JP2011121338A - Tape cartridge and tape printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape cartridge and a tape printing apparatus which can create a mask for exposing a print surface formation part of a stamp and a print surface check label by a simple structure and by a simple procedure. <P>SOLUTION: A tape sheet 30 and an ink ribbon 40 to be subjected to thermal transfer printing are housed. A mask image 61 for exposing an impression image 60 to the print surface formation part 3 of a stamp material 1 is formed on the ink ribbon 40 by a printing operation. The ink ribbon is fed from a cartridge case 12. The seal image 60 of the print surface check label 33 attached to a back surface 7 of the stamp material 1 is formed by a printing operation on the tape sheet 30. A special tape cartridge 10 fed from the cartridge case 12 and a general-purpose tape cartridge 100 in which a printed ink ribbon R is wound up in a cartridge case 101 are attachable/detachable in a tape printing apparatus 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tape cartridge and a tape printer to which the tape cartridge is mounted.

Conventionally, as a technique for creating a stamp surface formation part using thermal transfer printing technology, a stamp imprint pattern (a seal image) is thermally transferred and printed on a printing paper ribbon (tape-like member) via an ink ribbon. A seal creation device (stamp creation device) is known in which a thermal transfer portion is used as a negative film (mask) for exposing a resin-made marking surface member, while a printed portion of a printing paper ribbon is used for confirmation of an imprint pattern (patent) Reference 1).
This impression creating apparatus includes a printing mechanism and an ultraviolet irradiation mechanism. The printing paper ribbon and the ink ribbon are overlapped and wound around the supply reel, and after the thermal transfer printing is performed by the printing mechanism, the printing paper ribbon is discharged to the outside of the impression making device, while the ink ribbon is the printing paper. After being separated from the ribbon and sent to the irradiation position of the ultraviolet irradiation mechanism, it is taken up on a take-up reel.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-303396

  However, since the above-mentioned seal stamp creating apparatus is equipped with an ultraviolet irradiation mechanism, an image reading unit, etc. in addition to a printing mechanism for creating a mask for exposing the stamp surface forming section and a stamp surface confirmation label, the apparatus is complicated. There has been a problem of increasing the size and size.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge and a tape printing apparatus capable of creating a mask and a printing surface confirmation label for exposing a stamping surface forming unit with a simple configuration and a simple procedure.

  The tape cartridge of the present invention is a tape cartridge in which a tape-like member and an ink ribbon, which are detachably attached to a tape printer and are thermally transferred by the tape printer, are accommodated in a cartridge case, and the ink ribbon is thermally transferred. As a result, a mask image for exposing an impression image is formed on the stamp surface forming portion of the stamp material and sent out from the cartridge case, and the tape-like member is imprinted on the stamp confirmation label attached to the back surface of the stamp material by thermal transfer printing. An image is formed and sent out from the cartridge case.

  According to the above configuration, the mask for exposing the stamp surface forming portion of the stamp material by utilizing the printing function of the tape printer by mounting the tape cartridge on a tape printer that can be used for purposes other than stamp production. And a stamp confirmation label can be created. Further, since a mask (an ink ribbon on which a mask image is formed) is sent out from the cartridge case, a stamp can be created by an external device using this mask. For example, it is possible to create a stamp by separately exposing the printing surface forming unit through the mask with a simple exposure machine.

  In this case, it is preferable that the ink ribbon is accommodated in the ribbon accommodating portion of the tape cartridge so as to be freely drawn out while being wound around the core.

  According to said structure, according to the printing operation of a printing apparatus, while being able to draw out an ink ribbon continuously, the mask according to the seal image of various length can be created.

  In this case, it is preferable that the tape-like member is detachably attached to the tape accommodating portion of the tape cartridge.

  Furthermore, in this case, it is preferable that the tape housing portion has a mounting opening for attaching and detaching the tape-like member from the tape width direction.

