Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4653939?dq=5,890,152
Timestamp: 2014-03-14 01:46:30
Document Index: 63269868

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 120', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 127', 'art 102', 'art 128', 'art 120', 'art 127', 'art 102', 'art 120', 'art 128', 'art 102', 'art 127', 'art 102', 'art 120', 'art 128', 'art 102', 'art 120', 'art 127', 'art 102', 'art 128', 'art 102']

Patent US4653939 - Thermal printer - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA single drive source drives a pressing cam to selectively press a thermal head against a thermal transfer tape for printing on a recording paper behind the tape. The tape is divided into three longitudinal printing regions so the thermal head can be reciprocally moved forward, back and forward again...http://www.google.com/patents/US4653939?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4653939 - Thermal printerAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4653939 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 06/682,433Publication dateMar 31, 1987Filing dateDec 17, 1984Priority dateDec 16, 1983Fee statusLapsedAlso published asDE3446010A1Publication number06682433, 682433, US 4653939 A, US 4653939A, US-A-4653939, US4653939 A, US4653939AInventorsIkuo HibinoOriginal AssigneeAlps Electric Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (17), Referenced by (10), Classifications (24), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetThermal printerUS 4653939 AAbstract A single drive source drives a pressing cam to selectively press a thermal head against a thermal transfer tape for printing on a recording paper behind the tape. The tape is divided into three longitudinal printing regions so the thermal head can be reciprocally moved forward, back and forward again respectively over the three regions of the tape before the tape is advanced to a new section. The drive source powers the reciprocating movement of the thermal head and the tape winding as well.
With rotation of the stepping motor 11 shown in FIG. 1, the worm 10 rotates, followed by rotation of the worm wheel 9 and thereby the cam 8 rotates integrally. When the cam 8 respectively reaches the characteristic ranges indicated in FIG. 2(c) as 15 135 lever 13 rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 1(a) about the pivot 14. Thereby, the slider 15 engaging with the lever 13 moves to the left of FIG. 1(a) and the gear formed at the left side of said slider 15 engages with the gear 17. When the stepping motor 16 rotates, the slider 15 also rotates, followed by rotation of gear 17. Thereby, the gear 19, namely the helical gear 20 also rotates and the helical gear 21, namely the pulley 23 rotates. When the pulley 23 rotates, the metal belt 24 moves and thereby the carriage 4 moves in the right and left directions of FIG. 1(a), namely moves along the platen 2.
(2) Paper feed operation When the stepping motor 11 shown in FIG. 11 rotates, the cam 8 also rotates through the worm 10 and worm wheel as described above. Next, the cam 8 respectively reaches the characteristic ranges indicated as 0 90 the lever 13 rotates in the condition shown in FIG. 1(a) about the pivot 14, namely rotates clockwise from the condition of driving the carriage. Accordingly, the slider 15 engaging with the lever 13 moves to the right of FIG. 1 and the gear formed at the right side of said slider 15 engages with the gear 18. When the stepping motor 16 rotates, the slider 15 also rotates, followed by rotation of gears 27, namely the gear 28. Thereby, the gear 30 namely the gear 31 rotates, causing the gear 32 to rotate. When the gear 32 rotates, the paper feed shaft 29 rotates, and the sprocket 33 rotates. Thereby, the recording paper wound around the platen 2 is shifted a specified quantity, for example, as much as one line, in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 4.
With rotation of the stepping motor 11 shown in FIG. 1, the worm 10 rotates, followed by rotation of the worm wheel 9, causing the shaft 7 extending through the carriage 4 to rotate. Thereby, the gear 92 rotates, causing the gear 93 to rotate and the restoration cam 94 also rotates integrally with the gear 93. When said restoration cam 94 engages with the protrusion 100 of moving body 55 shown in FIG. 10 in the characteristic range (2) of restoration cam 94 indicated as 90 of FIG. 14(c), said protrusion 100 engages with a small diameter part 120 of restoration cam 94, as shown in FIG. 19(a), with am energizing force of the line spring 61 shown in FIG. 6. Accordingly, the moving body 55 is located nearer to the platen 2 and the transmission gear 54 engages with the rack gear 53. In such, a condition, when the carriage 4 moves, for example, to the right of FIG. 1(a), the pivot 62 of transmission gear 54 relatively moves to the left of FIG. 1(a) in the elongated hole 63 of the moving body 55, namely up to the condition indicated in FIG. 10, through to an engaging force by the rack gear 53. Thereby, the transmission gear 54 engages with the tape winding gear 65. With movement of said carriage 4, the tape winding gear 65 rotates through the transmission gear 54 and the first pin gear 67 rotates clockwise integrally with said tape winding gear 65. When the first pin gear 67 rotates, the second pin gear 71 rotates counterclockwise, followed by the counterclockwise rotation in FIG. 4 of the bobbin shown in FIG. 4. Thereby, the core 42 shown in FIG. 3 engaging with the bobbin 47 rotates counterclockwise. The printing tape 37 is thus wound in the direction of arrow 121 of FIG. 3.
