DE69124394T3 - Device printing on tape - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing device for printing an image on a tape-like member.

Conventionally, a printing device for printing an image on a tape-like image receiving member has been proposed. According to the conventional printing device, a tape cassette containing a tape and an ink ribbon is mounted in a main body of the printing device for printing an image on the tape. U.S. Patent 4,815,871 discloses such a printing device in which a normal character image is printed on a non-adhesive surface of an adhesive tape provided with a release sheet with the printed surface directly exposed to an atmosphere (this printing may be referred to as "non-lamination type printing" in which the image surface is not covered with a lamination layer for the purpose of image protection). Here, the "normal character image printing" implies that the printed image has a normal position when the resulting printed tape is viewed from the image side (see Fig. 6(a)). The tape printed with the image is adhered to a tape receiving member in such a manner that the printed image is directly exposed to the atmosphere.

On the other hand, EP-A-0 322 918 (US Patent 4 927 278) discloses another type of printing on the tape-like member. The tape used has transparency on which a reverse character image is printed. The image surface of the transparent tape is overlaid with a double-sided adhesive tape provided with a detachable sheet (this printing may be referred to as "lamination type printing" in which the image surface is covered with another tape for the purpose of image protection). Here, "reverse character image printing" (Fig. 6(b)) implies that the printed image has a normal position when the resulting printed tape is viewed from a side opposite to the image side. When the printed tape is adhered to a tape receiving member, the transparent tape is positioned as a top layer protecting the image surface, and the originally reversed image is then visible through the transparent tape as a normal character image.

The lamination type printing has advantages in that the image surface can be protected by the top layer to thereby increase the durability of the printed portion. However, this also provides disadvantages in that the structure of the tape cassette becomes complicated, resulting in high production costs. In the case of the non-lamination type printing, however, in contrast, even if a simplified arrangement for the printing device can be provided, the printed surface is not protected by any laminated layer but is exposed to the atmosphere, thereby reducing its durability. Accordingly, conflicting problems exist in the lamination type and non-lamination type printing methods.

If a lamination type ribbon cassette is installed in a non-lamination type ribbon printer which provides the normal character image on the ribbon and printing is performed on the ribbon, the resulting print image on the ribbon receiving part is reversed because the image surface is observed from a side opposite to the image surface of the ribbon. On the other hand, if a non-lamination type ribbon cassette is installed in the lamination type ribbon printer which provides the reversed character image on the ribbon and printing is performed, the reversed character image is observed when the ribbon is stuck on the ribbon receiving part because the image surface is observed directly from the image surface.

A tape printing device manufactured by Varitronics and known as the MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE was apparently put on sale in the USA in March 1988. The MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE facility is discussed in a Varitronics manual that also appears to have been available in 1988.

The Varitronics manual describes the MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE printing device as being capable of accommodating 1/2 inch and 1 inch wide tapes. The MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE allegedly included a tape width detector to provide the device with the ability to distinguish between different widths of tape.

Apparently the MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE device was able to print in what was called a "reverse (mirror image)" mode, in which mode the text was reversed so that the label could be used on a glass door or window, for example, so that it could be read from outside. The MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE device was also able to print normally, i.e. without reversing the mirrored text.

The operation of the MERLIN EXPRESS ELITE device was manually switched between normal and "reverse (mirror image)" printing modes.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus including a printing means and for producing printed tapes using tape materials of at least two types provided in rolls within cassettes of respective different types, the tape materials being unwound and fed out of the cassette upon printing and including at least one image receiving member having an image receiving surface on which the printing means can form an image, and the cassettes of respective different types each having a discriminating portion representing their respective type. the printing means being operable in at least a normal image printing mode and a reverse image printing mode respectively suitable for tapes in the two different types of cassettes, the printing device comprising a tape cassette receiving means for receiving a cassette containing a tape to be printed, a feed mechanism for feeding the tape materials in a first direction, and a storage means for storing character patterns therein;

wherein the printing means includes a print head having an array of a plurality of image forming elements for transferring ink to form an ink image on the image receiving member, the array extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction;

