JPH0492362A - Battery and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the insertion and the removal of a battery easier by inserting the battery obliquely from the other end opposite to the end furnishing a finger knob of the battery, when the battery is inserted, while removing the battery by lifting the end of the battery furnishing the finger knob by using the finger knob in the operation just reverse to the insertion, when the battery is removed. CONSTITUTION:When a battery is inserted, for example, the battery 1 is inserted obliquely at first from the other end opposite to the end furnishing a finger knob 1c of the battery to the opening provided at a case 2 to cover the battery 1, and when the battery 1 is removed, the end is lefted up by using the finger knob 1c of the battery, and it can be removed in the operation just reverse to the insertion. And a switch 6 to turn on and off the power source by the battery 1 can be composed by forming the contact at a recording device side with a spring member and the like, for example, and sliding the switching member against the elastic force of the spring member when contacts are separated each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a battery and a recording device using the battery as a power source.

[Background Art] For example, information processing devices such as word processors and computers use recording devices (
(hereinafter also referred to as a printer). Also,
One trend in information processing devices is that they are suitable for users to carry and use individually, and for example, there are many small personal computers called notebook types, portable word processors, and the like. Printers used in such information processing devices may be integrated with these devices, or may be used as a separate printer connected to these devices. In any case, with the above-mentioned trend in information processing devices, printers themselves are becoming smaller, simpler, and less expensive. Further, such printers are generally configured to be battery-operated so that users can easily use them at any location.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, the miniaturization of printers as described above requires that the space for the arrangement or operation of the members constituting this device be limited, and that the members themselves be miniaturized. As a result, the structure of the above-mentioned members and the mechanism that relates these members need to be different from those for relatively large devices, and the structure of the above-mentioned battery as a power source of the printer and its installation must also be similar. I can say that.

For example, as a structure for attaching and detaching a battery, a connector or similar device is used that has electrical contacts on both the battery and the side to which it is attached, and a structure that prevents the electrical contacts from being exposed when attaching or detaching or attaching the battery. There is.

However, in this case, the ease of attachment and detachment and the simplicity of the configuration are lost due to the use of connectors, etc.
This makes it difficult to realize the miniaturization of the printer described above.

Further, as another configuration for attaching a battery, there is one in which the battery is moved in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction when being attached or detached. However, with this configuration, it is necessary to make the opening for attachment and detachment thick, and the printer side contacts may be exposed when the battery is not installed. There is a high possibility of damaging the printer's electrical circuitry or mechanically damaging the contacts themselves.

Still another battery mounting configuration includes a battery case that is configured to move the battery in its longitudinal direction when the battery is attached or removed, and a contact is disposed at the back of the battery case. According to this, it is possible to avoid problems caused by exposed contacts as described above. However, in this configuration, when the battery is installed, the battery end must be located near the exterior surface of the printer, which reduces the degree of freedom in printer design and makes it difficult to configure a compact printer. This can be a very big limitation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to make it easy to attach and detach the battery.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording device and a battery that have a battery holding section that is excellent in protecting the contacts of the battery and can contribute to miniaturization due to its simple configuration.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To this end, the present invention is characterized in that a battery used as a power source for a recording device and removable from the device is provided with a finger rest provided on a part of the battery. shall be.

Further, in a recording device capable of using a battery as a power source, the battery has a rod shape and has a finger hook at the end of the rod, a holding means for detachably holding the battery, and a holding means for holding the battery in a detachable manner. A case that covers the battery to be held, an opening provided in a part of the case and used as an inlet/outlet for attaching and detaching the battery, and a contact point on the battery side and a contact point on the recording device side. It is characterized by comprising a switch member which is slidably provided and which brings the contacts into and out of contact with each other by sliding.

[Function] According to the above configuration, for example, when inserting the battery into the opening provided in the case covering the battery,
First, insert the battery diagonally from the other end of the battery where the finger rest is provided, and when removing the battery, pull up one end of the battery using the finger rest and remove it by performing the reverse operation of insertion. I can do it.

In addition, in a switch for turning on/off power by a battery, for example, the contact on the recording device side is formed by a spring member or the like, and when the contacts are separated from each other, the elastic force of the spring member slides against the switch member. It can be configured to move.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 indicates an inkjet recording device, and this device 100 is used when placed as shown in the figure, and when used vertically as described later.
It is used in some cases and is relatively small.

101 is a device case, 102 is an outer lid, and 103 is an inner lid. When not in use, the outer lid 102 is superimposed on the inner lid 103, making the device 100 compact.

This allows the user to carry the recording device, for example, by putting it in a dedicated storage bag.

The back side portion of the device case 101 that is not shown in the drawings is provided with an opening (usually covered with a lid) for attaching and detaching a battery case and a portion that will be explained from FIG. 2 onwards. ing.