  According to said structure, a user can select the tape-shaped member used as the stamp face confirmation label of a stamp material according to a user preference or a specification of a stamp material. For example, a roll-shaped tape-shaped member may be mounted, or a strip-shaped tape-shaped member may be mounted.

  In these cases, it is preferable that the tape-shaped member has a length corresponding to one stamp face confirmation label.

According to the above configuration, it is not necessary for the user to cut the printed tape-like member, so that the stamp face confirmation label can be easily created.
In addition, it is good also as a structure which gives the half-cut corresponding to the magnitude | size of the back surface of a stamp raw material to the tape-shaped member which has the length of 1 stamp face confirmation label, and a user peels off the stamp image part with an adhesive.

  A tape printer according to the present invention is a tape printer in which the above tape cartridge is detachably mounted, and printing by thermal transfer is performed on the tape-like member via the ink ribbon while feeding the tape-like member and the ink ribbon. Printing means for performing, tape position detection means for detecting the position of the tape-like member with respect to the printing means, and control means for driving the printing means based on the detection result of the tape position detection means. .

According to said structure, the mask for exposing the stamp surface formation part of a stamp and a label confirmation label can be produced with a simple structure. Furthermore, by driving the tape position detecting means and the printing means, an impression image can be appropriately printed at a desired position on the tape-like member, and a suitable stamp confirmation label can be created. Further, when the user attaches the tape-like member to the tape cartridge, it is not necessary to pay attention to match the printing position, which is convenient.
Note that the position of the tape-shaped member is preferably detected by an opening provided at or near the tip of the tape-shaped member.

It is an external perspective view of a stamp material. It is an external perspective view of a tape printer, a general-purpose tape cartridge, and a special tape cartridge. It is an external appearance perspective view of a special tape cartridge. It is a front view of a tape sheet and an exposure mask. It is a front view of the tape sheet which concerns on other embodiment. It is the external appearance perspective view (a) of the tape printer which concerns on other embodiment, and the model enlarged view (b) around the tape delivery opening | mouth of a special tape cartridge.

  Hereinafter, a tape cartridge and a tape printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This tape printer is a device that draws out a print tape and an ink ribbon from a general-purpose tape cartridge that has been mounted, and performs thermal transfer printing to create a desired label. On the other hand, this tape printer is used to be described later. It is possible to mount a special tape cartridge capable of producing a stamp face confirmation label and a mask for mask face exposure.

  First, a stamp material 1 for creating a stamp using a stamp confirmation label and an exposure mask according to the present embodiment will be described. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the stamp material 1 includes a stamp base 2 formed of a resin or the like, and a stamp face forming portion 3 detachably attached to one end face of the stamp base 2. The stamping surface forming unit 3 includes a light-curing resin layer 4 that is cured by light including ultraviolet rays, a non-reactive resin layer 5 that is not affected by ultraviolet rays, and a thin sponge layer 6 that serves as a cushioning material at the time of stamping. It is glued. The stamp face is formed by exposing the photo-curing resin layer 4 adhered to the most surface through an exposure mask. Further, a stamp confirmation label is attached to the back surface 7 of the stamp base 2 to create a so-called stamp.

  Although not shown in particular, the stamp producing apparatus that exposes the stamp surface forming unit 3 may be a light source including ultraviolet rays, for example, a device that uses sunlight, or the like, and the stamp substrate 2 is mounted as it is, or the stamp surface. Although only the formation part 3 is attached and exposure is performed, any may be used.

  Next, the tape printer 20 will be described with reference to FIG. The tape printer 20 is configured so that the special tape cartridge (tape cartridge) 10 and the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 for creating a stamp according to the present embodiment can be mounted. When the special tape cartridge 10 is mounted, the tape printer 20 is used for creating a stamp. When the stamp confirmation label 33 and the exposure mask 44 (see FIG. 4) are created and the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 is mounted, a tape label is created. Hereinafter, the tape printer 20 to which the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 is mounted will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the tape printer 20 has an outer case formed by a device case 21, and a keyboard 22 having various input keys is arranged on the front upper surface of the device case 21, and on the rear upper surface, An opening / closing lid 23 is attached to the left portion, and a display screen 24 for displaying an input result input by the user using the keyboard 22 is disposed on the right portion. A cartridge mounting portion 25 for mounting the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 is recessed inside the opening / closing lid 23, and the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 is detachable from the cartridge mounting portion 25 with the opening / closing lid 23 opened. It is attached to.

