U.S. patent application number 11/564960 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-07 for package member.
This patent application is currently assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Terumasa Hoshino, Haruki Matsumoto, Yasunori Nakamura, Yoshikatsu Suito.
Application Number | 20070126172 11/564960 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37496963 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070126172 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakamura; Yasunori ; et
al. |
June 7, 2007 |
Package Member
Abstract
An edge of a first side board on a downstream side in a sheet
feed direction brought into contact with an end face of a
regulating member when the first side board is forced to move to
the downstream side in the sheet feed direction. Thus, a base board
connecting with the first side board is prevented from moving to
the downstream side in the sheet feed direction. As a result, the
package member which can be prevented from getting jammed in the
sheet feed path during the sheet feed operation of a printer when
the package member is stored in the printer regardless of the
presence or absence of sheets therein can be provided.
Inventors: |
Nakamura; Yasunori;
(Nagoya-shi, JP) ; Hoshino; Terumasa; (Nagoya-shi,
Aichi-ken, JP) ; Matsumoto; Haruki; (Nagoya-shi,
Aichi-ken, JP) ; Suito; Yoshikatsu; (Nagoya-shi,
Aichi-ken, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BAKER BOTTS LLP;C/O INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT
THE WARNER, SUITE 1300
1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20004-2400
US
|
Assignee: |
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
15-1, Naeshiro-cho Mizuho-ku
Nagoya-shi
JP
467-8561
|
Family ID: |
37496963 |
Appl. No.: |
11/564960 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/145 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 1/06 20130101; B65H
2601/322 20130101; B65H 1/26 20130101; B65H 2601/10 20130101; B41J
13/0081 20130101; B41J 13/103 20130101; B65H 2405/311 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/145 |
International
Class: |
B65H 1/00 20060101
B65H001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 6, 2005 |
JP |
2005351817 |
Claims
1. A package member which can store stacked sheets to be used as a
printing medium in a printer having a sheet storage unit and a
regulating member to be loaded in the sheet storage unit of the
printer: a base board that covers a bottom of the stacked sheets; a
top board that covers a top of the stacked sheets; and a first side
board that connects with at least one of the base board and the top
board to cover one of side faces of the stacked sheets, the side
face being provided along a sheet feed direction, and comprises an
edge on a downstream side in the sheet feed direction; wherein the
package member is positioned in the sheet feed direction by contact
of the edge of the first side board with the regulating member
provided in the printer during a sheet feeding operation.
2. The package member according to claim 1, wherein the printer
comprises a sheet feed roller to feed the sheets, and the base
board is formed with an open entrance through which the sheet feed
roller can enter into the package member.
3. The package member according to claim 1, wherein the printer
comprises a lid to cover the sheet storage unit, and a window
provided in the lid, and the top board comprises an upper hole
facing to the window so that the stacked sheets can be seen through
the window and the upper hole.
4. The package member according to claim 3, wherein the stacked
sheets are different in either ones or both of colors and patterns,
from a bottom face of the sheet storage unit of the printer, and
the package member comprises a lower hole on the base board facing
to the upper hole on the top board.
5. The package member according to claim 4, wherein the lower hole
is set to be larger than the upper hole.
6. The package member according to claim 2, wherein the printer
comprises a sensor unit, and the base board has an identification
part to be read by the sensor unit of the printer, the
identification part being a part in which a mark is printed and
varnished, and the package member has an unvarnished region on the
base board facing to the sheet storage unit, on an upstream side in
the sheet feed direction of a periphery of a position where the
sheet feed roller enters into the package member.
7. The package member according to claim 1, comprising: a second
side board that covers one of side faces of the stacked sheets on
the upstream side in the sheet feed direction, the side face being
provided along a direction orthogonal to the sheet feed
direction.
8. The package member according to claim 1, wherein the top board,
the first side board and the base board are formed in a unit.
9. The package member according to claim 7, wherein the top board,
the first side board, the second side board and the base board are
formed in a unit.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from JP 2005-351817, filed
Dec. 6, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates to a package member which can be
loaded in a printer to protect the exterior of stacked sheets to be
used as a printing medium of the printer.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Conventionally, there has been known a package member which
stores sheets as a printing medium to be set in a printer, the
entire package member being loaded in the printer. (For instance,
see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No: 2004-210433).
According to the '433 publication, the stacked sheets are stored in
a package member having a simple structure, composed of a top
board, a base board and a side board. The top board is almost same
as the sheets in size and shape. The base board is almost same as
the top board in size and shape, except being shorter in a sheet
feed direction. The side board covers one side face of the stacked
sheets, the side face being provided on the upstream side in the
sheet feed direction. The base board having the size and shape
almost same as the top board is slightly shorter than the top
board, so that the sheets are partially exposed on the base board
side. A pickup roller enters into the package member through the
exposed area, thereby feeding the sheets stored in the package
member one by one from the sheet at the bottom of the stacked
sheets.
[0004] A sheet storage unit of the printer in which the package
member is set is almost same as the package member in shape and
size. When the package member is loaded in the sheet storage unit,
the edges of the top board on both upstream/downstream sides in the
sheet feed direction are brought into contact with the side walls
of the sheet storage unit on both upstream/downstream sides
respectively. Accordingly, the package member can be correctly
positioned in the sheet feed direction in the sheet storage unit of
the printer.
[0005] However, in the '433 publication, when the printer operates
the feeding motion while the package member storing no sheets is
set in the printer, the pickup roller sometimes conveys the top
board itself instead of the sheets. As a result, the package member
gets jammed in the sheet feeding path. This causes a burden on the
user of removing the jammed package drawn into the sheet feeding
path by force. Also, counter torque is applied to a platen drive
unit more than necessary when the user tries to remove the package
member which has been drawn into the sheet feeding path, which
affects the endurance.
SUMMARY
[0006] The disclosure has been made in view of the above
circumstances and has an object to overcome the above problems and
to provide a package member which can be prevented from getting
jammed in a sheet feed path during a sheet feed operation of a
printer when the package member is stored in the printer regardless
of the presence or absence of the sheets therein.
[0007] To achieve the above object, there is provided a package
member which can store stacked sheets to be used as a printing
medium in a printer having a sheet storage unit and a regulating
member to be loaded in the sheet storage unit of the printer: a
base board that covers a bottom of the stacked sheets; a top board
that covers a top of the stacked sheets; and a first side board
that connects with at least one of the base board and the top board
to cover one of side faces of the stacked sheets, the side face
being provided along a sheet feed direction, and comprises an edge
on a downstream side in the sheet feed direction; wherein the
package member is positioned in the sheet feed direction by contact
of the edge of the first side board with the regulating member
provided in the printer during a feeding operation of the
sheets.
