Regulation device and printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12233642-B2
Application number	US-202318180156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2023
Priority date	Mar 8, 2023
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A regulation device regulates movement in a width direction of a rolled sheet which is a recording medium of a printer. The regulation device includes: a first rack gear connected to one guide support unit supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to one side of the width direction is regulated, and provided to be movable in the width direction; a second rack gear connected to the other guide support unit supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to the other side of the width direction is regulated, and provided to be movable in the width direction; a pinion gear engaging with the first and second rack gears; and a regulation gear that engages with the pinion gear to rotate, includes a locked portion in which a plurality of steps are formed along a curved line forming a part of a spiral wound in a rotation direction of the regulation gear if the first and second rack gears are moved outward in the width direction from a rotation shaft center of the regulation gear toward a diameter outside, and regulates movement of the first and second rack gears by locking the locked portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A regulation device that regulates movement in a width direction of a rolled sheet of a printer, comprising:
a first rack gear connected to a first guide support supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to one side of the width direction is regulated, the first rack gear movable in the width direction;
a second rack gear connected to a second guide support supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to a second side of the width direction is regulated, the second rack gear movable in the width direction;
a pinion gear engaging with the first and second rack gears; and
a regulation gear that engages with the pinion gear to rotate, the regulation gear includes a locked portion having a plurality of steps are formed along a curved line forming a part of a spiral wound in a rotation direction of the regulation gear if the first and second rack gears are moved outward in the width direction from a rotation shaft center of the regulation gear toward a diameter outside, the regulation gear regulates movement of the first and second rack gears by locking the locked portion.

2. The regulation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation regulation portion including a locking portion that locks one of the plurality of steps of the locked portion of the regulation gear and regulates rotation of the regulation gear,
wherein the locking portion is movable in a radial direction of a pitch circle of the regulation gear.

3. The regulation device according to claim 2 , wherein, if a step closest to the rotation shaft center of the regulation gear among the plurality of steps of the locked portion is locked to the locking portion, the regulation gear regulates the movement of the first and second rack gears so that a distance between the first and second guide supports is a maximum width among widths set at a plurality of stages.

4. The regulation device according to claim 2 , wherein, if a step most separated from the rotation shaft center of the regulation gear among the plurality of steps of the locked portion is locked to the locking portion, the regulation gear regulates the movement of the first and second rack gears so that a distance between the first and second guide supports is larger by one stage than a minimum width among widths set at a plurality of stages.

5. The regulation device according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of steps along a curved line form a part of an Archimedes' screw.

6. The regulation device according to claim 5 ,
wherein, in the locking portion, at least a surface that comes into contact with the locked portion is formed in an arc shape forming a part of a perfect circle when viewed from a central axial direction of the regulation gear, and
the plurality of steps along a curved line forming a part of the Archimedes' screw are offset by a radius distance of an arc-shaped portion of the locking portion.

7. The regulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the regulation gear is formed in a substantial fan shape in which a plurality of teeth are formed in an arc portion when viewed from a central axial direction of the regulation gear.

8. The regulation device according to claim 1 , wherein some of the plurality of steps are in the diameter outside of a pitch circle of the regular gear.

9. The regulation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an urging member that urges the first rack gear to the second side in the width direction.

10. A printer, comprising
a print head; and
a regulation device that regulates movement in a width direction of a rolled sheet of the printer, comprising:
a first rack gear connected to a first guide support supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to one side of the width direction is regulated, the first rack gear movable in the width direction;
a second rack gear connected to a second guide support supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to a second side of the width direction is regulated, the second rack gear movable in the width direction;
a pinion gear engaging with the first and second rack gears; and
a regulation gear that engages with the pinion gear to rotate, the regulation gear includes a locked portion having a plurality of steps are formed along a curved line forming a part of a spiral wound in a rotation direction of the regulation gear if the first and second rack gears are moved outward in the width direction from a rotation shaft center of the regulation gear toward a diameter outside, the regulation gear regulates movement of the first and second rack gears by locking the locked portion.

11. The printer according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a rotation regulation portion including a locking portion that locks one of the plurality of steps of the locked portion of the regulation gear and regulates rotation of the regulation gear,
wherein the locking portion is movable in a radial direction of a pitch circle of the regulation gear.

12. The printer according to claim 11 , wherein, if a step closest to the rotation shaft center of the regulation gear among the plurality of steps of the locked portion is locked to the locking portion, the regulation gear regulates the movement of the first and second rack gears so that a distance between the first and second guide supports is a maximum width among widths set at a plurality of stages.

13. The printer according to claim 11 , wherein, if a step most separated from the rotation shaft center of the regulation gear among the plurality of steps of the locked portion is locked to the locking portion, the regulation gear regulates the movement of the first and second rack gears so that a distance between the first and second guide supports is larger by one stage than a minimum width among widths set at a plurality of stages.

14. The printer according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of steps along a curved line form a part of an Archimedes' screw.

15. The printer according to claim 14 ,
wherein, in the locking portion, at least a surface that comes into contact with the locked portion is formed in an arc shape forming a part of a perfect circle when viewed from a central axial direction of the regulation gear, and
the plurality of steps along a curved line forming a part of the Archimedes' screw are offset by a radius distance of an arc-shaped portion of the locking portion.

16. The printer according to claim 10 , wherein the regulation gear is formed in a substantial fan shape in which a plurality of teeth are formed in an arc portion when viewed from a central axial direction of the regulation gear.

17. The printer according to claim 10 , wherein some of the plurality of steps are in the diameter outside of a pitch circle of the regular gear.

18. The printer according to claim 10 , further comprising:
an urging member that urges the first rack gear to the second side in the width direction.

19. A point of sale printer, comprising
a thermal print head; and
a regulation device that regulates movement in a width direction of a rolled sheet of the point of sale printer, comprising:
a first rack gear connected to a first guide support supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to one side of the width direction is regulated, the first rack gear movable in the width direction;
a second rack gear connected to a second guide support supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to a second side of the width direction is regulated, the second rack gear movable in the width direction;
a pinion gear engaging with the first and second rack gears

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Sanada Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• B41J11/00

  Devices or arrangements  {of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers,} for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form (script supports connected to the typewriter or printer B41J29/15) · CPC title

• B41J15/04

  Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles · CPC title

• B41J11/28 Primary

  Pin wheels · CPC title

• B41J11/0055

  Lateral guides, e.g. guides for preventing skewed conveyance of printing material · CPC title

• B41J15/042 Primary

  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