Information processing apparatus

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus including a personal computer (PC) and a printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus suitable for a POS station, etc.

POS stations installed on the accounting counter of a supermarket or a department store comprise a drawer for cash management, a printer for printing receipts, a display for showing an amount to be paid, a keyboard for operation, and a PC for controlling these devices. More recently, POS stations have begun to be connected to an increasing number of other devices, such as credit card readers, bar code readers, and MICR readers for reading magnetic ink characters printed on personal checks. Consequently, the installation of a POS station requires a larger area. Furthermore, the many devices installed around the operator lower operational efficiency and adversely affect the appearance of the counter area. Space is also required for cables to connect all of these devices, and the routing of these cables is cumbersome and makes apparatus maintenance and device replacement difficult.

To minimize the space requirement, some all-in-one type POS stations integrate all of the above-mentioned devices into a single unit. However, because all of the devices are contained inside a single housing, maintenance of such POS stations becomes difficult. For example, operation of the entire apparatus is interrupted even if only the printer stops working, or the entire apparatus becomes unusable while a faulty device is being repaired. Furthermore, if a need arises to add functions, such as communication functions, that were not considered during the initial design, the entire apparatus must be updated. Such a step would require huge expense since all POS stations within a single store location must generally possess identical specifications.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce the space requirement of a POS station by integrating into a small space, the PC and the printer, which constitute the essential components of a POS station.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus for which work interruption can be minimized even when a device failure occurs, by shortening the time required for device replacement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus that can flexibly and quickly accommodate the addition or enhancement of new functions.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus that maintains a high level of reliability despite its compact size, and in which various safety measures have been implemented in order to prevent failures or recording errors.

These objects are achieved with an information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject-matter of the dependent claims.

By housing a printer unit and a PC module separately in top and bottom housings, respectively, on the one hand, both the printer unit and the PC module can be positioned on an area occupied by only the printer so far. On the other hand, this arrangement allows separate maintenance and replacement of the printer unit and the PC module.

Because the PC module can be detached in the forward or backward direction, maintenance and functional enhancements of the PC module can be made without removing the housing with the printer unit. Consequently, there is no need to remove the top housing, or to move other devices of the POS station.

According to a preferred embodiment, when the PC module is mounted to the bottom housing while the top and bottom housings are connected to each other, grounding means electrically connects the printer unit to the case of the PC module, thus suppressing electrostatic noise, etc. Furthermore, grounding is achieved even if an oil film or dust is present because the grounding means slides on a contact surface during the insertion of the PC module. Therefore, the printer unit is securely grounded, improving the reliability of the apparatus.

Additionally, when the grounding means possesses elasticity, it can lessen the load during the sliding motion, enabling smooth insertion or extraction of the PC module. Furthermore, even if the gap between the printer unit and the case of the PC module changes due to play in the installation position, the grounding means elastically alters its shape to absorb the changes, thus achieving secure conduction.

According to another embodiment, if the grounding means is subjected to a compressive force, it will be deformed with the free end of its M like shape making sliding movements. Consequently, the sliding resistance of the free end has the effect of increasing the deformation load, i.e., the contact load applied to the contact portion. Furthermore, if semi-spherical protrusions are provided in the top area of the M shape, the area of contact portion can be reduced, thus increasing the contact pressure at the contact portion. This increased pressure contributes to remove oil and oxidation films on the contact surface, resulting in excellent and reliable contact.

According to still another embodiment, because the connector on an interface cable side is housed inside the bottom housing, the connector is protected and no limitations are encountered when installing the information processing apparatus close to a wall.

Preferably, both the fastening of the PC module's case to the bottom housing and the prevention of the opening of a lid of the second housing can be implemented using a single locking mechanism.

By using an electrically conductive locking mechanism, when an operator needs to perform maintenance operations by extracting the PC module, the operator and the case of the PC module assume the same electrical potential, thus preventing electrostatic damage to components and the destruction of memory content.

