Patent Publication Number: US-9409421-B1

Title: Printer apparatus

Description:
FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a printer apparatus which carries out printing on paper and then issues the printed paper. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a printer apparatus used as a receipt issuing apparatus and the like, pre-determined items are printed on long-sized roll paper drawn out from paper wound into a roll shape. It is necessary to replenish the roll paper newly in a case in which the roll paper is used up. However, in a case of carrying out paper replenishment, it is necessary to nip the front end of the replenished roll paper between a print head which carries out printing on the roll paper and a platen roller arranged opposite to the print head. Thus, there is known a method that the roll paper is loaded into the printer apparatus main body in a state of being placed in a cassette. In a case of replenishing the roll paper, the front end of the replenished roll paper can be nipped easily if the print head and the platen roller are separated from each other. However, even if the print head and the platen roller are separated from each other, if the platen roller exists in the replenishment path of the roll paper, a user has to avoid the platen roller to replenish the roll paper, which may lead to a problem that only the roll paper having a small diameter can be replenished. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a printer apparatus according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a platen roller moving mechanism in a printing state of the printer apparatus according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions in a platen roller moving state of the platen roller moving mechanism according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the position of the platen roller moving mechanism during the paper replenishment to the printer apparatus according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a platen roller moving mechanism in a printing state of the printer apparatus according to a second embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions in a platen roller moving state of the platen roller moving mechanism according to the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment, a printer apparatus comprises a main body section configured to include a first printer cover; an opening and closing unit configured to include a second printer cover which is fixed to be rotatable with respect to the main body section; a print head configured to be held by the main body section; a platen roller configured to be held by the opening and closing unit and arranged at a position opposite to the print head in a closing state of the second printer cover; and a platen roller moving mechanism configured to move the platen roller away from the position opposite to the print head in an opening state of the second printer cover. 
     Hereinafter, the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a printer apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment. In the printer, the paper is conveyed from the lower side towards the upper side in  FIG. 1 , thus, the lower side in  FIG. 1  is referred to as upstream side and the upper side in  FIG. 1  is referred to as downstream side. 
     A reference numeral  2  in  FIG. 1  indicates wound roll paper. The printer apparatus  1  includes a printer cover  3  and a printer cover  3 - 1 , and the printer cover  3  is fixed at the printer apparatus  1 . The printer cover  3 - 1  can be opened and closed in a direction indicated by an arrow shown in  FIG. 1  around a rotation shaft  4 , and when the printer cover  3 - 1  is opened, the roll paper  2  is loaded into the printer apparatus  1 . 
     The roll paper  2  includes a first paper surface  5  and a second paper surface  6  opposite to the first paper surface  5 , and a thermosensitive layer which generates color if heated is arranged on the first paper surface  5  only. 
     An idler roller  7  which applies tension to the conveyed roll paper  2  is supported in the printer apparatus  1  in a rotatable manner. 
     At the downstream side of the idler roller  7  are arranged a thermal print head  8  and a platen roller  10  opposite to the thermal print head  8  across a paper conveyance path  9 . The platen roller  10  is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown). A printing section  11  consisting of the thermal print head  8  and the platen roller  10  carries out printing on the first paper surface  5  of the roll paper  2 . 
     The printer apparatus  1  further includes a paper discharge port  12  at the downstream side of the printing section  11 , and the printed roll paper  2  is discharged to the outside of the printer apparatus  1  from the paper discharge port  12 . Further, a paper cutting edge  13  is arranged nearby the paper discharge port  12 , and a user cuts the printed roll paper  2  manually using the paper cutting edge  13 . In addition, it is exemplified in the present embodiment that the printed roll paper  2  is cut using the paper cutting edge  13 ; however, it is not limited to this. For example, a cutter may be arranged at the downstream side of the printing section  11  in the paper conveyance direction to cut the roll paper  2 . 
     Next, a platen roller moving mechanism is described with reference to  FIG. 2 - FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 2  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a platen roller moving mechanism  19  in a printing state of the printer apparatus  1 .  FIG. 3  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions in a platen roller moving state of the platen roller moving mechanism  19 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the position of the platen roller moving mechanism  19  during the replenishment of the roll paper  2  to the printer apparatus  1 . 
