EP0585676A2 - Machine d'affranchissement - Google Patents

Machine d'affranchissement Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0585676A2
EP0585676A2 EP93112895A EP93112895A EP0585676A2 EP 0585676 A2 EP0585676 A2 EP 0585676A2 EP 93112895 A EP93112895 A EP 93112895A EP 93112895 A EP93112895 A EP 93112895A EP 0585676 A2 EP0585676 A2 EP 0585676A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
counter
pressure
franking machine
print head
machine according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP93112895A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0585676A3 (fr
EP0585676B1 (fr
Inventor
Wolfgang Dr. Thiel
Stephan Günther
Wolfgang Von Inten
Heinz Rehberg
Wolfgang Muhl
Dieter Wölm
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Original Assignee
Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Francotyp Postalia GmbH filed Critical Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Priority to EP98116667A priority Critical patent/EP0884699B1/fr
Priority to US08/108,987 priority patent/US5648811A/en
Priority to JP5213170A priority patent/JP2742197B2/ja
Priority to CA002104985A priority patent/CA2104985C/fr
Publication of EP0585676A2 publication Critical patent/EP0585676A2/fr
Publication of EP0585676A3 publication Critical patent/EP0585676A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0585676B1 publication Critical patent/EP0585676B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/304—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface
    • B41J25/312—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface with print pressure adjustment mechanisms, e.g. pressure-on-the paper mechanisms
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • B41J2/325—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/304—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface
    • B41J25/308—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface with print gap adjustment mechanisms
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
    • G07B2017/00524—Printheads
    • G07B2017/0054—Thermal printhead

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a franking machine with an electrothermal printing device, with which stamps and / or image prints are printed on mail items passing them at a predetermined speed by image-wise distributed transfer of color particles from a carrier tape, which is heated according to the image distribution by means of a thermal print head and thereby on is guided past the printing device, the thermal print head being opposed by a counter-pressure element.
  • a printing device for a label printer is known for example from DE 39 35 348 A1. It works with a thermal print head, the end face of which is designed as a print surface in which a straight row of electrically selectively heatable transfer pins is arranged. When they are heated, these act on the carrier tape that is guided past them in such a way that the color particles on it melt with their binder and can pass to the printed matter when it passes together with the carrier tape on the thermal print head. So that a predetermined pressure is maintained between the print head and the print material during this process, the counter-pressure element is designed as a counterpressure roller which is acted upon by spring force in the direction of the print head and which can optionally be brought into an operating position or into a rest position.
  • the working speed is limited by the time required for the selective heating of the individual transfer pens of the thermal print head and for their cooling.
  • special control methods for the thermal print head have been developed, whereby a certain increase in speed of the printing process is possible, this is associated with a complication, in particular, of the necessary control circuit, which leads to an increase in costs for the franking machine.
  • An electrothermal printing device is also known from DE 21 00 611 C3, in which the moving carrier tape has a defined electrical resistance (so-called ETR tape), for which purpose a layer of electrical resistance material can be provided on it as a carrier for the color particles .
  • the thermal print head does not have any electrically heatable transfer pens, but a series of pressure electrodes or micro-contacts, which are connected to the resistive material as the carrier tape runs past and, when selectively activated, cause a current to flow through it to a collecting electrode, so that it heats up selectively and melts out causes the ink particles from the carrier tape and their transition to the print material.
  • the mail item Since no transfer pens are heated and cooled on the printhead, a higher printing speed is possible, which could also make a higher working speed possible with a franking machine. However, this has not yet been possible.
  • the mail item In contrast to a normal sheet-like recording medium, the mail item usually has a shape that is variable over its length or an uneven printing surface due to bending, folding or irregular content. If it is passed through the printing area of a printing device operating with current flow through the carrier tape, the print head can be carried with the carrier tape not lie against the uneven surface of an envelope, for example, without faulty contact between its printing electrodes and the carrier tape. This manifests itself in dropouts in the printed image and, in addition, spark erosion can damage the print bar of the thermal print head.
  • a franking machine is also known from EP 0 298 774 A2, the thermal print head of which has heating elements which are selectively heated in accordance with the character to be printed in order to transfer print particles from the carrier tape to the envelope.
  • a counter pressure roller Opposed to the thermal print head is a counter pressure roller, which works together with pressure rollers.
  • the pressure rollers are arranged on both sides of the thermal print head. If the surface to be printed is uneven due to bends, folds, etc., it may happen that the entire surface is not exposed to pressure particles from the carrier tape. The printed image then contains gaps or smears.
  • a printhead holder which presses a thermal printhead against a print carrier which rests on a counter pressure roller.
  • the print head holder is pivotally mounted in elongated holes, so that the print head can perform stroke movements relative to the counterpressure roller within certain limits in addition to the pivoting movements.
  • a franking machine with a printing device which uses a stationary thermal print head.
