FR2584655A1 - MULTI-COLOR RIBBON TRANSFER SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

MULTICOLORED RIBBON TRANSFER SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM IS PROVIDED WITH A 3 MULTICOLORED INK RIBBON CASSETTE WITH A 5 MULTICOLORED INK RIBBON HAVING A PLURALITY OF COLOR BANDS 5A TO 5D. OF THE FIRST AND SECOND PLATES 10, 11 CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING BOTH SIDES OF THE EXTREME PARTS OF THE MULTICOLORED TAPE CASSETTE 3 ARE MOBILE MOUNTED ON EACH OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FIRST AND SECOND HOUSINGS 6, 7 ARRANGED TO BE FACED WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE EXTREMS PARTS THE MULTICOLORED RIBBON CASSETTE. APPLICATION FOR DATA PROCESSING.

Description

Multicolored ribbon transfer system.

  The present invention relates to a system for

  multicolored ribbon transfer to transfer the

  their ribbon arranged in front of a print head in a multicolored printer using a ribbon cassette provided with a multicolored ribbon impregnated with

  different inks in a plurality of bands of

  divided them parallel and longitudinally.

  British Patent Application 35,407/78

  is known as an example of a multiple transfer system

  ticolore ribbon for serial printers. The system

  takes a ribbon shifter provided on a

  carriage of a print head to selectively place

  any one of a plurality of

  their thin divided across a multicolored ribbon between the print head and a platen, setting cam means engaged with a cam follower roller of a ribbon shifter for placing the shifter of the ribbon so as to transfer the opposite color bands to the print head to the desired color in response to the position of the head

  side of the left margin, and a

  setting cam means engaged with the cam follower of the tape shifter so as to reposition the tape shifter before selecting a new tape position.

  offset. Then the two cam means are available

  it is fixed on a guide shaft of the carriage.

  In addition, systems in which a

  ribbon port supporting a pair of ribbon spools with an ink ribbon wound on and moved to

  a band of color of the ribbon opposite the head of

  solenoid and a combination of rod and lever is also well known (for example, by Japanese Patent Publication No. 16,057 / 1971, and

  Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 82,526 / 1978).

  A dot printer was used to

  recently, to satisfy both

  desktop applications and personal needs.

  Then, among the users prevails the request to be able to optionally use a function

  multicolor print for a general printer-

  intended for black printing. However,

  conventionally multicolored ribbon transfer systems

  mentioned above are specialized in the field of

  multicolored pressure, the construction is complicated and has many parts and large spaces are required for installation, and now the

  needs above can not practically be

  tisfaits. Moreover, in the first known art, the

  replacing the cam means corresponds to a

  initialization canism; however, since the system

  This is such that a ribbon offset is controlled by subjecting the carriage to move to the left side of the print air clearing margin at program control, a carriage movement control becomes complicated, and moreover, ribbon offset and transfer can not be accomplished quickly. As regards the second known art, many parts are necessary, which complicates the

  construction, and assembly work is difficult.

  Moreover, in the case of multicolored ribbon transfer system of such a construction, a switch

  detection system to detect a color band of the

  banana arranged in front of the print head at a

  initial sition is used in most cases.

  The detection switch is then normally placed

  at a position in which it can be operated

  by engagement with a support when it is

  held at an initial position of the multicolored ribbon transfer system. However, such a simple configuration of the sense switch can cause the following problems. That is, even if the detection signal is used only at the time of initialization, it follows that the switch of

  detection can be used unnecessarily and frequently.

  that the ribbon offset is reproducing. In the case of the use as a detection switch, of a mechanical switch, such as a micro switch,

  frequency of use of such a mechanical switch

  of course, and therefore, the detection switch may arrive at the end of

  its life time in a short period of time.

  Moreover, in the case of transmission systems

  multicolored ribbon fiber, such as those of the first prior art, since a highlighted portion of the ribbon is short compared to the length of the cassette

  ribbon and that the ribbon is animated alternately

  native with the print head, tilting the ribbon will not cause any consequences in the majority

  cases. Finally, in cases of a type such as the

  ribbon is held in position, an extension

  of ink ribbon stretched behind the moving field.

