JP2001277628A - Ink sheet cartridge and exchanging ink sheet set - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink sheet cartridge in which only a formal ink sheet 21 can be mounted. SOLUTION: Three engaging members 52 are provided projecting from a shaft part 48 having a flange 48a as a spool at the taking up side of an ink sheet 21. By inserting the engaging members 52 into a shaft hole 50 of a side plate 31a of a cartridge main body from the inside so as to be engaged with three fitting holes 53 in a first rotation member 46 having a transmission gear 47 undetachably. An engaging projecting member 66 having a large cross-section on the radium outer side and a small cross-section in the radius inner side is fixed on a predetermined one end of a core pipe 41 on the taking up side such that an engaging part 66a is projected in the inner diameter part of the core pipe 41. In the case where the core pipe 41 is set on the shaft part 48 with an engaging nail 51a at the tip of a bar-like elastic member 51 in a first rotation member 46 facing the inner diameter of the core pipe 41, the engaging nail 51a can be contacted with the side surface of the engaging part 66 so that the rotational force can be transmitted from the transmission gear 47 side to the core pipe 41.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink sheet cartridge having a replaceable wide ink sheet for use in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a facsimile apparatus, and a structure of an ink sheet set for replacing the ink sheet cartridge. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When printing on recording paper such as plain paper using a thermal printer, an ink ribbon cartridge is usually used because of its easiness of replacement and simplicity of handling. And if the thermal printer is a line printer,
A wide ink sheet is used. A conventional ink sheet cartridge of this type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-8174.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-193732 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-193732, the ink sheet supply side spool and the take-up side spool can be rotatably supported to exchange the ink sheet with the cartridge body. And was configured to be detachable.

Conventionally, one side of the supply spool and the take-up spool is provided with a gear portion for transmitting power from the main body of the image forming apparatus and rotating each spool. As a so-called torque transmitting portion, which can be wound while applying an appropriate tension to the ink sheet, a notch groove is provided at one end of a core tube for winding the ink sheet, and the drive side gear portion is provided. The spool is provided with an engagement protrusion that fits into the notch groove, and the engagement protrusion is set so as to engage with the notch groove. Then, the gear section is connected to a transmission section (gear) on the image forming apparatus main body side.
An ink sheet cartridge has been incorporated so as to mesh with the ink cartridge.

[0004]

However, when replacing the ink sheet, if the thickness of the ink sheet, the sheet material, and the ink material are different from the regular ink sheet, it can be mounted on the regular ink sheet cartridge. Can be set in a regular image forming apparatus. Therefore, there is a problem that an ink sheet of another company is accidentally used, and the normal printing performance that can be exhibited by using the regular ink sheet cannot be exhibited, and the image forming apparatus does not operate normally. there were.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to provide an ink sheet cartridge and an ink sheet set for replacing the ink sheet cartridge in which an erroneous ink sheet cannot be mounted. Is what you do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an ink sheet cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an ink sheet supply-side core tube and a take-up side core tube, each of which has left and right ends. In an ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates of the cartridge body via a spool which is removably mounted on the end portion of the core tube fitted on the at least one spool or near the end portion. An engaging projection that protrudes from the inner diameter portion of the core tube and that can be engaged with and disengaged from the locking claw on the spool side is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink sheet cartridge according to the first aspect, the engaging projections cannot come off from the outer peripheral side of the core tube toward the inner diameter portion of the core tube. It is fixed so that

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink sheet cartridge having a cartridge main body through spools which detachably mount an ink sheet supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube at respective left and right ends thereof. In the ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates, in the vicinity of the end of the core tube to be fitted to the at least one spool, the core tube penetrates in the radial direction of the core tube, and The locking claw has an engagement hole that can be locked from the inner diameter side.

On the other hand, the ink sheet cartridge according to the present invention has a cartridge in which a supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube for the ink sheet are detachably mounted on both left and right ends thereof. In the ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates of the main body, the locking claw on the spool side can be locked from the inner diameter side to the inner diameter portion of the core tube fitted to the at least one spool. This is provided with a concave-convex engagement groove.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 is the first invention.
5. The ink sheet cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the take-up spool connects the flanged shaft portion and the first rotating member with the transmission gear via a shaft hole formed in a side plate of the cartridge body. On the other hand, the first rotating member is provided with a rod-shaped elastic body extending in the axial direction of the core tube so as to be able to elastically urge the core member in a radially outward direction. The elastic claw is provided with the locking claw.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replacement ink sheet set comprising an ink sheet, a supply side core tube of the ink sheet, and a take-up side core tube. And an ink sheet cartridge described in any one of the above.

