JP2005335399A - Ink ribbon cartridge and ink ribbon set - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an ink ribbon 27 to be correctly and rapidly attached to a case body 35. <P>SOLUTION: An outer surface or an inner surface, or a part or the whole of both the surfaces of a place with a round hole 67 of a side plate 51a is colored or coated with a specified color (e.g. red); a corresponding spool 39 is also partially or wholly colored or coated with the same color; and three other spools 36-38 are partially or wholly colored or coated with green etc. (a color different from the red). Additionally, a left end of a tube 41 is also pre-colored or pre-coated with the red, so that the ink ribbon 27 can be easily attached to the case body 35 by correcting front and back sides and a winding direction by arrangement of parts (components) of the same color. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a replaceable wide ink ribbon set used in a recording apparatus such as a printer and accommodated in an ink ribbon cartridge.

  When printing on plain paper or the like using a thermal printer, an ink ribbon cartridge is usually used because of easy replacement and easy handling. When the thermal printer is a line printer, a wide ink ribbon is used.

  In general, the ink ribbon is wound around a tube as a core on the supply side and the take-up side, and has a hooked spool (total of 4) on the end face of each tube. If the spool is also replaced every time, resources are wasted. Therefore, at the time of replacement, the spool is temporarily removed from the old ink ribbon, remounted on the tube of the new ink ribbon, and mounted on the ink ribbon cartridge.

  By the way, the ink ribbon has an ink layer formed on one side of a wide film-like sheet body, and must be arranged in the ink ribbon cartridge so that the ink layer and a sheet as a recording medium face each other. . Therefore, when replacing the ink ribbon, it is necessary to mount the ink ribbon cartridge so that the surface having the ink layer is on the correct side. In general, since the spools positioned on the winding side and the supply side of the ink ribbon need to be rotated by receiving a predetermined power, the two spools are provided with gears. Must be set in place on the ink ribbon cartridge.

  However, every time a new ink ribbon is replaced, it is necessary to repeat the discovery of the combination of the specific spool and the specific mounting location in the ink ribbon cartridge by trial and error, which takes time and effort. There is a problem that the risk of getting close to the ink ribbon or being damaged is increased.

  The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cartridge that can perform an ink ribbon replacement operation accurately and quickly with a simple structure.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ink ribbon cartridge according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a pair of tubular bodies, a sheet-like ink ribbon wound around the tubular bodies, and an attachment / detachment to the end surfaces of the pair of tubular bodies. An ink ribbon cartridge comprising four spools that are freely mounted and a cartridge main body on which the shaft portions of the four spools are rotatably supported and the pair of tubes are mounted via the spools. One end face of the four end faces of the tube is formed in a specific color different from the other end faces, and a spool mounted on the end face of the specific color is formed in the same color as the specific color.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon cartridge according to the first aspect, the two spools are provided with two engaging claws, respectively, and the two spools of the specific color spool are provided. The engaging claws are set so that the center angles formed with the shaft centers of the spools are different from the two engaging claws in the other three spools, Two engagement grooves are formed. Of the four end faces, the two engagement grooves on the end face corresponding to the spool of the specific color are the two engagement grooves on the other three end faces. The central angle formed with the body axis is set to be different.

  Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon cartridge according to the first or second aspect, the specific color spool is mounted so as not to be detached from the cartridge body.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon cartridge according to any one of the first to third aspects, the location of the round hole in the cartridge body that supports the shaft portion of the spool of the specific color is It is formed in the same color as the specific color.

  An ink ribbon set according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is composed of a pair of tube bodies and a sheet-like ink ribbon wound around the tube bodies, and is detachably attached to the left and right ends of each tube body. In the ink ribbon set that is rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates of the cartridge main body via the spool, the tubular body on which the spool formed in a specific color different from the other spools among the four spools is mounted Are formed in the same color as the specific color.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon set according to the fourth aspect, two engagement grooves are respectively formed on a total of four end surfaces of the pair of tube bodies, and the four end surfaces are formed. The two engaging grooves on the end surface of the specific color are set so that the center angle formed with the axial center of the tube body is different from the two engaging grooves on the other three end surfaces, It is configured to engage only with an engaging claw provided on a spool formed in a specific color.

