a 
first pressure roller 17 in front of the feed path 10 for feeding the 
printing paper toward the print head 9. There are provided a second feed 
roller 21 and a second pressure roller 22 at the rear of the feed path 10 
for feeding and discharging the printing paper from the feed path 10. The 
first feed roller 13 is mounted on a shaft 14. The shaft 14 is rotatably 
supported at both ends thereof by the side frames 3a and 3b of the 
printing unit 3 and side frames 2a and 2b of the printer body 2 (refer to 
FIG. 2). A belt 15 is entrained around a pulley, not shown, of the shaft 
14 and a pulley, not shown, of a feed motor 16 provided on the printer 
body 2. The belt 15 is driven by the feed motor 16. 
The first pressure roller 17 is pressed against the first feed roller 13 by 
a spring, not shown. A gear 18 is fixed to the shaft 14. The gear 18 
meshes a gear 19 and the gear 19 meshes a gear 20. The gear 20 is fixed to 
a shaft, not shown, to which the second feed roller 21 is fixed. The 
second pressure roller 22 is pressed against the second feed roller 21, by 
a spring, not shown. A paper inserting slit 23 is formed between the first 
pressure roller 17 and the first feed roller 13 at the portion where the 
former is pressed against the latter at the right side in FIG. 1. A paper 
discharging slit 24 is formed between the second pressure roller 22 and 
the second feed roller 21 at the portion where the former is pressed 
against the latter at the left side in FIG. 1. 
The printing unit 3 is structured to be turned about the shaft 14. When the 
printing unit 3 is turned substantially at an angle of 90.degree. from a 
state as illustrated in FIG. 1 (printing operation state) in the direction 
of an arrow A, it is changed into a state as illustrated in FIG. 3 
(non-printing operation state). In the state where the printing unit 3 is 
positioned at the side surface of the printer body 2 as illustrated in 
FIG. 3, the print head 9 is directed sideways. 
A retaining mechanism 70 for retaining the printing unit 3 on the printer 
body 2 in a given state will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. 
In FIG. 4, a side frame 2a of the printer body 2 has a lower retaining hole 
64 for retaining the printing unit 3 in the state as illustrated in FIG. 2 
(printing operation state) and an upper retaining hole 63 for retaining 
the printing unit 3 in the state as illustrated in FIG. 3 (non-printing 
operation state). The retaining mechanism 70 is attached to a side frame 
3a of the printing unit 3 and has a mechanism for retaining the printing 
unit 3 on the printer body 2 by engaging in the lower retaining hole 64 
when the printing unit 3 moves to the position as illustrated in FIG. 2 
while engaging in the upper retaining hole 63 when the printing unit 3 
moves to the position as illustrated in FIG. 3. 
The lower retaining hole 64 and the retaining mechanism 70 will be 
described more in detail with reference to FIG. 5. 
In FIG. 5, the retaining mechanism 70 comprises a leaf spring 37, a 
projection 38 and a guide hole 67 having such a size that the projection 
38 can be inserted therethrough into the side frame 3a of the printing 
unit 3. The leaf spring 37 is fixed to an outer surface of the side frame 
3a of the printing unit 3 by a screw 65. The projection 38 is attached to 
the tip end of the leaf spring 37. The projection 38 has a hemispherical 
tip end portion 38a. The projection 38 is inserted into the guide hole 67 
so that the tip end portion 38a projects toward the inner side of the side 
frame 3a of the printing unit 3. In the printing operation state as 
illustrated in FIG. 2, the tip end portion 38a which projects toward the 
inner side of the side frame a engages in the lower retaining hole 64 as 
illustrated in FIG. 5 so as to retain the printing unit 3 on the printer 
body 2. In the non-printing operation state as illustrated in FIG. 3, the 
tip end portion 38a engages in the upper retaining hole 63 so as to retain 
the printing unit 3 on the printer body 2. 
An operation of the retaining mechanism 70 will be described with reference 
to FIGS. 6 to 8 wherein it moves the printing unit 3 from the printing 
operation state as illustrated in FIG. 2. 
