Patent Publication Number: US-7722269-B2

Title: Printing apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a printing apparatus for making printing on paper in using a print head upon mounted with a detachably attachable ink cartridge and, more particularly, to an impact printer or an inkjet printer enabling to guide certainly paper near the print head. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   As a printing apparatus upon installed with a ribbon cartridge, there has conventionally been an apparatus such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JA-H8-318,666, in which the ribbon cartridge as well as the print head are installed to a carriage and printing is operated while moving the carriage. On the apparatus of this type, a feed roller is arranged near the print head to load smoothly a paper to a position to be printed with the print head. Furthermore, a paper guide is also arranged near the print head to convey smoothly curled paper or dog-eared paper as well. 
   Where the paper guide is arranged near the carriage, when the ribbon cartridge is attached or detached, the ribbon cartridge hits against the paper guide, so that the ribbon cartridge cannot be attached or detached. Therefore, a position at which the ribbon cartridge is attached and detached, i.e., an attaching and detaching position, is conventionally predetermined to attach or to detach the ribbon cartridge thereat. The paper guide is not disposed near the print head at the attaching and detaching position. 
   Where replacing the ribbon cartridge, the carriage is moved to the predetermined attaching and detaching position, and the ribbon cartridge is detached from the carriage. A new ribbon cartridge is then installed to the carriage. In this bout, the paper guide does not prevent the replacement of the ribbon cartridge since not disposed near the carriage. It is to be noted that the ribbon cartridge&#39;s attaching and detaching position is disposed within a range of paper conveyance. 
   However, with the conventional apparatus as described above, since the ribbon cartridge&#39;s attaching and detaching position is disposed in the range of the paper conveyance, the curled paper is held, where guided, at the ribbon cartridge attaching and detaching position, so that there has been such a problem as causing the paper to get damaged, folded, or jammed. Where the attaching and detaching portion for the ribbon cartridge is disposed out of the range of the paper conveyance to avoid such a problem, the apparatus becomes larger in size. 
   Furthermore, since the paper guide is not disposed at the ribbon cartridge&#39;s attaching and detaching position, a sensor for detecting the paper cannot be disposed to the paper guide. Thus, there has been such a problem also, as limiting a paper detection control. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To solve above problems, a printing apparatus according to this invention, for printing a paper in using a print head upon mounted with a detachably attachable print cartridge, is characterized in enabling at least one of members disposed in an operating range for attaching and detaching a print cartridge to be escapable from the attaching and detaching operating range. 
   According to this invention thus structured, it becomes possible to dispose, e.g., a member for guiding a paper at a ribbon cartridge attaching and detaching position, so that the printing apparatus has an effect such as preventing the paper from getting caught even where the dog-eared paper is conveyed, without becoming larger in size. Furthermore, a sensor for detecting the paper can be disposed to this member. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangements of parts, a preferred embodiment and method of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and wherein; 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an essential part according to the first embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view showing the essential part according to the first embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view showing the essential part according to the first embodiment; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view showing an essential part according to the second embodiment; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view showing the essential part according to the second embodiment; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing an opening and closing guide member and an auxiliary guide member according to the second embodiment; 
       FIG. 7  is a view illustrating operation of the second embodiment; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view showing the third embodiment; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing an opening and closing guide member and an auxiliary guide member according to the third embodiment; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the opening and closing guide member and the auxiliary guide member according to the third embodiment; 
       FIG. 11  is a view showing the fourth embodiment; and 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing the essential part according to the first embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
   Hereinafter, embodiments to carry out this invention will be described in reference to drawings.  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 12  are perspective views showing an essential part according to the first embodiment of this invention while  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are side views showing the essential part at a cross section taken along line AA′ in  FIG. 12  according to the first embodiment. In these drawings, a print head  1  and a ribbon cartridge  2  are mounted to a carriage  3 . The ribbon cartridge  2  is supported in a pivotally movable manner with a pivotal center  4  disposed to the carriage  3  while detachably attached to the pivotal center  4 . The ribbon cartridge  2  is locked with a locking machinery, not shown, in a condition where completely installed as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   The carriage  3  is axially supported in a slidable manner with a shaft  5  and can be moved in direction of arrow B along the shaft  5  with a driving source, not shown. A platen  6  is placed as facing under the print head  1 . Though the paper is conveyed between the print head  1  and the platen  6 , an upper side guide  7  and a lower side guide  8  are arranged in a manner to sandwich therebetween an area including a contact position between the print head  1  and the platen  6 . The upper side guide  7  is formed as extending up to near a printing position between the print head  1  and the platen  6 . The upper side guide  7  and the lower side guide  8  constitute a paper conveyance route  9 . The paper is conveyed on the paper conveyance route  9  in a direction of arrow C′ when printed, and conveyed in a direction of arrow C when discharged. As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the upper side guide  7  is formed with an inclined guide portion  7   a  with which the paper moved through the print head  1  is guided into the paper conveyance route  9  when discharged. A pair of feed rollers  10 ,  11  are disposed on a downstream side in the paper conveyance direction when discharging paper, with respect to the print head  1  and the platen  6 . 