[0008] The package member having a structure described above
comprises the first side board covering one of side faces of the
stacked sheets, the side face connecting at least one of the top
board and the base board and being provided along the sheet feed
direction. The package member is arranged to be positioned in the
sheet feed direction by the contact of the edge of the first side
board on the down stream side in the sheet feed direction with the
regulating member provided in the printer during the sheet feed
operation. Accordingly, the package member can be prevented from
being displaced while the printer perform the sheet feeding and the
force pressing against the package member in the sheet feed
direction is exerted on the package member itself. Therefore, it is
possible to provide a package member which can be prevented from
getting jammed in a sheet feed path during a sheet feed operation
of a printer when the package member is stored in the printer
regardless of the presence or absence of the sheets therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective external view of a printer in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the printer of FIG.
1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the printer of FIG. 1,
showing a state in which a lid is opened and partially broken to be
seen through;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the printer of FIG. 1,
showing a state in which a package member has been stored in a
sheet storage unit of the printer;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the printer of FIG. 1, showing
the details of a sheet separation unit and a print mechanism unit
of the printer;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the package member which can
be loaded in the printer of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a developed view of the package member of FIG. 6
seen from the outer side;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of a periphery of an upper
hole of the package member storing no sheets;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of the periphery of the upper
hole of the package member storing no sheets;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a developed view of the package member of FIG. 6
seen from the back side;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the package member of
FIG. 6 being assembled;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the package member of
FIG. 6 being assembled;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the package member of
FIG. 6 turned upside down;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a sectional side view showing the package member
(from which a belt-shaped member has been removed) being loaded
into the printer;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the
package member of FIG. 14 is set in the printer;
[0024] FIG. 16 is a partial enlarged view showing a state in which
a regulating member of the printer is pushing edges of the
sheets;
[0025] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line XII-XII
shown in FIG. 16;
[0026] FIG. 18 is a sectional side view showing a state in which a
sheet is fed out of the package member stored in the printer;
[0027] FIG. 19 is a developed view showing a modification to a
shape of side board of the package member seen from the outer
side;
[0028] FIG. 20 is a developed view showing another modification to
the shape of the side board of the package member seen from the
outer side;
[0029] FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a modification of the
package member in which a side board of the package member is
arranged to cover a side face of the stacked sheets extending in
the sheet feed direction; and
[0030] FIG. 22 is a developed view of the package member of FIG. 21
seen from the back side.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] A detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of a
package member of the disclosure will now be given referring to the
accompanying drawings.
[Composition of Printer]
[0032] Firstly, a schematic structure of a printer 1, which is a
thermal printer, will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to
5.
[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a perspective external view and a
perspective side view of a printer. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of
the printer in which a lid is opened and partially broken to be
seen through. FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the printer in
which sheets have been set in a sheet storage unit. FIG. 5 is an
enlarged sectional view showing the details of a paper separation
unit and a print mechanism unit.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 is designed to be compact
in size, with a rectangular shape in a plan view (capable of
accommodating sheets of approximately A6 to A7 size) and a
thickness of approximately 2 cm or less.
[0035] A body case 2 of the printer 1 is composed of a frame 3, a
lower cover 4 covering an under face of the frame 3, and an upper
cover 5 covering a part of a top face of the frame 3.
[0036] In a part of the top face of the frame 3 that is not covered
with the upper cover 5, a sheet storage unit 6 is formed as shown
in FIG. 2. In the sheet storage unit 6, a package member 8 which
accommodates a lot of heat-sensitive cut sheets 7 of A6 or A7 size
can be loaded and stored as shown in FIG. 4.
[0037] The top of the sheet storage unit 6 is covered with a lid 10
which is pivotally movable in a direction indicated by an arrow of
a heavy line in FIG. 2. Incidentally, a state in which the lid 10
has been opened is shown in FIG. 3. The body case 2 has a locking
mechanism (not shown), so that the lid 10 can be closed and locked
as shown in FIG. 4, in a state that the package member 8 is loaded
in the sheet storage unit 6 as described above.
[0038] A window 11 made of a transparent resin is formed in the lid
10 as shown in FIG. 1, thereby allowing the user to see whether the
package member 8 is loaded in the sheet storage unit 6 or not even
when the lid 10 is closed. Further, the user can visually check
information which is displayed on the package member 8 to indicate
a type of the package member, and the presence or absence of the
sheets 7.
[0039] At one end of the sheet storage unit 6, a pickup roller
(sheet feed roller) 13, a separation block 14 and the like forming
a sheet separation unit 12 are placed. Beneath the upper cover 5, a
thermal head 16, a platen roller 17 and a paper guide 18 forming a
print mechanism unit 15 (described in detail later) are placed.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet storage unit 6 is formed as a
rectangular concave part capable of storing the package member 8.
The sheet storage unit 6 is formed of inner side walls surrounding
the sheet storage unit 6 and a bottom face 3d at the bottom of the
sheet storage unit 6. The inner side walls of the sheet storage
unit 6 include an inner wall 3a situated on the upstream side in
the direction in which the sheet 7 is fed by the pickup roller 13
(sheet feed direction X), inner walls 3b and 3c extending in the
direction in which the sheet 7 is fed, and an inner wall 14a
situated on the downstream side and forming a part of the
separation block 14.
[0041] The inner wall 3b which is one of the inner walls extending
in the sheet feed direction X, is provided with a concave part 19.
A regulating member 20 is placed inside the concave part 19. The
regulating member 20 includes a base 21 which is rotatable around a
vertical axis (not shown) and an arm 22 provided integrally with
the base 21. The arm 22 is shaped like a rectangular solid, and an
end face 22a (see FIG. 16) on the opposite side to the base 21 of
the arm 22 is a rectangular shape.
[0042] The base 21 is equipped with a spring (not shown) which
applies biasing force to the arm 22 in a direction letting the arm
22 protrude from the inner wall 3b (direction indicated by an arrow
of a heavy line in FIG. 3). Therefore, when the package member 8 is
loaded in the sheet storage unit 6, the arm 22 makes contact with
side edges of the sheets 7 in the package member 8 and thereby
presses the sheets 7 against the other inner wall 3c of the sheet
storage unit 6, by which the edges of the sheets 7 are evened up
and skewing of the sheets 7 is avoided during sheet feeding.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, a reflective sensor (sensor unit) 23 is
provided to a part of the bottom face 3d beside the inner wall 3c
and in the vicinity of a corner of the sheet storage unit 6. The
reflective sensor 23 includes four sensors 23a-23d arranged in the
sheet feed direction X. Each sensor 23a-23d emits light and detects
the amount of reflected light, by which an identification mark
(identification part) 64 of the package member 8 (explained later)
is read.
