JP2011235460A - Ink ribbon cassette, and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink ribbon cassette applying tension on an ink ribbon and suppressing sagging of the ink ribbon.SOLUTION: The ink ribbon cassette 1A includes a delivering side ribbon core 11 around which the ink ribbon 10 is wound, a winding side ribbon core 12 by which the ink ribbon 10 delivered from the ribbon core 11 is wound up, a guide roller 13 guiding the ink ribbon 10 delivered from the ribbon core 11, a guide roller 14 guiding the ink ribbon 10 wound up by the ribbon core 12, and a sagging removing lever 19 having a friction member 20 contacting the ink ribbon 10 delivered from the ribbon core 11 and guided by the guide roller 13 and deflecting to the direction returning the ink ribbon 10 from a ribbon draw out part 18.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette in which an ink ribbon is accommodated, and a printer to which the ink ribbon cassette is detachably attached.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a thermal transfer type printer using a thermal head as a printing unit has been proposed in which an ink ribbon cassette is detachably mounted. The ink ribbon cassette includes a ribbon core on the feeding side around which the ink ribbon is wound, and a ribbon core on the winding side that winds up the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon core on the feeding side.

  A printer equipped with an ink ribbon cassette has a configuration in which a platen roller that conveys a print medium and a print head such as a thermal head that performs printing are arranged to face each other. When the print medium is loaded, the platen roller or the print head is retracted. Thus, the print medium is mounted between the platen roller and the print head.

  A conventional ink ribbon cassette has a configuration that suppresses the rotation of the ribbon core when the ink ribbon cassette is not attached to the printer, and a technique has been proposed to prevent the ink ribbon from sagging when the ink ribbon cassette is handled alone ( For example, see Patent Document 1).

  Further, a configuration has been proposed in which a tension limiter is applied to the ink ribbon by providing a torque limiter on the ribbon core.

Japanese Patent No. 4378911

  In conventional ink ribbon cassettes, a torque limiter is provided on the ribbon core around which the ink ribbon is wound. Therefore, when the winding diameter of the ink ribbon changes, the ink ribbon expands and contracts due to fluctuations in the torque applied to the shaft. And the printing distance to the printing medium varies.

  For this reason, a configuration has also been proposed in which a friction member is brought into contact with the conveyed ink ribbon and tension is applied.

  However, in the printer in which the ink ribbon cassette is mounted, in the configuration in which the platen roller or the print head is retracted for mounting the print medium, the ink ribbon pulled out from the ink ribbon cassette and sandwiched between the platen roller and the print head is Sag.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ink ribbon cassette and a printer that apply tension to the ink ribbon and suppress the occurrence of slack in the ink ribbon.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a first winding member around which an ink ribbon is wound, a second winding member around which an ink ribbon fed from the first winding member is wound, From the first guide member for guiding the ink ribbon fed out from the first winding member, the second guide member for guiding the ink ribbon wound up by the second winding member, and the first winding member The ink ribbon is returned from a ribbon drawing portion that has a friction member that contacts the ink ribbon that is fed out and guided by the first guide member and exposes the ink ribbon between the first guide member and the second guide member. It is an ink ribbon cassette provided with the slack removal member displaced in the direction.

  Further, the present invention provides an ink ribbon cassette containing an ink ribbon, a ribbon holder portion to which the ink ribbon cassette is detachably attached, a conveying means for running the printing medium, and a printing medium and the ink ribbon sandwiched between the conveying means. The printing unit that performs printing on the printing medium conveyed by the conveying unit, and the printing unit or the conveying unit are moved in a direction to be separated from each other, the printing unit or the conveying unit is retracted, and the printing unit and the conveying unit are The ink ribbon cassette includes a first winding member around which the ink ribbon is wound, and an ink ribbon fed out from the first winding member. 2 winding members, a first guide member for guiding the ink ribbon fed out from the first winding member, and a second A second guide member that guides the ink ribbon that is wound around the winding member; and a friction member that comes out of the first winding member and contacts the ink ribbon that is guided by the first guide member. The printer includes a slack removing member that is displaced in a direction in which the ink ribbon is returned from a ribbon drawing portion that exposes the ink ribbon between the guide member and the second guide member.