As explained above, the information processing apparatus of the present invention enables compact integration of a printer and a PC and, thus, is particularly suited to be installed in the small area of a POS station which requires these devices. Furthermore, despite the fact that these devices are integrated into a compact unit, the individual devices can still be easily removed, realizing the same ease of maintenance as in conventional stand-alone type instruments. Consequently, inspections and repairs can be performed quickly and simply. Additionally, the reliability of the apparatus is further improved through the implementation of protection means against electrostatic discharges.

Furthermore, because the information processing apparatus related to the present invention uses a PC module high in general applicability and expendability, functions can be easily selected and added according to the user's needs, and future functional enhancements can be flexibly incorporated. Therefore, the user will be able to quickly and inexpensively implement information processing apparatuses that possess functions ideally suited to the intended application, and furthermore will be able to cope with future business expansions and the connection of peripheral devices, by effectively using the installed devices.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, in which: <dl id="dl0001"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention;</dd><dt>Fig. 2</dt><dd>is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment;</dd><dt>Fig. 3</dt><dd>is a front plan view of the first embodiment;</dd><dt>Fig. 4</dt><dd>is a view similar to Figure 1 with a lid on the front side of the lower housing opened;</dd><dt>Fig. 5</dt><dd>is a view similar to Figure 4 with the top housing separated from the bottom housing;</dd><dt>Fig. 6</dt><dd>is a lateral view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the internal components inside the housings;</dd><dt>Fig. 7</dt><dd>is a top perspective view of the bottom housing with the PC module;</dd><dt>Fig. 8</dt><dd>is a view similar to Figure 7 with the PC module taken out of the bottom housing;</dd><dt>Fig. 9</dt><dd>is a top perspective view of the PC module showing the assembly of an expansion input/output unit;</dd><dt>Fig. 10</dt><dd>is an enlarged view of a contact plate;</dd><dt>Fig. 11</dt><dd>is a perspective view of the PC module with a top cover of its case removed;</dd><dt>Fig. 12</dt><dd>is a view similar to Figure 4 of a second embodiment of the present invention; and</dd><dt>Fig. 13</dt><dd>is a view similar to Figure 8 of the second embodiment of the present invention.</dd></dl>

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 shows an information processing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front, and FIG. 2 shows the rear side of the apparatus. Apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is substantially rectangular in shape, slightly deeper than wide, and comprises top housing 10 including a printer unit and bottom housing 20 including a personal computer (PC) module. The printer unit in top housing 10 is adapted to print journals and receipts on two rolls of paper, respectively, and to print information on single slips. The rolls of paper for journal and receipt printing are housed in rear housing section 11 (see Fig. 6) while slips are individually inserted through an insertion opening 12 located on the front side of the housing 20. A printer power switch 13 and a mode selection switch 14 are provided on the front side of top housing 10. A discharge opening 15 for discharging roll paper and individual slips, as well as a display device 16 which indicates the operating status of the apparatus, are located on the upper side of top housing 10.

Bottom housing 20 is located below top housing 10 and both are designed to possess similar "footprints", i.e., the shape of the top of the bottom housing substantially matches that of the bottom of the top housing. Apparatus 1 of the first embodiment can, thus, be installed if an area large enough for the printer is available. Furthermore, top housing 10 and bottom housing 20 are designed so as to appear and to be treated as a single unit when combined. Naturally, in accordance with the objects of the present invention, the bottom shape of bottom housing 20 need not be identical to that of top housing 10, and may be smaller than the bottom shape of top housing 10 as long as the external appearance of the apparatus is not adversely affected.

A lid 21 is pivotally mounted on the front side of bottom housing 20 and is movable between a closed position shown in Fig. 1 and an opened position shown in Fig. 4. Lid 21 is provided with a locking mechanism 22 which is operated by inserting and turning a key in a key hole 22b. As will be explained later the key is preferably made of an electrically conductive material. A power switch 23 of the PC module is arranged so that it can be operated through a cutout in lid 21 when the latter is in its closed position. In a similar manner, a window in lid 21 exposes a lamp 24 allowing the operating status of the PC module to be checked while the lid 21 is closed.

