A CUTTING DEVICE

Abstract: A cutting device (1) for use with a printer having a plurality of movable blades (2, 3) which are disposed side-by-side relationship and driven in a direction perpendicular to the length of the blade (2, 3). A plurality of solenoids (4, 5) are provided for driving each movable blade (2, 3). A spring (31), which is arranged to be depressed by the movement of the movable blade (2, 3), applies a pressure to the paper (not shown) for fixation before the movable blade (2, 3) reaches the cutting position.

Description: BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a cutting device, especially to a cutting device which may utilized to cut receipt paper of an Electronic Cash Resistor. It is well known that an Electronic Cash Resistor( hereinafter referred to as ECR ) is equipped with a cutting device for cutting receipt paper. The cutting device heretofore includes a single blade for cutting paper and a solenoid for actuating the blade. The blade is actuated by the solenoid to move backward and forward perpendicular to the direction of the blade length, thereby cutting the paper. A printer previously used in ECR generally utilizes the paper the width of which is 38 to 57 millimeter ( mm ). Accordingly, the cutting device includes a single blade the length of which is 40 to 60mm to cut such paper. In these days, the information printed on the receipt paper has been diversified to meet the various needs from the customer so that the printer is required to be designed to print not only the sale price but detailed article information. The ECR employing such printer is necessarily required to utilize wide paper such as 76mm or more in width. Accordingly, a single blade cutting device applied for use with such wide paper has the following disadvantages: (1) A large blade is required to cut such paper, which also requires a large solenoid to drive the blade. A large current must be supplied to actuate the solenoid. (2) The shape of the blade is preferably semisquare because an elongate blade frequently causes the rattling of the blade when moved in direction perpendicular to the length of the blade. With respect to a large blade in width and length, a unit mounting the blade therein necessarily become larger. (3) Receipt paper of ECR is first fed to a printer which prints given information thereon and then is forwarded to the cutting device. The blade of the cutting device is normally disposed over the solenoid or in the position accessible to the personnel for replacement. The paper must be fed along the long path between the printer and the blade due to the large size of the solenoid which is located therebetween, which results in producing an unnecessary large blank space on the fed paper. It is, accordingly, a primary object of this invention to provide a cutting device which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a plurality of blades for cutting paper. It is another object to provide a cutting device including a blade and solenoid which are reduced in size. It is still another object to provide a cutting device for saving a current required for actuating a solenoid. It is still another object to provide a cutting device for reducing the loss of unprinted paper. It is a further object to provide a cutting device which allows the blade to cut the paper without displacement caused by the friction between the paper and the blade. According to this invention, there is provided a cutting device which includes a plurality of movable blades aligned in a side-by-side relationship for cutting paper to be cut thereby, a plurality of solenoid members corresponding to each of said movable blades and driving said movable blades linearly, and actuating means for actuating said solenoid members. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cutting device as a preferred embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 illustrating both the movable blades being in a normal position, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 illustrating a first movable blade being driven, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 illustrating a second movable blade being driven, Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a spring and spring depressing means which are employed in the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 6A is a partially enlarged plan view of the device of Fig. 1 illustrating the relationship of the movable blade being in a normal position, stationary blade, and cover member, Fig. 6B is a partially sectional view showing the spring and spring depressing means in a normal position, Fig. 7A is a partial plan view illustrating the relationship of the movable blade being driven, stationary blade, and cover member, and Fig. 7B is a partially sectional view showing the spring and spring depressing means in case of the actuation of the solenoid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Fig. 1, a cutting device 1 is shown to be fabricated by disposing a pair of movable blades 2 and 3 on the flat surface of stationary blade 23. The movable blades are driven by solenoids 4 and 5 in a direction perpendicular to the length of the blade. A spacer 22 is interposed between stationary blade 23 and movable blades 2, thereby priventing the movable blades from contacting with opening 26 of stationary blade 23 in case of the actuation of solenoids 4 and 5. In fabrication, the stationary blade 23, spacer 22, and movable blades 2 and 3 are piled on base member 24 in this order and then covered with cover member 21. It is noted that the stationary blade 23 and cover member 21 are respectively formed in one piece which will ensure and facilitate the positioning of movable blades 2 and 3 interposed between stationary blade 23 and cover member 21. The cover member 21 and stationary blade 23 are secured to base member 24 with their openings 25 and 26 facing to each other for paper passing. The solenoids 4 and 5 are actuated by an actuating circuit 6, thereby driving the plungers 7 and 8 to be withdrawn from their normal positions as is familiar to those skilled in the art. Pins 27 and 28 in the plungers 7 and 8 are respectively engaged with linked levers 10 and 13 which are pivotally supported on shafts 11 and 14. The linked levers 13 and 14 have slots 29 and 30 which engages with the projections ( not shown in Fig. 1 ) extending from the back surface of movable blades 2 and 3. Upon the actuation of solenoids 4 or 5, the corresponding linked lever 10 or 13 engaged with the plunger thereof rotates around the shaft thus driving the corresponding movable blades 2 or 3. Referring to Fig. 2, the linked levers 10 and 13 are biased by springs 12 and 15 to set movable blades in a normal position. The movable blades 2 and 3 are semisquare shaped, having slits 18 and 19 therein and provided with clearance 20 therebetween. Such slits and clearance will prevent the paper from being completely cut off and blown away. The overall length L1 of the blades is approximately 80mm which enables the blades to cut the paper more than 78mm in width. The actuating circuit 6 is a previously known circuit which may comprise I.C. or discrete circuits. The solenoids 4 and 5 are electrically connected to the actuating circuit which may actuate the solenoids 4 and 5 in sequence. Figs. 3 and 4 shown the manner in which movable blades 2 and 3 are alternatively driven by solenoids 4 and 5. The actuating circuit means is preferably designed to have such a construction as to output signals for actuating solenoids 4 and 5 by turns. In this way, there is no need to simultaneously actuate solenoids 4 and 5 which in turn permits the use of relatively small current in the actuating circuit. Fig. 5 shows the detailed relationship of the linked lever 13 and movable blade 3. As previously described, in response to the actuation of solenoid 5, the pin 27 moves in a direction a-b. The linked lever 13 whose slot 35 is engaged with pin 27 rotates around shaft 14 thereby driving movable blade 3 in a direction d-c through the engagement between slot 29 and projection 28 mounted on the movable blade. As the linked lever 13 rotates, its project portion 13A applies depressing force to spring 31. The spring 31, when depressed, put a pressure against the paper ( not shown ) which is fed along table means 32. The project portion 13A is so inclined that its contacting area with spring 31 increases with the rotation of the linked lever and reaches its maximum at the point where movable blade 3 cut the paper. The position of the paper will not be displaced when the paper being cut, because spring 31 depresses the paper against the table means 32 thereby fixing it thereon before movable blade 3 reaches the cutting position. Figs. 6A and 6B show the position of movable blade 3 when it is not driven by solenoid 5. In this condition, the spring 31 is not depressed by project portion 13A so that the paper interposed between table means 32 and spring 31 can be fed through openings 26 and 25. The table means 32 cooperating with spring 31 will play a role of a guide for feeding the paper during printing information thereon. It is noted here that the opening 25 of cover member 21 is assembled to establish a displacement with respect to the opening 26 of stationary blade 23, thus preventing the paper from being fed into the clearance made by separater 38. In addition, the distance L2 provided from a printer ( not shown ) to the cutting position is relatively small because of the use of small sized solenoids so that the loss of unprinted portion can be reduced. Upon the completion of printing, as previously described, solenoid 5 is actuated to drive movable blade 3 thereby cutting the paper 36 ( Fig.7A ). Before movable blade 3 reaches the cutting position, the project portion 13A gradually depresses spring 31 thereby fixing the paper 36 against table means 32 (Fig. 7B). After cutting the paper, the depression to the paper will not be removed until movable blade 3 leaves the cutting position. In this way, the top end of the paper will be prevented from being carried away by the paper due to its friction. It will be appreciated that modifications may be made in our invention. For example, the number of a movable blade may be chosen in accordance with the width of paper to be cut. Further, a plurality of movable blade may be driven at the same time, if the capacity of a current permits. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but all changes and modifications thereof not constituting the departures from the spirit and scope of the invention are intended to be included.