  In the present invention, the ink ribbon is pulled out from the ink ribbon cassette by the operation of sandwiching the ink ribbon and the print medium between the conveying unit and the printing unit. The slack removing member is displaced in the direction in which the ink ribbon is returned from the ribbon drawer by the operation of retracting the conveying means or the printing means, whereby the ink ribbon is drawn into the ink ribbon cassette, and the occurrence of slack is suppressed.

  The slack removing member is in contact with the ink ribbon by the friction member, and the slip of the ink ribbon is suppressed when the slack removing member is displaced. Further, tension is applied to the ink ribbon by the slack eliminating member.

  According to the present invention, the function of removing the slack of the ink ribbon and the function of applying the tension are realized by the slack eliminating member, so that the variation in the print distance of the ink ribbon can be achieved regardless of the change in the winding diameter of the ink ribbon. It can be suppressed. Further, the occurrence of sagging of the ink ribbon can be suppressed. Compared to a configuration in which the function to apply tension to the ink ribbon and the function to take up the slack of the ink ribbon are realized with independent components, the mounting space for the components is small, and the size is the same as that of the existing ink ribbon cassette. Ink ribbon cassettes having the function of removing slack of the ink ribbon and the function of applying tension can be provided.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment. It is a top view which shows an example of the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the slack removal lever of this Embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows an example of the slack removal lever of this Embodiment. It is a top view which shows an example of a structure of the tape / tube printer of this Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows an example of a structure of the tape / tube printer of this Embodiment. 1 is an external perspective view showing an example of a tape / tube printer of the present embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows an example of operation | movement of the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment. It is a top view which shows an example of operation | movement of the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of operation | movement of the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment. It is a top view which shows an example of operation | movement of the tape / tube printer in which the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment was set. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of operation | movement of the tape / tube printer in which the ink ribbon cassette of this Embodiment was set.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printer to which an ink ribbon cassette and an ink ribbon cassette of the present invention are detachably attached will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Configuration example of ink ribbon cassette according to the present embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the ink ribbon cassette of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the ink ribbon cassette of the present embodiment.

  In the ink ribbon cassette 1A of the present embodiment, a feeding-side ribbon core 11 as a first winding member around which the ink ribbon 10 is wound, and a second ink ribbon 10 that is fed from the feeding-side ribbon core 11 is wound. The ribbon core 12 on the winding side is provided as a winding member.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A also includes a guide roller 13 as a first guide member that guides the ink ribbon 10 that is fed from the ribbon core 11, and a guide as a second guide member that guides the ink ribbon 10 that is wound around the ribbon core 12. A roller 14 is provided.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A includes a case 15 having a shape in which the ribbon core 11 and the ribbon core 12 are accommodated in parallel, and the ribbon core 11 and the ribbon core 12 are rotatably attached to the case 15.

  Further, in the ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A, a feeding-side guide portion 16 that protrudes along the transport path of the ink ribbon 10 that is fed from the ribbon core 11 is formed in the case 15, and the guide roller 13 is rotatably attached to the tip of the guide portion 16. It is done.

  Further, in the ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A, a winding-side guide portion 17 that protrudes along the conveyance path of the ink ribbon 10 wound around the ribbon core 12 is formed in the case 15, and the guide roller 14 can be rotated at the tip of the guide portion 17. Attached to.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A includes a ribbon pull-out portion 18 configured by a space formed between the guide portion 16 on the feeding side and the guide portion 17 on the take-up side. In the ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A, the ink ribbon 10 that is drawn out from the ribbon core 11 and wound around the ribbon core 12 is exposed between the guide roller 13 and the guide roller 14 and exposed to the ribbon drawer 18.

