JP2023033704A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to easily create a label having a width different from the width of a print medium mounted in a printing apparatus without exchanging a print medium such as a tape. A printing apparatus includes a conveying section that conveys a tape (13) and a first cutting section that cuts the tape (13) along the conveying direction. The first cutting portion includes a rotary cutter 902 that is a blade portion that is relatively movable with respect to the printing medium, a coil spring 904 that is an urging portion that urges the rotary cutter 902, and the rotary cutter 902. and a guide 911 that is a positioning portion that is inserted into a movable position. [Selection drawing] Fig. 9

Description

The present disclosure relates to printing devices.

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a printing apparatus that creates a label by printing characters, images, and the like on a tape, which is an elongated belt-shaped print medium. Although various widths of tape can be used in this type of printing device, the width of the label to be produced does not always match the width of the tape actually loaded in the printing device. A technique related to such a technical problem is described in Patent Literature 1, for example.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-078128

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-100003 describes printing a broken line or the like as a guideline for cutting unnecessary margins in the width direction when the width of the label to be created is different from the width of the attached tape. . However, with the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is the user who actually cuts the tape along the dashed lines, and the user is forced to perform additional work to obtain the desired width of the label.

In view of the circumstances as described above, it is an object of one aspect of the present invention to easily create a label having a width different from that of a print medium mounted in a printing apparatus without exchanging a print medium such as a tape. It is to provide the technology that makes it possible.

A printing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a transport section that transports a print medium, and a first cutting section that cuts the print medium along a transport direction of the print medium, and the first The cutting section includes a blade section that is relatively movable with respect to the print medium, a biasing section that biases the blade section, and a positioning section that is inserted into a movable position of the blade section. , provided.

According to the above aspect, it is possible to easily create a label having a width different from the width of the print medium mounted in the printing apparatus without exchanging the print medium such as tape.

1 is a plan view showing an example of an appearance configuration of a printing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the printing apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 with a cover opened; 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conveying route of the tape 13; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the printing device; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the position of a lever 10 and the state of a cutting unit 9; FIG. FIG. 6 is a view showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the state shown in FIG. 5, viewed from the direction along the conveying path. FIG. 6 is a view showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the state shown in FIG. 5, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the conveying path. 8 is another diagram showing the relationship between the position of the lever 10 and the state of the cutting unit 9. FIG. FIG. 9 is a view showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the state shown in FIG. 8, viewed from the direction along the conveying path. FIG. 9 is a view showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the state shown in FIG. 8, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the conveying path. 9 is still another diagram showing the relationship between the position of the lever 10 and the state of the cutting unit 9. FIG. FIG. 12 is a view showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the state shown in FIG. 11, viewed from the direction along the conveying path. FIG. 12 is a view showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the state shown in FIG. 11, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the conveying path. It is the figure which illustrated the guide 912a which devised the tip shape. It is the figure which illustrated the guide 912b which devised the tip shape. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method of detecting the position of the lever 10 by the sensor 190; 5 is a diagram for explaining a label edit screen displayed on the display 5; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing system according to a second embodiment; FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, a label printer capable of printing characters, images, etc. on a tape, which is a print medium, and cutting the printed tape and ejecting it to the outside of the apparatus will be taken as an example. A printing device will be described. Further, in the following description, detailed descriptions of known configurations, functions, operations, etc. of the exemplary printing apparatus and similar printing apparatuses are omitted.

As used herein, a tape is a long, thin strip of print media made of plastic, paper, or any other material. Tapes typically have an adhesive layer and can be applied. However, the tape does not have to have an adhesive layer. A label is a tape on which some information such as characters and symbols are printed using a tape as a print medium.

The printing method of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment is not particularly limited. The printing device is, for example, a thermal printer that performs printing by a thermal transfer method or a thermal method. However, the printing device is not limited to a thermal printer, and may be an inkjet printer, a laser printer, or the like.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of a printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the printer 1 of FIG. 1 with the cover opened.

A printing device 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a device housing 2 and a lid 4 attached to the device housing 2 . The apparatus housing 2 is provided with a concave adapter mounting portion 201 for mounting the tape adapter 11 thereon. The tape adapter 11 is a container that accommodates a roll of tape 13 (hereinafter referred to as “tape roll 12 ”) and supplies the tape 13 to the printer 1 . The underlined number “18” in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates that the width of the tape 13 accommodated in the tape adapter 11 is 18 mm.