The replacement ink sheet set according to the present invention comprises an ink sheet, a supply-side core tube for the ink sheet, and a winding-side core tube. Is provided with the engaging projection according to claim 1 or 2.

The replacement ink sheet set according to the present invention comprises an ink sheet, a supply-side core tube for the ink sheet, and a take-up side core tube. An engagement hole according to claim 3 is provided.

Further, the replacement ink sheet set according to the ninth aspect of the present invention comprises an ink sheet, a supply side core tube of the ink sheet, and a take-up side core tube. Is provided with the engagement groove according to claim 4.

[0015]

Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a facsimile apparatus 1 having an ink sheet cartridge 20 mounted thereon, FIG.
3 is a plan view of the ink sheet cartridge 20, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge 20, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the ink sheet cartridge, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a spool connecting portion on the winding side. .

First, the structure of a facsimile machine 1 as an image forming apparatus of the present invention will be schematically described. The facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment reads an image or the like from a document 8, transmits the image data as facsimile data to another facsimile apparatus via a communication line such as a telephone line, and connects the communication line such as a telephone line. In addition to receiving the facsimile data transmitted from another facsimile device via the facsimile device and forming an image on the recording paper 4, the function as a normal facsimile device, and wireless communication such as a printer cable or infrared rays from a personal computer or a word processor. It has a function as a printer that receives print data transmitted through the printer and forms an image in accordance with the data.

A receiver (not shown) is arranged on one side of the main body case 2 of the facsimile machine 1. The upper cover body 6 covering the upper surface of the main body case 2 having an open top surface is pivotally attached to the upper rear end of the main body case 2 so as to be rotatable up and down around a rotation fulcrum 6a at the rear end. An operation panel 3 having a key switch 3a, a liquid crystal display device 3b, and the like is provided on a front side of an upper surface of the upper cover body 6. The operation panel 3 is also configured so that the front side can be opened upward and turned in order to remove the document 8 when the document 8 is not properly fed. At the rear of the upper surface of the main body case 2, a paper feed table 5 for stacking and placing the recording paper 4 in an obliquely downward state is provided rotatably with respect to the rear of the upper cover body 6. A document table 7 is detachably mounted in the middle of the upper and lower surfaces of the main body case 2.

In the main body case 2, a feed roller pair 9 for conveying a document 8 from the document table 7, a contact image scanner (CIS) 10 and a reading thereof are provided below the operation panel 3. A document pressing body 11 and a pair of paper discharge rollers 12 are arranged above the unit.

A paper feed roller 15 for transporting the recording paper 4 from the paper feed table 5 one by one in the main body case 2 below the paper feed table 5, and a spring is urged on the upper peripheral surface thereof. The paper feed unit 14 includes a separated pad 16 and the like.

A roller-shaped platen 17 as a printing unit, a thermal head 22 on a printing table 19 urged by a spring 18 toward a lower surface of the platen 17, A storage section 13 for an ink sheet cartridge 20 is provided so as to straddle the printing table 19 in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 1).

In the ink sheet cartridge 20 in the accommodating portion 13, the supply sheet spool 25 for the ink sheet 21 is disposed on the rear side of the main body case 2, the take-up sheet spool 26 is on the front side of the main body case 2, and It is arranged in a forwardly inclined shape (hip-up shape) such that the supply-side sheet spool 25 is at a high position and the winding-side sheet spool 26 is at a low position. Therefore, the storage unit 1
The lower part of the main body case 2 is located on the rear side of the lower surface of the main body case 2, and a large space is formed at the rear lower part of the main body case 2 in combination with the configuration of the ink sheet cartridge 20 being inclined forward. Thus, a control board 29 for executing the operation of the facsimile machine 1 and the like is arranged in this space, that is, below the storage section 13.

The ink sheet 21 wound from the supply side sheet spool 25 to the front take-up side sheet spool 26
Is a thermal head 22 and a tension body 2 made of a spring plate.
3 and reaches the lower peripheral surface side of the take-up side sheet spool 26. At this time, the ink surface of the ink sheet 21 is on the upper surface. The recording paper 4 overlapping the upper surface (ink surface) of the ink sheet 21 is printed by a printing section where the platen 17 and the thermal head 22 overlap, and then is printed on the upper side of the ink sheet cartridge 20 on the winding sheet spool 26 side. The paper passes through the upper surface of the formed partition chute 24 having the function of the transport chute, and is discharged to the front of the main body case 2 via the pair of discharge rollers 28. An upper chute 27 of a plurality of rib-shaped transfer chutes protruding downward is arranged on the lower surface of the upper cover body 6 so as to extend from the upstream side to the downstream side with the platen 17 interposed therebetween. It is configured such that the recording paper 4 can pass between the partition plate 24 and the cartridge 20.