   In  FIG. 1 , the printing apparatus has a cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 . The ribbon cartridge  2  is attached and detached at this position, but the upper side guide  7  as described above is not disposed at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12  to ensure an operating range for attaching and detaching the ribbon cartridge  2 . The ribbon cartridge  2  therefore does not come in contact with the upper side guide  7  when attached and detached. 
   An opening and closing guide member  13  is disposed at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 . The opening and closing guide member  13  constitutes one part of the upper guide  7 . The opening and closing guide member  13  is supported in a pivotally movable manner with a shaft  14 , and has a structure such as guiding the paper in a closed state, i.e., in a state as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , likewise the upper side guide  7 , and has an inclined guide portion  13   a  formed near the print head  1 . The inclined guide portion  7   a  of the upper side guide  7  and the inclined guide portion  13   a  of the opening and closing guide member  13  have an inclination in a shape approximately corresponding to each other when viewed from a side as shown in  FIG. 2 . When closed, the opening and closing guide member  13  is locked with the locking machinery, not shown. In this bout, the inclined guide portion  13   a  of the opening and closing guide member  13  covers an approximately entire area in a horizontal direction at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 . Therefore, the inclined guide portion  13   a  and the inclined guide portion  7   a  of the upper side guide  7  at opposite side ends of the inclined guide portion  13   a  cover up the entire range of a paper conveyance region. A cover  19  for covering a feed roller  10  is equipped above the feed roller  10 . 
   A double-dashed chain line in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  shows a trajectory  15  of an front end portion of the opening and closing guide member  13  as pivotally moved. As can be expected from this, where the carriage  3  is positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 , the opening and closing guide member  13  and the print head  1  are set in a positional relation such that the opening and closing guide member  13  interferes with the print head  1  when closed and opened. In a completely opened state, the opening and closing guide member  13  is positioned, as shown in  FIG. 3 , at a position distant from a trajectory  16  of the front end portion of the ribbon cartridge  3  as pivotally moved around a pivotal center  4  as a center. The trajectory  16  shows the operating range for attaching and detaching the ribbon cartridge  2 . It is to be noted that the feed roller  10  is disposed not at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 , but at an outside of the position. Furthermore, the opening and closing guide member  13  is formed with levers  17 ,  18  in a ring shape. 
   Operation of the first embodiment will be described next. Herein, manipulations for replacement of the ribbon cartridge are mostly described. The carriage  3  is positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12  when the printing is completed. The carriage  3  then escapes from the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12  upon pushing a carriage escaping switch (inputting means  50 , see  FIG. 1 ). In this case, the carriage  3  may be moved in either left or right direction as long as separated from the carriage attaching and detaching position  12 . The locking machinery, not shown, of the opening and closing guide member  13  is next released, and the opening and closing guide member  13  is pivotally moved around the shaft  14  as a center so as to be opened from what is in a closed state as shown in  FIG. 2 , upon picking up the levers  17 ,  18 , or namely, the opening and closing guide member  13  is escaping from the vicinity of the print head  1 . In this bout, because the carriage escapes, the opening and closing guide member  13  does not interfere with the print head  1 . 
   The opening and closing guide member  13  is opened up to a position as shown in  FIG. 3 . The carriage  3  is then replaced from an escaping position to the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12  upon pushing a carriage replacing switch (inputting means  50 , see  FIG. 1 ). The locking machinery, not shown, fastening the installment of the ribbon cartridge  2  is released, and the ribbon cartridge  2  is then pivotally moved as lifted upward around the pivotal center  4  as the center, as shown in  FIG. 3 , thereby being detached from the carriage  3 . While the ribbon cartridge  2  is pivotally moved, since the opening and closing guide member  13  escapes to a position such as not interfering with the opening and closing guide member  13 , the ribbon cartridge  2  does not interfere with the opening and closing guide member  13 . 