A key hole 25 for operating a locking mechanism which connects top housing 10 to bottom housing 20, is installed on the right side of bottom housing 20. Furthermore, a back cover 26 is installed on the back side of bottom housing 20, and the ends of connector cables for connecting apparatus 1 to other apparatuses are covered by back cover 26. Back cover 26 is detachably installed so as to be removed for installation or disconnection of cables.

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, when lid 21 is opened by releasing the locking mechanism 22, a front panel 29 is exposed which is connected to bottom housing 20. A floppy disk can be inserted in or removed from slot 61 of a disk drive unit 60 of the PC module through said front panel 29.

FIG. 6 shows the major internal components located on the left side of apparatus 1. A printer mechanism 30 which includes a motor and a print head is arranged at the front of top housing 10, a compartment 31a for accommodating the paper rolls for journal and receipt printing is provided in the lower rear part of the housing, and a take-up mechanism 31b is located in the upper rear part and takes up printed paper. A control module 32 which contains electronic components for controlling the individual mechanisms is installed below printer mechanism 30. Components such as a control board 33 are installed inside control module 32 so as to be accessible through the bottom thereof. The PC module comprises a case 40 which is removably inserted in bottom housing 20. When the PC module is removed in the manner to be explained below, control module 32 can be checked or repaired, or components can be replaced from the bottom side of top housing 10, after simply extracting a bottom cover 34 installed on the bottom of said control module 32. Control module 32, including bottom cover 34, is made of sheet metal to serve as a shield for preventing the entry and radiation of electromagnetic noise. The printer mechanism is grounded to control module 32.

Connectors 35 are provided at the rear side of control module 32, and are used for connecting the printer unit to other devices when the printer unit is disconnected from the PC module of this embodiment and used separately. Note that these connectors 35 are not used when the printer unit is connected to the PC module of this embodiment, and that control module 32 is connected to the PC module via a dedicated connector cable.

Case 40 of the PC module is in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and is made of metal. Above the rear part of case 40 behind the control unit 32 a free space is formed and used for an expansion input-output unit 85 mounted on the rear side of a top cover 41 of case 40. Expansion unit 85 can, thus, be installed without any interference with other components. A connector group 44 is positioned on a rear surface 43 of case 40 and is used for connecting the PC module to devices other than the printer unit in top housing 10. Because the depth of case 40 is smaller than that of bottom housing 20, connector group 44 is displaced from rear edge 27 of housing 20 towards the front. This arrangement creates a space 28 in the rear part of housing 20, which can accommodate connection cables and their plugs. In combination with back cover 26 cables and plugs are protected even if apparatus 1 is installed tightly against a back wall or another device. Cables can be connected to expansion input-output unit 85 through said space 28.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the method of separating top housing 10 from bottom housing 20. First, after back cover 26 is removed, locking mechanism 22 of lid 21 is released and lid 21 opened. Cable 36 which connects the printer unit to the PC module is then removed from connector 71. Next, key 25a is inserted into key hole 25 and used to release the locking mechanism holding bottom housing 20 and top housing 10 together. Then, by moving top housing 10 and bottom housing 20 slightly sideways to disengage top housing 10 from a hook 84 on bottom housing 20, top housing 10 can be removed from bottom housing 20. For installing top housing 10 onto bottom housing 20 the above procedure is reversed.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of bottom housing 20 after removal of top housing 10 and shows the state in which the PC module with its case 40 is housed inside bottom housing 20. In the present embodiment, bottom housing 20 and top housing 10 are both made of molded plastic. When the two housings are assembled, nearly the entire exterior of apparatus 1 will be formed by molded plastic components. Bottom housing 20 comprises a bottom 51 which is nearly rectangular, right and left side walls 52a and 52b which rise up from two opposite sides of bottom 51, and a front wall 53 which connects said side walls 52a and 52b. The rear end of housing 20 is left open, allowing the PC module to be inserted or extracted through this opening as will be explained below. The space between this opening and the rear end of case 40 is the space 28 mentioned above.