On the other hand, the ink sheet 21 is bent downward at the top surface of the tension body 23, passes through the lower surface of the partition plate 24, and is wound around the lower side of the winding sheet spool 26. Have been.

Next, the structure of the ink sheet cartridge 20 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

The ink sheet cartridge 20 includes a cartridge body 30, an ink sheet 21, and a pair of left and right supply side spools 3 as supply side sheet spools 25.
6 and 37, and a pair of left and right take-up spools 38 and 39 as the take-up sheet spool 26.

The spools 36, 37, 39 are flanged shafts which are detachably fitted to both ends of core tubes 40, 41 for winding the ink sheet 21, respectively. It is integrally formed by molding or the like, and only one spool 38 is configured by combining a plurality of components.

Next, the structure of the cartridge body 30 as the cartridge body will be described with reference to FIGS. The cartridge body 30 includes a pair of left and right side plates 31a, 31b extending from the sheet supply side to the take-up side so as to surround the outer sides on both right and left sides of the ink sheet 21, and winding of the supply side of the ink sheet 21 around the pair of side plates 31a, 31b. It is composed of an upper cover piece 32 connected to both sides of the left and right sides to cover the upper side of the portion, and a partition plate 24 that also covers a pair of side plates 31a and 31b so as to cover an upper portion on the winding side of the ink sheet 21. It is integrally produced by injection molding using a resin material. Therefore, a portion surrounded by the supply-side upper cover piece 32 in the left-right direction, the winding-side partition plate 24, and the left and right-side plate connecting pieces 31a and 31b becomes a window hole portion where the ink sheet 21 is exposed. The roller-shaped platen 17 faces from the upper side of the section, and the printing table 19, the thermal head 22, and the tension body 23 face from below the window hole section (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Further, both left and right end portions of the partition plate 24 or a pair of left and right side plates 31
Pins 35, 35 having a fin shape or the like protrude upward from a, 31b.

The side plates 31a and 31b have
Except for the take-up side left spool 38, the outer shafts 44 of the supply-side right spool 37 and the take-up right spool 39
A shaft support groove 33 of one end open type is formed in which the support shaft of the supply-side left spool 36 is loosely fitted (see FIGS. 6 and 8). The side plates 31a, 31a are connected to the shaft support groove 33 and extend radially outward.
b, each outer shaft 44
When the (support shaft) is pushed upward with its axis substantially crossing the shaft support groove 33, the width between the lower open groove edges of each shaft support groove 33 expands elastically.
In the free state, each outer shaft 44 (support shaft portion) is
3 so as not to fall off.

The ink sheet 21 is formed by forming an ink layer on one entire surface of a wide resin film. As shown in FIG. 8, the ink sheet 21 is wound around a pair of cylindrical core tubes 40 and 41 made of paper or the like. Have been. The recording paper 4 is formed on the ink layer of the ink sheet 21.
Are sandwiched between the platen 17 and the recording surface of the thermal head 22 which is a line printer, and the heating resistor of the thermal head 22 is energized in accordance with image data. An image is formed.

The core tube 40 on the supply side and the core tube 41 on the winding side
The supply-side right spool 37 and the take-up-side right spool 39 which are fitted to the right ends (the right side as viewed from the discharge side of the recording paper 4) have the same shape as shown in FIG. 4
1) an inner cylindrical portion 42 fitted to the inner diameter of the right end portion, a large-diameter flange portion 43, and a small-diameter cylindrical outer shaft 44 as a support shaft portion rotatably disposed with respect to the cartridge body 30 described later. It is composed of

The supply-side left spool 36 fitted to the left end of the supply-side core tube 40 fits into the inner diameter of the left end of the core tube 40, and has an inner cylindrical portion with an engagement claw 42a that engages with a notch groove. 42
A large-diameter flange portion 43, a support shaft portion (not shown) provided outside the flange portion 43 and rotatably disposed with respect to a cartridge body 30 described later, and a gear portion provided outside the support shaft portion. 45 (see FIG. 8).

On the other hand, the take-up left spool 38 fitted to the left end of the take-up core tube 41 is attached to the shaft hole 50 of the one side plate 31a of the cartridge body 30 so as not to come off. A first rotating member 46 having a transmission gear 47 disposed outside the one side plate 31a, and a flange 48a connected to the first rotating member 46 from inside the one side plate 31a.
And a shaft portion 48 with a shaft.

