JP2001260448A - Cassette and printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cassette and a printer device, capable of certainly fixing the printer device main body and the cassette at the time of loading a cassette in a printer device main body from the rotation axis direction of a supply reel and a winding reel. SOLUTION: At the time of loading an ink ribbon cassette 10 in a printer device main body 20 from the rotation axis direction of a supply reel and a winding reel, since a first positioning part 15 and second position limiting parts 16, 17 are provided in first and second interlocking parts (guiding surfaces) 11a, 11b for interlocking the supply reel and the winding reel, with the position limiting parts 15-17 disposed at a position not to be superimposed with each other, the printer device main body 20 and the cassette 10 are fixed certainly and stably.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cassette and a printer that can reliably position the cassette when an ink ribbon cassette is loaded in a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink ribbon type printer, an ink ribbon passes between a thermal head and a platen roller together with recording paper, and the ink on the ink ribbon is melted by the thermal head and transferred to the recording paper. It has become.

[0003] That is, the ink ribbon is obtained by applying a heat transfer ink having a heat melting property or a heat sublimation property to a thin film, and is wound around a supply reel and a take-up reel. When the ink ribbon and the recording paper are transferred while being pressed between the thermal head and the platen roller, an electric current is supplied to the heat generating portion of the thermal head to cause the heat generating portion to generate heat.
The heat transfer unit melts or sublimates the thermal transfer ink on the ink ribbon and transfers it to recording paper for printing.

As a conventional example of a structure in which an ink ribbon cassette is loaded in a printer main body, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-
No. 58170. This will be described together with the reference numerals used in the publication.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-58170 discloses a regulating recess provided in a cassette by loading a cassette 17β into a case body 2 from a direction perpendicular to the surface of an ink ribbon provided in the cassette 17β. A facsimile apparatus is described in which 33α and a regulation pin 8 provided on the case main body 2 are fitted to each other, and the cassette is positioned and held on the case main body 2. The positioning will be described in more detail. Since the regulating recess 33α has a tapered shape that expands downward, when the cassette 17β is inserted into the case body 2, the cassette is wound around the supply-side roll shaft. Even if it is slightly shifted in the direction connecting the side roll axis,
It is positioned at a predetermined position by the guiding action of the regulating recess 33α.

Further, the cassette 17β is closed by closing the upper case 3 so that the coil spring 15 on the back surface of the upper case 3 allows the connecting frame 34 of the cassette 17β to be connected.
Is pressed, and the cassette 17β is held and fixed in the apparatus case 1.

[0007]

However, the loading direction of the cassette described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-58170 is perpendicular to the surface of the ink ribbon provided on the cassette 17β with respect to the case body 2. Since the cassette is loaded and held and fixed by the coil spring 15 on the back surface of the upper case 3, no consideration is given to the fixing structure when loading the cassette from the supply roll axis and the take-up roll axis direction. Although there is no problem in fixing the direction in which the elastic force of the coil spring 15 acts, the fixing in the supply-side roll axis and the take-up roll axis direction is not perfect.