  Alternately, the print head is required.

  Four bands of black, blue, red and yellow

  are formed and divided parallel and longitudinally

  on the ink ribbon, and the width of each

  band of color is rather weak compared with each

  than color band of a two-color ink ribbon.

  In such a case, assuming that the tape cassette is tilted, the neighboring color band that is not desired may come opposite the printhead in accordance with a position of movement of the printhead. The inclination of the tape cassette may be due to a slight precision error of each of the components and also a slight adjustment to

each link.

  The main object of the present invention is

  to provide a multiple ink ribbon transfer system

  ticolore which can be manufactured compactly and at a moderate cost and preferably can add

  optional multi-color printing function.

  Another object of the invention is to provide

  a multicolored transfer system capable of shifting

narrowly the multicolored ribbon.

  A further object of the invention is to

  the longevity of a detection switch to detect the colored bands of the multicolored ribbon

  arranged in front of the print head in the

  initial layout by placing it in such a way that the detection switch is operated only at

moment of initialization.

  Finally, another object of the invention is

  to eliminate or diminish the influence of

  precision of each component of the tape transfer system and a slight adjustment

connection.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to the

  reading of the following description given as a reference

  The accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a top view showing a multicolored ribbon transfer system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

  Figure 2 is a front view of the invention.

  tion; Fig. 3 is a left side view of the invention, partly in section, showing the mounting on a printer frame; Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a rear view of the transfer plate; Figure 6 is a bottom sectional view along the line VI-VI of Figure 5;

  FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line

  Figure VII-VII of Figure 9; Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing

  a state in which the drive gear and the

  transfer are omitted from Figure 7;

  Figure 9 is a longitudinal view in section

  passing according to the transfer shaft; Figure 10 is a sectional view along line X-X of Figure 9;

  Figure 11 is an explanatory drawing of

  trant a relationship between a multicolored ribbon and a print element of a print head; Fig. 12 is a drawing showing a relationship between the drive gear and the transfer shaft at the time of initialization and also

  a position of the corresponding drive gear

  at each offset position of the ribbon; Fig. 13 is a view showing a relationship between the transfer lever and the transfer shaft at the time of initialization; Fig. 14 is a view showing a relationship between the drive gear and the transfer shaft at the initial position; and Fig. 15 is a view showing a relationship between the transfer lever and the

transfer to the initial position.

  A preferred embodiment of the invention

  will now be described with reference to the drawings

  the accompanying. In FIG. 1, a print head 2 is disposed in front of a cylindrical plate 1. The print head 2 is reciprocated by a carriage (not shown) parallel to the axis of the platen 1, between the arms 3a, 3b of a cassette

  ribbon 3. The recording medium 4 and a ribbon

  5 highlighted by the arms 3a, 3b of the case.

  Ribbon 3 are interposed between the plate 1 and the print head 2. The ink ribbon 4 is endless,

  generally zigzagged inside the case.

  3 and is moved in the opposite direction of the

  a watch, for example by a device

  ribbon flow (not shown). Then, as

  shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the ribbon

  5 has five colored bands 5a to 5d divided parallel and longitudinally thereof, and the

  colored bands 5a to 5d are respectively impregnated

  black, blue, red and yellow ink. An element

  2b such as a needle device or

  blable is arranged in a row vertically on the front surface 2a of the print head 2 as

  shown in Figure 11, and any of the

  5a to 5d of the ink ribbon 5 is disposed opposite it. FIG. 11 represents the initial state, in which the black color band 5a is

  in front of the printing element 2b. The band of

  they are arranged in front of the printing element 2b will be transferred as described in detail below.

  The tape transfer system according to the

  vention is unified in its implementation, and comprises, as illustrated in Figure 1, opposite housings 6, 7 disposed near the ends of the tape cassette 3, and a coupling bar 8 extending along the rear face of the tape cassette 3. A stepper motor 9 is provided as a driving motor on

  the outer side of the casing 6, and transmission plates

  10, 11 moving vertically by the action of the motor 9 are provided on the opposite surfaces of the housings 6, 7. mounting claws 3c to 3e formed projecting on both sides of the tape cassette 3

  are nestled in the shoulders of

  10, 11. As a result, the ribbon cassette 3

  horizontally between the transfer plates 10, 11 moves vertically in the zone validated by the vertical movement of the transfer plates 10, 11

  and so the color band of the ribbon 5 opposed to the

  2c printing element shown in Figure 11 is

moved.