[0044] Next, the sheet separation unit 12 will be explained
below.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, the pickup roller 13, the separation
block 14 and the print mechanism unit 15 are provided in the
vicinity of the inner wall 14a of the sheet storage unit 6. On the
inner surface of the lid 10, a pressure plate 24 is supported
turnably.
[0046] A bias spring 25 is placed between the pressure plate 24 and
the lid 10, which constantly exerts biasing force on the pressure
plate 24 so as to turn the pressure plate 24 downward.
[0047] The package member 8 stores the sheets 7 which have been
stacked up with their print surfaces (surfaces to be printed on)
facing downward. The sheets 7 are set in the sheet storage unit 6,
with the lower surface of the lowermost one of the stacked sheets 7
exposing itself partially from the package member 8. When the lid
10 is closed and locked, the pressure plate 24 biased downward by
the aforementioned bias spring 25 presses down a front end part of
the sheets 7 (in regard to the sheet feed direction X) via a top
board 41 which will be explained later. Consequently, the exposed
part of the lowermost sheet 7 is brought into contact with the
pickup roller 13 and is pressed by the pickup roller 13 with proper
force. Noted that on the bottom face of the package member 8, an
open entrance 43A through which the lower surface of the lowermost
one of the sheets 7 can be exposed and the pickup roller 13 can
enter therein is provided.
[0048] The package member 8 previously has the open entrance 43A,
so there is no need for complicated structures such as an
opening/closing mechanism provided in the printer 1 to open and
close a lid provided in the package member 8, and arranged to open
the lid when the package member 8 is loaded in the printer 1. (For
instance, in a video cassette, a lid provided to protect a tape
read part of the video cassette is arranged to be opened or closed
by an opening/closing mechanism of a videocassette recorder when
the video cassette is inserted therein or ejected therefrom).
[0049] The separation block 14 is provided in proximity to the
pickup roller 13. The separation block 14 has a separation guide
surface 14b which is tilted with respect to the sheet feed
direction X of the pickup roller 13.
[0050] The lowermost sheet 7 contacting the pickup roller 13 is
given feeding force by the revolving pickup roller 13. With the
separation function of the separation guide surface 14b of the
separation block 14, only one sheet 7 at the bottom of the stacked
sheets 7 is separated and sent out.
[0051] The print mechanism unit 15 will be explained below.
[0052] The platen roller 17 is rotatably provided next to the
separation block 14, and the paper guide 18 is placed close to the
exterior surface of the platen roller 17.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 5, the paper guide 18 is provided with a
sliding surface 18a as a concavely curved surface along the
exterior surface of the platen roller 17. Between the paper guide
18 and the body case 2, a pressure coil spring 26 is placed so as
to press the sliding surface 18a against the exterior surface of
the platen roller 17.
[0054] The sheet 7 separated by the aforementioned sheet separation
unit 12 is fed by the pickup roller 13 as indicated by the two-dot
chain line in FIG. 5 and thereby passes under the base of the
separation block 14. Thereafter, the sheet 7 is guided by a guide
plate 27 and fed by the platen roller 17 to change its direction
along the platen roller 17.
[0055] Specifically, the sheet 7 is guided by the guide plate 27
and fed beneath the platen roller 17 to a gap between the platen
roller 17 and the paper guide 18. The sheet 7, sliding between the
exterior surface of the platen roller 17 and the sliding surface
18a of the paper guide 18, is conveyed upward by the driving force
of the revolving platen roller 17 changing its feed direction by
180 degrees. By the above operation, the sheet 7 reaches the top of
the platen roller 17 with its print surface facing upward.
[0056] The thermal head 16, placed nearby the top of the platen
roller 17, includes a heating element unit 16a. The thermal head 16
is turnably supported by a rotation axis 16b, by which the heating
element unit 16a can contact and separate from the top of the
platen roller 17.
[0057] Incidentally, the thermal head 16 is designed to be turnable
as above in order to make a "paper jam clearance operation"
possible when the sheet 7 gets jammed between the platen roller 17
and the paper guide 18.
[0058] To the thermal head 16, an end of a spring 28 of a twisting
coil spring type is attached. The spring 28 constantly biases the
thermal head 16 in a direction letting the heating element unit 16a
provided in the thermal head 16 make contact with the top of the
platen roller 17.
[0059] The sheet 7 is conveyed by the platen roller 17 with its
print surface facing upward and the print surface makes contact
with the heating element unit 16a of the thermal head 16, by which
the printing is carried out at the contacting part.
[0060] The thermal head 16, formed as a line head, is capable of
printing an arbitrary character string or image on the conveyed
heat-sensitive sheet 7 in a direction orthogonal to the feed
direction X of the sheet 7. The printable width of the thermal head
16 is set approximately equal to the width of the sheet 7.
[0061] In this exemplary embodiment, heat-coloring sheets are
employed as the sheets 7. The heat-coloring sheet includes a
coloring layer (coloring when heated by the thermal head 16) formed
on its one side as an image receiving layer.
[0062] On the separation block 14, a sheet ejection guide surface
14c, tilted from the sheet feed direction X of the platen roller 17
toward the top of the printer 1, is formed.
[0063] The sheet 7 after being printed on by the heating element
unit 16a of the thermal head 16 is guided by the sheet ejection
guide surface 14c and thereby ejected upward to a top of the lid 10
through a gap between the lid 10 and the upper cover 5 of the body
case 2, as indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 1.
[Composition of Sheet Package]
[0064] Next, the package member 8 which is set in the printer 1 in
this exemplary embodiment will be explained below.
[0065] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the package member 8. FIG. 7
is a developed view of the package member 8 of the outer side.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 6, the package member 8 includes the sheets
7 as cut sheets, the package member 8 storing the sheets 7 which
have been stacked up, and a long belt-shaped member 40 bundling the
package member 8 up.
[0067] As the sheets 7, small-sized sheets of approximately A6-A7
size are used, for example. The package member 8 stores
approximately 50 sheets therein.
[0068] The belt-shaped member 40 is wound around the package member
8 in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction X to bundle
the package member 8 up. As the belt-shaped member 40, a member
having a width [1/5]-[1/2] of the length of the sheet 7 in the
sheet feed direction X is used.