[0008] The loading direction of the cassette is
Since the direction is perpendicular to the surface of the ink ribbon provided at 7β, the area in the loading direction inevitably increases, the case 3 becomes large, and the apparatus itself becomes large.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is designed so that when a cassette is loaded into a printer main body from the rotation axis direction of a supply reel and a take-up reel, the printer main body and the cassette are securely fixed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette and a printer device.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cassette in which a supply reel accommodating section for accommodating a supply reel wound with an ink ribbon and a winding reel for accommodating a winding reel for winding the ink ribbon. In a cassette which is connected to a storage section by a connecting section and is loaded into an opening of the printer apparatus main body from the rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel, the connecting section is provided in the printer apparatus main body in the opening section. And a second position restricting portion for positioning with respect to the printer apparatus body near the entrance of the opening. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the cassette of the first aspect, the first position restricting portion and the second position restricting portion provided on the connecting portion do not overlap each other in the cassette loading direction. It is characterized by being provided so that it becomes.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the cassette according to the first or second aspect, the connecting portion includes a first connecting portion having the first position restricting portion formed therein and the second position restricting portion. And a second connecting portion formed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the cassette according to any one of the first to third aspects, the first position regulating portion is a projection that fits into a hole provided in the opening of the printer main body. The second position regulating portion is a hole that fits with a projection provided on the surface of the printer device main body.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer device in which a supply reel accommodating section accommodating a supply reel wound with an ink ribbon and a winding reel accommodating section accommodating a winding reel for winding the ink ribbon. A first position regulating portion for positioning in an opening provided in the printer device main body and a second position restricting portion for positioning in the outer surface portion of the printer device main body. ,
A cassette to be loaded into the printer apparatus main body from a rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel; a first position-regulated portion for receiving a first position-regulated portion formed in the opening; A second position restricting portion provided on an outer surface portion of the printer device main body and receiving the second position restricting portion; an opening provided in the printer device main body being closed; And a lid member for pressing the cassette in the rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel when the cassette is loaded in the main body.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the printer device of the fifth aspect, a first position regulating portion provided in the connecting portion of the cassette and a first cover provided in an opening portion of the printer device main body. The position restricting portion, the second position restricting portion provided on the connecting portion of the cassette, and the second position restricting portion provided on the opening of the printer main body overlap each other in the cassette loading direction. It is provided so that it may not be located.

In any of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, when a cassette is loaded into the printer main body from the rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel, the supply reel storage section and the take-up reel storage section are connected. By providing the first and second position restricting portions in the connecting portion (guide portion for loading), the printer device main body and the cassette can be reliably and stably fixed. Therefore, the present invention is effective when used in a portable printer that can be used outdoors.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. A part of the printer device main body is cut away. FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the ink ribbon cassette, and FIG. 3 shows a side view.

Referring to FIG. 1, the printer includes an ink ribbon cassette 10, a printer main body 20, a paper feed cassette 40, and a battery 50.

The ink ribbon cassette 10, the paper feed cassette 40, and the battery 50 are detachable from the printer main body 20.

The ink ribbon cassette 10 has two case halves 11 each having an ink ribbon exposure window formed therein.
A cassette case (outer case) 11 formed by fitting and mounting the first and second 112, an ink ribbon 12, a supply reel 13 for winding the ink ribbon 12, and a take-up reel 1.
4 (see FIG. 2). Cassette case 1
1 is a supply reel storage chamber for storing the supply reel 13,
It is configured by a take-up reel storage chamber for storing the take-up reel 14 and a connecting portion connecting the storage chambers. In the cassette case 11, the ink ribbon 12 is supplied with a supply reel 13.
Are wound around the take-up reel 14 and can be transferred only in the take-up direction. Supply reel 13
And the take-up reel 14 is the axis (rotation axis) 1 which is the center of rotation.
It is rotatable around 3a and 14a. The two side surfaces 11a and 11b of the cassette case 11 constitute first and second connecting portions for connecting the supply reel storage chamber and the take-up reel storage chamber.

A second connecting portion 11b (front side in the figure) located at one end in the width direction of the ink ribbon is a first connecting portion 11a whose connecting portion is located at the other end side in the width direction of the ink ribbon. The first connecting portion 11a is provided with a projection 15 as a first position regulating portion at the connecting portion thereof, and is formed in a state of being wider (wider) than the upper portion (see FIG. 3). The second connecting portion 11b is provided with holes 16 and 17 as second position restricting portions in the connecting portion. In addition,
The holes 16 and 17 are provided so that the second connecting portion 11b is
1a is provided in a portion formed wider than that of 1a,
The hole 17 is formed as a hole that is longer than the hole 16.

