JP4932537B2 - Decal device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a decurling apparatus that reduces curling of a recording paper drawn from a recording paper roll.

  The decurling device is a device that reduces the curling of the recording paper drawn from the recording paper roll. The decurling device described in Patent Document 1 includes a dedicated mechanism for pressing / separating a decurling roller that is a decurling member. The decurling device described in Patent Document 2 has a structure that is pressed by a permanent biasing spring.

JP 2006-193315 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-075618

  In the conventional decurling device, in order to easily mount the recording paper, a driving mechanism for pressing / separating the capstan roller, and a driving mechanism for pressing / separating the decurling roller, like the decurling device described in Patent Document 1, It has. The decurling roller pressing / separating mechanism is provided with a dedicated motor and is independent of the capstan roller pressing / separating mechanism. Alternatively, an automatic recording paper feeding mechanism for easily mounting the recording paper is provided. However, each mechanism needs to have a different power mechanism, and there is a problem that the cost increases accordingly.

  Further, when the recording paper is loaded in the decurling apparatus described in Patent Document 2, since the decal roller moving mechanism is fixed by the locking claw, it is necessary to release the locking claw. Therefore, it is necessary to manually remove the latching claw and move the moving mechanism, which is troublesome. Alternatively, a mechanism for releasing the nail is required. Thus, there is a problem that it takes time and cost.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and does not manually perform the pressing / separating operation of the decurling roller, and omits a part of the power mechanism that performs the operation. For the purpose.

A decurling device according to a first aspect of the present invention presses / separates between a first conveying member that conveys a recording paper drawn from a recording paper roll and the first conveying member. A second conveying member. Then, it comprises a decal member for pressing the recording paper wherein the drawn out from the recording paper roll is conveyed to the first, second conveying member. A mechanism for pressing / separating the second conveying member against the recording paper, and a driving mechanism for pressing / separating the decurling member against the recording paper by the mechanism . After the second conveying member performs driving to press the recording paper, the decurling member performs driving to press the recording paper .

  According to the decurling apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to omit the operation of pressing / separating the decurling member manually and omit a part of the mechanism for performing the operation.

<Embodiment 1>
In the present embodiment, a recording apparatus including a decurling apparatus according to the present invention, for example, a thermal printer will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. The decurling device of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a conveying roller 4 that is a first conveying member, a pressure roller 5 that is a second conveying member, a decurling roller 1 that is a decurling member, and a guide member. A certain guide roller 3 and a drive mechanism are provided.

  FIG. 2 is a side view of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the transport roller 4 transports the recording paper 2 a drawn from the recording paper roll 2. The pressure roller 5 presses / separates the recording paper 2 a from the conveyance roller 4.

  A decurling roller 1 as a decurling member is a roller that can rotate in contact with the recording paper 2a. The decurling roller 1 presses the recording paper 2 a that is drawn from the recording paper roll 2 and conveyed to the conveying roller 4 and the pressure roller 5. The recording paper 2 a drawn out from the recording paper roll 2 and conveyed to the conveying roller 4 and the pressure roller 5 is wound around the decurling roller 1 in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the recording paper roll 2.

  A recording paper 2 a that is drawn from the recording paper roll 2 and conveyed to the decurling roller 1 is wound around the guide roller 3 in the same direction as the winding direction of the recording paper roll 2. The guide roller 3 is rotatable in contact with the recording paper 2 a and holds the recording paper 2 a so as to send the recording paper 2 a to the recording unit 21. Here, the recording unit 21 corresponds to, for example, a thermal head.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the guide roller 3 includes a width direction regulating guide 3a that is a width direction regulating member that regulates movement of the recording paper 2a in the width direction. In the present embodiment, the width-direction regulating guide 3a is provided on the shaft of the guide roller 3 so as to be movable, for example, and is arranged on both ends thereof in accordance with the width of the recording paper 2a.

  The drive mechanism includes a mechanism for pressing / separating the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a, and the mechanism also drives the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a. Next, the configuration of this drive mechanism will be described. It is assumed that the drive mechanism is provided in each of the right frame 18 and the left frame 19 shown in FIG.

  A part of the configuration of the drive mechanism that presses / separates the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a will be described with reference to FIG. The drive mechanism constituting the decurling apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a pressure lever 10, a pressure spring 11, and a cam lever 12.

  The pressure lever 10 holds the pressure roller 5 in a rotatable manner. The pressure lever 10 rotates in the vertical direction in FIG. 1 around a rotation axis provided on itself, thereby driving the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a. The pressure lever 10 is provided with a pressure lever pressure receiving portion 10 a that receives power from the cam lever 12.

