JPH03186526A - automatic paper feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic paper feeder that feeds recording paper sheet by sheet to a recording device.

[Prior Art] The conventional art includes a thermal transfer printer equipped with an automatic paper feeding device as shown in FIG. The recording paper 34 loaded in the hopper 33 is conveyed between the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 and a platen 37 having appropriate hardness by the rotation of the feed roller 35, and comes to rest at a predetermined position.

This hopper 33 presses both ends of the recording paper 34 against a feed roller 35 and guides both sides.

Further, the recording head 38 is pressed against the platen 37 by the spring force of the head pressure spring 39 with the recording Mi 34 and the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 interposed therebetween.

Next, at the same time as the recording paper 34 is transported, the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 starts to be transported to start thermal transfer recording, and when the recording is finished, the recording paper 34 is transferred to the stacker 41 by the paper discharge roller 40.
is ejected, and the series of recording operations ends.

Although not shown in the figure, the driving source for conveying the recording paper 34 and the driving source for conveying the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 are provided separately, and the conveying means for the recording paper 34 is a stepping motor, and the conveying means for the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 is a stepping motor. It was powered by a DC motor.

When replacing consumables in this thermal transfer printer, such as the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36, the upper case 42 is replaced with the lower case 4.
3, rotate the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure to nearly perpendicular to the horizontal plane, pull out the thermal transfer ink ribbon 36 upward in the figure, and insert a new thermal transfer ink ribbon 36. It was something to do.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional technology, in order to rotate the upper case 42 when replacing consumables, the hopper 33 is tilted below the horizontal plane.

In order to prevent the recording paper 34 from falling from the hopper 33 due to this, it is necessary to remove the recording paper 34 from the hopper 33 in advance, which requires time and effort to align the recording paper 34 again and return it to the hopper 33 after replacing consumables. There was an issue.

Furthermore, if the recording paper 34 is forgotten to be removed from the hopper 33 when replacing the consumables, there is a problem in that the recording paper 34 will fall from the hopper 33.

Furthermore, when it is possible to load and feed many types of recording paper, especially when the paper width is wide, the hopper 33 supports only both ends of the recording paper 34, so that the center of the recording paper 34 is affected by gravity. There were problems such as bending, skewing of paper during paper feeding, double feeding, and paper jams.

Therefore, in order to solve these conventional problems, the present invention has the following features:
To provide an automatic paper feeding device that is easy to use and capable of reliable automatic paper feeding.

[Means for solving the problem] In an automatic paper feeding device that supplies recording paper sheet by sheet to a recording device, a paper support member is provided at the center or both ends of the recording paper stacking section to support the paper surface and the end surface of the paper. The paper support member is slidable, and the paper support member is removable.

[Example] An example of a thermal transfer printer equipped with an automatic paper feeder according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of thermal transfer recording using an automatic paper feeder according to the present invention.

A plurality of sheets of recording paper 2 are set in the recording paper stacking section (hereinafter referred to as hopper) 1, and when a recording start signal is input, the feed roller 3, which is made of a rubber material with a high friction coefficient, rotates counterclockwise. The paper is fed rightward in the figure along the upper surface of the guide 4. Furthermore, the paper path selection plate 5 that overlaps with the upper surface of the paper guide 4 is pushed up by its own weight, and after passing through the BOF sensor 6 which is the detection means of the recording paper 2, the second paper feed roller 7, which is stationary and in a pressed state, and the second It collides with the paper presser roller 8,
After standing still in a slightly buckled state and aligning the leading edge of the recording paper 2 in parallel, the stepping motor 9 starts rotating, and the rotation is transmitted to the second paper feed roller 7 via the paper feed gear 10, and the platen 11 The recording paper 2 is conveyed by a predetermined number of steps between the recording head 15 which receives pressure from the head pressure spring 14 via the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 housed and supported in the ink ribbon cassette 12, and then the recording paper 2 is fed. Paper operation ends.

Here, the hopper 1 on which the recording paper 2 is loaded is separated from the feed roller 3 immediately after the stepping motor 9 starts rotating.

Next, the recording operation begins, and the platen pressure roller 16, whose rotating shaft is eccentric to the central axis, receives driving force from a DC motor (not shown), and the platen 11 moves to the position shown by the solid line in the figure. Stand still. Recording paper 2, thermal transfer ink ribbon 1
A constant pressure is applied to the recording head 15 through the
Power supply to the recording head 15 is started, and recording is executed.

During this recording, the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is conveyed using a stepping motor 9, which is a first ribbon driving means, as an M drive source, and a gear train consisting of a paper feed gear 10, a ribbon reduction gear A 17, a ribbon reduction gear B 18, and a ribbon gear 19. I will do it. In other words,
The driving source for conveying the recording paper 2 and the driving source for conveying the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 are shared.

As recording progresses, the leading edge of the recording paper 2 is moved by a first paper feed roller 20 and a paper presser auxiliary roller 2 that constantly generates pressing force.
1, it passes between the first paper presser roller 22 which is stationary at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure, and is guided by the paper ejection guide 23 fixed above the first paper presser roller 22, counterclockwise. The paper is conveyed between the rotating paper discharge rollers 24.

When recording is completed, the platen 11 moves to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure, and is scooked onto the stacker 25 by counterclockwise rotation of the paper discharge roller 24, thereby completing the series of recording operations.

