Seiko Epson Corporation

Nobuhiro Inoue

Toshiyuki Sasaki

Masahiko Yamada

Tetsugo Ishida

Masahiro Kawajiri

Norio Horaguchi

Motohiro Nakamaki

Ichimi Masuda

Shuhei Kurotobi

Hiroyuki Takahashi

A printer includes a first blade configured to be movable between a standby position and a cutting position, a second blade configured to contact the first blade located in the cutting position, a drive mechanism configured to drive the first blade, and a first elastic member configured to pull the first blade located in the cutting position. When the first blade is located in the cutting position, the first elastic member pulls the first blade in a direction in which the first blade moves to the standby position, and pulls the first blade in a direction in which the first blade approaches the second blade.

Printer and cutter device of printer

A printer can suppress paper lifting away from the platen surface even when conveying strong paper (regardless of paper strength) (a printer that can suppress paper uplift from the platen and is not easily affected by the type of paper). A printerin which the platen surfaceis on the inkjet headside of a plane C through position A where paperis held by a conveyance roller, and position B where the paper is held by a discharge roller, has: on the printheadside of the plane C between the platenand conveyance roller, at least one entry angle control unitthat contacts the paperconveyed toward the platen surface, and controls the entry angle of the paperto the platen surface; and on the printheadside of the plane C between the platenand the discharge roller, at least one exit angle control unitthat contacts the paperconveyed in the direction away from the platen surface, and controls the exit angle of the paper 11 from the platen surface

Printer

A control method of a media conveyance device enables accurately detecting media slack by a detection mechanism with multiple emitters and multiple photodetectors disposed opposite the emitters. A printer (media conveyance device) has a controller that controls a delivery mechanism, a conveyance mechanism that conveys media, a delivery mechanism, and a conveyance mechanism, and controls conveying roll paper; a first detector including a first emitter and first photodetector; and a second detector including a second emitter and second photodetector. When driving the conveyance mechanism, the controller selectively controls the first emitter and first photodetector to emit, and drives a spindle based on signal output from the first detector when first emitter emits, and signal output from the second detector when second emitter emits.

Media conveyance device, printer, and control method of a media conveyance device

A media processing device enables conveying media fed from different paths into a common path in a stable conveyance state to the scanning position of a scanner. A check processing device has a path switching member that selectively bridges a back path for conveying checks and a card path to a downstream path, which is a common path. The path switching member changes position and switches the connected paths in conjunction with movement of a shutter that covers the open part of a nozzle cap used to cap the nozzle face of the inkjet head at the back path.

Media processing device having plural conveyance paths and path switching member

Factory adjustment and repairs are simplified while assuring the accuracy of a multifeed prevention function. A main unit has a conveyance path that conveys sheets, and a processing unit that applies a specific process to the sheets conveyed through the conveyance path, and a multifeed detection unit is removably disposed to the main unit. The multifeed detection unit has a sheet-passing unit disposed contiguously to the conveyance path, an ultrasonic transmitter disposed facing the sheet-passing unit, and an ultrasonic receiver disposed opposite the ultrasonic transmitter with the sheet-passing unit therebetween.

Image processing device and sheet feeding mechanism

Media processing device

A roll paper supply mechanism reliably prevents roll paper from rising from a desired position. The roll paper supply mechanismof a roll paper printerhas an urging memberthat urges the round end surface of the roll paperto the roll paper guidedefining one side of the roll paper storage unit. The urging surfaceof the urging memberis inclined to the inside in the pulling direction A of the recording paperthat is pulled from the roll paper. When seen from the side of the width of the roll paper storage unit, the urging surfaceis disposed between a vertical line V through the center of gravity G of the roll paper and the recording paper pulling position D, and urges an outside edge partof the roll paperat a position above the recording paper pulling position D. Because the urging surfaceprevents the roll paperfrom rising in the direction in which the recording paperis pulled from the roll paper, and produces a moment centered on the urging position that prevents the roll paperfrom rising, the roll papercan be reliably prevented from rising and from bouncing up and down.

Roll paper supply mechanism and roll paper printer

The roll paper loading mechanism of a roll paper printer has a left side panel rendered in unison with a roll paper holder. The roll paper holder pivots to the front of the printer in conjunction with the operation opening an access cover. When the access cover is opened completely, the left side panel protrudes through an opening formed in the printer case to the front of the printer. A right side panel disposed to hold the roll paper between it and the left side panel is stationary inside the printer case. A roll paper guide tab that projects to the front of the printer and extends away from the left side panel is formed on the front end of the right side panel.

Roll paper loading mechanism and printing device

A printer has a roll paper compartment that stores roll paper so that it can roll on a horizontal axis of rotation, a roll paper cover that pivots to open and close the roll paper compartment, and a tension roller that is displaced when the roll paper cover pivots open and closed. The roll paper compartment is supported to pivot in the direction in which the roll paper cover rotates when the roll paper cover pivots open or closed. The tension roller is disposed to a position where it urges the roll paper opposite the direction in which the roll paper compartment moves circularly when the roll paper cover pivots in the opening direction.

Roll paper printer and method of opening and closing a roll paper printer cover

A platen support mechanism that movably supports a platen unit to which a platen is attached has a platen positioning mechanism that positions the platen unit in a specific posture at four locations, bosses that protrude from both sides at the front in the front-back direction of the printer, and shaft ends that protrude from both sides at the back in the front-back direction of the printer. The platen unit is thereby positioned in a specific posture at the closed position regardless of play in the platen support mechanism. As a result, the platen is positioned to the printing position in a specific posture with a constant gap to the nozzle surface of the print head.

A printer enables setting fanfold paper inserted from a paper inlet to a horizontal transportation path that passes the printing position without paper jams occurring. The horizontal paper transportation path is positioned downstream of a first transportation path that extends from the paper inlet and a second transportation path that extends from a roll paper compartment, all of which are formed inside the printer. An attachment of an access cover to the roll paper compartment forms an intermediate paper path that renders the first and horizontal paper paths continuous at a junction near the convergence of the first and second paper transportation paths. The intermediate paper transportation path not only renders a continuous path for the fanfold paper from the paper inlet to the printing position, it smoothes the flow of the fanfold paper to the horizontal paper transportation path.

Printer with multi-curved intermediate transportation path

A paper transportation control method for an apparatus enables conveying paper with appropriate tension on the paper by appropriately controlling a paper delivery operation of a delivery roller. When paper is conveyed by a paper feed roller pair of a roll paper printer, and tension on the paper is detected to exceed an upper tension limit based on displacement of a damping mechanism (a first time), a paper delivery operation of a delivery roller pair starts at a second time after a start operation delay time corresponding to a feed rate passes after the first time. When the tension returns to or below the upper tension limit, the paper delivery operation stops at a third time after a stop operation delay time similarly corresponding to the feed rate passes.

Method of controlling paper transportation in an apparatus, and an apparatus using the method

A paper feeding device includes: a reference guide surface that contacts a lateral end portion of a sheet-shaped medium along a guide path for transporting the medium; a tapered guide surface that is inclined outward from the reference guide surface toward an upstream side of a transport direction and contacts the lateral end portion of the medium; a paper feeding roller that rotates to transport the medium in a direction parallel to the reference guide surface while the paper feeding roller contacts a surface of the medium; and a medium cassette that stores the medium. The medium cassette stores the medium so as to be inclined with respect to the reference guide surface so that a rear end of the lateral end portion of the stored medium at a side of the reference guide surface is positioned outside an imaginary extension surface of the reference guide surface.

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Nobuhiro Inoue