JP2001341370A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a printer that can cleanly separate labels and collectively collect the separated labels. A printer (10) according to the present invention includes a cutting device (12) at a subsequent stage of a printing device (16). Cutting device 12
Is a movable blade 26 composed of a blade portion 26A and an auxiliary blade 26B.
Is moved forward and backward with respect to the fixed blade 28 to cut the band-shaped label 18. The length L1 of the blade portion 26A of the movable blade 26 is formed slightly smaller than the width L of the band-shaped label 18, and the blade portion 26A is made to penetrate the band-shaped label 18 so that the band-shaped label 18 is left at a cutting residual point 18A. And cut it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly, to a printer provided with a cutting means for cutting a printing medium formed in a belt shape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Label printers are roughly classified into two types: label printers that issue printed labels one by one from a backing sheet, and ones that issue printed labels by cutting them one by one. Has a cutting device at the label issuing position.

Conventionally, as a cutting device used in a label printer, a rotary type in which a rotary blade makes one rotation with respect to a fixed blade to cut, or a guillotine type in which a movable blade is moved forward and backward with respect to a fixed blade to cut. Etc.

[0004]

However, in the conventional printer, when the label paper is cut, the cut labels are scattered, and the labels cannot be collected and collected neatly. For this reason, there was a drawback that labels could not be collected in the order of printing.

[0005] Therefore, it is conceivable that printing is performed on label paper on which dotted perforations are formed, and after printing, an operator cuts the label along the perforations. However, in this case, there is a drawback that the thermal head is damaged at the time of printing because unevenness occurs on the label paper at the position of the perforation.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide a printer that can cleanly separate labels and collectively collect the separated labels. .

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printer provided with a printing means for printing on a printing medium formed in a belt-like form. A cutting means for cutting is provided.

According to the present invention, since the print medium is cut while leaving a predetermined point-like portion, the print medium does not fall apart when cut, and can be collectively collected. Since this printing medium is connected only by dot-shaped portions,
And it can be cut off with a clean cut surface.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a printer according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic structure of a printer 10 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, a printer 10 mainly includes a supply reel 14, a printing device 16, and a cutting device 12.
It is composed of The supply reel 14 is provided with a band-shaped label 18 wound in a roll shape.
Is rotated from the supply reel 14 to rotate the platen roller 16B. The fed label 18 is conveyed to the printing device 16 via the guide roller 20 and the optical detector 22. Optical detector 2
2 is a single leaf label of the band-shaped label 18 (a label for one sheet)
The control device (not shown) of the printer 10 detects print information such as a print position and a print content based on the detection result.
6 is output. The printing device 16 includes a thermal head 16A.
And a platen roller 16B, and heat-generates and cools a heating element (not shown) of the thermal head 16A based on the print information to thermally record a barcode or a character on the belt-shaped label 18. The strip-shaped label 18 on which barcodes, characters, and the like are printed is nipped and conveyed to the cutting device 12 by a pinch roller 24 that rotates in synchronization with the platen roller 16B, and cut by the cutting device 12 for each single leaf label.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the cutting device 12, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the moving blade 26.

As shown in these figures, the cutting device 12 mainly includes a fixed blade 28 disposed on the back side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the band-shaped label 18 and a front side of the band-shaped label 18 (FIG. 2). (Middle, upper), and a movable blade 26 which moves forward and backward with respect to the fixed blade 28. At the upper end of the fixed blade 28, a blade portion 28A is formed, and at the lower end of the movable blade 26, a blade portion 26A is formed. Blade part 2 of movable blade 26
6A, the length L1 is set to be slightly shorter than the width L of the band-shaped label 18, and is arranged such that the center in the width direction coincides with the center of the band-shaped label 18. Blade portion 26A of movable blade 26
Auxiliary blades 26B, 26B are formed at both ends of the blade at positions retracted from the blade portion 26A.

The movable blade 26 is slidably supported by a fixed blade 28 in a direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2) by a guide (not shown), and includes a driving mechanism comprising a disc 30 and a stepping motor 32. Moved by The disk 30 is disposed in parallel with the movable blade 26, and is rotatably supported via a rotation shaft 30A. A pin 34 projects from the surface of the disk 30 on the side of the movable blade 26, and the pin 34 is inserted into a guide hole 26 formed in the width direction of the movable blade 26.
C is engaged. Also, on the rotating shaft 30A of the disk 30,
A worm 36 is attached, and the worm 36 meshes with a worm gear 38 attached to the rotation shaft 32A of the stepping motor 32. Thus, when the stepping motor 32 is driven, the rotational driving force of the stepping motor 32 is changed to the worm 36 and the worm gear 38.
To the disk 30 through the rotation of the disk 30. Then, the rotation of the disk 30 causes the pin 34 to orbit around the rotation shaft 30A, and accordingly, the movable blade 26 engaged with the pin 34 via the guide hole 26C moves in the vertical direction. In the stepping motor 32, the rotation direction and the amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 30A are controlled by a control device (not shown), whereby the amount of movement of the movable blade 26 is controlled.

