EP0281109B1 - Writing device including a writing head arrangement and a platen - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a writing instrument of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1.

In the case of such writing instruments, in addition to its movement in the direction of the writing line, the writing head can generally also carry out a movement essentially perpendicular to the writing plane, for example in order to be able to adjust the writing distance or to adapt it to writing media of different thicknesses or to be able to change an ink ribbon.

This last-described adjustment of the printhead is generally not sufficient, on the one hand, to accommodate the various components of the printhead arrangement, on the other hand, the writing loader and, if applicable, transport elements arranged in the paper transport plane defined by the writing abutment, e.g. for customer service work or to remove a paper jam. For such services, the printhead arrangement generally has to be dismantled, and the setting of the distance between the printhead and the abutment, which generally has to be observed very precisely, is lost and therefore has to be readjusted in a lengthy manner.

From DE-OS 35 09 218, a writing instrument has already become known, in which the print head arrangement and the pressure abutment are each arranged in a separate housing part, which are in opposition to one another between an operating position and an inoperative position are adjustable. The housing parts are constantly preloaded in the direction of the non-operating position by spring means. These spring means must be designed so that they just overcome the weight of the adjustable housing part. If the springs are too strong, the force required to move the housing parts into their operating position becomes too great. If after a long period of use the spring force diminishes or if a spring breaks, there is a risk that the adjustable housing part will fall unintentionally from the inoperative position into the operating position, which can damage the writing instrument. To lock the housing parts in their operating position, separate locking means are provided. The structure of the known writing instrument is therefore relatively complex.

US Pat. No. 4,527,172 already shows a writing instrument of the type mentioned in the preamble of the new claim 1. In this writing instrument, the device for adjusting the second housing part relative to the first housing part essentially consists of one or two telescopic guide struts and each associated with a guide strut Compression spring that is so strong that the second housing part is pivoted upwards after releasing the locking device. However, no means are provided to lock the second housing part in its inoperative position. Rather, the springs are designed so strong that this housing part is held in the inoperative position. This means that the force of these springs must be overcome when adjusting this housing part in its operating position, which can be extremely uncomfortable, especially with larger devices.

It is the object of the invention to provide a writing instrument of the type mentioned in the preamble of the new claim 1, in which the housing parts, e.g. a writing module and a base module, are easily adjustable manually between the operating position and the non-operating position and can be locked at least in the non-operating position.

This object is achieved by the features described in claim 1.

The device for adjusting the second housing part is formed by a manually actuated adjusting lever arrangement which can be locked at least in a position corresponding to the inoperative position of the second housing part. The adjusting lever device makes it possible to lock the second housing part by hand between the operating position and the non-operating position. In the locked inoperative position, the second housing part is not only held in suspension by springs, but is mechanically locked so that the second housing part cannot fall down unintentionally.

As will be explained further, the adjusting lever arrangement can advantageously be used in addition to a known device that preloads the second housing part into its inoperative position. However, the spring means according to the present invention only need to support the adjustment of the second housing part, but not to hold it securely in the inoperative position. Accordingly, they can be designed to be weaker, so that the adjustment force required to overcome the spring force when the housing part is pivoted away can also be lower.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the lever arrangement comprises at least one toggle lever arrangement which, at least when adjusted to an end position corresponding to the inoperative position of the second housing part or writing module, passes through a dead center position. This arrangement allows the writing module to be pivoted into its inoperative position and locked in it in a single operation. In addition, the toggle lever arrangement can pass through a dead center position during the adjustment into an end position corresponding to the operating position of the writing module, so that the writing module is also fixed in the operating position.

In order to ensure a precise alignment of the write head to the abutment in the operating position, it is provided according to the invention that precise contact surfaces are formed on the write module which, in the operating position, bear against exact contact surfaces formed on the first housing part or base module. Since the write head arrangement and the write abutment are arranged exactly adjusted in the housing parts assigned to them and the position of the housing parts relative to one another is exactly determined by the contact surfaces, the exact adjustment of the write head to the write abutment is also ensured. The write module and the base module can be locked together in the operating position.

