Cover opening and closing mechanism, and printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10421302-B2
Application number	US-201815908527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2018
Priority date	Mar 2, 2017
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

A cover is coupled to a main body casing in manner enabling rotation of the cover. A pop-up mechanism is provided that when locking by a locking mechanism that fixes the cover at a closed position in a releasable manner is released, rotates the cover from the closed position to an open position by a biasing of first contact members in a direction so that the first contact members push second contact members that are respectively disposed at both ends of the cover, the first contact members being connected to each other and respectively disposed at both ends of the main body casing. Thus, the second contact members are pushed while a positional relationship of the first contact members is maintained to be constant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cover opening and closing mechanism comprising:
a main body casing having an opening;
a cover coupled to the main body casing in a manner enabling the cover to rotate between a closed position closing the opening of the main body casing and an open position opening the opening;
a locking mechanism that fixes the cover at the closed position in a releasable manner; and
a pop-up mechanism that rotates the cover from the closed position toward the open position when locking by the locking mechanism is released, wherein
the pop-up mechanism includes:
a first contact member having first contact parts that are connected to each other and are respectively disposed at both ends of one of the main body casing and the cover, the both ends being in a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the cover;
a second contact member having second contact parts respectively disposed at another of the main body casing and the cover not disposed with the first contact parts, the second contact parts being disposed at positions that interfere on a trace of movement of the first contact parts accompanying rotation of the cover, the second contact parts abutting the first contact parts when the cover is positioned within a predetermined range from the closed position; and
a biasing member that biases the first contact member in a direction so that the first contact parts push the second contact parts.

2. The cover opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the first contact member is integrally formed by processing of a sheet metal member.

3. The cover opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the second contact parts are connected to each other.

4. The cover opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the second contact member is integrally formed by processing of a sheet metal member.

5. The cover opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the locking mechanism further includes:
lock levers respectively disposed at both ends of one of the cover and the main body casing, the lock levers having a hook at an end protruding toward another of the cover and the main body casing not disposed with the lock levers; and
engaging members disposed at the another of the cover and the main body casing not disposed with the lock levers, the engaging members engaging with the hooks in a state where the cover is positioned at the closed position, and

at least one of the lock levers includes a lock sensor that detects that the hooks and the engaging members are positioned at an engaging position.

6. A printer comprising:
a printer main body including:
a housing unit that houses a recording medium; and
a recording unit that performs a recording operation for the recording medium;

a main body casing that houses the printer main body and has an opening that opens the housing unit to an outside;
a cover coupled to the main body casing in a manner enabling the cover to rotate, whereby the cover is positioned at a closed position closing the opening and an open position opening the opening; and
the cover opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 .

7. The cover opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the biasing member is a member other than a member that connects the first contact parts with each other.

Assignees

• Citizen Watch Co Ltd
• Citizen Systems Japan Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsugaru Hiroyuki

Classifications

• B41J2202/31

  Thermal printer with head or platen movable · CPC title

• B41J29/02

  Framework · CPC title

• B41J2/325

  by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet · CPC title

• B41J29/13 Primary

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J2/345

  characterised by the arrangement of resistors or conductors · CPC title