Cutting device for recording medium and printer with cutting device

Abstract

A cutting device for cutting four edges out of recording media being fed, comprising: a side cutter for cutting both side edges of the recording media fed in a feed direction of the recording media; an end cutter for cutting a leading and trailing end edges out of the recording media fed in a feed direction of the recording media; and, a recording media feed path having a curve or a plurality of curves formed on at least a part thereof; wherein the side cutter is arranged on the corner or corners of the recording media feed path. The four edges of the recording media having an image or the like printed can be cut accurately and securely.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A cutting device for cutting four edges out of recording media being fed, comprising in combination: 
 a side cutter for cutting both side edges of said recording media fed in a feed direction of said recording media;    an end cutter for cutting a leading and trailing end edges out of said recording media fed in a feed direction of said recording media; and,    a recording media feed path having a curve or a plurality of curves formed on at least a part thereof;    wherein said side cutter is arranged on said corner or corners of the recording media feed path.    
     
     
         2 . The cutting device according to  claim 1 , wherein said side cutter is arranged on an upstream side in said feed direction of said recording media and said end cutter is arranged on a downstream side in said feed direction of said recording media.  
     
     
         3 . The cutting device according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of a feed path formed between said side cutter and said end cutter for said recording media is determined shorter than a longer length of said recording media in a feed direction of said recording media.  
     
     
         4 . The cutting device according to  claim 1 , wherein said side cutter has at least rotary blades and has feed rollers provided on the same axes of rotating shafts of said rotary blades for feeding said recording media, said recording media being fed along a part of a surface of said feed rollers while being changed in feed direction.  
     
     
         5 . The cutting device according to  claim 3 , wherein said end cutter has at least paired blades, said paired blades being used to cut said leading and trailing end edges out of said recording media with said recording media stopped at a specific position, and said rotary blades being used to cut said both side edges out of said recording media while said recording media is fed.  
     
     
         6 . A cutting method of recording media of cutting four edges out of recording media, comprising in combination: 
 a both-side edge first-half-area cutting step of feeding said recording media to a first cutting position before cutting both-side edge first-half areas out of said recording media in a feed direction of said recording media while feeding said recording media;    a both-side edge last-half-area cutting step of feeding said recording media to said first cutting position before cutting both-side edge last-half areas out of said recording media in said feed direction of said recording media while feeding said recording media;    a leading end edge cutting step of feeding said recording media to a second cutting position before cutting a leading end edge out of said recording media in said feed direction of said recording media with said recording media stopped; and,    a trailing end edge cutting step of feeding said recording media to said second cutting position before cutting a trailing end edge out of said recording media in said feed direction of said recording media with said recording media stopped;    wherein either of said leading end edge cutting step or said tailing edge cutting step is performed between said both-side edge first-half-area cutting step and said both-side edge last-half-area cutting step.    
     
     
         7 . The cutting method according to  claim 6 , wherein said both-side edge first-half-area cutting step is performed before said leading end edge cutting step is performed and, said both-side edge last-half-area cutting step is performed before said trailing end edge cutting step is performed.  
     
     
         8 . The cutting method according to  claim 6 , wherein said both-side edge first-half-area cutting step and said both-side edge last-half-area cutting step cut both said side edges out of said recording media while curve-feed said recording media.  
     
     
         9 . The cutting method according to  claim 8 , wherein the curve-feed of said recording media in said both-side edge first-half-area cutting step and said both-side edge last-half-area cutting step is made at an angle of around 90 degrees.  
     
     
         10 . The cutting method according to  claim 6 , wherein at least a part of said recording media is stopped as curved when either of said leading end edge cutting step or said trailing end edge cutting step is performed.  
     
     
         11 . A printer, comprising in combination: an exposing section for exposing recording media; 
 first feed means arranged in said exposing section for feeding said recording media;    a developing section for pressing to develop said recording media exposed by said exposing section;    a second feed means arranged in the course of a recording media feed path between said exposing section and said developing section for feeding to said developing section said recording media exposed by said exposing section;    a cutting device for cutting four edges out of said recording media developed by said developing section;    third feed means arranged between said developing section and said cutting device for feeding to said cutting device said recording media developed by said developing section; and,    an apparatus housing for housing at least said exposing section, said developing section, said cutting device, and said first, second, and third feed means therein;    wherein said first, second, and third feed means feed said recording media in a feed direction of said recording media while surface-contacting both side edges of said recording media, and said cutting device cuts said both side edges out of said recording media.    
     
     
         12 . The printer according to  claim 11 , wherein at least a part of said feed path for said recording media from said exposing section to said cutting device is curved, and said cutting device is arranged on the curving portion of said feed path for the recording media.  
     
     
         13 . The printer according to  claim 12 , wherein said cutting device is arranged on an upper corner of said apparatus housing.  
     
     
         14 . The printer according to  claim 12 , wherein said developing section has a curved feed path formed therein for leading said developed recording media to said cutting device and, the feed path for said recording media connecting said curved feed path with said feed path having said cutting device arranged thereon is virtually S-shaped.  
     
     
         15 . The printer according to  claim 14 , wherein said cutting device has vertically cutting means having blades for cutting leading and trailing edges out of said recording media moving in the feed direction of said recording media as moving up and down vertically in relation to said recording media and has rotary cutting means having rotary blades for cutting said both side edges out of said recording media in the feed direction of said recording media by rotating while pressing each other.  
     
     
         16 . The printer according to  claim 15 , further comprising in combination feed rollers provided on the same axes of rotating shafts of said rotary cutting means, said developing section having pressure rollers for feeding said recording media while pressing, wherein said recording media is fed along parts of surfaces of said feed rollers and said pressure rollers.  
     
     
         17 . The printer according to  claim 16 , further comprising in combination a containing section arranged below said cutting device for containing the four edges cut out of said recording media by said cutting device, wherein said both side edges cut out of said recording media by said rotary cutting means drop arcing along parts of the surface of the feed roller down to be contained in said containing section, and said leading and trailing end edges cut out of the recording media by said vertically cutting means drop vertically down to be contained in said containing section.  
     
     
         18 . The printer according to  claim 17 , wherein said containing section has a specific antistatic process made thereon.  
     
     
         19 . The printer according to  claim 18 , wherein said antistatic process has a conductive material provided on at least a part of said containing section.