Seiko Epson Corporation

Manabu Shimizu

Hiroshi Takizawa

Koji Yamada

Katsunari Kumagai

Toshiaki Watanabe

Susumu Hama

Masahiro Kamijo

Hiroshi Shikano

A roll paper pulling load-buffering device enables smooth roll paper transportation and minimizes the space required for its installation in the printer. The load-buffering device has an arm that moves a specified angle around the shaft on which the roll paper turns. A roller extends widthwise to the roll paper from the arm at a point offset from the outside diameter of the roll. Paper pulled off the roll is draped around this roller . When a transportation roller is driven to advance paper from the roll by pulling from the end of the roll, tension applied to the paper causes the arm to turn in one direction by way of the intervening roller . An urging means such as a spring then urges the roller and arm in the opposite direction, maintaining even tension on both sides of the roller and thereby enabling smooth roll paper transportation.

Roll paper pulling load-buffering device for a printer

A thermal printer for a portable electronic device such as a receipt issuing machine is capable of increasing an angle at which thermal recording paper is wound on a platen roller while decreasing running load and without generating static electricity. The thermal printer includes a body frame formed from metal, a thermal head disposed on a bottom part of the body frame for printing paper and a platen roller for urging the paper against the thermal head. A paper guide for guiding the paper to a direction in which the paper is wound on the platen roller is integrally formed with the body frame. A bend-raise portion extending in a paper-width direction of the paper and contacting linearly to the paper while feeding is integrally formed at a part of the paper guide where the paper is inserted. The paper guide is formed in such a manner that it comes close to the platen roller with respect to the bottom of the body frame.

Thermal printer having integrally formed paper guide and frame

A printer is provided comprising a carriage on which recording head is mounted. Drive mechanisms for moving carriage in reciprocating motions an encoder having openings provided contiguously in the circumferential direction at fixed intervals, attached thereto, and which rotates as carriage moves. A position detector is provided in proximity to the encoder for detecting the encoder's detection-target unit and generates timing pulses in response thereto. A shielding plate is attached to carriage for blocking the encoder from the position detector at the home position. A processor detects the home position for carriage based upon a timing pulse pause time.

Printer and its control method

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Manabu Shimizu