In FIG. 6, the tip end portion 38a projecting toward the inner side surface 
of the side frame 3a engages in the lower retaining hole 64 so as to 
retain the printing unit 3 on the printer body 2 in the printing operation 
state as illustrated in FIG. 2. When the printing unit 3 is turned about 
the shaft 14 in the direction of an arrow C, the projection 38 fixed to 
the leaf spring 37 is moved in the direction of an arrow D while guided 
along the guide hole 67 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8. In FIG. 7, when 
the projection 38 is moved in the direction of the arrow D, the tip end 
portion 38a rises on a tip end 69 of the lower retaining hole 64. When the 
tip end portion 38a rises on the tip end 69, the projection 38 is pushed 
upward in the direction of an arrow E against the resilient force of the 
leaf spring 37. When the projection 38 moves further in the direction of 
the arrow D, the tip end portion 38a is got out from the lower retaining 
hole 64 as illustrated in FIG. 8, whereby the printing unit 3 is released 
from the state where it is retained on the printer body 2 as illustrated 
in FIGS. 2 and 4. 
When the printing unit 3 is moved from the printing operation state as 
illustrated in FIG. 2 to the non-printing operation state as illustrated 
in FIG. 3, the tip end portion 38a is moved while it is pressed against 
and slid along the outer side surface of the side frame 2a by the 
resilient force of the leaf spring 37. When the printing unit 3 is moved 
to the non-printing operation state as illustrated in FIG. 3, the tip end 
portion 38a of the projection 38 engages in the upper retaining hole 63 so 
as to retain the printing unit 3 on the printer body 2. An operation of 
the retaining mechanism 70, when the printing unit 3 is released from the 
nonprinting operation state as illustrated in FIG. 3, is omitted to 
explain since it is the same as the one when the printing unit 3 is 
released from the printing operation state as illustrated in FIG. 2. 
A control unit of the first embodiment will be described with reference to 
FIG. 9. 
In FIG. 9, a control unit 53 controls an entire operation of the printer 1. 
The control unit 53 comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 54 for 
controlling the operation, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 55 for storing a 
running program of the CPU 54, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 56 for 
temporarily storing data, I/O ports 57, 58 and 59 and a motor driver 60 
which is controlled by the CPU 54 by way of the I/O port 59. These 
elements are connected with one another by a common bus 62. The I/O port 
57 is connected to the operation portion 4 and receives a signal supplied 
by the operation portion 4. The I/O port 58 is connected to the print head 
9 for supplying printing data to the print head 9. The I/O port 59 is 
connected to the motor driver 60 for supplying a control signal issued 
from the CPU 54 to the motor driver 60. The motor driver 60 rotates a 
carriage motor 61 for moving the carriage 6 and the feed motor 16 as 
illustrated in FIG. 1. The control unit 53 is mounted on a substrate, not 
shown, provided inside the printer body 2. 
An operation of the printer 1 having the aforementioned structure will be 
described hereinafter. 
In the non-printing operation state, the printer 1 is positioned in the 
state as illustrated in FIG. 3. That is, the printing unit 3 is positioned 
abreast of the printer body 2. The printing unit 3 is turned about the 
shaft 14 in the direction of an arrow B from the state as illustrated in 
FIG. 3. When the printing unit 3 is turned about the shaft 14, the gear 19 
is turned around the gear 18 fixed to the shaft 14 while meshing the gear 
18. When the printing unit 3 is turned substantially at an angle of 
90.degree., the printing unit 3 is kept in the printing operation state as 
illustrated in FIG. 2. With such an arrangement, when the printing unit 3 
is moved relative to the printer body 2, a positional relation between the 
feed motor 16 and the gear 18 is maintained. Furthermore, a positional 
relation between the gear 18, the gear 19 and the gear 20 is also 
maintained. Since a driving force transmission mechanism is structured in 
such a manner that the printing unit 3 is movable relative to the printer 
body 2, it is possible to prevent problems such as a poor driving force 
transmission which is likely to occur. 
The printing paper is set on the set table 5 of the printer body 2 in the 
printing operation state as illustrated in FIG. 2. The printing paper is 
set in the manner that the tip end of the printing paper is brought into 
contact with a portion where the first pressure roller 17 is pressed 
against the first feed roller 13 as illustrated in FIG. 1. When the 
operation portion 4 is operated, a print starting signal is supplied to 
the I/O port 57 as illustrated in FIG. 9. The CPU 54 receives the print 
starting signal by way of the I/O port 57. The CPU 54 supplies, upon 
reception of the print starting signal, an instruction for rotating the 
feed motor 16 to the motor driver 60 by way of the I/O port 59. When the 
feed motor 16 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, the first and second 
feed rollers 13 and 21 are rotated counterclockwise. When the first feed 
roller 13 is rotated, the printing paper is fed leftward in FIG. 1. When 
the printing paper passes between the upper sheet guide 11 and the lower 
sheet guide 12 and reaches the print head 9, the rotation of the feed 
motor 16 is stopped by the control of the control unit 53. 