The adapter mounting portion 201 of the device housing 2 communicates with an outlet 202 provided on the side surface of the device housing 2 . The printing apparatus 1 can transport the tape 13 pulled out from the tape adapter 11 mounted in the adapter mounting portion 201 along the transport path provided in the apparatus housing 2 and discharge it from the discharge port 202 .

The apparatus housing 2 includes a platen roller (conveyance roller) 6 for conveying the tape 13 pulled out from the tape adapter 11, a printing unit 7 for printing on the tape 13, a cutting unit 8 for cutting the tape 13, and a cutting unit. 9 are placed.

The cutting unit 8 corresponds to a second cutting section 180 described later in FIG. 4, and cuts the tape 13 along a direction intersecting the transport direction. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, the cutting unit 8 is provided with a full cutter 801 that cuts and separates the tape 13 connected to the tape roll 12 to create tape pieces.

The cutting unit 9 corresponds to the first cutting unit 170 described later in FIG. 4 and cuts the tape 13 along the transport direction between the printing unit 7 and the cutting unit 8 . As will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, the cutting unit 9 is provided with a rotary cutter 902 that cuts the tape 13 along the conveying direction, thereby dividing the tape 13 in the width direction. Note that the rotary cutter 902 is, for example, a half cutter, but may be a full cutter. The setting of the cutting unit 9 can be switched with a lever 10, which is an example of an operation section.

The lid 4 is attached to the apparatus housing 2 so as to be movable between a closed position covering the adapter mounting portion 201 and an open position opening the adapter mounting portion 201 to allow attachment and detachment of the tape adapter 11. there is

In the printing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a keyboard 3 is provided in a region of the device housing 2 that does not interfere with the lid 4 at the closed position, and a display 5 is provided on the surface of the lid 4 . The keyboard 3 is an input device having a plurality of keys for inputting and selecting various types of information regarding the operation of the printer 1 . The display 5 is a display device that displays various information input or selected by the keyboard 3 .

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport path for a print medium. FIG. 3 schematically shows the transport path of the tape 13 in the printer 1 as a linear path.

The tape 13 unwound from the tape roll 12 and supplied to the printing apparatus 1 passes between the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701 of the printing unit 7, and along the transport path leading to the ejection port 202 of the apparatus housing 2. be transported. For example, the tape 13 is sandwiched between the peripheral surface of the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701 by moving the lid 4 to the closed position, and is conveyed along the conveying path by the rotation of the platen roller 6 . Further, by moving the lid 4 to the closed position, the thermal head 701 and the rotary cutter 902 come into contact with the tape 13 on the conveying path via the link mechanism 14 (more specifically, the thickness of the separator of the tape 13 is increased). distance from the rotary cutter 902), and cuts the tape 13 when the tape 13 is conveyed.

The platen roller 6 in the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is rotated in a first rotation direction for sending out the tape 13 toward the discharge port 202 by power of a motor (not shown), and is rotated in a direction opposite to the first rotation direction. It can be rotated in a second rotational direction. In the following description, the rotation of the platen roller 6 in the first rotation direction is referred to as forward rotation, and the transport direction of the tape 13 when the platen roller 6 is rotated forward is referred to as forward direction. Further, the rotation of the platen roller 6 in the second rotation direction is called reverse rotation, and the conveying direction of the tape 13 when the platen roller 6 is reversed is called the reverse direction. The operation of reversing the platen roller 6 to transport the tape 13 in the reverse direction is performed immediately after the start of printing, for example, in order to avoid the occurrence of a useless margin at the leading edge of the tape 13 .

The printing apparatus 1 prints on the tape 13 by applying heat from the thermal head 701 to the tape 13 conveyed in the forward direction. In the following description, the position at which the tape 13 and the thermal head 701 contact each other on the transport path is called a printing position.

The tape 13 transported along the transport path is cut by the full cutter 801 at a full cut position (first cut position) between the print position and the discharge position (position corresponding to the discharge port 202 of the apparatus housing 2). disconnected. Also, the tape 13 transported along the transport path is cut by the rotary cutter 902 at a half cut position (second cut position) between the print position and the full cut position.

The full cutter 801 cuts the entire tape 13 along the cut line of the tape 13 at the full cut position and separates it into two. For example, if the tape 13 is a medium to be printed that includes a base material that is an adhesive tape layer and a separator that is a protective layer that protects the adhesive tape layer, the full cutter 801 cuts both the base material and the separator. Then, each of the base material and the separator is separated into two.