  On the left side of the device case 21 is formed a tape discharge port 26 that communicates the cartridge mounting portion 25 with the outside. The tape discharge port 26 has a cutter 27 (for cutting the printing tape T that has been fed out. Cutting means). Then, the printed printing tape T is fed out from the tape outlet 26 by a predetermined length, and after the feeding is temporarily stopped, the printed printing tape T is cut by the cutter 27 so that the strip-shaped label is formed. Created.

  The cartridge mounting unit 25 winds up a head unit 53 (printing means) in which a thermal type print head 52 is built in a head cover 51, a platen drive shaft 54 facing the print head 52, and an ink ribbon R described later. A winding drive shaft 55 and a positioning projection 56 of the tape body 102 described later are provided upright. A gear train for rotating the platen drive shaft 54 and the take-up drive shaft 55 and a tape feed motor (not shown) are incorporated below the cartridge mounting portion 25. Further, the tape printer 20 is provided with a control device (control means, not shown) that comprehensively controls the drive of the print head 52, the tape feed motor, and the cutter 27.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 has a tape body 102 in which a printing tape T having a certain width is wound around a tape core in an upper center portion inside the cartridge case 101, and an ink ribbon R at a lower right portion as a ribbon core. The wound ribbon body 103 is accommodated, and the printing tape T and the ink ribbon R are formed with the same width. A through-hole 104 into which the head cover 51 that covers the head unit 53 is inserted is formed in the lower left portion of the tape body 102. Further, the portion of the through hole 104 corresponds to a portion where the printing tape T and the ink ribbon R overlap, and in the vicinity of the through hole 104, there is a platen roller 105 that is fitted to the platen drive shaft 54 and rotationally driven. Is arranged. On the other hand, a ribbon take-up core 106 which is fitted to the take-up drive shaft 55 and is driven to rotate is disposed in the vicinity of the ribbon body 103, and the ink ribbon R fed out from the ribbon body 103 circulates around the head cover 51. The ribbon is wound on the ribbon winding core 106.

  When the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 25, the through hole 104 is formed in the head cover 51, the center hole of the tape body 102 is positioned on the positioning protrusion 56, and the center hole of the ribbon winding core 106 is positioned on the winding drive shaft 55. Each is inserted, and the print head 52 abuts against the platen roller 105 with the print tape T and the ink ribbon R interposed therebetween, and printing becomes possible. Thereafter, when the user inputs a desired text or image using the keyboard 22 and instructs printing, the print head 52 performs thermal transfer printing on the printing tape T. The ink ribbon R wraps around the through-hole 104 and is taken up by the ribbon take-up core 106. The printed portion of the printing tape T is sent to the outside from the tape discharge port 26 at any time. The position of the tape end including the minute is sent to the position of the cutter 27. Therefore, the feeding is stopped and the printing tape is cut.

  Next, the special tape cartridge 10 that is a feature of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As described above, the special tape cartridge 10 is used to create the stamp face confirmation label 33 and the exposure mask 44, and has almost the same shape as the general-purpose tape cartridge 100.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the special tape cartridge 10 has an outer shell formed by a resin-made cartridge case 12 having an upper case 12a and a lower case 12b having a circular opening 11 (mounting opening) on the upper surface. Yes. In this case, the lower case 12 b has substantially the same shape as the lower half of the cartridge case 101 (a portion corresponding to the lower case 12 b) of the general-purpose tape cartridge 100, and the upper case 12 a is above the cartridge case 101 of the general-purpose tape cartridge 100. The shape is different from the half (the portion corresponding to the upper case 12a). Further, the special tape cartridge 10 is a case where a user sets a tape sheet 30 (tape-like member) corresponding to the printing tape T, and the printed tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 accommodated in the cartridge case 12 are simultaneously placed in the case. It is designed to be sent out.