the device comprises:

a print head driving means connected to the print head for selectively driving at least one of the image forming elements according to print data and a character pattern read from the storage means;

a signal generating means for generating a normal image printing mode signal and a reversed image printing mode signal, the normal image printing mode signal corresponding to the web materials being of a first type and the reversed image printing mode signal corresponding to the web materials being of a second different type; and a switching means for selectively causing the print head to operate in the normal image and reversed image printing modes, the switching means being connected to the print head driving means, for normally driving the image forming elements so in the normal image printing mode that the printed image has a normal orientation when viewed from a front surface of the web-like image receiving member, and for reversely driving the image forming elements with respect to the second direction in the reversed image printing mode to reverse the character pattern with respect to the second direction so that the printed image has a normal orientation when viewed from a rear surface of the band-like image receiving part;

a control means for selectively operating the switching means in response to the normal and reversed image printing mode signals from the signal generating means; and

wherein the device in the receiving means comprises a tape cassette discriminating means for discriminating between different types of tape cassettes by cooperating with the discriminating sections and for providing an input to the signal generating means, thereby causing the signal generating means to generate either the normal image printing mode signal or the reversed image printing mode signal in accordance with the type of the discriminated tape cassette, for causing the printing means to print in the printing mode appropriate for the type of the discriminated tape cassette.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing device of the construction of the first aspect of the present invention in combination with a tape cassette for use in the printing device, the tape cassette of the combination comprising:

a cassette housing formed with an outlet opening;

a rotary shaft rotatably mounted in the cassette housing;

a tape-like image receiving member having an image receiving surface on a side thereof on which an image is formable by the printing means, the tape-like image receiving member being wound around the first rotary shaft and being unwound for discharge from the cassette case through the discharge opening; and a discriminating portion adapted to cooperate with the tape cassette discriminating means of the printing device and designating the type of the tape cassette.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the following description of an exemplary embodiment and the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially exploded, showing a printing device and its tape cassette according to an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an internal arrangement of a tape cassette in which a normal character image can be printed according to the embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing an internal arrangement of another tape cassette in which a reverse character image can be printed according to the embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the printing device according to the embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view particularly showing a thermal head according to the embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 6(a) is a plan view showing a printed tape in which normal character images are printed ; and

Fig. 6(b) is a plan view showing a printed tape in which reversed character images are printed.

A printing device according to the embodiment of this invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6(b).

Fig. 1 shows a rear perspective view of the printing device 1. The printing device has a ribbon cassette holding section 5 for holding a ribbon cassette 3 formed with an opening section 19 and a printing ribbon 25 installed. In the ribbon cassette holding section 5, a ribbon winding cam 7 and a ribbon feed roller cam 9 are provided. These cams 7 and 9 are drivably coupled to a drive motor 11 (Fig. 4) housed in an outer frame 1a of the printing device, and are rotatable in directions indicated by arrows in Fig. 1. The ribbon cassette holding section 5 is further provided with a movable projection 13 movable in a vertical direction. The movable projection 13 is normally biased toward the rear wall of the outer frame 1a (upward in Fig. 1). However, when the movable projection 13 is forced into an interior of the frame 1a, the projection 13 operates a detector 15 (Fig. 4) provided inside the outer frame 1a and connected to a control means of the printing device 1, which will be described later with reference to Fig. 4.

The tape cassette holding section 5 is further provided with a thermal head 17. The thermal head 17 is adapted to face the opening portion 19 of the tape cassette 3 when the latter is mounted in the tape cassette holding section 5. The thermal head 17 is provided with an array of a plurality of heat generating elements 18, the array being directed perpendicular to a feeding direction of the printing tape, as best shown in Fig. 5.

For the tape cassette 3, two different types of tape cassettes, i.e., a non-lamination type tape cassette 21 and a lamination type tape cassette 23 are prepared as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.