  When the ink ribbon cassette 1A is set in a tape / tube printer, which will be described later, the thermal head is inserted into the ribbon drawer 18, and the ink ribbon 10 is sandwiched between the thermal head and the platen roller. 10 is pulled out from the ribbon drawer 18. Further, by driving the ribbon core 12 on the winding side, the ink ribbon 10 is wound around the ribbon core 12, the ink ribbon 10 is fed out from the ribbon core 11, and the ink ribbon 10 is conveyed.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A includes a slack removing lever 19 as a slack removing member that takes a slack of the ink ribbon 10 pulled out from the ribbon drawer 18 and applies tension to the ink ribbon 10 fed out from the ribbon core 11.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A is fed from the upstream conveyance path of the feed-out guide roller 13 in the conveyance direction of the ink ribbon 10, i.e., from the ribbon core 11, and is guided to the ribbon drawer 18 by the guide roller 13. The slack removal lever 19 is provided in the conveyance path.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1A has a slack removal lever 19 supported by a shaft 19a and attached to the case 15, and a ribbon core 11 and a guide roller 13 at one end of the slack removal lever 19 that is displaced by a rotation operation with the shaft 19a as a fulcrum. A friction member 20 in contact with the ink ribbon 10 therebetween.

  In addition, the ink ribbon cassette 1A is attached to the slack take-off lever 19 with a spring 19b as a pressing member constituted by, for example, a torsion coil spring that is elastically deformed by a rotation operation with the shaft 19a of the slack take-off lever 19 as a fulcrum.

  In the ink ribbon cassette 1A, the slack removing lever 19 is pressed by the force restored by the elastically deformed spring 19b, and the slack removing lever 19 returns the ink ribbon 10 of the ribbon pull-out portion 18 by the rotation operation with the shaft 19a as a fulcrum. Displace.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the slack removing lever of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the slack removing lever of the present embodiment. Next, the slack removing of the present embodiment is shown. Details of the lever will be described.

  The slack eliminating lever 19 includes a main body portion 21 supported by a shaft 19 a, and the friction member 20 is attached to the main body portion 21. As shown in FIG. 4, the friction member 20 includes a first friction member 22 attached to the main body 21 and a second friction member 23 disposed to face the first friction member 22.

  The first friction member 22 is configured in a flat plate shape with a length in contact with the entire width of the ink ribbon 10. The second friction member 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a length in contact with the entire width of the ink ribbon 10. The first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 are made of a material having a predetermined friction coefficient, for example, urethane rubber or urethane foam.

  The 1st friction member 22 is attached to one edge part of the main-body part 21 on the opposite side to the side supported by the axis | shaft 19a. The main body portion 21 is formed with convex portions 21 a on both sides of the first friction member 22 along the conveying direction of the ink ribbon 10 at a height protruding from the surface of the first friction member 22.

  The second friction member 23 is supported by the frame portion 24 at both ends in the length direction, and is attached to the main body portion 21 so as not to rotate in opposition to the first friction member 22.

  In the sagging lever 19, the ink ribbon 10 is sandwiched between the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23. The sagging lever 19 has convex portions 21a on both sides of the first friction member 22, and the ink ribbon 10 sandwiched between the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 is formed by the convex portions 21a. By bending, the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 are reliably contacted. Thereby, it is comprised so that moderate resistance may be applied to the ink ribbon 10.

<Configuration example of tape / tube printer of this embodiment>
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the tape / tube printer according to the present embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the tape / tube printer according to the present embodiment, and FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the tape / tube printer of the form. Next, a configuration of a tape / tube printer as an example of a printer in which the ink ribbon cassette 1A of the present embodiment is set will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the tape / tube printer 3 according to the present embodiment has a long shape such as a tube or a tape that is selectively set inside a housing 30c having a display unit 30a and an operation unit 30b. A mechanism for printing on the print medium.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the tape / tube printer 3 has a cassette holder section 40 in which a tube 51 and a tape cassette (not shown) are selectively set, and an ink ribbon cartridge as a mechanism for performing a predetermined printing process on a print medium. A ribbon holder 41 on which the set 1A is set is provided. The cassette holder part 40 and the ribbon holder part 41 are, for example, an integrally molded product of resin, and are attached to the lower plate 4 made of, for example, a metal plate.

