JP2015208977A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an operability of a guide member for guiding a printing medium of a printer.SOLUTION: In a printer, an operation part 7d for performing lock and lock release of a guide plate 7a is provided on the guide plate 7a which guides a label continuous body. The operation part 7d includes a slider part SA and a coil spring CB. The operation part 7d is further raised and fixed by an energization force of the coil spring CB by picking up and lifting the operation part 7d to a lock releasing position of the guide plate 7a. As a result of this, a tip part 40f of the operation part 7d is set to a height suitable for operation, namely, a projection length of the operation part 7d projecting from the outer edge of the guide plate 7a is set to a second projection length longer than a first projection length in the case of that the guide plate 7a of the operation part 7d is in the lock releasing position of the guide plate 7a. Consequently, an operability of the guide plate 7a by the operation part can be improved.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer and, for example, to a label printer that prints desired information such as characters, symbols, figures, or barcodes on a label temporarily attached to a mount of a label continuum.

  The label printer, for example, feeds the continuous label body into a sheet by rotating the platen roller in a state where one end in the longitudinal direction of the continuous label body wound in a roll is sandwiched between the thermal head and the platen roller. This is a printer dedicated to label printing, which prints desired information on each of a plurality of labels temporarily attached to a long continuous sheet of a label continuous body during conveyance.

  In this label printer, an accommodation space for accommodating a roll-shaped continuous label is formed. In this accommodation space, a guide plate that contacts the end surface in the width direction of the roll-shaped label continuous body and guides the roll-shaped label continuous body is installed in a movable state along the width direction of the label continuous body. Yes.

  The guide configuration of this roll-shaped label continuous body is described in, for example, Patent Document 1, and a paper guide for guiding the roll paper is provided in an accommodation space for accommodating the roll paper, and an operation unit for fixing the paper guide. Is provided on the bottom side of the roll paper storage space.

JP 2008-12829 A

  However, in Patent Document 1 in which the operation unit for fixing the paper guide is disposed on the bottom surface side of the storage space, when the roll-shaped label continuous body is stored in the storage space, the operation unit for fixing the paper guide is roll-shaped. The paper guide cannot be locked or unlocked after setting the label continuous, and it is difficult to adjust the position of the paper guide according to the width of the label continuous. There is a problem.

  The present invention has been made from the above technical background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the operability of a guide member for guiding a print medium in a printer.

In order to solve the above problems, a printer according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a housing having an opening formed on one surface thereof, a print medium housing portion that houses a print medium in the opening of the housing, An opening / closing cover portion pivotally supported by the casing so as to open and close the printing medium accommodating section, a conveying roller for conveying the printing medium, and an opening of the casing so as to face the conveying roller. Provided on the end surface of the print medium in the axial direction of the transport roller, and provided in a state of being movable along the axial direction of the transport roller in the print medium storage unit. A guide member that abuts and guides the print medium; and an operation unit that is provided on the guide member and sets the guide member to a locked state and an unlocked state. A movable member provided so as to be movable in a locking direction in which the member is locked and a unlocking direction in which the locked state is released; and after the moving member is moved to the unlocking position of the guide member, the opening / closing Fixing means for fixing the protruding length of the moving member protruding from the outer edge of the guide member on the cover side to a second protruding length longer than the first protruding length of the moving member at the unlocking position of the guide member. And.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first aspect, the second projecting length of the moving member is set to a length capable of visually recognizing the unlocked state of the guide member. It is characterized by being.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first or second aspect, the second projecting length of the moving member is such that when the opening / closing cover portion is closed, the moving member is moved to the opening / closing cover portion. The guide member is pushed in the locking direction to set the guide member in a locked state, and the opening / closing cover portion is set to a length that can be closed.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first, second, or third aspect, the fixing means moves the moving member to a position where the protruding length of the moving member becomes the second protruding length. It has the elastic member to move, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
The printer according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the printer according to the first, second, or third aspect, wherein the fixing means moves the moving member to a position where the protruding length of the moving member becomes the second protruding length. It has the fixing | fixed part fixed, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
A printer according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the printer according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the moving member is provided with a state display portion that indicates at least the unlocked state of the guide member. Features.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the protruding portion of the moving member set to the second protruding length can be picked and the position of the guide member can be easily adjusted according to the width of the print medium. It becomes possible to improve the operability.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily determine whether the guide member is in the locked state or the unlocked state by visually observing the moving member set to the second protrusion length. It is possible to improve the operability when the printer is accommodated in the printer.
According to the third aspect of the invention, since the guide member can be locked when the open / close cover portion is closed, it is possible to improve the operability when the print medium is accommodated in the printer.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, when the guide member is unlocked, the elastic member can set the protruding length of the moving member to the second protruding length, so that the operability of the operating portion can be improved. It becomes possible.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the operability of the guide member can be improved with a simple structure.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily determine that the guide member is at least in the unlocked state, so that it is possible to improve the operability when the print medium is accommodated in the printer.

(A) is a whole perspective view of the normal issue state of the printer concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a whole perspective view of the exfoliation issue state of the printer of Drawing 1 (a). It is a whole perspective view which shows the external appearance of the printer of FIG. 1, and a label continuous body in the open state of an opening-and-closing cover part. It is a principal part perspective view of the opening-and-closing cover part of the printer of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the peeling unit of the printer of FIG. 2 and its surroundings. It is a principal part side view of the peeling unit of FIG. (A) is a schematic block diagram of the printer at the time of normal issuance in FIG. 1 (a), and (b) is a schematic block diagram of the printer at the time of issuance of peeling in FIG. 1 (b). 6A is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a state in which a continuous label body is set in a paper storage unit in the printer at the time of normal issuance in FIG. 6A, and FIG. 6B is at the printer at the time of issuance of peeling in FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a state in which a label continuum is set in a paper storage unit. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a paper guide mechanism that constitutes the printer of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a side surface in the unlocked state of one guide plate and the operation unit constituting the paper guide mechanism unit of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the guide plate and the operation unit in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view in a locked state of one guide plate and an operation unit constituting the paper guide mechanism unit of FIG. 8. It is a side view at the time of seeing the housing | casing of a printer and the guide plate accommodated in the housing | casing from the back surface side of the guide plate of the state of FIG. FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of one guide plate constituting the paper guide mechanism unit of FIG. 8 and an operation unit set to a second protruding length. It is a side view at the time of seeing the housing | casing of a printer and the guide plate accommodated in the housing | casing from the back surface side of the guide plate of the state of FIG. (A) is a side view of the opening / closing cover part and the guide plate when closed, and (b) is a side view of the opening / closing cover part and the guide plate in the state of FIG. FIG. 8A is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the engaging portion between the operation portion and the bottom surface of the main body case when the guide plate is locked in FIG. 8, and FIG. 8B is an operation portion and the main body when the guide plate is unlocked in FIG. It is a principal part expansion perspective view of the joint part with the bottom face of a case. (A) is the principal part schematic block diagram which looked at the printer at the time of closing of an opening-and-closing cover part from the side surface side, (b) is the principal part schematic block diagram which looked at the printer of Fig.17 (a) from the front side. It is a principal part schematic block diagram which looked at the printer at the time of opening of an opening-and-closing cover part from the side surface side. It is the principal part schematic block diagram which looked at the printer of FIG. 18 from the front side. (A) is the principal part schematic block diagram which looked at the printer in the process following FIG. 19 from the front side, (b) is the principal part schematic block diagram which looked at the printer in the process following FIG. 20 (a) from the front side. It is. FIG. 20A is a schematic configuration diagram of the main part of the printer in the process following FIG. 20B viewed from the front side, and FIG. 21B is the main part of the printer in the process subsequent to FIG. It is a schematic block diagram. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a side surface in a unlocked state of one guide plate and an operation unit of a paper guide mechanism unit constituting a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of the guide plate and operation unit of FIG. 22. FIG. 23 is an enlarged side view of the guide plate and the operation unit in FIG. 22 in a locked state. FIG. 23 is an enlarged side view of the guide plate of FIG. 22 and the operation unit set to the second protruding length.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment as an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that components having the same function are denoted by the same reference symbols throughout the drawings for describing the embodiment, and the repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