  As described above, the ink ribbon cartridge of the invention described in claim 1 is detachably attached to a pair of tubes, a sheet-like ink ribbon wound around the tubes, and end surfaces of the pair of tubes. In the ink ribbon cartridge comprising four spools to be mounted and a cartridge main body to which the shafts of the four spools are rotatably supported and the pair of tubes are mounted via the spools, the pair of tubes One of the four end faces of the body is formed in a specific color different from the other end faces, and a spool mounted on the end face of the specific color is formed in the same color as the specific color.

  With this configuration, it is possible to combine a specific spool and the end of the tube to which the spool is to be mounted with a simple operation of mounting parts of the same color. In addition, it is not necessary to repeat the discovery of the combination of the specific spool and the corresponding end portion of the ink ribbon tube by trial and error, and the ink ribbon can be replaced quickly. As a result, there is also an effect that the risk of getting close to the ink ribbon or being damaged during the replacement work is reduced.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon cartridge according to the first aspect, the two spools are provided with two engaging claws, respectively, and the two spools of the specific color spool are provided. The engaging claws are set so that the center angles formed with the shaft centers of the spools are different from the two engaging claws in the other three spools, Two engagement grooves are formed. Of the four end faces, the two engagement grooves on the end face corresponding to the spool of the specific color are the two engagement grooves on the other three end faces. The central angle formed with the body axis is set to be different.

  With this configuration, the specific spool of the four spools can be attached only to a specific portion of the four end portions of the pair of tubular bodies in the ink ribbon. In addition to the effects of the described invention, the specific spool and the end portion of the tubular body corresponding to the spool can be more reliably attached, and the ink ribbon can be replaced quickly.

  Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon cartridge according to the first or second aspect, the specific color spool is mounted so as not to be detached from the cartridge body.

  According to this configuration, the position of the spool of the specific color is surely fixed, so that the position of the spool with respect to the cartridge body is changed, so that the ink ribbon can be prevented from being mounted in the wrong direction.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon cartridge according to any one of the first to third aspects, the location of the round hole in the cartridge main body that supports the shaft portion of the spool of the specific color is specified. It is formed in the same color as the color.

  With this configuration, even when the position of the spool of the specific color is not known, the position of the spool of the specific color can be determined by finding the location of the specific color of the cartridge main body, By changing the position, it is possible to prevent the ink ribbon from being mounted in the wrong direction.

  An ink ribbon set according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is composed of a pair of tube bodies and a sheet-like ink ribbon wound around the tube bodies, and is detachably attached to the left and right ends of each tube body. In the ink ribbon set that is rotatably mounted on the left and right side plates of the cartridge main body via the spool, the tubular body on which the spool formed in a specific color different from the other spools among the four spools is mounted Are formed in the same color as the specific color.

  Therefore, the specific spool and the end of the tube to which the spool is to be mounted can be combined by a simple operation of mounting parts of the same color, and each time a new ink ribbon is replaced, the specific spool is combined. It is not necessary to repeat the discovery of the combination of the spool and the end portion of the corresponding ink ribbon tube by trial and error, and the ink ribbon can be replaced quickly. As a result, there is also an effect that the risk of getting close to the ink ribbon or being damaged during the replacement work is reduced.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the ink ribbon set according to the fifth aspect, two engagement grooves are respectively formed on a total of four end faces of the pair of tube bodies, and the four end faces are provided. The two engaging grooves on the end surface of the specific color are set so that the center angle formed with the axial center of the tube body is different from the two engaging grooves on the other three end surfaces, It is configured to engage only with an engaging claw provided on a spool formed in a specific color.

  With this configuration, the specific spool of the four spools can be attached only to a specific portion of the four end portions of the pair of tubular bodies in the ink ribbon. In addition to the effects of the described invention, the specific spool and the end portion of the tubular body corresponding to the spool can be more reliably attached, and the ink ribbon can be replaced quickly.

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

  1 is a side sectional view of a facsimile apparatus 1 using an ink ribbon cartridge 24 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink ribbon cartridge 24, FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the ink ribbon cartridge 24, and FIG. FIG. 4B is a left side view of FIG.

  First, the structure of the facsimile machine 1 will be outlined. The facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment reads an image or the like from the document 8 and transmits the image data as facsimile data to another facsimile apparatus via a telephone line which is one of communication lines and via the telephone line. In addition to the function of a normal facsimile machine that receives facsimile data transmitted from other facsimile machines and forms the image on the recording paper 4, it also uses a printer such as a personal computer or a word processor via a wireless cable such as a printer cable or infrared rays. The printer functions as a printer that receives the transmitted print data and forms an image according to the print data.