  The pressure spring 11 is connected to the pressure lever 10 and urges the pressure roller 5 in a direction (downward) to press the recording roller 2a. The cam lever 12 is provided with a cam follower and a cam lever pressurizing portion 12a. The cam follower is engaged with the cam 13, and the cam lever 12 rotates according to the rotation of the cam 13. The cam lever pressure unit 12 a engages with the pressure lever pressure receiving unit 10 a of the pressure lever 10. The cam lever 12 is rotated according to the rotation of the cam 13, and the cam lever pressurizing portion 12a pushes the pressurizing lever pressure receiving portion 10a upward, whereby the pressurizing lever 10 is pushed upward.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of the structure of the drive mechanism in which the decurling roller 1 is driven against / separated from the recording paper 2a. The drive mechanism constituting the decurling device according to the present embodiment includes a holding member 6, an urging spring 8, and a switching lever 9.

  The holding member 6 holds the decurling roller 1 so as to be rotatable. The holding member 6 rotates in the vertical direction in FIG. 3 about the holding member rotation shaft 18b, thereby driving the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a. The holding member 6 is provided with an engagement pin 6 a that receives power from the switching lever 9. The positioning member 7 is fixed to each of the right frame 18 and the left frame 19 and stops the rotation of the holding member 6 at a predetermined position.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the urging spring 8 is connected to the holding member 6 at a position opposite to the holding member rotating shaft 18b with respect to the engaging pin 6a. Therefore, the biasing spring 8 biases the holding member 6 downward, that is, toward the positioning member 7. The direction in which the holding member 6 is urged toward the positioning member 7 is the same as the direction in which the decurling roller 1 is pressed against the recording paper 2a.

  The switching lever 9 shown in FIG. 3 rotates around a switching lever rotating shaft 18a provided on the right frame 18, for example. The switching lever 9 is provided with a cam follower pin 9a and a pressing portion 9b.

  The cam follower pin 9 a is fitted with a cam groove 13 a provided in the cam 13, and the switching lever 9 rotates according to the rotation of the cam 13. The magnitude of the rotation of the switching lever 9 and the timing at which the switching lever 9 rotates with respect to the pressing / separation of the pressure roller 5 are determined by the shape of the cam groove 13a. The pressing portion 9 b is engaged with the engaging pin 6 a of the holding member 6. When the switching lever 9 rotates about the switching lever rotating shaft 18a and the pressing portion 9b pushes the engagement pin 6a upward, the holding member 6 is pushed upward.

  Next, of the configuration of the drive mechanism, a power mechanism serving as power for pressing / separating the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a will be described. This power mechanism includes a motor 17, a worm gear 16, drive gears 14 and 15, and a cam 13 shown in FIG. 1.

  The motor 17 generates power. The worm gear 16 transmits the power of the motor 17 to the drive gear 15. The drive gear 15 transmits the power of the motor 17 transmitted from the worm gear 16 to the drive gear 14. The drive gear 14 transmits the power of the motor 17 transmitted from the drive gear 15 to the cam 13. When the cam 13 is rotated by the power from the drive gear 14, the cam follower of the cam lever 12 and the cam follower pin 9a of the switching lever 9 receive power.

  In the present embodiment, the drive gear 14 is connected to the synchronous rotating shaft 20. The synchronous rotating shaft 20 is rotatably held through the right frame 18 and the left frame 19 and synchronizes the rotation of the power mechanisms provided on the left and right. For this reason, the drive mechanism is paired on the left and right sides of the frame, and can be stably pressed / separated by driving while maintaining a balance between the left and right sides.

  Next, of the operations of the decurling apparatus according to the present embodiment, operations common to the conventional apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The recording paper 2 a pulled out from the recording paper roll 2 is conveyed to the recording unit 21 by the rotation of the conveying roller 4 and the pressure roller 5. The guide roller 3 is rotatable in contact with one surface of the recording paper 2a that is drawn from the recording paper roll 2 and conveyed to the conveying roller 4, and holds the recording paper 2a. The recording paper 2a pulled out from the recording paper roll 2 is conveyed to the recording unit 21 side by rotation of the conveying roller 4 and the pressure roller 5 during printing, and is conveyed to the opposite side as necessary. . The recording unit 21 forms and outputs an image on recording paper.

  Generally, when the recording paper roll 2 is used, the recording paper 2a is wrinkled in the winding direction. In order to reduce this curl, a decurling roller 1 that presses the recording paper 2a conveyed between the guide roller 3 and the conveying roller 4 is provided. The decurling roller 1 is disposed so that the guide roller 3 is in contact with the recording paper 2a on the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the recording paper 2a. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the recording paper 2 a is wound around the decurling roller 1 in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the recording paper roll 2, thereby reducing curling.