When the second cutter 802 cuts the tape 13 along the conveying direction at the half-cut position, the tape 13 is cut so that the uncut portions on both sides bordering the cut line maintain an integrated state. It is a half cutter that cuts. For example, if the tape 13 is a medium to be printed that includes a base material that is an adhesive tape layer and a separator that is a protective layer that protects the adhesive tape layer, the second cutter 802, for example, cuts only the base material. Cut and do not cut the separator. The second cutter 802 may be a cutter that cuts the tape 13 so that the tape 13 is perforated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the printing apparatus 1 includes a pair of discharge rollers 501 that sandwich the tape 13 between a full-cut position and a discharge position in the conveying path and assist the transport of the tape 13 in the forward direction. 502 may be provided. The discharge rollers 501 and 502 operate so that, for example, when the tape 13 is cut by the full cutter 801, the tape 13 located downstream of the full cut position is conveyed in the forward direction.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. The printing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a control unit 100, a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, an input unit 130, a display unit 140, a conveying unit 150, a printing unit 160, a first cutting unit 170, a second cutting unit 180, and sensor 190 .

The input unit 130 is an input device for inputting various kinds of information to the printing device 1, and includes, for example, the keyboard 3 described above. The display unit 140 is a display device that displays various information to the user of the printing device 1, and includes the display 5 described above, for example.

The transport section 150 transports the tape 13 under the control of the control section 100 . The transport unit 150 includes, for example, the platen roller 6 , a motor connected to the platen roller 6 , a drive circuit that drives the motor, and an encoder that detects the rotation speed (rotation angle) of the platen roller 6 . Note that the motor is, for example, a DC motor or a stepping motor.

The printing unit 160 prints on the tape 13 under the control of the control unit 100 . The printing unit 160 corresponds to the printing unit 7 described above, and includes, for example, the thermal head 701 , a drive circuit that drives the heating elements of the thermal head 701 , and a thermistor that detects the temperature of the thermal head 701 .

The first cutting section 170 cuts the tape 13 along the transport direction under the control of the control section 100 . The first cutting unit 170 corresponds to the cutting unit 9 described above, and includes, for example, a back plate 901, a rotary cutter 902, a motor connected to the rotary cutter 902, a driving circuit for driving the motor, and the like. The details of the configuration of the first cutting section 170 (cutting unit 9) will be described later.

The second cutting section 180 cuts the tape 13 along the direction intersecting the transport direction under the control of the control section 100 . The second cutting section 180 corresponds to the cutting unit 8 described above, and includes, for example, a full cutter 801 , a motor connected to the full cutter, a drive circuit for driving the motor, and a pair of discharge rollers 501 and 502 .

The control unit 100 controls the conveying unit 150 , the printing unit 160 , the first cutting unit 170 and the second cutting unit 180 . The control unit 100 controls the operations of the conveying unit 150 , the printing unit 160 , the first cutting unit 170 and the second cutting unit 180 , thereby controlling execution of the conveying process, the printing process, and the cutting process in the printing apparatus 1 . In addition to controlling the operation of each unit of the printing apparatus 1 , the control unit 100 performs various determination processes based on inputs from the input unit 130 and the sensor 190 to determine operations to be performed by each unit of the printing apparatus 1 .

Control by the control unit 100 is performed by executing a program stored in the storage unit 120 by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), for example. The control unit 100 may be an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like.

The communication unit 110 is, for example, a communication interface that communicates with an external device such as a smart phone or a tablet computer. The communication unit 110 can perform at least one of wireless communication according to a known short-range wireless communication standard and wired communication using a transmission cable.

The storage unit 120 stores various programs executed by the processor as the control unit 100, various data used when executing the programs, and the like. The storage unit 120 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 121 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 122 .

The sensor 190 detects, for example, whether or not the tape adapter 11 is attached, and also detects the width of the tape 13 supplied from the attached tape adapter 11 . The sensor 190 also detects the position of the lever 10 for switching the settings of the cutting unit 9 .

In the printing apparatus 1 configured as described above, the user operates the input unit 130 (keyboard 3) to create a print layout, sets margins, the number of prints, cutting, etc., and then issues an instruction to start printing. Upon input, print data is created, and based on the print data, a process of printing the print content on the tape 13 is executed to create a label.

Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, by changing the setting of the cutting unit 9 using the lever 10 in advance before instructing the start of printing, it is possible to create a label with a width different from the width of the tape 13. can. More specifically, in the printing apparatus 1, by operating the lever 10 to change the setting of the cutting unit 9, the rotary cutter 902 can be moved in the tape width direction with respect to the tape 13, as will be described later. can. Thereby, the cutting position of the tape 13 by the rotary cutter 902 can be changed in the width direction, and as a result, labels of various widths can be produced. This point will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 13. FIG.

5, 8, and 11 are diagrams showing the relationship between the position of the lever 10 and the state of the cutting unit 9. FIG. 6, 9, and 12 are diagrams showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the states shown in FIGS. 5, 8, and 11, respectively, as viewed along the conveying path. 7, 10, and 13 are diagrams showing the position of the rotary cutter 902 in the states shown in FIGS. 5, 8, and 11, respectively, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the conveying path.

In the printer 1, the position of the lever 10 can be switched to one of three positions shown in FIGS. 5, 8, and 11 by user's operation. A plurality of marks indicating the width of the label to be produced are printed on the lever 10, and a user can produce a label of a desired width by determining the position of the lever 10 using these as marks.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the position of the lever 10 is switched so that the mark printed with "18", which means creating a label with a width of 18 mm, faces a predetermined direction (upward in this example). This changes the position of the rotary cutter 902 as shown in FIGS. As a result, a label with a width of 18 mm can be produced without cutting the tape 13 with a width of 18 mm. Hereinafter, the position of the lever 10 at this time will be referred to as the first position.

Also, as shown in FIG. 8, the lever 10 is positioned so that the mark printed with "6/12", which means a label with a width of 6 mm or 12 mm, faces a predetermined direction (upward in this example). , the position of the rotary cutter 902 is changed as shown in FIGS. As a result, at least one of 6 mm wide and 12 mm wide labels can be produced from the 18 mm wide tape 13 . Hereinafter, the position of the lever 10 at this time will be referred to as the second position.

Also, as shown in FIG. 11, by switching the position of the lever 10 so that the mark printed with "9", which means creating a label with a width of 9 mm, faces a predetermined direction (upward in this example), The position of rotary cutter 902 is changed as shown in FIGS. As a result, a 9 mm wide label can be produced from the 18 mm wide tape 13 . Hereinafter, the position of the lever 10 at this time will be referred to as the third position.

A detailed configuration of the cutting unit 9 and a mechanism for moving the rotary cutter 902 by operating the lever 10 will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 13, the cutting unit 9 provided between the thermal head 701 and the full cutter 801 includes a back plate 901, a rotary cutter 902, a support frame 903, a coil spring 904, a lever 10 and guides (guides 911 and 912) provided at the ends of the arm 913.

The back plate 901 is a plate that supports the tape 13 against which the rotary cutter 902 is pressed from the separator side. The back plate 901 is provided at a position facing the rotary cutter 902 across the transport path, as shown in FIG. 5, for example. Rubber may be attached to the surface of the back plate 901 that contacts the tape 13 to prevent slippage.

The rotary cutter 902 is an example of a blade part included in the cutting unit 9 . The rotary cutter 902 is movable relative to the tape 13, and is movable (freely) in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, more specifically, in a width direction of the tape 13 perpendicular to the conveying direction. there is Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, a shaft 903a provided on a support frame 903 and extending in the width direction is inserted through the opening of the annular rotary cutter 902 . With this configuration, the rotary cutter 902 can move in the width direction while being guided by the shaft 903a.

The rotary cutter 902 is fixed to a bearing 903c through which the shaft 903a is inserted, and is rotatable around the shaft 903a. With this configuration, the rotary cutter 902 rotates due to the frictional force generated between the rotary cutter 902 and the tape 13 as the tape 13 is conveyed. As a result, the tape 13 can be smoothly cut by the rotary cutter 902 without interfering with the transport of the tape 13 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, flanges 903b are formed at both ends of the shaft 903a. A coil spring 904 having a free length greater than the distance between the two flanges 903b is arranged on one flange 903b. With this configuration, the rotary cutter 902 is biased by the coil spring 904 toward the other flange 903b. That is, the coil spring 904 is an example of a biasing portion that biases the rotary cutter 902 toward the flange 903b. Note that the free length of the coil spring 904 does not necessarily have to be longer than the distance between the two flanges 903b. Even if the distance is shorter than the distance between the two flanges 903b, it is sufficient if the rotary cutter 902 can be appropriately biased.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, when there is nothing between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902 that blocks the movement of the rotary cutter 902, the rotary cutter 902 contacts the other flange 903b due to the action of the coil spring 904. . That is, the flange 903b is an example of a restricting portion that restricts movement of the rotary cutter 902. As shown in FIG.