  A handset (not shown) is disposed on one side of the main body 2 of the facsimile apparatus 1, and an operation panel 3 having a key switch 3 a, a liquid crystal display device 3 b, and the like is provided on the front surface of the main body 2. In addition, a pair of left and right paper feed guide portions 5 for stacking and placing the recording paper 4 in a state of being inclined obliquely downward on the rear upper surface of the main body 2 are rotatable to cover the upper surface of the main body 2. A document table 7 is detachably mounted on the back surface of the cover body 6 and in the middle of the upper surface of the main body 2.

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

  Also, below the paper feed guide portion 5, a paper feed roller 15 for transporting the recording paper 4 from the paper feed port 13 one by one and a separation pad 16 biased by a spring on its lower peripheral surface. And a sheet feeding unit 14 including a pressing body 17 that presses the recording sheets 4 stacked on the upstream side of the separation pad 16 against the peripheral surface of the sheet feeding roller 15. Below the sheet feeding unit 14, a roller-shaped platen 20 as a recording unit, a printing table 23 of a thermal head 22 biased by a spring 21 toward the lower surface of the platen 20, An ink ribbon cartridge 24 arranged so as to straddle is arranged.

  The ink ribbon 27 wound from the rear supply-side ribbon spool 25 to the front take-up ribbon spool 26 in the ink ribbon cartridge 24 passes through the upper surface of the thermal head 22 and the tension member 28 made of a spring plate, and takes up the take-up side. It reaches the lower peripheral surface side of the ribbon spool 26. At this time, the ink surface (ink layer) of the ink ribbon 27 is on the upper surface, and the recording paper 4 overlapping the upper surface (ink surface) of the ink ribbon 27 is printed by the printing unit where the platen 20 and the thermal head 22 overlap. After that, the paper is discharged onto a paper discharge unit 32 on the upper side of the paper supply unit 14 through a paper discharge passage 30 and a paper discharge roller pair 31.

  Next, the configuration of the ink ribbon cartridge 24 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The ink ribbon cartridge 24 includes a case body 35 serving as a cartridge body, an ink ribbon 27, a pair of left and right supply spools 36 and 37 serving as a supply side ribbon spool 25, and a pair of left and right serving as a winding side ribbon spool 26. It is comprised by the winding side spools 38 and 39. FIG. The spools 36, 37, 38, 39 are integrally formed by, for example, injection molding of a synthetic resin material.

  The ink ribbon 27 has an ink layer formed on one entire surface of a wide resin film, and is wound around a pair of cylindrical tubes 40 and 41 made of paper or the like, as shown in FIG. The recording paper 4 faces the ink layer of the ink ribbon 27 and is sandwiched between the platen 20 and the recording surface of the thermal head 22 which is a line printer, and the heating element of the thermal head 22 is energized according to the image data. Thus, an image is formed on the recording paper 4 line by line.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the supply-side right spool 36 and the winding-side right spool 38 that are fitted to the right ends of the supply-side tube body 40 and the winding-side tube body 41 are shown in FIGS. ) And FIG. 5 (b), which have the same shape, the inner cylinder portion 42 that fits into the inner diameter of the right end portion of the tubular body 40 (41), the large-diameter collar portion 43, and a case body 35 described later. And a small-diameter cylindrical outer shaft 44 as a support shaft portion that is rotatably arranged. And in the base part of the inner cylinder part 42 and the collar part 43, the below-mentioned two engagement grooves 60 and 60 which were notched and formed in the end surface of the pipe 40 (41) (refer FIG. 3 which is a bottom view) Two engaging claws 45, 45 that are fitted to the outer periphery of the outer shaft 44 are formed so as to be non-rotating. On the outer peripheral surface of the outer shaft portion 44, an anti-spinning protrusion 46 that is long in the axial direction is appropriately provided in the circumferential direction. A plurality of protrusions are formed at intervals.