The protrusion 15 provided on the first connecting portion 11a
The cassette 10 is inserted into the opening 23 of the printer body 20.
When the cassette 10 is loaded in the cassette 10, it is fitted into a hole 24 provided in the reel drive mechanism side chassis 22 in the main body case 21 to position the side surface of the cassette 10 on the reel drive side. The holes 16 and 17 provided in the second connecting portion 11b are fitted with the protrusions 27 and 28 provided on the opening forming side chassis 22 in the main body case 21 so that the front side surface of the cassette 10 is formed. Position. These positioning projections 15 and holes 16 and 17 are provided on each of the connecting portions 11a and 11b so as not to overlap with each other in the cassette loading direction. The projection 15 may be a hole and the hole 24 may be a projection, or the projections 27 and 28 may be holes and the holes 16 and 17 may be projections. In other words, the relationship between the holes and the projections may be set to a combination opposite to that of the embodiment.

The printer apparatus main body 20 incorporates a thermal head mechanism, a recording paper transport mechanism, and the like (not shown) inside a chassis 22 in a main body case 21 constituting an outer case. Further, as a part of a mechanism for rotationally driving the supply reel 13 and the take-up reel 14 of the ink ribbon cassette 10, the supply reel drive shaft 2
5, a take-up reel drive shaft 26 is provided. The supply reel drive shaft 25 and the take-up reel drive shaft 26 are disposed so as to protrude into the chassis 22 from the circular holes 22 a and 22 b formed in the chassis 22.

An opening 21a cut out in a substantially rectangular shape is provided on one side surface of the main body case 21 of the printer main body 20, and the ink ribbon cover is provided on the chassis 22 provided inside the opening 21a. The opening 23 is formed in a shape that substantially fits the side surface shape of the set 10 on the insertion side (side surface shape on the first connecting portion 11a side). A lid 29 for closing the opening 21a (and the opening 23) is attached to the main body case 21 so as to be openable and closable using a hinge 29a. When the lid 29 is closed, the claw portion 301 is provided at an end of the back surface opposite to the hinge side.
Is a hook 30 provided on the chassis 22 in the opening 21a.
2 and is latched. The lid 29 is attached to the cassette 10
Is loaded into the printer body 20, the opening 2
1a (and the opening 23) is closed, and at the time of the closing, the side surface (second connecting portion) of the cassette 10 is pressed in the rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel. It has the function to do.

A print button 31, other operation buttons 32, a liquid crystal display panel 33 and the like are provided on the upper surface of the main body case 21.

At the front end of the printer main body 20, an opening 34 for feeding and discharging paper is provided, and the sheet feeding cassette 40 can be mounted in the opening 34 with one touch. Has become. Further, a battery mounting portion (not shown) is provided at a rear end portion of the printer main body 20, and a battery 5 serving as a printer power supply is provided.
0 can be attached with one touch.

In the above configuration, the printer main body 2
When the ink ribbon cassette 10 is loaded into the printer unit 20, the lid 29 provided on one side of the printer device body 20 is opened, and the ink ribbon cassette 10 is inserted into the opening 23 in the direction of the rotation axis of the supply reel and the take-up reel. When inserted into
The cassette 10 is guided by the opening 23 and enters the main body,
A supply reel driving hole 13b and a take-up reel driving hole 14b (not shown) on the side surface of the cassette 10 on the side of the first connecting portion.
(See FIG. 2) are fitted to the supply reel drive shaft 25 and the take-up reel drive shaft 26, respectively. At the same time, the protrusions 15 on the side surface of the cassette 10 on the side of the first connecting portion fit into the holes 24 of the main body side chassis 22 and the side surface (wide portion) of the cassette 10 on the side of the second connecting portion. The holes 16 and 17 are provided in the protrusions 27 and 2 of the chassis 22 on the main body side.
8 is fitted.

When the cover 29 of the main body case 21 is closed, the claw portion 301 is hooked on the hook portion 302, and the ink ribbon cassette 10 is moved by the cover 29 in the rotation axis direction of the supply reel 13 and the take-up reel 14. It is pressed and fixed.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the printer main body in a state where the cassette 10 is loaded in the printer main body 20 and closed by the lid 29.

Thus, the ink ribbon cassette 10 is positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the main body side chassis 22 on both sides thereof. That is, the guide surface (connection surface) of the outer surface of the ink ribbon cassette 10 itself can be positioned at the regular position.