   The new ribbon cartridge  2  is thereafter installed. The ribbon cartridge  2  is mounted according to the steps in the reverse order to the steps for detachment. That is, one end of the ribbon cartridge  2  is first fit into the pivotal center  4 , and the ribbon cartridge  2  is next pivotally moved in a downward direction to be installed in a state as shown in  FIG. 2 , thereby being fastened with the lock machinery, not shown. Subsequently, the carriage  3  escapes again from the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12  to close the opening and closing guide member  13 , thereby being rendered in a state as shown in  FIG. 2 . The opening and closing guide member  13  is then fastened with the locking machinery, not shown. 
   Where the printing is operated, the paper is first conveyed in the direction of the arrow C′ as shown in  FIG. 2 , thereby conveyed and discharged in the direction of the arrow C when the printing is completed. At that time, the opening and closing guide member  13  is positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 , and the inclined guide portion  13   a  of the opening and detaching guide member  13  guides, so that even the curled paper can be guided appropriately, thereby avoiding paper jamming or paper folding. 
   According to the first embodiment as described above, the opening and closing guide member  13  is placed in an escapable manner at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 , and the paper is to be guided with the inclined guide portion  13   a  of the opening and closing guide member  13  during printing, while the opening and closing guide member  13  is to escape when the ribbon cartridge  2  is replaced, so that a conveyance property of the paper can be improved, and so that the apparatus can convey stably even the curled paper. 
   The second embodiment will be described next.  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  are side views showing an essential part according to the second embodiment. In addition to the structure of the first embodiment, an auxiliary guide member is disposed to the opening and closing guide member in the second embodiment. 
   In  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , an opening and closing guide member  23  is disposed at the cartridge attaching and detaching position, in which the opening and closing guide member  23  is disposed in a pivotally movable manner to the shaft  14 . The opening and closing guide member  23  is disposed with a pivotal movement center  24 , in which the pivotal movement center  24  is disposed with an auxiliary guide member  25  in a pivotally movable manner. The auxiliary guide member  25  has approximately the same width as the opening and closing guide member  23 , in which an inclined guide portion  25   a  is formed to a front end portion of the auxiliary guide member  25 . The inclined guide portion  25   a  is formed to take up an approximately entire area in a horizontal direction at the cartridge attaching and detaching position. 
   A boss portion  26  is formed at each end side of the auxiliary guide member  25 , as shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the opening and closing guide member and the auxiliary guide member. A cam guide portion  27  is formed on a side of the opening and closing guide member  23  with respect to each of the covers  19  positioned at left and right sides of the opening and closing guide member  23 . The boss portions  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  are movable upon sliding on the cam guide portions  27 . The cam guide portion  27  is shaped in a manner to guide the boss portions  26  so that the trajectory  28 , shown in  FIG. 5 , of the front end portion of the auxiliary guide portion  25 , when the auxiliary guide portion  25  is pivotally moved around the pivotal movement center  24  as the center where the opening and closing guide member  23  is opened or closed, forms a route avoiding the print head  1  above the carriage  3  positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position at the time. It is to be noted that the opening and closing guide member  23  is set in a size such that the opening and closing guide member  23  can be opened in a manner that the print head  1  does not interfere with a trajectory  30  drawn by the opening and closing guide member  23 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , where the opening and closing guide member  23  is opened from the closed state of the member. 
   An engaging portion  29  for engaging the boss portion  26  is formed at a front end portion, or namely on a side of the carriage  3 , of the cam guide portion  27 . The engaging portion  29  is shaped in a groove form, and engages with the boss portion  26  when the opening and closing guide member  23  is completely closed. 
   Likewise the first embodiment, the opening and closing guide member  23  is, where in a completely closed state, positioned in the range at which the ribbon cartridge  2  is pivotally moved when attached or detached, while being positioned, where in an opened state as shown in  FIG. 5 , out of the above range, together with the auxiliary guide member  25 . The other structures are the same as the first embodiment. 
   Operation of the second embodiment will be described next.  FIG. 7  is a view illustrating the operation of the second embodiment. When the printing is completed, the carriage  3  is positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12 , however, in the second embodiment, the carriage  3  does not need to escape, not likewise the first embodiment, from the cartridge attaching and detaching position  12  to replace the ribbon cartridge  2 . Even where the carriage  3  is positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position, the locking machinery, not shown, of the opening and closing guide member  23  is released, and the opening and closing guide member  23  is pivotally moved in a direction of arrow D around the shaft  14  as a center so as to be opened from in a closed state as shown in  FIG. 7(   a ), upon picking the levers  17 ,  18 . 