  Here, immediately after the recording paper roll 2 is replaced, it is necessary to arrange the recording paper 2 a in a path along the guide roller 3, the decurling roller 1, the conveying roller 4 and the pressure roller 5. In order to facilitate this operation, as shown in FIG. 5, it is necessary to move the decurling roller 1 and the pressure roller 5 to a separated position or a further separated retracted position.

  In the decurling apparatus provided in the conventional recording apparatus, the operation of pressing / separating the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a is performed by using a driving mechanism different from the driving mechanism for pressing / separating the pressing roller 5 or manually. It was. In the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, the decurling roller 1 is pressed / separated from the recording paper 2a by using the same driving mechanism as the driving mechanism that presses / separates the pressure roller 5 from the recording paper 2a.

  The above operation of the decurling apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below. First, with reference to FIG. 1, the operation of the pressure roller 5 to shift from the state of pressing the recording paper 2a to the state of separating will be described. The pressure roller 5 is pressed against the recording paper 2a by the pressure spring 11 urging the pressure lever 10 in the pressure direction. In order for the pressure roller 5 to shift from the pressed state thus performed to the separated state, the pressure lever 10 needs to be pushed upward. The operation is performed as follows.

  The cam 13 is rotated by the power of the motor 17 through the worm gear 16, the drive gear 15, and the drive gear 14. Then, as the cam 13 rotates, the cam follower of the cam lever 12 that engages with the cam 13 moves. Then, the cam lever 12 rotates, and the cam lever pressurizing portion 12a of the cam lever 12 pushes up the pressurizing lever pressure receiving portion 10a of the pressurizing lever 10. Thus, when the pressure lever 10 is pushed up, the pressure roller 5 is separated from the recording paper 2a.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the operation of the decurling roller 1 to shift from the state in which the recording paper 2a is pressed to the state in which it is separated will be described. The decurling roller 1 is pressed against the recording paper 2a by the urging spring 8 urging the holding member 6 downward in FIG. However, the rotation of the holding member 6 is stopped at an appropriate predetermined position by the positioning member 7, thereby determining the position where the decurling roller 1 is most pressed. In order to shift the decurling roller 1 from the pressed state to the separated state, it is necessary that the holding member 6 is pushed upward. The operation is performed as follows.

  The cam 13 is rotated by the power of the motor 17 via the worm gear 16, the drive gear 15, and the drive gear 14. Then, the cam follower pin 9a fitted to the cam 13 moves according to the cam groove 13a of the cam 13, and the switching lever 9 rotates about the switching lever rotating shaft 18a. When the switching lever 9 rotates, the pressing portion 9b of the switching lever 9 pushes up the engagement pin 6a of the holding member 6. Thus, when the holding member 6 is pushed upward, the decurling roller 1 is separated from the recording paper 2a.

  As described above, the magnitude of the rotation of the switching lever 9 and the timing at which the switching lever 9 rotates with respect to the pressing / separation of the pressure roller 5 are determined by the shape of the cam groove 13a. Therefore, the size at which the decurling roller 1 is pressed / separated and the timing at which the decurling roller 1 is pressed / separated with respect to the pressing / separating of the pressure roller 5 are determined by the shape of the cam groove 13 a of the cam 13. That is, by properly forming the shape of the cam groove 13a of the cam 13, it is possible to select an operation mode in which various sizes and timings of the decurling roller are combined.

  Therefore, the drive mechanism constituting the decurling device according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, presses the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a and then presses the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a. The following description will be made on the assumption that the driving is performed.

  When the recording paper 2a is loaded, the drive mechanism sets the position of the cam 13 to “recording paper loading” in FIG. In this case, the pressure roller 5 and the decurling roller 1 are both separated from the recording paper 2a as shown in FIG.

  When the printing operation is started, the drive mechanism rotates the cam 13 by the power from the motor 17 and sets the position of the cam 13 to “decal OFF” in FIG. 4. In this case, the pressure roller 5 and the decurling roller 1 move to the positions shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the pressure roller 5 presses the recording paper 2a, but the decurling roller 1 is separated from the recording paper 2a. If this state is applied to the case where the winding diameter of the recording paper 2a is large and curling is unlikely to occur or when the recording paper 2a is conveyed at a high speed, the recording paper 2a can be recorded without adding more than necessary. The paper 2a can be conveyed.

  When the winding diameter of the recording paper 2a is reduced, the drive mechanism rotates the cam 13 by the power from the motor 17 and sets the position of the cam 13 to “decal-1” in FIG. In this case, the decurling roller 1 moves to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. As shown in the drawing, the pressure roller 5 and the decurling roller 1 both press the recording paper 2a. Since the recording paper 2a is wound around the decurling roller 1 and conveyed in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the recording paper roll 2, the curl of the recording paper 2a is reduced. The winding diameter may be detected based on, for example, the speed of the shaft rotation of the recording paper roll 2.