In this state, the control unit 53 supplies the printing data to the print 
head 9 and at the same time it drives the carriage motor 61 so as to move 
the carriage 6 so that one line printing data is printed on the printing 
paper. 
The control unit 53, upon completion of the printing of one line printing 
data on the printing paper, rotates the first feed roller 13 again so as 
to feed the printing paper by a given amount so that next printing data 
can be printed on the printing paper. The printer 1 repeats these 
operations so as to print the printing data on the printing paper. 
When the printing operation advances further, a tip end of the printing 
paper reaches the portion where the second pressure roller 22 is pressed 
against the second feed roller 21. Since the second feed roller 21 is 
rotated in synchronization with the first feed roller 13, the printing 
paper is fed by the second feed roller 21 and the second pressure roller 
22 as well as by the first feed roller 13 and the first pressure roller 
17. When the printing operation advances more further, a rear end of the 
printing paper passes through the portion where the first pressure roller 
17 is pressed against the first feed roller 13. Thereafter, the printing 
paper is fed only by the second feed roller 21 and the second pressure 
roller 22. The printing paper is discharged from the paper discharge slit 
24 toward the rear portion of the printer 1 by the second feed roller 21 
and the second pressure roller 22 upon completion of the printing 
operation. 
When the printing operation is not performed, the printing unit 3 is turned 
about the shaft 14 substantially at an angle of 90.degree. in the 
direction of the arrow C as illustrated in FIG. 2. The printing unit 3 is 
positioned abreast of the printer body 2 as illustrated in FIG. 3. When 
the printing unit 3 is positioned abreast of the printer body 2, the 
printer 1 can be made compact like a box. 
Second Embodiment 
FIGS. 10 and 11 
A printer 1 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to 
FIGS. 10 and 11. 
An internal structure of the printing unit 3 is substantially the same as 
the first embodiment. Accordingly, elements which are the same as those of 
the first embodiment are denoted at the same numerals and the explanations 
thereof are omitted. 
A printer 30 comprises the printer body 2 and the printing unit 3 like the 
printer 1 of the first embodiment. The second embodiment is different from 
the first embodiment in respect of a driven gear 32 which is attached to a 
shaft, not shown, of a feed roller 31. 
The feed motor 16 is provided inside the printer body 2. A drive gear 35 is 
integrally attached to a pulley 34. The drive gear 35 is disposed to mesh 
the driven gear 32. A belt 33 is entrained around the pulley 34 and a 
pulley, not shown, of the feed motor 16. Accordingly, the feed roller 31 
is driven by the feed motor 16. Guide holes 36 are defined on side frames 
2a of the printer body 2. Each of the guide holes 36 has a moving portion 
36a, an upper retaining portion 36b and a lower retaining portion 36c. The 
moving portion 36a is bent substantially at right angles at the upper 
portion thereof. The printing unit 3 is attached to the printer body 2 so 
as to be movable along the guide holes 36. 
A retaining mechanism for retaining the printing unit 3 on the printer body 
2 in a fixed state will be described with reference to FIG. 12. 
The leaf spring 37 is fixed to the side frame 3a of the printing unit 3. 
The projection 38 is attached to the tip end of the leaf spring 37. The 
upper retaining portion 36b of the guide hole 36 has such a size that the 
projection 38 can engage therein. The lower retaining portion 36c has 
substantially the same size as the upper retaining portion 36b. When the 
projection 38 is retained by the upper retaining portion 36b, the printing 
unit 3 is in the printing operation state as illustrated in FIG. 10. When 
the projection 38 is retained by the lower retaining portion 36c, the 
printing unit 3 is in the non-printing operation state as illustrated in 
FIG. 11. 
A guide mechanism for guiding the movement of the printing unit 3 will be 
described with reference to FIG. 13. 
There are defined on the side frames 2a of the printer body 2 moving 
portions 36a of the guide holes 36 which are smaller than the projection 
38 in the diameter thereof. Accordingly, the tip end of the projection 38 
alone enters the moving portion 36a when the printing unit 3 moves. 