  The tape / tube printer 3 is transported by a platen roller 5 that transports a tape fed from a tube 51 set in the cassette holder unit 40 or a tape cassette (not shown) set in the cassette holder unit 2, and the platen roller 5. The thermal head 6 which prints on the tube 51 or the tape which is not shown in figure is provided.

  The platen roller 5 is an example of a conveying unit, and rotates when a driving force of a motor (not shown) is transmitted. Here, the driving force of a motor (not shown) that drives the platen roller 5 is also transmitted to the take-up shaft that drives the ribbon core 12 that winds the ink ribbon 10 of the ink ribbon cassette 1A, and the rotation of the platen roller 5 and the ink ribbon 10 Are sent synchronously.

  The thermal head 6 is an example of a printing unit, and a portion where a heating element is provided is arranged to face the circumferential surface of the platen roller 5. The tape / tube printer 3 is configured so that the thermal head 6 can move in a direction toward and away from the platen roller 5 by a slide operation or a rotation operation of the thermal head 6. In this example, the tape / tube printer 3 moves in a direction in which the thermal head 6 supported by the frame portion 6a moves toward and away from the circumferential surface of the platen roller 5 by a rotating operation with the shaft 6b as a fulcrum. Configured to be possible.

  The thermal head 6 moves in a direction approaching the circumferential surface of the platen roller 5 by a rotation operation about the shaft 6b. As a result, the ink ribbon 10 and the tube 51 or a tape (not shown) are sandwiched between the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 5, and printing is possible on the tube 51 or the tape.

  Further, the thermal head 6 moves in a direction away from the circumferential surface of the platen roller 5 by a rotating operation with the shaft 6b as a fulcrum, and the tube 51 or the tape can be set.

  The tape / tube printer 3 includes a head moving mechanism 7 that presses the thermal head 6 against the platen roller 5 and retracts the thermal head 6 from the platen roller 5.

  The head moving mechanism 7 includes a head slider 70 that moves the thermal head 6, a head moving cam 71 that moves the head slider 70, and a head moving lever 72 that moves the head slider 70 by rotating the head moving cam 71. .

  The head slider 70 includes a head pressing portion 70 a that presses the thermal head 6, a first cam pressing portion 70 b that is pressed by the head moving cam 71, and a second cam pressing portion 70 c that is pressed by the head moving cam 71. Prepare.

  The head moving cam 71 includes a gear portion 71 a, the head moving lever 72 includes a gear portion 72 a that meshes with the gear portion 171 a, and the head moving cam 71 rotates as the head moving lever 72 rotates.

  In the head moving mechanism 7, the first cam pressing portion 70b and the second cam pressing portion 70c constituting the head slider 70 are pressed by the displacement of the cam surface of the head moving cam 71 rotated by the operation of the head moving lever 72, An operation of pressing the thermal head 6 against the platen roller 5 and an operation of retracting the thermal head 6 from the platen roller 5 are performed.

  That is, when the first cam pressing portion 70b of the head slider 70 is pressed by the head moving cam 71, the head slider 70 moves in a direction in which the thermal head 6 is separated from the platen roller 5, and the thermal head 6 is moved to the shaft 6b. Is retracted from the platen roller 5 by a rotation operation with fulcrum as a fulcrum.

  When the second cam pressing portion 70c of the head slider 70 is pressed by the head moving cam 71, the head slider 70 moves in a direction to bring the thermal head 6 closer to the platen roller 5, and the thermal head 6 is moved to the shaft 6b. Is pressed against the platen roller 5 by a rotating operation with fulcrum as a fulcrum.