  In general, the smaller the winding diameter of the recording paper 2 a of the recording paper roll 2, the more likely that the recording paper 2 a will be curled. Therefore, when the winding diameter of the recording paper 2a is small, the drive mechanism rotates the cam 13 by the power from the motor 17 and sets the position of the cam 13 to “decal-2” in FIG. Then, the decurling roller 1 is pushed in the direction A in FIG. 7 and moves to the position indicated by the dotted line. Thus, the wrapping angle of the recording paper 2a around the decurling roller 1 is increased, and the curl reducing effect is further increased.

  The recording apparatus according to the present embodiment configured as described above does not manually perform the pressing / separating operation of the decurling roller 1 but performs the operation by a driving mechanism that presses / separates the pressure roller 5. It can be carried out. Therefore, the operation of pressing / separating the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a can be easily performed with an inexpensive configuration.

  If the guide roller 3 is provided near the decurling roller 1, the wrapping angle of the recording paper 2 a around the guide roller 3 is increased by the pressing by the decurling roller 1. For this reason, curling of the recording paper 2a can be reduced.

  Further, the width direction regulation guide 3a of the guide roller 3 can prevent the recording paper 2a from being skewed in the transport direction. When the recording paper 2a is mounted, the decurling roller 1 can be separated from the recording paper 2a together with the pressure roller 5, so that even if there is the width direction regulation guide 3a, it can be easily mounted.

  Note that the decurling roller 1 described above may be provided with an adhesive member on the surface in contact with the recording paper 2a.

  In that case, it is possible to simultaneously have a function as a cleaning roller for removing dust and the like on the recording paper 2a. When the recording paper 2a is replaced and mounted, as described above, the decurling roller 1 is moved away to a position where it does not come into contact with the recording paper 2a. By doing so, it is possible to avoid problems that the recording paper 2a cannot be attached due to the adhesiveness of the adhesive member of the decurling roller 1 or that the recording paper 2a cannot be smoothly placed on a desired path for conveyance. be able to.

  In addition, the driving mechanism performs driving to press the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a and then presses the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a. Therefore, the recording paper 2a can be transported without adding to the recording paper 2a more than necessary.

  In the present embodiment, the driving mechanism constituting the decurling device performs driving for pressing the pressure roller 5 against the recording paper 2a and then driving for pressing the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a. . However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an operation mode that combines various timings for pressing / separating the decurling roller 1 against the recording paper 2a is possible. For example, the decurling roller 1 and the pressure roller 5 are the same. You may perform the drive pressed at timing.

3 is a perspective view of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view for explaining the operation of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view for explaining the operation of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view for explaining the operation of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Decal roller, 2 Recording paper roll, 2a Recording paper, 3 Guide roller, 3a Width direction regulation guide, 4 Conveyance roller, 5 Pressure roller, 6 Holding member, 6a Engaging pin, 7 Positioning member, 8 Energizing spring, 9 switching lever, 9a cam follower pin, 9b pressing part, 10 pressure lever, 10a pressure lever pressure receiving part, 11 pressure spring, 12 cam lever, 12a cam lever pressing part, 13 cam, 13a cam groove, 14 drive gear, 15 drive gear, 16 worm gear, 17 motor, 18 right frame, 18a switching lever rotating shaft, 18b holding member rotating shaft, 19 left frame, 20 synchronous rotating shaft, 21 recording unit.

Claims (5)

A first transport member for transporting the recording paper drawn from the recording paper roll;
A second conveying member that presses / separates the recording paper with the first conveying member;
A decurling member that presses the recording paper drawn from the recording paper roll and conveyed to the first and second conveying members;
Wherein the second conveying member comprises a mechanism for driving the pressing / separating the recording sheet, e Bei and a drive mechanism for pressing / separating the drive to the recording paper also said decurling member by said mechanism,
The drive mechanism is
After the second conveying member performs driving to press against the recording paper, the decurling member performs driving to press against the recording paper.
Decal device. The recording paper drawn out from the recording paper roll and conveyed to the first and second conveying members is wound around the decurling member in a direction opposite to the winding direction of the recording paper roll.
The decal device according to claim 1. The decal member is
A roller rotatable in contact with the recording paper,
The roller includes an adhesive member on a surface in contact with the recording paper,
The decal device according to claim 1 or 2. The recording paper that is pulled out from the recording paper roll and conveyed to the decurling member further includes a guide member that is wound in the same direction as the winding direction of the recording paper roll.
The decal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The guide member includes a width direction regulating member that regulates movement of the recording paper in the width direction.
The decal device according to claim 4.

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