When the stepping motor 11 shown in FIG. 1 rotates, the shaft 7 rotates through the worm 10 and worm wheel 9 and moreover the restoration cam rotates through the gears 92 and 93. When said restoration cam 94 engages with the protrusion 100 of moving body 55 of FIG. 10 while the restoration cam 94 is in the characteristic range (2) indicated as 37.5.degree.�67.5.degree. of FIG. 14(c), said protrusion 100 engages with the large diameter portion 123 of restoration cam 94 as shown in FIG. 19(b), namely the moving body 55 is located away from the platen 2 against an energizing force of the line spring 61. Thereby, the transmission gear 54 separates from the rack gear 53, cancelling engagement with the rack gear 53. Accordingly, the tape winding gears 64 and 65 no longer rotate even when the carriage 4 moves, and the first pin gears 66 and 67, second pin gears 70 and 71, bobbins 46 and 47, cores 41 and 42 do not rotate and the printing tape 37 is kept in a ready condition.
When the tape shift cam 96 is in the characteristic range indicated as 0 position 124 of the groove 99 of FIG. 15(b), namely is placed under the condition of FIG. 20(a). Thereby, both cassette holding plate 45 and tape cassette 6 are located at the lower position as indicated in the figure. At this time, the printing region 38 located at the upper area in FIG. 12 of the printing tape 37 accommodated within the tape cassette 6 is opposed to the thermal head 5 and the printing can be done in this case utilizing such printing region 38 of the printing tape 37.
When the tape shift cam 96 is in the characteristic range indicated as 112.5.degree.�165 the position 125 of groove 99 in FIG. 15(b), namely in the condition of FIG. 20(b). Thereby, both cassette holding plate 45 and tape cassette 6 are located at the intermediate area. In this case, the printing region 39 located at the intermediate area in of the printing tape 37 in the tape cassette 6 shown in FIG. 12 is opposed to the thermal head 5 and thereby the printing can be done utilizing such printing region 39.
When the tape shift cam 96 is in the characteristic range indicated as 202.5.degree.�255 the position 126 of groove 96 of FIG. 15(b), namely in the condition of FIG. 20(c). Thereby, both cassette holding plate 45 and tape cassette 6 are located at the upper area. At this time, the printing region 40 located at the lower part of the printing tape 37 accommodated in the tape cassette 6 shown in FIG. 12 is opposed to the thermal head 5 and the printing can be done utilizing such printing region 40.
When the stepping motor 11 shown in FIG. 1 rotates, the shaft 7 rotates through the worm 10 and worm wheel 9. Moreover, the pressurized cam 95 rotates through the gears 92 and 93. When the pressurized cam 95 is in the characteristic range (1) indicated as 37.5.degree.�67.5.degree., 217.5.degree.�247.5.degree., 307.5.degree.�337.5.degree. of FIG. 14(c) and said pressurized cam 95 engages with the engaging part 102 of the lever 101, said engaging part 102 engages, as shown in FIG. 21(a), with the small diameter part 127 of the pressurized cam 95. Namely, the lever 101 rotates about the pins 115, 116 with a force of the springs 117, 118 in such a direction as becoming nearer to the platen 2. Moreover, the head base 111 and thermal head 5 rotate integrally with the lever 101. Thereby, the thermal head 5 causes the printing tape 37 and recording paper 129 to be pressurizingly in contact with the platen 2. When power is supplied to the thermal head 5 under this condition, the thermally fusible material of printing tape 37 melts and data is printed on the recording paper 129. On the rotation of the pressurized cam 95, when said pressurized cam 95 engages with the engaging part 102 of lever 101 while the pressurized cam is in the characteristic range (1) indicated as 0 270 engages with the large diameter part 128 of the pressurized cam 95 as indicated in FIG. 21(b), namely, the lever 101 rotates counterclockwise from the condition shown in FIG. 21(a) about the pins 115 and 116 against a force of the springs 117 and 118, the head base 111 and thermal head 5 also rotate integrally with the lever 101 away from the platen 2, thereby the pressurized contact of thermal head 5 to the platen 2 is released.