The PC module is inserted from the back along side walls 52a and 52b until the front face of its case 40 contacts the front panel 29 which forms a central part of front wall 53, i.e., the part covered by lid 21 when the latter is closed.. In this position, the rear edge of case 40 is latched by engagement with a tab 51b resiliently protruding from bottom 51. When this operation is completed, the front face of the disk drive unit 60 mounted in case 40 will be covered by front panel 29, as shown in FIG. 5. Lid 21 is pivotally mounted on the front face of front wall 53. Locking mechanism 22 is fixed to the inner face of lid 21 and comprises a metallic arm 22a which extends toward the interior of the apparatus. Arm 22a cooperates with a slit 40a provided in the front face of case 40. To lock lid 21 arm 22a is rotated into a predetermined position so that when lid 21 is subsequently closed arm 22a is able to enter slit 40a. Arm 22a is then turned, thereby simultaneously locking lid 21 and case 40 to each other via front panel 29.

When it is necessary to inspect or repair the PC module or to add or replace an expansion board for functional enhancements, the PC module must be extracted from bottom housing 20. In such a case, a key is used to unlock locking mechanism 22 by turning arm 22a into registration with slit 40a. When a metallic key is used for unlocking, the operator and case 40 become electrically connected via the key and the locking mechanism 22. This connection allows the electrostatic charge that may have accumulated in the operator's body to be discharged to case 40 before the same operator touches any of the electronic components inside case 40 in performing the above-mentioned operations, thus preventing possible damage due to electrostatic discharge. Likewise, when a floppy disk is to be inserted in or removed from the disk drive unit, the key is first used to open front lid 21, and thus damage to the data stored on the disk due to electrostatic discharge is prevented.

FIG. 8 shows the PC module extracted from bottom housing 20. To extract the PC module from the back of bottom housing 20, locking mechanism 22 is unlocked, as explained above. Then a screw 51a (see Fig. 7) is removed if it has been used to fasten case 40 to the lower housing 20, for instance, during shipment. Then, case 40 is pulled out toward the back while depressing tab 51b.

Because interface connectors of connector group 44 are concentrated and installed in rear surface 43 of case 40 in the present embodiment, cables connected to the interface connectors do not interfere with bottom housing 20, posing no obstacle to the extraction of case 40.

Although Fig. 8 shows the PC module being extracted with top housing 10 removed, the PC module can be extracted while top housing 10 is engaged with bottom housing 20. This is because top housing 10 is supported by side walls 52 of bottom housing 20, which extend approximately parallel to each other and between which the PC module with its case 40 can be housed.

FIG. 9 is a top-view of case 40, Fig. 11 shows the PC module with a top cover 41 of its case 40 disassembled. As shown in FIG. 11, case 40 comprises top cover 41 which covers the top and the left side, and a bottom cover 46 which covers the bottom, front, back, and the right side. By surrounding the boards of the PC module, metallic case 40 acts as an electromagnetic noise shield. The case is grounded to the reference potential of the boards. On the outer side of top cover 41 elastic metallic contact plates 81 are mounted. As will be explained below, contact plates 81 are shaped so as not to interfere with the insertion and extraction of case 40. In the assembled state of apparatus 1, contact plates 81 contact bottom cover 34 of control module 32 such that control module 32 and the printer mechanism connected to it are grounded to case 40. This grounding avoids electrostatic problems in the printer unit. Rear surface 43 of case 40 is provided with standard interface connectors (connector group 44) which are used for connecting external devices such as a display, a keyboard, and a telephone line. By adding expansion boards, it is possible to add an external hard disk or to connect other PCs and/or a PC network. For this reason, two expansion slots 43b and 43c are provided to enable connection to the connectors of said expansion boards through case 40.

Connector slot 41a, which is used for connecting expansion input-output unit 85, is provided in the middle of the rear part of top cover 41. Expansion input-output unit 85 is connected to the PC module through the insertion of connector pins (not shown in the figure) which extend downward from unit 85, into connector slot 41a; in this state input-output unit 85 is directly secured to top cover 41 via screw 85a (Fig. 9). Expansion input-output unit 85 expands standard interface connectors and is used for connecting such additional devices as a page printer and a scanner.