FIGS. 10 (a), 10 (b), 10
(C) and FIG. 10 (d) show the first rotating member 46 made of a synthetic resin material such as nylon resin, and an inner cylindrical portion 46 a is formed along the axis on the inner diameter portion of the transmission gear 47. A rod-shaped elastic body 51 extending along the axial direction is formed integrally with one side notch portion 46c of the inner cylindrical portion 46a. On the free end side of the elastic body 51, a locking claw 51a is integrally formed radially outward.

A fan-shaped base 46b divided into three along the circumference is provided outside the radius of the inner cylindrical portion 46a.
Further, a substantially rectangular fitting hole 53 is formed between the base portion 46b and the fitting portion 53, in which the distal claw portions 52a of the three engaging members 52 of the shaft portion 48 with the flange 48a are fitted. A step portion 53a as an engaging portion is formed on the outer peripheral side of each fitting hole 53. In addition, the base portion 46b divided into three protrudes from a side surface facing the shaft portion 48,
A positioning projection 54 extending in the radial direction is integrally formed.

FIGS. 11 (a), 11 (b) and 11
(C) is a flange 4 made of a synthetic resin material such as nylon resin.
The configuration of a shaft portion 48 with 8a is shown. A disk-shaped flange 48a protrudes outward in a radial direction from a cylindrical base portion 48b, and an end portion of the base portion 48b has a guide portion 48c having an arc-shaped cross section with a slightly smaller radius. The elastic body 51
And the tip locking claw 51a can pass through the inner diameter of the base portion 48a and the guide portion 48c in the axial direction. Three engaging members 52 protrude from a halfway radius of the flange 48a in a direction opposite to the base 48b. A positioning hole 55 into which the positioning protrusion 54 of the first rotating member 46 fits is formed at the base of the base 48b and the flange 48a.

With the above configuration, the cartridge body 30
In the embodiment, from the outside of the left side plate 31a shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG.
Then, the base portion 46b of the first rotating member 46 is inserted, the flange 48a of the shaft portion 48 is approached from the inside of the side plate 31a, and the three engagement members 52 are inserted into the shaft hole 50.
Then, each tip claw portion 52a of each engaging body 52 is inserted into each fitting hole 5 on the inner diameter side of the transmission gear 47 in the first rotating member 46.
Fit into 3. As a result, the front claw portions 52a are engaged with the step portions 53a on the outer peripheral side of the respective fitting holes 53, and are integrally formed as the left spool 38 on the winding side, and cannot be removed from the shaft hole 50, and furthermore, from the cartridge body 30. It is.

Further, in the state where the spool is integrated as the take-up left spool 38, the outer periphery of the joining portion of the base portion 48b of the shaft portion 48 and the divided base portion 46b of the first rotating member 46 becomes cylindrical, The transmission gear 47 with respect to the shaft hole 50
And a positioning portion for the rotation center axis of the take-up spool 38.

On the other hand, in the vicinity of the end of the paper core tube 41, a mounting hole 65 having a large hole on the outer peripheral surface side and a small hole on the inner diameter side and having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is formed. The engaging protrusion 66 made of synthetic resin is inserted into the hole 65 in the core tube 41.
12 and fixed with an adhesive or the like (FIG. 12).
(See (a) and FIG. 12 (b)). As shown in the drawing, the outer peripheral portion of the engagement protrusion 66 can be fitted tightly into a large hole portion on the outer peripheral side of the mounting hole 65, and cannot fall down in the inner diameter direction of the core tube 41,
Further, it has an arc-shaped cross section having the same radius as the outer peripheral surface of the core tube 41.
An inner diameter portion of the engagement protrusion 66 is integrally provided with an engagement portion 66 a projecting in the center direction from the inner diameter portion of the core tube 41, and a tip of the elastic body 51 in the first rotating member 46. Is configured to be able to contact the side surface of the locking claw 51a.

In the above embodiment, the mounting holes 65
Is provided with a step between a large hole portion on the outer peripheral side and a small hole portion on the inner diameter side of the core tube 41.
5 has a so-called fan-shaped cross-sectional shape in which the radial dimension on the outer peripheral side of the core tube 41 is large and the radial dimension on the inner-diameter side is small, and the engagement protrusion 66 also has a substantially fan-shaped cross-sectional shape. Alternatively, the engagement protrusion 66 may not be able to fall into the inner diameter side of the core tube 41. Also, in other embodiments,
An engagement protrusion 66 may be provided at one end of the core tube 40 so as to engage with a locking claw (not shown) of the small-diameter portion 42 of the supply-side spool 36. In this case, the elastic body 51 of the first rotating member 46 may be omitted, and the engaging portion 66a having the inner diameter of the engaging protrusion 66 may be engaged with the guide groove 48d of the guide portion 48c of the shaft portion 48. good.