Next, the operation of the printer 10 configured as described above will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the movable blade 26 is kept on standby, and the band-shaped label 1 printed by the printing device 16 is provided with a gap provided between the movable blade 26 and the fixed blade 28.
8 is transferred. Then, the belt-shaped label 18 is inserted between the movable blade 26 and the fixed blade 28 by the length of the single leaf label.

Next, the stepping motor 32 is driven to lower the movable blade 26 by a predetermined amount as shown in FIG. In this state, the auxiliary blade 26B of the movable blade 26 does not come into contact with the band label 18, and the blade portion 26A of the movable blade 26 penetrates the band label 18. Therefore, the strip label 18
Is cut off only at the portion where the blade portion 26A penetrates. Since the length L1 of the blade portion 26A is formed to be slightly smaller than the width L of the band-shaped label 18, as shown in FIG. (Hereinafter referred to as a residual point) 18A is formed. Uncut point 18A
Is set to a length that can easily separate the cutting residue 18A, for example, 2 mm or less, preferably 1 mm or less.

Next, the rotating shaft 3 of the stepping motor 32
2A is rotated in the reverse direction, the movable blade 26 is slid upward as shown in FIG. 2 to stand by, and the belt-shaped label 18 is transferred. Then, when one single leaf label is newly inserted between the movable blade 26 and the fixed blade 28, the stepping motor 32 is driven again to remove the uncut points 18A, 18A at both ends to remove the band-shaped label 18. Cut and cut label 1
8 is fed out of the cutting device 12. As a result, the strip-shaped label 18 is not completely cut for each single leaf label, but is fed out from the cutting device 12 in a state where the strip-shaped label 18 is connected via the uncut points 18A at both ends. The fed strip-shaped label 18 is folded and stacked along the cutting line 18B.

When printing of a predetermined number of single leaf labels is completed,
When the last single-leaf label is transferred to the cutting device 12, the control device (not shown) of the printer 10 outputs a signal for increasing the rotation amount of the rotation shaft 32A to the stepping motor 32. As a result, the rotation amount of the disk 30 connected to the stepping motor 32 increases, and as shown in FIG. 6, the movable blade 26 descends greatly, and the auxiliary blade 26B
Penetrate through. Accordingly, the band-shaped label 18 is
6 are completely separated by the blade portion 26A and the auxiliary blade 26B.

As described above, according to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, since the cutting device 12 cuts the strip label 18 leaving the uncut point 18A, the cut strip label 18 is cut through the uncut point 18A. Collected in a connected state. Therefore, the cut strip-shaped labels 18 can be collectively collected, and the single-leaf labels can be collected in the order of printing.

The strip-shaped labels 18 cut by the cutting device 12 have uncut points 18A, 18A at both ends.
, So it can be easily separated for each single leaf label as needed. At this time,
Since the portions other than 8A and 18A are cut by the blade portion 26A, the cut surface of the cut single leaf label does not become uneven. Therefore, a single-leaf label with a clean cut surface can be obtained.

Similarly, since the single-leaf labels of the strip-shaped labels 18 are merely connected at the uncut points 18A, 18A at both ends, no irregularities are generated on the strip-shaped labels 18 and the thermal head 16A is not damaged.

Further, since the cutting device 12 has auxiliary blades 26B formed at both ends of the blade portion 26A of the movable blade 26,
By increasing the amount of movement of the movable blade 26, the uncut point 1
8A can be disconnected.

In the above-described embodiment, the strip label 18 is cut while leaving only the edges at both ends, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the uncut point 18A is located slightly inward from the edge.
18A, or the uncut point 18A may be formed at the center of the band-shaped label 18 as shown in FIG. 7B. In this case, a notch groove (not shown) having a predetermined width is formed at a predetermined position of the movable blade 26, thereby forming the uncut point 18A.