  • the counter-pressure element opposite the thermal print head is arranged in such a way that it can be moved towards and away from the thermal print head.
  • the counter pressure element is pressed resiliently against the thermal print head and against guide rollers during printing.
  • a counter-pressure roller which is movable in the direction perpendicular to the printing surface is provided as the counter-pressure element and which is arranged on a shaft arranged parallel to the pressure bar of the thermal print head is resiliently mounted so that its contact surface with the postal matter in a plane containing the pressure bar and the shaft can assume different angles to the pressure bar.
  • the contact surface of the counter-pressure roller can tilt relative to the pressure bar of the thermal print head.
  • the pressure force can be distributed evenly over the contact surface and generate a constant pressure along the length of the pressure bar.
  • the printing elements of the thermal print head can thus introduce energy evenly distributed into the carrier tape, so that its color is also transferred uniformly to the mail item.
  • the prior art prevents a mail jam from occurring by the counter-pressure roller executing an evasive movement in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the letter envelope.
  • the pressure generated by the counter-pressure roller against the thermal bar of the thermal print head is only high in the area of the coin, so that an irregular color print is produced. Since a reduced force is applied to the envelope at other points, there is even the risk that the force concentrated at the location of the coin on the thermal printhead will become too great and that it will wear out or even be damaged.
  • the contact surface nestles against the coin with the setting of different angles to the print surface of the thermal print head and also exerts pressure outside the area of the coin. As a result, the print bar of the thermal print head always remains in contact with a large part of the surface of the envelope, which ensures perfect color printing.
  • the invention can also be used for the ETR process (electro-thermal resistive process), in which the carrier tape has a resistive layer which acts as electrodes trained print elements of an ETR print head is heated according to a predetermined image pattern. Color is transferred to the mail item at the heated locations on the carrier tape.
  • ETR process electro-thermal resistive process
  • relatively high pressure forces are required in order to obtain a uniform print image.
  • the object according to the invention meets the high requirements of the ETR process.
  • the invention can be used both with a stationary and with a portable thermal print head.
  • the ribbon guide for the carrier ribbon can also be arranged in a stationary manner. This reduces the design effort for the tape guide elements and stabilizes the movement of the carrier tape.
  • the counter-pressure roller is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the shaft by a bellows at its ends.
  • a bellows can be compressed on the contact surface of the counter-pressure roller with the mail item, the contact surface also being able to assume different angles to the printing surface in the direction of transport.
  • the counter-pressure roller nestles even better at uneven areas of the mail item, so that the pressure is distributed evenly along the pressure bar.
  • the counter-pressure roller is mounted on a fork, which is preferably connected to a holding element by a rotary joint, the axis of rotation of which runs at least approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft of the counter-pressure roller and at least approximately parallel to the direction of transport of the mail item.
  • the counter-pressure roller can also perform swiveling movements around the axis of rotation, so that even with relatively large objects which are enclosed in the postal matter and cause uneven surfaces, the contact surface of the counter-pressure roller has a large angular stroke can perform without the pressure distribution on the contact surface becoming uneven.
  • the aforementioned embodiment can be developed in such a way that the fork has at least two rollers which rotatably support the counter-pressure roller on the side facing away from the thermal print head at an angular distance from one another.
  • the outer surface of the counter-pressure roller is supported on the rollers while rotating. This reduces the bearing forces acting on the shaft.
  • the counter-pressure roller is adjustable along an axis running perpendicular to the transport direction of the goods to be transported by an adjusting device.
  • the actuating device has two operating positions: in one, the counterpressure roller presses the mail item against the pressure surface of the thermal print head under spring pressure; in the other, the counter-pressure roller assumes a rest position, in which it is removed from the thermal print head. With these measures, the thermal print head is only subjected to force through the counterpressure roller during the transport of mail.
  • the holding element mentioned above can contain an elastic part, for example a spiral spring. This part prestresses the fork in the direction perpendicular to the pressure surface. If the longitudinal axis of the shaft is arranged stationary and the outer surface of the counter-pressure roller is supported by rollers, the spring force causes an eccentric deformation of the counter-pressure roller in the direction of the pressure bar via the bellows. This can cause fluctuations in the thickness of the mail, e.g. in the range of 0 to 3 mm.
  • an elastic part for example a spiral spring. This part prestresses the fork in the direction perpendicular to the pressure surface. If the longitudinal axis of the shaft is arranged stationary and the outer surface of the counter-pressure roller is supported by rollers, the spring force causes an eccentric deformation of the counter-pressure roller in the direction of the pressure bar via the bellows. This can cause fluctuations in the thickness of the mail, e.g. in the range of 0 to 3 mm.
  • a preferred embodiment of the invention provides a presetting device which presets the counter-pressure roller at a distance from the printing surface of the thermal printhead depending on the thickness of the mail item.
  • the back pressure roller stroke movement still required to carry out the printing process is then restricted to a relatively small path, for example 3 mm, regardless of how thick the mail item to be printed is.
