Printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12441126-B2
Application number	US-202318342613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2022
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A printer includes a medium supply unit, a head, a discharge outlet, a take-up unit, and a reader. The medium supply unit is configured to supply a medium. The head is configured to perform printing onto the medium supplied from the medium supply unit. The discharge outlet is configured to discharge the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head and conveyed along a discharge path connecting the head and the discharge outlet. The take-up unit is arranged below the head and is configured to take up the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head or backing paper with a label peeled off from the medium. The reader is arranged on a take-up path connecting the head to the take-up unit and is configured to read the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head and conveyed along the take-up path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer configured to perform printing onto a medium including a label and backing paper, the printer comprising:
a medium supply unit configured to supply the medium;
a head configured to perform printing onto the medium supplied from the medium supply unit;
a discharge outlet configured to discharge the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head and conveyed along a discharge path connecting the head and the discharge outlet;
a take-up unit arranged below the head and configured to take up the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head or the backing paper with the label peeled off from the medium; and
a reader arranged on a take-up path connecting the head to the take-up unit and configured to read the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head and conveyed along the take-up path.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the take-up path includes a first path extending downward, below the head, and
a reading surface of the reader faces the first path.

3. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the take-up unit is arranged in a position below the head and opposite to the discharge outlet with respect to the head in a conveyance direction of the medium in the discharge path;
the take-up path includes
a first path extending downward, below the head, and
a second path extending from a lower end portion of the first path toward the take-up unit in the conveyance direction, and

a reading surface of the reader faces the second path.

4. The printer according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a carriage configured to support the reader and configured to move between a reading position and a retracted position, the reading position being a position below the second path and where the medium conveyed along the second path is read, the retracted position being a position retracted from the second path; and
a motor configured to cause the carriage to move.

5. The printer according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a plate arranged opposite to the first path with respect to the take-up unit in the conveyance direction,
wherein the retracted position of the carriage is below the plate.

6. The printer according to claim 5 , wherein
the plate is an illumination correction plate, and
the reader reads the plate when the carriage is in the retracted position.

7. The printer according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a brush arranged between the reading position and the retracted position,
wherein the reading surface of the reader abuts against the brush when the carriage moves between the reading position and the retracted position.

8. The printer according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a fan configured to blow air toward the reading surface of the reader or draw in air from above the reading surface of the reader, when the carriage is in the retracted position.

9. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a main body; and
a cover configured to open and close with respect to the main body,
wherein
the take-up unit is arranged in a position below the head and opposite to the discharge outlet with respect to the head in a conveyance direction of the medium in the discharge path,
the take-up path includes
a first path extending downward, below the head, and
a second path extending from a lower end portion of the first path toward the take-up unit in the conveyance direction, and

the reader is arranged in the first path or the second path while the cover is open.

10. The printer according to claim 9 , wherein
in the main body, the cover is arranged in a position opposite to the medium supply unit with respect to the head in the conveyance direction.

11. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the head is a thermal head provided with a plurality of heating elements.

12. A printer comprising:
a medium supply unit configured to supply a medium;
a head configured to perform printing onto the medium supplied from the medium supply unit;
a first discharge outlet configured to discharge the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head and conveyed along a first discharge path connecting the head and the first discharge outlet;
a second discharge outlet arranged below the first discharge outlet and configured to discharge the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head and conveyed along a second discharge path connecting the head and the second discharge outlet, the second discharge outlet being different from the first discharge outlet; and
a reader arranged on the second discharge path and configured to read the medium onto which printing has been performed by the head,
wherein
the second discharge path includes a first path extending downward, below the head, and a reading surface of the reader faces the first path.

13. The printer according to claim 12 , wherein
the head is a thermal head provided with a plurality of heating elements.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Sendaya Naoki

Classifications

• B41J29/023

  with reduced dimensions · CPC title

• B41J3/4075

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title

• B41J11/007

  Conveyor belts or like feeding devices · CPC title

• B41J2/33

  from ink roller · CPC title

• B41J2/32

  using thermal heads · CPC title