The guides (guides 911 and 912) provided at the end of the arm 913 switch the position of the lever 10 to the second position or the third position as shown in FIGS. It is inserted between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902 as shown in FIG. These guides, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, have a U-shape with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 903a (bearing 903c). is configured to accommodate the shaft 903a. This causes the guide to be inserted between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, by inserting the guide between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902, the rotary cutter 902 resists the elastic force of the coil spring 904 from the position in contact with the flange 903b. It moves to a position away from the flange 903 b and is held at the position after the movement by the elastic force of the coil spring 904 . In other words, the guide should be inserted into the movable position of the rotary cutter 902 . The guide 911, the guide 912, and the arm 913 that act in this manner are an example of a positioning portion that positions the rotary cutter 902 at a predetermined position in the tape width direction (the direction intersecting the conveying direction).

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, the guides 911 and 912 have a thickness in the depth direction of the U shape. In other words, the guides 911 and 912 have a thickness in the direction crossing the transport direction, more specifically in the direction along the axis 903a. Furthermore, the thickness of the guides 911 and 912 along the axis 903a is different. 9 is inserted between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902, and the guide 912 shown in FIG. 12 is inserted between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902. The position of 902 in the tape width direction can be varied. That is, the guides 911 and 912 are an example of a plurality of insertion portions of the positioning portion having different thicknesses in the width direction intersecting the transport direction.

Specifically, when the guide 911 is inserted, as shown in FIG. 10, the rotary cutter 902 is positioned 6 mm from the end of the tape 13 having a total width of 18 mm. In this state, a label with a width of 6 mm and a label with a width of 12 mm can be produced.

Further, in the state where the guide 912 is inserted, as shown in FIG. 13, the rotary cutter 902 is positioned at a position 9 mm from the end of the tape 13 having a total width of 18 mm. In this state, two 9 mm wide labels can be produced.

On the other hand, when the position of lever 10 is switched to the first position as shown in FIG. 5, the guide is not inserted between flange 903b and rotary cutter 902 as shown in FIG. When the guide is not inserted, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rotary cutter 902 abuts against the flange 903b and is positioned at a position where it does not interfere with the tape 13. FIG. Therefore, in this state, since the tape 13 is not cut along the direction, a label with a width of 18 mm, which is the same as the width of the tape 13, can be produced.

As described above, the printing apparatus 1 can create labels with widths different from the width of the mounted tape, such as 6 mm, 9 mm, and 12 mm, from an 18 mm wide tape. Therefore, even if the width of the mounted tape is different from the width of the label to be produced, the label can be produced without exchanging the tape. Further, in the printing apparatus 1, the width of the label to be produced can be changed simply by changing the position of the lever 10. FIG. Therefore, according to the printing apparatus 1, it is possible to easily create a label having a width different from the width of the mounted tape without replacing the tape.

In particular, in the printing apparatus 1, the position of the blade portion is determined by moving the blade portion, which is biased in a certain direction, in the direction opposite to the direction in which the blade portion is biased by inserting the positioning portion. According to this configuration, even if the blade is movably provided, the blade is firmly held at a predetermined position by inserting the positioning portion, so that a label having a width corresponding to the setting can be reliably produced. be able to. Further, the printing apparatus 1 is provided with a restricting portion that restricts movement of the blade portion. Therefore, even if the positioning portion is removed, the position of the blade portion is held by the restricting portion at a predetermined position in contact with the restricting portion. can.

Further, in the printing apparatus 1, the tape is cut along the conveying direction by the second cutting section. As a result, a plurality of labels aligned in the width direction of the tape can be produced at once. Therefore, the label can be produced efficiently without wasting the tape. In addition, when creating a plurality of labels, it is possible to divide the labels into a plurality of lines and print them all at once. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time required for printing and cutting compared to normal continuous printing.

Further, in the printing apparatus 1, the positioning portion has a plurality of insertion portions with different thicknesses. Therefore, by switching and inserting a plurality of insertion portions, labels of various widths can be produced from one tape.