First, reference is made to the non-lamination type tape cassette 21 shown in Fig. 2, in which a rotary shaft 29 rotates bar on which a rolled printing ribbon 25 in the form of a ribbon roll 27 is wound. As described above, the printing ribbon 25 has a printing surface 25a on which an image is formed by the thermal head 17 and an opposite surface on which an adhesive layer for adhering a detachable tape is formed. Inside the ribbon cassette 21, there are provided a ribbon roll 33 of an ink ribbon 31 having one surface coated with a printing ink and a take-up spool 35 to which a leading end of the ink ribbon 31 is fixed. The ink ribbon roll 33 is wound on a ribbon roll shaft 37 rotatably supported by a cassette case 28. The take-up spool 35 has an inner peripheral surface 41 on which engaging projections 43 project radially inward. The take-up spool 35 is rotatably supported through a hole 45 formed in the cassette case 28. This ribbon take-up spool 35 is provided so as to be engageable with the ribbon take-up cam 7 when the ribbon cassette 21 is mounted in the ribbon cassette holding section 5.

The printing ribbon 25 and the ink ribbon 31 are both fed to the opening portion 19a. However, after they are fed past the opening portion 19a, the ink ribbon 31 is directed toward the ribbon take-up reel 35 as shown by a broken line in Fig. 2, whereas the printing ribbon 25 is discharged from the cassette case 28.

The printing surface 25a of the printing sheet 25 faces the ink surface of the ink ribbon 31. When the ribbon cassette 21 is mounted in the ribbon cassette holding section 5 of the printing device 1, the printing ribbon 25 and the ink ribbon 31 are brought into pressure contact with each other at the opening section 19a by the thermal head 17 and a pressure contact/release part 55. In this case, the printing surface 25a of the printing ribbon 25 faces the thermal head 17. In other words, the printing surface 25a is positioned on the radially inner side of the ribbon roll 27. nated, and the ink surface of the ink ribbon 31 is positioned on the radially inner side of the ink ribbon roll 33.

In the tape cassette 21, a tape feed roller 47 is rotatably provided at a position adjacent to the opening portion 19a. This tape feed roller 47 is rotatably secured to a hole 49 formed in the cassette case 28, and engaging projections 51 project radially inward from an inner peripheral surface of the tape feed roller 47. When the tape cassette is mounted in the tape cassette holding portion 5 of the printing device 1, the engaging projections 51 of the tape feed roller 47 are brought into engagement with the tape feed roller cam 9. The tape feed roller 47 is positioned in opposition to a rotatable roller 55a secured to the pressure contact/release member 55.

Furthermore, a rectangular hole 53 is formed in the cassette case 28. This rectangular hole 53 is positioned so that the movable projection 13 is aligned therewith when the tape cassette 21 is mounted in the tape cassette holding section 5. In this mounted state, the movable projection 13 is positioned inside the rectangular hole 53. Therefore, the protruding state of the movable projection 13 can be maintained (a wall of the tape cassette does not press the movable projection 13 into the inside of the frame 1a, i.e., the upward position of the movable projection 13 in Fig. 1 can be maintained).

Upon mounting the ribbon cassette 21 in the ribbon cassette holding section 5, the ribbon winding cam 7 and the ribbon feed roller cam 9 are engaged with the ribbon winding spool 35 and the ribbon feed roller 47 through the projections 43 and 51, respectively, and are rotated in directions indicated by arrows in Fig. 2. In this case, the ribbon feed roller contacts the printing ribbon 25 under pressure in cooperation with the rotatable roller 55a of the pressure contact/release member 55.

By rotating the tape feed roller 47, the printing tape 25 is ejected from the tape cassette 21.

In view of the foregoing, according to the ribbon cassette 21 shown in Fig. 2, the printing surface 25 is subjected to printing by the thermal head 17 through the ink ribbon 31 when it is mounted in the printing device 1. The selective operations of the heat generating elements 18 of the thermal head 17 produce a normal image as shown in Fig. 6(a) on the printing surface 25a facing the side 25b of the detachable ribbon by thermally transferring printing ink of the ink ribbon 31 to the printing surface 25a, and the printed ribbon 25 is discharged by the rotation of the ribbon feed roller 47.

