IP Library Granted Patent US 9,597,902
Granted Patent B2
US 9,597,902 · App. 15/144,295 · Granted Mar 21, 2017

Printer

Inventor: Yasuyuki Mori (Nishitokyo, JP)
Assignees: Citizen Watch Co., LTD.; Citizen Systems Japan Co., LTD
B41J13/0009B41J15/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,597,902
App. No.
15/144,295
Granted
Mar 21, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a printer including a reflection type optical sensor and a transmission type optical sensor arranged to oppose each other across a paper conveyance path, a sensor spring and a plate spring are elastically deformed consequent to the wave shape of a guide unit and a guide unit, according to the positions of the reflection type optical sensor and the transmission type optical sensor along the width direction of the printer, enabling the reflection type optical sensor and the transmission type optical sensor to be moved based on the pitch of the wave shape along the width direction of the printer while transmitting a click feeling to an operator each time the sensor spring and the plate spring climb over a protruding portion of the wave shape.

Claims (19)

1. A printer comprising:

a paper path that guides paper used as a recording object through a predetermined path;

a conveyance mechanism that in a predetermined direction, conveys the paper guided through the paper path;

a sensor that includes a pair of sensor elements arranged to oppose each other across the paper path and to be movable along a direction orthogonal to a direction of conveyance of the paper by the conveyance mechanism; and

a recording unit disposed on the paper path to perform a recording operation with respect the paper conveyed through the paper path by the conveyance mechanism, based on a result of detection by the sensor, wherein

the sensor elements in the sensor are respectively interlinked with a guide unit via an elastic member biased in a direction of coming into contact with the guide unit that forms a wave shape along the orthogonal direction and is formed on a frame supporting the conveyance mechanism and the recording unit, the elastic member elastically deforming according to the wave shape of the guide unit,

the sensor elements are disposed to be moveable along the guide unit by elastic deformation of the elastic member according to position along the orthogonal direction,

the guide unit corresponding to one sensor element of the sensor and the guide unit corresponding to another sensor element of the sensor respectively form the wave shape protruding and receding at same positions along the orthogonal direction.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein

the frame is formed by sheet-metal working of a metal plate-shaped member, and

the guide unit is formed integrally with the frame.

3. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein

the elastic member is a plate spring having a protruding portion forming substantially a same shape as a receding portion of the wave shape.

4. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein

the elastic member is a wire spring formed of a wire-like member having a diameter dimension that is smaller than a dimension of an opening width of a receding portion in the wave shape.

5. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein

the elastic member is a plate spring having a protruding portion forming substantially a same shape as a receding portion of the wave shape.

6. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein

the elastic member is a wire spring formed of a wire-like member having a diameter dimension that is smaller than a dimension of an opening width of a receding portion in the wave shape.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 27, 2016
From: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD
To: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 041190/0810 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2016
From: MORI, YASUYUKI
To: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.; CITIZEN SYSTEMS JAPAN CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 038916/0670 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-071557 · Mar 31, 2014 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2014084192 · Dec 24, 2014
Related Publication 20160243860A1 · Aug 25, 2016