JPH08238809A - Printer for tube and label tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve portability by making a label tape cassette usable in a printer for a tube and a label tape which can print the tube and the label tape and to surely transport the tube and the label tape to specified printing positions by simple constitution. CONSTITUTION: A printer is equipped with transportation rollers 10, 11 for transporting a tube 4 and a label tape, a label tape cassette support part, a tube guide passage 23, a tube guide passage change-over means 19 for switching the tube guide passage 23 between opposite and non-opposite positions to the transportation rollers 10, 11, and guide members 12, 81 which guide the tube and the label tape to specified positions.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tube and a label tape printer for printing characters and the like on both a tube and a label tape which are attached to electric wires wired in a switchboard or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, there have been known some tube printers for printing characters and the like on a tube having elasticity of a cylindrical shape, and a tube printer capable of printing a label tape is also known.

[0003]

However, since such a tube printer conveys tubes and label tapes having different widths to appropriate printing positions, the width of the conveyance path is determined by the width of the tube or label tape when it is conveyed. It requires a mechanism for changing the structure, which complicates the configuration of the printer device, and the tube and the label tape are separate from the printer, which is not suitable for carrying.

Therefore, in order to make the printer device portable, a tube cassette in which a flat-deformed tube for printing is formed into a cassette, a tube for exchanging the label tape cassette and a printer for label tape have been proposed. However, when a large number of tubes are printed, it is necessary to replace the tube cassette frequently, and a dedicated tube is used, which increases the running cost.

In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to use a generally used cylindrical tube, and for the label tape, use a label tape cassette which is excellent in portability. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer for tubes and label tapes, which is a printer that can transport tubes and label tapes having different shapes and sizes to the printing position without fail and is suitable for portability.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A tube printer of the present invention comprises a carrying roller for carrying a tube and a label tape between a platen roller and a thermal head, and a label tape discharge port directed to the carrying roller. A label tape cassette holding section for holding the tape cassette, a tube guide path for guiding the tube toward the transport roller, and a tube guide path switching means for switching the tube guide path between a position facing the transport roller and a position not facing the transport roller,
A tube guide for guiding the tube to a predetermined printing position between the thermal head and the transport roller, and a label tape guide for guiding the label tape to the predetermined printing position, and a guide member integrated with the guide member.
It is desirable that the tube guide path switching means be switched in conjunction with the attachment / detachment of the label tape cassette.

[0007]

In the tube and label tape printer of the present invention, when printing a tube, the tube is guided to the conveying roller by the tube guide path, and the tube conveyed by the conveying roller is predetermined by the tube guide of the guide member. It is guided to the print position and printed. When printing a label tape, the label tape outlet of the label tape cassette is located opposite to the transport roller, and the label tape transported by the transport roller is guided to a predetermined print position by the label tape guide of the guide member. And printed.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a printing portion at the time of tube printing of the printer of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG. 1, and FIG.
4 is a sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is an overall plan view of the printer of this embodiment, FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the printing portion when the label tape of the printer of this embodiment is printed, and FIG. 6 is C in FIG.
It is a -C 'sectional view.

The printer 1 is a thermal transfer type printer, and has a display unit 2, an input unit 3 using a keyboard, and a printing unit 6 for printing characters or the like on a tube 4 or a label tape 5, which are integrated. The ink ribbon cassette 8 for accommodating the ink ribbon 7 and the label-tape cassette 9 for accommodating the label tape 5 are detachable.

The drive roller 10 is driven by a motor (not shown) to rotate, and the tube 4 or the label tape 5 is moved to the next guide member 12 by the roller 11 provided so as to be movable in the contacting / separating direction with respect to the drive roller 10. It is conveyed toward the left in the figure.

The guide member 12 is paired with the exterior part 81 of the ink ribbon cassette 8 and forms a guide path 15 for guiding the tube 4 or the label tape 5 to the print position of the thermal head 13 and the platen roller 14. Figure 3
As shown in, the tube guide portion 151 for guiding the cylindrical tube 4 and the slit-shaped label tape guide portion 152 for guiding the flat label tape 5 are integrally formed.