  • the devices for adjusting the pressure roller can thus be optimized for a relatively short stroke.
  • a further development of the aforementioned embodiment provides that the mail item is scanned for thickness on the transport path to the thermal print head by a sensor which emits a signal for controlling a servomotor driving the presetting device when a predetermined thickness is exceeded.
  • the predetermined thickness can e.g. 3 mm.
  • the counter-pressure element is arranged in a stationary manner, that pressure elements are arranged on both sides of the thermal printhead, the transport gaps formed with the counter-pressure element in each case containing the pressure bar of the thermal printhead to the transport path of the Post good vertical plane and exert a predetermined pressure on the mail good or the counter-pressure element, and that the thermal print head rests movably on the carrier tape.
  • the solution according to the invention provides for the thermal print head to be in movable contact with the carrier tape. This makes it possible to first preset the pressure elements to their position suitable for the respective postal item and then independently of this to bring the thermal print head into its operating position. This is done by the weight of the thermal print head, by spring force or by defined pressure e.g. with an electromagnet. A spring force can be optimally dimensioned for the printing process by suitable selection of the spring parameters. Since the mail item gets its defined position independently of it by the two pressure rollers, its surface is evened out, in particular, transversely to the direction of transport, and the printing quality is thereby favored.
  • a further development is characterized in that the pressure elements are mounted at a variable distance from the counter pressure element.
  • This development ensures that the pressure elements can adjust their position relative to the counter-pressure element of mail items of different thicknesses, by moving them into the transport gap when they enter and then acting on the mail item with their own weight or by spring pressure and thus exerting the predetermined pressure .
  • This training can also be advantageously combined with a movable counter-pressure element.
  • the counter-pressure element is advantageously a counter-pressure roller.
  • This can also be coupled to the rotary drive of the franking machine, so that it is in the area of the transport gaps, i.e. in the printing area, the predetermined speed of the mail is determined.
  • the counter-pressure element can also be a slide piece with a contact surface for the mail item.
  • a flat contact of the mail item can better adapt its shape, in particular to a large printing area in the transport direction, if e.g. multiple thermal printheads are provided.
  • the pressure elements can be pressure rollers or endless belts running on a pair of rollers. They are then expediently coupled to a rotary drive of the franking machine. This applies in particular to the design of the counter pressure element as a slide.
  • FIG. 1 the working principle of a franking machine is shown schematically in a side view, which works according to the so-called ETR printing method, in which a carrier tape for the color particles is used, which has a defined electrical resistance and is thereby selectively heated.
  • a current flow is passed through the carrier tape and is conducted from a thermal printhead provided with printing electrodes via the carrier tape to a collecting electrode.
  • Figure 1 shows an ETR print head 10, which is arranged behind a pressure roller 11.
  • Another pressure roller which cannot be seen in FIG. 1, is located behind the thermal print head 10, so that two pressure rollers are arranged on both sides of the thermal print head 10.
  • the pressure rollers 11 form with a counter pressure roller 12, which is below them, each have a transport gap for a letter.
  • the transport gaps are in the region of a conveyor path 13, at the beginning of which feed rollers 14 and 15 and at the end of which ejection rollers 16 and 17 are arranged.
  • a letter is inserted into the franking machine at the feed nip formed by the feed rollers 14 and 15.
  • the feed rollers 14 and 15 are driven in the direction of the arrow shown and then convey the letter into the transport nips which are formed with the pair of pressure rollers 11 and the counter pressure roller 12. Since the counter-pressure roller 12 is coupled to the rotary drive of the franking machine, the letter is passed through the printing area of the thermal print head 10 and then, after the printing process, reaches the gap between the ejection rollers 16 and 17, of which at least one, in the example shown the ejection roller 17, is coupled to the rotary drive of the franking machine. The letter is then issued at the right end of the transport path 13 in FIG.
  • a carrier tape 18 is passed through the printing area of the thermal print head 10 and, as is known per se, consists of a material with a defined electrical resistance or can be coated with such a material and carries color particles in a binder that can be melted by the action of heat.
  • the carrier tape 18 is selectively heated, these are transferred by the printing electrodes of the thermal print head 10 in a corresponding pictorial distribution from the carrier tape 18 to the letter, which then moves through the printing area between the pressure rollers 11 and the counter-pressure roller 12.
  • the carrier tape 18 is dispensed from a tape unwinding spool 19 and guided around a tape drive roller 20 and a counter pressure roller 21.
  • the tape drive roller 20 is coupled to the drive of the franking machine and pulls the carrier tape 18 from the tape unwinding spool 19. Is the tape supply of the tape unwinder 19 exhausted, the carrier tape 18 has the course shown in dash-dot lines at 22.
  • the carrier tape 18 is guided around a guide pin 23, which has the function of a collecting electrode, and then reaches the printing area of the thermal print head 10 in an almost horizontal course.