  In addition, normal issuance means that when a continuous label (label with mount) is used as a continuous label, a plurality of labels are temporarily attached to a long strip of mount, and the label is not peeled off from the mount. Is a method of issuing from a printer while being affixed to the sheet, and peeling issuance is a method of releasing a label from the mount sheet one by one and issuing from the printer. When using a label continuum that is not temporarily attached to a label, such as a continuous label having an adhesive surface on one side (label without mount) or a continuous sheet having no adhesive surface (continuous sheet) Normal issuance applies.

  (First embodiment)

  1A is an overall perspective view of the printer according to the present embodiment in a normal issue state, FIG. 1B is an overall perspective view of the printer shown in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing the external appearance of the printer of FIG. 1 and the label continuum in the opened state, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main part of the opening / closing cover part of the printer of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part of the peeling unit of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 according to the present embodiment is a portable label printer formed in, for example, a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape, and includes a main body case (housing) 2, an opening / closing cover portion 3, and a peeling The unit 4 and the front cover unit 5 are provided, and a single-unit configuration that can switch between normal issue and peeling issue is provided. The printer 1 can be used with the issue port side facing up (sideways), but a belt hook (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the printer 1 is used as an operator's belt. It can also be used in a state in which the issue port side is directed sideways (vertically placed) by hooking or by attaching a shoulder belt (not shown) to the shoulder of the operator.

  The main body case 2 is a housing that forms a part of the outer shape of the printer 1, and an opening 2a is formed on one surface thereof as shown in FIG. A paper storage portion (print medium storage portion) 6 is provided in the opening 2a. The paper storage unit 6 is a region for storing a roll-shaped continuous label (printing medium) P, and a pair of guide plates (guide members) 7a of the paper guide mechanism unit 7 are installed therein. The paper guide mechanism unit 7 is a mechanism unit that supports and guides the label continuous body P according to its width. The paper guide mechanism unit 7 will be described later. In FIG. 2, only one of the pair of guide plates 7a is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the label continuum P includes, for example, a long mount PM and a plurality of labels PL temporarily attached at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction. And is accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion 6 while being wound in a roll shape. The label affixing surface of the mount PM is coated with a release agent such as silicone so that the label PL can be easily peeled off. In addition, position detection marks (not shown) that indicate the positions of the labels PL are formed at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction on the back surface of the label application surface of the mount PM. On the surface (printing surface) of the label PL, there is formed a thermosensitive coloring layer that develops a specific color (black, red, etc.) when reaching a predetermined temperature range.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery cover 8 is pivotally supported on one side surface of the main body case 2 in a state where the battery cover 8 can be opened and closed. The battery cover portion 8 is an open / close cover for a battery housing portion (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3) which will be described later.

  The open / close cover portion 3 is an open / close cover for the paper storage portion 6, and is movable in a direction in which one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the open / close cover portion 3 (the longitudinal center side of the main body case 2) is separated from and close to the main case 2. As described above, the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing cover portion 3 is pivotally supported by one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body case 2 by a hinge or the like. The opening / closing cover 3 is opened by a torsion spring (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3) disposed on the other end in the longitudinal direction (the longitudinal end of the opening / closing cover 3 is at the body case 2). In a direction away from the head).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of unit pressing portions 3 a and 3 a are formed at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing cover portion 3. The pair of unit pressing portions 3a, 3a are portions that hold the peeling unit 4 so as to be fixed at the peeling issuing position when the opening / closing cover portion 3 is closed at the time of peeling issuance. It is formed on both ends of the cover portion 3 in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a platen roller (conveying roller) 10 is pivotally supported at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing cover portion 3 so as to be rotatable in forward and reverse directions. The platen roller 10 is a conveying unit that conveys the label continuous body P, and is installed in a state of extending along the width direction of the label continuous body P.

  A gear 10 b is connected to one end of the platen shaft 10 a of the platen roller 10. The gear 10b is engaged with a gear or the like (not shown) installed in the opening 2a when the opening / closing cover 3 is closed, and mechanically connected to a stepping motor (not shown) for driving the roller via the gear or the like. To be connected to.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a peeling pin 11 is installed along the platen roller 10 in the vicinity of the platen roller 10 at one end in the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing cover 3. The peeling pin 11 is a peeling member that peels the label PL from the mount PM, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are pivotally supported by the opening / closing cover portion 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, sensors 12 (12 a, 12 b) are installed on a surface portion of the opening / closing cover 3 that faces the sheet passing route when the opening / closing cover 3 is closed at one end in the longitudinal direction. ing. The sensor 12a is, for example, a sensor that detects the position of the label PL (the position detection mark of the mount PM, the mount PM portion between adjacent labels PL, etc.), and is configured by a reflective optical sensor or the like. On the other hand, the sensor 12b is, for example, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the label continuum P, and includes a transmissive optical sensor or the like.

  The peeling unit 4 has a function of separating the transport path between the mount PM and the label PL by peeling off the label PL from the mount PM at the time of release issuance. The printer 1 is installed in a state where it can be moved to a peeling issue position outside the printer 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the peeling unit 4 includes a nip roller 4a, a shaft portion 4b, a pair of support portions 4c and 4c, a pair of leaf springs 4da, and screws 4e.

  The nip roller 4 a is a member that is disposed so as to face the platen roller 10 at the time of release issuance, and sandwiches and conveys the mount PM inserted between the nip roller 4 a and the platen roller 10 between the nip roller 4 a and the platen roller 10.