The tube guide portion 151 and the label tape guide portion 152 are tapered so that the insertion side is wide and the discharge side is narrow in order to surely pass and guide the tube 4 and the label tape 5, respectively. Further, the tube guide portion 151 and the label tape guide portion 1
By making the bottom surface of 52 the reference position of the tube 4 and the label tape 5, respectively, by controlling the print position of the thermal head even for the tube and label tape of different sizes, it is possible to print at the predetermined position of the tube and the label tape. ing.

The thermal head 13 is provided so as to come in contact with and separate from the platen roller 14 via a motor (not shown) and a known mechanism. The thermal head 13 moves toward the platen roller 14 during printing, and the tube 4 or the label tape 5 is used. And the ink ribbon 7 are pressed and printed.

The platen roller 14 is rotated by a motor (not shown), and the pair of rollers 16 convey the tube 4 or the label tape 5 toward the half-cutting means 17 and the cutter 18. Half-cutting means 17
Is a cutter for cutting while leaving a part of the tube 4 or the label tape 5, and the cutter 18 is for cutting the tube 4 or the label tape 5.

The lift plate 19 is rotatably attached to a shaft 20 and is urged to be lifted upward by a spring 21. The lift plate 19 is formed at the end of the lift plate 19 shown in FIG. Tano tube guide part 1
91, the leaf spring 192, and the side wall portion 22 of the printer body form a tube guide path 23. The position of the tube guide path 23 is aligned with the drive roller 10 and the guide path 15 described above, and the tube 4 passing through the tube guide path 23 passes through the drive roller 10 and the guide path 15.
The thermal head 13 is guided. Note that the leaf spring 192 presses the tube 4 against the bottom surface of the tube guide portion 191, and guides even tubes of different sizes to be conveyed to the conveyance roller 8 along the bottom surface of the tube guide portion 191.

The hook 193 of the lift plate 19 is formed in a U shape and has elasticity, and the label tape cassette 8 shown in FIG. 6 is attached to the hook 193 and the lift plate 19 is pushed down and opened in the case of the printer body. First hook 194 engaging with the hole 24 and the hole 9 of the label tape cassette 9
A second hook 195 that engages 1 is provided. In addition, a slope 196 is provided below the first hook,
An upper sloping surface 197 and a lower sloping surface 198 are provided above and below the 95, and when the label cassette tape 9 is attached or detached, the first hook and the hole 24 are engaged and released, and the second hook 195 is provided. The engagement with the hole 91 and the release of the engaged state can be smoothly performed.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the label tape cassette 9 includes a label tape discharge port 92 formed by a side plate 25, a side wall portion 26 of the printer body, a bobbin shaft 27, and the like.
Is positioned between the transport roller 10 and the roller 11, and the printer 1 is caused by the engagement of the hole 91 and the second hook 195 and the engagement of the protrusion 93 of the label cassette tape 9 and the recess 2 of the side wall 25. Held in. Further, the label tape discharge port 92 guides the label tape 5 toward the label tape guide portion 152 of the guide path 15, so that its line end is slightly bent toward the exterior part 82 side of the ink ribbon cassette 8.

Next, regarding the operation of this embodiment, the printing of the tube will be described first. When printing the tube 4, the user first removes the label tape cassette 9. In FIG. 6, when the label tape cassette 9 is removed, the hole 91 of the label tape cassette 9 and the lower slope 198 of the second hook 195 of the lift plate 19 come into contact with each other, and the resistance thereof causes the hook 193 to move leftward in the drawing. The lift plate 19 is swung, the engagement state between the first hook 194 and the hole 24 is released, and the lift plate 19 is lifted by the bias of the spring 21.

When the lift plate 19 is lifted, a tube guide path 23 is formed as shown in FIG. The user inserts the tube 4 into the tube guide path, and when the line end of the tube 4 reaches between the drive roller 10 and the roller 11, the user moves the roller 11 and presses the tip of the tube 4 with the drive roller 10. . When the tube 4 is inserted, the tube 4 in the tube guide path 23 is prevented from being lifted by the leaf spring 192.
Is transported along the bottom surface of the.