  • the guide pin 23 connects the carrier tape 18 to ground potential and thus causes a current discharge from the carrier tape 18 by mass.
  • the current is fed to the carrier tape 18 via the print electrodes of the thermal print head 10, for which purpose it is connected to a control circuit, not shown in FIG. 1, which is known per se and controls the printing process or the selective activation of the print electrodes of the thermal print head 10.
  • the carrier tape 18 has a width corresponding to the width of the thermal print head 10 (see FIG. 3), so that it runs between the pressure rollers 11. It is led out of the printing area and then arrives at deflection elements 24, which can be designed as guide pins or as idling rollers. From there it is fed to a tape take-up reel 25 which is rotated counterclockwise in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1 and winds up the carrier tape 18 until it is filled. Then the carrier tape 18 has the course shown at 25.
  • thermal print head 20 acts on the carrier tape 18 on the upper side thereof and that the letter to be printed has to pass under the carrier tape 18 through the printing area, in which case the color particles are transferred to the carrier tape 18 in an imagewise distribution will.
  • FIG. 2 shows in a longitudinal section how the principle of a movable mounting of a thermal print head that is independent of pressure elements can be implemented in a franking machine.
  • This is used for the pressure rollers 31 and the thermal print head 30 common carrier on which the thermal print head 30 is movably mounted and which in turn can be moved by a letter to be printed.
  • This carrier has the shape of a rocker 36, which is designed in the manner of an angle lever and is pivotally mounted on a pivot axis 37 in the device frame, not shown. The pivoting movement is such that the part of the rocker 36 which is horizontal in FIG. 2 moves upwards or downwards relative to the transport path 33.
  • Deflection elements 43 and 44 are also provided on the rocker 36 for a carrier tape which is fed in the direction of the arrow from a supply roll (not shown) and is removed to a winding roll (not shown).
  • a holding device 39 for the thermal print head 30 is pivotably mounted at 40 on the horizontal part of the rocker 36.
  • This holding device 39 consists of two angle levers, of which only one can be seen in FIG. 2. This is coupled at its end facing away from the thermal print head 30 to the armature 46 of an electromagnet 45 at 47.
  • the electromagnet 45 is attached to the downward part 36b of the rocker 36.
  • the rocker 36 is thus pivoted by its weight with its horizontal part or the pressure rollers 31 in the direction of the counter-pressure roller 32, the left end 36a of the horizontal part of the rocker 36 in FIG. 2 resting on the lower axis 34a of the intake tractor arrangement 34. If this is raised by a letter inserted from the left, the horizontal part of the rocker 36 is also raised, as a result of which a height presetting of the thermal print head 30 is achieved above the letter and the pressure rollers 31 exert a predetermined pressing force on the letter when it is in use moved over the platen roller 32.
  • the control of the franking machine actuates the electromagnet 45, so that the angle levers 39 carrying the thermal print head 30 are pivoted counterclockwise (FIG. 2) and the thermal print head 30 against the carrier tape 38 into its operating position is lowered. In this position, the thermal print head 30 or the electromagnet 45 is shown in FIG. 2. If the printing process is then ended after the letter has passed through the printing area, the thermal printing head 30 can be lifted off the carrier tape 38 into its rest position by switching off the electromagnet 45 and extending its armature 46.
  • Figure 2 shows that depending on the dimensions of the individual parts used and the adjustment paths caused by movement due to the lever ratios, on the one hand the force of the pressure rollers 31 on a letter in the transport nip, and on the other hand the pressure force of the thermal print head 30 on the carrier tape 38 can be individually measured.
  • a rocker assembly is shown overall, which comprises the device shown in Figure 2.
  • the perspective representation applies to a viewing direction from the rear of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2.
  • the rocker 36 is provided with a support frame 36c for the pressure rollers 31 and the thermal print head 30.
  • a bearing point 48 for the right pressure roller 31 can be seen on the rocker 36.
  • the left pressure roller 31 is likewise stored in the opposite part of the support frame 36c.
  • the bearing axis 40 can be seen for the two angle levers 39, to which the thermal print head 30 is attached.
  • the rocker 36 lies with its right and tapered end 36a in FIG. 3 on the lower axis 34a of the upper feed tractor arrangement 34, which consists of two tractor belts guided on rollers.
  • the tractor belts of the lower feed tractor arrangement 35 lie opposite these tractor belts.
  • a franking machine is shown schematically in four different operating positions in FIGS. The procedure is similar to that of the arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but a common support for the thermal print head and the pressure rollers is not acted upon by spring force, but determines the pressure of the pressure rollers on a letter to be printed by its own weight.
  • a carrier tape for color particles is not shown in Figures 4 to 7.
  • Figure 4 shows on the left part of the franking machine two feed tractor arrangements 54 and 55, between which a letter 53 to be printed can be inserted in the direction of the arrow shown.
