IP Library Granted Patent US 12,415,366
Granted Patent B2
US 12,415,366 · App. 18/036,855 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Printer

Inventors: Takashi Shioya (Tokyo, JP); Tamotsu Katayama (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SATO CORPORATION
B41J2/33505
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,415,366
App. No.
18/036,855
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention is a printer including: a feed roller configured to feed a print medium; a print head configured to pinch the print medium with the feed roller and to print on the print medium; at least a biasing member configured to bias the print head in a first direction toward the feed roller; and an abutting part that abuts on the print head. The print head comprises: a first side biased by the biasing member, and a second side that is an opposite of the first side, the second side facing the feed roller. When seen from a side view of the printer, a point of applying a biasing force of the biasing member to the print head is between a position at which the print head receives a reaction force from the feed roller and a position at which the abutting part supports the second side of the print head. The print head is swingable around a fulcrum at the abutting part in a clockwise swinging direction and a counterclockwise swinging direction in a side view of the printer.

Claims (58)

1. A printer comprising:

a feed roller configured to feed a print medium;

a print head configured to pinch the print medium with the feed roller and to print on the print medium;

at least a biasing member configured to bias the print head in a first direction toward the feed roller; and

an abutting part that abuts on the print head, wherein:

the print head has a first side biased by the biasing member, and a second side opposite the first side, the second side facing the feed roller, wherein the print head comprises:

a heat generating part located on the second side of the print head, and

a protective layer located on the second side of the print head,

the protective layer extends from the heat generating part to a region of the print head without the protective layer, at which the abutting part abuts on the print head,

in a side view of the printer, a point at which a biasing force of the biasing member is applied to the print head is between a position at which the print head receives a reaction force from the feed roller and a position at which the abutting part supports the second side of the print head, and

the print head is swingable around a fulcrum at the abutting part in a clockwise swinging direction and a counterclockwise swinging direction in a side view of the printer.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least a biasing member comprises a pair of biasing members arranged in a width direction of the printer,

the abutting part abuts on the second side of the print head, at a substantially center position of the pair of biasing members, and

the print head is swingable around a fulcrum at the abutting part in a clockwise swinging direction and a counterclockwise swinging direction in a plan view of the printer.

3. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein the second side of the print head is provided with a recess or a protrusion having a shape corresponding to the abutting part, at a position for abutting on the abutting part.

4. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein the print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position, the first position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are enabled, the second position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are restricted.

5. The printer according to claim 4 , wherein:

the print head comprises:

a base on which the heat generating part is mounted, and

a pair of shafts that extend outward from both ends of the base, and

the printer further comprises a pair of grooves that receives the pair of shafts, the pair of grooves including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove extending from the first position in a direction for mounting and removing the print head, the second groove extending in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

6. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the print head is provided with a recess or a protrusion having a shape corresponding to the abutting part, at a position for abutting on the abutting part.

7. The printer according to claim 6 , wherein the print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position, the first position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are enabled, the second position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are restricted.

8. The printer according to claim 7 , wherein;

the print head comprises:

a base on which the heat generating part is mounted, and

a pair of shafts that extend outward from both ends of the base, and

the printer further comprises a pair of grooves that receives the pair of shafts, the pair of grooves including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove extending from the first position in a direction for mounting and removing the print head, the second groove extending in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

9. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position, the first position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are enabled, the second position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are restricted.

10. The printer according to claim 9 , wherein:

the print head comprises:

a base on which the heat generating part is mounted, and

a pair of shafts that extend outward from both ends of the base, and

the printer further comprises a pair of grooves that receives the pair of shafts, the pair of grooves including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove extending from the first position in a direction for mounting and removing the print head, the second groove extending in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

11. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein:

a surface on which the abutting part abuts, and a surface on which the heat generating part is formed, are in the same reference plane on the second side of the print head.

12. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the print head is provided with a recess or a protrusion having a shape corresponding to the abutting part, at a position for abutting on the abutting part.

13. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position, the first position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are enabled, the second position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are restricted.

14. The printer according to claim 13 , wherein;

the print head comprises:

a base on which the heat generating part is mounted, and

a pair of shafts that extend outward from both ends of the base, and

the printer further comprises a pair of grooves that receives the pair of shafts, the pair of grooves including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove extending from the first position in a direction for mounting and removing the print head, the second groove extending in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

15. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is a ceramic board.

16. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is a coating layer.

17. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the protective layer extends from the second side of the print head to the first side of the print head.

18. A printer comprising:

a feed roller configured to feed a print medium;

a print head configured to pinch the print medium with the feed roller and to print on the print medium;

at least a biasing member configured to bias the print head in a first direction toward the feed roller; and

an abutting part that abuts on the print head, wherein:

the print head has a first side biased by the biasing member, and a second side opposite the first side, the second side facing the feed roller, wherein the print head comprises:

a base on which heating elements are mounted, and

a pair of shafts that extend outward from both ends of the base,

in a side view of the printer, a point at which a biasing force of the biasing member is applied to the print head is between a position at which the print head receives a reaction force from the feed roller and a position at which the abutting part supports the second side of the print head,

the print head is swingable around a fulcrum at the abutting part in a clockwise swinging direction and a counterclockwise swinging direction in a side view of the printer,

the print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position, the first position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are enabled, the second position being a position at which mounting and removing the print head are restricted, and p 1 the printer further comprises a pair of grooves that receives the pair of shafts, the pair of grooves including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove extending from the first position in a direction for mounting and removing the print head, the second groove extending in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: SATO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072085/0034 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: SHIOYA, TAKASHI; KATAYAMA, TAMOTSU
To: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 063639/0886 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-191576 · Nov 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230406006A1 · Dec 21, 2023
References Cited (11)
US 4685815A · Baranyi · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 5221932A · Kurita · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 20170151813A1 · Ishikawa et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP S64030239U · 1989 [cited by applicant]
JP H04089358U · 1992 [cited by applicant]
JP 6143736A · 1994 [cited by applicant]
JP 2004034305A · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012061711A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019064017A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2015182613A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued in Japanese Appl. No. 2020-191576 on Jan. 21, 2025. [cited by applicant]