  Therefore, when the special tape cartridge 10 is mounted in the tape printer 20, the tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 are fed out from the tape discharge port 26 through the cutter 27 by the printing operation, and the tape sheet is drawn by the cutter 27. The ink ribbon 40 is cut so as to be approximately the same length as 30. Furthermore, the ink ribbon 40 of the special tape cartridge 10 is preferably formed thicker than the ink ribbon R of the general-purpose tape cartridge 100.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the special tape cartridge 10 includes a tape housing portion 13 in which a strip-shaped tape sheet 30 is set from the width direction immediately below the opening 11 of the upper case 12a. Below the tape housing portion 13, as with the general-purpose tape cartridge 100, a ribbon body 42 in which an ink ribbon 40 is wound around a ribbon core 41 is housed on the right side (ribbon housing portion), and a head unit 53 is placed on the left side. A through hole 14 for inserting the covering head cover 51 is formed. Furthermore, a platen roller 16 that is fitted to the platen drive shaft 54 and is driven to rotate is disposed corresponding to the portion where the head unit 53 and the tape sheet 30 inserted into the through hole 14 and the ink ribbon 40 overlap. On the other hand, a take-up receiving portion 43 into which the take-up drive shaft 55 is simply inserted is located in the lower left where the ink ribbon body 42 is accommodated, and the tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 are placed in the vicinity of the left side of the through hole 14 and the platen roller 16. A delivery port 15 that is delivered to the outside of the case 12 is formed.

  The tape accommodating portion 13 is formed at a position corresponding to the tape body 102 accommodated in the general-purpose tape cartridge 100, and a positioning receiving portion 19 with which the positioning projection 56 engages is integrated with the lower case 12b at the center. (Same as the general-purpose tape cartridge 100). Further, a tape guide pin 17 that guides the tape sheet 30 to the platen roller 16 is provided at the lower left portion of the tape housing portion 13, and the user inserts the tape sheet 30 in the width direction from the opening 11, and the tape guide pin 17 and the ribbon core 41 It is set so as to be slid between the ink ribbon 40 reaching the delivery port 15. At this time, it is preferable that the user adjusts the set position of the tape sheet 30 by aligning the end of the tape sheet 30 with a finger in accordance with the end of the ink ribbon 40 slightly protruding from the delivery port 15.

  The ink ribbon 40 is a film material coated with a heat-meltable ink that is thicker than the ink ribbon R of the general-purpose tape cartridge 100. As described above, the ribbon body 42 wound around the ribbon core 41 is used as the ribbon body 42. The ribbon core 41 is accommodated rotatably by a cylindrical bearing portion (not shown) protruding inward from at least one of the lower case 12b and the upper case 12a. Further, ribbon guide pins 18 a and 18 b for guiding the ink ribbon 40 fed from the ribbon core 41 to the platen roller 16 are provided near the left side of the ribbon body 42 and the right side of the platen roller 16. When the platen roller 16 is driven to rotate, the ribbon core 41 rotates and the end of the ink ribbon 40 is fed out to reach the platen roller 16 via the ribbon guide pins 18a and 18b. Although not shown, an annular leaf spring is interposed between the ribbon core 41 and the upper case 12a so as to brake the rotation of the ribbon core 41 and apply tension to the ink ribbon 40.

  The take-up receiving portion 43 is a hole formed in the lower case 12b at the position corresponding to the ribbon take-up core 106 of the general-purpose tape cartridge 100 (same as the general-purpose tape cartridge 100), and the take-up drive shaft 25 is inserted therein. The The take-up receiving portion 43 is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of the take-up drive shaft 25. When the take-up drive shaft 25 is attached to the tape printer 20, the take-up drive shaft 25 is idled and the ink ribbon 40 fed out from the ribbon core 41 is used. Is configured to be sent out from the delivery port 15 without being wound in the cartridge case 12.