  • the thermal print head 50 is attached to a carrier board 59, which in turn is attached to a rocker 56 vertically displaceably in slot guides 58.
  • the rocker 56 is pivotally mounted on the implement frame at 57 and, with its left end 56a in FIG. 4, lies on the lower axis 54a of the feed tractor arrangement 54, so that it is lifted by the latter when the letter 53 is drawn in between the two feed tractor arrangements 54 and 55 .
  • Ejection tractor assemblies 61 and 62 are also shown at the right end of the letter transport path.
  • the upper ejection tractor arrangement 61 is mounted with its upper axis 61a on the rocker 56 and rests with its lower part 61b on a letter 53 as soon as the letter 53 Printing process is output from the franking machine on the right.
  • the print head 50 lies with its print bar in the printing area between pressure rollers 51 and a counter pressure roller 52.
  • the arrangement of these parts corresponds to that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • An electromagnet 65 is attached to an upper plate part 60 of the rocker 56, and its armature 66 is connected to the articulation point of a knee joint 67. This is supported at its upper end 68 on the circuit board part 60 and guided at its lower end with an elongated hole on a pin 69 which is fastened to the carrier board 59.
  • the lower part of the knee joint 67 is provided with a compression spring 70 which acts between the hinge point and the pin 69.
  • the pressure rollers 51 are mounted on a lower projection of the rocker 56 which cannot be seen in FIGS. 4 to 7.
  • FIG. 5 shows the device shown in FIG. 4 in an operating state in which the letter 53 to be printed is conveyed between the feed tractor arrangements 54 and 55.
  • the rocker 56 is pivoted upward about the pivot axis 57 by lifting its left end 56a, so that the pressure rollers 51 are at a distance from the counterpressure roller 52 which is less than the letter thickness, whereby the rocker 56 continues at this point when the letter 53 arrives later is raised and then exerts a predetermined pressure force on the counter-pressure roller 52 via the pressure rollers 51 and the letter 53 by its own weight.
  • the thermal print head 50 is then preset at the same time.
  • FIG. 6 shows the operating state in which the letter 53 has arrived with its front edge between the pressure rollers 51 and the counter pressure roller 52.
  • the rocker 56 is raised further and the thermal print head 50 is preset.
  • the electromagnet 65 is to be actuated in order to move the thermal print head 50 into the printing area.
  • FIG. 7 shows this operating state.
  • the electromagnet 65 has attracted its armature 66 and thereby extended the knee joint 67.
  • the carrier board 59 was pushed downward with the compression spring 70, so that the thermal print head 50 now lies against the carrier tape (not shown) in the printing area and applies a predetermined print image to the letter 53. He exerts a pressure on the carrier tape or the letter 53, which is determined by the force of the compression spring 70.
  • the letter 53 is transported between the pressure rollers 51 and the counter pressure roller 52 until it is output on the right side of the device.
  • FIG. 8 shows a franking machine in which the thermal print head 80 is held on a carrier 86 for a pressure roller 81, which can actually be linearly displaced to a counter pressure roller 82 and for this purpose is guided in two stationary guides 83. Movement of the carrier is caused by a feed tractor assembly 84 which is raised by a letter, not shown, as it passes between it and a lower feed tractor assembly 85.
  • the feed tractor arrangement 84 is mounted on an angle lever 87, which is pivotally mounted in a fixed position.
  • the upper leg of the angle lever 87 in FIG. 8 is coupled via a rail 90 to the upper leg of a further angle lever 91 which is mounted so that it can be pivoted in a stationary manner, the shape and size of which corresponds to that of the angle lever 87.
  • the angle lever 87 If the angle lever 87 is pivoted counterclockwise, the angle lever 91 executes a similar pivoting movement and thereby lifts the carrier 86 with a pin 92 as far as the thickness of the letter between the feeder tractor assemblies corresponds. Thereby, the thermal print head 80 is preset to an appropriate height.
  • the thermal print head 80 is held on the carrier 86 with a carrier plate 89 which can be shifted up and down and for this purpose is guided on pins of the carrier 86 with elongated hole guides 88.
  • the carrier board 89 has an inclined upper edge 93, on which the horizontally displaceable armature 96 of an electromagnet 95 is guided with a roller 94.
  • the lower edge 97 of the carrier board 89 rests on a spring 98, by means of which it is pressed upwards and which is supported on the carrier 86 with its lower end.
  • FIG. 9 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the height of the carrier 86, as in the example according to FIG. 8, is linearly displaceable relative to a counter-pressure roller, not shown.
  • the carrier 86 with the thermal print head 80 is arranged on a column 100, which is slidably mounted in fixed bearings 102.
  • a clamping band 104 is wrapped around the column 100, which can be controlled by an electromagnet 106 into an idle state, in which it loosely wraps around the column 100, and a clamping state, in which it clamps the column 100 in the current position.
  • the upper feed tractor assembly 84 is raised in accordance with the thickness of the mail item 53.