Next, a lamination type tape cassette 23 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The tape cassette 23 has a cassette case 61 on which a rotary shaft 63 is provided. A tape roll 59 of a printing tape 57 is rotatably wound on the rotary shaft 63. The printing tape 57 is formed of a transparent film-like material so that even if a reverse image is printed on a printing surface of the transparent tape 57, the printed image is visible as a normal image when viewed from the opposite surface of the transparent tape 57. The printing tape 57 can be inserted into an opening portion 19b through a guide member provided in the cassette case 61.

In the ribbon cassette 23, another rotary shaft 69 is rotatably provided, and a roll 67 of a double-sided adhesive tape 65 is wound on the rotary shaft 69. In the double-sided adhesive tape 65, both the front and rear surfaces are formed with adhesive, and a releasable tape is adhered to an adhesive surface thereof. In addition, similarly to the non-lamination type ribbon cassette 21, a ribbon roll 73 of an ink ribbon 71, a take-up reel 75 for winding the ink ribbon 71, and a ribbon feed roller 77 for feeding the printing ribbon 57 are provided.

Upon mounting the ribbon cassette 23 in the ribbon cassette holding section 5, the printing ribbon 57 is forcibly pressed onto the thermal head 17 by the pressure contact/release member 55 via the ink ribbon 71. Further, the printing ribbon 57 and the double-sided adhesive tape formed with the detachable tape are interposed between the ribbon feed roller 77 and the rotary roller 55a. When the ribbon feed roller 77 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 3, the printing ribbon 57 and the double-sided tape 65 are fed out of the ribbon cassette 23. In this case, the printing surface of the printing ribbon 57 is in face contact with the adhesive layer of the double-sided adhesive tape 65. Thus, the printing ribbon 57 and the double-sided tape 65 become integral with each other when the tape is fed out.

In the lamination type tape cassette 23, the printing tape 57 is integral with the double-sided adhesive tape 65, and the printed or image surface of the printing tape 57 is protected by the adhesive tape 65. The printed image is observed from a side opposite to the printed surface. For this effect, the thermal head 17 produces an inverted image on the printed surface of the tape 57 as shown in Fig. 6(b). The inverted image is created by rotating the normal image by 180 degrees with respect to a line perpendicular to the tape feed direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 6(b). In other words, the inverted image is rotated by 180 degrees from the normal image position with respect to a direction of an array of the heat generating elements 18 of the thermal head 17.

It should be noted that the lamination type tape cassette 23 is not formed with a hole corresponding to the rectangular hole 53 shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, when the tape cassette 23 is mounted in the tape cassette holding section 5, the wall of the tape cassette 23 abuts against the movable projection 13 and presses the movable projection 13 into the interior of the frame 1a against the preload force applied to the projection 13.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a control arrangement applied to the printing device 1 which can selectively provide a normal or a reversed image with selective use of the non-lamination type ribbon cassette 21 or the lamination type ribbon cassette 23. According to the control arrangement, a CPU 81 is provided for overall processing, and to the CPU 81 are connected a ROM 83, a RAM 85, a keyboard 87, the detector 15, a motor drive circuit 89 and a heat generating element drive circuit 91. The motor drive circuit 89 is connected to the drive motor 11, and the heat generating element drive circuit 91 is connected to the heat generating elements 18 of the thermal head 17.

