Abstract: A cable stopper structure and an image forming apparatus includes a cable disposed throughout a first passage and a second passage, the second passage having a ceiling height higher than a ceiling height of the first passage, a first component disposed in the first passage and connected to one end portion of the cable, and a second component disposed near an exit of the first passage and connected to the other end portion of the cable, the second component being removable in a direction away from the first component. The cable includes a folded-back portion folded back in the second passage and a rigid portion disposed between the folded-back portion and the first component. The rigid portion has a rigidity greater than that of the cable and has a length in a pulling-out direction of the cable longer than the ceiling height of the first passage.

Abstract: A cable stopper structure and an image forming apparatus includes a cable disposed throughout a first passage and a second passage, the second passage having a ceiling height higher than a ceiling height of the first passage, a first component disposed in the first passage and connected to one end portion of the cable, and a second component disposed near an exit of the first passage and connected to the other end portion of the cable, the second component being removable in a direction away from the first component. The cable includes a folded-back portion folded back in the second passage and a rigid portion disposed between the folded-back portion and the first component. The rigid portion has a rigidity greater than that of the cable and has a length in a pulling-out direction of the cable longer than the ceiling height of the first passage.

Abstract: To improve precision in identifying the amount that remains of a recording medium, an apparatus includes a paper holder that supports an outer circumferential surface of a recording medium that is biased downward in a vertical direction by the weight of the recording medium, such that a position of a center of the recording medium moves on a straight-line trace, associated with consumption of the recording medium; and a light-reflecting sensor that is provided at a predetermined position at a side face of the paper holder and senses displacement per unit time at a position facing the predetermined position of the recording medium that is rotated by being pulled out of the paper holder, associated with the consumption of the recording medium, where based on the displacement sensed by the light-reflecting sensor, a radius of the recording medium at the time the light reflecting sensor senses the displacement is calculated.

Abstract: A paper detecting device includes a paper detecting element, and a guide element having a path along which the paper detecting element is moved. At least one of the paper detecting element and the guide element includes an engaging element configured to be movable between an engaging position, at which the paper detecting element is fixed on the path, and a release position, at which the paper detecting element is released from the fixation. A click generator configured to click when the paper detecting element is moved on the path and reaches the correct position to stop.

Abstract: A printing apparatus 100 includes a detecting unit, which detects that a core part at a center portion of a recording medium 202, in a rolled state, has reached a predetermined position accompanying the consumption of the recording medium 202 in a recording medium accommodating unit 301 accommodating the recording medium 202, when the printer apparatus 100 is in an installed state; and further includes a moving mechanism that moves the detecting unit to a position whereby the detecting function of the detecting unit is deactivated.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printhead, a head cover configured to partially cover the thermal printhead, a paper container configured to house a paper, and a damper disposed on a paper feeding path between the thermal printhead and the paper container and configured to press the paper fed on the paper feeding path. The damper is combined with the head cover.

Abstract: A thermal printer in which papers in a plurality of different widths are usable is configured of a platen roller unit including a platen roller; a thermal printhead unit including a thermal printhead and an exothermic element array; and a plurality of bias elements arranged on the thermal printhead in a width direction to press the thermal printhead onto the platen roller, in which the number of the bias elements is a value obtained by dividing a maximum width of the different widths by a highest common factor of the different widths; the bias elements are arranged with an equal interval which is the highest common factor of the different widths; and among the bias elements, a bias element arranged outside of the width of a paper in use is configured not to apply a load to the thermal printhead to press the platen roller.

Abstract: In speed control that is performed within a single operating cycle of a printer, three-level control of ON control, OFF control, and chopper control, is performed in place of the two-level control of ON control and OFF control, to effectively suppress speed variations due to load variations within a single operating cycle, even in small printers provided with DC motors having small output torques. In a printer comprising a DC motor 7, a paper feeding unit 5 that includes a paper feeding roller that uses the DC motor as the driving source, and a printing mechanism unit 2, for printing, in use of the printing mechanism unit 2, onto paper that is advanced by a specific amount by the paper feeding unit 5, an encoder 10 for outputting pulse signals according to the rotation of the DC motor 7 is provided.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a body detachably including a platen roller unit having a platen roller, and a cover element movable relative to the body between an open position and a closed position, detachably including a thermal printhead unit. The cover element further includes a claw protruding backward, a stepped pin extending downward, including a step portion at a bottom end, and a stepped pin adjuster element. The thermal printhead unit includes an exothermic element array, a supported portion to be hooked on the claw, and a notch portion to be hooked on the step portion. The platen roller unit and the thermal printhead unit include respective positioning elements which engage with each other to restrict a relative movement of the exothermic element array and the platen roller while the cover element is in a closed position.

Abstract: A printer includes a fixed blade attached to a cover unit; a movable blade that faces a fixed blade, freely reciprocates relative to the fixed blade when the cover unit is closed and cuts the recording medium together with the fixed blade by overlapping the fixed blade during reciprocation; a movable blade driving motor that causes the movable blade to reciprocate; and a movable blade unit that includes the movable blade, the movable blade driving motor, and an accommodating unit accommodating the movable blade and provided at a printer main body. The printer further includes a mechanism that, when the movable blade protrudes from the accommodating unit and is stopped, widens a space over which the fixed blade and the protruding movable blade face each other before the movable blade driving motor accommodates the protruding movable blade in the accommodating unit, as initiated by operation of a cover opening lever.