  • the height movement is transmitted via a connecting arm 108 to the carrier 86, which moves the column 100 in the bearings 102 when the clamping band 104 is released, so that the thermal print head 80 assumes a preset height relative to the counterpressure element (not shown).
  • the electromagnet 106 is actuated so that the clamping band 104 locks the column 100.
  • the carrier 86 remains in the locked position as the mail item passes the thermal print head 80.
  • an increased compressive force can be applied to the mail item 53 for printing without a relative movement occurring between the counterpressure element and the carrier 86.
  • This exemplary embodiment is used in particular in connection with the ETR method, in which relatively high compressive forces are required.
  • the stationary ETR thermal print head 110 has a print bar 112 which is equipped with print electrodes which press against an ETR carrier tape 114 provided with a resistance layer.
  • the pressure bar 112 presses indirectly against a counter-pressure roller 116 which is rotatably mounted on rollers 118.
  • the rollers 118 are held at an angular distance from one another by a fork 120 which is connected to an actuating device 124 via an elastic holding element 122.
  • the holding element 122 has two cylinder surfaces 126a, 126b which can be pushed into one another and which accommodate a spiral spring 128.
  • the holding element 122 causes the upper lateral surface of the counter-pressure roller 116 to be resiliently displaceable in the direction perpendicular to the printing surface or the pressure bar 112 of the thermal printing head 110 and to exert a predetermined pressure on the printing surface at 112.
  • the actuating device 124 has two positions: in an advanced operating position, the counter-pressure roller 116 presses against the mail item (not shown) transported in the direction of the arrow 117; in a retracted rest position, the counter-pressure roller 116 is removed from the pressure bar 112 of the thermal print head 110.
  • the counter-pressure roller 116 is mounted on a shaft 130, the axis of rotation 131 of which is arranged in a stationary manner.
  • the shaft 130 is driven on one side by a transport motor, not shown.
  • the counter-pressure roller 116 has an outer jacket 116a made of rubber, which is connected to a hollow cylinder 116b made of aluminum. It is rotatably connected to the shaft 130 at both ends by a bellows 132, of which only the left part is visible in FIG. 10.
  • the bellows 132 is fastened by an elastic ring 134 which presses one end of the bellows into an annular recess 136 in the hollow cylinder 116b.
  • the bellows 132 is connected to the shaft 130 by adhesive or other connecting means.
  • a further possibility of the connection consists in forming the shaft 130 in the region of the bellows 132 with polygonal surfaces on which the end of the bellows 132 bears in a form-fitting manner.
  • two impellers 138 are arranged on the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and have the same outer diameter as the counter-pressure roller 116.
  • the impellers 138 have an outer ring 138a made of rubber and a core ring 138b made of aluminum which is fixed on the shaft 130.
  • a groove 140 is embedded in each tread of the wheels 138.
  • a friction spring 142 which has been omitted in the left part of the figure in FIG. 10 for reasons of clarity, is arranged opposite each impeller 138 as a pressure element.
  • the friction springs 142 have elevations 144 which cooperate with the grooves 140.
  • the fork 120 carrying the rollers 118 is connected to the holding element 122 by a swivel joint 146, the axis of rotation 148 of which is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 131 of the shaft 130 and approximately parallel to the direction of transport of the mail item.
  • the counter-pressure roller 116 can thus perform pivoting movements about the axis of rotation 148.
  • the shaft 130 is driven by the transport motor (not shown) for transporting the mail.
  • the impellers 138 and the counter-pressure roller 116 grip the mail item and convey it through the transport gap formed between the transport wheels 138, counter-pressure roller 116, friction springs 142 and thermal print head 110.
  • the contact surface of the counter-pressure roller 116 abutting the mail item assumes an inclined position in a plane containing the pressure bar 112 and the shaft 130, pivoting about the axis of rotation 148, which allows a uniform pressure on the mail item is exerted perpendicular to the direction of transport along the pressure bar 112.
  • the print electrodes of the thermal print head 110 thus always remain in contact with the ETR carrier tape 114, which in turn is in contact with the surface of the mail item. As a result, color particles can be transferred uniformly from the carrier tape 114 even when the surface of the mail item is uneven.
  • the surface pressure generated by the counter-pressure roller 116 is set by the spiral spring 122, which is pressed by the actuating device 124 in an upward direction in FIG. After the printing process and passage of the mail item, the actuating device 124 is moved into its rest position, in which the counter-pressure roller 116 is at a distance from the thermal print head 110.
  • FIG. 11 An exemplary embodiment of the actuating device 124 is shown in more detail in FIG.
  • An electromagnet 150 actuates a lever 152, the end of which is rotatable about a fixed pivot bearing 154.
  • the schematically illustrated holding element 122 is moved up and down via the lever 152.
  • the shaft 130 is arranged in a stationary manner.