  The supply-side left spool 37 and the winding-side left spool 39 that are fitted to the left ends of the supply-side tube body 40 and the winding-side tube body 41 fit into the inner diameter of the left end portion of the tube body 40 (41). An inner cylinder portion 42, a large-diameter flange portion 43, a support shaft portion 47a (47b) provided outside the flange portion 43 and arranged to be rotatable with respect to a case body 35 described later, and the support shaft portion It is comprised by the cylindrical outer cylinder part 49 with the gear part 48 provided in the outer side of 47a (47b). Then, on the outer peripheral surface of each of the inner cylindrical portions 42, 42, two engagement grooves 61, 61 (described below, which is a bottom view) formed by notching the end surface of the tubular body 40 (41), which will be described later. Two engaging claws 50, 50 that are fitted to the inner wall and serve as a rotation stopper are formed to protrude.

  It should be noted that one of the two engaging grooves 60, 60, 61, 61 formed on the four end faces of the two tubular bodies 40, 41 (for example, the winding-side left spool 39). The two engaging grooves 61, 61 of the two fitting grooves 61, 61 have a center angle of about 120 degrees sandwiching the axis of the tube bodies 40, 41, and two other engaging grooves 60, 60 at the other three positions. , 61, 61 sets the central angle between the axes of the tubular bodies 40, 41 to 180 degrees. Correspondingly, the two engaging claws 50, 50 in the specific one spool, for example, the winding-side left spool 39, have a central angle θ2 sandwiching the axis of the inner cylinder portion 42 of 120 degrees. (See FIG. 8B), the two engaging claws 45, 45, 50, 50 in the other three spools 36, 37, 38 each have a central angle θ1 sandwiching the axis of the inner cylinder portion 42. Is set to 180 degrees (see FIG. 5B). If comprised in this way, the said winding side left spool 39 as a specific spool can be mounted | worn only to the location of the specific end surface (in the Example, lower left in FIG. 2) in the said 2 pipe bodies 40 and 41. Become. Since the other three spools 36, 37, 38 have the same center angle θ1 of the two engaging claws 45, 45 and the two engaging claws 50, 50, the two spools 36, 37, 38 have the same structure in the two tubular bodies 40, 41. It can be fitted into three end portions other than the specific end portion.

  The supply side left spool 37 and the winding side left spool 39 in FIG. 2 as the geared spools are fitted to the left ends of the tubular bodies 40 and 41, and the inner cylinder part 42 provided with the flange part 43, and the gear 48 are connected. It is configured to be separable from the outer cylinder portion 49 provided. This configuration will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 (a), 7 (b), 8 (a), and 8 (b). At the base portion of the inner cylinder portion 42 with the flange portion 43, As described above, the two engaging claws 50, 50 are integrally projected, and two attachment holes 63, 63 penetrating in the radial direction are formed in the base portion (FIG. 8A). ) And FIG. 8B). The outer diameter of the support shaft portion, which is the cylindrical portion on the opposite side of the engaging claw 50 across the collar portion 43, is supplied by the support shaft portion 47b of the winding side left spool 39 as a specific spool. The side left spool 37 is formed larger than the outer diameter of the support shaft portion 47a (see FIG. 4B).

  On the other hand, the outer cylinder portion 49 has a pair of arms 64 and 64 that fit into the inner diameter of each of the support shaft portions 47a (47b), and the end of each arm 64 can be locked in the mounting hole 63. A locking claw 65 is integrally formed radially outward.

  With this configuration, when the arms 64 and 64 of the outer cylinder portion 49 are fitted to the inner diameter of the support shaft portion 47 of the inner cylinder portion 42 against its elasticity, the locking claw 65 is locked to the mounting hole 63. The structure cannot be inadvertently separated.

  Next, the configuration of the case body 35 as the cartridge body will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 and 6.

  The case body 35 has a supply side upper cover portion 35a that is long in the left-right direction for covering the upper side of the winding portion on the supply side of the ink ribbon 27, and a left and right side for covering the upper side of the winding portion on the winding side of the ink ribbon 27. Long winding side upper cover part 35b, connecting pieces 52, 53 connecting left and right sides of supply side upper cover part 35a and left and right longitudinal winding side upper cover part 35b, and left and right side plate parts 51a, 51a. , 51b, 51b, and is integrally formed by injection molding of a synthetic resin material, for example. Accordingly, a portion surrounded by the supply-side upper cover portion 35a, the left and right longitudinal winding-side upper cover portion 35b, and the connecting pieces 52 and 53 on both the left and right sides becomes a window portion 54 from which the ink ribbon 27 is exposed. The roller-like platen 20 faces from the upper side of 54, and the printing stand 23, the thermal head 22, and the tension body 28 face from below the window portion 54.