[0069] The package member 8 includes a top board 41 having
substantially the same (rectangular) shape as the sheet 7, a second
side board 42 connecting with the top board 41, a base board 43
connecting with the second side board 42, and a first side board 44
connecting with the base board 43. Specifically, out of two edges
45 and 46 of the top board 41 orthogonal to the sheet feed
direction (direction indicated by an arrow K), the edge 45 on the
upstream side connects with the second side board 42. An edge 47 of
the second side board 42, opposite to the edge 45 connecting with
the top board 41, connects with the base board 43.
[0070] The base board 43 is shaped like a substantially rectangular
shape. Described emphatically, the base board 43 is composed of two
large and small rectangles, formed like a T-shape, in which the
small rectangle is placed above the large rectangle. The small
rectangle is situated on the downstream side in the sheet feed
direction (direction indicated by an arrow J), and has a length
substantially 1/4 of the entire length of the base board 43 in the
sheet feed direction. The large rectangle is situated on the
upstream side in the sheet feed direction (direction indicated by
the arrow J), and has a length substantially 3/4 of the entire
length of the base board 43 in the sheet feed direction. The small
rectangle has a slightly shorter length in the direction orthogonal
to the sheet feed direction than the large rectangle. Hereinafter,
the small rectangular part of the base board 43 on the downstream
side in the sheet feed direction (direction indicated by the arrow
J) is referred to as a base board narrow part 48, and the large
rectangular part of the base board 43 on the upstream side in the
sheet feed direction (direction indicated by the arrow J) is
referred to as a base board wide part 49.
[0071] Out of edges of the base board wide part 49 along the sheet
feed direction, an edge 50 on the left side in the sheet feed
direction of the package member 8 (right side in FIG. 7) connects
with the first side board 44. Out of edges of the first side board
44 orthogonal to the sheet feed direction to the first side board
44 (direction indicated by the arrow J), an edge 51 on the
downstream side contacts with the regulating member 20 during sheet
feeding, which will be described later. The package member 8 is
composed of the top board 41, the second side board 42, the base
board 43 and the first side board 44, which are formed in one
unit.
[0072] FIG. 10 is a developed view of the package member 8 of the
back side, in which the package member 8 before being folded is
shown. The package member 8 shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by folding
a flat cardboard material shown in FIG. 10 so that the first side
board 44 becomes upright, and then the top board 41, the second
side board 42 and the base board 43 become a shape like "U".
[0073] The package member 8 is designed to have a dimension D1 in
its width direction substantially equal to the width of the sheet
7. The details will be explained later.
[0074] The package member 8 is provided with creases. The creases
60 are formed at the boundaries between the top board 41 and the
second side board 42, between the second side board 42 and the base
board 43, and between the base board 43 and the first side board
44.
[0075] The top board 41 of the package member 8 of this exemplary
embodiment is configured so that its dimension D2 in the sheet feed
direction X will be substantially equal to the distance D3 (see
FIG. 4) between the inner walls 3a and 14a of the sheet storage
unit 6. With this configuration, when the package member 8 is
loaded in the sheet storage unit 6, the edges 45 and 46 of the top
board 41 on the upstream/downstream sides in the sheet feed
direction X make contact with the inner walls 3a and 14a
respectively as shown in FIG. 4. By the contact of the edges 45 and
46 with the inner walls 3a and 14a, the package member 8 is
positioned correctly in the sheet feed direction X. The details
will be explained later.
[0076] Meanwhile, the base board 43 of the package member 8 is
provided with the open entrance 43A to be shorter than the top
board 41 in the sheet feed direction X so as to allow the entrance
of the pickup roller 13 into the package. With the open entrance
43A, the base board 43 is designed to be shorter than the top board
41 by a minimum length that is necessary for the entrance of the
pickup roller 13 into the package, since setting the dimension of
the base board 43 unnecessarily short can impair the function of
the package member 8 for protecting the sheets 7.
[0077] The base board 43 has the identification mark 64 at a corner
of its under surface (opposite to the sheets 7) on the upstream
side in the sheet feed direction X as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The
identification mark 64 is formed by a well-known method such as
printing so that the identification mark 64 will be situated in a
reading area of the reflective sensor 23 when the package member 8
is set in the sheet storage unit 6.
[0078] The identification mark 64 is composed of four rectangular
indicator bits 64a-64d. In this exemplary embodiment, among the
four indicator bits, 1-3 bits are colored black and the remaining
bits are not colored (left in the color (white) of the foundation
of the package member 8). Concretely, the indicator bits 64a, 64c
and 64d are colored black, while the remaining bit 64b is left
white.
[0079] The above black/white pattern has been preset depending on
the type of the sheet 7 stored in the package member 8. As shown in
FIG. 7, on a top face of the top board 41 of the package member 8,
a cassette type indicator 65 indicating the type of the package
member 8 is placed. In the cassette type indicator 65, characters
or the like are printed, by which the user can check the type of
the package 8. In this exemplary embodiment, the characters "C-11L"
are printed. The position of the cassette type indicator 65 is
within a region facing to the window 11 provided in the lid 10 of
the printer 1 when the package member 8 is set in the printer 1 as
mentioned above. The user can visually check the cassette type mark
65 through the window 11. On the top board 41 of the package member
8, an upper hole 66 is also provided within the region facing to
the window 11.
[0080] The circular upper hole 66 is about 6 mm in diameter. Hence,
the user can see the upper hole 66 on the package member 8 through
the window 11 provided in the lid of the printer 1 when the package
member 8 is set in the printer 1. Also, a lower hole 67 is provided
in a position opposite to the upper hole 66 on the base board 43
facing to the top board 41 having the upper hole 66.
[0081] The circular lower hole 67 has a diameter substantially
equal to the upper hole 66. When the user checks the package member
8 through the upper hole 66, the user can see the sheets 7 when the
package member 8 accommodates the sheets 7, and see the upper hole
67 when the package 8 does not accommodate the sheets 7. When the
package member 8 set in the printer 1 does not accommodate the
sheets 7, the user can visually check the base bottom face 3d of
the sheet storage unit 6 of the printer 1 through the lower hole
67. In this exemplary embodiment, the sheets 7 are plain white, and
the bottom face 3d of the sheet storage unit 6 is plain black.
Therefore, the user can easily know the presence or absence of the
sheets by looking the color inside the package member 8 through the
window 11 and the upper hole 66.
