Patent Publication Number: US-9409423-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 the paper wound into a roll shape, and then the long-sized roll paper is cut into a sheet having a pre-determined length by a cutter and then issued. 
     When the roll paper is used up, an operator of the printer apparatus replenishes the printer apparatus with new roll paper. During the paper replenishment, a cover of the printer apparatus is opened to carry out the paper replenishment, and the wider the opening section is, the easier the replenishment is. Thus, there is known a printer apparatus which opens the opening section with a fixed blade of a cutter for cutting roll paper arranged at the cover side and a movable blade arranged at the fixed side. The movable blade of the cutter is separated from the fixed blade when the cover is opened, thus, the blade part of the cutter is exposed to the outside when the cover is opened. Thus, to prevent the blade part of the cutter from being damaged by a falling object and the like, there is known a protrusion arranged nearby the cutting edge of the fixed blade to protect the blade part. The cutter, when cutting the roll paper, moves the movable blade towards the fixed blade; however, there is a case in which poor cutting or roll paper jam occurs during the cutting process. In a case in which the printer apparatus is stopped due to paper jam and the like during the cutting process, the movable blade is in a state of protruding towards the fixed blade. If the cover of the printer apparatus is opened in this state, there is a risk that the movable blade of the cutter contacts with a cover and the like at the base side of the printer apparatus, which may cause damage in the movable blade. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a printer apparatus according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions of a movable cover portion of the printer apparatus according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the constitution of a control circuit of the printer apparatus according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a constitution diagram illustrating the main portions in a cutter operation state of the printer apparatus according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a state in which a movable blade is contacted with a printer cover according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a procedure from paper jam error detection to paper jam error removing of the printer apparatus according to the embodiment; and 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating the position of the movable cover which avoids the contact with the movable blade according to the 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 fixed blade configured to be held by the main body; a movable blade configured to be held by the opening and closing unit to cut paper through the cooperation with the fixed blade; a home position sensor configured to detect a home position of the movable blade; and a third printer cover configured to constitute one part of the first printer cover, and retract to a retracting position so as not to contact with the movable blade which is not positioned at the home position when the opening and closing unit is opened. 
     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  from above. 
     During the loading process, the loading position of the roll paper  2  is regulated by a first paper guide  5  and a second paper guide  6 , and the roll paper  2  is loaded in a state of contacting with a pair of feeding rollers  7 . 
     The roll paper  2  includes a first paper surface  8  and a second paper surface  9  opposite to the first paper surface  8 , and a thermosensitive layer which generates color if heated is arranged on the first paper surface  8  only. 
     An idler roller  10  is supported in a rotatable manner at the downstream side of the feeding roller  7 . 
     Further, a first conveyance guide  11  and a second conveyance guide  12  are arranged to extend from the idler roller  10  of the printer apparatus  1  towards the downstream side of the printer apparatus  1 , and the space between the first conveyance guide  11  and the second conveyance guide  12  is used as a paper conveyance path  13  for conveying the roll paper  2 . 
     At the downstream side of the idler roller  10  are arranged a thermal print head  14  and a platen roller  15  opposite to the thermal print head  14  across the paper conveyance path  13 . The platen roller  15  is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) A printing section  16  consisting of the thermal print head  14  and the platen roller  15  carries out printing on the first paper surface  8  of the roll paper  2 . 
     A cutter  17  is arranged at the downstream side of the printing section  16 . 
     The cutter  17  consists of a movable blade block  19  including a movable blade  18  and a fixed blade block  21  including a fixed blade  20 . The movable blade block  19  and the fixed blade block are arranged opposite to each other across the paper conveyance path  13 . The movable blade block  19  is fixed on the printer cover  3 - 1 , while the fixed blade block  21  is fixed on the printer cover  3 . Thus, when the printer cover  3 - 1  is opened around the rotation shaft  4 , the movable blade block  19  is separated from the fixed blade block  21 . The printer apparatus  1  further includes a paper discharge port  22  at the downstream side of the cutter  17 , and the printed roll paper  2  cut by the cutter  17  is discharged to the outside of the printer apparatus  1  from the paper discharge port  22 . 