Abstract: A recording medium accommodating unit 301 that accommodates a recording medium 202 wound in a roll includes a first detecting unit that detects that a core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of consumption of the recording medium 202 when a printer 201 is in a first installation state, a second detecting unit that detects that the core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of the consumption of the recording medium 202 when the printer 201 is in a second installation state that is different from the first installation state, and a moving mechanism that moves the first and the second detecting units to positions activating detection by one among the first and the second detecting units.

Abstract: A paper detecting device includes a paper detecting element, and a guide element having a path along which the paper detecting element is moved, in which at least one of the engaging element and the guide element includes an engaging element configured to be movable between an engaging position at which the paper detecting element is fixed on the path and a release position at which the paper detecting element is released from the fixation, and a click generator configured to click when the paper detecting element is moved on the path to reach a right position to stop.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printhead, a head cover configured to partially cover the thermal printhead, a paper container configured to house a paper, and a damper disposed on a paper feeding path between the thermal printhead and the paper container and configured to press the paper fed on the paper feeding path. The damper is combined with the head cover.

Abstract: A thermal printer in which papers in a plurality of different widths are usable is configured of a platen roller unit including a platen roller; a thermal printhead unit including a thermal printhead and an exothermic element array; and a plurality of bias elements arranged on the thermal printhead in a width direction to press the thermal printhead onto the platen roller, in which the number of the bias elements is a value obtained by dividing a maximum width of the different widths by a highest common factor of the different widths; the bias elements are arranged with an equal interval which is the highest common factor of the different widths; and among the bias elements, a bias element arranged outside of the width of a paper in use is configured not to apply a load to the thermal printhead to press the platen roller.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a body detachably including a platen roller unit having a platen roller, and a cover element movable relative to the body between an open position and a closed position, detachably including a thermal printhead unit. The cover element further includes a claw protruding backward, a stepped pin extending downward, including a step portion at a bottom end, and a stepped pin adjuster element. The thermal printhead unit includes an exothermic element array, a supported portion to be hooked on the claw, and a notch portion to be hooked on the step portion. The platen roller unit and the thermal printhead unit include respective positioning elements which engage with each other to restrict a relative movement of the exothermic element array and the platen roller while the cover element is in a closed position.

Abstract: A printing apparatus 100 includes a detecting unit, which detects that a core part at a center portion of a recording medium 202, in a rolled state, has reached a predetermined position accompanying the consumption of the recording medium 202 in a recording medium accommodating unit 301 accommodating the recording medium 202, when the printer apparatus 100 is in an installed state; and further includes a moving mechanism that moves the detecting unit to a position whereby the detecting function of the detecting unit is deactivated.

Abstract: To improve precision in identifying the amount that remains of a recording medium, an apparatus includes a paper holder that supports an outer circumferential surface of a recording medium that is biased downward in a vertical direction by the weight of the recording medium, such that a position of a center of the recording medium moves on a straight-line trace, associated with consumption of the recording medium; and a light-reflecting sensor that is provided at a predetermined position at a side face of the paper holder and senses displacement per unit time at a position facing the predetermined position of the recording medium that is rotated by being pulled out of the paper holder, associated with the consumption of the recording medium, where based on the displacement sensed by the light-reflecting sensor, a radius of the recording medium at the time the light reflecting sensor senses the displacement is calculated.

Abstract: A printer includes a fixed blade attached to a cover unit; a movable blade that faces a fixed blade, freely reciprocates relative to the fixed blade when the cover unit is closed and cuts the recording medium together with the fixed blade by overlapping the fixed blade during reciprocation; a movable blade driving motor that causes the movable blade to reciprocate; and a movable blade unit that includes the movable blade, the movable blade driving motor, and an accommodating unit accommodating the movable blade and provided at a printer main body. The printer further includes a mechanism that, when the movable blade protrudes from the accommodating unit and is stopped, widens a space over which the fixed blade and the protruding movable blade face each other before the movable blade driving motor accommodates the protruding movable blade in the accommodating unit, as initiated by operation of a cover opening lever.

Abstract: A recording medium accommodating unit 301 that accommodates a recording medium 202 wound in a roll includes a first detecting unit that detects that a core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of consumption of the recording medium 202 when a printer 201 is in a first installation state, a second detecting unit that detects that the core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of the consumption of the recording medium 202 when the printer 201 is in a second installation state that is different from the first installation state, and a moving mechanism that moves the first and the second detecting units to positions activating detection by one among the first and the second detecting units.

Abstract: A printer includes a recording medium accommodating unit that holds an outer circumferential portion of a recording medium wound in a roll, a printing unit that prints on the recording medium fed from the recording medium accommodating unit, a first detecting lever that is biased to abut a side aspect of the recording medium and that includes on a tip, a first protrusion that enters a space of a roll-core part in the center of the recording medium when the roll-core part is moved to a predetermined position by the weight of the recording medium as the recording medium is consumed, and a detecting switch that converts an action of the first detecting lever into an electric signal, where the first protrusion is provided on the first detecting lever being rotatable in a direction that the roll-core part moves to be detached from the recording medium accommodating unit.