The ROM 83 stores therein a program which controls operations of the CPU 81 and character patterns for character printing. The keyboard 87 is adapted to input the print character data into the CPU 81 to obtain a desired print character image. As described above, the detector 15 detects the movable projection 13. That is, if the non-lamination type ribbon cassette 21 is mounted in the printing device 1, the movable projection 13 is not depressed into the interior of the frame 1a. Therefore, the detector 15 does not detect the movable projection 13, indicating the mounting of the non-lamination type ribbon cassette. On the other hand, if the lamination type ribbon cassette 23 is mounted, the movable projection 13 is depressed into the interior of the frame 1a. Therefore, the detector 15 detects the movable projection 13, indicating the insertion of the lamination type ribbon cassette 23. Thus, the CPU 81 can determine which of the ribbon cassettes is installed in the printing device 1 through the detector 15. The motor drive circuit 89 is adapted to control the drive motor 11 in accordance with a ribbon feed value sent from the CPU 81. The ribbon feed value is supplied to an operation on the keyboard 87. The heat generating element drive circuit 91 controls the operations of the corresponding heat generating element 18 in response to the character printing data sent from the CPU 81. The CPU 81 supplies the character printing data in such a manner that the order of the elements 18 in the array is selectively reversed in accordance with the result of detection of the movable projection 13 by the detector 15.

In this arrangement, if the lamination type ribbon cassette 21 is mounted in the holding section 5, the movable projection 13 maintains its projected state. Therefore, the detector 15 does not detect the projection 13. Therefore, the CPU 81 makes a determination that the non-lamination type ribbon cassette 21 is installed and that the normal character printing is to be carried out. Accordingly, the CPU 81 transmits data indicating the normal character printing to the heat generating element driving circuit 91. In this case, the direction of a character is consistent with the direction of the array of the heat generating elements 18 (downward in Fig. 5).

On the other hand, if the lamination type ribbon cassette 23 is installed in the printing device 1, the movable projection 13 is depressed inward by the wall of the cassette 23 so that the detector 15 can detect the projection 13. Therefore, the CPU 81 determines that the lamination type ribbon cassette 23 is installed and that the reverse character printing is to be carried out. Accordingly, the CPU 81 transmits data indicating the reverse character printing to the heat generating element driving circuit 91. In this case, the direction of a character is opposite to the direction of the array of the heat generating elements 18.

Of course, manipulation of the keyboard 87 provides the intended character images while the print ribbon is advanced. The releasable tape adhered to the print ribbon 25 or the double-sided tape 65 is removed so that the adhesive layer is exposed. and the printing tape can be adhesively attached to an intended object or tape-receiving part.

The ribbon feed roller cam 9 and the drive motor 11 are the feed mechanism, the thermal head 17 and the heat generating elements 18 are the print head, the heat generating element drive circuit 91 is the print head drive means, the CPU 81 and the ROM 83 are the storage means, the CPU 81 is the signal generating means, the CPU 81, the movable projection 13 and the detector 15 are the switching means, and the CPU 81 is the control means. Further, the movable projection 13, the hole 53 and the detector 15 are the discriminating means.

In view of the foregoing, according to the present invention, a normal character image and a reverse character image can be selectively printed on the belt-like image receiving member. Therefore, the printing device of this invention is available for both non-lamination type printing and lamination type printing.

Claims (12)