For adjustment between the operating position and the non-operating position, the writing module can be moved, for example, relative to the base module or can be lifted off completely from it; In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it is provided that the write module is pivotably arranged on the base module. In its inoperative position, the write module remains connected to the base module, so that in this inoperative position it can be held in a position which is favorable for carrying out service work and the like.

The contact surfaces of the writing module and / or the base module are preferably formed by position-adjustable stops, so that an exact adjustment of the writing distance is possible via these stops.

In order to facilitate adjustment of the writing module to its inoperative position, particularly in the case of heavy devices, it is provided according to the invention that spring means are arranged between the base module and the writing module, which load the writing module in the direction of its inoperative position. After releasing the lock, the writing module is then automatically adjusted to its inoperative position by the spring means.

For a special application to be explained later, it is further provided according to the invention that the writing instrument as a whole is adjustably arranged in a housing between a working position and a service position. In the working position, the writing instrument is protected and visually appealing in this housing housed, the pivot actuating lever arrangement, for example, being inaccessible, so that inadvertent adjustment of the writing module from the operating position to the non-operating position is prevented. In the service position, the pivot actuating lever arrangement is accessible so that the writing module can be pivoted into its inoperative position.

In order to prevent the writing instrument from being inadvertently shifted into the working position when the writing module is lifted from the base module, first locking means are provided according to the invention which block such an adjustment.

On the other hand, in order to make it impossible to lift the writing module from the base module when the device is in the working position, further locking means are provided according to the invention, which are described in detail using the exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 1

in perspektivischer Darstellung schematisch ein Schreibgerät mit einem in eine Außerbetriebsstellung verstellten Schreibmodul;

Fig. 2

schematisch den Schreibmodul gemäß Fig. 1 in vier Verstellphasen;

Fig. 3

eine schematische Seitenansicht eines in einem Gehäuse schwenkbar angeordneten Schreibgerätes in seiner Arbeitsstellung;

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung gemäß Fig. 3 mit in eine Servicestellung ausgeschwenktem Schreibgerät;

Fig. 5

ein Schreibgerät gemäß den Fig. 3 und 4 in vergrößerter Darstellung, wobei der Schreibmodul seine Betriebsstellung einnimmt;

Fig. 6

ein Schreibgerät gemäß Fig. 5 mit in eine Außerbetriebsstellung versteltem Schreibmodul;

Fig. 7

schematisch eine Draufsicht auf die Kniehebelanordnung gemäß Fig. 5;

Fig. 8

in vergrößerter Darstellung eine Einzelheit aus denFig. 5 und 6.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the claims. Several embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and described in more detail below. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view schematically shows a writing instrument with a writing module adjusted to an inoperative position;

Fig. 2

schematically the write module of Figure 1 in four adjustment phases.

Fig. 3

is a schematic side view of a writing instrument pivotally arranged in a housing in its working position;

Fig. 4

a representation according to Figure 3 with the writing device pivoted into a service position;

Fig. 5

a writing device according to Figures 3 and 4 in an enlarged view, the writing module assumes its operating position.

Fig. 6

5 with a writing module set in an inoperative position;

Fig. 7

schematically shows a plan view of the toggle lever arrangement according to FIG. 5;

Fig. 8

a detail from the Fig. 5 and 6.

The writing instrument 2 shown in FIG. 1 has two separate housing parts 4, 6. A writing abutment 8 is arranged in the lower housing part 4. The upper housing part 6 accommodates the entire write head arrangement 10, of which only the write head 12 and the guide rail 14 on which the write head 12 is held so as to be movable in the row direction are shown for the sake of clarity. The upper housing part 6 with all the components arranged therein forms the write module 16; the lower housing part 4 with all the components arranged therein forms the base module 18.

The write module 16 is arranged on the base module so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 20. The pivot axis 20 lies parallel to the writing plane defined by the top of the writing abutment 8 and parallel to the line direction.

The writing module 16 can be adjusted about the pivot axis 20 between an operating position in which the writing head 12 is arranged at a short distance from the writing abutment 8 and the non-operating position shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen in FIG. 1, in the inoperative position of the write module 16, both the write abutment 8 and the write head arrangement 10 are easily accessible, so that e.g. Service work can be carried out or a paper jam can be cleared if necessary.