Further, in the printing apparatus 1, the operating portion (lever 10) connected to the positioning portion can switch between a state in which at least the positioning portion is inserted between the regulating portion and the blade portion and a state in which the positioning portion is not inserted. . In other words, the operation section (lever 10) can switch between a state in which at least the positioning section is inserted into the movable position of the blade section and a state in which it is not inserted. Therefore, in one state, the blade is positioned at a position where it interferes with the print medium, and in the other state, the blade is positioned at a position where it does not interfere with the print medium. It is possible to realize the function of creating a label with a width different from the tape width while maintaining the function of creating a label of .

14 and 15 are diagrams showing examples of guides with modified tip shapes. In the above example, the shape of the guide in the thickness direction is not particularly limited, but as shown in the guide 912a shown in FIG. intersecting direction). With such a shape, the tip portion of the thin guide 912a can enter a slight gap between the rotary cutter 902 and the flange 903b, which are biased by the coil spring 904. As shown in FIG. After that, the thicker portion of the guide 912a gradually enters between the rotary cutter 902 and the flange 903b due to the movement of the guide 912a. can be positioned to Note that FIG. 14B is a perspective view of the guide 912a, and is a view of the guide 912a from the side of the flange 903b to which the coil spring 904 is not attached. FIG. 14(c) is a view of the guide 912a during insertion as seen from a direction parallel to the shaft 903a of the bearing 903c.

In the above example, the printer 1 has two guides, but the number of guides the printer 1 has is not limited to this example. There may be only one guide, or three or more guides may be provided to accommodate more label widths. In addition, instead of increasing the label width that can be handled by increasing the number of guides, the printing apparatus 1 increases the number of guides by increasing the label width that each guide can accommodate, such as the guide 912b shown in FIG. More label widths may be accommodated without increasing. For example, the printing apparatus 1 may have only one guide 912b shown in FIG. The guide 912b has a plurality of insertion portions with different thicknesses in stages, and the distal end side of each insertion portion has a tapered shape. By having such a shape, it is possible to position the rotary cutter 902 at a plurality of positions using a single guide.

Also, in the above example, the guide has a U-shape, but the guide may be inserted between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902. Therefore, the shape of the guide is not limited to a U-shape, and any shape such as an L-shape or a J-shape can be adopted for the guide.

In the above example, the guide is inserted between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902 by rotating the lever 10 in conjunction with the operation of the lever 10. It is not limited to the one due to For example, instead of the arm 913, a slider-crank mechanism that converts rotary motion into linear motion may be used to slide the guide to insert it between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902. FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining how the sensor 190 detects the position of the lever 10. FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, the sensor 190 may be composed of a plurality of pressure sensors (pressure sensor 191, pressure sensor 192). In this case, the position of the lever 10 and thus the position of the positioning portion can be detected depending on the combination of the pressure sensors that detect the pressure and the order of detection. That is, the sensor 190 is an example of a detection section that detects the position of the positioning section. For example, when the position of the lever 10 is switched to the third position as shown in FIG. 16, the guide 911 contacts the pressure sensors 191 and 192 in this order. Therefore, the sensor 190 may detect the position of the lever 10 as the third position when pressures are detected in this order.

Note that the configuration of the sensor 190 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. Sensor 190 may be configured using other sensors such as optical sensors and magnetic sensors instead of pressure sensors.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the label editing screen displayed on the display 5. As shown in FIG. The printing apparatus 1 may switch the information displayed on the display 5 using the position of the lever 10 (the position of the positioning portion) detected by the sensor 190 . Specifically, the control unit 100 may change the width of the display area for inputting the print content in the direction intersecting the transport direction according to the position of the positioning unit detected by the sensor 190 . As a result, it is possible to prevent a discrepancy between the label width to be produced and the label width specified by the print content.

For example, as shown in FIG. 17, when the position of the lever 10 is the first position, that is, when the cutting unit 9 is set to produce a label with a width of 18 mm, the produced label width "18 mm" may be displayed on the display 5 as the information 51 indicating , and one input area corresponding to the width of 18 mm may be displayed on the display 5 in the print layout 52 . Also, as shown in FIG. 17, when the position of the lever 10 is the second position, that is, when the cutting unit 9 is set to produce a label with a width of 6 mm and a label with a width of 12 mm, "6 mm" and "12 mm" are displayed on the display 5 as information 51 indicating the width of the label to be created. 5 may be displayed.