  A detailed structure of the transfer plate 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. As shown in FIGS.

  locking lugs 10a, 10b capable of grasping the er-

  mounting kits 3c, 3rd of the demountable tape cassette

  ble and a recess 10c adapted to receive the ergot of

  3d stage are formed on the shoulder of the transfer plate 10. In addition, elastic arms 1Od, guide pins 10e and a hook 10f are shaped

  in an integrated manner and protruding on the rear surface.

  re of the transfer plate 10 and the arms 10d and 10e dowels are arranged vertically in a row. As shown in FIG. 4, the guide pins 10e are slidably mounted in

  a guide groove 6a formed on an opposite face

  of the stacker 6, and the arms 10d are locked on an inner edge portion of the guide groove 6a,

  in order to jam the transfer plate on the

  these opposite of the box 6. The hook 10f of the transfer plate is movable in a recessed groove 6b

  on the inside of the casing 6, and an action spring-

  12 is placed between a hook 6c fashioned

  integrated on the low end of the recessed groove 6b and the hook 10f. As a result, platinum

  10 is operated downwards at any time.

both by the force of the spring 12.

  Then, a transfer mechanism for trans-

  to form a rotation of the motor 9 in vertical displacement of the transfer plate 10 will be described with reference

in Figures 7 to 10.

  As shown in Figure 7 and FIG.

  8, a driving pinion 14 fixed on an output shaft 13 of the motor 9 enters the casing 6, to engage a gear 16 rotatably mounted on a shaft 15 integrally formed with the casing 6. A shaped pinion 17 integrated with the gear

  16 engages with the teeth a gear gear sector

  18. As a result of the rotational movement of the motor 9, transmitted by the pinion 14, the gear 16 and the pinion 17, the drive gear 18 is driven by an alternating rotation movement around

  the axis of the transfer shaft 19, and the rotational movement

  tational is transmitted to the transfer shaft 19.

  The transfer shaft 19 is inserted, as shown

  in FIG. 9, in a recess 8a of the cross bar

  range 8 to couple the shoemakers 6, 7 with the two

  ends passing through the casings 6, 7 of

  con rotative. The transfer shaft 19 is shaped with a non-circular section, and a base of the drive gear 18 is rotatably mounted in

  an end relative to it. The gear of

  18 is actuated counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 7,

  by an actuating spring 20 arranged between a crank

  chet 18a shaped protruding on the reverse thereof, and the hook 6 shaped projecting in an angle of the box 6. Then, a transfer lever 21 rotatably mounted on the transfer shaft 19 is disposed in the casing 6 in front of and near

  the front face, and the guide pin 10e of the

  The transfer member 10 engages with an elongate groove 21a of the front portion. As a result, a rotational movement of the drive gear 18 is transmitted to the transfer lever 21 by the transfer shaft 19, and thus moves the transfer board vertically. A pusher 18b for actuating a microswitch SW for detecting the position of the ribbon 5 is shaped so as to protrude solidly on

  the rear part of the drive gear 18.

  As shown in a clearly defined manner in the

  8 and 9, the switch SW is mounted on an adjustment lever 22 rotatable about a projection 6d on the inside of the casing 6, that is to say concentrically with the center of rotation of the the drive gear 18, the transfer shaft 19 or the transfer lever 21. The adjustment lever 22 is grasped on the inside of the housing 6 without

  to be impeded in rotation because having a circular groove

  re 22a concentric with its center of rotation and in

  taken with elastic pins 6th shaped solid-

  protruding from the inside of the casing 6.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 8 and 9, a head 23a of an adjustment shaft 23, made elastic by a slot, is elastically mounted on the outside of the casing 6 in a position opposite to the front portion of the adjusting lever 22. 6f cylinder is shaped integrally on the inner side of the casing 6 to surround the adjustment shaft 23. The