  • the outer surface of the counter-pressure roller 116 facing away from the postal matter is supported by the rollers 118. Due to the selected arrangement, when the fork 120 is moved in the direction of the mail, the outer surface of the counter-pressure roller 116 and thus the contact surface can be moved up and down without the shaft 130 having to be moved as well.
  • the shaft 130 can therefore assume an eccentric position with respect to the counter-pressure roller 116. This results in an overall stable arrangement, which is nevertheless highly movable and has sufficient rigidity to be able to transmit compressive forces.
  • the lever 152 has a tooth region 156 at one end, which meshes with a gear 158.
  • the gear 158 rotates, which is driven, for example, by a motor, the lever 152 executes up and down movements and thus, in addition to a movement into the above-mentioned operating positions, also allows the pressure of the counter-pressure roller 116 to be set on the mail item.
  • FIG. 13 shows an arrangement with which the distance of the counter-pressure roller 116 from the pressure bar 112 of the thermal print head 110 can be preset depending on the thickness of a mail item.
  • the actuating device 124 carrying the counter-pressure roller 116 is fastened on a plate 160 which is displaceably supported by a spindle drive 164 in relation to a base plate 162 fastened to the housing of the franking machine.
  • the spindle drive 164 driven by a motor (not shown) has a spindle 168 attached to an arm 170 of plate 160. By actuating the motor, the arm 170 and thus the counter-pressure roller 116 together with the actuator 124 are adjusted in the directions indicated by arrows 166 relative to the base plate 162.
  • a tractor arrangement 174 which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation 172 and which can execute pivoting movements in the direction of the arrows 175.
  • the pivoting movements are transmitted via a connecting arm 178 to a switch 180 which, when the tractor arrangement 174 is deflected by a predetermined distance, for example 3 mm, generates a switching signal.
  • This switching signal is fed to the motor of the spindle drive 164, which adjusts the spindle 168 until the switching signal is no longer available.
  • An upper, stationary tractor arrangement 176 is arranged opposite the lower tractor arrangement 174, which forms a transport plane 182 with its transport path and the pressure bar 112 of the thermal print head 110.
  • a postal item is fed to the tractor arrangements 176, 174.
  • the lower tractor arrangement 174 is pivoted downward, the connecting arm 178 causing the switch 180 to close.
  • the switching signal of the switch 180 causes the spindle 168 and thus the plate 160 to be adjusted in a direction which increases the distance between the contact surface of the counter-pressure roller 116 and the pressure bar 112.
  • the switch 180 opens again and the switching signal drops.
  • the motor of the spindle unit 168 is stopped and the plate 160 is in a position in which the counter-pressure roller 116 is approximately preset to the thickness of the mail item.
  • the counter-pressure roller 116 executes deflection movements in accordance with the unevenness of the mail item can. Due to the presetting of the counter-pressure roller 116 to the thickness of the mail item, its deflection movements remain within a narrow range, so that it is pressed against the mail item with approximately constant force.
  • FIG. 10 with a movable counter-pressure roller 116 can also be combined with an arrangement which is shown in FIG. 8 and presets a movable thermal print head 80 to the thickness of the mail item.
  • the thermal print head 80 shown in FIG. 8 can also be arranged in a variant on the carrier 86 in a stationary manner.
  • the presetting device shown in FIG. 13 with a clamping device according to FIG. 9 instead of a spindle drive.
  • the sensor arrangement formed by the tractor arrangement 174 and switch 180 for scanning the thickness of the postal matter and setting a distance between the thermal print head and the counterpressure element can also be used in a device according to FIG. 9.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
  • Common Mechanisms (AREA)
EP93112895A 1992-08-28 1993-08-11 Machine d'affranchissement Expired - Lifetime EP0585676B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98116667A EP0884699B1 (fr) 1992-08-28 1993-08-11 Machine à affranchir
US08/108,987 US5648811A (en) 1992-08-28 1993-08-18 Postage meter
JP5213170A JP2742197B2 (ja) 1992-08-28 1993-08-27 郵便料金印刷器
CA002104985A CA2104985C (fr) 1992-08-28 1993-08-27 Machine a affranchir

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE4228765A DE4228765C2 (de) 1992-08-28 1992-08-28 Andruckvorrichtung für eine Frankiermaschine mit einer elektrothermischen Druckvorrichtung