When the printing unit 3 is accommodated inside the printer body 2 in the 
non-printing operation state, the printing unit 3 is displaced leftward in 
FIG. 10 (rearward of the printer) so that the projection 38 is got out 
from the upper retaining portion 36b of the guide hole 36. The projection 
38 is thereafter moved along the moving portion 36a. With the moving of 
the projection 38, the drive gear 35 is released from the meshing with the 
driven gear 32. After the projection 38 passes through a substantially 
right angled portion of the moving portion 36a, the printing unit 3 moves 
downward. The projection 38 engages in the lower retaining portion 36c. 
With such an operation, the printing unit 3 is retained in the state as 
illustrated in FIG. 11. At this time, the printing unit 3 is accommodated 
in the printer body 2. Accordingly, the printer 30 is made compact like a 
box in the non-printing operation state. Since a control unit and a 
printing operation are the same as those of the first embodiment, 
explanations thereof are omitted. 
Third Embodiment 
FIGS. 14 and 15 
A data processing apparatus having a printing unit according to the third 
embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 
and 15. 
A data information apparatus 42 of the third embodiment has a printing unit 
41. A display unit 43 is provided so as to be turned about a supporting 
portion 44. A cover 45 for covering the display unit 43 also serves as a 
cover of the printing unit 41 when the display unit 43 turns about the 
supporting portion 44. A structure of the printing unit 41 is the same as 
the printer 1 of the first embodiment. That is, the printing unit 41 has a 
paper feeding mechanism comprising the ink jet type print head 9, the 
first and second feed rollers 13 and 21, and the first and second pressure 
rollers 17 and 22. 
When printing is to be started, the display unit 43 is set in the state as 
illustrated in FIG. 14. At this time, the paper feeding mechanism of the 
printing unit 41 is positioned at the height which is substantially the 
same as that of a front upper surface 2c of a body 2 of this apparatus. 
The printing paper is inserted from the inserting slit 23 of the printing 
unit 41. The thus inserted printing paper is printed by the print head 9. 
When printing is completed, the display unit 43 is turned about the 
supporting portion 44 clockwise in FIG. 14 and it is closed as illustrated 
in FIG. 15. At this time, the printing unit 41 is accommodated inside the 
body 2. The cover 45 is locked inside the body 2 and is not opened. In 
such a manner, the printing unit 41 is completely covered together with 
the display unit 43 by the cover 45 so that the printing unit 41 can be 
protected. Since a control unit and a printing operation are the same as 
those of the first embodiment, explanations thereof are omitted. 
Fourth Embodiment 
FIGS. 16 and 17 
A data processing apparatus having a printing unit according to the fourth 
embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 
and 17. 
A data processing apparatus 42 of the fourth embodiment has a printing unit 
51 like that of the third embodiment. However, the printing unit 51 is 
provided independently of the display unit 43. An internal structure of 
the printing unit 51 is the same as that of the third embodiment. 
The printing unit 51 is always pushed upward by a spring 52 which is 
disposed inside the body 2. The printing unit 51 is retained by a 
retaining means, not shown, in the state as illustrated in FIG. 16 where 
the printing unit 51 is ready for printing when the printing unit 43 is 
opened (in the printing operation state). 
When the display unit 43 is tuned about the supporting portion 44 in the 
non-printing operation state as illustrated in FIG. 16, the printing unit 
51 is pushed upward by a part of a cover of the display unit 43 so that 
the printing unit 51 is accommodated inside the body 2. When the display 
unit 43 is locked while it is entirely closed, the printing unit 51 is 
accommodated inside and retained on the body 2. This state is illustrated 
in FIG. 17. Since a control unit and a printing operation are the same as 
those of the first embodiment, explanations thereof are omitted. 
According to the third and fourth embodiments as set forth above, since the 
printing units which are provided in the data processing apparatus are 
switched to the printing operation state or an accommodation state 
involved in the opening or closing of the display unit 43, such switching 
operation can be automatically performed without operating the printing 
unit. 
Although the print heads of the printers of the first and second 
embodiments and the print heads of the printing units of the third and 
fourth embodiments are explained as respectively ink jet type print heads, 
these print heads of the present invention are not limited to such ink jet 
type print heads.