Printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344015-B2
Application number	US-202318157691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2023
Priority date	Jun 1, 2022
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A printer includes a platen roller conveying a label sheet, a first motor rotating the roller, a print head facing the roller and printing on a label of the sheet, a discharge port, a winding roller for winding the sheet from which the label has been detached, a second motor rotating the winding roller, a drive train by which a rotational force can be transmitted from the second motor to the winding roller, and a processor controlling the motors to rotate in a first direction to convey the sheet in a forward direction and controlling the head to print on a first label of the sheet, and after the label is discharged, controlling the motors to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The drive train disengages the winding roller from the second motor when the second motor is controlled to rotate in the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer for printing on a label sheet including a plurality of detachable labels, comprising:
a platen roller configured to convey the label sheet;
a first motor connected to the platen roller to rotate the platen roller;
a print head facing the platen roller and configured to print on a label of the label sheet;
a discharge port through which the printed label is discharged and detached;
a winding roller for winding the label sheet from which the printed label has been detached;
a second motor;
a drive train by which a rotational force can be transmitted from the second motor to the winding roller; and
a processor configured to:
control the first and second motors to rotate in a first direction to convey the label sheet in a forward direction along a conveyance path and control the print head to print on a first label of the label sheet, and
after the printed first label is discharged, control the second motor to rotate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction while the first motor is controlled to rotate in the first direction, and then control the first motor and the second motor to rotate in the second direction, wherein

the drive train disengages the winding roller from the second motor when the second motor is controlled to rotate in the second direction.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the drive train includes a one-way clutch by which the rotational force is transmitted from the second motor to the winding roller when the second motor rotates in the first direction.

3. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein the one-way clutch disengages the winding roller from the second motor when the second motor rotates in the second direction.

4. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein the drive train further includes a first gear that is connected to the second motor and a second gear that meshes with the first gear and rotates a shaft to which the one-way clutch is connected.

5. The printer according to claim 4 , wherein the drive train further includes a third gear that is connected to the shaft via the one-way clutch and a fourth gear that meshes with the third gear and is connected to the winding roller.

6. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the second motor to rotate in the second direction at a speed that is greater than a predetermined speed.

7. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a torque limiter connected to the winding roller and configured to limit a load torque on the winding roller in a direction opposite to a direction in which the label sheet is wound.

8. The printer according to claim 7 , wherein the load torque is greater than a torque on the winding roller generated by the second motor rotated in the second direction and smaller than a torque on the winding roller caused by the label sheet conveyed in a reverse direction along the conveyance path opposite to the forward direction.

9. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect presence or absence of a label in the discharge port, wherein
the processor is configured to, when the sensor detects absence of the printed first label after the printed first label is discharged, control the first and second motors to rotate in the second direction.

10. A method carried out by a printer that includes:
a platen roller configured to convey a label sheet,
a first motor connected to the platen roller to rotate the platen roller,
a print head facing the platen roller and configured to print on a label of the label sheet,
a discharge port through which the printed label is discharged and detached,
a winding roller for winding the label sheet from which the printed label has been detached,
a second motor, and
a drive train by which a rotational force can be transmitted from the second motor to the winding roller, the method comprising:
controlling the first and second motors to rotate in a first direction to convey the label sheet in a forward direction along a conveyance path and controlling the print head to print on a first label of the label sheet;
discharging the printed first label through the discharge port; and
controlling the second motor to rotate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction while the first motor is controlled to rotate in the first direction, and then controlling the first motor and the second motor to rotate in the second direction, wherein
the drive train disengages the winding roller from the second motor when the second motor is controlled to rotate in the second direction.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the drive train includes a one-way clutch by which the rotational force is transmitted from the second motor to the winding roller when the second motor is controlled to rotates in the first direction.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the one-way clutch disengages the winding roller from the second motor when the second motor rotates in the second direction.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the drive train further includes a first gear that is connected to the second motor and a second gear that meshes with the first gear and rotates around a shaft to which the one-way clutch is connected.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the drive train further includes a third gear that is connected to the shaft via the one-way clutch and a fourth gear that meshes with the third gear and is connected to the winding roller.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein controlling the first and second motors to rotate in the second direction includes controlling the second motor to rotate in the second direction at a speed that is greater than a predetermined speed.

16. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the printer further includes a torque limiter connected to the winding roller, and the method further comprises limiting a load torque on the winding roller in a direction opposite to a direction in which the label sheet is wound.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the load torque is greater than a torque on the winding roller generated by the second motor rotated in the second direction and smaller than a torque on the winding roller caused by the label sheet conveyed in a reverse direction along the conveyance path opposite to the forward direction.

18. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting absence of the printed first label in the discharge port after the printed first label is discharged, wherein
the first and second motors are rotated in the second direction upon detection of the absence of the printed first label.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Arai Makoto

Classifications

• B41J23/04

  with driven mechanism arranged to be clutched to continuously- operating power source · CPC title

• B41J11/0095

  Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end · CPC title

• B41J11/42

  Controlling {printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering} · CPC title

• B41J11/04

  Roller platens · CPC title

• B41J3/4075 Primary

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title