According to the above-described embodiment, when a cassette is loaded into the printer main body from the rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel, the printer main body and the cassette are securely and stably fixed. Therefore, a stable printing operation can be performed, which can contribute to an improvement in print quality.

In the above-described embodiment, one projection 15 is provided as the first position regulating portion, and two holes 16 and 17 are provided as the second position regulating portion. The number of holes can be changed as appropriate.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a cassette is loaded into the printer main body from the rotation axis direction of the supply reel and the take-up reel, the printer main body and the cassette are reliably and stably. Fixed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink ribbon cassette.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the ink ribbon cassette.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state where a cassette is loaded in the printer apparatus main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Ink ribbon cassette 11 ... Cassette case (exterior case) 11a ... Cassette side surface (1st connection part) 11b ... Cassette side surface (2nd connection part) 12 ... Ink ribbon 13 ... Supply reel 13a ... Supply reel rotating shaft 13b ... Supply reel drive hole 14 ... Take-up reel 14a ... Take-up reel rotating shaft 14b ... Take-up reel drive hole 15 ... Protrusion (first position restricting portion) 16, 17 ... Hole (second position restricting portion) 20 ... Printer main body 21 ... Main body case (exterior case) 21a ... Opening part 22 ... Main body side chassis 23 ... Opening part 24 ... Hole (first position regulation part) 25 ... Supply reel drive shaft 26 ... Take-up reel Drive shafts 27, 28 Projection (second position-regulating portion) 29 Cover 29a Hinge 31 Print button 32 Operation button 33 Liquid crystal display panel 301 The claw portion 302 ... hooking portion

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Katsuyuki Oshima 1-1-1, Ichigaya-Kaga-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Kozo Odamura 1-chome, Ichigaga-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 1-1 Inside Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Imai 1-1-1 Ichigaya Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term inside Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. 2C068 AA02 AA06 MM03 MM22 MM23 MM25

Claims (6)

[Claims] A supply reel accommodating section for accommodating a supply reel wound with an ink ribbon wound thereon and a take-up reel accommodating section accommodating a take-up reel for winding up the ink ribbon; And a cassette to be loaded into the opening of the printer device main body from the rotation axis direction of the take-up reel, wherein the connecting portion is a first position regulating portion for positioning with respect to the printer device main body in the opening portion. And a second position restricting portion for positioning with respect to the printer main body near the entrance of the opening. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first position restricting portion and the second position restricting portion provided on the connecting portion are provided so as not to overlap with each other in a cassette loading direction. The cassette according to claim 1, wherein 3. The connecting portion comprises a first connecting portion on which the first position restricting portion is formed, and a second connecting portion on which the second position restricting portion is formed. The cassette according to claim 1, wherein the cassette is provided. 4. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the first position restricting portion is a projection that fits into a hole provided in the opening of the printer device main body.
The cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second position restricting portion is a hole that fits into a protrusion provided on a surface of the printer device main body. 5. A printer device body connected to a connecting portion for connecting a supply reel housing for storing a supply reel around which an ink ribbon is wound and a winding reel housing for storing a winding reel for winding the ink ribbon. A first position regulating portion for positioning in an opening provided in the printer device and a second position regulating portion for positioning in an outer surface portion of the printer main body. A cassette to be loaded into the printer device main body from the rotation axis direction of the reel; a first position-regulated portion for receiving a first position restriction portion formed in the opening; The second
A second position-regulated portion for receiving the position-regulated portion, and an opening provided in the printer device body, and the supply reel and the supply reel when the cassette is loaded in the printer device body. A cover member for pressing the cassette in the direction of the rotation axis of the take-up reel. 6. A first position restricting portion provided at a connecting portion of the cassette and a first position restricting portion provided at an opening of the printer main body, and a first position restricting portion provided at a connecting portion of the cassette. The second position restricting portion and the second position restricting portion provided in the opening of the printer main body are provided so as not to overlap with each other in the cassette loading direction. The printer device according to claim 5, wherein