An embodiment in which a replacement ink sheet set is mounted on the cartridge body 30 with the above-described configuration will be described. The replacement ink sheet set is a set in which a new ink sheet 21 is wound around the supply side core tube 40 and a winding side core tube 41.
The engaging projection 66 is fixed in advance in the vicinity of a predetermined one end of the projection 1. The width dimension of the ink sheet 21 is
It is preferable that the distance between both ends is substantially equal. Also,
The end of the new ink sheet 21 is attached to the outer periphery of the core tube 41 with an adhesive tape or the like. Then, the first rotating member 46 and the shaft portion 48 with the flange 48a are irremovably attached to a predetermined shaft hole 50 of the cartridge main body 30 to constitute the winding left spool 38 (FIG. 14).
(A)). On the other hand, a take-up right spool 39 is inserted into the right end of the core tube 41 and mounted. Core tube 40 on the supply side
As shown in FIG. 8, a supply-side left spool 36 and a supply-side right spool 37 are inserted and attached to both ends of the.

Next, the shaft portion 48 of the left spool 38 on the winding side is attached to the end (left end) of the core tube 41 on the winding side.
Of the spool 3 into the other three shaft support grooves 33 of the cartridge body.
9, 36 and 37 are fitted respectively.

At the position of the left spool 38 on the winding side,
Since the distal end side of the elastic body 51 is urged radially outward, when the elastic body 51 is inserted into the core tube 41, the locking claw 51 a on the distal end side of the elastic body 51 slides on the inner diameter surface of the core tube 41. The elastic body 51 is bent (see a solid line state in FIG. 12C). Then, when the spool 38 is rotated in a predetermined direction (winding direction), the tip of the elastic body 51 is brought into contact with the side surface of the engaging portion 66 a of the engaging protrusion 66 protruding from the inner diameter of the core tube 41. The locking claws 51a come into contact with each other to enable torque transmission (see FIGS. 12A and 12C).

As described above, the four spools 36, 3
One of the spools 7, 38, and 39 (the left spool 38 on the winding side) is undetachably mounted to the cartridge body 30. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the side on which the transmission gear 47 is disposed is the cartridge body 30. It becomes clear that it is one of the left and right sides, and when the user replaces the ink sheet 21 with a new one, errors in the direction and the like when attaching both ends of the core tubes 40 and 41 to each spool are reduced.
The ink sheet 21 can be replaced quickly and easily.

Then, the engagement projection 66 is attached to only one end of one core tube 41, and the rod-like elastic body 51 of one spool 38 enters the inner diameter portion of the core tube 41 relatively deeply. Further, since the side surface of the locking claw 51a at the tip of the elastic body 51 abuts on the side surface of the engaging portion 66a of the engaging protrusion 66, such an engaging protrusion 66 is not provided on the core tube 41. A locking claw 5 on the spool side
The take-up spool made by another company, which does not include the elastic body 51 with 1a, cannot be mounted on the ink sheet cartridge 20 of the present invention, and is mistakenly attached to an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine manufactured by the applicant. Ink sheet 2
1 can be prevented from being used, and troubles such as deterioration of printing quality and printing failure due to not using the regular ink sheet 21 can be prevented.

In the above state, the take-up side right spool 39, the supply side left spool 36 and the supply side right spool 37
To the shaft support grooves 3 in the cartridge body 30 respectively.
3, 33, and 33, and the core tube 41 on the winding side is rotated so as not to loosen the ink sheet 21.

The ink sheet cartridge 2 having the above configuration
When 0 is set in the storage unit 13 of the facsimile machine 1,
The left and right side plates 31a, 31b and the like of the cartridge body 30 as the cartridge body are supported in a predetermined posture,
At this time, the inner diameter portions of the outer cylinders 44 and 44 of the winding-side right spool 39 and the supply-side right spool 37 are fitted on shafts (not shown) projecting from the main body frame (not shown), while the supply is performed. The gear portion 45 and the transmission gear 47 of the side left spool 36 and the winding side left spool 38 mesh with a power transmission gear (not shown), respectively, and the outer shaft of the supply side left spool 36 and the winding side left spool 38. Is fitted on a shaft (not shown) projecting elastically in the axial direction from the body frame side. As a result,
The supply-side sheet spool 25 and the winding-side sheet spool 26 can rotate smoothly.