DE4228765 1992-08-28

Related Child Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98116667A Division EP0884699B1 (fr) 1992-08-28 1993-08-11 Machine à affranchir
EP98116667.1 Division-Into 1998-09-03

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0585676A2 true EP0585676A2 (fr) 1994-03-09
EP0585676A3 EP0585676A3 (fr) 1994-12-28
EP0585676B1 EP0585676B1 (fr) 1999-03-24

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EP98116667A Expired - Lifetime EP0884699B1 (fr) 1992-08-28 1993-08-11 Machine à affranchir
EP93112895A Expired - Lifetime EP0585676B1 (fr) 1992-08-28 1993-08-11 Machine d'affranchissement

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98116667A Expired - Lifetime EP0884699B1 (fr) 1992-08-28 1993-08-11 Machine à affranchir

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EP (2) EP0884699B1 (fr)
DE (3) DE4228765C2 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5683190A (en) * 1995-01-30 1997-11-04 Neopost Limited Franking apparatus and mail transport thereof
FR2768366A1 (fr) * 1997-09-12 1999-03-19 Secap Machine d'impression d'objets plats, notamment d'enveloppes, a tambour d'impression et dispositif compensateur d'epaisseur
EP0856409A3 (fr) * 1997-01-31 1999-07-14 Neopost Limited Imprimante à transfert thermique
FR2881374A1 (fr) * 2005-01-31 2006-08-04 Neopost Ind Sa Machine a affranchir comportant une tete d'impression mobile verticalement

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1996012621A1 (fr) * 1994-10-20 1996-05-02 Omron Corporation Dispositif d'impression et machine a affranchir
DE19609659C1 (de) * 1996-03-12 1997-04-17 Siemens Nixdorf Inf Syst Belegtransport- und Anschlageinrichtung
DE19706376C1 (de) * 1997-02-19 1998-03-12 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Schutzvorrichtung für eine Frankiermaschine
DE10032855A1 (de) * 2000-07-06 2002-01-17 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Bedrucken eines Druckträgers

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DE2100611C3 (de) * 1970-01-09 1978-05-03 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A., Ivrea, Turin (Italien) Elektrothermische Druckvorrichtung
US4358103A (en) * 1977-02-04 1982-11-09 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magnetic card transporting apparatus
DE3112079C2 (de) * 1981-03-27 1983-02-03 Triumph-Adler Aktiengesellschaft für Büro- und Informationstechnik, 8500 Nürnberg Vorrichtung zum Abheben des Druckkopfes von der Druckgegenlage
FR2519583A1 (fr) * 1982-01-12 1983-07-18 Smh Alcatel Mecanisme d'entrainement et d'impression pour machine a affranchir
DE3307286C1 (de) * 1983-03-02 1984-06-28 Triumph-Adler Aktiengesellschaft für Büro- und Informationstechnik, 8500 Nürnberg Steuervorrichtung fuer Bewegungsablaeufe in Schreib- oder aehnlichen Maschinen mit einem Waermedruckkopf
GB2150498B (en) * 1983-12-02 1987-06-17 Pa Consulting Services Suspension system for franking machine printing head
DE3417381A1 (de) * 1984-05-10 1985-11-14 CAB-Produkttechnik Gesellschaft für Computer- und Automations-Bausteine mbH, 7500 Karlsruhe Vorrichtung zur automatischen papierdickenanpassung eines druckerkopfes
JPS6185439U (fr) * 1984-11-13 1986-06-05
DE3511387A1 (de) * 1985-03-28 1986-10-16 Nixdorf Computer Ag, 4790 Paderborn Druckwerk mit einem in druckzeilenrichtung verfahrbaren druckkopf und einem als druckgegenlager dienenden druckbalken
US4763575A (en) * 1987-04-06 1988-08-16 Pitney Bowes Inc. Envelope pressure plate for mailing machine
GB2208369B (en) * 1987-07-09 1991-07-03 Alcatel Business Systems Franking machine
GB8725619D0 (en) * 1987-11-02 1987-12-09 Roneo Alcatel Ltd Feed for thermal printing ribbon
DE3935348A1 (de) * 1989-10-24 1991-05-02 Ancker Joergensen As Vorrichtung zum bedrucken von aufzeichnungstraegern

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5683190A (en) * 1995-01-30 1997-11-04 Neopost Limited Franking apparatus and mail transport thereof
EP0856409A3 (fr) * 1997-01-31 1999-07-14 Neopost Limited Imprimante à transfert thermique
FR2768366A1 (fr) * 1997-09-12 1999-03-19 Secap Machine d'impression d'objets plats, notamment d'enveloppes, a tambour d'impression et dispositif compensateur d'epaisseur
WO1999014054A1 (fr) * 1997-09-12 1999-03-25 Secap Machine d'impression d'objets plats, notamment d'enveloppes, a tambour d'impression et dispositif compensateur d'epaisseur
FR2881374A1 (fr) * 2005-01-31 2006-08-04 Neopost Ind Sa Machine a affranchir comportant une tete d'impression mobile verticalement

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0585676A3 (fr) 1994-12-28
EP0884699A3 (fr) 2000-05-17
DE59309475D1 (de) 1999-04-29
DE59310251D1 (de) 2002-01-24
DE4228765A1 (de) 1994-03-03
DE4228765C2 (de) 1998-04-09
EP0884699A2 (fr) 1998-12-16
EP0884699B1 (fr) 2001-12-12
EP0585676B1 (fr) 1999-03-24

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