Here, by tilting the stacker 25 in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the stacker 25 performs a face-down operation in which the recording surface of the recording paper 2 is placed downward, and by tilting the stacker 25 in the direction of the arrow B in the figure, the recording surface is turned upward. It is possible to form two positions: a face-up position and a scooking position.

Furthermore, this thermal transfer printer can perform color recording by replacing the thermal transfer ink ribbon with a color one. Furthermore, by detaching the ink ribbon cassette 12 containing the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 from the thermal transfer printer main body,
It is also possible to perform thermal recording using thermal paper as the recording paper 2. Thermal recording is performed using the same sequence as the monochrome thermal transfer recording described above except for the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13. The above is a general description of a thermal transfer printer that is an embodiment of the present invention.

Next, the details of the hopper 1, which is a feature of the present invention, will be explained in the second section.
This will be explained based on the diagram.

Hopper 1 formed in the top opening 26 of the thermal transfer printer
These include a paper pressing plate 27 that presses the recording paper 2 against the feed roller 3 with a spring (not shown), and a paper width adjusting plate 2 that corrects the paper edge according to the width of the recording paper 2 and supports rotation of the paper pressing plate 27.
8. A paper holder 29 that supports both ends of the recording paper 2, and a paper holder guide shaft 30 that slidably guides the paper width adjustment plate 28.
, and arrow A or B in the figure depending on the size of recording paper 2.
It is comprised of a paper support member 31 that is slidable in the direction and a paper support member guide 32 that guides and positions the paper support member.

FIG. 3 shows details of the most special paper support member 31 and paper support member guide 32 seen from the back side of the state shown in FIG. 2.

As shown, the paper support member guide 32 has a U-shape and is made of a member having an appropriate coefficient of friction, such as a rubber member, and the paper support member 31 made of a metal wire slides on its inner surface. Shaded area 32-a of paper support member guide 32 in the figure
is glued or screwed to the hatched surface 26-a of the opening 26 in FIG.

Here, the outer width of the paper support member 31 is the width of the paper support member guide 3.
It is formed slightly wider than the width of the inner surface of the paper supporting member 31, and generates a pressing force in the C and D directions in the figure, thereby stopping the vertical movement of the paper supporting member 31 by frictional force and determining its position. ing.

When changing the size and type of recording paper 2 loaded in the hopper 1, first slide the paper width adjusting plate 28 shown in FIG.
Then, the recording paper 2 is compressed in the direction of arrow A or B in the figure, adjusted to match the paper length, and replaced. In addition, if the width of the recording paper 2 is particularly narrow, the paper support member 31 is deeply compressed in the EF direction in the figure.
What is necessary is to slide it in the B direction to remove it from the paper support member guide 32, and to set it by sliding the paper width adjustment plate 28 inward.

Continuing on, the outline of replacing the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13, which is a consumable item, will be explained with reference to FIG.

When replacing the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13, first rotate the upper case 33 of the thermal transfer printer in the direction shown in the figure to the position shown in the figure. The opening/closing plate is rotated to the outside of both sides of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 in the axial direction to open it, and the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is uncoupled from the wound coloring bong core (not shown), and then the thermal transfer ink ribbon to be replaced is removed. 13 in the direction G in the figure.

At this time, the hopper 1 is tilted below the horizontal plane, so the recording paper 2
The paper tends to slide down in the direction shown in the figure under the influence of gravity, but the tip 31-a of the L-shaped paper support member 31 prevents the paper from falling.

A new thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is inserted in the H direction in the figure, and the upper case 33 of the thermal transfer printer is rotated in the J direction in the figure to close it, thereby completing the replacement of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13.

Here, the paper support member 31 is formed from an L-shaped metal wire in the center of the hopper 1. However, if the paper width of the recording paper 2 is limited to narrow paper width, the paper holder 29 is attached to the paper support member 31.
It may be formed similarly.

Further, the recording paper supporting member 31 may be U-shaped so as to sandwich the end surface of the recording paper 2, and may also be formed from a sheet metal or a plastic molded product.

[Effect of the invention 1] The automatic paper feeder of the present invention eliminates the trouble of removing and setting paper every time consumables are replaced by providing a paper support member in the center of the hopper that stacks recording paper, and eliminates the trouble of removing and setting paper every time consumables are replaced. This prevents the paper from falling when the upper case is opened with recording paper still loaded on the tray.

Furthermore, it is possible to load recording paper of all types and sizes into the hopper in a stable state, and it is possible to prevent paper skew, double feeding, and paper jams during automatic paper feeding.

As described above, by providing a simple-shaped and low-cost paper support member, an automatic paper feeding device with improved usability and high functional stability regarding paper feeding has been obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal transfer printer that is an embodiment of the automatic paper feeding device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the automatic paper feeder of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partial detailed view of the automatic paper feeder of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of replacing consumables in a thermal transfer printer which is an embodiment of the automatic paper feeder of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a thermal transfer printer equipped with a conventional automatic paper feeder. 1...Hopper 2...Recording paper 3...Feed roller 7 9 0 1 2 Paper press Paperboard width adjustment Paperboard holder Paper holder guide Shaft paper support member Paper support member Guide and above

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic paper feeder that supplies recording paper one sheet at a time to a recording device, a paper support member is provided at the center or both ends of the recording paper stacking section to support the surface and trailing edge of the recording paper. Features an automatic paper feeder. (2) The automatic paper feeder according to claim 1, wherein the paper support member is slidable. (3) The automatic paper feeder according to claim 2, wherein the paper support member is removable in the automatic paper feeder.