Printer apparatus

• US 20040257428A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sato, Yoshinori, Sanbongi, Norimitsu, Hoshino, Minoru, Obuchi, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,106,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/220
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/0036 in the output section of automatic paper handling systems
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/076 Construction of rollers; Bearings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/25 by thermo-activating the glue

Abstract

A printer apparatus has a thermal head for printing by making contact with a heat-sensitive coloring layer of a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet comprised of the heat-sensitive coloring layer and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer formed on opposite sides of a sheet-like base material. A thermal head heats the heat-sensitive adhesive layer to activate the same, and a conveying roller conveys the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in a predetermined direction to an ejection hole which ejects the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet out of the apparatus. A sheet holding unit holds the printed sheet with part of the same exposed to the outside from the ejection hole.

Claims

1. A printer apparatus comprising:

a thermal head for printing which performs printing in contact with a heat-sensitive coloring layer of a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet having a printable surface constituted by the heat-sensitive coloring layer and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer formed on one and another side of a sheet-like base material, respectively;

a thermal head for activation which heats the heat-sensitive adhesive layer to activate the same, conveying means which conveys said heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in a predetermined direction;

an ejection hole for ejecting the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet out of the apparatus; and

sheet holding means which spaces a trailing end of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet which has been subjected to the printing process by the thermal head for printing and the activation process by the thermal head for activation from the thermal head for activation and which holds the sheet with part of the same exposed to the outside from the ejection hole.

2. A printer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet holding means comprises a first rotating body which is driven for rotation in the conveying direction with a circumferential surface thereof in contact with the heat-sensitive adhesive layer, a contact member which is provided opposite to the circumferential surface of the rotating body with a gap equal to or smaller than the thickness of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet left therebetween, driving means for said rotating body, and control means for said driving means;

and

the control means controls the driving means such that the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet conveyed through said thermal head for activation is sandwiched between the circumferential surface of said rotating body and said contact member and conveyed a predetermined distance with the conveying means so as to space the trailing end of the sheet from the thermal head for activation and such that the rotation of the rotating body is stopped with part of the sheet exposed to the outside from said ejection hole.

3. A printer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the contact member comprises a second rotating body which is disposed in the width direction of said heat-sensitive adhesive sheet and which contacts the printable surface.

4. A printing apparatus according to claims 1, wherein the first and second rotating bodies comprise a plurality of rollers securely provided at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of rotating shafts which can rotate in the conveying direction.

5. A printer apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first rotating body comprises a wheel-like roller.

6. A printer apparatus according to claims 1, wherein the first rotating body is configured by providing two or more rotating shafts, which can rotate in the conveying direction, side by side perpendicularly to the conveying direction and securely providing a plurality of wheel-like rollers at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of each of the rotating shafts;

and

at least one of the rotating shafts is configured such that a driving force is transmitted thereto by the driving means.

7. A printer apparatus according to claims 1, wherein the first rotating body is configured by providing two or more rotating shafts, which can rotate in the conveying direction, side by side perpendicularly to the conveying direction, securely providing a plurality of wheel-like rollers at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of each of the rotating shafts, and winding an endless belt around each of the series of rollers arranged in the conveying direction;

and at least one of the rotating shafts is configured such that a driving force is transmitted thereto by the driving means.

8. A printer apparatus according to claims 4, wherein the first and second rotating bodies are alternately disposed such that their circumferential surfaces do not face each other.

9. A printer apparatus according to claim 8, wherein it is configured such that the distance between the rotating shaft of the first rotating body and the rotating shaft of the second rotating body is equal to or smaller than the sum of the radius of the first rotating body and the radius of the second rotating body.

10. A printer apparatus according to claim 9, wherein both or either of the first rotating body and the second rotating body is urged against an opposite portion by the weight of itself or urging means such as a spring.

11. A printer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the contact member is constituted by a plate-like member provided such that it extends in the width direction of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet.

12. A printer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the contact member is constituted by a member in the form of a plate spring provided such that it extends in the width direction of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet.

13. A printer apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the contact member is formed with comb-like grooves having a width greater than the width of said first rotating body in the longitudinal direction;

and

the first rotating body is provided such that it is interposed in each of the comb-like grooves, the apparatus being configured such that the distance between the rotating shaft of the first rotating body and a surface of the contact member opposite thereto is equal to or smaller than the length of the radius of the first rotating body.

14. A printer apparatus according to claims 4, wherein at least a surface of the roller is formed of a material which is mainly composed of a substance having a relatively low surface energy such as a silicone resin or fluororesin.

15. A printer apparatus according to claims 4, wherein the roller comprises an O-ring attached to a circumferential surface thereof, the O-ring being formed of a material which is mainly composed of a substance having a relatively low surface energy such as a silicone resin or fluororesin.

16. A printer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the endless belt is formed of a material which is mainly composed of a substance having a relatively low surface energy such as a silicone resin or fluororesin.

17. A printer apparatus according to claims 1, wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed on a circumferential surface of the first rotating body.

18. A printer apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the protrusions are formed such that the first rotating body has a star-like or gearwheel-like sectional shape.

19. A printer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet holding means comprises a contact member which is put in contact with the heat-sensitive adhesive layer at a leading end face thereof, a rotating body which is provided so as to face the leading end face of said contact member at a circumferential surface thereof with a gap equal to or smaller than the thickness of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet left therebwteen and which is driven for rotation in the conveying direction, driving means for the rotating body, and control means for the driving means;

and

the control means controls the driving means such that the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet conveyed through said thermal head for activation is sandwiched between the circumferential surface of said rotating body and the contact member and conveyed a predetermined distance with the conveying means so as to space the trailing end of the sheet from the thermal head for activation and such that the rotation of the rotating body is stopped with part of the sheet exposed to the outside from the ejection hole.

20. A printer apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least a surface layer of the contact member is formed of a material which is mainly composed of a substance having a relatively low surface energy such as a silicone resin or fluororesin.

21. A printer apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the contact member is formed with comb-like grooves having a width greater than the width of the rotating body in the longitudinal direction;

and

the rotating body is provided such that it is interposed in each of the comb-like grooves, the apparatus being configured such that the distance between the rotating shaft of the rotating body and a surface of the contact member opposite thereto is equal to or smaller than the length of the radius of said rotating body.

22. A printer apparatus according to claim 21, wherein both or either of the contact member and said rotating body is urged by the weight of itself or urging means such as a spring.

23. A printer apparatus according to claims 19, wherein at least a leading end face of a contact portion of the contact member is formed of a material which is mainly composed of a substance having a relatively low surface energy such as a silicone resin or fluororesin.

24. A printer apparatus according to claims 1, wherein detection means which detects the presence or absence of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet is further provided in the vicinity of said ejection hole;

and the apparatus is configured such that when a detection signal from the detection means continues for a predetermined time, the driving of the driving means is resumed to eject the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet out of the apparatus entirely.

25. A printer apparatus according to claims 1, wherein detection means which detects the presence or absence of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet is further provided in the vicinity of said ejection hole;

and the apparatus is configured such that when a detection signal from the detection means continues for a predetermined time, the driving means is reversed, and the heat-sensitive adhesive layer is reactivated by the thermal head for activation.