Further, the outer cover 102 can also be used as a paper feed guide for the recording paper 40 as shown in the figure.
06 is the paper feed port. Furthermore, the outer lid 102 can also be used as a paper discharge tray, as will be described later.

In any of the above cases, reference numeral 107 in the figure serves as a paper discharge port.

105 is a hook for fixing the position of the upper lid 102, and 104 is an operation key, a display section, etc.

FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) are a perspective view, a horizontal cross-sectional view, and a vertical cross-sectional view, respectively, showing a battery and a battery case representing an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C), ■ is a rechargeable Niracad battery, which has a substantially cylindrical shape. A guide le is formed in a part of the main body of the battery 1, and is used for guiding the attachment/detachment operation of the battery 1 and for positioning the battery 1 in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. la, 1. b is battery 1
The battery side contact provided on the lower surface side of the guide le near the end of the IC is a finger grip mainly used when taking out the battery 1 from the battery case, and 1d is a rib used for positioning the battery 1 in the longitudinal direction. be. 2 is a battery case for storing battery 1, 2a is battery l
2b is a guide slope when the battery 1 is installed, and 2C is a positioning groove that engages with the positioning rib ld to position the battery 1 in the longitudinal direction when the battery 1 is installed. , which is a holding plate for holding the battery 1 and extends almost in the longitudinal direction of the battery 1. Reference numeral 3 designates the exterior case on the bottom side of the printer shown in FIG. 1, with the battery case lid (not shown) removed. The opening of the exterior case 3 is formed to be shorter than the length of the battery 1 in the longitudinal direction so as to cover a contact on the main body side, which will be described later. Reference numeral 3a denotes a rib formed on the exterior case 3 for fixing the battery l when it is attached. Reference numeral 4 denotes a lower exterior case of the printer, which together with the exterior case 3 constitutes the battery case 2. 5a and 5b are lower case 4
This is a contact on the main body side attached to the printer, and is electrically connected to a printer circuit (not shown). Contacts 5a and 5
b is a plate-shaped blank whose elastic force makes the contact with the battery side contacts 1a and lb more reliable. A battery switch 6 is sandwiched between the contact 5a and the holding plate 2c and is slidable between the contacts 5a and the holding plate 2c.

A knob 6a is formed in a part of the battery switch 6,
The knob 6a protrudes outside the case through a hole 3b formed in a part of the outer case 3, and can be operated by the user.

To install the battery, as shown in Figure 3 (A), insert the battery 1 into the battery case 2 with the contact side facing down and diagonally, and then insert the other end downward. while sliding on the guide slope 2b. At the same time, the rib Id engages with the groove 2a, and the leading end of the battery 1 engages with the rib 3a, thereby positioning the battery 1. This positioned state is shown in FIG. 3 CB).

When taking out the battery 1, hook your finger on the finger IC and pull it up, then grasp the battery 1 body and pull it up on the guide slope 2.
Pull it out diagonally along a.

The battery switch 6 disconnects/disables contact between the battery side contact 1a and the printer side contact 5a by operating the knob 6a left and right. Figure 3 (B) shows the disconnected state;
FIG. 3 (C1 indicates the connected state. A groove 6a is provided on the surface of the battery switch 6 that contacts the main body side contact 5a, and the elasticity of the main body side contact 5a is used to prevent the switch 6 from operating inadvertently. It is said to be a click.

Note that the contact 1b and the contact 5b are always in contact when the battery 1 is attached.

(Others) The present invention brings about excellent effects particularly in a recording apparatus using a so-called bubble jet recording head proposed by Canon (2) among inkjet recording systems. This is because, according to such a system, it is possible to achieve high recording density and high definition, and it is also possible to reduce the size of the recording head and the apparatus using the same relatively easily.

As for typical configurations and principles thereof, it is preferable to use the basic principles disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129 and US Pat. No. 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type, but especially in the case of the on-demand type, it is necessary to arrange the liquid (ink) in accordance with the sheet and liquid path that hold it. The electrothermal converter that is
Generating thermal energy in the electrothermal transducer and producing film boiling on the thermally active surface of the recording head by applying at least one drive signal that corresponds to recorded information and provides a rapid temperature rise above nucleate boiling. As a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) can be formed in a one-to-one correspondence with this drive signal, which is effective. The growth and contraction of the bubble causes liquid (ink) to be ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet. If this drive signal is in the form of a pulse, bubble growth and contraction will occur immediately and appropriately.
Particularly responsive liquid (ink) ejection can be achieved,
More preferred. This pulse-shaped drive signal is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262.
Those described in the specification are suitable. Furthermore, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 concerning the invention regarding the temperature increase rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, even more excellent recording can be performed.