The writing module 16 comprises two side walls 22, 24 which are transverse to the pivot axis 20 and whose rear ends 26 (see FIG. 1, left side of the picture) are pivotably mounted on the base module 18. At the front ends of the side walls 22, 24, a pivot actuation lever arrangement 28 engages, by means of which the writing module 16 can be pivoted. The pivot actuation lever arrangement 28 consists of two identical toggle lever arrangements 30, 32, each of which engages on the one hand on a side wall 22, 24 and on the other hand on the base module 18. The toggle lever arrangements 30, 32 can pass through a dead center position in a manner known per se, both in the operating position of the writing module 16 and in the pivoting position corresponding to its non-operating position, and thus cause a locking of these two positions, as is shown in more detail in FIG.

Each of the toggle lever arrangements 30, 32 consists of two toggle levers 30a, 30b and 32a, 32b, which are each pivotally connected to one another via a knee joint 30c or 32c. The toggle levers 30a and 32a are pivotally connected to the side walls 22 and 24 by their ends facing away from the knee joints 30c and 32c, respectively, via swivel joints 34; the toggle levers 30b and 32b are each pivotally connected to the base module 18 via swivel joints 36. The pivoting planes of the toggle lever assemblies 30, 32 lie essentially in the plane of the associated side walls 22 and 24. The toggle levers 30b and 32b are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner via a connecting linkage 38, so that the two toggle lever arrangements 30 and 32 are positively coupled.

The toggle levers 30a and 32a are each provided with a lever section 30d and 32d, which is extended beyond the knee joint 30c and 32c and via which the toggle lever arrangements can be actuated. Stop pins 40 are arranged at the ends of the lever sections 30d and 32d, which come into contact with the toggle levers 30b and 32b when the pivoting position corresponds to the inoperative position of the writing module 16 after passing the dead center position and thus limit the movement of the toggle lever arrangement.

On the base module 18 and on the write module 16, contact surfaces 42 and 44 are formed, which come into mutual contact in the operating position of the write module 16. In Fig. 1 only a pair of contact surfaces is shown; however, it goes without saying that several pairs of contact surfaces can be provided.

Between the base module 18 and the writing module 16, spring means 46 are arranged, which load the writing module in the direction of its inoperative position. After releasing the dead center lock of the toggle lever arrangements 30, 32, the writing module 16 automatically swivels into its inoperative position.

The writing module 16 is covered by a hood 48 which is attached to it and is pivoted together with it.

2 shows the side wall 22 of the writing module 16 in various phases of its adjustment. 2a, the side wall 22 is in a position corresponding to the operating position of the writing module 16, the contact surfaces 42, 44 lying one on top of the other. The lever section 30d is pivoted all the way up, so that the knee joint 30c has exceeded the top dead center position, ie in FIG. 2a it is to the right of the connecting line between the joint 36 and the joint 34. To unlock the toggle lever arrangement 30, the lever section 30d is shifted to the left, the knee joint 30c in FIG. 2b moving to the left beyond the dead center position determined by the connecting line between the joints 36 and 34. When the lever section 30d is pivoted further in the counterclockwise direction according to FIG. 2c, the side wall 22 and thus the writing module 16 is pivoted upward, the contact surfaces 42 and 44 lifting apart from one another. 2d shows the toggle lever arrangement 30 in a pivoted position in which the knee joint 30c has exceeded its lower dead center position, again determined by the connecting line between the joints 36 and 34, to the right. The stop pin 40 comes into contact with the lower toggle lever 30b, so that the pivoting end position of the toggle lever arrangement 30 is thus fixed.

Fig. 3 shows a special arrangement as it should be used for passbook printers. The writing instrument 102 as a whole is mounted in the housing 105 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 103 between the working position shown in FIG. 3 and the service position shown in FIG. 4. On the front of the housing 107 there is a door, not shown, which in an open position opens an opening through which the writing instrument can be pivoted out and is accessible for service work.

5 and 6, a writing instrument 102 according to FIGS. 3 and 4 is shown in an enlarged view. Similar to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it includes a write module 116 and a base module 118. A write head 112 is arranged on the write module 116 along a guide rail 114 so as to be displaceable in the row direction. The write head 112, the guide rail 114 and further components (not shown) for operating and driving the write head 112 together form the write head arrangement 110.