[0082] In the exemplary embodiment, the user can make distinguish
between the sheets 7 and the bottom face 3d of the sheet storage
unit 6 by the color. However, when the sheets 7 and the bottom face
3d of the sheet storage unit 6 have the same color, a predetermined
mark can be put on the bottom face 3d of the sheet storage unit 6
at the position facing to the lower hole 67, or the bottom face 3d
can be coated by patterns, or lines or a meshed pattern can be
designed on the sheets 7. The lower hole 67 can be omitted, when
the user can easily check the presence or absence of the sheets 7
by the different colors of the sheets 7 and the back side of the
package member 8. Also in this case, the predetermined mark can be
put on the base board 43 at the position facing to the upper hole
66 provided on the top board 41 which is the backside of the
package member 8, or a pattern can be provided all over the back
side of the base board 43, or ruled lines or a mesh patter can be
printed on the sheets 7.
[0083] Incidentally, substantially 6 mm diameter of the upper hole
66 is almost equal to a narrower width of the window 11. The upper
hole 66 and the lower hole 67 can be larger than the window 11.
However, the sheets 7 are partially exposed through the hole, so
that the exposed part of the sheets 7 become discolored or
deteriorated. The balance of the sizes of the upper/lower holes 66,
67 is preferably considered.
[0084] Furthermore, the upper hole 66 and the lower hole 67 can be
different in size. FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic views around the
upper hole 66 of the package member 8 in a state where the sheets 7
are not stored in the package member 8 (empty). In FIG. 8, the
upper/lower holes 66, 67 are same in size, and in FIG. 9, the lower
hole 67 is larger than the upper hole 66 a little. In either case,
both of the top board 41 and the base board 43 are slightly shifted
in horizontal direction. Thus, the area where the upper/lower holes
66, 67 are overlapped, or equivalently, the area of the bottom face
3d of the sheet storage unit 6 which can be seen through the
upper/lower holes 66, 67 when the package member 8 storing no
sheets 7 is set in the printer 1, is larger in the case of FIG. 9
than in FIG. 8. Specifically, when the presence or absence of the
sheets 7 can be checked by the difference of the color between the
sheets 7 and the bottom face 3d, the arrangement shown in FIG. 9 is
more favorable.
[0085] In addition to a circle, the upper/lower holes 66, 67 can be
shaped like an ellipse, a hexagon, a rectangle, and the like. The
upper/lower holes 66, 67 can be different in shape from each
other.
[0086] The explanation returns to FIG. 7 again. As shown in FIG. 7,
various information such as the identification mark 64 and the
cassette type indicator 65 is printed on the package member 8. The
printed information is varnished after printed so as not to fade
off by friction. Specifically, it is important to varnish the
identification mark 64, since the printer 1 may fail to work
properly if the mechanism (the reflective sensor 23) for reading
the identification mark 64 cannot read the identification mark 64
correctly. Printing including the information which can be visually
checked by the user is made all over front face of the package
member 8. Therefore, when the packages 8 are manufactured in a
factory, the whole front face of the package member 8 is varnished,
without setting only the printed parts set to be varnished. The
package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment is manufactured in
that way, but the front faces of the second side board 42 and the
base board narrow part 48 of the base board 43 are unvarnished.
[0087] The front face of the second side board 42 is unvarnished
because it becomes impossible to print a lot number for controlling
the manufactured package member 8 on the second side board 42 if
the front face on the second side board 42 is varnished.
[0088] The reason why the front face of the base board narrow part
48 of the base board 43 are unvarnished will be explained later,
but briefly explained as follows: when the package member of the
aforementioned prior art is set in the printer without the sheets
and the sheet feeding starts, the pickup roller sometimes rotates
at idle over the front face of the base board narrow part of the
base board. In that case, the varnish which covers the base board
narrow part has adhered to the pickup roller. Even after the
package member which runs out of the sheets and does not store the
sheets any more (empty) is replaced by the new package member, and
when printing is started, the performance of the sheet separation
get worse, and the separation of the sheets cannot be normally
operated due to the varnish adhered to the pickup roller.
Additionally, the sheet feeding cannot be normally performed, so
that printing quality becomes declined. Therefore, in the package
member 8 of the exemplary embodiment, the base board narrow part 48
of the base board 43 is arranged in advance not to be
varnished.
[Assembly of Sheet Package]
[0089] A process for assembling the package member 8 will be
described below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13.
[0090] Starting from the package member 8 in the state of FIG. 10,
the first side board 44 is vertically folded at a crease 63 to be
orthogonal to the base board 43 as shown in FIG. 11. The second
side board 42 is vertically folded at a crease 62 to be orthogonal
to the base board 43. Since the top board 41 is vertically folded
relative to the second side board 42, the top board 41 and the base
board 43 face each other and the package member 8 is formed into a
shape like "U".
[0091] Subsequently, the sheets 7 which have been stacked up are
sandwiched and stored between the base board 43 and the top board
41 of the package member 8.
[0092] When the sheets 7 are stored in the package member 8, the
direction of each sheet 7 has been preset so that the print surface
(a surface to be printed on) of each sheet 7 will face toward the
base board 43. The direction is preset as above in order to let the
print surface of each sheet 7 face the thermal head 16 when the
package member 8 is loaded in the printer 1 and the sheet 7 is fed
to the print mechanism unit 15.
[0093] Finally, the belt-shaped member 40 is wound around the
package member 8 (sandwiching and storing the sheets 7) in a
direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction X to bundle the
package member 8 up. Noted that FIG. 13 is a perspective view
showing the package member 8 of FIG. 6 turned upside down.
[0094] As above, the package member 8 is assembled in a relatively
easy process.
[0095] In this exemplary embodiment, the above process for
assembling (manufacturing) the package member 8 is carried out by a
manufacturer. The user of the printer 1 purchases the package
member 8 sold in the state of FIG. 6 and uses the package member 8
by loading it into the printer 1.
[Loading Sheet Package in Printer]
[0096] First, the belt-shaped member 40 wound around the package
member 8 is removed.
[0097] Subsequently, the package member 8 is loaded into the sheet
storage unit 6 of the printer 1 with the base board 43 facing
downward as shown in FIG. 14.
[0098] Consequently, the exposed part of the lowermost one of the
sheets 7 stacked up and stored in the package member 8 makes
contact with the top of the pickup roller 13. Therefore, by driving
and revolving the pickup roller 13, the sheet 7 can be sent out and
conveyed.
[0099] Incidentally, the lid 10 of the printer 1 is designed to be
opened and closed on the downstream side in the sheet feed
direction X. When the package member 8 is loaded into the printer 1
having such composition, the package member 8 is generally tilted
as shown in FIG. 14 with the front end (on the upstream side in the
sheet feed direction X) positioned lower than the rear end.