  The tape / tube printer 3 includes a guide roller 42 that presses the tube 51 against the circumferential surface of the platen roller 5 on the upstream side of the thermal head 6, and a tube 51 that is fed to the platen roller 5 on the upstream side of the guide roller 42. A tube guide 43 is provided for guiding.

  The guide roller 42 and the tube guide 43 are connected to a retracting lever 44 by a link mechanism (not shown), and the guide roller 42 is retracted from the platen roller 5 by the operation of the retracting lever 44, so that the guide roller 42 and the platen roller 5 are connected to each other. A space for the tube set is formed. Further, the tube guide 43 is retracted to form a space for tube setting.

  The tape / tube printer 3 includes a half-cut mechanism 8 and a full-cut mechanism 9 on the downstream side of the platen roller 5 with respect to the conveyance direction of the print medium such as the tube 51. The half-cut mechanism 8 includes a cutter 81 having a blade portion and a holder, and a cradle 82 that faces the cutter 81.

  The half-cut mechanism 8 is configured to be movable in a direction in which the cutter 81 approaches and separates from the cradle 82, and a half cut is performed with a tube 51 or tape interposed between the cutter 81 and the cradle 82. The half cut is a state where the cut object is the tube 51 and is cut except for a part in the circumferential direction. Thereby, the continuous tube 51 can be easily cut | disconnected by applying external force.

  Although not shown, when the object to be cut is a tape with release paper, the printing tape on the front side is cut and the release paper on the back side is not cut. Thereby, the printing tape can be easily peeled from the release paper one by one by bending the tape.

  The half-cut mechanism 8 includes a motor 83 for driving the cutter 81, a cutter lever 84 that transmits a driving force to the cutter 81, and a gear group 85 that transmits the driving force of the motor 83 to the cutter lever 84.

  The cutter lever 84 is rotatably attached to a shaft 84 a as a fulcrum, and the rotation operation of the cutter lever 84 is transmitted to the cutter 81 by a cutter pressing portion 84 b provided at one end of the cutter lever 84. Further, the cutter lever 84 is formed with an arc-shaped long hole 84c into which a boss 85b provided on a gear 85a constituting the gear group 85 is inserted. The gear 85a is provided with a boss 85b at a position eccentric with respect to the rotation axis.

  As a result, when the driving force of the motor 83 is transmitted to the gear 85a via the gear group 85 and the gear 85a rotates, the cutter lever 84 has the shaft 84a due to the locus of the boss 85b and the shape of the elongated hole 84c of the cutter lever 84. A reciprocating motion that reciprocates in both directions around the fulcrum. The reciprocating rotational motion of the cutter lever 84 is transmitted to the cutter 81, and the cutter 81 performs a sliding motion that reciprocates in a direction approaching and separating from the cradle 82.

  The half-cut mechanism 8 includes a stroke adjustment lever 86 at the upper portion of the cradle 82. The stroke adjustment lever 86 is rotatably attached to the upper part of the cradle 82 and includes a cam surface that is displaced by a rotating operation. The upper end side of the cutter 81 is in contact with the cam surface of the stroke adjustment lever 86, and the lower end side is in contact with the cradle 82. Accordingly, the gap between the blade portion of the cutter 81 and the cradle 82 is adjusted by displacing the cam by the rotation operation of the stroke adjusting lever 86.

  The full cut mechanism 9 includes a cutter 90 having a blade portion between the platen roller 5 and the cutter 81 and the cradle 82 constituting the half cut mechanism 8. The full cut mechanism 9 includes the cutter 90. A lever 91 to be operated and a transmission mechanism (not shown) for transmitting the operation of the lever 91 to the cutter 90 are provided. The lever 91 is operated by the operation lever 30d shown in FIG.

<Operation Example of Ink Ribbon Cassette of this Embodiment>
Next, the operation of the ink ribbon cassette 1A of the present embodiment set in the tape / tube printer 3 will be described with reference to the drawings.

