PL217285B1 - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention

The subject of the invention is a thermal transfer printer with a wide field of application, other than industrial.

Thermal transfer printers are most often used for printing labels, both foil and paper, bar codes, various types of textile labels and cardboard tags, occasional sashes, receipts, plastic cards, prints on CDs and DVDs. They are also used in some fax machines and cash registers.

Due to the place of application, thermal transfer printers are distinguished: industrial, office, stationary and portable. Industrial printers are designed for continuous, strenuous work in harsh industrial conditions. They are characterized by a massive structure and high durability. Office printers are smaller, more delicate and are used for printing labels, for marking documents, letters, packages, laboratory samples, food and other products. Mobile printers are mainly used by mobile workers. They enable the printing of labels, fiscal receipts, tickets, admission cards, receipts, VAT invoices, anywhere and anytime. These devices are lightweight, easy to use and fall-proof.

The popular office printer of the renowned American company ZEBRA from the TLP2824 series has a housing consisting of a lower part and an upper part in the form of a cover, which is lifted vertically upwards and connected to the lower part by means of hinges. The lid opening lock prevents it from accidentally falling. In the lower part there are holders for a roll with the medium, a sensor and medium guides with adjustable width. The cover houses a motor driving a carbon roll, a printing head, carbon and used carbon holders, and a carbon sensor. On the outer, rear surface of the lower part of the housing there are signal sockets, a power socket and a power switch, and on its front surface a cutter for continuous media or a liner between labels can be mounted. On the outer front surface of the cover, there is a lamp indicating the printer's operating status and a key initiating its operation, and on the sides of the slats, which allow the guides to slide apart.

The aim of the invention is to develop a new printer characterized by modern technical solutions, small dimensions, ease of use and aesthetic appearance.

The thermal transfer printer according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises two separate units, a base unit with a lower housing portion and a cover unit with an upper housing portion, which are mechanically connected to each other by pressing the shaft of the printing mechanism located in the upper housing portion into each other. the lower part of the printing mechanism located in the lower part of the housing and electrically, through direct contact of flat contacts located in both parts of the housing, while in the lower part of the housing there is a frame with thimble holders with a clean thermal transfer tape and thimble holders with used thermal transfer tape, with a motor, a clutch, a control electronics package, a thermal transfer ribbon guide, the lower part of the printing mechanism with a print head and a thermal mechanism, a printed circuit board with two function buttons, a control diode and a flat spring contact, and a pusher placed on it cooperating with a lever in the lower part of the printing mechanism, which releases the shaft pressed into the lower part of the printing mechanism, while inside the upper part of the housing there is a printing mechanism shaft embedded in a support with a slide and a medium presence sensor connected by a wire with a flat contact, and in a recess on the front the medium guide is embedded on its outer surface.

The simplified structure, the placement of a large part of the printer components and the fixed part of the printing mechanism in the lower part of the housing and the innovative electrical and mechanical connection of both parts of the housing make it very easy to completely detach the cover assembly from the lower part of the housing, and thus extremely easy access to all utilities internal components of the printer and a simple way to apply thermal transfer ribbon. The printer's housing has a modern, aesthetic appearance, and the minimum number of external buttons makes it very easy to use. Small dimensions and the ability to be powered by a battery attached from the outside or placed inside the printer make it also a very convenient portable device.

The subject of the invention is shown in the embodiment on the drawing, in which the individual figures show:

Fig. 1 - perspective view of the printer Fig. 2 - lower part of the printer (base assembly) after removal of the upper part (cover assembly) Fig. 3 - printer frame with components removed from the lower part of the housing Fig. 4 - cover assembly in a view from the inside Fig. 5 is a diagram of the path of the printed medium and the thermal transfer ribbon

The printer consists of two main units, a base assembly (A) and a cover assembly (B).

The base assembly (A) is the lower part of the printer housing (1) in which the frame (2) is seated with some of the printer's components. The frame (2) houses the lower part of the printing mechanism (3), the clutch (4) driven by the motor (5), the control electronics package (6) connected with the interface socket (7), power socket (8) and the power switch (9) . The lower part of the printing mechanism (3) is a thermal print head (10), a thermal mechanism (11) and a thermal transfer ribbon (12) located above them sliding on the guide (32). In the upper part of the frame (2), a printed circuit board (13) is attached with two function buttons (14), (15), a control diode (16) and a flat elastic contact (17) cooperating with a flat contact (18) located in the upper part the housing (19). The buttons (14) and (15) have auxiliary and service functions, for example, they allow you to eject a misfed paper.