The output of a print command on the operation panel 3 or a print command from an external computer (not shown), or the reception of facsimile data from another facsimile apparatus, activates the control board 29 to perform a printing (recording) operation. Is started, first, the paper feed roller 15 rotates to start paper feed. After the leading end of the recording paper 4 detects a paper sensor (not shown), the recording paper 4 is conveyed a predetermined distance, and
, Power is transmitted to the gear portion 45 and the transmission gear 47 of the platen 17 and the ink sheet cartridge 20, and the first rotating member 46 and the shaft portion 48 with the flange 48a are integrated, and the base portion of the shaft portion 48 is formed. 48
b, the inner diameter portion of the core tube 41 is concentrically supported, and a locking claw 51 at the tip of the elastic body 51 on the first rotating member 46 side.
a comes into contact with the engaging portion 66a protruding from the inner diameter portion of the core tube 41, so that the rotational force of the transmission gear 47 in the winding direction of the predetermined ink sheet 21 can be transmitted to the core tube 41 (FIG. 12). (C)). As a result, conveyance of the ink sheet 21 and feeding of the recording paper 4 are started, and printing is performed by the thermal head 22 which is a printing unit.

Immediately after printing is performed with the ink sheet 21 and the recording paper 4 sandwiched between the platen 17 and the thermal head 22, the ink on the ink sheet 21 is printed by the heat generated by the heating resistor of the thermal head 22. The ink sheet 21 melts according to the data (character) and appears on the recording paper 4, and then the ink is cooled, so that the ink sheet 21 remains attached to the surface of the recording paper 4. At the location of the top surface 23a of the tension member 23, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink sheet 21 is largely bent downward so as to be wound on the lower side of the outer periphery of the take-up sheet spool 26, so that the ink sheet 21 Of the ink is released. On the other hand, the recording paper 4 whose lower surface is a printing surface is placed on the upper surface of the partition plate 24 and conveyed, so that the recording paper 4 and the ink sheet 2
1 can be reliably separated from the transport path. The leading end of the partition plate 24 (on the side closer to the top surface 23a of the tension body 23) is bent downward to scoop up the leading end (the downstream side of conveyance) of the recording paper 4 in a free state. It can be prevented from moving downward. As shown in FIG. 5, if a large number of ridges 24a are formed in the longitudinal direction along the transport direction on the upper surface of the partition plate 24, the recording paper 4 with the printing surface facing downward passes. At this time, the printing surface is not widely rubbed, and the stain on the recording paper 4 due to the adhesion of the ink can be reduced.

FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b) show a second embodiment, in which an engaging hole 67 penetrated through the core tube 41 in the radial direction is located axially deeper than the end of the core tube 41. Is provided on the side and is substantially rectangular in a plan view long along the axial direction thereof,
The locking claw 51a at the tip of the elastic body 51 on the winding-side left spool 38 is configured to be lockable from the inner diameter side. Also in this embodiment, the diameter of the inner diameter of the core tube 41 is formed to be equal to the diameter of the base portion 48b of the shaft portion 48, and when the elastic body 51 is inserted into the inner diameter portion of the core tube 41, it resists the elastic force thereof. The elastic body 51 bends so that the upper surface of the locking claw 51a slides on the inner diameter surface of the core tube 41, and the elastic body 51
Is inserted into the predetermined position, the locking claw 51a fits into the engagement hole 67, so that the ink sheet cartridge 20
Is set in the image forming apparatus, the driving force from the apparatus main body side can be transmitted to the core tube 41 via the transmission gear 47 and the elastic body 51. The operation and effect are almost the same as those of the first embodiment.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG.
The cross-sectional shape of the inner diameter portion is made like a spline. That is, a plurality of engaging grooves 68 in which concave grooves and convex ridges which are long in the axial direction are alternately formed are formed in the inner diameter portion of the core tube 41. The engaging claw 51a at the tip of the elastic body 51 is formed so as to fit into the concave groove side (larger radius side) of the concave-convex engaging groove 68. The operation and effect are almost the same as those of the first embodiment. In the case of the third embodiment, the elastic body 51 may be omitted, and the cross-sectional shape of the base 48 a of the shaft 48 may be formed so as to match the engaging groove 68 of the core tube 41.

