Thermal line printer

Abstract: A thermal line printer usable as a small output terminal. A printer body has a platen roller rotatably supported by a casing (1) having side plates (2a,2b) on either side thereof. A line-printing type thermal head (5) is swingably supported by the printer body while being resiliently urged toward the platen roller. This arrangement allows the thermal head (5) to be easily mounted on and dismounted from the printer body.

Description: The present invention relates to a thermal line printer usable as a minor piece of output terminal equipment. A thermal line printer including a platen roller and a thermal head, between which paper is set so that the thermal head can perform printing on the paper is disclosed in EP-A-0311982. The printer comprises a casing with side plates for rotatably supporting a platen roller and a head unit movable relative to the casing and swingably supporting an elongate thermal head. The thermal head is coupled to the head unit by a shaft so that the thermal head is swingable about an axis parallel to its front face and perpendicular to the direction of its length. It is necessary to completely remove the shaft coupling the thermal head to the head unit when replacing the thermal head. In order to overcome the above-described problem, the present invention is directed to providing a thermal line printer having a thermal head which can be easily dismounted from the printer body, and can also be correctly positioned. In order to achieve said object, according to the present invention, there is provided a thermal line printer comprising: a printer body having a casing with side plates on either side thereof, said side plates having grooves, and a platen roller disposed in said casing and rotatably supported by bearings on said side plates; a drive section for rotating said platen roller; a head support having bearing portions at a rear end thereof, said bearing portions being supported by said side plates of said printer body for swinging said head support; and a line-printing type thermal head having a shaft at a rear end thereof and being resiliently urged toward said platen roller, characterised in that the thermal head also has a front end portion engagable with a front end portion of the head support, and the grooves in the side plates are located at positions corresponding to the thermal head shaft, wherein said shaft which supports the thermal head for its rotation together with said shaft about an axis of said bearing portions locates into said grooves to determine the position of the thermal head relative to the platen roller. According to the present invention, the thermal head can be easily dismounted from the printer body. Further, since the shaft, by which the thermal head is supported for rotation about the axis of the bearing portions, is capable of fitting into the position-determining grooves formed in the side plates, a set interval between the position-determining grooves and the bearings on the side plates, by which the platen roller is rotatably supported, allows the thermal head to assume a positional relationship with the platen roller which is exactly the same as that predetermined. This feature enables the thermal head to be correctly positioned even when it has been dismounted from the printer body and then remounted. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a thermal line printer according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the printer, shown with its head section in a open position; Fig. 3 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of the printer in operation; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of side plates of the printer as well as bearing portions of a head support of the printer; Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the side plates and of one of the bearing portions, shown together with associated parts; Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a front end portion of the head section of the printer; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a stopper plate of the printer, shown in a state of engagement with one of the side plates. One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7. Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a thermal line printer embodying the present invention includes a casing 1 having side plates 2a and 2b on either side thereof. A platen roller 3 having a surface made of rubber is disposed in the casing 1 while being rotatably supported by bearings on the side plates 2a and 2b. A printer body is mainly constituted by the members 1, 2a, 2b and 3. Disposed to the side of the side plate 2a are a motor 4 having a rotary shaft with a motor pinion gear 4a mounted thereon, and an idler gear 4b in meshing engagement with the motor pinion gear 4a and a platen roller gear 4c mounted on the shaft of the platen roller 3. The above-described members constitute a paper feed driving section. The rotation of the motor 4 is first transmitted to the motor pinion gear 4a, then to the idler gear 4b which comprises a large-diameter gear element in meshing engagement with the pinion gear 4a and a small-diameter gear element integral therewith, whereupon the speed of the rotation is reduced. Further, the rotation is transmitted to the platen roller gear 4c, thereby causing the platen roller 3 to rotate. A line-printing type thermal head 5 extends along the platen roller 3. The thermal head 5, which is composed of a plurality of heating elements arranged in a line on a substrate secured to a metal base plate 5b is disposed between the side plates 2a and 2b while supported by a head support 6 made of a metal material, the members 5 and 6 constituting the head section of the printer. Printing is performed by causing the platen roller 3 to be rotated by the motor 4 after recording paper 7 is set in the gap between the thermal head 5 and the platen roller 3. The thermal head 5 receives a printing signal input through a head connector 5a. The thermal head 5 is pressed toward the platen roller 3 only when printing is performed, and the head 5 can be moved toward and away from the platen roller 3 by operating a release arm 8. The head section of the printer according to the present invention will be described in detail. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, each of the side plates 2a and 2b has an L-shaped projection 2c. The head support 6 has bearing portions 10, each having a C-shaped section comprising a cylindrical shape with a slit axially extending in a part of the cylinder. The projections 2c are fitted into the bearing portions 10 so that the head support 6 is swingable about the projections 2c. Further, L-shaped, shaft-holding plates 11 have one of their respective ends mounted on either side of the head support 6. Each of the shaft-holding plates 11 has a recess lla at the other end, and the recesses lla allow a shaft 12 of the thermal head 5 (described below) to be fitted therethrough. Still further, each of the side plates 2a and 2b has a position determining groove 2d for permitting the head section to be disposed in the casing 1 at a correctly determined position. The groove 2d has a smooth round portion 2e. The shaft 12 is provided at the rear end of the thermal head 5, and supports the thermal head 5 for its rotation about an axis of the bearing portions 10. The two ends of the shaft 12 are fitted through the recesses 11a of the shaft-holding plates 11 on either side of the head support 6 and, while this engagement is maintained, the end portions of the shaft 12 are guided by the round portions 2e of the position-determining grooves 2d to fit right into the respective bottoms of the grooves 2d. Thus, the head section is arranged to be mounted onto the casing 1 with its position correctly determined. As best shown in Fig. 5, two E-rings 19 are provided on either end of the shaft 12 so as to prevent disengagement of the shaft 12 from the grooves 2d. As shown in Fig. 2, a spring 16 for urging the thermal head 5 toward the platen roller 3 is interposed between the thermal head 5 and the head support 6. The resilience of the spring 16 allows the thermal head 5 to be supported by the head support 6 in its state of being resiliently urged toward the platen roller 3. Specifically, the head support 6 has a substantially L-shaped stopper 6a at the front end thereof, and the thermal head 5 has a substantially L-shaped protrusion 5c at the front end of the base plate 5b. When, as shown in Fig. 6, the protrusion 5c engages with the stopper 6a, the thermal head 5 is supported by the head support 6 while being urged forward by the spring 16 from the back side of the base plate 5b. Thus, the printer according to the present invention has the head support 6 swingable about the axis of the bearing portions 10 and the projections 2c of the side plates 2a and 2b. Therefore, the head section can be swung from the closed position shown in Fig. 1 (in which the printer is usable) to the open position shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 7, a pair of rails 13 are provided on the upper surface of the head support 6, and two substantially L-shaped stopper plates 14 are slidably fitted in the gap between the rails 13. The side plates 2a and 2b have engagement portions 15 each with an opening. When the plates 14 are slid toward the side plates 2a and 2b, and the respective ends of the plates 14 are passed through the openings of the engagement portions 15 of the side plates 2a and 2b and then engaged with and locked onto the portions 15, the head section can be held in a fixed position. Specifically, each engagement portion 15 has an opening comprising an elongated hole 15a wider than the stopper plates 14, and an engagement hole 15b. Each stopper plate 14 has a notched end portion 14a which is first passed through the elongated hole 15a, then brought into engagement with the engagement hole 15b, so that the engagement of the plates 14 allows the printer section to be held in place. Because the stopper plates 14 are urged upward by the resilience of the spring 16 interposed between the head support 6 and the thermal head 5, the plates 14 have arrangements for preventing their unwanted disengagement from the engagement holes 15b. As shown in Fig. 6, a belt-shaped guide sheet 18 is provided at the front end portion of the head section in such a manner as to cover the gap 17 between the protrusion 5c of the thermal head 5 and the stopper 6a of the head support 6. With the above-described construction, when the shaft 12 mounted on the thermal head 5 is fitted into the position-determining grooves 2d of the side plates 2a and 2b of the casing 1, the thermal head 5 can be brought into the correct position relative to the platen roller 3. The operation of the thermal line printer according to this embodiment will be described. When printing is to be performed, the release arm 8 is pulled toward