     The printer apparatus  1  is further provided with a display section  23  which displays various states including an error situation of the printer apparatus  1 . Further, a plurality of paper jam sensors (not shown) are arranged in the first conveyance guide  11  and the second conveyance guide  12  which extend from the idler roller  10  towards the paper discharge port  22 . Incidentally, the description of a later-described printer cover  3 - 2  and a solenoid  24  is omitted in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the printer cover  3  is provided with a movable cover  3 - 2  nearby the paper discharge port  22 . The movable cover  3 - 2  constituting one part of the printer cover  3  is connected with a solenoid arm  24 - 1  arranged in the solenoid  24 , and is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow shown in  FIG. 2  around a cover rotation shaft  25  when the solenoid  24  is energized as stated later. In addition, for the sake of convenience of description, the cutter  17  is not shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the constitution of a control circuit of the printer apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment. A control section  51  controls the paper conveyance, printing, paper cutting, paper discharging, paper jam detection, movable cover rotation and the display of the situation of the printer. 
     The control section  51  is formed by, for example, a microcomputer which connects with a host computer  50  and carries out various controls. A central processing unit (CPU)  52  of the control section  51  carries out, according to a program, various operations and controls such as a paper conveyance control, a printing control, a paper cutting control, a paper discharging control and a movable cover rotation control according to the detection of paper jam. 
     Further, the CPU  52  comprises a timer  53  serving as a module for setting and controlling time. 
     A ROM  54  and a RAM  55  are arranged in the control section  51  as primary storage modules for storing the control programs executed by the CPU  52  and the data generated during a control or an operation process. 
     The ROM  54  is a read-only memory in which control programs and tables are stored, and the RAM  55  is a random access memory for storing the data generated during an operation process and the like. 
     Further, an input/output unit (I/O)  56  is arranged in the control section  51  to acquire various input data from the host computer  50  and extract a control output of the control section  51  to the host computer  50 . The I/O  56  is connected with the CPU  52 , the ROM  54  and the RAM  55  via a bus line. 
     The I/O  56  is connected with a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth drivers  57 ,  58 ,  59 ,  60 ,  61  and  62  serving as modules for extracting a control output. 
     The first driver  57  supplies a required drive output for the printing section  16 . The second driver  58  supplies a required drive output for the feeding roller  7 . The third driver  59  supplies a required drive output for the cutter  17  and supplies a required drive output for a home position sensor  17 - 1  arranged in the cutter  17 . The fourth driver  60  supplies a display drive output for the display section  23  to enable the display section  23  to execute various displays. The fifth driver  61  supplies a drive output for the solenoid  24 . The sixth driver  62  supplies a required drive output for the paper jam sensor  26 . 
     When carrying out printing on the roll paper  2  by the printing section  16 , the platen roller  15  is rotationally driven by a motor in synchronization with the printing operation based on a control output serving as a printing instruction module of the CPU  52 . The thermal print head  14  generates heat and carries out printing on the first paper surface  8  of the roll paper  2  based on the printing data from the host computer  50 . 
     The CPU  52  of the control section  51  rotates the feeding roller  7  and stops the rotation of the feeding roller  7  through the driver  58 . 
     The CPU  52  of the control section  51  drives the cutter  17  through the driver  59  to cut the roll paper  2 . 
     The CPU  52  of the control section  51  displays various kinds of information, errors and the like of the printer apparatus  1  on the display section  23  through the driver  60 . 
     The CPU  52  of the control section  51  drives the solenoid  24  through the driver  61 . 
     The CPU  52  of the control section  51  acquires paper jam information from the paper jam sensor  26  through the driver  62 . 
     The operations of the printer apparatus  1  are described below with reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 - FIG. 7 . The control section  51  carries out paper conveyance and printing operation according to the programs stored in the ROM  54 . 