Namely, the carriage 4 loading the tape cassette 6 is set to the specified printing start position at the left end side shown in FIG. 1(a). When the stepping motor 11 is driven under this condition, the cam 8 rotates through the worm 10 and worm wheel 9. While the cam 8 rotates for the characteristic range of 0 namely the cam rotates up to 15 18 through the lever 13. In such a condition, when the stepping motor 16 is driven, the slider 15 rotates and thereby the gears 18, 27, 28, 30, 31 and 32 rotate, followed by rotation of the paper feed shaft 29 and sprocket 33, and the recording paper (not shown) is fed, for example, as much as one line in the direction of arrow 130 of FIG. 1(a).
While said cam 8 is rotating for 15 15 pressurized cam 95 rotate in the direction of arrow 131 as shown in FIG. 14(b), followed by rotation of the tape shift cam 96 in the direction of arrow 132 as shown in FIG. 15(b). Accordingly the tape shift cam 96 engages with the small diameter part located at the lower left part of restoration cam 94 shown in FIG. 14(b) and the protrusion 100 of the moving body 55 shown in FIG. 10. Thereby, the rack gear 53 engages with the transmission gear 54 as shown in FIG. 19(a) and the printing tape 37 is set in the winding ready condition.
Namely, when the stepping motor 11 is further driven from the condition 1 and thereby the cam 8 rotates up to 45 13 rotates and the slider 15 engages with the gear 17. In such a condition, when the stepping motor 16 rotates, the slider 15 rotates and thereby the gear 19, helical gears 20 and 21, and pulley 23 rotate. The metal belt 24 thus moves and the carriage 4 moves to the right of FIG. 1(a), namely moves to the right end from the left end of frame 1.
While the cam 8 rotates up to 60 rotates up to 60 restoration cam 94 and pressurized cam 95 further rotate in the direction of arrow 131 as shown in FIG. 14(b) and the tape shift cam 96 also rotates further in the direction of arrow 132 shown in FIG. 15(b). Accordingly, engagement between the small diameter part 120 of restoration cam 94 and protrusion 100 of moving body 55 shown in FIG. 14(b) is kept, the transmission gear 54 engages with the tape winding gear 65 with the movement of carriage 4, rotation of transmission gear 54 is transmitted to the core 42 through the tape winding gear 65, first pin gear 67, second pin gear 71 and bobbin 47. Thereby, the printing tape 37 within the tape cassette 6 is wound in the direction of arrow 121 as shown in FIG. 3. Moreover, the small diameter part 127 at the shown at the lower right section of the pressurized cam 95 engages with the engaging part 102 of the lever 101 as shown in FIG. 21(a). Thereby, both head base 111 and thermal head 5 are pressurized to the platen 2. Meanwhile, the pin 98 of the cassette holding plate 45 is continuously held at the position 124 of the tape shift cam 96 and the tape cassette 6 is kept at the lower level.
In other words, while the cam 8 rotates up to 60 6 is held at the lower part as shown in FIG. 20(a), the thermal head 5 is held in the pressurized condition, the carriage 4 moves to the right end from the left end of the frame 1 shown in FIG. 1(a) and the printing tape 37 is wound in the direction of arrow 121 shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, when electrical power is supplied to the thermal head 5 as specified for starting the movement of carriage 4, the printing can be done utilizing the printing region 38 at the upper part of the printing tape 37 as shown in FIG. 12.