   In a state where the opening and closing guide member  23  is closed, the boss portion  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  engages with the engaging portion  29  of the cam guide portion  27  but lifted upward from the engaging portion  29  in the groove form as the opening and closing guide member  23  is lifted upward. The opening and closing guide member  23  shifts its state to a state shown in  FIG. 7  ( c ) and further in a state shown in  FIG. 7  ( d ) from a state shown in Fig. (b). At that time, the opening and closing guide member  23  is pivotally moved with the front end portion thereof drawing the trajectory  30  as shown in  FIG. 5  while not interfering with the print head  1 . 
   In this state, the auxiliary guide member  25  is, after pulled out of the engaging portion  29 , pivotally moved around the pivotal movement center  24  as the center in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the opening and closing guide member  23 , as the boss portions  26  are moved upon sliding on the cam guide portion  27  because of the self-weight of the auxiliary guide member  25 . According to this moving operation, the front end portion of the auxiliary guide member  25  draws the trajectory  28  as shown in  FIG. 5 , and does not interfere with the print head  1 . 
   The opening and closing guide member  23  is further opened up to positions shown in  FIGS. 7(   e ) to  7 ( g ), thereby being finally rendered in a completely opened state as shown in  FIG. 5 . In a state where the opening and closing guide member  23  is completely opened, the boss portion  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  is separated from the cam guide portion  27  but held with a holding means, not shown, at a prescribed position with respect to the opening and closing guide member  23 . 
   Herein, the ribbon cartridge  2  is replaced. In the same way as the first embodiment, the locking machinery, not shown, fastening the installment of the ribbon cartridge  2  is released, and the ribbon cartridge  2  is then pivotally moved as lifted upward around the pivotal center  4  as the center, as shown in  FIG. 5 , thereby detached from the carriage  3 . While the ribbon cartridge  2  is pivotally moved, since the opening and closing guide member  23  as well as the auxiliary guide member  25  escape to a position such as not interfering, the ribbon cartridge  2  does not interfere with the opening and closing guide member  23  neither the auxiliary guide member  25 . 
   Herein, where the carriage  3  is not positioned at the cartridge attaching and detaching position, the ribbon cartridge  2  is detached after the carriage  3  is moved to the cartridge attaching and detaching position. 
   A new ribbon cartridge  2  is thereafter installed. The ribbon cartridge  2  is installed according to the steps in the order reverse to the steps when detached. That is, one end of the ribbon cartridge  2  is first fit into the pivotal center  4 , and the ribbon cartridge  2  is next pivotally moved downward to be installed in a state as shown in  FIG. 2 , thereby being fastened with the lock machinery, not shown. 
   Thereafter, the opening and closing guide member  23  is closed without moving the carriage  3 . When closing the opening and closing guide member  23 , the boss portion  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  engages with the cam guide portion  27 , thereby moving along the cam guide portion  27 . In a state where completely closed, the opening and closing guide member  23  is fastened with the locking machinery, not shown. At that time, the boss portion  26  is engaged with the engaging portion  29 . 
   The printing is operated in the same way as the first embodiment but the paper conveyed through the upper side  7  of the print head  1  is guided with the inclined guide portion  25   a  of the auxiliary guide member  25  as well as the inclined guide portion  7   a  of the upper side guide  7 . Therefore, even the curled paper can be guided appropriately, thereby not happening to get jammed or folded. 
   According to the second embodiment as described above, in addition to the same advantages as the first embodiment, the ribbon cartridge  2  can be replaced without escaping the carriage  3  from the cartridge attaching and detaching position, upon enabling the opening and closing guide member  23  and the auxiliary guide member  25  to escape without interfering with the print head  1 . That is, the second embodiment has an effect such as eliminating complication such as escaping the carriage  3  every time when opening or closing the opening and closing guide member  23 . 
   The third embodiment will be described next. In addition to the structure of the second embodiment, an urging member for urging the auxiliary guide member is disposed in the third embodiment.  FIG. 8  is a side view showing the opening and closing guide member and the auxiliary guide member according to the third embodiment, while  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  are perspective views showing the opening and closing guide member and the auxiliary guide member according to the third embodiment. It is to be noted that  FIG. 8  shows the opening and closing guide member in both a closed state (a) and an opened state (b),  FIG. 9  shows the opening and closing guide member in an opened state, and  FIG. 10  shows a rear surface of the opening and closing guide member as well as the auxiliary guide member in a closed state. 