Claims: 1. A cutting device comprising: a plurality of movable blades aligned in a side-by-side relationship for cutting paper to be cut thereby: a plurality of solenoid members corresponding to each of said movable blades and driving said movable blades linearly; and actuating means for actuating said solenoid members. 2. A cutting device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating means actuates said solenoid members in sequence. 3. A cutting device according to claim 1, wherein said movable blades include a slit for preventing the paper from being cut off. 4. A cutting device according to claim 1 further comprising: a stationary blade for cutting the paper cooperating with said movable blades; and a cover member for housing said movable blades slidably therein. 5. A cutting device according to claim 4, wherein said stationary blade being formed in one piece and having a first opening therein for cutting the paper. 6. A cutting device according to claim 4, wherein said cover member being formed in one piece and having a second opening therein for the paper passing; and said second opening being disposed with respect to said first opening allowing the paper to pass therethrough. 7. A cutting device according to claim 4 further comprising a spacer being interposed between said stationary blade and movable blades. 8. A cutting device comprising: a movable blade disposed on flat surface for cutting paper; a solenoid member for driving said movable blade linearly; actuating means for actuating said solenoid member; table means for guiding the paper in a direction perpendicular to the movement of said movable blade; spring means for pressing the paper against said table means; and spring depressing means for depressing said spring means in response to the actuation of said solenoid member before said movable blade reaching the position the paper being cut, and for relieving the depression of said spring means after said movable blade returning from said position. 9. A cutting device according to claim 8, wherein said spring depressing means having a projection being profiled so as to gradually increase its contacting portion against said spring means in response to the actuation of said solenoid member.

Inventors: YASUDA, RYOICHI C/O OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO.
Applicants: OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B26D5
IPC codes: B26D1, B26D5, G07B5, B26D7