Note that the position of the lever 10 (the position of the positioning portion) detected by the sensor 190 may be used not only for display control but also for other purposes. The printing apparatus 1 may include, for example, a notification unit that notifies the mismatch between the print content and the position of the positioning unit, and the control unit 100 determines the notification request based on the position of the lever 10 (the position of the positioning unit). The non-conformity may be determined and the inconsistency may be reported to the user by the reporting unit. For example, when the lever 10 is at the second position and the print content specifying the width of 18 mm is input in a state where labels with widths of 6 mm and 12 mm can be created, the control unit 100 prompts the user to specify the print content. It may be notified that the width of the printed label and the width of the produced label do not match. The notification unit may be the display 5, and may notify the user by displaying character information or the like on the display 5. FIG. Also, the notification unit may be a speaker, an LED, or the like, and may notify the user of the mismatch by sound or light. Also in this case, it is possible to prevent a mismatch between the width of the label to be produced and the width of the label to be printed.

[Second embodiment]
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a printing system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 18, the printing system according to the present embodiment includes a printing device 1a and one or more information processing devices 1000 (information processing device 1000a, information processing device 1000b, information processing device 1000c).

In the first embodiment, an example in which the user directly operates the printing device 1 using the user interface (keyboard 3, display 5, lever 10, etc.) provided in the printing device 1 is shown. The printing apparatus 1a may be operated using an information processing apparatus 1000 different from the information processing apparatus 1a.

The information processing apparatus 1000 is a print instruction apparatus that instructs the printing apparatus 1a to print. The information processing device 1000 may also be a print setting instruction device that instructs the setting of the cutting unit 9 . The information processing device 1000 may be, for example, a notebook terminal such as the information processing device 1000a shown in FIG. 18, or a tablet terminal such as the information processing device 1000b. It may be a smart phone as shown in 1000c. Note that the information processing device 1000 is not limited to a mobile terminal, and may be a stationary device.

The printer 1a differs from the printer 1 in that it does not have an input unit 130 (keyboard 3), a display unit 140 (display 5), and an operation unit (lever 10). Further, in the printing apparatus 1a, the settings of the cutting unit 9 are automatically changed according to instructions from the information processing apparatus 1000. FIG. Therefore, unlike the printing apparatus 1, the printing apparatus 1a is provided with a driving section including a motor for changing the position of the guide.

The printing system according to the present embodiment differs from the printing apparatus 1 in that some of the functions of the printing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment are realized by the information processing apparatus 1000, but the same effects as those of the printing apparatus 1 are obtained. can be obtained. Therefore, by using the printing system and the printing apparatus 1a according to the present embodiment as well, it is possible to easily create a label having a width different from the width of the printing medium mounted in the printing apparatus without exchanging the printing medium such as tape. can be done.

The above-described embodiments are specific examples for easy understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and alternatives of the above-described embodiments. should be understood to include For example, it will be appreciated that each embodiment can be embodied with modification of elements without departing from its spirit and scope. Also, it will be understood that various embodiments can be implemented by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, various embodiments can be implemented by deleting some components from all the components shown in the embodiments or by adding some components to the components shown in the embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art. That is, the printing apparatus can be modified and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims.

In the above-described embodiment, the coil spring 904 biases the rotary cutter 902 sliding in the direction of the axis 903a, and the position of the rotary cutter 902 is adjusted by inserting and removing the guide. The configuration is not limited to this example. The first cutting section 170 includes a blade section that is movable relative to the print medium, a biasing section that biases the blade section, and a positioning section that is inserted into the movable position of the blade section. Just be prepared.

For example, the first cutting portion 170 may comprise a non-rotating linear cutter blade instead of the circular rotary cutter 902 . Also, a leaf spring may be provided instead of the coil spring 904, and the movement of the straight cutter blade in the direction crossing the conveying direction may be realized by bending the leaf spring that supports the cutter blade.

Although not specifically mentioned in the above-described embodiment, a part of the rotary cutter 902 may be provided with something like a cover. Furthermore, the cover may guide the guide so that the guide can be inserted smoothly between the flange 903b and the rotary cutter 902 .

In the embodiment described above, an example using a tape with a width of 18 mm was shown, but the width of the tape to be used is not limited to 18 mm. By dividing the tape in the direction crossing the transport direction, it is possible to create a plurality of labels with a width narrower than the tape width using a tape of any width.

Although the example in which the guide is fixed to the arm 913 is shown in the embodiment described above, the guide may be configured to be detachable from the arm 913 . By configuring in this way, for example, by attaching guides having different thicknesses according to the width of the tape attached to the printing apparatus, it is possible to handle tapes of various widths. It is possible to create a label with a wide width.