Namely, when the stepping motor 11 is driven further from the condition of 2 and thereby the cam 8 rotates up to 90 slider 15 engages with the gear 18 through the lever 13 and the recording paper is sent as much as one line in the direction of arrow 130 of FIG. 1(a) as described above. During this operation, the shaft 7 rotates up to 105 pressurized cam 95 further rotate in the direction of arrow 131 of FIG. 14(b) and the tape shift cam 96 further rotates in the direction of arrow 132 as shown in FIG. 15(b). Accordingly, engagement between the small diameter part 120 of restoration cam 94 shown in FIG. 14(b) and the protrusion 100 of moving body 55 is kept continuously and the rack gear 53 is continuously engaged with the transmission gear 54. The pressurized cam 95 is kept in the unpressurized condition which allows feed of recording paper through engagement between the large diameter part 128 shown at the right side of FIG. 14(b) and the engaging part 102 of the lever 101. The pin 98 of the cassette holding plate 45 is in the course of relative movement within the groove 99 of tape shift cam 96 from the position 124 to the position 125. Thereby, the cassette holding plate 45 and tape cassette 6 rotate counterclockwise in the figure about the bearings 49 and 50 from the condition shown in FIG. 20(a). Thereby, the printing region 39 located at the intermediate part of printing tape 37 shown in FIG. 12 is placed facing to the thermal head 5.
Namely, when the stepping motor 11 is further driven from the condition 3 described above and thereby the cam 8 rotates up to 135 through the lever 13 and the carriage 4 moves to the extreme left side from the extreme right side of the frame of FIG. 1(a). During this period, the shaft 7 also rotates up to 150 restoration cam 94 and pressurized cam 95 further rotate in the direction of arrow 131 shown in FIG. 14(b) and the tape shift cam 96 further rotates in the direction of arrow 132 shown in FIG. 15(b). Accordingly, engagement between the small diamter 120 of restoration cam 94 and the protrusion 100 of moving body 55 shown in FIG. 14(b) is held continuously, the transmission gear 54 engages with the tape winding gear 64, with movement of carriage 4 in the left side of FIG. 1(a), rotation of the transmission gear 54 is transmitted to the core 41 shown in FIG. 3 through the the tape winding gear 64, first pin gear 66, second pn gear 70 and bobbin 46. Thereby, the printing tape 37 is wound in the direction of arrow 122 as shown in FIG. 3. Namely, the printing tape 37 is wound in the same amount but in the opposite direction to the tape winding while the cam 8 rotates up to 45 part 127 at the upper right side in FIG. 14(b) of the pressurized cam 95 enageges with the engaging part 102 of the lever 101. Accordingly, the thermal head 5 is pressurized. The pin 98 of cassette holding plate 45 is continuously held at the position 125 of tape shift cam 96 and the tape cassette 6 is kept at the intermediate part as shown in FIG. 20(b).
Namely, while the cam 8 rotates up to 150 kept at the intermediate part shown in FIG. 20(b), the thermal head 5 is pressurized, the carriage 4 moves to the extreme left side from the extreme right side of the frame 1 of FIG. 1(a) and the printing tape 37 is wound in the direction of arrow 122 of FIG. 3. Accordingly, during this period, when electrical power is applied to the thermal head 5, printing is carried out utilizing the printing region 39 located at the intermediate part of printing tape 37 shown in FIG. 12.
Namely, when the stepping motor 11 is further driven from the condition 4 and thereby the cam 8 rotates up to 180 slider 15 engages with the gear 8 through the lever 13 and the recording paper is sent as much as one line in the direction of arrow 130 of FIG. 1(a). During this period, shaft 7 rotates up to 195 with the cam 8, both restoration cam 94 and pressurized cam 95 rotate in the direction of arrow 131 of FIG. 14(b) and the tape shift cam 96 further rotates in the direction of arrow 132 of FIG. 15(b). Thereby, engagement between the smaller diameter part 120 of restoration cam 94 shown in FIG. 14(b) and the protrusion 100 of the moving body 55 is kept continuously and the rack gear 53 is continuously engaged with the transmission gear 54. The large diameter part 128 at the upper right part of pressurized cam 9 of FIG. 14(b) engages with the engaging part 102 of the lever 101 and accordingly the unpressurized condition which allows feeding of the recording paper is kept. Moreover, the pin 98 of cassette holding plate 45 is in the course of relative movement within the groove 99 of the tape shift cam 96 from the position 125 to the position 126. Thereby, both cassette holding plate 45 and tape cassette 6 rotate counterclockwise about the bearings 49 and 50 from the condition of FIG. 20(b) and the printing region 39 located at the lower level of the printing tape 37 of FIG. 12 is placed facing to the thermal head 5.