  When the special tape cartridge 10 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 25, the through hole 14 is formed in the head cover 51, the center hole of the positioning receiving portion 19 is positioned on the positioning protrusion 56, and the center hole of the winding receiving portion 43 is positioned on the winding drive shaft 55. Are inserted, and the print head 52 comes into contact with the platen roller 105 with the tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 interposed therebetween, and printing becomes possible. Thereafter, when a printing instruction is issued, the tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 are fed out from the special tape cartridge 10. Here, thermal transfer printing is performed on the tape sheet 30 via the ink ribbon 40 by selectively driving the heating elements of the print head 52. Then, the strip-shaped tape sheet 30 is discharged outside the apparatus, and only the printed portion of the ink ribbon 40 is discharged outside the apparatus and cut by the cutter 27.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 4, the stamp confirmation label 33 and the exposure mask 44 created by the special tape cartridge 10 and the tape printer 20 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4A, the tape sheet 30 is a strip-shaped tape piece, has a shape corresponding to the back surface 7 of the stamp base 2, and includes a label forming unit 31 on which a stamp seal image 60 is printed. Have. The label forming unit 31 has a peripheral cut 32 that is half-cut and has a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and becomes a stamp confirmation label 33 when the user peels it off after printing.

  Instead of the tape sheet 30, a ribbon-like printing tape that does not have the label forming portion 31 may be used. That is, the printing tape and the ink ribbon 40 are mounted in advance on the special tape cartridge 10, and the printed printing tape is cut together with the ink ribbon 40. You may make it cut according to.

  FIG. 4B shows an ink ribbon 40 that has been thermally transferred and cut together with the tape sheet 30. The ink portion thermally transferred by the print head 52 becomes transparent, and a blank image (mask image 61) of the stamp seal image 60 is formed, which becomes an exposure mask 44 for exposing the stamp surface forming portion 3 of the stamp material 1. .

  Next, a stamp creation procedure will be described. First, the user sets a tape sheet 30 serving as a mount for the stamp confirmation label 33 corresponding to the desired stamp material 1 in the tape accommodating portion 13 of the special tape cartridge 10. At this time, the ends of the tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 coming out from the tape discharge port 26 are aligned with fingers, and the special tape cartridge 10 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 25 of the tape printer 20 in this state. Then, the user inputs image information of the seal image 60 using the keyboard 22 and issues a print instruction. The tape printer 20 prints the seal image 60 on the tape sheet 30 and cuts it, whereby the printed tape sheet 30 and the ink ribbon 40 are discharged.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the label forming portion 31 of the tape sheet 30 on which the seal image 60 is printed is peeled off and attached to the back surface 7 of the stamp base 2 as a stamp confirmation label 33. On the other hand, using the discharged printed ink ribbon 40 as an exposure mask 44, the stamp surface forming portion 3 of the stamp material 1 is exposed to form a seal image 60 on the stamp surface forming portion 3. By this exposure, the stamp image 60 formed on the stamp surface forming unit 3 is cured, and the portion other than the stamp image 60 is washed to complete the stamp.

  Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. In the above-described embodiment, the end of the tape sheet 30 set in the special tape cartridge 10 is aligned with the end of the ink ribbon 40 by the user, but in this embodiment, the position inspection unit is attached to the tape sheet. Furthermore, the tape printing apparatus is provided with a tape position detecting means, and the tape sheet can be automatically set at an appropriate printing position. In the following description of the present embodiment, the same components as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the tape sheet 300 has a position detection unit 301 on each outer side of the label forming unit 31 in the longitudinal direction. These position detection units 301 are openings for detecting the printing position of the tape sheet 300 by an optical sensor of the detection unit 201 described later, and the two position detection units 301 are arranged vertically in the tape width direction. Thus, the print position can be detected regardless of which end of the tape sheet 30 is set.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the tape position detecting means 201 is built in the tape printer 200 so as to face the tape discharge port 26 further downstream of the cutter 27. The tape position detecting means 201 is composed of a transmissive or reflective photosensor 202 (photosensor) composed of, for example, a light emitting element and a light receiving element.