The number of uncut points 18A is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, when the width of the strip label 18 is large, the number of uncut points 18A may be increased, If the thickness of 18 is large, the uncut point 18A
May be reduced.

The shape of the movable blade 26 is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, strip label 1
8 is not completely cut, the auxiliary blade 2 of the movable blade 26 is used.
6B and 26B may not be provided. Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an inclined auxiliary blade 26D may be formed on both sides of the blade portion 26A of the movable blade 26. This moving blade 26
By adjusting the amount of movement of the movable blade 26, it is possible to cope with the band-shaped labels 18 having various widths. For example, when the movable blade 26 is lowered to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 8, the narrow band-shaped label 18 can be cut leaving the uncut point 18A, and the movable blade 26 can be cut to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Is lowered, the wide band-shaped label 18 can be cut while leaving the uncut point 18A. The same effect as the cutting device 12 in FIG. 8 can be obtained by using a movable blade having a semicircular blade at the bottom or a movable blade having a V-shaped blade at the bottom.

In the above-described embodiment, the auxiliary blade 26B is not brought into contact with the band label 18 in the state shown in FIG.
May be contacted so as not to penetrate. Thereby, since only the surface layer is cut off at the uncut point 18A, it can be cut off neatly.

Although the above embodiment is an example of the guillotine-type cutting device 12, a rotary-type cutting device may be used. For example, the cutting device shown in FIG. 10 has a blade 42 attached to a rotating roller 40. Blade 4
The length L <b> 2 is slightly smaller than the width L of the band-shaped label 18. Thus, the belt-shaped label 18 is cut by the blade 42 of the rotating roller 40 except for both ends.

The cutting device shown in FIG. 11 has a disk-shaped rotary blade 46 having a blade formed on the outer peripheral surface.
6 is moved in the width direction of the band label 18 while being pressed and rotated against the band label 18, thereby cutting the band label 18. Notched grooves 46A, 46A having a predetermined width (for example, about 1 mm) are formed on the outer periphery of the rotary blade 46. Therefore, in the band-shaped label 18 cut by the rotary blade 46, a notch point 18A is formed at the position of the notch grooves 46A, 46A. This cutting device is used for the band label 18.
Irrespective of the width of the line, the cut-off points 18A can always be formed at predetermined intervals. Further, this cutting device is provided with a notch groove 46.
A, 46A, an auxiliary blade (not shown) retracted from the outer peripheral surface
By forming, the band-shaped label 18 can be completely cut as required.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the band-shaped label 18 fed out from the cutting device 12 is collected by folding. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the label may be collected by winding it into a roll.

Also, in the above-described embodiment, the remaining point 1
Although the separating function for separating 8A is provided in the cutting device 12, another separating means may be provided at the subsequent stage of the cutting device 12. FIG. 12 shows a pinch roller 50 as an example of the separating means. This pinch roller 50 is used for the band-shaped label 1.
8 is conveyed, and the conveying speed thereof is set to a speed higher than that of the pinch roller 24 provided in the preceding stage of the cutting device 12. For example, the pinch roller 50 is formed to have the same size as the pinch roller 24, and is set to rotate slightly faster than the pinch roller 24. Therefore, since the pinch roller 50 transports the band label 18 slightly faster than the pinch roller 24, the band label 18 is pulled by the pinch roller 50, and the uncut point 18A is cut off. In this manner, if the strip-shaped labels 18 are separated for each single-leaf label, the separated strip-shaped labels do not scatter, so that the single-leaf labels can be collectively collected in the tray 52 below the pinch roller 50.

[0032]

As described above, according to the printer of the present invention, the print medium is cut while leaving the predetermined point-like portions, so that the print medium can be collectively collected and the print medium can be collected. It can be neatly separated as needed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic structure of a printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the structure of the cutting apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the moving blade of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a cutting device at the time of cutting.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a band-shaped label cut by the cutting device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a cutting device at the time of separation.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the band-shaped label cut into a shape different from that of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view illustrating a moving blade having a shape different from that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the moving blade of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a structure of a cutting device different from that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a structure of a cutting device different from FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a separating means different from the cutting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 printer, 12 cutting device, 16 printing device, 1
8: strip-shaped label, 18A: uncut point, 26: moving blade, 26
B: auxiliary blade, 28: fixed blade, 32: stepping motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printer comprising a printing means for printing on a printing medium formed in a belt-like form, wherein a cutting means for cutting the printing medium leaving a predetermined point-like portion is provided. 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein said cutting means has a separating function of separating said predetermined point-like portion.