  internal peripheral surface of the cylinder 6f is

  seen of a trimming (not shown), and the engagement of an elastic arm 23b of the adjustment shaft 23 with the latter maintains the adjustment shaft 23 at the position

  desired setting. Next, an eccentric peg

  23c shaped protruding on the adjustment shaft 23

  engages with the elongate groove 22b of the

  front of the adjustment lever 22. Thus, the lever of

  adjustment 22 is moved in rotation around the

  lie 6d by the eccentric peg 23c as a result of

  tation of the adjustment shaft 23, thereby adjusting the

  positional relationship between the pusher 18b of the gear

  training swim 18 and the switch SW.

  Next, a transfer mechanism in the casing 7 will be described with reference to FIGS.

10.

  A transfer lever 24 placed in the bot-

  tier 7 has a cylinder 24b coupled to its rear portion by a U-shaped spring 24a, and the cylinder 24b

  is mounted fixed in rotation on one end of the

  Transfer head 19. An adjusting screw 25 passing through a projection 24c provided on the cylinder 24b is screwed into a projection 24d of the end portion of the spring 24a on the transfer lever side, an opening of the U-shaped spring 24a. is adjusted by the rotation of the adjusting screw 25 and thus a

  front portion of the transfer lever 24 can be adjusted

  in position. The transfer plate 11 opposite one side of the casing 7 has a symmetrical shape with the previous transfer plate 10 and is seized on the side of the casing 7 by a similar structure.

  That is, as shown in Figure 10, the

  tine 11 has the locking claws

  11a, 11b capable of removably grasping the mounting lugs 3c, 3e of the tape cassette and a recess 11c formed on his shoulders, capable of

  receive the 3D mounting stud. Then, the elongated arms

  11d ticks, the 11th pegs and a 11f hook are

  protruding in an integrated manner to the

  of the transfer plate 10, and the arms lld

  and the guiding pins 11e are vertically arranged

  following a row. The guide pins 11e are slidably mounted in a guide groove 7a formed on the inner side of the casing 6, and the arms 1d1 are locked on an inner edge portion of the guide groove 7a, thereby grasping the platen. 11 of the transfer plate 11 is movable in a recessed groove 7b on the inner side of the casing 7, and an actuating spring

  26 is disposed between a hook 7 shaped so

  of the lowest extreme part of the rationale

  hollowed out 7b and hook 11f. As a result, the transfer plate 11 is actuated downward at any time by the force of the spring 26. The guide pin 11e of the transfer plate 11 engages an elongate groove 24e formed in the front portion of the lever of transfer 24, so the transfer plate 11 moves vertically in

  the zone swept by the transfer lever 24 when

  that it is agitated by the transfer lever 19.

  The multicolored ribbon transfer system

  unified as described above, can be mounted

  dismountable at a predetermined position of a chas-

  printer ss 28 supporting platen 1 and

  elements, as shown in Figure 3, by the

  interlocking locking lugs 27a, 27b

  tegree on each lower surface of the shims 6 and 7. Then, a connector 29 provided on the surface

  front of the box 6 connects the motor 9 and the interrup-

  SW sensor for detecting the position of the ribbon 5 at a

  control circuit (not shown).

  While the transfer levers 21, 24, relative to the drive shaft 19, are mounted integral in rotation, with practically a slight clearance

  of adjustment, however, because of manufacturing errors

  individual parts or for other reasons

  sounds, the game between transfer levers 21, 24

  is not necessarily identical on both ends.

  of the drive shaft 19. Then, in the

  where the drive shaft 19 is large

  As in the embodiment, the drive shaft 19 can itself generate twists. Consequently,

  these can cause a difference in the

  height (vertical position) between the

  left and right transfers 10, 11. Consequently,

  1, the ribbon cassette 3 or the ink ribbon 5 comes into position obliquely with respect to the direction

  in which the print head 2 moves, but

  the incline can be adjusted to

  parallel with the direction in which the head of

  pressure 2 moves by turning the adjusting screw 25

  in order to properly adjust an opening of the

  U-shaped slot 24. Next, an initialization of the multicolor ribbon transfer system according to the invention will be described. When it is necessary to print in black, red, blue and yellow, the drive gear 18 is positioned respectively in the positions P1 to P4 of FIG. 12. The angles between the positions P1 and P2, P2 and P3 '

