JPS627584A - recording device - 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] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a recording device such as a printer, facsimile, or typewriter, and particularly to a type of recording device that scans in the digit direction (into the paper) by a carriage that moves along the paper. The present invention relates to means for aligning print positions in the line direction (print line alignment +).

[Prior art]

In this type of recording device, a recording head (print head) is mounted on a carriage, and the carriage is used to print paper.
It is configured to normally record one line at a time while reciprocating along one line. Further, line feeding such as line feed is performed by a paper feeding mechanism.

By the way, when printing in a blank or printing alongside existing printing, line alignment or digit alignment is performed to align the printing position with a predetermined position on the paper.

Conventionally, as a means for aligning lines or digits of such printing (recording) positions, a transparent cover with a scale, etc., which is placed close to the paper, has been used.

However, with this conventional structure, there were problems in that accurate alignment was difficult because the gap between the paper and the cover changed depending on the thickness and quality of the paper, and the structure was large and required space. [Object] The object of the present invention is to provide a recording device that can solve the problems of the prior art, has a simple structure, and can accurately align the lines of printing without being affected by the thickness of the paper. That's true.

〔overview〕

The present invention achieves the above object by providing the carriage with an aiming mechanism that aims at a recording reference position in the row direction on a sheet of paper.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the main parts of a recording apparatus according to one embodiment.

In FIG. 1, a paper feed roller 1 is rotatably supported on a base (not shown) of a recording device, and a paper 2 is backed up on the circumferential surface of the paper feed roller 1. It also serves as a platen, and the paper 2 is fed in the direction of arrow B by driving it in the direction of arrow B.

Guide shafts 3.4 are installed on the front side of the paper 2 in parallel with the paper feed roller 1, and the carriage 5 is guided and supported by these guide shafts. This carriage 5
is driven back and forth along the paper 2 by a motor. A recording head 6 is mounted on this carriage 5.

The recording apparatus of this embodiment is of a thermal transfer type, and an ink ribbon cassette 7 is mounted on a carriage 5 to feed the ink ribbon between the paper 2 and the recording head 6. In this way, recording is performed while moving the carriage 5 with the pad 6 in pressure contact with the recording head and driving the plurality of electrothermal energy conversion elements for dot formation mounted on the recording head in accordance with the print pattern signal. be exposed.

The carriage 5 has an aiming mechanism for aligning the lines of printing, that is, protrusions 8., 8. 9 is provided. These projections8.
9 is provided in the front-rear direction and at an angle θ as shown in the figure, and the upper ends of these protrusions coincide in the direction that is the angle θ.
When viewed from the direction, each upper end is arranged so as to overlap the recording reference position lO on the paper 2 in the paper feeding direction.

The recording reference position 10 in the electric feeding direction is set in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the recording head 6. For example, it can be set to coincide with the lower edge of the print as shown in the figure.

Further, the upper left ends of each of the projections 8.9 are on the same line in the front-rear direction, and when viewed from the direction in which the two upper left ends overlap, the recording reference position 11 in the digit direction on the paper 2 overlaps on the extension line. It is located.

That is, each protrusion 8.9 also has the function of an aiming mechanism for digit alignment of the printing position.

The recording reference position 11 in the digit direction is set in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the recording head 6. For example, the recording reference position 11 is set to be located to the left by a certain number of characters (a certain number of digits).

In use, as shown in the figure, aim the recording reference position 10.11 in the paper feed direction and column direction on the paper 2 with the upper left end of each protrusion 8.9, and adjust the position of the paper 2 in the paper feed direction and the left and right sides of the carriage 5. The directional position is adjusted to match the printing position on the paper with the recording reference position 10.11.

When the recording operation is started, first, the carriage 5 and paper feed roller 1 are aligned with the recording head 6 and the recording reference position 10S.
11, and then printing is started. However, if the recording reference position lO in the paper feeding direction and the recording head 6 are set at the same position in the paper feeding direction as in the illustrated example, it is not necessary to drive the paper feeding roller 1 for adjustment.

Note that since the paper 2 is generally white, it may be colored appropriately, such as making the front protrusion 8 black and the rear protrusion 9 white, to make it easier to see and aim.

Further, the aiming angle (visual angle) θ can be set as appropriate, but is generally preferably about 45 degrees.

According to the embodiment described above, since the aiming mechanism consisting of the protrusions 8 and 9 is configured to align the lines and digits of printing, it is possible to maintain a sufficiently large distance between the mechanism and the paper 2, which is different from the conventional one. Compared to the contact type, parallax can always be accurately corrected without being affected by paper thickness or paper quality, and highly accurate line alignment and digit alignment can be performed.

Moreover, since it is only necessary to provide the projections 8.9, the structure can be simplified and the required space can be reduced.

In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 8.9 is used as an aiming mechanism, but one or both of the protrusions 8.9 may be made of a transparent body with graduations or a thin line, or other structures capable of aiming.

Further, the present invention is widely applicable not only to the illustrated thermal transfer printer but also to various types of printers such as wire dot type and ink jet type, and recording apparatuses such as facsimiles and typewriters.

〔effect〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a recording device that has a simple structure and is capable of accurately aligning prints without being affected by paper differences.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2-----One paper, 5--- Carriage, 6--
Recording head, 8.9 - Aiming mechanism (protrusion),
10-... Recording reference position in the paper feed direction, 11-...-
Recording reference position in the digit direction.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A recording apparatus in which a recording head is mounted on a carriage that moves along a sheet of paper, and the carriage is provided with an aiming mechanism that aims at a recording reference position on the sheet in the paper feeding direction. (2) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage is provided with an aiming mechanism that aims at a recording reference position in the digit direction on the paper.