Namely, when the stepping motor 11 is further driven from the condition 5 and the cam 8 rotates up to 225 with the gear 17 through the lever 13. Thereby, first, the carriage 4 moves to the right end from the left end of the frame 1 as in the case described above. Thereafter, the carriage 4 returns and moves to the left end from the right end. While the carriage 4 moves to the right end as described above, engagement between the smaller diameter part 120 of the restoration cam 94 shown in FIG. 14(b) and the protrusion 100 of the moving body 55 is kept continuously, the transmission gear 54 engages with the tape winding gear 65 with movement of cariage 4 to the right, rotation of transmission gear 54 is transmitted to the core 42 through the tape winding gear 65, first pin gear 67, second pin gear 71 and bobbin 47. Thereby, the printing tape 37 of tape cassette 6 is wound in the direction of arrow 121 of FIG. 3. The smaller diameter part 127 of upper left part of figure of the pressurized cam 95 shown in FIG. 14(b) engages with the engaging part 102 of the lever 101 and thereby the thermal head 5 is pressurized. The pin 98 of cassette holding plate 45 is continuously kept at the position 126 of tape shift cam 96 shown in FIG. 15(b) and the tape cassette 6 is kept at the upper position of FIG. 20(c ).
In other words, while the carriage 4 moves to the right of FIG. 1(a) during rotation of cam 8 up to 225 kept at the upper position shown in FIG. 20(c), the thermal head 5 is pressurized, and the printing tape 37 is wound in the direction of arrow 121 of FIG. 3. Accordingly, when elecrical power is supplied to the thermal head 5, the printing is carried out utilizing the printing region 40 located at the lower part of printing tape 37 shown in FIG. 12. Upon completion of this printing, all of the printing regions 38, 39 and 40 at the upper part, intermediate part and lower part of the printing tape 37 have been used in three strokes of movement of the carriage 4.
While the carriage 4 moves to the left namely, it returns after the end of movement to the right and then moves to the left end from the right end of the frame 1 of FIG. 1(a) during rotation of cam 8 up to 225 restoration cam 94 shown in FIG. 14(b) engages with the protrusion 100 of the moving body 55 as shown in FIG. 19(b), engagement between rack gear 53 and transmission gear 54 is cancelled and thereby the printing tape 37 is kept at the wind-stop condition. Moreover, the larger diameter part 128 at the lower left in the figure of pressurized cam 95 shown in FIG. 14(b) engages with the engaging part 102 of lever 101 and thereby the thermal head 5 is unpressurized. The pin 98 of cassette holding plate 45 is in the course of relative movement of the groove 99 of tape shift cam 96 from the position 126 to the position 124. Thereby, both cassette holding plate 45 and tape cassette 6 rotate clockwise about the bearings 49 and 50 f rom the condition shown in FIG. 20(c) and thereafter these return to the initial condition shown in FIG. 20(a).
Namely, while the carriage 4 moves to the left of FIG. 1(a) during rotation of cam 8 up to 225 lowered to the lower position shown in FIG. 20(a) from the upper position shown in FIG. 20(c), the thermal head 5 is kept at the unpressurized condition and the printing tape 37 is kept at the wind-stop condition. Accordingly, during this period, the printing is not conducted.
In such an embodiment constituted as described above, the cassette shift mechanism, head pressuring and unpressurizing mechanism and tape wind-stop mechanism operate by rotation of shaft 7. During a double reciprocation (four strokes) of the carriage, printing is carried out in the three printing regions 38, 39 and 40 of upper and intermediate and lower positions in the width direction of printing tape 37, namely printing can be done three times within the range of feeding quantity of printing tape 37 corresponding to the one-way movement of carriage 4. Accordingly the total width of printing tape 37 can be used for printing and the quantity of printing tape 37 used for printing can be minimized. Moreover, since the quantity of printing by a single printing tape 37 accommodated in the tape cassette 6 can be improved up to 1.5.about.3 times the quantity of printing in the conventional printer, the replacement frequency of tape cassette 6 can be minimized, thereby improving the printing efficiency. Since printing occurs during three of the four strokes of the carriage 4, the printing speed is improved up to 1.5 times the speed of conventional printer, thus improving the printing efficiency.