     First, an operator rotates the printer cover  3 - 1  arranged in the printer apparatus  1  around the rotation shaft  4  to open the upper portion of the printer apparatus  1  to load the roll paper  2  into the printer apparatus  1  from above. During the loading process, the loading position of the roll paper  2  is regulated by the first paper guide  5  and the second paper guide  6 , and the roll paper  2  is loaded in a state of contacting with the feeding rollers  7 . 
     Next, the roll paper  2  is drawn to pass through the idler roller  10  and then set in such a state in which the front end thereof is positioned between the thermal print head  14  and the platen roller  15 , and then the printer cover  3 - 1  is closed. 
     The printer apparatus  1 , if receiving the printing data from the host computer  50  in this state, rotates the feeding rollers  7  and the platen roller  15  to convey the roll paper  2  towards the downstream side. During the paper conveyance process, the thermal print head  14  is driven to carry out printing on the first paper surface  8 . After the pre-determined printing is carried out on the first paper surface  8 , the control section  51  sends a driving signal to the cutter  17 . The cutter  17 , if receiving the driving signal, slides the movable blade  18  towards the fixed blade  20  in a direction A as shown in  FIG. 4  through a sliding mechanism (not shown) to cut the roll paper  2  through the cooperation of the movable blade  18  and the fixed blade  20 . The cut roll paper  2  is discharged to the outside of the printer apparatus  1  from the paper discharge port  22 . After the cutting of the roll paper  2  is completed, the movable blade  18  is slid in a direction B to return the movable blade  18  to a home position. The position of the movable blade  18  shown in  FIG. 1  is the home position of the movable blade  18 , and whether or not the movable blade  18  is returned to the home position is detected by the home position sensor  17 - 1  (not shown) arranged in the cutter  17 . 
     On the other hand, there is a case in which the roll paper  2  is not cut successfully due to the poor cutting by the cutter  17  and the movable blade  18  is stopped as a paper jam error in a state of protruding towards the fixed blade  20 . In a case of releasing the paper jam error, the printer cover  3 - 1  is rotated around the rotation shaft  4  to open the upper portion of the printer apparatus  1  to remove the roll paper  2  which is not cut successfully. However, if the printer cover  3 - 1  is rotated in a state in which the movable blade  18  protrudes towards the fixed blade  20 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , the movable blade  18  is contacted with the printer cover  3 , which may cause damage in the movable blade  18 . To prevent such a problem, one part of the printer cover  3  is rotated as the movable cover  3 - 2  to prevent the contact with the movable blade  18 . 
     Hereinafter, the rotation of the movable cover  3 - 2  after the paper jam error is detected is described with reference to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . 
     The control section  51 , after detecting the paper jam error by the paper jam sensor  26  (S 1 ), confirms whether or not a signal of the home position sensor  17 - 1  arranged in the cutter  17  is detected (S 2 ). The home position sensor  17 - 1  detects whether or not the movable blade  18  of the cutter  17  is positioned at the home position shown in  FIG. 1 , and generally issues an ON signal if the movable blade  18  is positioned at the home position. 
     The paper jam error is caused not only by the poor cutting by the cutter  17  but also by the paper jam on the paper conveyance path  13 . In a case in which the paper jam error is not caused by the poor cutting by the cutter  17 , the movable blade  18  is not stopped in a state of protruding towards the fixed blade  20 , thus, there is no need to rotate the movable cover  3 - 2  in this case. In a case in which the home position error signal is detected (YES in S 2 ), the paper jam error is not caused by the poor cutting by the cutter  17 , thus, a message indicating that the paper jam is not caused by the poor cutting by the cutter  17  is displayed on the display section  23  (S 3 ). The operator of the printer apparatus  1  rotates the printer cover  3 - 1  to open the upper portion of the printer apparatus  1  and then removes the roll paper  2  that causes the paper jam from the printer apparatus  1  (S 4 ). Then the operator closes the printer cover  3 - 1 . Next, the operator presses an error-removing completion button (not shown) arranged in the printer apparatus  1  (S 5 ). If the error-removing completion button is pressed, the printer apparatus  1  is capable of carrying out the following printing, and the error-removing processing is terminated (S 6 ). It is exemplified that the error-removing completion button (not shown) is pressed after the removing of the roll paper  2  that causes the paper jam is completed; however, it is not limited to this. For example, a cover open switch (not shown) may be arranged, and if the cover open switch detects that the printer cover  3 - 1  is closed after the removing completion of the roll paper  2  that causes the paper jam, it can be recognized that the error-removing is completed. 