In the case of the second embodiment, the engaging hole 67 is previously formed in the core tube 41 of the replacement ink sheet set, and the inner diameter of the core tube 41 in the case of the third embodiment is changed. The engagement groove 68 is formed in the portion to the full length or a predetermined depth at a predetermined end.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a facsimile apparatus, but is not limited to this.
The present invention can be used for various image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copying machine, and a device having a plurality of functions thereof.

[0054]

As described above, in the ink sheet cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention, the supply-side core tube and the take-up side core tube for the ink sheet are removably mounted on both left and right ends. In an ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates of the cartridge body via a spool, an inner diameter of the core tube is provided at or near an end of the core tube fitted to the at least one spool. And an engaging projection protruding from the engaging portion and capable of being disengaged from the engaging claw on the spool side.

Accordingly, the engagement relationship between the engagement projections serving as the power transmission portion and the engagement claws can be extremely easily achieved only by connecting the spool and the core tube. A take-up spool manufactured by another company that does not include such an engagement protrusion on the core tube or that does not include a locking claw on the spool side cannot be mounted on the ink sheet cartridge of the present invention, and has a regular This eliminates the erroneous use of an ink sheet of a different company's quality attached to an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine by mistake, and the deterioration of print quality due to not using a regular ink sheet.
Troubles such as poor printing can be prevented.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink sheet cartridge according to the first aspect, the engaging protrusions cannot be pulled out from an outer peripheral side of the core tube toward an inner diameter portion of the core tube. In addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the engaging protrusion is removed from the core tube for unauthorized use (use of an irregular ink sheet). This has the effect of making it difficult.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink sheet cartridge comprising a cartridge main body via a spool in which a supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube for the ink sheet are detachably mounted on left and right ends of each. In the ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates, in the vicinity of the end of the core tube to be fitted to the at least one spool, the core tube penetrates in the radial direction of the core tube, and The locking claw has an engagement hole that can be locked from the inner diameter side.

Instead of fitting the engaging claw on the spool side into the engaging groove opened on the end face of the conventional core tube, as described above, the engagement penetrates in the vicinity of the end portion of the core tube in the radial direction. Since the locking claw provided with the hole and facing the inner diameter side of the core tube is engaged with the engagement hole, such an engagement hole is not provided in the core tube similarly to the first aspect of the invention. The take-up spool made by another company, which does not have a locking claw on the spool side, cannot be attached to the ink sheet cartridge of the present invention, and is mistakenly used in an image forming apparatus such as a regular facsimile machine, and the other company has a different quality. This eliminates the erroneous use of the ink sheet attached, and prevents problems such as deterioration of printing quality and printing failure caused by not using a regular ink sheet.

On the other hand, in the ink sheet cartridge according to the present invention, a cartridge is provided via a spool in which a supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube for the ink sheet are detachably mounted on both left and right ends. In the ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates of the main body, the locking claw on the spool side can be locked from the inner diameter side to the inner diameter portion of the core tube fitted to the at least one spool. This is provided with a concave-convex engagement groove. Also in this case, a take-up spool manufactured by another company that does not include an engagement groove having a predetermined cross-sectional shape in the core tube or does not include a locking claw on the spool side cannot be attached to the ink sheet cartridge of the present invention. This eliminates the possibility of incorrectly mounting an ink sheet from another company with a different quality on an image forming apparatus such as a regular facsimile machine. The effect that it can prevent is produced.

The invention described in claim 5 is the first invention.
5. The ink sheet cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the take-up spool connects the flanged shaft portion and the first rotating member with the transmission gear via a shaft hole formed in a side plate of the cartridge body. On the other hand, the first rotating member is provided with a rod-shaped elastic body extending in the axial direction of the core tube so as to be able to elastically urge the core member in a radially outward direction. The elastic claw is provided with the locking claw.

As described above, since one of the spools on the winding side cannot be removed from the cartridge body,
In addition to the effects of the invention described in claims 1 to 4,
An ordinary user can easily replace the ink sheet without troublesome work of mounting the supply-side spool and the winding-side spool in the correct position and orientation, and can easily exchange the ink sheets and rotate each spool. There is no erroneous attachment of the transmission gear to the ink sheet cartridge, and the power transmission from the main body of the image forming apparatus can be performed normally.

Further, since the elastic body of the first rotating member is elastically urged outward in the radial direction, the engagement penetrated in the radial direction through the engagement portion and the engagement groove on the inner diameter side of the core tube and the core tube itself. It is extremely easy to engage the locking claw at the tip of the elastic body with the hole.