[0100] In the package member 8 of this exemplary embodiment, the
second side board 42 of the package member 8 is placed on the
upstream side in the sheet feed direction, and thus the state of
storage of the sheets 7 can be maintained by the second side board
42. Therefore, the sheets 7 stored in the package member 8 are
prevented from slipping down from the package member 8 and being
scattered about (out of carelessness of the user) when the package
member 8 is loaded into the sheet storage unit 6. Further, the
tilting of the package member 8 lets the edges of the sheets 7 make
contact with the second side board 42, by which the edges of the
sheets 7 stacked up are evened up at a prescribed position,
preventing trouble like a paper jam from occurring.
[0101] FIG. 15 shows a state in which the package member 8 has been
completely stored in the sheet storage unit 6. In this state, the
regulating member 20 stored in the sheet storage unit 6 rotates in
the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 15 and the arm 22 pushes
the side edges of the sheets 7.
[0102] FIG. 16 is an enlarged view showing a state in which the arm
22 of the regulating member 20 is making contact with the sheets 7
and pushing the sheets 7. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken
along the line XII-XII shown in FIG. 16.
[0103] The dimension D1 of the package member 8 in its width
direction (see FIG. 10) is designed to be substantially equal to
the width of the sheet 7. Also, the width of the top board 41 on
the downstream side in the sheet feed direction X is arranged to be
slightly narrower than the dimension D1. Therefore, the regulating
member 20, which pushes the side edges of the sheets 7 on the
downstream side of the top board 41 in the sheet feed direction X,
can make contact with the side edges of the sheets 7 without being
obstructed by part of the package member 8 covering the exterior of
the sheets 7, by which the sheets 7 can be aligned along the inner
wall 3c on the other side of the sheet storage unit 6.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 16, the edge 51 of the first side board 44
on the downstream side in the sheet feed direction X is brought
into contact with the end face 22a of the regulating member 20 when
the first side board 44 is moved to the downstream side in the
sheet feed direction X. Thus, the movement of the base board 43
connecting with the first side board 44 to the downstream side in
the sheet feed direction X can be restricted. It is noted that the
package member 8 can be composed so that the edge 51 of the first
side board 44 is already in contact with the end face 22a of the
regulating member 20 when the package member 8 is loaded in the
printer 1.
[0105] A state in which the lid 10 has been closed after the
loading of the package member 8 into the sheet storage unit 6 is
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this state, the top board 41 of the
package member 8 is situated between the pressure plate 24 for
pressing the sheets 7 against the pickup roller 13 and the sheets
7.
[0106] The sheets 7 are set in the printer 1 while being stored in
the package member 8. When all the sheets 7 in the package member 8
are used up, the user pulls out the empty package member 8 from the
sheet storage unit 6, and disposes it.
[0107] After that, the sheets 7 are loaded in the printer
necessarily in the state being stored in the package member 8,
which is advantageous in that the sheet separation function of the
pickup roller 13 and the separation block 14 does not deteriorate
even when the printer 1 has printed on a great number of
sheets.
[0108] Here, let us consider a case where the stacked sheets 7 make
direct contact with the pressure plate 24 not via the top board 41.
In this case, the pressure plate 24 wears off in the continuous use
of the printer 1 and the friction between the pressure plate 24 and
the stacked sheets 7 decreases, by which the separation function is
lost and the multi feeding (feeding two or more sheets 7 at once)
is caused frequently. In the configuration of this exemplary
embodiment, the stacked sheets 7 make direct contact with the top
board 41, which is replaced together with the package member 8 each
time when a prescribed number of sheets 7 are used up. Therefore,
the friction between the top board 41 and the stacked sheets 7 do
not drop even in the continuous use of the printer 1 over the
years, by which an excellent separation function is maintained
consistently and sheet feed trouble (multi feeding, etc.) is
prevented from occurring.
[Method for Positioning Package Member in Printer]
[0109] Next, a method for correctly positioning the package member
8 in the printer 1 (in order to let the reflective sensor 23 of the
printer 1 read the identification mark 64 of the package member 8
will be explained below.
[0110] In regard to the width direction of the package member 8,
the dimension D1 (see FIG. 10) of the package member 8 in the width
direction is set substantially equal to the width of the sheet 7 as
mentioned above. Therefore, the sheets 7 are pushed by the
regulating member 20 (provided to the inner wall 3b of the printer
1) against the inner wall 3c on the other side, while the package
member 8 is also pushed by the regulating member 20 and positioned
in the sheet storage unit 6.
[0111] Meanwhile, in the lengthwise direction of the package member
8 (i.e. in the sheet feed direction X), the dimension D2 (see FIG.
10) of the top board 41 of the package member 8 in the sheet feed
direction X is set substantially equal to the distance D3 (see FIG.
4) between the inner walls 3a and 14a of the sheet storage unit 6.
Therefore, the edges 45 and 46 of the top board 41 on the
upstream/downstream sides in the sheet feed direction X make
contact with the inner walls 3a and 14a of the sheet storage unit 6
respectively, which is referred to as a solution A. The edge 51 of
the first side board 44 on the downstream side in the sheet feed
direction X is brought into contact with the end face 22a of the
arm 22 of the regulating member 20 provided in the printer 1 in the
sheet feed operation, by which the movement of the base board 43
connecting with the first side board 44 in the downstream side in
the sheet feed direction X can be restricted, which is referred to
as a solution B. By these solutions, the package member 8 can be
positioned in the sheet storage unit 6.
[0112] By the positioning of the package member 8 in the width
direction and in the sheet feed direction X, the four indicator
bits 64a-64d of the identification mark 64 are situated in the
reading areas of the four reflective sensors 23a-23d respectively,
by which the reflective sensor 23 is allowed to read the
black/white pattern of the indicator bits 64a-64d correctly and
judge the type of the sheet 7.
[0113] By the way, the sheet feed operation by the pickup roller 13
generally involves the following problem. When the feeding force is
applied to the lowermost sheet 7 making contact with the pickup
roller 13, the package member 8 also receives force in the sheet
feed direction X due to the friction between the lowermost sheet 7
and the base board 43.
[0114] In this exemplary embodiment, even in the sheet feed
operation, the edge 46 of the top board 41 (on the downstream side
in the sheet feed direction X) makes contact with the inner wall
14a of the sheet storage unit 6, by which the movement of the
package member 8 can be restricted against the feeding force from
the pickup roller 13. Therefore, even though the second side board
42 or the base board 43 connecting with the top board 41 might
shift slightly in the sheet feed direction X as shown in FIG. 18,
the identification mark 64 on the package member 8 can be situated
within a readable range of the reflective sensor 64 of the printer
1.