A write abutment 108 which interacts with the write head 112 is arranged on the base module 118.

The writing module 116 can be pivoted about a pivot axis 120 between the operating position shown in FIG. 5 and the non-operating position shown in FIG. 6. In the inoperative position, the entire write head arrangement 110 is lifted off the write abutment 108 to such an extent that the write head arrangement 110, the write abutment 108 and possibly other components arranged in the write module or basic module are easily accessible.

The exact operating position of the writing module 116 is ensured by position-adjustable stops 109, against the circumferential surface of which the writing module 116 rests in the operating position with an edge 111 serving as a contact surface.

The writing module 116 again has two side walls 122, 124, of which only the side wall 122 is visible in FIGS. 5 and 6.

A pivot actuation lever arrangement 128 is arranged between the writing module 116 and the base module 118, which in turn comprises two toggle lever arrangements which are parallel to one another and act on the side walls 122 and 124; only the toggle lever arrangement 130 visible in FIGS. 5 and 6 is described below. It comprises two toggle levers 130a and 130b which are pivotally connected to one another via a knee joint 130c. The toggle lever 130a is pivotally connected to the side wall 122 of the writing module 116 via a swivel joint 134. The toggle lever 130b is connected via a swivel joint 136 to a side wall 115 of the Base module 118 pivotally connected. The toggle lever arrangement 130 functions as follows: In the pivoted position shown in FIG. 5, the knee joint 130c is in an end position pivoted clockwise beyond the dead center position, which is defined by the connecting line between the joints 134 and 136. The position of the toggle lever 130b is locked by a locking pin 113 arranged thereon, which engages in a locking recess 117 formed in the side wall 115 of the base module.

As shown in FIG. 7 in particular, the locking pin 113 is connected to an operating handle 119 arranged on the toggle lever 130b; The actuating handle 119 can be shifted to the right in FIG. 7 against the force of a spring in a manner known per se, as a result of which the locking pin 113 is pulled out of the locking recess 117.

To unlock the writing module 116, the locking pin 113 is pulled out of the locking recess 117 and the toggle lever 130b in FIG. 5 is pivoted counterclockwise, the knee joint 130c moving about the axis of the swivel joint 136 into the position shown in FIG. 6, thereby the toggle lever 130a shifted to the right and the writing module 116 pivoted clockwise. Here too, the knee joint 130c again exceeds a dead center position defined by the connecting line between the joints 134 and 136, so that the writing module 116 is fixed in its inoperative position.

A locking stop 123 is arranged on an outer wall 121 of the housing 105 and, when the writing instrument 102 assumes the working position shown in FIG. 3, is opposite the actuating handle 119. This Locking stop 123 prevents the operating handle 119 from being displaced so far to the right (in FIG. 7) that the locking pin 113 is pulled out of the locking recess 117. In this way it is prevented that the writing module 116 can be adjusted into its inoperative position shown in FIG. 6 when the device 102 is in the working position.

As shown in FIG. 7, the swivel joint 136 for the toggle lever 130b is formed by a connecting linkage 138 which is mounted in the side wall 115 and via which the toggle lever arrangement 130 is coupled to the same toggle lever arrangement, not shown, which engages on a second side wall 124 of the writing module 116, as has already been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. A link plate 139 is arranged on the connecting link 138 in a rotationally fixed manner, in which a link 141 concentric with the connecting link 138 is formed. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 7, a pin-like sliding block 145 is arranged on a web wall 143 fixedly connected to the housing 105 and is intended for engaging in the sliding block 141. As shown in FIG. 3, the sliding block 145 is positioned in the housing 105 such that when the writing instrument 102 is pivoted into the service position shown in FIG. 4, it faces the inlet side 147 of the sliding block 141 (see also FIG. 5). When the toggle lever 130b is pivoted counterclockwise, the sliding block 145 is captured by the sliding block 141, as shown in FIG. 6. Since the sliding block 145 is firmly connected to the housing 105, but the sliding plate 139 is arranged on the base module 118, pivoting of the writing instrument 102 back into the working position is prevented in the configuration shown in FIG. 6 until the writing module 116 is in its position again Operating position has been reset and the sliding block 145 has been released again from the sliding block 141.