Next, when the user inputs predetermined data and inputs execution of printing, the drive roller 10 rotates and the tube 4 is conveyed leftward in the figure. The conveyance of the tube 4 is restricted by the drive roller 10 and the roller 11 in the horizontal direction, and is conveyed along the bottom surface by the leaf spring 192 in the vertical direction, so that the guide path 15 can be reliably conveyed.
When it is conveyed to the print path of the thermal printer 13 and the platen roller 14 by passing through the guide path 15, a predetermined character is printed.

Next, the printing of the label tape will be described. When printing the label tape 5, the user first attaches the label tape cassette 9. When the label tape cassette 9 is placed on the lift plate 19 without the label tape cassette 9 shown in FIG. The resistance causes the hook 19 to swing to the left in the drawing, the first hook 194 and the hole 24 are smoothly engaged, and the upper slope 198 of the second hook 195 and the hole 91 are in contact with each other. Due to the resistance, the hook 19 swings to the left in the drawing, the second hook 195 and the hole 91 are smoothly engaged, and the label tape cassette 9 is attached to the printer 1.

As a result, the label tape cassette 9 is positioned by engaging the side plate 25, the side wall portion 26 of the printer main body, the bobbin shaft 27, etc., and the label tape discharge port 92 is positioned between the conveying roller 10 and the roller 11. Then roller 11
Is moved and the leading end of the label tape 5 is pressed and pinched by the drive roller 10.

Next, when the user inputs predetermined data and inputs execution of printing, the feeding roller 10 rotates and the label tape 4 is fed leftward in the drawing. Label sheet 5
Is slightly bent toward the ink ribbon cassette 9 side by bending the front end of the label tape discharge port 92, and the guide path 15
The level tape 5 is conveyed toward the label tape guide portion 152 of the label tape guide portion 15 of the guide path 15.
When the sheet passes through 2, the sheet is conveyed to the print area of the thermal printer 13 and the platen roller 14, and a predetermined character is printed. The label tape 5 is conveyed along the bottom surface of the label tape guide portion 152 by gravity.

[0024]

According to the present invention, in a tube and a label tape printer using a generally used cylindrical tube and a label tape cassette having excellent portability as a label tape, a label tape is used as a level tape. Whether it is a label tape that accommodates a cassette or a commonly used cylindrical tube, each can be reliably transported to a predetermined printing position, and printing can be reliably performed. Further, it is possible to provide a tube and label tape printer suitable for portability. Furthermore, when the label tape cassette is removed, the tube guide path switching means automatically operates to improve operability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a print portion when printing a tube on a tube and label tape printer.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A ′ in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B ′ in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an overall plan view of a printer for tube and label tape.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a print portion when printing label tape on a tube and label tape printer.

6 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C ′ in FIG.

[Description of sign]

 1 Printer 4 Tube 5 Label Tape 8 Ink Ribbon Cassette 9 Label Tape Cassette 92 Label Tape Ejection Port 12 Guide Member 13 Thermal Head 14 Platen Roller 15 Guide Path 151 Tube Guide Part 152 Label Tape Guide Part 19 Lift Plate 191 Tube Guide Part 192 Leaf Spring 193 Hook 23 Tube guideway

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A carrying roller for carrying a tube and a label tape between a platen roller and a thermal head, and a label tape cassette holder for holding a label tape cassette with a label tape discharge port facing the carrying roller. , A tube guide path for guiding the tube toward the conveying roller, a tube guide path switching means for switching the tube guide path between a position facing the conveying roller and a position not facing the conveying roller, and a predetermined tube for guiding the tube between the thermal head and the conveying roller. A tube and label tape printer, comprising: a guide member that integrates a tube guide that guides a print position and a label tape guide that guides a label tape to a predetermined print position. 2. The tube and label tape printer according to claim 2, wherein the tube guide path switching means switches in association with attachment / detachment of the label tape cassette.