On the coupling axle (4) there are drivers (20) for mounting the core (21), on which the used thermal transfer ribbon (12) is wound. To the front wall of the frame (2) are attached two elastic supports (22) with notches, into which the core with a new thermal transfer ribbon (12) is inserted. A pusher (24) is attached to the lever (23) of the printing mechanism (3), which releases the shaft (25) of the printing mechanism (3) pressed into its lower part and pressing the thermal transfer ribbon (12) to the printing head (10) and disconnects the flat contact spring (17) and flat contact (18). This mechanically and electrically disconnects the base assembly (A) and the cover assembly (B), thereby allowing the cover assembly (B) to be removed and free access to the inside of the printer.

The cover assembly (B) is the upper part of the housing (19), in which the shaft (25) of the printing mechanism is placed in a support with a slide (26) on which the medium (27), most often in the form of paper, moves, the presence of which is detected by the sensor (28) connected with a wire to the flat contact (18).

In the profiling of the upper part of the housing (19), on its outer surface, there is a paper guide (29) inserted into the slot (30) opposite the shaft (25) of the printing mechanism.

Pressing the shaft (25) of the printing mechanism (3) into its lower part causes mechanical, by snapping, and electrical, through direct contact of the flat elastic contact (17) with the flat contact (18) connection of the cover assembly (B) with the base assembly (A) printer.

The printer according to the invention can work as a stationary device after connecting it to the mains via a power supply, or as a portable device after connecting a battery to it from the outside, or placing it inside the lower part of the housing (1).

Depending on the demand, the printer can take the medium (27) in the form of single sheets of a certain length, or from a roll placed outside the printer.

Before starting, the printer should be fitted with a thermal transfer ribbon (12) and fully closed by placing the cover assembly (B) over the base assembly (A) while pushing the shaft (25) into the bottom of the printing mechanism (3). In the case of a stationary printer, it should be connected via the power adapter to the network, and in the case of a portable printer, connect the battery to it. Then, by pressing the switch (9), supply the power. The control diode (16) should light up. The next step is to place the specific medium (27), for example a sheet of 57-M12 mm wide paper, on the paper guide (29) and slide it in until the medium presence sensor (28) (27) activates the roller (25) of the printing mechanism. pulls it into the printer. Printing takes place. The printed sheet of paper exits the printer through a slot (31) in the top of the housing (19). The next printout is done in the same way. After finishing work, turn off the printer by pressing the switch (9). The LED (16) goes out.

The printer according to the invention is widely used in various areas of life, especially where permanent printing on paper is necessary. The recommended uses are medical and veterinary offices for printing prescriptions, methods of taking medicines and other documents in a format up to 112 mm wide, pharmacies for printing on prescriptions, drug valuation, as well as mobile sales, printing invoices, orders, orders and others.

PL 217 285 B1

List of designations

Lower part of the housing

Frame

Printing mechanism

Clutch

Engine

Control electronics package

Interface socket

Power socket

Power switch

Printhead

Thermal mechanism

Thermal transfer ribbon

Printed circuit board

14, 15 Function button

Control diode

Spring contact

Flat contact

The upper part of the housing

The driver

Thimble

Bracket

Lever

Pusher

Roller

Bracket with a slide

Medium

Sensor

Paper guide

30, 31 Slot

Tape guide

A Base assembly

B Cover assembly

Claims (1)

Patent claim A thermal transfer printer having a two-part housing, inside which there is at least a motor, electronic control system, thermal mechanism, printing mechanism, medium presence sensor, thermal transfer ribbon and used ribbon core, and on the outside there is a power socket, signal sockets, power switch , signal lamp and functional buttons, characterized in that the lower housing part (1) and the upper housing part (19) are mechanically connected when superimposed on each other by pressing the shaft (25) of the printing mechanism located in the upper part of the housing (19) into the lower part of the printing mechanism (3) located in the lower part of the housing (1) and electrically, by direct contact of the flat elastic contact (17) in the lower part of the housing (1) and the flat contact (18) in the upper part of the housing (19), where in the lower part of the housing (1) there is a frame (2) with brackets (22) and drivers (20), with a motor (5), the control electronics (6), the guide (32) of the thermal transfer ribbon (12), the lower part of the printing mechanism (3) with the printing head (10) and the thermal mechanism (11), the printed circuit board (13) with two function buttons (14), (15), a control diode (16) and a flat elastic contact (17) and a pusher (24) cooperating with the lever (23) in the lower part of the printing mechanism (3), while the shaft (19) is located inside the upper part of the housing (19). 25) of the printing mechanism embedded in the support with the slide (26) and the sensor (28) connected by a wire to the flat contact (18), and in the recess on its front, outer surface there is a medium guide (29) (27).