Seiko Epson Corporation

Rikuo Yamada

Hideaki Nishijima

Takehiro Kobayashi

Tetsugo Ishida

Takeshi Tokuda

Masahiko Yamada

Hiroshi Narita

Akio Nomura

Hitoshi Ishino

Hidetoshi Futatsugi

A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a medium, a body in which the recording unit is mounted, a housing configured to house the body, and a holding portion configured to hold the body at a predetermined position with respect to the housing. The predetermined position includes a closed position, a first open position, and a second open position. The closed position is a position at which the body is housed inside the housing. The first open position is a position at which the body protrudes from the housing in a first displacement direction of a displacement direction intersecting with a vertical direction by a first distance. The second open position is a position at which the body protrudes from the housing in the first displacement direction by a second distance longer than the first distance.

Recording apparatus

A switching portion is configured to change in position between a first switching position and a second switching position, at which the switching portion protrudes more from a bottom surface of a housing than at the first switching position. The first switching position is a position at which the switching portion is located in a state of being in contact with the installation surface when the housing is installed on the installation surface. The second switching position is a position at which the switching portion is located when the housing is not installed on the installation surface. The switching portion does not restrict a change in position of a body in a position-change direction when located at the first switching position and restricts the change in position of the body in the position-change direction when located at the second switching position.

A printing apparatus includes: a roll sheet container that contains a roll sheet around which a recording sheet is wound; a first sheet guide that makes contact with a first surface of the recording sheet; a second sheet guide that makes contact with a second surface of the recording sheet; and a transport roller that transports the recording sheet. The first and second sheet guides are disposed so as to face each other to form a sheet route along which the recording sheet is to pass. The transport roller transports the recording sheet that passed along the sheet route. The second sheet guide includes: a projection that protrudes toward the roll sheet container; and a pushing section that extends from the projection along an outer circumference of the roll sheet and in a direction away from the first sheet guide.

Printing apparatus

A printing device includes: a printing unit printing on a recording paper; a feeder unit that has a roller rotating in a first direction about a shaft and feeding the recording paper, and a motor rotating the shaft; a detection unit detecting a rotation of the shaft in the first direction and a rotation thereof in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a control unit controlling the feeder unit, based on the rotation of the shaft detected by the detection unit. The control unit causes the motor of the feeder unit to rotate the shaft in the first direction and then stop the shaft, and subsequently causes the motor to rotate the shaft in the first direction before the printing unit prints, based on the rotation of the shaft in the second direction detected by the detection unit.

Printing device and control method for printing device

A cutter can move a movable knife by two cutter drive gears without the movable knife becoming skewed. The cutterof a mobile printerhas a fixed knife, and a cutter drive mechanismthat moves the movable knifestraight to and away from the fixed knife. The cutter drive mechanismhas two cutter drive gearsthat are driven synchronously, and a cutter drive platedisposed between the two cutter drive gearsand the movable knife. The two cutter drive gearscause the cutter drive plateto move to and away from the movable knifeon a longitudinal axis Y (direction of travel), thereby moving the movable knifeto and away from the cutter drive plate. If the cutter drive platebecomes skewed when the two cutter drive gearsmove the cutter drive plate, the guide mechanismprevents skewing of the movable knife

Cutter drive mechanism, cutter, and printer

A cutter blade moving mechanism moves a cutter blade to a forward position by a low output drive motor without an urging member urging the cutter blade to the forward position where media is cut. The first cutter blade moving mechanism has a drive gear that moves the first cutter blade forward and back; a drive motor; and a compound gear to which rotation of the drive motor is transferred. The intermittent teeth part of the compound gear meshes with a transfer gear after turning the compound gear is started by drive power from the drive motor, completing a rotation transfer path. Because there is a delay between when driving the drive motor starts and when the path transferring rotation from the drive motor to the drive gear is completed, rotational kinetic energy is stored in the compound gear during this delay. The transfer gear can therefore be turned with greater drive power (rotational kinetic energy) when the compound gear and transfer gear mesh.

Cutter blade moving mechanism, cutter, and printer

In connection with a printer, a platen roller is configured to rotate in a first direction and to transport a recording medium. A print head facing the platen roller includes a head body portion having a printing portion to perform printing on the recording medium when the platen roller transports such medium. A supporting mechanism supports the head body portion, presses the head body portion against the platen roller, and moves the head body portion by rotation of the platen roller. An urging unit urges the head body portion toward the platen roller. When the platen roller rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the supporting mechanism moves the head body portion by the rotation of the platen roller, and a contact position of the head body portion with respect to the platen roller is shifted while maintaining the head body portion pressed against the platen roller.

Print head, printer, and control method of printer

In connection with a printer, a platen roller is configured to transport a recording medium. A print head has a head body portion having a printing portion which performs printing on a recording medium and facing the platen roller. A supporting mechanism supports the head body portion, presses the head body portion against the platen roller and moves the head body portion by rotation of the platen roller. When the platen roller rotates in a second direction opposite the first direction, a contact position of the head body portion with respect to the platen roller is shifted while maintaining the head body portion pressed against the platen roller.

The platen bearings attached to the shaft end parts of the removable platen roller are pressed by lock levers to bearing insertion slots that are formed in the main frame of the thermal printer so that the positions of the platen bearings are determined by two points on the main frame and one point on the lock lever.

Thermal printer

A printer is provided. A platen roller is configured to transport a recording medium. A print head has a head body portion having a printing portion which performs printing on a recording medium and facing the platen roller. An urging unit urges the print head toward the platen roller. A supporting mechanism supports the print head, presses the print head against the platen roller and allows the platen roller to move the head body portion in such a direction that a contact position of the head body portion with respect to the platen roller is shifted while maintaining the head body portion pressed against the platen roller.

A thermal printer avoids or reduces difficult to correct problems caused by recording paper that has passed the printing position leaving the paper transportation path. A printing mechanism has a head mounting plate that carries a line thermal head, a front guide plate disposed downstream from the head mounting plate, a platen roller that defines the printing position A, and a back guide member disposed downstream from the platen roller. The head mounting plate and front guide plate have interlocking parts that interlock with each other widthwise to the paper transportation path. A paper detector that detects entry of the recording paperis disposed to a gap E between the back guide member and platen roller. When the paper detector detects the recording paper, a rotation control unit stops the platen roller.

A printer having one roller of a transportation roller pair attached to cover renders the mechanism pressing the transportation roller pair together and the damping mechanism used when opening the cover using few parts, compactly, and at low cost. A damper springprevents the cover unitof the printerfrom opening suddenly and forcefully. A roller support leverhaving the first follower rollerdisposed to the distal end thereof is attached rotatably and movably to the cover unit. The roller support leveris urged by the damper spring, and the first follower rolleron the distal end thereof is pressed to the first transportation rolleron the printer frameside. The damper springfunctions as the damping mechanism when the cover unitopens, and as the pressure mechanism of the first transportation roller pairwhen the cover unitis closed.

Printer

A print head is provided in a casing of a printing apparatus having a housing section which houses continuous paper therein, to perform printing on the continuous paper. A platen roller has a platen shaft rotatably supported on a cover of the printing apparatus which is pivotably supported on the casing to open or close the housing section. The platen roller being abutted against the print head through the continuous paper situated therebetween and rotating to feed the continuous paper, when the cover is closed. A head support member is disposed in the casing and has a head shaft which pivotably supports the print head so as to vary a distance with respect to the platen roller. A lock lever is pivotable about the platen shaft. The lock lever is engaged with the head shaft to determine a position of the platen roller with respect to the print head when the cover is closed.

Growing community of inventors

Yamagata-mura, Japan

Rikuo Yamada