[0115] In the package member described in the aforementioned prior
art, only the solution A to secure the package member in the sheet
feed direction X by positioning the top board is carried out, but
the solution B of the disclosure to position the base board is
unperformed. Under the condition as such, when the sheet feed
operation is performed with the empty package member loaded in the
printer, the top board is pressed by the pressure plate on which
the bias spring exert the biasing force. Further, the pickup roller
has brought into contact with the top board directly, since the
package member 8 has no sheets.
[0116] They sometimes cause a feeding of the top board itself
instead of the sheet by the friction of the pickup roller. In
accordance with the movement of the top board, the base board may
be also pulled to the pickup roller. Then, the top board
overlapping with the base board is conveyed into a sheet feed path
such as a space between the pickup roller and the separation block,
or the space between the platen roller and the paper guide further,
which may cause an idle rotation of the pickup roller over the base
board narrow part of the base board.
[0117] As a result, the varnish which covers the front face of the
base board is adhered to the pickup roller. Thus, the performance
of the sheet separation may get worse, and counter torque is
applied to a platen drive unit (not shown) more than necessary when
the user tries to remove the package member which has been drawn
into the sheet feeding path, which affects the endurance.
[0118] On the contrary, in the package member 8 of the exemplary
embodiment, addition to the solution A to secure the package member
8 by positioning the top board 41, the solution B to position the
base board 43 is also performed. Accordingly, even when the top
board 41 is nearly fed by the pickup roller 13, the regulating
member 20 prevents the base board 43 from being fed, by which the
package member 8 can be avoided from getting jammed in the sheet
feed path of the printer 1. In this case, preferably, the first
side board 44 is arranged to be folded at a crease toward the base
board 43. With this arrangement, the stiffness of the first side
board 44 is improved, thereby restricting the movement of the
package member 8 against the feeding force of the pickup roller 13
more effectively.
[0119] In order to let the identification mark 64 on the base board
43 be positioned at and read by the reflective sensor 23 by letting
the package member 8 withstand the feeding force of the pickup
roller 13, the difference between the dimension D2 of the top board
41 in the sheet feed direction X and the distance D3 between the
inner walls 3a and 14a of the sheet storage unit 6 of the printer 1
has to be within a permissible range of 1.0 mm. Taking a printing
error (occurring when the identification mark 64 is printed on the
package member 8), etc. into consideration, the dimension
difference 1.0 mm is the limit value allowing the reflective sensor
23 to read the identification mark 64.
[0120] The package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment has the
first side board 44 which connects with the base board 43, and
covers the one of side faces of the stacked sheets 7, the side face
being provided along the sheet feed direction X. The package member
8 is configured so that the edge on the downstream side in the
sheet feed direction X is in contact with the end face 22a of the
regulating member 20 provided in the printer 1 during the feeding
operation of the sheets 7, by which the package member 8 is
positioned correctly in the sheet feed direction X. With this
arrangement, the movement of the package member 8 can be restricted
while the package member 8 receives the force in the sheet feed
direction X in the sheet feed operation of the printer 1.
[0121] More specifically, the exemplary embodiment can provide the
package member 8 in which nothing gets jammed in the sheet feed
path of the printer 1 when the printer 1 performs the sheet feed
operation when the package member 8 is loaded in the printer 1
regardless of the presence or absence of the sheets 7 therein.
[0122] The package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment is designed
to have the base board 43 which is shorter than the top board 41 in
the sheet feed direction X, and the open entrance 43A in the base
board 43. Accordingly, the composition of the package member 8 from
which the sheets 7 can be fed without an extra component of the
package member 8 or an extra mechanism of the printer 1, can be
easily achieved.
[0123] Furthermore, in the package member 8 of the exemplary
embodiment, the top board 41 has the upper hole 66 in the position
opposite to the window 11 provided in the lid 10 of the sheet
storage unit 6 of the printer 1. The user can see the stacked
sheets 7 through the window 11 and the upper hole 66. Accordingly,
the user can check the presence or absence of the sheets 7 in the
package member 8 which can be loaded in the sheet storage unit 6 of
the printer 1. Also, to issue the invalid print command can be
avoided.
[0124] In the package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment, the
color of the stacked sheets 7 is different from the color of the
bottom face 3d of the sheet storage unit 6 of the printer 1, and
the lower hole 67 is provided on the base board 43, the position
opposite to the upper hole 66 on the top board 41. Accordingly, the
user can check the bottom face of the sheet storage unit 6 or the
color of the stacked sheets 7 by seeing through the upper hole 66,
thereby recognizing the presence or absence of the sheets 7.
[0125] In the package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment, the
lower hole 67 is set to be larger than the upper hole 66.
Accordingly, even when the package member 8 becomes warped, and the
relative position of the top board 41 and the base board 43 is
shifted in horizontal direction, the user can check the lower hole
67 through the upper hole 66. Therefore, the user can recognize the
presence or absence of the sheets 7 more clearly.
[0126] In the exemplary embodiment, the front face of the base
board narrow part 48, which corresponds to the region on the
upstream side in the sheet feed direction X of the periphery of the
position where the pickup roller 13 (sheet feed roller) enters into
the package member 8 on the outer face of the base board 43 facing
to the sheet storage unit 6, is arranged to be unvarnished to keep
damage to a minimum in case where the sheets 7 get jammed in the
printer 1. Accordingly, the deterioration of the performance of the
sheets separation due to the varnish adhered to the pickup roller
(sheet feed roller) 13 can be avoided.
[0127] The package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment has the
second side board 42, which covers the one of the side faces of the
stacked sheets 7, the side face being provided on the upstream side
in the sheet feed direction X, along the direction orthogonal to
the sheet feed direction X. Accordingly, the sheets 7 is neatly
stored in the package member 8 before loaded in the sheet storage
unit 6 of the printer 1, so that the package member 8 can be easily
and securely loaded in the sheet storage unit 6 of the printer
1.
[0128] The package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment is composed
of the top board 41, the second side board 42, the base board 43
and the first side board 44, which are formed in one unit.
Accordingly, the strength of the package member 8 can be enhanced
as compared with the case where the top board 41, the second side
board 42, the base board 43 and the first side board 44 are
individually formed and then connected one another.
[Modifications]
[0129] While the above description has been given of an exemplary
embodiment of the present disclosure, the technical scope of the
disclosure is not to be restricted by the above particular
illustrative embodiment. Various modifications, design changes,
etc. can be made to the exemplary embodiment without departing from
the scope of the disclosure.
