Self-aligning thermal print head and paper loading mechanism

Abstract

A thermal printer is provided with a free floating print head and a sliding top supporting a platen roller. The platen roller is engageable with the print head such that a biased uniform force is applied to the print head. The sliding top is movable between a print ready position and a paper loading position. A wide gap is provided between the platen roller and the print head which in the paper loading position, allowing for easy paper loading without need for threading.

I claim: .[. 
     
       1.  A self-aligning thermal printer having a print head array and comprising, a stationary frame,   an elongated print head array support bracket having a lengthwise dimension and platen receiving slots in in opposed ends of the bracket,   a slidable member mounted to the stationary frame, the slidable member supporting a rotatable platen and being slidable from a print ready position and a paper loading position,   a leaf spring connected to said stationary frame at opposed ends and free from said stationary frame between said ends for exerting a force toward said platen,   centering means, connected to said support bracket and abutting said leaf spring, for directly distributing said force along the lengthwise dimension of said support bracket and toward said platen, and   a switch pin set in said stationary frame and positioned to contact the centering means when the slidable member is not in the print ready position, the centering means moving away from the switch pin when the slidable member is slid into the print ready position thereby allowing the print head to be energized..]. .[.   
     
     
       2.  A self-aligning thermal print head mounting mechanism comprising, a stationary frame,   a print head support bracket supporting a thermal print head array, the bracket having a back wall and a pair of extending side walls, each side wall having a U-shaped receiving slot,   a moveable cover supporting a platen and being slidable from an engaged position and a disengaged position with the print head support bracket, the platen being rotatable about an axis and having a shaft which is adapted to being received in said pair of U-shaped slots with the axis of rotation of the platen being aligned parallel to the print head array,   means associated between the stationary frame and the support bracket for pivotally biasing the support bracket in a free floating manner, said means for biasing including a leaf spring with ends supported by said stationary frame and biased to exert a force towards the platen, and a centering strap coupled to said print head supporting bracket, the leaf spring and the centering strap being in abutting relation at a point of contact such that the centering strap pivots about the point of contact, and   a switch pin set in said stationary frame and positioned to contact the centering strap when the movable cover is not in the engaged position, the centering strap moving away from the switch pin when the movable cover is slid into the engaged position thereby allowing the print head to be energized..]. .[.3. A self-aligning thermal print head mounting mechanism comprising,   a stationary frame,   a print head support bracket supporting a thermal print head array, the bracket having a back wall and a pair of extending side walls, each side wall having a U-shaped receiving slot,   means associated between the stationary frame and the support bracket for pivotally biasing the support bracket in a free floating manner, the means for biasing including a leaf spring with ends supported by said stationary frame and biased to exert a force towards the platen, and a centering strap coupled to said print head supporting bracket, the leaf spring and the centering strap being in abutting relation at a point of contact such that the centering strap pivots about the point of contact, and   a movable cover supporting a platen and being slidable from an engaged position and a disengaged position with the print head support bracket, the platen being rotatable about an axis and having a shaft which is adapted to being received in said pair of U-shaped slots with the axis of rotation of the platen being aligned parallel to the print head array,   a switch pin set in said stationary frame and positioned to contact the centering strap when the movable cover is not in the engaged position, the centering strap moving away from the switch pin when the movable cover is slid into the print ready position thereby allowing the print head to be energized, and   motive means associated with said stationary frame and a drive coupling means associated with said platen, the drive coupling means being engagable with the motive means for providing rotation to the platen when   
     
     
        in the print ready position..]. .Iadd.4.  A self-aligning thermal printer comprising: a stationary frame;   a print head array supported by a bracket said bracket further comprising a slot at each end of said bracket;   a platen roller supported by a member slidably mounted on said stationary frame for movement between a print ready position and a paper loading position at which respective positions the platen roller is located by, and removed from, the slots in said bracket;   a leaf spring having opposite ends supported by said stationary frame so that an unsupported part of the spring can bias the bracket the print head array towards the platen roller when the platen roller is in its print ready position, and   centering means connected to said bracket and pivotally abutting the leaf spring so as to distribute the bias of the leaf spring uniformly to the bracket and the print head array when the platen roller is in its print ready position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.5. The printer of claim 4, wherein said centering means is a centering strap. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. The printer of claim 4 further comprising a switch pin on the stationary frame, the switch pin being positioned so as to be engaged with the centering means when the platen roller is in its paper loading position, and so as to be disengaged from the centering means when the platen roller is in its print ready position, wherein the print head array is energized only when the platen roller is in its print ready position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. The printer of claim 4, wherein the bracket further comprises a back wall and a pair of extending side walls in which the slots are provided, the side walls and slots forming U-shaped forks, said platen roller having a shaft which is received in the U-shaped forks when said platen roller is in its print ready position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. The printer of claim 6, wherein the bracket further comprises a back wall and a pair of extending side walls in which the slots are provided, the side walls and slots forming U-shaped forks, said platen roller having a shaft which is received in the U-shaped forks when said platen roller is in its print ready position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The printer of claim 4, wherein the member is a cover which can be slid open to move the platen roller into its paper loading position, said paper loading position enabling manual access to paper when loaded in the printer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The printer of claim 6, wherein the member is a cover which can be slid open to move the platen roller into its paper loading position, said paper loading position enabling manual access to paper when loaded in the printer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The printer of claim 4 wherein the cover is completely removable to allow for loading the printer with paper, said printer allowing for the first sheet of the paper to be pulled through an opening between the platen roller and the print head array when the platen roller is in its paper loading position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The printer of claim 6, wherein the cover is completely removable to allow for loading the printer with paper, said printer allowing for the first sheet of the paper to be pulled through an opening between the planten roller and the print head array when the   
     
     
        platen roller is in its paper loading position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13.  The printer of claim 4, further comprising: motor on the stationary frame; and   gearing for enabling the motor to rotate the platen roller when the platen roller is in its print ready position, the gearing being operatively disconnected from the motor when the platen roller is moved into its paper loading position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The printer of claim 6, further comprising:   a motor on the stationary frame; and   gearing for enabling the motor to rotate the platen roller when the platen roller is in its print ready position, the gearing being operatively disconnected from the motor when the platen roller is moved into its paper loading position. .Iaddend.