the operator to move the thermal head 5 away from the platen roller 3. Recording paper 7 is inserted into the gap between the head 5 and the roller 3, and set as shown in Fig. 3. Then, the release arm 8 is pushed away from the operator to move the thermal head 5 toward the platen roller 3 until the head 5 is pressed on the platen roller 3 with the paper 7 therebetween. When the motor 4 is started, the platen roller 3 is rotated to effect paper feed. The thermal head 5 is supplied with a printing signal through the head connector 5a so as to perform printing on the recording paper 7. When the thermal head 5 is to be replaced during a maintenance operation, etc., the notched end portions 14a of the stopper plates 14 are disengaged from the engagement portions 15, and the plates 14 are slid away from the side plates 2a and 2b. Then, the shaft 12 which is fitted in the position-determining grooves 2d is disengaged therefrom and, while the shaft 12 is held in the recesses 11a of the shaft-holding plates 11, the head section is swung open into the position shown in Fig. 2. In this condition, the thermal head 5 to be replaced is removed from the head support 6. Thus, according to the present invention, the thermal head can be easily dismounted from the printer body. When the new head 5 is mounted on the printer body, the thermal head 5 is brought into the correct position in relation to the platen roller 3 by virtue of the set interval between the bearings on the side plates 2a and 2b which rotatably support the platen roller 3 and the position-determining grooves 2d which support the end portions of the shaft 12. Since the shaft 12, by which the thermal head is supported for its rotation about the axis of the bearing portions 10, can fit into the position determining grooves, when the end portions of the shaft 12 are completely received in these grooves separated by a set interval from the bearing portions of the platen roller, the thermal head assumes the predetermined positional relation with the platen roller. Thus, according to the present invention, the thermal head can be correctly positioned even when the head has been dismounted and then mounted again.

Claims: A thermal line printer comprising: a printer body having a casing (1) with side plates (2a, 2b) on either side thereof, said side plates having grooves (2d), and a platen roller (3) disposed in said casing (1) and rotatably supported by bearings on said side plates; a drive section (4,4a,4b,4c) for rotating said platen roller; a head support (6) having bearing portions (10) at a rear end thereof, said bearing portions (10) being supported by said side plates (2a, 2b) of said printer body for swinging said head support (6); and a line-printing type thermal head (5) having a shaft (12) at a rear end thereof and being resiliently urged toward said platen roller (3), characterised in that the thermal head (5) also has a front end portion (5c) engagable with a front end portion (6a) of the head support (6), and the grooves (2d) in the side plates (2a, 2b) are located at positions corresponding to the thermal head shaft (12), wherein said shaft (12) which supports the thermal head (5) for its rotation together with said shaft (12) about an axis of said bearing portions (10) locates into said grooves (2d) to determine the position of the thermal head (5) relative to the platen roller (3). A thermal line printer as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the head support (6) has shaft-holding plates (11) mounted on either side thereof wherein each of said shaft-holding plates (11) has a recess (11a) in which respective end portions of the shaft (12) of the thermal head (5) locate. A thermal line printer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said head support (6) includes a pair of rails (13) on the upper surface thereof, and two stopper plates (14) slidably fitted in a gap between said rails (13), wherein said side plates (2a, 2b) of said printer body include engagement portions (15) each having an opening comprising an elongated hole (15a) wider than said stopper plates (14), and an engagement hole (15b) with which respective end portions of said stopper plates (14) are engagable, said head support (6) being held at a fixed position relative to said printer body by passing said end portions of said stopper plates (14) through said elongated holes (15a), and then bringing said end portions into engagement with said engagement holes (15b). A thermal line printer as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that it includes a guide sheet (18) disposed in such a manner as to cover a gap (17) between said front end portion (6a) of said head support (6) and said front end portion (5c) of said thermal head (5). A thermal line printer as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said side plates (2a, 2b) of said printer body include projections (2c), wherein each of said bearing portions (10) of said head support (6) comprises a cylindrical portion having a C-shaped section and a slit axially extending in a part of the cylinder, said projections (2c) of said side plates (2a, 2b) being fitted into said bearing portions (10) of said head support (6) to swingably support said head support (6).

Inventors: KOMORI MASAYOSHI, NAKASONO KENJI, TANAKA TOSHIO, YAMAURA SATOSHI, KOMORI, MASAYOSHI, NAKASONO, KENJI, TANAKA, TOSHIO, YAMAURA, SATOSHI
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2, B41J29, B41J25