8, the link plate 139 is again shown enlarged in a plan view. The link plate 139 is non-rotatably attached to the connecting rod 138 rotatably mounted in the side wall 115. The sliding block 145 is received with little play from the sliding block 141, which is concentric with the linkage 138.

Claims (14)

1. Writing device having a first housing part (18) and a second housing part (16) arranged thereon that can be moved between an operating position and a non-operating position, and having a means (28) for moving the second housing part (16), in which, in one of the housing parts, a write head arrangement is provided, which in the operating position of the housing parts assumes an exactly aligned writing position with respect to a platen arranged in the other housing part, and which is raised therefrom in the non-operating position thereof, characterised in that the means (28) for moving the second housing part (16) comprises a manually operable adjusting lever arrangement (28), which can be locked at least in a position that corresponds to the non-operating position of the second housing part (16).
2. Writing device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the adjusting lever arrangement (28) comprises at least one elbow lever arrangement (30, 32) which passes through a dead-centre position at least during the movement into an end position that corresponds to the non-operating position of the second housing part (16) and is defined by stop means.
3. Writing device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the elbow lever arrangement (30, 32) is designed in such a way that it also passes through a dead-centre position during the movement into an end position corresponding to the operating position of the second housing part (16).
4. Writing device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a housing part (16) is arranged so as to be pivotable on the other housing part (18).
5. Writing device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that there are formed on one housing part (16) contact surfaces (44) which in the operating position lie against contact surfaces (42) formed on the other housing part (18).
6. Writing device according to one of Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the contact surfaces are formed by position-adjustable stops (109).
7. Writing device according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that spring means (46) loading the second housing part (16) in the direction of its non-operating position are arranged between the housing parts (16, 18).
8. Writing device according to one of Claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the pivotable housing part (16) has two parallel side walls (22, 24) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (20), in that an elbow lever arrangement (30, 32) engages on each side wall (22, 24), and in that at least two elbow levers (30b, 32b), corresponding to one another in each case, of each elbow lever arrangement (30, 32) are connected to one another by means of a transmission rod (38).
9. Writing device according to Claim 8, characterised in that in each case one elbow lever (30a; 32a; 130b) of each elbow lever arrangement has a lever section (30d; 32d; 132d) extended beyond the elbow (30c; 32c; 130c), and in that an actuating handle (119) is arranged on the extended lever section (132d) of at least one elbow lever (130b).
10. Writing device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the writing device (102) as a whole is arranged in a housing (105) in such a way as to be movable between an operating position and a service position, and in that first locking means (139, 141, 145) are provided which in the non-operating position of the housing parts (116, 118) block a movement of the writing device (102) out of its service position into the operating position.
11. Writing device according to Claim 10, characterised in that second locking means (113, 117, 119, 123) are provided which in the operating position of the writing device (102) block a movement of the pivotable housing part (116) out of its operating position into the non-operating position.
12. Writing device according to Claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the first locking means comprises a grooved disc (139) connected to one elbow lever (130b) and having a circular groove (141) coaxial with the pivot bearing (136) of the elbow lever (130b), as well as a link block (145) arranged on one wall (143) of the housing (105) accommodating the writing device (102), in which, in the service position of the writing device (102), the link block (145) lies opposite an entry end (147) of the groove (141) in engaged position.
13. Writing device according to Claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the second locking means comprises a plunger pin (113) which can be moved on at least one elbow lever (130b) of an elbow lever arrangement (130), and in the operating position of the movable housing part (116) can engage in a stop recess (117) formed in one wall (115) of the other housing part (118), as well as a locking stop (123) arranged on one wall (121) of the housing (105) accommodating the writing unit (102), which locking stop prevents a disengaging movement of the plunger pin (113) in the operating position of the writing device (102).
14. Writing device according to Claim 13, characterised in that the plunger pin (113) is arranged on the actuating handle (119) for the swivel actuation of the associated elbow lever arrangement (130).

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