[0130] For instance, the belt-shaped member 40 used to bundle the
package member 8 up can be removed if the assembled shape of the
package member 8 can be maintained well, thereby reducing the
manufacturing cost correspondingly.
[0131] The sheet 7 employed for the package member 8 may also be a
heat-perforated sheet including a perforation layer (perforated by
heat) as an image receiving layer stacked on a base layer. Not only
heat-sensitive sheets but also other types of sheets (thermal
transfer sheets, etc.) can be used as the sheets 7.
[0132] The package member 8 may also be formed by preparing the top
board 41, the second side board 42, the first side board 44 and the
base board 43 separately and thereafter connecting them
together.
[0133] The base board 43 of the package member 8 may also be
configured substantially in the same dimension in the sheet feed
direction X as the top board 41 as long as the pickup roller 13 can
enter the package and feed the sheets 7. For example, a hole into
which the pickup roller 13 can be entered may be provided in the
base board 43. In this case, the length of the hole in the
direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction X needs to be as
long as or longer than that of the pickup roller 13 in its
rotational shaft direction. However, the length of the hole in the
sheet feed direction X can be as long as or shorter than that of
the pickup roller 13 in the sheet feed direction X.
[0134] The length of the hole in the sheet feed direction X can be
shorter than that of the pickup roller 13 in the sheet feed
direction X, since the pickup roller 13 just needs to press against
the sheets 7 with its surface without necessarily having to enter
into the package member 8 entirely through the hole. Of course, the
length of hole in the sheet feed direction X can be longer than
that of the pickup roller 13 in the sheet feed direction X. Noted
that the hole corresponds to the open entrance.
[0135] The configuration of the identification mark 64 formed on
the base board 43 of the package member 8 is not restricted to the
black/white pattern of the rectangular indicator bits made by
printing. The identification mark 64 may also be configured by
forming holes at proper positions of the package member 8 to
indicate information by a pattern of the presence/absence of holes,
for example. The identification mark 64 may also indicate
information other than the type of the sheet 7, that is, any
information can be indicated exactly enough to be recognized by a
sensor of the printer.
[0136] The printer 1 may also be configured to carry out printing
with a means other than the thermal head 16. When the printer is
allowed to be a little larger, other printing means like an ink jet
printing head may be employed, for example.
[0137] The sensor 23 of the printer 1 is not restricted to the
reflective sensor 23. Any appropriate sensor can be employed
irrespective of whether it is of a contact type or non-contact
type.
[0138] The first side board 44 can partially share the one side
edge in the sheet feed direction X with the base board wide part 49
of the base board 43. In regard to the first side board 44, the
position of the edge 51 on the downstream side in the sheet feed
direction X needs to be same as this exemplary embodiment, but the
position of the edge 51 on the upstream side in the sheet feed
direction X can be shifted closer to the downstream side in the
sheet feed direction X. For instance, as shown in FIG. 19, a first
side board 70 having the one-thirds length in the sheet feed
direction X of the first side board 44 (see FIG. 7) of the
exemplary embodiment may be applicable. As shown in FIG. 20, a side
board 71 having the one-eights to one-sevenths length in the sheet
feed direction X of the first side board 44 (see FIG. 7) of the
exemplary embodiment may also be applicable. Preferably, the edge
51 on the downstream side in the sheet feed direction X is shaped
like a straight line orthogonal to the sheet feed direction X, but
the whole shape of the first side board 44 can be rectangular or
sector or other shapes. Depending on the position of the regulating
member 20 of the printer 1, the position of the edge on the
upstream side in the sheet feed direction X can be shifted as well
as the edge 51 on the downstream side in the sheet feed direction
X.
[0139] In the printer 1 of the exemplary embodiment, the regulating
member 20 is placed inside the concave part 19 provided in the
inner wall 3b on the left side in the sheet feed direction X. The
regulating member 20 can be provided in a concave part provided in
the inner wall 3c on the right side in the sheet feed direction X.
In this case, the first side board 44 is provided on the right side
in the sheet feed direction X of the package member 8. When the
regulating member 20 is provided both in the concave part 19
provided in the inner wall 3b on the left side in the sheet feed
direction X and the concave part provided in the inner wall 3c on
the right side in the sheet feed direction X, the first side board
44 can be provided in either one or both of right and left sides in
the sheet feed direction X of the package member 8.
[0140] The first side board 44 connects with the base board 43, but
may connect with the top board 41. The first side board 44 may
connect with both top, board 41 and the base board 43. Out of edges
of the base board 43, the edge connected with the first side board
44 can connect with another side board. In the first side board 44,
there may be also provided a hole through which the regulating
member 20 enter into the package member.
[0141] In the exemplary embodiment, the whole base board narrow
part 48 of the base board 43 is unvarnished. The length of the base
board narrow part 48 orthogonal to the sheet feed direction X is
longer than that of the pickup roller 13 in its rotational shaft
direction. Therefore, only a region where the pickup roller 13
passes when the pickup roller 13 is horizontally moved over the
base board narrow part 48 of the base board 43 can be varnished. In
this case, when the package member 8 is loaded in the printer 1,
the varnished areas on either side of the unvarnished region in the
sheet feeding direction X are provided on the front face of the
base board narrow part 48 of the base board 43, since the shaft
center of the pickup roller 13 and the center of the base board
narrow part in the direction orthogonal to the sheet feed direction
X are the same.
[0142] The configuration of the package member 8 can be such that a
side board 72 covers the one side edges of the sheets 7 extending
in the sheet feed direction X. The side board 72 in this
configuration can be considered to be work as the second side board
42 and the first side board 44 together in the above exemplary
embodiment. FIG. 22 is a developed view of the package member 8,
seen from the back side thereof. The package member 8 in FIG. 21
can be assembled from the package member 8 shown in FIG. 22, by
being folded in the shaded arrow direction.
[0143] The side board 72 is configured so as to cover the one side
edges of the sheets 7 extending in the sheet feed direction X,
thereby effectively minimizing the displacement of the top board 41
and the base board 43 during the sheet feeding. More specifically,
the identification mark 64 can be correctly positioned above the
reflective sensor 23 by the reduced amount of the displacement of
the top board 41 and the base board 43.
[0144] The package member 8 of the exemplary embodiment is composed
of the top board 41, the side board 72 and the base board 43 which
are formed in one unit. Accordingly, the strength of the package
member 8 can be enhanced as compared with the case where the top
board 41, the side board 72 and the base board 43 are individually
formed and then connected one another.
[0145] While the presently exemplary embodiment has been shown and
described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the
purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications
may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as
set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *