Printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065327-B2
Application number	US-202217648244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2022
Priority date	Jan 19, 2021
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes: a first blade that cuts a printing medium; a cutter motor; a drive gear that engages the first blade and is rotated by the cutter motor to drive the first blade; a rotator that rotates in conjunction with the drive gear; a photosensor that includes a light-receiving/emitting section including a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element and that includes a sensor substrate that outputs a first detection signal or a second direction signal in accordance with whether or not detection light emitted from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element is blocked by the rotator; a first cutter frame that supports the photosensor; and a cover member that covers the sensor substrate between the cover member and the first cutter frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus comprising:
a first blade configured to cut a printing medium;
a cutter motor;
a drive gear configured to engage the first blade and configured to be rotated by the cutter motor to drive the first blade;
a rotator configured to rotate in accordance with rotation of the drive gear;
a photosensor configured to output a detection signal in accordance with rotation of the rotator and configured to include
a light-receiving/emitting section including a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element; and
a sensor substrate at which the light-receiving/emitting section is provided,

a first cutter frame configured to support the photosensor;
a cover member configured to cover the sensor substrate, wherein the sensor substrate is provided between the cover member and the first cutter frame;
a detection gear that engages the drive gear; and
a second cutter frame that accommodates the first blade, the cutter motor, the drive gear, the detection gear, the photosensor, and the cover member between the second cutter frame and first cutter frame, wherein
the detection gear has a first detection end surface,
the rotator is provided on the first detection end surface,
the cutter motor, the drive gear, the detection gear, the photosensor, and the cover member are supported by the first cutter frame, and
the first blade is supported by the second cutter frame.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive gear has a second drive end surface facing a direction opposite to the first detection end surface,
a second drive mark is provided on the second drive end surface, the second drive mark being located on an inter-gear imaginary line passing through a rotational center of the drive gear and a rotational center of the detection gear when the drive gear is at a drive gear home position, which causes the first blade to be at a cutting start position,
the detection gear has a second detection end surface facing a direction opposite to the first detection end surface, and
a second detection mark is provided on the second detection end surface, the second detection mark being located on the inter-gear imaginary line when the detection gear is at a detection gear home position, which causes the photosensor to output the detection signal.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive gear has a first drive end surface facing a direction identical to the first detection end surface,
a first drive mark is provided on the first drive end surface, the first drive mark being located on an inter-gear imaginary line passing through a rotational center of the drive gear and a rotational center of the detection gear when the drive gear is at a drive gear home position, which causes the first blade to be at a cutting start position,
a first detection mark is provided on the first detection end surface, the first detection mark being located on the inter-gear imaginary line when the detection gear is at a detection gear home position, which causes the photosensor to output the detection signal, and
a first mark opening is provided in the first cutter frame, the first drive mark and the first detection mark located on the inter-gear imaginary line being configured to be viewed through the first mark opening.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a cover mark is provided on an outer surface of the cover member,
the detection gear has a second detection end surface facing a direction opposite to the first detection end surface, and
a third detection mark is provided on the second detection end surface, the third detection mark being located on a cover imaginary line passing through a rotational center of the detection gear and the cover mark when the detection gear is at a detection gear home position, which causes the photosensor to output the detection signal.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive gear has a first drive end surface facing a direction identical to the first detection end surface,
a third drive mark is provided on the first drive end surface, and
a second mark opening is provided in the first cutter frame, the third drive mark being configured to be viewed through the second mark opening when the drive gear is at a drive gear home position, which causes the first blade to be at a cutting start position.

6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a detection gear shaft that is fixed to the first cutter frame and rotatably supports the detection gear, wherein
a shaft engaging hole is provided in the first cutter frame, the shaft engaging hole engaging a first shaft end, which is one end of the detection gear shaft in an axial direction of the detection gear shaft,
a first cut section subjected to D-cut processing is provided in the first shaft end,
a second cut section subjected to D-cut processing is provided in a second shaft end, which is another end of the detection gear shaft in the axial direction of the detection gear shaft, and
the first cut section and the second cut section are provided in an identical position in a circumferential direction of the detection gear shaft.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
an operation section that is operated by a finger to rotate the drive gear without using the cutter motor, wherein
an operation opening for operating the operation section by a finger is provided in the first cutter frame, and
the cover member includes a pinching suppressing section provided between the operation section and a portion in which the drive gear engages the detection gear.

8. A printing apparatus comprising:
a first blade configured to cut a printing medium;
a cutter motor;
a drive gear configured to engage the first blade and configured to be rotated by the cutter motor to drive the first blade;
a rotator configured to rotate in accordance with rotation of the drive gear;
a photosensor configured to output a detection signal in accordance with rotation of the rotator and configured to include
a light-receiving/emitting section including a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element; and
a sensor substrate at which the light-receiving/emitting section is provided,

a first cutter frame configured to support the photosensor;
a cover member configured to cover the sensor substrate, wherein the sensor substrate is provided between the cover member and the first cutter frame; and
a detection gear that engages the drive gear, wherein
the detection gear has a first detection end surface,
the rotator is provided on the first detection end surface,
the drive gear has a second drive end surface facing a direction opposite to the first detection end surface,
a second drive mark is provided on the second drive end surface, the second drive mark being located on an inter-gear imaginary line passing through a rotational center of the drive gear and a rotational center of the detection gear when the drive gear is at a drive gear home position, which causes the first blade to be at a cutting start position,
the detection gear has a second detection end surface facing a direction opposite to the first detection end surface, and
a second detection mark is provided on the second detection end surface, the second detection mark being located on the inter-gear imaginary line when the detection gear is at a detection gear home position, which causes the photosensor to output the detection signal.

9. A printing apparatus comprising:
a first blade configured to cut a printing medium;
a cutter motor;
a drive gear configured to engage the first blade and configured to be rotated

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Endo Katsuyuki

Classifications

• B65H2553/41

  Photoelectric detectors · CPC title

• B65H2801/09

  Single-function copy machines · CPC title

• B41J15/042

  for loading rolled-up continuous copy material into printers, e.g. for replacing a used-up paper roll; Point-of-sale printers with openable casings allowing access to the rolled-up continuous copy material · CPC title

• B41J11/48

  Apparatus for condensed record, tally strip, or like work using two or more papers, or sets of papers {, e.g. devices for switching over from handling of copy material in sheet form to handling of copy material in continuous form and vice versa or point-of-sale printers comprising means for printing on continuous copy material, e.g. journal for tills, and on single sheets, e.g. cheques or receipts (B41J15/042 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B41J29/13

  Cases or covers · CPC title