  P3 and P4 are e, 82 '& 3' respectively.

  position, the position P1 is an initial position, and

  the black strip 5a is in front of the head of im-

  2. During the ribbon shift for the trans-

  During the printing operations, the driving gear 18 is driven in a reciprocating rotational movement at a total angle θ and angles & 1 to -3 (the total angle e corresponding to

a first angle).

  The initialization is executed for example at

  a moment of stopping the printer. In this case, the

  The training gear 18 remained in any one

  that positions P1 to P4, however, the gear of

  18 is rotated in a clockwise direction to the position P0 of FIG. 12. The position P0 is a position that is clockwise offset from the position P1 of an angle & O, and at the P0 position, the switch

  detection SW is closed by the pusher 18b of the gear

  training swim 18. Then, the angle e0 corresponds

at the second angle.

* To maintain the transfer lever 21 im-

  mobile and therefore the ribbon cassette 3

  independent of any movement of the gearing

  trailing 18 of the position P1 to PO or vice versa, the adjustment set of the fixing zones between a

  part of the drive gear 18 and the transmission shaft

  19 and on the other hand the transfer shaft 19 and the transfer lever 21 is used positively in

  the realization as follows.

  As clearly shown in FIGS. 12 to 15, an adjustment clearance exists, on the one hand, between a shaft hole 18c of the drive gear 18 and the transfer shaft 19 and, on the other hand, between a d-hole 21b of the transfer lever 21 and the shaft of

  transfer 19 and the adjustment game allows the movements

  Relative angles of clearance 1 'e2'

  Figures 14 and 15 show the relationships between

  relative positions between the drive gear and the

  18 and the transfer shaft 19 and the transfer shaft 19 and the transfer lever 21 in their initial position (the tape cassette 3 coming into the

  lowest position), the position in which the ban-

  black 5a is in front of the print head

  2. The drive gear 18 is actuated in

  counterclockwise by the res-

  As shown in FIG. 7, the clearance thus appears as shown between the drive gear 18 and the transfer shaft 19 at the initial position of FIG. 14. Next, the transfer lever 21 is actuated in FIG. clockwise in FIG. 15 by the guide pin 10e of the transfer plate 10 itself actuated downwards by the spring 12 shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the clearance between the transfer lever 21 and the transfer shaft 19 is shown as shown in Figure 15. As a result, when the drive gear 18 is driven in rotation in the direction of the needles

  of a watch in Figure 14 by the drive motor.

  9 for initialization, the transfer shaft 19

  rotationally follows the drive gear 18 to

  shot from the position in which the training gear

  18 is rotated by an angle 1. Then, the transfer shaft 19 is pivoted by an angle 2 ', but it only turns empty in the shaft hole 21b of the lever

  of transfer 21 and therefore the transmission lever

  fert 21 remains motionless. The SW switch

  is closed when the drive gear 18 pivots

  angle of an angle (1 + P2) = F0 (as shown in solid lines in Figure 12), while the lever of

  transfer 21 remains motionless. An initialization signal

  detection switch SW is then trans-

  put to the control circuit. After the switch

  SW detection is closed, the direction of rotation of the

  9 is reversed until the return to the state represented

  14. As a result, the transfer lever 21 remains as if it were stationary and the tape cassette 3 is held in its position.

  lower independently of the movements of the engi-

  drive 18 from position P1 to position P0 for initialization and after that for its return

at the starting position.

  The example above only describes one mode

  preferred embodiment of the invention, and changes

  Many modifications and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the invention also includes a configuration in which the transfer lever 21 operates at the time of initialization with clearance angles 1 '

2 rendered null or approximately.

