US 6,511,240 B2 · Rolled-paper holding mechanism and a printer including same

Abstract

A miniaturized rolled-paper holding mechanism is capable of detecting the residual quantity of rolled-paper in both horizontally and vertically installed states of a printer. The rolled-paper holding mechanism includes a rolled-paper holder, a holder cover, a positioning member, and a residual-paper-quantity sensor. The positioning member is structured such that, as the holder cover is opened or closed, the inclination angle of the positioning member is varied with respect to a second-bottom-portion inclined surface formed in the rolled-paper holder. Further, a second positioning groove—which, when the holder cover is closed, can be contacted with rolled-paper R having a given diameter—is formed between the positioning member and the second-bottom-portion inclined surface of the rolled-paper holder.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A rolled-paper holding mechanism, comprising:

a rolled-paper holder capable of storing therein rolled-paper having a given diameter;
a holder cover disposed on said rolled-paper holder such that said holder cover can be opened and closed by moving about a first pivot;
a groove-like guiding portion formed in said rolled-paper holder, said rolled-paper being located on said groove-like guiding portion when said rolled-paper has a small diameter which is smaller than said given diameter;
a paper sensor for detecting a remaining amount of said rolled-paper, said paper sensor provided by the side of said groove-like guiding portion;
a retractable positioning member pivotally supported on a second pivot provided in the vicinity of said first pivot, said positioning member being movable together with said holder cover, and forming part of said groove-like guiding portion when said holder cover is closed.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rolled-paper holding mechanism and a printer including same

Life of this patent

Rolled-paper holding mechanism and a printer including same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8