  8 is a perspective view showing an example of the operation of the ink ribbon cassette of the present embodiment, FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an example of the operation of the ink ribbon cassette of the present embodiment, and FIG. 10 is an ink ribbon cassette of the present embodiment. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of operation | movement of a set.

  FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an example of the operation of the tape / tube printer in which the ink ribbon cassette of this embodiment is set. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the tape / tube printer in which the ink ribbon cassette of this embodiment is set. It is a principal part top view which shows an example of operation | movement.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the ink ribbon cassette 1A not set in the tape / tube printer 3 has a ribbon pulling-out portion by rotating the shaft 19a as a fulcrum, with the slack removing lever 19 pressed by a spring 19b. The 18 ink ribbons 10 are displaced in the returning direction. As a result, the ink ribbon 10 is exposed to the ribbon drawer 18 in a form in which the ink ribbon 10 is stretched between the winding-side guide roller 14 and the feeding-side guide roller 13.

  In order to set the ink ribbon cassette 1A and the tube 51 as a printing medium in the tape / tube printer 3, as shown in FIG. By operating, the guide roller 42 and the tube guide 43 are retracted.

  Further, the head moving lever 72 is operated to move the thermal head 6 to the retracted position. When the head moving lever 72 is rotated in a predetermined direction for retracting the thermal head 6, the first cam pressing portion 70 b of the head slider 70 is pressed by the head moving cam 71. When the first cam pressing portion 70b is pressed, the head slider 70 moves in a direction in which the thermal head 6 is separated from the platen roller 5, and the thermal head 6 is rotated from the platen roller 5 by a rotation operation with the shaft 6b as a fulcrum. evacuate.

  With the above operation, the travel route of the tube 51 is opened, and the tube 51 can be set.

  The ink ribbon cassette 1A can be set in the ribbon holder 41 with the thermal head 6 moved to the retracted position. When the ink ribbon cassette 1A is set on the ribbon holder 41 with the thermal head 6 moved to the retracted position, the thermal head 6 moved to the retracted position is moved as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12A. , Enters the ribbon drawer 18 of the ink ribbon cassette 1A.

  After the tube 51 is set, the retracting lever 44 is operated to move the guide roller 42 and the tube guide 43 to the setting position shown in FIG. Next, in order to sandwich the ink ribbon 10 and the tube 51 between the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 5, the head moving lever 72 is operated to move the thermal head 6 to the pressing position.

  When the head moving lever 72 is rotated in a predetermined direction in which the thermal head 6 is pressed against the platen roller 5, the second cam pressing portion 70 c of the head slider 70 is pressed by the head moving cam 71. When the second cam pressing portion 70c is pressed, the head slider 70 moves in a direction in which the thermal head 6 is brought closer to the platen roller 5, and the thermal head 6 moves to the platen roller 5 by a rotation operation with the shaft 6b as a fulcrum. Pressed.

  When the thermal head 6 entering the ribbon drawer portion 18 of the ink ribbon cassette 1A is moved to the pressing position, a force is applied in the direction in which the ink ribbon 10 is pulled out from the case 15.

  When a force in the direction of pulling out the ink ribbon 10 is applied, as shown in FIGS. 10 (b) and 12 (b), the slack eliminating lever 19 rotates with the shaft 19a as a fulcrum while elastically deforming the spring 19b. Is displaced in the direction of the arrow a1, and the ink ribbon 10 is pulled out from the ink ribbon cassette 1A.

  As a result, when the thermal head 6 is moved to the pressing position, the thermal head 6 holding the ink ribbon 10 and the tube 51 between the platen roller 5 and the platen roller 5 is pressed.

  Next, the printing operation will be described. Since the printing operation by the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 5 is well known, detailed description is omitted, but the tube 51 is caused to travel by rotating the platen roller 5 by a motor (not shown) and the platen roller 5 is moved. The thermal head 6 performs printing on the tube 51 while the ink ribbon 10 is running by rotating the ribbon core 12 of the ink ribbon cassette 1A in conjunction with the rotation.