  2, the right side plate 51b includes a supply-side right spool 36 that is detachably attached to the right ends of the two tubular bodies 40 and 41, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 6 (a). An open end type shaft support groove portion 55 is formed in which outer shafts 44 as the support shaft portions of the winding-side right spool 38 are loosely fitted.

  This one-end open type shaft support groove 55 is cut out so that the lower end is opened downward. Further, each outer shaft 44 is formed by an arcuate elastic release groove 56 extending in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral side of the shaft support groove portion 55 and an elastic release groove 57 that is long outward in the radial direction. Is pushed upward with its axis substantially intersecting the shaft support groove 55, the width dimension between the lower open groove edges 55a, 55a of each shaft support groove 55 is elastically expanded. The width dimension between the lower open groove edges 55a and 55a of each shaft support groove 55 is smaller than the diameter of each outer shaft 44 so that each outer shaft 44 does not fall off with respect to each shaft support groove 55 (FIG. 6 (a)). On the other hand, in the left side plate 51a in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 4B, a support shaft portion 47a in the supply-side left spool 37 detachably attached to the left end portions of the two tubular bodies 40 and 41 is loose. A round hole 66 that can be fitted and a round hole 67 in which the support shaft portion 47b of the winding side left spool 39 can be loosely fitted are formed. The diameter of the round hole 67 is formed larger than that of the round hole 66, and the support shaft portion 47 b of the winding side left spool 39 can be loosely fitted in the round hole 67, but each so that it does not enter the round hole 66. The diameter is set.

  The replacement operation of the ink ribbon 27 with this configuration will be described. First, in order to mount the winding side left spool 39 as a specific spool with a gear at the position of the round hole 67 in the left side plate 51a, the inner side of the left side plate 51a. The support shaft portion 47b of the inner cylinder portion 42 is fitted into the round hole 67 by bringing the flange portion 43 close to the arm portion 64, and then the arm 64 of the outer cylinder portion 49 with the gear 48 is connected to the support shaft portion 47b from the outside of the left side plate 51a. Are fitted into the inner diameter portion of the arm 64, the locking claw 65 at the tip of each arm 64 is locked in the mounting hole 63 in the inner cylinder portion 42, and the winding side left spool 39 is prevented from being detached from the side plate 51a.

  Next, the collar portion 43 of the inner cylinder portion 42 of the supply side left spool 37, which is a geared spool, is brought close to the support shaft portion 47a into the round hole 66, and then the gear 48 is attached from the outside of the left side plate 51a. When the arm 64 of the outer cylindrical portion 49 is fitted into the inner diameter portion of the support shaft portion 47a, the locking claw 65 at the tip of each arm 64 is locked to the mounting hole 63 in the inner cylindrical portion 42, and the supply side left The spool 37 will not come off.

  The winding left spool 39 having the support shaft portion 47b having a large diameter can be mounted only at the position of the round hole 67, which is a specific portion of the left side plate 51a, and cannot be mounted at other portions. A specific one spool, for example, a mounting position of the winding side left spool 39 with respect to the case main body 35 is specified (see FIGS. 3 and 4B). Since the center angle θ2 formed by the shaft centers of the two engaging claws 50, 50 in the winding side left spool 39 is approximately 120 degrees, 2 is formed at the left end of one tubular body 41 in the ink ribbon 27. Only the engagement grooves 61, 61 (having a center angle of about 120 degrees) can be fitted.

  On the other hand, since the center angle θ1 formed by the shafts of the two engaging claws 50 and 50 in the supply-side left spool 37 with a gear is 180 degrees, it is formed at the left end of the other tubular body 40 in the ink ribbon 27. Only the two engaging grooves 60, 60 (with a central angle of 180 degrees) can be fitted. Accordingly, the positional relationship between the left side of the ink ribbon 27 and the left side of the case body 35 can be specified and mounted without making a mistake in the front and back sides and the winding direction of the ink ribbon 27.