1. A printing device comprising a printing means (17) and which serves for producing printed tapes using tape materials of at least two types provided in rolls within cassettes of respective different types, the tape materials being unwound and fed out of the cassette upon printing and containing at least one image receiving member having an image receiving surface on which the printing means can form an image, and the cassettes of respective different types each having a discriminating section (53) representing their respective type, the printing means (17) being operable in at least a normal image printing mode and a reverse image printing mode respectively suitable for tapes in the two different types of cassettes, the printing device comprising a tape cassette receiving means (5) for receiving a cassette containing a tape to be printed, a feed mechanism (9, 11) for feeding the tape materials in a first direction and a storage means (81, 83) for storing character patterns therein; wherein the printing means includes a print head (17) having an array of a plurality of image forming elements (18) for transferring ink to form an ink image on the image receiving member, the array extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction; the device comprises: a print head driving means (91) connected to the print head (17) for selectively driving at least one of the image forming elements (18) according to print data and a character pattern read from the storage means (83); signal generating means (81) for generating a normal image print mode signal and a reverse image print mode signal, the normal image print mode signal corresponding to the web materials being of a first type (25) and the reverse image print mode signal corresponding to the web materials being of a second different type (57); and switching means (13, 15, 81, 115) for selectively causing the print head to operate in the normal image and reverse image printing modes, the switching means being connected to the print head driving means (91), for normally driving the image forming elements (18) so in the normal image printing mode that the printed image has a normal orientation when viewed from a rear surface of the belt-like image receiving member, and for reverse driving the image forming elements with respect to the second direction in the reverse image printing mode to reverse the character pattern with respect to the second direction so that the printed image (79) has a normal orientation when viewed from a rear surface of the belt-like image receiving member (57); a control means (81) for selectively operating the switching means in response to the normal and the reversed image printing mode signals from the signal generating means (81); and wherein the device in the receiving means comprises a tape cassette discriminating means (13) for discriminating between different types of tape cassettes by cooperating with the discriminating sections (53) and for providing an input to the signal generating means (81) whereby the signal generating means is caused to generate either the normal image printing mode signal or the reversed image printing mode signal according to the type of the tape cassette discriminated, for causing the printing means to print in the printing mode suitable for the type of the tape cassette discriminated. 2. A printing device according to claim 1, wherein the discrimination means (13) comprises a movable projection (13) movable between a first position and a second position, and a detector (15) for detecting the position of the movable projection, wherein one of the first and second positions of the movable projection corresponds to accommodation of one of the two different types of cassettes (21, 23) in the tape cassette accommodation means (5) and the other of the first and second positions of the movable projection corresponds to accommodation of the other of the two different types of cassettes in the tape cassette accommodation means. 3. A printing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, which comprises means for superimposing and bonding an additional tape to the image receiving surface of the image receiving member after formation of the image when the cassette is of a type containing an additional tape (65) to be superimposedly fixed to the image receiving surface. 4. A combination of a printing device of the construction according to any of claims 1 to 3 and a tape cassette for use in the printing device, the tape cassette of the combination comprising: a cassette housing formed with an outlet opening; a rotary shaft (29, 63) rotatably mounted in the cassette housing; a belt-like image receiving member (25, 57) having an image receiving surface on one side thereof on which an image can be formed by the printing means (17), the belt-like image receiving member being wound around the first rotary shaft and being unwound for output from the cassette case through the outlet opening; and a discriminating section (53) designed to cooperate with the tape cassette discriminating means (13) of the printing device and to indicate the type of the tape cassette. 5. Combination according to claim 4, wherein the tape cassette of the combination is of a first type and wherein the discriminating portion (53) has an opening provided in the cassette case for recognition by the discriminating means (13). 6. Combination according to claim 4, wherein the tape cassette of the combination is of a second type and wherein the discriminating portion comprises a wall of the cassette case for recognition by the discriminating means. 7. Combination according to one of claims 4 to 6, in the tape cassette of the combination for receiving an image which can be read correctly when viewed in the direction of the image receiving surface of the image receiving part. 8. Combination according to claim 7, wherein in the tape cassette of the combination, the image receiving member (25) has an adhesive layer formed on the surface (25b) opposite to the image receiving surface (25a), and a peelable tape peelably provided on the adhesive layer. 9. Combination according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the image receiving part (57) of the tape cassette of the combination is made of a transparent material and serves to receive an image which can be read correctly when viewed through the image receiving part. 10. Combination according to claim 9, wherein the tape cassette of the combination comprises another rotary shaft (69) rotatably supported in the cassette housing and a second tape (65) wound around the other rotary shaft (89) so as to be in contact with the image receiving surface of the image receiving member (57) in superimposed relation thereto in use, the second tape (65) being unwound for discharge from the cassette housing through the outlet opening together with the image receiving member. 11. Combination according to claim 10, wherein the second tape (65) comprises a double-sided adhesive tape provided with a removable tape. 12. Combination according to one of claims 4 to 11, wherein the ribbon cassette of the combination further comprises an ink ribbon (31), an ink ribbon supply shaft (37) provided in the cassette case and around which the ink ribbon is wound, and an ink ribbon take-up spool (35) provided in the cassette case for taking up the ink ribbon, a part of the ink ribbon being positionable opposite to the image-receiving surface (25a) of the belt-like image-receiving member (25) for forming an ink image thereon.