  In the ink ribbon cassette 1 </ b> A, when the ribbon core 12 on the winding side is driven to rotate, the ink ribbon 10 is wound around the ribbon core 12 and the ink ribbon 10 is fed out from the ribbon core 11.

  The ink ribbon 10 fed out from the ribbon core 11 is sandwiched between the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 of the slack removal lever 19 between the guide roller 13 and the ribbon core 11. Resistance is generated by traveling 10 and an appropriate tension is applied to the ink ribbon 10, so that the traveling state is stabilized.

  Immediately after the use of the ink ribbon cassette 1A is started, the diameter of the ink ribbon 10 wound around the ribbon core 11 is large, and the diameter of the ink ribbon 10 wound around the ribbon core 11 becomes small as the ink ribbon 10 is used. .

  Since the tension is applied to the ink ribbon 10 between the ribbon core 11 and the guide roller 13 by the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 of the slack removal lever 19, the ink wound around the ribbon core 11 is used. Regardless of the diameter of the ribbon 10, the tension applied to the ink ribbon 10 does not change.

  As a result, near the beginning and end of use of the ink ribbon 10, fluctuations in the print distance to the print medium due to changes in the tension of the ink ribbon 10 can be suppressed, the amount of ink ribbon 10 used can be optimized, and stable. Print quality.

  The tube 51 on which printing has been performed is discharged from between the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 5, and is half-cut by the half-cut mechanism 8 as necessary. In the half-cut mechanism 8, the rotational driving of the motor 83 is started at a predetermined timing, and the driving force of the motor 83 is transmitted to the gear 85 a through the gear group 85.

  When the gear 85a rotates, the cutter lever 84 performs a reciprocating motion reciprocally bi-directionally with the shaft 84a as a fulcrum due to the locus of the boss 85b and the shape of the elongated hole 84c of the cutter lever 84. The reciprocating rotational motion of the cutter lever 84 is transmitted to the cutter 81, and the cutter 81 performs a sliding motion that reciprocates in a direction approaching and separating from the cradle 82.

  Then, when it is detected by a sensor or the like (not shown) that the cutter lever 84 has returned to the home position, the driving of the motor 83 is stopped. With the above operation, the tube 51 is half cut.

  Printing is performed, and the tube 51 that is half-cut as necessary stops the driving of the thermal head 6 and the rotation of the platen roller 5 when the predetermined printing is finished, and the travel stops. Then, it is cut by the full cut mechanism 9.

  In the full cut mechanism 9, the lever 91 shown in FIG. 5 or the like is operated by operating the operation lever 10 d shown in FIG. 7, the operation of the lever 91 is transmitted to the cutter 90, and the tube 51 is cut.

  When replacing the tube 51 or the ink ribbon cassette 1A, the head moving lever 72 is operated to move the thermal head 6 to the retracted position.

  When the thermal head 6 entering the ribbon drawer portion 18 of the ink ribbon cassette 1A is moved to the retracted position, the force for pulling out the ink ribbon 10 from the case 15 is not applied. As a result, the slack eliminating lever 19 is pressed by the restoring force of the spring 19b, and is displaced in the direction of the arrow a2 for returning the ink ribbon 10 of the ribbon pull-out portion 18 by a rotating operation with the shaft 19a as a fulcrum.

  Since the ink ribbon 10 is sandwiched between the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23, the slack removal lever 19 is pulled into the case 15 without causing slippage due to the rotation operation of the slack removal lever 19. The sagging of the ink ribbon 10 is prevented.

  As described above, in the ink ribbon cassette 1A of the present embodiment, the ink ribbon 10 is clamped by the slack removal lever 19 that displaces the ink ribbon 10 in the ribbon drawer 18 and returns the ink ribbon 10 to the slack. The first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 are provided. The first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 are attached to one end portion of the slack removal lever 19 that is displaced by a rotation operation with the shaft 19a as a fulcrum.

