Feeding unit and printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018201030-A1
Application number	US-201615742340-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Jul 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A first feeding unit is configured that is provided in a first printing unit that includes a first recording unit that executes a recording operation for a long strip-like recording medium pulled out from a first holding unit that holds the recording medium in a wound state. The first feeding unit further includes a pair of feeding rollers that sort the recording medium discharged from the first printing unit, to the side of a second printing unit stacked on the first printing unit or to the side opposite to that of the second printing unit. The first feeding unit temporarily accommodates the sorted recording medium and thereafter, feeds the recording medium to a guide path, and sorts the recording medium fed by the pair of feeding rollers, to the side of the second printing unit using a sorting part.

First claim

1 .- 10 . (canceled)

11 . A feeding unit provided in a printer that includes a holding unit that holds a long strip-like recording medium in a wound state and a recording unit that executes a recording operation with respect to the recording medium pulled out from the holding unit, the printer cutting off and discharging the long strip-like recording medium on which the recording operation has been executed, the feeding unit comprising:
a sorting part that sorts the recording medium discharged from the printer, to a side of a second printer stacked on the printer and having a configuration identical to a configuration of the printer, or to a position different from the side of the other printer; a guiding part that guides the recording medium sorted by the sorting part to the side of the second printer, to be supplied to a position to which a second recording medium held by the second printer is pulled out, the guiding part guiding the recording medium along a direction identical to a direction to pull out the second recording medium; and a feeding part that accommodates the recording medium sorted to the position different from the side of the second printer by the sorting part, the feeding part accommodating the recording medium until a tail end of the recording medium passes through the sorting part, the feeding part feeding the recording medium to the guiding part starting with the tail end, when the tail end passes through the sorting part, wherein the sorting part sorts the recording medium fed by the feeding part, to the side of the second printer.

12 . The feeding unit according to claim 11 , wherein
the sorting part is a flap-like member provided near a discharge position where the recording medium is discharged from the printer, the sorting part is arbitrarily switched between a first position to communicate the discharge position and the guiding part with each other and a second position to communicate the feeding part and the guiding part with each other.

13 . The feeding unit according to claim 11 , wherein
the feeding part includes a space that is provided at a position different from the side of the second printer in the printer and that accommodates the recording medium sorted to the position different from the side of the second printer, without folding the recording medium.

14 . The feeding unit according to claim 13 , wherein
the feeding part includes a pair of rollers that feed the recording medium sorted to the position different from the side of the second printer, to an inside of the space, the feeding part accommodates the recording medium in the space by rotating the pair of rollers in a first rotation direction, and feeds the recording medium to the guiding part starting with the tail end of the recording medium by rotating the pair of rollers in a second rotation direction that is reverse to the first rotation direction.

15 . The feeding unit according to claim 13 , wherein
the space is provided on a side of the printer, opposite a side of the printer having a position at which the printer and the second printer are stacked on each other.

16 . The feeding unit according to claim 15 , wherein
the sorting part sorts the recording medium discharged from the printer, to an upper side or a lower side in a vertical direction and feeds the recording medium fed to the feeding part, to the guiding part along the vertical direction.

17 . The feeding unit according to claim 13 , wherein
the space is provided between the printer and the second printer.

18 . The feeding unit according to claim 17 , wherein
the sorting part feeds the recording medium discharged from the printer, by sorting the recording medium to the upper side in the vertical direction, feeds the recording medium to the space by sorting the recording medium in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and further feeds the recording medium fed to the space to the guiding part along the vertical direction.

19 . The feeding unit according to claim 15 , further comprising
a housing that accommodates the sorting part, the guiding part, and the feeding part, wherein the housing includes a discharging unit that discharges to an exterior of the housing, the recording medium discharged from the second printer.

20 . The feeding unit according to claim 17 , further comprising
a housing that accommodates the sorting part, the guiding part, and the feeding part, wherein the housing includes a discharging unit that discharges to an exterior of the housing, the recording medium discharged from the second printer.

21 . A printer comprising:
a printing unit that includes:
a holding unit that holds a long strip-like recording medium in a wound state;
a recording unit that executes a recording operation for the recording medium pulled out from the holding unit; and
a cutter unit that cuts the long strip-like recording medium for which a recording operation is executed by the recording unit;
a sorting part that sorts the recording medium cut off by the cutter unit, to a side of a second printing unit stacked on the printing unit and having an identical configuration as that of the printing unit, or to a position different from the side of the second printing unit; a guiding part that guides the recording medium sorted by the sorting part to the side of the second printing unit, to be supplied to a position to which a second recording medium held by the second printing unit is pulled out, the guiding part guiding the recording medium along a direction identical to a direction to pull out the second recording medium; and a feeding part that accommodates the recording medium sorted to the position different from the side of the second printing unit by the sorting part, the feeding part accommodating the recording medium until a tail end of the recording medium passes through the sorting part, the feeding part feeding the recording medium to the guiding part starting with the tail end, when the tail end passes through the sorting part, wherein the sorting part sorts the recording medium fed by the feeding part, to the side of the second printing unit.

Assignees

• Citizen Watch Co Ltd
• Citizen Systems Japan Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamazaki Takeshi
• Takahashi Akira

Classifications

• B41J2/325

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

• B65H2801/12

  Single-function printing machines, typically table-top machines · CPC title

• B41J29/00

  Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65H2301/132

  single face or double face · CPC title

• B41J15/04

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