As used herein, terms such as "first", "second", etc. that modify nouns are not intended to limit the quantity or order of the elements represented by the noun. These terms are used to distinguish between two or more elements, no less and no more. Thus, specifying a "first" and a "second" element means that the "first" element precedes the "second" element. nor does it deny the existence of a "third" element.

The invention described in the scope of claims at the time of filing of the present application will be additionally described below.
[Appendix 1]
a transport unit that transports the print medium;
a first cutting unit that cuts the print medium along the transport direction of the print medium;
The first cutting section is
a blade portion provided to be relatively movable with respect to the print medium;
a biasing portion that biases the blade;
and a positioning part inserted into a movable position of the blade part.
[Appendix 2]
a printing unit that prints on the print medium;
further comprising a second cutting unit that cuts the print medium along a direction intersecting the transport direction,
The printing apparatus according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the first cutting section cuts the print medium between the printing section and the first cutting section.
[Appendix 3]
The printing apparatus according to appendix 1 or appendix 2, wherein the blade unit is provided so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.
[Appendix 4]
3. The printing apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 3, wherein the positioning unit has at least one insertion member having a thickness in a direction intersecting the transport direction.
[Appendix 5]
Any one of appendices 1 to 4, further comprising an operation unit connected to the positioning unit and switching between a state in which at least the positioning unit is inserted in the movable position and a state in which the positioning unit is not inserted. The printing device according to .
[Appendix 6]
further comprising an operation unit connected to the positioning unit and switching between a state in which at least the positioning unit is inserted in the movable position and a state in which the positioning unit is not inserted;
The positioning section has at least one insertion member that is inserted into the movable position as the operation section is rotated,
The printing apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 3, wherein the at least one insertion portion has a tapered shape with respect to the transport direction.
[Appendix 7]
a detection unit that detects the position of the positioning unit;
and a control unit that changes a range of an input area for inputting print content according to the position of the positioning unit detected by the detection unit. The printing device according to 1.
[Appendix 8]
a detection unit that detects the position of the positioning unit;
7. The printing apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 6, further comprising: a notification unit that notifies a mismatch between the print content and the position of the positioning unit.

1, 1a printing device 2 device housing 3 keyboard 4 lid 5 display 6 platen roller 7 printing units 8, 9 cutting unit 10 lever 11 tape adapter 12 tape roll 13 tape 100 control unit 110 communication unit 120 storage unit 121 RAM
122 ROMs
130 Input unit 140 Display unit 150 Transport unit 160 Printing unit 170 First cutting unit 180 Second cutting unit 190, 191, 192 Sensor 201 Adapter mounting unit 202 Ejection ports 501, 502 Ejection roller 701 Thermal head 801 Full cutter 901 Back plate 902 Rotary cutter 903 Support frame 903a Shaft 903b Flange 903c Bearing 904 Coil springs 911, 912, 912a, 912b Guide 913 Arms 1000, 1000a to 1000c Information processing device

Claims (8)

a transport unit that transports the print medium;
a first cutting unit that cuts the print medium along the transport direction of the print medium by the transport unit;
The first cutting section is
a blade portion provided to be relatively movable with respect to the print medium;
a biasing portion that biases the blade;
and a positioning part inserted into a movable position of the blade part. a printing unit that prints on the print medium;
further comprising a second cutting unit that cuts the print medium along a direction intersecting the transport direction,
2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first cutting section cuts the print medium between the printing section and the first cutting section. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blade portion is provided movably in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning section has at least one insertion member having a thickness in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction. 5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an operation section connected to said positioning section and switching between a state in which at least said positioning section is inserted into said movable position and a state in which said positioning section is not inserted. 1. The printing device according to item 1. further comprising an operation unit connected to the positioning unit and switching between a state in which at least the positioning unit is inserted in the movable position and a state in which the positioning unit is not inserted;
The positioning section has at least one insertion member that is inserted into the movable position as the operation section is rotated,
The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one insertion portion has a tapered shape with respect to the transport direction. a detection unit that detects the position of the positioning unit;
7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a control section that changes a range of an input area for inputting print content according to the position of the positioning section detected by the detection section. 1. The printing device according to claim 1. a detection unit that detects the position of the positioning unit;
7. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a mismatch between the print content and the position of the positioning unit.

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