  Further, since the diameters of the support shaft portion 47a and the support shaft portion 47b in the supply side left spool 37 and the winding side left spool 39, which are spools with gears, are smaller than the diameters of the mounting holes 66 and 67, FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, the axes of the spools 37 and 39 can be inclined rather than perpendicular to the side plate 51a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the supply-side left spool 37 and the winding-side left spool 39 are removed from the case body 35 with the supply-side upper cover portion 35 a and the winding side 35 b of the case body 35 facing downward. In addition, the supply-side upper cover part 35a and the winding-side upper cover part 35b can be mounted without using the outer diameter of the winding of the ink ribbon 27.

  Next, either the supply-side right spool 36 or the take-up-side right spool 38 having the same center angle is mounted on the right side of the tubular bodies 40, 41 of the ink ribbon 27. Thereafter, the portion of the outer shaft 44 of the supply-side right spool 36 and the winding-side right spool 38 may be pushed into the shaft support groove portions 55, 55 in the right side plate 51b of the case body 35.

  When the ink ribbon cartridge 24 configured as described above is mounted on the left and right sides of the main body frame (not shown) of the facsimile apparatus 1, the positions of the connecting pieces 52, 53, etc. on the left and right sides of the case body 35 as the cartridge body are predetermined. Supported by posture. At this time, the inner diameter portions of the outer cylinder portions 49, 49 in the winding side left spool 39 and the supply side left spool 37 are rotatably supported by a shaft portion or the like protruding from the main body frame (not shown), and the gears. The portions 48 and 48 mesh with a power transmission gear (not shown), respectively, while the inner diameter portions of the outer shafts 44 and 44 in the supply-side right spool 36 and the take-up right spool 38 are axially extending from the main body frame side. It is fitted on a shaft portion (not shown) that is elastically projected.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 4B, the winding side left spool 39 and the supply side left spool 37 support the inner peripheral surfaces of the round holes 66 and 67 in the left side plate 51 a of the case body 35. The shaft portions 47a and 47b are arranged substantially concentrically. Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the outer shafts 44 and 44 projecting to the right side of the case body 35 are arranged substantially concentrically with the inner peripheral surface of each shaft support groove 55 in the right side plate 51b, and All the anti-spinning protrusions 46 on the outer periphery of the shafts 44, 44 are arranged so as not to interfere (not slidably contact) the inner peripheral surface of each shaft support groove 55.

  As a result, the supply side ribbon spool 25 and the take-up side ribbon spool 26 can rotate smoothly.

  On the other hand, when the user floats the case body 35 as the cartridge body in order to take out the ink ribbon cartridge 24 from the facsimile apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. The outer shafts 44 and 44 of the spool 36 and the winding side right spool 38 slide down to the lower open groove edges 55a and 55a side of the shaft support groove portions 55 of the side plate 51b. As a result, the ridge 46 on the outer peripheral surface of each outer shaft 44 is caught by the lower open groove edges 55a and 55a intersecting the arc-shaped inner peripheral surface of each shaft supporting groove portion 55, so that the spools 36 and 38 rotate carelessly. Therefore, the ink ribbon 27 wound around these spools does not loosen greatly.

  When the ink ribbon cartridge 24 is placed on a table (not shown) or the like with the supply-side upper cover portion 35a and the winding-side upper cover portion 35b facing upward, due to the weight of the case body 35 as the cartridge body, As a result of the shaft support groove portions 55 in the side plate 51b being lowered with respect to the outer shafts 44, 44 in the supply side right spool 36 and the winding side right spool 38, the elasticity of the upper side of the arcuate inner peripheral surface of each shaft support groove portion 55 Since the protrusion 46 on the outer periphery of the outer shaft 44 is caught at the crossing edge with the open groove 57, the spools 36 and 38 do not rotate carelessly, and the ink ribbon 27 does not loosen greatly at this time.

  Even if the ink ribbon cartridge 24 is placed on a table (not shown) or the like with the supply-side upper cover portion 35a and the winding-side upper cover portion 35b facing down, the spools 36 and 38 rotate as described above. do not do. FIG. 8B shows an enlarged example of the shape of the protrusion 46.

  In this way, when the ink ribbon cartridge is left alone on the table or when it is left alone on the table or when it is shaken by the operator, the spool around which the ink ribbon is wound is attached to the cartridge. Therefore, the ink ribbon does not rotate unintentionally and the ink ribbon can be prevented from slackening.