   In those drawings, the opening and closing guide member  23  is disposed with a torsion spring  31  serving as the urging member for urging the auxiliary guide member  25 . The torsion spring  31  has one end  31   a  engaged with the opening and closing guide member  23  and the other end  31   b  engaged with the auxiliary guide member  25 , thereby urging in a manner to pivotally rotate the auxiliary guide member  25  in a direction of arrow E. Therefore, the boss portions  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  are always pushed to the lower side of the cam guide portions  27 . The other structure is the same as the second embodiment. The third embodiment is also structured so that the opening and closing guide member  23  and the auxiliary guide member  25  do not interfere with the print head when the opening and closing guide member  23  is opened or closed. 
   Operation of the third embodiment will be described next. The operation of the third embodiment is basically the same as that of the second embodiment, but operation of the auxiliary guide member  25  at the time of replacement of the ribbon cartridge will be described herein. Where releasing the locking machinery, not shown, fastening the opening and closing guide member  23  in a closed state, the boss portions  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  are pushed to the lower side of the cam guide portions  27  upon an urging force with the torsion spring  31 . A reaction force generated by the above described movement lifts the pivotal movement center  24  upward. 
   Since the pivotal movement center  24  is disposed to the opening and closing guide member  23 , the opening and closing guide member  23  is pivotally moved around the pivotal center  14  as the center in a direction of arrow F as shown in  FIG. 8 , i.e., in an opening direction, as the pivotal movement center  24  is lifted up. That is, when releasing the locking machinery, the opening and closing guide member  23  is raised upward in the opening direction upon the urging force with the torsion spring  31 . 
   While the boss portions  26  are in contact with the cam guide portion  27 , the torsion spring  31  keeps on opening the opening and closing guide member  23 . At the time that the boss portions  26  are separated from the cam guide portion  27 , the opening and closing guide member  23  is positioned at a position outside the range at which the ribbon cartridge  2  is pivotally moved. The opening and closing guide member  23  is maintained at the above position. The torsion spring  31  even thereafter keeps on urging and holds the auxiliary guide member  25  at the predetermined position with respect to the opening and closing guide member  23  in a completely opened state as shown in  FIG. 8(   a ) and  FIG. 9 . 
   When the opening and closing guide member  23  is, where closed, moved in a closing direction, the boss portions  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  come in contact, in a sliding manner, with the cam guide portions  27 . The opening and closing guide member  23  is even further closed, the auxiliary guide member  25  is moved along the cam guide portion  27 . The opening and closing guide member  23  is fastened, in a completely closed state, with the locking machinery, not shown. In this bout, the boss portion  26  is engaged with the engaging portion  29 . 
   It goes without saying that the opening and closing guide member  23  and the auxiliary guide member  25  do not interfere with the print head  1  when the opening and closing guide member  23  is opened or closed. 
   According to the third embodiment as described above, in addition to the effect of the second embodiment, the opening manipulation can be facilitated since the urging member for urging the auxiliary guide member  25  is disposed so that the opening and closing guide member  23  as well as the auxiliary guide member  25  can be automatically opened only by releasing the locking machinery when opening the opening and closing guide member  23 . Furthermore, when closing the opening and closing guide member  23  also, the urging member is to always push the boss portion  26  of the auxiliary guide member  25  to the cam guide portion  27 , so that the auxiliary guide member  25  can be certainly moved along the cam guide portion  27 . 
   The fourth embodiment will be described next. In addition to the structure of the second embodiment, a sensor for detecting the paper is disposed at an end portion of the auxiliary guide member disposed to the opening and closing guide member in the fourth embodiment.  FIG. 11  is a side view showing the fourth embodiment. 
   In  FIG. 11 , a paper detecting optical sensor  41  is disposed at the end portion of the auxiliary guide member  25 , at a side of the print head  1 . The paper detecting optical sensor  41  is disposed in a manner not to project from a lower end portion of the inclined guide portion  25   a  of the auxiliary guide member  25 . The shaft  14  defined as the pivotal movement center for the opening and closing guide member  23  equipped with the auxiliary guide member  25  is set in a hollow form while having therein a wiring cord of the paper detecting optical sensor  41 . The other structure is the same as the second embodiment. 
   The operation of the opening and closing guide member  23  and the auxiliary guide member  25  according to the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment, so that the corresponding description is omitted. In the fourth embodiment, since the shaft  14  defined as the pivotal movement center for the opening and closing guide member  23  is always joined to the roller guide  42 , shown in  FIG. 1 , at each side of the opening and closing guide member  23 , the change of cord in length and route, with accompanying the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing guide member  23  can be minimized. As described above, since the paper detecting optical sensor  41  is installed, the paper of multiple kinds can be controlled while the paper can be conveyed more accurately. 
   The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principles of the invention and their practical application to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specification, but be defined by the claims set forth below.