US 6,981,810 B2
Printer apparatus having platen roller with sheet feed guide
Yoshiharu Akashi, Daito (Japan); Takahiro Okuie, Nara (Japan); and Hirofumi Matsushima, Fujiidera (Japan)
Assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Moriguchi (Japan)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/894,363.
Claims priority of application No. 2003-199666 (JP), filed on Jul. 22, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0053409 A1, Mar. 10, 2005
Int. Cl. B41J 13/10 (2006.01); B41J 13/18 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 400—642 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printer apparatus comprising:
a platen roller around which paper sheets wind;
a printing means arranged for being drawn near to and away from the platen roller;
a plurality of winding support members circumferentially disposed around the platen roller, for guiding a paper sheet to wrap around the roller;
a sheet feed guide disposed in proximity to the printing means and being pivotable substantially along the circumference of the roller; and
a diverting mechanism for letting the sheet feed guide escape to a position such that it does not interfere with the printing means in a print mode; wherein
the sheet feed guide is linked with a lever that pivots in a plane substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the platen roller, the lever having a fore-end protuberance,
the diverting mechanism comprises rotative plates disposed opposing each end of the platen roller and each having a cam portion for guiding the protuberance on the lever, and a rotation-restricting part for controlling movement of the lever in cooperation with the cam portion to let the sheet feed guide escape during the print mode, and
cam pieces provided on the rotative plates control an approach/retreat operation of the winding support members with the respect to the platen roller.