  At the start of printing, the special tape cartridge 10 in which the tape sheet 300 is set is mounted on the tape printer 200, and when the user inputs image information of the seal image 60 using the keyboard 22 and instructs printing, the tape sheet 300 is sent. When the position detection unit 301 of the tape sheet 300 is detected by the photosensor 202, so-called cueing is performed and transmitted to the control device. The control device drives the print head 52 after sending a predetermined number of steps. . The distance between the position detection unit 301 of the tape sheet 300 and the tip of the label forming unit 31 is equal to the distance between the photosensor 202 and the print head 52, and when the control device starts printing, The seal image 60 is configured to be printed at an appropriate position.

  Further, the tape position detecting means 201 can be used for recognizing the cut position of the ink ribbon 40 at the end of printing. At this time, the cutter 27 is driven after the photosensor 202 detects the tail end of the tape sheet 30. That is, when the tail end of the tape sheet 30 is detected by the photosensor 202, the detection signal is transmitted to the control device, and the control device drives the cutter 27. Furthermore, while the photo sensor 202 detects the presence of the tape sheet 30, the drive of the cutter 27 is interlocked. Therefore, only the ink ribbon 40 can be cut without cutting the tape sheet 300 by mistake.

  In this embodiment, instead of the tape sheet 300, a dedicated tape in which the tape sheets 300 are connected may be used. That is, the special tape and the ink ribbon 40 are mounted in advance on the special tape cartridge 10, and the position detection unit 301 controls the feeding of the special tape (and the ink ribbon 40).

  According to the above configuration, the stamp printing face confirmation label 33 and the exposure mask 44 can be created by the tape printing apparatus 20 that can be used for normal tape printing, requiring a complicated apparatus and a new operation procedure. You can easily create stamps. Further, since the printing position of the tape sheet 30 and the cutting timing of the ink ribbon 40 are automatically adjusted by the tape position detecting means 201, the user can more easily make the stamp confirmation label 33 and the exposure mask for creating the stamp. 44 can be created.

  1: Stamp material 3: Marking surface forming part 10: Special tape cartridge 12, 101: Cartridge case 16, 105: Platen roller 20, 200: Tape printer 27: Cutter 30, 300: Tape sheet 33: Marking confirmation label 40, R : Ink ribbon 44: Mask for exposure 52: Print head 60: Seal image 100: General-purpose tape cartridge

Claims (6)

A tape cartridge in which a tape-like member and an ink ribbon, which are detachably mounted on a tape printer and thermally transferred by the tape printer, are housed in a cartridge case,
The ink ribbon is formed by the thermal transfer printing to form a mask image for exposing an impression image on the stamp surface forming portion of the stamp material, and is sent out from the cartridge case.
The tape cartridge is characterized in that an impression image of a printing surface confirmation label attached to the stamp material is formed by the thermal transfer printing, and is sent out from the cartridge case.   2. The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink ribbon is housed in a ribbon housing portion of the tape cartridge so that the ink ribbon can be fed out in a state of being wound around a core.   The tape cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the tape-like member is detachably attached to a tape housing portion of the tape cartridge.   The tape cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the tape housing portion has a mounting opening for attaching and detaching the tape-like member from the tape width direction.   5. The tape cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the tape-shaped member has a length corresponding to one of the seal face confirmation labels. The tape cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the tape cartridge is detachably mounted.
Printing means for performing printing by thermal transfer on the tape-like member through the ink ribbon while feeding the tape-like member and the ink ribbon;
Tape position detecting means for detecting the position of the tape-like member with respect to the printing means;
A tape printing apparatus comprising: control means for driving the printing means based on a detection result of the tape position detecting means.

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