# US 11,077,684 B2 · Thermal printer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,684 B2 - Document ID: US11077684B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/941,773 - Filed: 2020-07-29 - Published: 2021-02-04 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-31 - Assignees: Seiko Instruments Inc. - Applicants: Seiko Instruments Inc. - Inventors: Kouji Kawaguchi; Shinichi Sudo; Takumi Seino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077684B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/32: using thermal heads - B41J 15/042: {for loading rolled-up continuous copy material into printers, e.g. for replacing a used-up paper roll; Point-of-sale printers with openable casings allowing access to the rolled-up continuous copy material} - B41J 2/3355: {characterised by materials} - B41J 11/006: {Means for preventing paper jams or for facilitating their removal} - B41J 11/04: Roller platens - B41J 2202/31: Thermal printer with head or platen movable - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A thermal printer, includes a head unit including a thermal head configured to perform printing on a recording sheet; a platen unit, which includes a platen roller configured to convey the recording sheet, and is separably combined with the head unit; a printer main body, which has a recording-sheet receiving portion configured to receive the recording sheet, and has the head unit mounted thereto; a printer cover, which has the platen unit mounted thereto, and is coupled to the printer main body so as to be pivotable; and a separator, which is provided in the recording-sheet receiving portion, and is configured to separate parts of the recording sheet, which is rolled into a roll shape around a core body, folded on each other at a rolling start portion, which is rolled around the core body and has a turn-back shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal printer, comprising: a head unit including a thermal head configured to perform printing on a recording sheet; a platen unit, which includes a platen roller configured to convey the recording sheet, and is separably combined with the head unit; a printer main body, which has a recording-sheet receiving portion configured to receive the recording sheet, and has the head unit mounted thereto; a printer cover, which has the platen unit mounted thereto, and is coupled to the printer main body so as to be pivotable; and a separator, which is provided in the recording-sheet receiving portion, and is configured to separate parts of the recording sheet, which is rolled into a roll shape around a core body, folded on each other at a rolling start portion, which is rolled around the core body and has a turn-back shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the separator includes a first separation wall which is provided at a position at which, when the rolling start portion of the recording sheet is unrolled, at least a part of a peripheral surface of the rolling start portion is brought into abutment along with a repulsive force generated by the stiffness of the recording sheet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the first separation wall is provided so as to pressurize at least a part of the peripheral surface of the rolling start portion of the recording sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the first separation wall includes a frictional-resistance member at a position at which at least a part of a peripheral surface of the rolling start portion of the recording sheet is brought into abutment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the first separation wall includes a locking portion configured to lock an end portion formed into a turn-back shape at the rolling start portion at a position at which at least a part of a peripheral surface of the rolling start portion of the recording sheet is brought into abutment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the separator further includes a second separation wall which is provided at a position of being opposed to the first separation wall across the unrolled recording sheet and at which at least a part of the peripheral surface of the rolling start portion is brought into abutment along with a repulsive force generated by the stiffness of the recording sheet when the rolling start portion of the recording sheet is unrolled. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the separator further includes a tension bar, which is located at a position of being opposed to the first separation wall across the unrolled recording sheet, and is configured to guide the recording sheet toward the first separation wall side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the separator includes: a tension bar, which is provided at a position of being opposed to the platen unit across the unrolled recording sheet, and is configured to guide the recording sheet toward the platen unit side; a guide portion, which is provided so as to be opposed to the tension bar at a position in the vicinity of an inlet of a gap portion to which the recording sheet is conveyed in the platen unit, and against which the recording sheet guided toward the platen unit side by the tension bar is brought into abutment; and a third separation wall, which is provided on a side opposite to the guide portion across the guide portion in the vicinity of an inlet of the gap portion, and against which at least a part of the recording sheet guided by the tension bar and the guide portion is brought into abutment, wherein a distal end of the tension bar and a distal end of the guide portion are arranged so as to overlap each other in a direction in which the platen unit and the tension bar are opposed to each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the separator includes: a tension bar configured to guide the recording sheet toward the platen unit side at a position of being opposed to the platen unit across the unrolled recording sheet; a fourth separation wall, which is arranged between the platen unit and the tension bar, and is configured to guide the recording sheet between the fourth separation wall and the tension bar; and a third separation wall, which is provided in the vicinity of an inlet of the gap portion, and against which at least a part of the recording sheet guided by the tension bar and the fourth separation wall is brought into abutment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the separator is formed of a pair of guide rolls which are provided so as to pressurize the recording sheet so that at least a part of the recording sheet is brought into abutment against a frictional-resistance member when the rolling start portion of the recording sheet is unrolled.