  As means for enabling the winding side left spool 39 as a specific spool to be attached to the predetermined portion of the case body 35 as the cartridge body without changing the position, instead of the above configuration or in addition to the above configuration, Part or all of the outer surface, inner surface, or both surfaces of the side plate 51a having the round hole 67 is colored or painted with a specific color (for example, red), and the corresponding spool 39 is colored or painted with the same color on a part or all of the same. On the other hand, the other three spools 36 to 38 are colored or painted green or the like (a color different from the red color) on a part or all of them. Moreover, if the left end of the tube body 41 is also colored or painted in red, the operator can place the ink ribbon 27 in the cartridge main body with the front and back sides and the winding direction correct by arranging the parts (components) of the same color. It is extremely easy to attach to the case main body 35. In addition, the left and right side plates of the case body may be colored or painted in different colors.

When replacing the used ink ribbon, it is very economical because the spools 36 to 39 on both the left and right sides can be removed from the tubes 40 and 41 around which the ink ribbon 27 is wound and replaced with new ones.
In the above embodiment, the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is used in a facsimile machine. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be used in a printer, a copying machine, or a device having a plurality of functions thereof.

1 is a side sectional view of a facsimile machine. It is a top view of an ink ribbon cartridge. It is a back view of an ink ribbon cartridge. (A) is a right side view of the ink ribbon cartridge, and (b) is a left side view of the ink ribbon cartridge. (A) is a partially cutaway front view of one spool, (b) is a left side view of FIG. 5 (a). (A) is a partially cut-away right side view of the ink ribbon cartridge in a state where the spool is displaced downward below the shaft support groove, and (b) is an enlarged side view of the protrusion. (A) is sectional drawing of the outer cylinder part in a spool with a gear, (b) is a right view of an outer cylinder part. (A) is sectional drawing of the inner cylinder part in a spool with a gearwheel, (b) is a sectional view taken on the line aa of FIG. 8 (a). It is sectional drawing of the state which mounted | wore the inner cylinder part and the outer cylinder part on both sides of the side plate. FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway front view showing an ink ribbon mounting operation.

Explanation of symbols

24 Ink Ribbon Cartridge 27 Ink Ribbon 35 Case Body 36 to 39 as Cartridge Body 36 to 39 Spool 40, 41 Tubing 42 Inner Cylindrical Part 43 Gutter 44 Outer Shaft as Support Shaft 46 Joint pawl 51a, 51b Side plate 55 Shaft support groove 60, 61 Engaging groove 63 Mounting hole 66, 67 Round hole

Claims (6)

A pair of tubes, and a sheet-like ink ribbon wound around the tubes;
Four spools that are detachably attached to the end faces of the pair of tubes;
In the ink ribbon cartridge comprising the cartridge main body on which the shaft portions of the four spools are rotatably supported and the pair of tubes are mounted via the spools,
One end face of the four end faces of the pair of tubular bodies is formed in a specific color different from the other end faces, and a spool mounted on the end face of the specific color is formed in the same color as the specific color. A featured ink ribbon cartridge. Each of the four spools is provided with two engaging claws. The two engaging claws in the spool of the specific color are different from the two engaging claws in the other three spools. The center angle with the mind is set to be different,
Two engagement grooves are formed on each of the four end faces of the pair of tubular bodies, and two engagement grooves on the end faces corresponding to the spool of the specific color among the four end faces 2. The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the two engagement grooves on the three end faces are set so as to have different center angles with the axis of the tube body.   The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the specific color spool is attached to the cartridge body so as not to be detached.   4. The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a round hole portion of the cartridge main body that supports a shaft portion of the spool of the specific color is formed in the same color as the specific color. It consists of a pair of tubes and sheet-like ink ribbons wound around the tubes, and rotates to the left and right side plates of the cartridge body via four spools that are detachably attached to the left and right ends of each tube. In the ink ribbon set that can be installed freely,
An ink ribbon set, wherein an end face of the tubular body to which a spool formed in a specific color different from other spools among the four spools is mounted is formed in the same color as the specific color.   Two engagement grooves are formed on each of the four end faces of the pair of tubular bodies, and two engagement grooves on the end face of the specific color among the four end faces are formed on the other three end faces. The two engaging grooves are set so that the central angles formed with the axis of the tube body are different, and are configured to engage only with the engaging claws provided on the spool formed in the specific color. The ink ribbon set according to claim 5, wherein

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