The configuration of the recording head includes, in addition to the combination configuration of ejection ports, liquid paths, and electrothermal converters (straight liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, a heat acting section. The present invention also includes configurations using US Pat. No. 4,558,333 and US Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose configurations in which the wafer is placed in a bending region. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1989-5 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge part of a plurality of electrothermal converters.
No. 9-123670 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59/1989 which discloses a configuration in which a discharge portion is made to correspond to an opening that absorbs pressure waves of thermal energy.
The effects of the present invention are also effective even if the structure is based on the publication No.-138461. That is, regardless of the form of the recording head, according to the present invention, recording can be performed reliably and efficiently.

Furthermore, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium that can be recorded by a recording apparatus.

Such a recording head may have either a configuration in which the length is satisfied by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration in which a single recording head is formed in one direction.

In addition, even with the serial type shown above, the recording head is fixed to the device body, or by being attached to the device body, electrical connection to the device body and ink supply from the device body are possible. The present invention is also effective when using a replaceable chip type recording head or a cartridge type recording head in which an ink tank is integrally provided in the recording head itself.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a configuration of the recording apparatus, to the present invention, because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specifically, these include capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressure or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element, or a combination thereof; It is also effective to perform a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing in order to perform stable printing.

In addition, regarding the type and number of recording heads installed, for example, in addition to one type that corresponds to single-color ink, there is also a plurality of recording heads that correspond to multiple inks with different recording colors and densities. It may be something that can be done. That is, for example, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to a recording mode for only a mainstream color such as black, but may also be a recording mode in which the recording head is configured integrally or in a combination of multiple colors, The present invention is also extremely effective for devices equipped with a few full colors (or one full color) by color mixing.

Additionally, in the embodiments of the present invention described above,
Although ink is described as a liquid, it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or below, but softens or liquefies at room temperature, or in an inkjet method, the ink itself is
Generally, the temperature is adjusted within the range of 0°C or more and 70°C or less so that the viscosity of the ink is within the stable ejection range, so even if the ink is in a liquid state when the recording signal is applied. Bye. In addition, the temperature increase caused by thermal energy can be actively prevented by using the energy to change the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or ink that solidifies when left standing is used to prevent ink evaporation. In any case, the ink is liquefied by applying thermal energy in accordance with the recording signal, and the liquid ink is ejected, or the ink has already begun to solidify by the time it reaches the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable when using ink that is liquefied only by energy. The ink used in this case is
Publication No. 4-56847 or JP-A-60-71260
As described in the above publication, the porous sheet may be held in a liquid or solid state in the recesses or through-holes of the porous sheet, facing the electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective method for each of the above-mentioned inks is to implement the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, in addition to being used as an image output terminal for information processing equipment such as a computer, the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention may also take the form of a copying machine combined with a league, etc., or a facsimile machine having a transmission/reception function. It may also be something.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, when inserting a battery, for example, a finger rest for the battery is first provided in the opening provided in the case covering the battery. The battery can be inserted diagonally from the other end, and when removed, one end of the battery can be pulled up using the finger grip and removed by performing the reverse operation of insertion.

Further, in a switch for turning on/off power using a battery, for example, the recording device side contact is formed by a spring member, and when the contacts are separated from each other, the switch member is slid against the elastic force of the spring member. It can be configured as follows.

As a result, even if the opening of the battery case is shorter than the length of the battery, it is easy to attach and detach the battery, which is a major advantage in protecting the battery contacts and increasing the flexibility of where the battery case is installed in the recording device. will have.

Furthermore, the battery switch can be configured more simply than if it were provided as an independent configuration, and as a result, the recording apparatus can be made more compact.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 (A) to (C) show a battery and a battery formed as a part of the printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. A perspective view, a horizontal cross-sectional view, a vertical cross-sectional view, and FIGS. 3(A) to (C) of the case are cross-sectional views for explaining the mounting of the battery and the operation state of the battery switch. l... battery, la, lb... contact, lc... finger rest, 2... battery case, 2a... groove, 2b... slope, 2c... holding plate, 3...・Exterior case, 3a...Rib, 4...Lower case, 5a, 5b...Body side contact, 6...Battery switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A battery that is used as a power source for a recording device and is removable from the device, characterized in that the battery is provided with a finger rest provided on a part of the battery. 2) In a recording device that can use a battery as a power source, the battery is rod-shaped and has a finger rest at the end of the rod, a holding means for detachably holding the battery, and the holding means A case that covers the battery to be held; an opening provided in a part of the case and used as an inlet/outlet for attaching and detaching the battery; and a contact point on the battery side and a contact point on the recording device side. 1. A recording device comprising: a switch member which is slidably provided and which brings the contacts into and out of contact with each other by the sliding action.