  The nip roller 4a is formed of, for example, an elastic member such as rubber. The nip roller 4a is pivotally supported by a shaft portion 4b sandwiched between one end side in the longitudinal direction of the pair of support portions 4c and 4c. Has been. Further, the nip roller 4a is formed such that its axial length is shorter than the entire length of the shaft portion 4b, and is partially disposed in the center of the shaft portion 4b in the axial direction. The nip roller 4a is configured to rotate following the rotation of the platen roller 10 by being pushed toward the platen roller 10 via the label continuum P at the time of release.

  The pair of support portions 4c and 4c are members that support the nip roller 4a and the shaft portion 4b. A flange portion 4 cp extending outward from the side surface of each support portion 4 c, 4 c is formed on the upper portion of each support portion 4 c, 4 c on one end side in the longitudinal direction. Further, a guide rail hole 4ch is formed on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of each support portion 4c, 4c. The guide rail hole 4ch is a hole that guides the movement of the peeling unit 4 and restricts the movement, and is formed in a long hole shape along the longitudinal direction of the support portion 4c.

  The pair of leaf springs 4da, 4da is an elastic structure that biases the nip roller 4a toward the platen roller 10 by contacting the pressing portion 3a of the opening / closing cover 3 when the opening / closing cover 3 is closed at the time of release. . Each leaf spring 4da is fixed to one end side in the longitudinal direction of the support portion 4c (the side where the nip roller 4a is located) on the outer side surface of each support portion 4c, 4c, and from the other end side in the longitudinal direction (guide rail hole 4ch) It extends in a curved shape toward the side with no contact, and is in a floating state at the terminal end.

  Here, when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed, the unit pressing portion 3a of the open / close cover portion 3 is disposed in the gap between the flange portion 4cp of the peeling unit 4 and the leaf spring 4da and is in contact with the leaf spring 4da. 4 is to be pressed. Accordingly, the peeling unit 4 is fixed at the peeling issuing position, and the nip roller 4a of the peeling unit 4 is urged toward the platen roller 10 side. Therefore, the nip roller 4a of the peeling unit 4 can be urged to the platen roller 10 in a stable and stable state when the peeling is issued.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front cover portion 5 is fixed to the main body case 2 so as to cover the opposite side of the opening / closing cover portion 3 and the vicinity of both side surfaces of the main body case 2 in the opening 2 a of the main body case 2. Yes. The front cover portion 5 includes a display portion 15, operation buttons 16 a and 16 b, a power button 17, a cover open button 18, a pair of release lever portions 19 and 19, and a cutter 20.

  The display unit 15 is a screen that displays operation commands, messages, and the like, and includes, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The operation buttons 16a and 16b are buttons for operating the operation and setting of the printer 1, and the power button 17 is a button for turning on / off the power of the printer 1.

  The cover open button 18 is a button for opening the opening / closing cover part 3. The release lever portions 19 and 19 are members that hold the peeling unit 4 in the normal issue position, and the holding state of the peeling unit 4 can be released by moving them in a direction approaching each other.

  The cutter 20 is a member that cuts the mount PM of the label continuum P after the normal issuance. The front cover 5 has a front end opposite to the opening / closing cover 3 and a short direction of the printer 1 (the axial direction of the platen roller 10). ) Are installed in a state extending from one end to the other. An issue port is formed between the opening / closing cover part 3 and the front cover part 5.

  Next, the internal structure of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6A is a schematic configuration diagram of the printer at the time of normal issuance in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 6B is a schematic configuration diagram of the printer at the time of issuance of peeling in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a printing main body 26 is installed in the opening 2 a of the main body case 2 so as to be adjacent to the paper storage unit 6. The printing body 26 is a functional unit for printing on the label PL of the label continuum P, and includes a head bracket 27, a thermal head (printing unit) 28, a coil spring 29, a peeling unit 4, and a battery housing unit. 33.

  The head bracket 27 is a member that holds the open / close cover portion 3 in a closed state, and is installed in a swingable state opposite to the platen roller 10 when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed. The opening / closing cover portion 3 is held by the head bracket 27 by fitting the platen shaft 10 a of the platen roller 10 into a groove formed in the head bracket 27.

  The head bracket 27 is integrally formed with a pressing portion 27a. The pressing portion 27a is arranged at a position (directly below) facing the cover open button 18. When the cover open button 18 is pressed, the pressing portion 27a is also pressed, and the holding state of the opening / closing cover portion 3 by the head bracket 27 is released. It has come to be. When the holding state of the opening / closing cover 3 is released, the opening / closing cover 3 is automatically opened by the urging force of the torsion spring 35 disposed on the other end in the longitudinal direction.

  The thermal head 28 is a printing unit that prints information such as characters, symbols, figures, or barcodes on the label PL. For example, the thermal head 28 faces the platen roller 10 when the opening / closing cover 3 is closed. The print surface is mounted on the head bracket 27 via the circuit board 36 in a state where the print surface faces the paper route. On the printing surface of the thermal head 28, a plurality of heating resistors (heating elements) that generate heat when energized are arranged side by side along the width direction of the label continuum P (short direction of the mount PM). The circuit board 36 is a wiring board that transmits a print signal to the thermal head 28.

  The coil spring 29 is a member that urges the head bracket 27 and the thermal head 28 toward the platen roller 10 when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed, and is installed on the back side of the head bracket 27 (the back side of the mounting surface of the circuit board 36). ing. Since the head bracket 27 is pushed toward the platen roller 10 by the urging force of the coil spring 29, the platen shaft 10a fitted in the groove of the head bracket 27 is also pushed, and the holding state of the opening / closing cover portion 3 by the head bracket 27 is maintained. Has been.

  Next, normal issue and release issue of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7A is a schematic configuration diagram showing a state in which the continuous label body is set in the paper storage unit 6 in the printer at the normal issuance time in FIG. 6A, and FIG. 7B is a peeling view of FIG. 6B. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a state in which a continuous label body is set in a paper storage unit 6 in a printer at the time of issuance.

  In both the normal issue and the release issue, in the printing process, the platen roller 10 is rotated in a state where the label continuous body P fed from the paper storage unit 6 is sandwiched between the thermal head 28 and the platen roller 10. Thus, the label continuous body P is conveyed. During this conveyance, the print timing is determined based on the information detected by the sensor 12, and the heating resistor of the thermal head 28 is selectively heated by the print signal transmitted to the thermal head 28, so that the label of the label continuum P Desired information is printed on the PL.

  Here, in the case of normal issuance, as shown in FIG. 7A, the peeling unit 4 is disposed in the normal issuance position inside the printer 1 (below the cutter 20). The printed label PL is discharged without being peeled off from the mount PM. In the case of normal issuance, a mount PM on which the required number of labels PL is pasted can be created and the label PL can be peeled off and pasted from the mount PM on site, so the object to which the label PL is pasted is from the printer 1. Suitable for remote locations.

  On the other hand, in the case of peeling issuance, as shown in FIG. 7B, the peeling unit 4 is disposed at the peeling issuing position, and the mount PM is transferred to the nip roller 4a and the platen roller 10 of the peeling unit 4 via the peeling pin 11. It is set in a state of being sandwiched between. As a result, when the platen roller 10 is rotated for printing and the continuous label P is conveyed, the mount PM is conveyed while being sandwiched between the nip roller 4a and the platen roller 10, while the printed label PL is one sheet. Every time it is peeled off from the mount PM, it is discharged out of the machine. In the case of peeling issuance, the labels PL are discharged one by one, which is suitable when the object to which the label PL is attached is near the operator.

  In the printer 1 of the present embodiment, since normal issue and peeling issue can be switched, it is possible to deal with two situations, when the object to which the label PL is attached is close to the printer 1 and when it is far from the printer 1, Convenient and economical.

  Next, the paper guide mechanism unit 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 is a perspective view of a paper guide mechanism part constituting the printer of FIG. 1, FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a side surface in a locked state of one guide plate and operation part constituting the paper guide mechanism part of FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the guide plate and the operation unit of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is an enlarged side view of one guide plate and the operation unit constituting the paper guide mechanism unit of FIG. 8, and FIG. FIG. 13 is a side view of the guide plate housed therein viewed from the back side of the guide plate in the state of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 shows one guide plate and the second protrusion constituting the paper guide mechanism portion of FIG. FIG. 14 is a side view of the main body case of the printer and the guide plate accommodated therein as viewed from the back side of the guide plate in the state shown in FIG. (A) When the open / close cover is closed FIG. 15B is a side view of the guide plate, FIG. 15B is a side view of the opening / closing cover portion and the guide plate in the state of FIG. 15A viewed from the opposite side of FIG. 15A, and FIG. FIG. 16B is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion of the engaging portion between the operation portion and the bottom surface of the main body case when the guide plate is locked, and FIG. It is a principal part expansion perspective view of this engaging part.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the paper guide mechanism unit 7 includes a pair of guide plates 7a and 7a, a pair of leg portions 7b and 7b, a slide mechanism unit 7c, and an operation unit 7d. In FIG. 8, only one leg 7b is shown.

  The pair of guide plates 7a, 7a support the roll-shaped label continuous body P in a rotatable state in contact with both end surfaces of the roll-shaped label continuous body P in the width direction (short direction of the label continuous body P). The label continuum P is a member that guides the label continuum P, and is arranged in such a manner that it can move in the direction of approaching and separating from each other with the surfaces contacting the both end faces in the width direction of the label continuum P facing each other. Each guide plate 7a, 7a is formed, for example, in a substantially circular plane shape, and leg portions 7b, 7b are integrally formed in the lower part (the bottom surface side of the sheet storage portion 6 in each guide plate 7a, 7a). Has been.

  The slide mechanism portion 7c is a mechanism portion for moving the pair of guide plates 7a, 7a in a direction to approach and separate from each other, and includes a pair of rack portions 7cr, a pinion portion 7cp, and a slide bar 7cb.

  The pair of rack portions 7cr extend from the respective leg portions 7b and 7b toward the guide plates 7a and 7a facing each other, and are installed in a state where the pinion portion 7cp is sandwiched therebetween. A plurality of teeth are formed along the sides of the opposite sides of the rack portions 7cr and 7cr. The lower portions of the leg portions 7b and 7b and the rack portions 7cr and 7cr (portions on the bottom surface side of the sheet storage portion 6) are grooves formed so as to extend in the width direction of the label continuous body P on the bottom surface of the main body case 2. (Not shown) is slidably fitted.

  The pinion portion 7cp is pivotally supported on the bottom surface of the main body case 2 in a freely rotatable state, and a plurality of teeth are formed on the outer periphery thereof. The pinion portion 7cp is engaged with the two rack portions 7cr and 7cr by engaging the teeth on the outer periphery with a plurality of teeth of the rack portions 7cr and 7cr. Accordingly, when one guide plate 7a is moved in the width direction of the label continuous body P, one rack portion 7cr connected thereto is also moved in the same direction, so that the pinion portion 7cp engaged with the rack portion 7cr As a result of the rotation, the other rack portion 7cr engaged with the pinion portion 7cp moves, and the other guide plate 7a connected to the other rack portion 7cr is moved with respect to the moving direction of the one guide plate 7a. It can be moved in the opposite direction.

  With such a configuration of the rack portion 7cr and the pinion portion 7cp, the pair of guide plates 7a, 7a can be changed in position according to the width of the label continuous body P (the length in the short direction of the label continuous body P). In addition, it is possible to move in the direction of approaching and separating from each other along the width direction of the label continuum P. As a result, the label continuum P can be held at an appropriate position according to its size (width), so that the label continuum P can be transported while being regulated in a correct posture.

  The slide bar 7cb is a member that guides the movement of the pair of guide plates 7a, 7a in the approaching / separating direction, and along the movement direction of the guide plate 7a (the width direction of the label continuous body P) on the bottom surface side of the main body case 2. Extending through the legs 7b, 7b of the guide plates 7a, 7a and fixed to the main body case 2. Thereby, it is possible to move the pair of guide plates 7a and 7a in a stable state.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 15, the operation unit 7 d is an operation unit that sets the guide plate 7 a to a locked (fixed) state and an unlocked state. It is installed on the printing main body 26 side (the leg 7b side) on the side of the guide plate 7a facing the inner side.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, 13, and 15, the operation portion 7 d includes a slider portion (moving member) SA and a coil spring (elastic member) CB. In FIG. 11, FIG. 13, and FIG. 15, the inside of the operation unit 7d is shown through to make it easy to see the state of the coil spring CB.

  The slider portion SA is a main body portion that sets the guide plate 7a in the locked (fixed) state and the unlocked state by moving in the locking direction A1 (see FIG. 11) and the unlocking direction B1 (see FIG. 13). Here, the lock direction A1 is a direction in which the bottom surface of the slider part SA (the surface facing the bottom surface of the main body case 2) approaches the bottom surface of the main body case 2 (downward direction in FIGS. 8 to 15). B1 is a direction in which the bottom surface of the slider portion SA is separated from the bottom surface of the main body case 2 (upward direction in FIGS. 8 to 15).

  The slider portion SA is formed of, for example, a rectangular thin plate that is elongated from the bottom surface of the main body case 2 of the printer 1 toward the opening / closing cover portion 3 side, and includes protrusions 40a to 40d, a frame body portion 40e, The front end portion 40f is integrally provided.

  The protruding portions 40a to 40d are formed in a state of protruding in the direction intersecting with the two long sides of each of the two long sides of the slider portion SA. The slider portion SA is movable in the locking direction A1 and the unlocking direction B1 by fitting the protruding portions 40a to 40d into the recesses of the supporting portions 41a to 41d formed on the side surface of the guide plate 7a. It is supported by.

  In the frame of the frame body portion 40e of the slider portion SA, as shown in FIGS. 10, 11, 13, and 15A, the fixed protrusion 42a is fixed to the outer side surface of the guide plate 7a. It is installed at. The fixed protrusion 42a is a protrusion that separates the locked state and the unlocked state of the guide plate 7a, and is formed in a protruding shape in the width direction (short direction) of the slider portion SA and toward the slide bar 7cb. Has been.

  Further, in the frame of the frame body portion 40e, a leaf spring portion 40g and a movable projection portion 40h made of a frame-like elastic member are installed on the opposite side of the fixed projection portion 42a. The movable protrusion 40h protrudes from the longitudinal center of the leaf spring part 40g toward the fixed protrusion 42a, and is installed so as to mesh with the fixed protrusion 42a when the guide plate 7a is locked. When the movable protrusion 40h is positioned on the bottom surface side of the main body case 2 with respect to the fixed protrusion 42a, the guide plate 7a is in a locked state, and the movable protrusion 40h is closer to the opening / closing cover part 3 side than the fixed protrusion 42a. When positioned, the guide plate 7a is unlocked.

  The frame body portion 40e, the leaf spring portion 40g, and the movable protrusion 40h are integrally formed of, for example, flexible plastic and move together with the movement of the slider portion SA. When the movable protrusion 40h exceeds the fixed protrusion 42a due to the movement of the slider part SA, the leaf spring 40g is pushed by the fixed protrusion 42a and bends away from the fixed protrusion 42a, but the movable protrusion 40h. After the fixed protrusion 42a is exceeded, the leaf spring 40g returns to its original state. Thus, the guide plate 7a cannot be switched between the locked state and the unlocked state unless a certain amount of force is applied to the slider portion SA.

  Further, the spring support portions 42b and 42c are installed in the frame of the frame body portion 40e in a state of being fixed to the outer side surface of the guide plate 7a. The spring support portions 42b and 42c are integrally formed, for example, so as to form an L shape, and are installed on the distal end portion 40f side with respect to the fixed protrusion 42a. A protrusion 42d is integrally formed on the spring support 42b. On the other hand, the spring support portion 42c extends along the longitudinal direction of the coil spring CB so as to cover the longitudinal side surface of the coil spring CB from one end portion of the spring support portion 42b.

  In the frame body portion 40e, a spring support portion 40i is installed on the opposite side of the spring support portion 42b. The spring support portion 40i is integrally formed with the frame body portion 40e. A coil spring CB is installed between the spring support portion 40i and the spring support portion 42b in a state where the protrusion 42d is inserted into the ring portion.

  The coil spring CB moves the slider part SA from the bottom surface side of the main body case 2 to the opening / closing cover part 3 side by a predetermined length when the slider part SA of the operation part 7d moves to the unlocking position of the guide plate 7a. It is an elastic member to be fixed. The coil spring CB is compressed when the slider portion SA is at the lock position of the guide plate 7a. That is, when the guide plate 7a is locked, the slider portion SA is urged from the bottom surface of the main body case 2 toward the opening / closing cover portion 3 side. For this reason, when the slider portion SA moves to the unlocking position of the guide plate 7a, the compression state of the coil spring CB is released and the coil spring CB extends, so that the slider portion SA locks the guide plate 7a by the urging force of the coil spring CB. It is moved and fixed at a position higher than the height at the release position (the position in the direction away from the bottom surface of the main body case 2 toward the opening / closing cover 3 when closed). As a result, the protruding length of the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA protruding from the outer edge of the guide plate 7a on the open / close cover portion 3 side (hereinafter simply referred to as the protruding length of the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA) is the same as that of the guide plate 7a. The second protrusion length is set to be longer than the first protrusion length of the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA at the unlocking position. That is, when the lock state of the guide plate 7a is released, the protrusion length of the slider portion SA can be automatically set to the relatively long second protrusion length, so that the operability of the operation portion 7d can be improved. it can. Here, the unlocking position of the guide plate 7a is the initial unlocking position of the guide plate 7a, and the slider portion SA at the unlocking position of the guide plate 7a is fixed to the movable protrusion 40h of the slider portion SA. It is the slider part SA at a position moved to the opening / closing cover part 3 side with respect to the fixed protrusion part 42a in a state in contact with the protrusion part 42a.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the second protrusion length (see FIGS. 13 and 14) of the tip portion 40f of the slider portion SA is the protrusion length of the tip portion 40f of the slider portion SA when the guide plate 7a is locked. It is set to be longer than (see FIGS. 11 and 12), and is set to a length that allows the unlocked state of the guide plate 7a to be visually recognized. When the guide plate 7a is in the locked state and in the unlocked state, there is only a slight change so that the movable protrusion 40h exceeds the fixed protrusion 42a. Therefore, the slider when the guide plate 7a is locked and unlocked is changed. Even if the protruding state of the portion SA is visually observed, it may not be possible to determine whether the guide plate 7a is in the locked state or the unlocked state. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as described above, the second protruding length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is set to be longer than the first protruding length. By visually observing the protruding length of the SA tip 40f, it is possible to easily and reliably determine whether the guide plate 7a is in the locked state or the unlocked state. Therefore, the operability when the label continuous body P is accommodated in the printer 1 can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, the second protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is set to a length suitable for the operator to operate. Accordingly, the guide plate 7a can be moved in accordance with the width direction of the label continuum P by grasping the tip 40f of the slider SA with a finger. In particular, the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is located immediately above a moving portion (such as the leg portion 7b) that moves the guide plate 7a in the width direction of the label continuum P. Therefore, a force applied to the slider portion SA is applied. It can be transmitted well to the moving part of the guide plate 7a. For this reason, the guide plate 7a can be moved in a more stable state. Accordingly, the position of the pair of guide plates 7a, 7a can be easily adjusted according to the width of the label continuum P, so that the operability of the position adjustment of the guide plate 7a can be improved.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the second protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is set to a length that automatically locks the guide plate 7a when the opening / closing cover portion 3 is closed. . Thus, when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed, the slider portion SA is pushed down by the open / close cover portion 3 and the movable protrusion 40h moves to the bottom surface side of the main body case 2 from the fixed protrusion 42a. As a result, the guide plate 7a is automatically moved. Can be locked. Therefore, the operability when the label continuous body P is accommodated in the printer 1 can be improved.

  Next, the outer edge of the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is formed in a curved shape so as to follow the inner wall surface of the opening / closing cover portion 3 when the opening / closing cover portion 3 is closed (see FIG. 15 and the like). Further, a handle portion 40j is formed along the curved outer edge on the side surface in the vicinity of the outer edge of the tip portion 40f of the slider portion SA. The grip portion 40j is a portion that becomes a hook when the slider portion SA is lifted by picking the tip portion 40f with a finger when releasing the locked state of the guide plate 7a. Projecting in the thickness direction of the portion 40f.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 14, a mark (state display portion) M is provided on the inner side surface (the surface on the opposite side of the pair of guide plates 7a) of the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA by, for example, an emboss structure. Is formed. The mark M is, for example, a mark indicating that the guide plate 7a is in an unlocked state, and is formed so as to be visible at a portion protruding from the outer edge of the guide plate 7a at the distal end portion 40f. As described above, since the mark M is provided on the slider portion SA, it can be more easily and reliably determined that the guide plate 7a is in the unlocked state. The operability can be improved. Moreover, the durability of the mark M can be improved by using the embossed structure of the mark M.

  For example, the mark M has a hook shape at both ends in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction in FIG. 14). That is, in FIG. 14, the lower end portion in the longitudinal direction of the mark M is formed in an arrow shape that gradually decreases toward the tip (downward), and the upper end portion in the longitudinal direction of the mark M is gradually increased toward the tip (upward). A thin arrow shape is formed.

  When the guide plate 7a is in the unlocked state, as shown in FIG. 14, the arrows at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the mark M are visible. In this case, the mark M suggests that the current guide plate 7a is in the unlocked state by suggesting that the slider portion SA can move in the lock direction A1. Here, as shown in FIG. 12, when the guide plate 7a is in the locked state, the mark M is not visually observed. In this case, the fact that the mark M is not visible suggests that the current guide plate 7a is in a locked state (that is, suggests that the current guide plate 7a can be unlocked).

  However, the mark M may be made visible by adjusting the length of the coil spring CB even when the guide plate 7a is in the locked state. In this case, an arrow portion pointing in the unlocking direction of the mark M (an arrow portion at the upper end portion in the longitudinal direction of the mark M in FIG. 14) is made visible. That is, the mark M suggests that the current guide plate 7a is in a locked state by suggesting that the slider portion SA can move in the unlocking direction B1. Thus, since one mark M can indicate both the lock direction A1 and the lock release direction B1, it can be formed on the small operation portion 7d (slider portion SA) without taking up space. Therefore, the provision of the mark M does not hinder downsizing of the printer 1. Of course, the arrow shape of the mark M may be formed only at one end in the longitudinal direction. For example, an arrow shape may be formed only at the lower end in the longitudinal direction of the mark M, and the arrow portion of the mark M may be visible when the guide plate 7a is unlocked. In this case, the mark M suggests that the current guide plate 7a is in an unlocked state by suggesting that the guide plate 7a can be locked.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the mark M is visible when the inner side surface of the guide plate 7a (the surface on the side where the pair of guide plates 7a face each other) is seen, but is not limited thereto. For example, the mark M is formed by a through hole or the like, and the length of the coil spring CB is adjusted to change the protruding length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA, whereby the outer side surface of the guide plate 7a is changed. Even when viewed, the mark M may be visible.

  Further, the shape of the mark M is not limited to the arrow shape, and can be variously changed. For example, the mark M may be formed by a figure other than the arrow, a character, a number, a symbol, a color, a change in color, or a combination thereof. . Further, the structure of the mark M is not limited to the embossed structure and can be variously changed. For example, a simple mark, a structure formed with a through-hole, a seal attached, etc., or a combination thereof It may be formed by (including an embossed structure).

  An engaging portion 40k is formed on the bottom surface in the longitudinal direction of the slider portion SA (that is, the bottom surface of the frame body portion 40e). As shown in FIG. 16, the engaging portion 40k has irregularities extending along the transport direction of the label continuum P (direction intersecting the paper surface of FIG. 16). It is arranged in parallel along the width direction of the body P, the horizontal direction in FIG. The unevenness of the engaging portion 40k is formed in, for example, a saw shape when viewed in cross section.

  Further, an engagement portion 43 on the main body case 2 side is formed at a position corresponding to the bottom surface in the longitudinal direction of the slider portion SA on the bottom surface of the main body case 2. In this engaging portion 43, the surface of the slider portion SA that faces the concave and convex surface of the engaging portion 40k is along the transport direction of the label continuum P so as to correspond to the concave and convex portions of the engaging portion 40k of the slider portion SA. The concavo-convex portions extending in parallel are alternately arranged along the moving direction of the guide plate 7a. The unevenness of the engaging portion 43 is also formed in, for example, a saw shape when viewed in cross section.

  When the guide plate 7a is locked, when the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d moves in the lock direction A1 and the movable projection 40h is stopped under the fixed projection 42a, as shown in FIG. The guide plate 7 a is locked by fitting the unevenness of the engaging portion 40 k of the portion SA into the unevenness of the engaging portion 43 of the main body case 2. On the other hand, when the guide plate 7a is unlocked, the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d moves in the unlocking direction B1 so that the movable projection 40h is positioned on the fixed projection 42a, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the locking state of the guide plate 7 a is released when the unevenness of the engaging portion 40 k of the slider portion SA is separated from the unevenness of the engaging portion 43 of the main body case 2.

  Next, an example of a method for setting the label continuum P in the printer 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, FIG. 17A is a schematic diagram of a main part of the printer when the open / close cover is closed as viewed from the side, and FIG. 17B is a main part of the printer of FIG. 17A as viewed from the front. It is a schematic block diagram. In FIG. 17A, the inside of the operation unit 7d is shown through to make it easy to see the state of the coil spring CB.

  When the opening / closing cover portion 3 is closed, the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d is pushed by the opening / closing cover portion 3, and the engaging portion 40k of the slider portion SA is engaged with the engaging portion 43 (see FIG. 16) on the bottom surface of the main body case 2. The guide plate 7a is locked.

  Next, FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the printer when the opening / closing cover is opened, as viewed from the side, and FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the printer shown in FIG. In FIG. 18, the inside of the operation unit 7 d is shown through in order to make it easy to see the state of the coil spring CB.

  By pressing a cover open button 18 (see FIG. 1 and the like) of the printer 1, the open / close cover portion 3 is opened as shown in FIG. At this stage, the movable protrusion 40h of the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d is engaged with the fixed protrusion 42a (the movable protrusion 40h of the slider portion SA and the fixed protrusion only by opening the opening / closing cover portion 3). Therefore, the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d does not rise and the height of the slider portion SA does not change, as shown in FIG. For this reason, the engaging part 40k of the slider part SA is engaged with the engaging part 43 of the main body case 2, and the locked state of the guide plate 7a is maintained.

  Next, FIG. 20 to FIG. 21 are main part schematic configuration diagrams of the printer in the process following FIG. 19 as seen from the front side.

  First, as shown in FIG. 20 (a), a portion of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA that protrudes from the guide plate 7a is picked with a finger, and the movable projection portion 40h of the slider portion SA is more open and closed than the fixed projection portion 42a. 3 to release the guide plate 7a from the locked state. Then, the slider part SA automatically moves to the opening side of the opening / closing cover part 3 by the action of the coil spring CB, and is fixed when the coil spring CB is fully extended. Thereby, the protrusion length of the front-end | tip part 40f of slider part SA is set to the above-mentioned 2nd protrusion length. That is, when the lock state of the guide plate 7a is released, the protrusion length of the slider portion SA can be automatically set to the relatively long second protrusion length, so that the operability of the operation portion 7d can be improved. it can.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 20 (b), the protruding portion of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is picked with a finger, and one guide plate 7a is moved toward the outside (the inside surface of the body case 2 on the opposite side). To do. Then, since one rack part 7cr connected to one guide plate 7a also moves in the same direction, the pinion part 7cp engaged with one rack part 7cr rotates. As a result, the other rack portion 7cr engaged with the pinion portion 7cp moves, so that the other guide plate 7a connected to the other rack portion 7cr moves away from the one guide plate 7a.

  Here, if the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is not sufficiently protruded when picked by a finger, it is difficult to pick the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA by being obstructed by the side wall of the main body case 2. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the tip end 40f of the slider portion SA protrudes and is fixed to a position where it can be easily picked, the protruding portion of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA can be easily picked, and the guide The plate 7a can be easily moved. Further, the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is positioned immediately above a moving portion (such as the leg portion 7b) that moves the guide plate 7a along the width direction of the label continuum P, so that it is added to the slider portion SA. The force can be transmitted well to the moving part of the guide plate 7a. For this reason, the guide plate 7a can be moved in a more stable state. Therefore, the operability of position adjustment of the guide plate 7a can be improved. Further, the slider portion SA is composed of one component, and high mechanical strength can be obtained, which is preferable in adjusting the position of the guide plate 7a.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 21A, after the label continuous body P is disposed between the pair of guide plates 7a through the opening 2a of the main body case 2, as shown in FIG. When the protruding portion of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA of 7d is picked with a finger and one guide plate 7a is moved toward the label continuum P, the operation of the pair of rack portions 7c and pinion portions 7cp is the same as described above. The other guide plate 7a also moves toward the label continuum P. As a result, the label continuous body P is held in a state in which each of the pair of guide plates 7a is brought into contact with both end faces in the width direction of the label continuous body P. In the present embodiment, since the guide plate 7a can be moved easily and stably by picking the protruding portion of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA with the finger, the positions of the pair of guide plates 7a and 7a are labeled. It can be easily adjusted according to the width of the continuum P. Therefore, the operability of position adjustment of the guide plate 7a can be improved.

  Further, when the guide plate 7a is in the locked state and in the unlocked state, the movable protrusion 40h has only a slight change beyond the fixed protrusion 42a, so that even if the protruding state of the slider part SA is visually observed. It may not be possible to determine whether the guide plate 7a is in the locked state or the unlocked state. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the second protrusion length (see FIG. 13) of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA is larger than the protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA when the guide plate 7a is locked. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine whether the guide plate 7a is in the locked state or the unlocked state by observing the protruding state of the slider portion SA. Therefore, the operability when the label continuous body P is accommodated in the printer 1 can be improved.

  Subsequently, the operator may manually push down the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d to lock the guide plate 7a, but here, the open / close cover portion 3 is closed without locking the guide plate 7a. Then, as shown in FIG. 17 (a), the inner wall surface of the opening / closing cover portion 3 comes into contact with the protruding portion of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SA, whereby the slider portion SA is pushed down, and the bottom surface of the slider portion SA. The engaging portion 40k engages with the engaging portion 43 (see FIG. 16) on the bottom surface of the main body case 2. Thereby, the guide plate 7a can be automatically locked. As described above, in the present embodiment, the guide plate 7a can be automatically locked when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed, so that the operability when the label continuous body P is set in the printer 1 is improved. Can do. Further, since the guide plate 7a can be automatically locked when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed, when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed without locking the guide plate 7a, the guide plate 7a is moved during the operation of the printer 1. It is also possible to prevent a problem such as shifting.

  (Second Embodiment)

  FIG. 22 is an enlarged perspective view of a side surface in the unlocked state of one guide plate and operation unit of the paper guide mechanism unit constituting the printer of the second embodiment, and FIG. 23 is an exploded view of the guide plate and operation unit of FIG. FIG. 24 is an enlarged side view of the guide plate and the operation unit of FIG. 22 in the locked state, and FIG. 25 is an enlarged side view of the guide plate of FIG. 22 and the operation unit set to the second protruding length. 24 and 25, the inside of the operation unit 7d is shown through.

  In the present embodiment, the operation portion 7d includes the slider portion (moving member) SB but does not include the coil spring CB.

  Similarly to the slider part SA, the slider part SB moves in the locking direction A1 (see FIG. 24) and the unlocking direction B1 (see FIG. 25) to set the guide plate 7a to the locked (fixed) state and the unlocked state. As with the slider portion SA, the main body portion is installed on the print main body portion 26 (leg portion 7b) side on the outer side surface of the guide plate 7a.

  The slider portion SB is formed of, for example, a thin rectangular plate that extends from the bottom surface of the main body case 2 of the printer 1 toward the opening / closing cover portion 3 side, and includes protrusions 40a, 40b, and 40d, and a frame body portion 40e. And a front end portion 40f are integrally provided.

  In the frame of the frame body portion 40e of the slider portion SB, as shown in FIGS. 23 to 25, for example, two fixed projections 42a and 42e are integrally formed and fixed to the outer side surface of the guide plate 7a. Has been. Among these, the fixed protrusion 42e is a fixed part for fixing the protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider part SB to the second protrusion length, and is formed in a protruding shape in the same direction as the fixed protrusion 42a. ing.

  Here, when the movable protrusion 40h exceeds the fixed protrusion 42e due to the movement of the slider part SB, the leaf spring part 40g is pushed by the fixed protrusion 42e and bends away from the fixed protrusion 42e. When the portion 40h exceeds the fixed projection 42e, the leaf spring portion 40g returns to its original state. Thereby, unless a certain amount of force is applied to the slider portion SB, switching between the first protrusion length and the second protrusion length of the operation portion 7d cannot be performed.

  The fixed protrusion 42e is disposed closer to the opening / closing cover part 3 than the fixed protrusion 42a. That is, the fixed protrusion 42e is disposed at a position farther from the bottom surface of the main body case 2 than the fixed protrusion 42a. For this reason, after moving the movable protrusion 40h of the slider part SB from the lower part of the fixed protrusion 42a to the upper part (from the bottom surface side of the main body case 2 to the fixed protrusion 42e side), the movable protrusion 40h is further fixed. When moved from the lower part of 42e to the upper part (from the fixed projecting part 42a side to the opening / closing cover part 3 side), the projecting length of the tip part 40f of the slider part SB is longer than the first projecting length. Set to That is, in the second embodiment, since the coil spring CB is not used for the operation portion 7d, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case of the first embodiment, and the structure of the operation portion 7d is simplified. Therefore, the cost of the printer 1 can be reduced.

  Also in the present embodiment, the second protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider SB is longer than the protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SB when the guide plate 7a is locked (see FIG. 24 and the like). The length of the guide plate 7a is set such that the unlocked state can be visually confirmed. Thereby, it is possible to easily determine whether the guide plate 7a is in the locked state or the unlocked state by visually checking the protruding length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SB. Therefore, the operability when the label continuous body P is accommodated in the printer 1 can be improved.

  Further, the second protrusion length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SB is set to a length suitable for the operator to operate. Thereby, the guide plate 7a can be moved in the width direction of the label continuum P by moving the slider portion SB while gripping the tip portion 40f. In particular, in this case as well, the tip 40f of the slider SB is located immediately above the moving part (the leg 7b, etc.) that moves the guide plate 7a in the width direction of the label continuum P. The transmitted force can be transmitted well to the moving part of the guide plate 7a. For this reason, the guide plate 7a can be moved in a more stable state. Thereby, the position of a pair of guide plates 7a and 7a can be easily adjusted according to the width of the label continuum P. Therefore, the operability of position adjustment of the guide plate 7a can be improved.

  Further, the second protrusion length of the tip portion 40f of the slider portion SB is set to a length that automatically locks the guide plate 7a when the opening / closing cover portion 3 is closed. As a result, when the open / close cover portion 3 is closed, the slider portion SB is pushed down by the open / close cover portion 3 so that the movable protrusion 40h moves to the bottom surface side of the main body case 2 from the fixed protrusion 42a. As a result, the guide plate 7a. Can be locked. Therefore, the operability when the label continuous body P is accommodated in the printer 1 can be improved.

  In the present embodiment also, the mark M may be formed at the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SB in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Since other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

  The method for setting the label continuum P in the printer 1 of this embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment. What is different is a method of setting the protruding length of the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SB to the second protruding length.

  That is, in the first embodiment, when the locked state of the guide plate 7a is released, the slider portion SA of the operation portion 7d is raised by the biasing force of the coil spring CB, and the protruding length of the tip portion 40f of the slider portion SA is increased. The second protrusion length is automatically set (fixed).

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the protruding length of the tip end portion 40f of the slider portion SB is manually set to the second protruding length. That is, the front end portion 40f of the slider portion SB of the operation portion 7d is picked with a finger, and the slider portion SB is lifted to a position where the movable protrusion portion 40h of the slider portion SB exceeds the fixed protrusion portion 42a to release the locked state of the guide plate 7a. Thereafter, the slider portion SB is lifted and fixed to a position where the movable protrusion 40h of the slider portion SB exceeds the fixed protrusion 42e while the tip portion 40f of the slider portion SB is picked with a finger. Other than this, the description is omitted because it is the same as the first embodiment.

  As mentioned above, the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiment. However, the embodiment disclosed in this specification is an example in all respects and is limited to the disclosed technology. It is not a thing. That is, the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed restrictively based on the description in the above-described embodiment, but should be construed according to the description of the scope of claims. All modifications are included without departing from the technical scope equivalent to the described technique and the gist of the claims.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a dual-purpose printer that can be used for both normal issue and peeling issue has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be used only for normal issue. The present invention can also be applied to a printer or a printer that can be used only for peeling issuance.

  In the embodiment, the pair of guide plates are configured to approach and separate from each other in conjunction with each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one of the pair of guide plates is fixed to the sheet storage portion. Alternatively, only the other guide plate may be movably provided, and the other guide plate may be configured to approach and separate from the one guide plate. In this case, the operation part of the guide plate is provided on the movable guide plate.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case where a continuous label body in which a plurality of labels are temporarily attached to a mount is used as a print medium is not limited to this, for example, an adhesive surface on one side As a printing medium, a continuous label having no label (a label without a mount), a continuous sheet having no adhesive surface (continuous sheet), a film that can be printed by a thermal head, or the like can be used. A label without a mount, a continuous sheet or a film can be provided with a position detection mark. In addition, when transporting a label without a mount on which an adhesive is exposed, a transport path can be covered with a non-adhesive and a roller containing silicone can be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Main body case 2a Opening part 3 Opening / closing cover part 4 Separation unit 4a Nip roller 5 Front cover part 6 Paper accommodating part 7 Paper guide mechanism part 7a Guide plate 7b Leg part 7c Slide mechanism part 7cr Rack part 7cp Pinion part 7cb Slide bar 7d Operation part 10 Platen roller 10a Platen shaft 11 Peeling pin 26 Print body part 27 Head bracket 28 Thermal head 29 Coil spring 35 Torsion springs 40a to 40d Projection part 40e Frame body part 40f Tip part 40g Plate spring part 40h Movable projection part 40i Spring support part 40j Handle part 40k Engaging part 41a-41d Support part 42a, 42e Fixed protrusion part 42b, 42c Spring support part 42d Projection part 43 Engagement part P Label continuum PM Mount PL Label SA, SB Slider part CB Coil spring M Mark

Claims (6)

A housing having an opening formed on one surface;
A print medium accommodating portion for accommodating a print medium in the opening of the housing;
An open / close cover portion pivotally supported by the housing so as to open and close the print medium accommodating portion;
A transport roller for transporting the print medium;
In the opening of the housing, a printing unit that is provided so as to face the transport roller, and performs printing on the printing medium;
A guide member provided in a state of being freely movable along the axial direction of the transport roller in the print medium accommodating portion, and abutting against an end surface of the print medium in the axial direction of the transport roller to guide the print medium;
An operating portion provided on the guide member, and setting the guide member in a locked state and an unlocked state;
With
The operation unit is
A movable member provided in a movable state in a locking direction for locking the guide member and a unlocking direction for releasing the locked state;
After the moving member is moved to the unlocking position of the guide member, the protruding length of the moving member protruding from the outer edge of the guide member on the opening / closing cover side is set to the moving member at the unlocking position of the guide member. Fixing means for fixing to a second protruding length longer than the first protruding length of
A printer comprising:   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the second projecting length of the moving member is set to a length that allows the unlocking state of the guide member to be visually recognized.   The second protrusion length of the moving member is such that when the opening / closing cover portion is closed, the moving member is pushed in the locking direction by the opening / closing cover portion to lock the guide member, and the opening / closing cover portion is 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer is set to a length that can be closed.   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the fixing unit includes an elastic member that moves the moving member to a position where a protruding length of the moving member becomes the second protruding length.   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means includes a fixing portion that fixes the moving member at a position where a protruding length of the moving member becomes the second protruding length.   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the moving member is provided with a state display unit that indicates at least an unlocked state of the guide member.

Images