     It is confirmed whether or not the signal of the home position sensor  17 - 1  is detected (S 2 ), and in a case in which the signal is not detected (NO in S 2 ), a message indicating that the paper jam is caused by the poor cutting by the cutter  17  is displayed on the display section  23  (S 7 ), and then the control section  51  energizes the solenoid  24  (S 8 ). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the part of the printer cover  3  is cut and the movable cover  3 - 2  is arranged. Further, the movable cover  3 - 2  is connected with the solenoid  24  through the solenoid arm  24 - 1 . The movable cover  3 - 2 , which can be rotated in directions X and Y shown in  FIG. 2  around the rotation shaft  25 , is generally energized in the direction X by an energization member (not shown). 
     If the solenoid  24  is energized (S 8 ), the solenoid arm  24 - 1  is pulled towards the side of the solenoid  24 , and in this way, the movable cover  3 - 2  is rotated in the direction Y around the rotation shaft  25  against the energization force (not shown) in the direction X (S 9 ). Next, the operator rotates the printer cover  3 - 1  around the rotation shaft  4  to open the upper portion of the printer apparatus  1  to remove the roll paper  2  which is not cut successfully (S 10 ). The open state of the printer cover  3 - 1  at this time is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the printer cover  3 - 1  at the position where it is contacted with the movable blade  18  is rotated corresponding to the movable cover  3 - 2 , which prevents the contact with the movable blade  18 . In this way, it is possible to prevent the damage caused by the contact of the movable blade  18  with the printer cover  3 - 1 . 
     The jammed roll paper  2  is removed (Sb), and then the printer cover  3 - 1  is closed. Next, the operator presses the error-removing completion button (not shown) arranged in the printer apparatus  1  (S 11 ). If the error-removing completion button is pressed, the control section  51  cuts off the energization of the solenoid  24  (S 12 ). If the energization of the solenoid  24  is cut off, the pulling force in the direction Y generated by the solenoid  24  in  FIG. 2  disappears. In this way, the movable cover  3 - 2  returns to the position shown in  FIG. 2  under the energization force in the direction X generated by the energization member (not shown). Next, the control section  51  sends the driving signal to the cutter  17  to slide the movable blade  18  in the direction B shown in  FIG. 4  by the sliding mechanism (not shown) of the cutter  17  to return the movable blade  18  to the home position shown in  FIG. 1  (S 13 ). In this way, the printer apparatus  1  is capable of carrying out the following printing, and the error-removing processing is terminated (S 14 ). 
     As stated above, in accordance with the present embodiment, when paper jam occurs in the printer apparatus  1 , it is detected whether or not the movable blade  18  for cutting the roll paper  2  is positioned at the home position where it does not protrude towards the fixed blade  20 , and if it is determined that the movable blade  18  is not positioned at the home position, the solenoid  24  is energized to rotate the movable cover  3 - 2  constituting one part of the printer cover  3 . In this way, it is possible to prevent the movable blade  18  from being contacted with the printer cover  3  even if the printer cover  3 - 1  is opened to remove the paper jam in a state in which the movable blade  18  protrudes towards the fixed blade  20 , which can prevent the movable blade  18  from being damaged due to the contact of the movable blade  18  with the printer cover  3 . Further, the movable cover  3 - 2  is rotated around the rotation shaft  25 . In this way, it is possible to return the movable cover  3 - 2  to the original position easily. 
     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.