     The platen roller moving mechanism  19  is arranged nearby the platen roller  10 . The platen roller moving mechanism  19  consists of a rotation shaft  15 , a substantially U-shaped platen holder  14  of which one part extends obliquely, a holder spring  16 , a long hole  17  and a platen spring  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in a state in which printing is carried out, the shaft of the platen roller  10  is arranged at the printer cover  3 - 1  and inserted into the long hole  17  arranged at a frame (not shown), and is positioned at the lower end of the long hole  17 . The shaft of the platen roller  10  is inserted into the inside of the substantial U-shape of the platen holder  14 , and the platen roller  10  is positioned opposite to a heat generating section of the thermal print head  8 . In this state, the printer cover  3  and the printer cover  3 - 1  are fixed through a hook (not shown). 
     In a case of replenishing the roll paper  2  due to paper out and the like, the user of the printer apparatus  1  opens the hook (not shown) to release the fixation of the printer cover  3  and the printer cover  3 - 1 . 
     The platen holder  14  is energized in a clockwise direction in  FIG. 3  around the rotation shaft  15  by the holder spring  16 . The platen roller  10  is energized upwards in  FIG. 3  by the platen spring  18 . When the fixation of the printer cover  3  and the printer cover  3 - 1  is released, the shaft of the platen roller  10  is released from the insertion into the inside of the substantial U-shape of the platen holder  14 , and is moved to the upper end of the long hole  17  along the part of the substantial U-shape which extends obliquely. Such a state is shown in  FIG. 3 . The printer cover  3 - 1 , if further rotated, is turned into the state shown in  FIG. 4 . In this state, the user of the printer apparatus  1  replenishes the roll paper  2  and pulls the front end of the paper to the position between the thermal print head  8  and the platen roller  10 , and then closes the printer cover  3 - 1 . During the closing process, the shaft of the platen roller  10  is moved along the part of the substantial U-shape of the platen holder  14  which extends obliquely and then inserted into the substantial U-shape part, and meanwhile, the shaft of the platen roller  10  is moved to the lower end part of the long hole  17 , and then the printer cover  3  and the printer cover  3 - 1  are fixed by the hook (not shown). 
     As stated above, in a case of replenishing the roll paper  2 , the fixation of the printer cover  3  and the printer cover  3 - 1  is released, and the printer cover  3 - 1  is rotated. The platen roller moving mechanism  19  is arranged in the printer apparatus  1 , and the platen roller  10  is moved as the printer cover  3 - 1  is rotated. 
     If there is no platen roller moving mechanism  19  arranged in the printer apparatus  1 , the diameter of the roll paper  2  that can be replenished is C. In contrast, the diameter of the roll paper  2  that can be loaded into the printer apparatus  1  provided with the platen roller moving mechanism according to the present embodiment is D shown in  FIG. 4 . For reference, the diameter C serving as the diameter of the roll paper  2  that can be replenished to the printer apparatus  1  provided with no platen roller moving mechanism is also shown by a dashed line in  FIG. 4 . With the platen roller moving mechanism  19 , diameter C&lt;diameter D, and it is possible to replenish the roll paper  2  having a longer diameter. 
     A Second Embodiment 
     Hereinafter, the second embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . In the first embodiment, the printer cover  3  and the printer cover  3 - 1  are rotated around the rotation shaft  4 ; however, in the second embodiment, there is arranged a plurality of rotation centers. 
       FIG. 5  shows a printing state and  FIG. 6  shows an opening state. In the second embodiment, an opening arm  20 , the rotation shaft  4  and a rotation shaft  4 - 1  are arranged. In this way, a diameter E of the roll paper  2  that can be loaded into the printer apparatus  1  provided with a plurality of rotation centers is longer than both of the diameter C of the roll paper  2  that can be loaded into the printer apparatus  1  provided with no platen roller moving mechanism and the diameter D of the roll paper  2  that can be loaded into the printer apparatus  1  provided with one rotation shaft  4 ; that is, C&lt;D&lt;E, and it is possible to load the roll paper  2  having a longer diameter. 
     Further, for the user of the printer apparatus  1  who desires to use the loaded roll paper  2  having a longer diameter, it is possible to cope with the situation only by changing the part of the printer cover  3 - 1  merely, and the printer cover  3  may be common no matter what kind of roll paper  2  is used. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.