  As described in detail above, according to the multicolor ribbon transfer system of the invention, a configuration is such that a pair of housings

  are located opposite the two extreme sides of a case

  multicolored ribbon and both cases are

  coupled by a bar, a transfer station

  born to move vertically or oscil-

  lante is provided on the opposite sides of the two bot-

  third and a transfer shaft to couple the

  canisms in both bootmakers and get through the

  coupling bar, the two extreme sides of the case

  multicolored ribbon are worn on both sides.

  transfer tines to transfer the bands of

  their ribbon, thus enabling a

  the tape transfer system, and the construction of the

  This is simplified by easy assembly. Since the tape transfer system can be installed in a limited space, the multicolored printer can be miniaturized. In addition, a request from the user to be able to use optional

  multicolored printer function can be sim-

  satisfied and moreover this can be provided

for a moderate cost.

  Moreover, the multicolored ribbon can be shifted rapidly, a detection switch for detecting the positions of the ribbon is not actuated at the time of the normal offsets of the ribbon but only actuated at the time of initialization, to be able to

  by this to ensure a longevity to a large extent.

  Thus, a multichannel transfer system may be provided

  lore flawless and with great reliability.

  In addition, as the adjustment device of

  lever for the ribbon cassette is provided in an ad-

  tional, a tilting of the ribbon may be

  without requiring particular precision on the individual parts, and the adjustment device is very simple to construct and for these reasons can

  be made in a limited space and at a modest cost.

sidered.

Claims (7)

  A multi-color ribbon transfer system comprising first and second housings (6, 7) disposed opposite the sides of the end portions of a multi-color ribbon cassette (3) provided with a multi-color ink ribbon (5) having a plurality bands of color (5a to 5d) divided parallel and longitudinally   and a coupling bar (8) by which the two   third are coupled, characterized in that a first and second transfer plates (10, 11) capable of   bear both sides of the extreme parts of the case.   sette (3) multicolored ribbon are movably mounted on each opposite side of said first and second bootcases (6, 7);   a drive motor (9) and a first transfer mechanism (14 to 18) for shifting said first transfer stage (10) into rotationally meshing thereof, so as to face one of   any of the colored bands (5a to 5d) of the casset-   (3) ribbon on a print head (2) are seen on the first stacker (6);   a transfer shaft (19) driven by the   said first transfer mechanism (14 to 18) passes in front of said coupling bar (8) and its ends enter said first and second housings (6, 7); and a second transfer mechanism (24) for shifting said second transfer plate (11) into engagement with said transfer shaft (19) is   provided on said second casing (7).   2. Multicolored ribbon transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second housings (6, 7) are removable from the printer chassis.   Multicolored ribbon transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first transfer mechanism (14 to 18) comprises in   in addition to a drive gear (18)   rotationally within a first angle () by said drive motor (9) and then rotated as far as in the position   a second angle (% 0) exceeding the limit of that first   first angle at the time of initialization; said transfer shaft (19) being rotationally integral with said drive gear (18); a transfer lever (21) extends in rotation with said transfer shaft (19) relative to   the displacement and shift of said platen of trans-   fert (11); a detection switch (SW) actuated by said drive gear (18) when it is rotated as far as in the second angle position (& 0) exceeding the limit of said first angle (e) at the moment of initializing and detecting a color band (5a to 5d) of said multicolor ribbon   (5) in front of the print head (2).   4. Multicolored ribbon transfer system according to claim 3, characterized in that said   second angle (t 0) is substantially equal or slight   smaller than the sum of the clearance angles (1 'b2) from the adjustment   fixing areas on the one hand between the drive gear   (18) and said transfer shaft (19) and secondly between said transfer shaft (19) and said transfer lever (21).   Multicolored ribbon transfer system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a gear sector is used as a gear drive (18).   6. Multicolored ribbon transfer system   according to claim 3, characterized in that the   sensing switch (SW) is mounted on a pivoting adjustment lever (22) for adjustment around the axis   rotating said drive gear (18).   7. Multicolored ribbon transfer system according to claim 3, characterized in that a   U-shaped spring (24a) is integrally shaped   at least one of the two transfer levers (24) and a set screw (25) to adjust an opening   is provided on the U-shaped spring (24a).