  Thus, the ink ribbon 10 can be pulled by the rotation operation of the slack removal lever 19 in a state where the ink ribbon 10 is sandwiched between the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23, and the slack removal operation can be performed. Sliding is reduced, and the slack of the ink ribbon 10 can be more reliably removed.

  Conventionally, the tape / tube printer side shaft into which the ribbon core of the ink ribbon cassette is inserted is applied with a predetermined tension. When the winding diameter of the ink ribbon changes, the variation in torque applied to the shaft causes the ink ribbon to fluctuate. Expands and contracts, and the amount of ink ribbon used and the printing distance to the printing medium vary.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, the ink ribbon 10 is sandwiched between the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 between the feeding-side ribbon core 11 and the guide roller 13, and tension is applied. . Thereby, even if the winding diameter of the ink ribbon 10 changes, the tension does not change, and the change in the printing distance to the printing medium due to the expansion and contraction of the ink ribbon 10 is suppressed.

  The slack removing lever 19 having the first friction member 22 and the second friction member 23 is disposed in the space inside the case 15 between the ribbon core 11 on the feeding side and the guide roller 13, so that the ink The ink ribbon cassette 1A provided with the slack removing lever 19 having both the function of removing the slack of the ribbon and the function of applying tension to the ink ribbon is realized in the same size as the existing ink ribbon cassette.

  The present invention is applied to an ink ribbon cassette that is detachably attached to a printer.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A ... Ink ribbon cassette, 10 ... Ink ribbon, 11 ... Ribbon core, 12 ... Ribbon core, 13 ... Guide roller, 14 ... Guide roller, 15 ... Case, 16 ... Guide part, 17 ... Guide part, 18 ... Ribbon drawer part, 19 ... Slack removal lever, 19a ... Shaft, 19b ... Spring, 20 ... Friction member

Claims (3)

A first winding member around which the ink ribbon is wound;
A second winding member on which the ink ribbon fed from the first winding member is wound;
A first guide member for guiding an ink ribbon fed from the first winding member;
A second guide member for guiding an ink ribbon wound around the second winding member;
A friction member that comes into contact with the ink ribbon that is fed from the first winding member and guided by the first guide member, and the ink ribbon is interposed between the first guide member and the second guide member; An ink ribbon cassette comprising: a slack removing member that is displaced in a direction to return the ink ribbon from the exposed ribbon drawer. A pressing member that is elastically deformed by a rotation operation using the shaft of the slack removing member as a fulcrum;
The sagging member is provided with the friction member at one end that is displaced by a rotation operation with a shaft as a fulcrum,
The friction member is disposed opposite to the first friction member and a first friction member attached to the sagging member, and a second friction member sandwiches an ink ribbon between the first friction member and the first friction member. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a friction member. An ink ribbon cassette containing an ink ribbon;
A ribbon holder part to which the ink ribbon cassette is detachably attached;
Conveying means for running the printing medium;
A printing unit that sandwiches the printing medium and the ink ribbon between the conveying unit and performs printing on the printing medium conveyed by the conveying unit;
A moving unit that moves the printing unit or the conveying unit in a direction to be separated from the printing unit, retracts the printing unit or the conveying unit, and sandwiches the print medium and the ink ribbon between the printing unit and the conveying unit; With
The ink ribbon cassette is
A first winding member around which the ink ribbon is wound;
A second winding member on which the ink ribbon fed from the first winding member is wound;
A first guide member for guiding an ink ribbon fed from the first winding member;
A second guide member for guiding an ink ribbon wound around the second winding member;
A friction member that comes into contact with the ink ribbon that is fed from the first winding member and guided by the first guide member, and the ink ribbon is interposed between the first guide member and the second guide member; A printer comprising a slack removing member that is displaced in a direction in which the ink ribbon is returned from a ribbon drawing portion to be exposed.

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