In any of the ink sheet sets for replacement according to the sixth to ninth aspects, in any case, the ink sheet cartridge cannot be mounted on an ink sheet cartridge made by another company, and is erroneously attached to an image forming apparatus such as a regular facsimile machine. Eliminates the misuse that ink sheets of different quality are installed,
There is an effect that troubles such as deterioration of printing quality and printing failure due to not using a regular ink sheet can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a facsimile machine.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a path of a recording paper and an ink sheet near a printing unit.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ink sheet cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge as viewed from the front left side.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge as viewed from the front right side.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the ink sheet cartridge.

FIG. 7 is a left side view of the ink sheet cartridge.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge in a state where components are turned upside down.

FIG. 9 shows a first rotating member 46, a flanged shaft portion 48,
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a core tube 41 with an engagement protrusion 66 and the like.

FIG. 10A is a front view of a first rotating member 46, and FIG.
10A is a sectional view taken along line Xb-Xb in FIG. 10A, and FIG.
FIG. 10A is a left side view, and FIG. 10D is a right side view of FIG.

11A is a front view of a flanged shaft portion 48, FIG.
11B is a sectional view taken along line XIb-XIb in FIG.
FIG. 12C is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view of an engagement protrusion in a core tube;
(B) is a sectional view taken along line XIIb-XIIb in FIG.
(C) is an enlarged sectional view showing an attached state.

13A is a longitudinal sectional view of a core tube according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a sectional view taken along line XIIIb-XIIIb in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14 is a view showing a cross-sectional shape (engagement groove) of a core tube in a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 ink sheet cartridge 21 ink sheet 30 cartridge body 31a, 31b side plate 36-39 spool 40, 41 core tube 42 inner cylinder portion 43, 48a flange portion 45 gear portion 46 first rotating member 47 transmission gear 48 shaft portion 48b base 50 shaft Hole 51 Elastic body 51a Locking claw 52 Engaging body 52a Tip claw 53 Fitting hole 53a Step 54 Positioning projection 55 Positioning hole 66 Engaging projection 66a Engaging section

Claims (9)

[Claims] An ink sheet supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube are rotatably mounted on left and right side plates of a cartridge main body via spools which are removably mounted on left and right ends of each of the ink sheets. In the ink sheet cartridge, an end of or near the end of the core tube fitted to the at least one spool protrudes from the inner diameter of the core tube and is detachable from the engaging claw on the spool side. An ink sheet cartridge provided with a mating projection. 2. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the engaging projection is fixed so as not to be able to come off from an outer peripheral side of the core tube toward an inner diameter portion of the core tube. Sheet cartridge. 3. An ink sheet supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube are rotatably mounted on left and right side plates of a cartridge body via spools which are removably mounted on left and right ends of each of the cartridges. In the ink sheet cartridge, near the end of the core tube to be fitted to the at least one spool, it penetrates in the radial direction of the core tube, and the locking claw on the spool side can be locked from the inner diameter side. An ink sheet cartridge comprising an engagement hole. 4. An ink sheet supply side core tube and a take-up side core tube are rotatably mounted on left and right side plates of a cartridge body via spools which are removably mounted on left and right ends of each of the ink sheets. In the ink sheet cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention, an irregular engagement groove is provided on an inner diameter portion of the core tube to be fitted to the at least one spool so that the engagement hook on the spool side can be locked from the inner diameter side. Ink sheet cartridge. 5. The take-up spool is configured to engage a shaft with a flange and a first rotating member with a transmission gear through a shaft hole formed in a side plate of the cartridge body so as to be unable to come off from inside and outside. On the other hand, the first rotating member is provided with a rod-shaped elastic body extending in the axial direction of the core tube so as to be able to elastically urge the core tube in a radially outward direction, and the elastic member is provided with the locking claw. The ink sheet cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 6. A replacement ink sheet set comprising an ink sheet, a supply-side core tube of the ink sheet, and a take-up side core tube, wherein the ink according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is provided. Replaceable ink sheet set that can be mounted on a sheet cartridge. 7. An engagement protrusion according to claim 1 or 2, comprising an ink sheet, a supply-side core tube for the ink sheet, and a take-up side core tube. A replacement ink sheet set comprising a body. 8. An ink sheet, a supply-side core tube for the ink sheet, and a take-up side core tube, wherein the take-up side core tube has the engagement hole according to claim 3. A replacement ink sheet set. 9. An ink sheet, a supply-side core tube for the ink sheet, and a winding-side core tube, wherein the winding-side core tube has the engagement groove according to claim 4. A replacement ink sheet set.