Contact plates 81, which contact control module 32 and which ground the printer mechanism and control module 32, are installed on two sides of the top surface of case 40 using screws 81a. It is preferable that screws 81a be made of a conductive material.

FIG. 10 shows a magnified view of one contact plate 81. Contact plates 81 in the present embodiment consist of a metal plate bent into an M like shape. Semi-spherical protrusions 81b are formed on the two apexes through drawing. Each contact plate 81 is fixed at one end by a respective screw 81a. In an unbiased state, i.e., when case 40 is removed from lower housing 20, contact plates 81 project from top cover 41 upward by a length larger than the gap between top cover 41 of case 40 and bottom cover 34 of control module 32. When case 40 is being inserted into or removed from housing 20, contact plates 81 are, therefore, elastically deformed with their free ends sliding along top cover 41, and, thus, do not interfere with the movement of case 40. Compared to a case where the free end does not abut against the top cover, the sliding resistance of the free end has the effect of increasing the deformation load, i.e., the contact load applied to the bottom cover 34. Contact plates 81 thereby ensure solid contact with bottom cover 34. Furthermore, contact plates 81 suffer very little plastic deformation because they contact case 40 at three points, i.e., two edges and the trough area, over which stress is distributed.

To reduce the contact resistance between semi-spherical protrusions 81b and bottom cover 34, sufficient contact pressure is required. For example, even if an oil film or oxidation film is present on the contact surface, high contact pressure and sliding motions will eliminate the film, thus ensuring excellent and reliable contact.

In the present embodiment, the semi-spherical protrusions 81b are forced to slide along bottom cover 34 when contact plate 81 is deformed by the load applied at the semi-spherical protrusions 81b. Consequently, the frictional force between semi-spherical protrusions 81b and bottom cover 34 opposes deformation of the contact plate 81, thus, increasing the deformation load, i.e., the contact pressure. Furthermore, because the contact area between each semi-spherical protrusion 81b and bottom cover 34 is small, a high contact pressure is achieved. Furthermore, since there are multiple protrusions 81b on each contact plate 81 a low contact resistance is ensured even if, for instance, due to oxidation a protrusion is unable to provide a good electrical contact. Additionally, the use of semi-spherical protrusions 81b prevents the sliding movements from causing excessive wear or gouging in the contact area, and also prevents the generation of troublesome metallic powder.

The present invention is not limited to a semi-spherical shape of the protrusions 81b. Any shape can be used as long as it possesses a small contact area and enables smooth sliding movements. For example, cylindrical protrusions extending substantially perpendicular to the sliding direction and having axes parallel to bottom cover 34 would produce similar effects.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 12 shows an example of an information processing apparatus in which a printer mechanism smaller than that of the previous first embodiment is used. This printer mechanism is equipped with only one roll of paper and can print journals, receipts, and slips. The width of the apparatus 1 of this second embodiment is narrower than that of the first embodiment because of the smaller printer mechanism.

FIG. 13 shows the PC module extracted from bottom housing 20. Here, case 40 of the PC module is the same as that used in the first embodiment. In other words, case 40 is designed to match the narrower width so that the PC module and case of the same specifications can be used even when the width of top housing 10 is reduced. In the present second embodiment, in order to allow for a width of case 40 as wide as possible, side walls 52a and 52b of bottom housing 20 are made of a single plastic plate, providing a large space inside the housing. In order to increase the strength of side walls 52a and 52b, a bridge-shaped beam 92 connects these walls.

As explained above, case 40 used in the information processing apparatus of the second embodiment is identical to that used in the first embodiment, and thus a detailed explanation is omitted. Furthermore, the configurations of the top and bottom housings are nearly identical; like numerals are used to represent like parts. Although the apparatus in the second embodiment is smaller to match the smaller printer, its design concept is the same as that used for the information processing apparatus in the first embodiment, e.g., case 40 can be extracted toward the back with cables intact. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the information processing apparatus in the second embodiment is characterized in that maintenance, parts replacement, and installation of expansion boards can be easily performed.