JP2563349Y2 - Two-color converter for printing ribbon - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in the technical field of a printing apparatus for printing various data by using a printer, such as a time clock, and more specifically, a time clock. The present invention relates to an improvement of a two-color conversion device for a printing ribbon suitable for use in various printing devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional print ribbon capable of switching a printing color between a normal color such as black or blue and a different color such as red by switching a ribbon cassette containing a printing ribbon up and down with respect to a printer. For example, a two-color conversion device for converting a color of a ribbon cassette up and down using a mechanical device as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 59-19357 is used. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 172166, there is a device for converting a ribbon cassette up and down by using a dedicated solenoid to convert two colors. At present, a two-color conversion device using a solenoid is known in terms of accurate operation. It occupies the mainstream.

[0003]

However, a two-color conversion device using a solenoid, as seen in the above-mentioned prior art, comprises a ribbon cassette, a switching mechanism for switching the cassette up and down, and a switching mechanism. Since the operating solenoids must be provided in one vertical line, the entire device becomes large and requires a considerably large mounting space, which makes assembly inside the recorder extremely troublesome, or the overall configuration of the device. However, there are various problems such as complicated, complicated assembly, maintenance, and management, and high cost.

[0004] Therefore, a technical problem of the present invention is to accurately perform the two-color conversion of a print ribbon using a very simple device without using a solenoid.

[0005]

Means taken by the present invention to solve the above technical problems are as follows. By attaching the printer to the cylindrical cam shaft and guide shaft erected in parallel and rotating the cylindrical cam shaft by the motor,
While printing various data while moving the printer horizontally to the inserted card, the color of the printing on the card is changed by switching the ribbon cassette containing the print ribbon up and down with respect to the printer. In a printing device configured to convert two colors into two,

(1) At the end of the cylindrical camshaft, a feed ring having two feed teeth formed on a part of the peripheral surface is attached.
The motor for rotating the cylindrical cam shaft is controlled to rotate at a pre-programmed time so that the printer is moved to a two-color switching position which is advanced from a normal slide end position. (2) At one end of the guide shaft, a switching cam for vertically switching the ribbon cassette is integrated on one side surface,
A notch pinion provided with an intermittent feed dog is mounted on the peripheral surface so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and a compression spring for returning to the original position for constantly pressing the outer surface of the switching cam is mounted on the end of the guide shaft. thing. (3) When the printer moves to the two-color conversion position,
The printer is configured to push the notch pinion to a position where the intermittent feed dog meshes with the two teeth of the feed wheel while compressing the compression spring. (4) A feed dog meshing with the two teeth of the feed wheel and an intermittent feed tooth whose width is cut to less than half the length of the feed dog are alternately formed on the peripheral surface of the cutout pinion. The peripheral surface of the cutout pinion in which the intermittent feed dog is cut, and the peripheral surface of the cutout pinion, and the feed dogs before and after the cutout pinion are always rotated in contact with the peripheral surface.

[0007]

The above means operates as follows. When the motor rotates the cylindrical camshaft to move the printer, the feed wheel provided with the two-tooth feed teeth rotates while the pre-programmed two-color conversion time is reached. By controlling the rotation of the motor, the movement of the printer due to the rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft is moved to a two-color conversion position advanced in the axial direction from the usual slide end position,
This enables two-color conversion described later.

The element (2) is a switching cam that moves the ribbon cassette up and down on one side by the elastic force of the compression spring for returning to the original position when the printer returns to the original position from the two-color switching position. Can be always returned to the original position before being pushed by the printer.

The element (3) is characterized in that when the printer is moved to the two-color switching position and pushes the notch pinion, the intermittent feed dog of the notch pinion rotates on the two teeth of the feed wheel that rotates integrally with the cylindrical cam shaft. Since the notch pinion is engaged and feeds and rotates, for example, for one rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft, the switching cam integrated with this notch pinion can be rotated by intermittent operation of 1/4 turn. By switching the ribbon cassette up and down with respect to the printer between the first and second portions, the two-color conversion of the print ribbon can be accurately performed without using a solenoid.

In the element (4), the peripheral surface of the feed wheel is rotated in contact with the peripheral surface of the cutout pinion where no feed dog is formed and the three points of the front and rear feed teeth. Sometimes, even when the feed wheel rotates, the notch pinion does not rotate, and the switching cam can be held at the position where the ribbon cassette is lowered or pushed up, while the printer is moved to the two-color switching position by rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft. If moved,
Since the notch pinion is pushed by this printer and moves in the axial direction, the two teeth of the feed wheel can mesh with the intermittent feed dog and the notch pinion can be rotated interlockingly. At the position where the cassette is pushed up, or
When the ribbon cassette is rotated to the position where it is lifted and lowered, the ribbon cassette can be turned up and down by two colors. After the conversion, the printer is moved to release the pressing against the notch pinion, and the above-mentioned compression spring is released. Since the notch pinion is pushed back to the original position to disengage the two teeth and the intermittent feed dog, the notch pinion does not rotate interlockingly even when the feed wheel rotates due to the rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft, and the ribbon cassette is converted. Allows to keep in state.
As described above, the technical problems described above can be solved by the above means, and the problems of the conventional technology can be solved.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the above-described two-color conversion device for a print ribbon according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printing device provided with a two-color conversion device for a printing ribbon according to the present invention, in which 1 is a frame of the printing device, 2 is a printer mounted on a printer base 3, 4 Reference numeral 6 denotes two guide shafts which extend in parallel to the frame 1, and the printer base 3 is movably mounted on these two guide shafts. Reference numeral 5 denotes a cylindrical cam shaft which is also installed on the frame 1 in parallel with the guide shafts 4 and 6, and a guide groove 5a spirally formed on the peripheral surface of the cam shaft 5 is provided on the bottom surface of the printer base 3. When the protruding guide protrusion 3a is fitted and the cylindrical cam shaft 5 rotates, the printer base 3 moves laterally along the guide shafts 4 and 6, thereby moving the printer 2 laterally. It is configured to be able to move printing. Reference numeral 7 denotes a rotary gear attached to one end of the cylindrical camshaft 5, and this gear 7 has a motor M
The driving gear Ma is engaged with the cylindrical cam shaft 5 to rotate.

Next, RC is a ribbon cassette mounted on the frame 1 so as to be vertically movable, and Ra is the print ribbon R.
In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the print ribbon R wound around the head of the printer 2 is fed leftward in FIG. 1 in accordance with the rotation of the feed shaft Ra. For example, as a feed mechanism for the print ribbon R, a mechanism known in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 56-172166 is used, detailed description of the structure is omitted.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the above-described print ribbon R. The print ribbon R has a black or blue regular color R1 in the upper half.
In the case where the lower half is made of a different color R2 such as red and the ribbon cassette RC is horizontal (downward) as shown in FIG. In the case where the color printing is performed and the ribbon cassette is switched upward as shown in FIG.
And a mechanism for printing in different colors.

In the drawing, reference numeral 4a denotes a collar which is slidably fitted in one end of the main guide shaft 4 in the axial direction. The printer 2 which moves in accordance with the rotation of the motor M operates as shown in FIG. Although the printing movement is programmed to be stopped at the position of the X-ray shown in FIG. 2, that is, the position where the color 4a is not pushed, the motor M causes the printer 2 to switch the printer 2 at the time of the pre-programmed two-color conversion. It is configured to move to the position of the Y line shown in FIG. 1, that is, the two-color conversion position, and to push the color 4a to the right in the drawing. In FIG. 1, Tb is a timing plate for controlling the rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft 5, and 4s in FIG. 2 is a step for locking the slide of the collar 4a provided on the main guide shaft 4. .

Numeral 9 denotes a notch pinion which is slidably fitted on one end of the main guide shaft 4 side by side with the collar 4a. A total of four feed teeth 9a are provided on the peripheral surface of the notch pinion 9. A total of four intermittent feed teeth 9b formed so as to have a width of about half or less of the width of the feed teeth 9a are alternately formed. The switching cam 11 that performs the switching operation is integrated. In FIGS. 3 to 6, reference numeral 11a denotes a vertex of the switching cam 11. At the vertex 11a, the ribbon cassette RC is pushed upward as shown in FIG. , The portion of the different color R2 can be set on the printer head. On the other cam surfaces, the ribbon cassette RC is lowered to the horizontal state shown in FIG. The mechanism allows the part to be set on the printer head.

Next, reference numeral 8 denotes a compression spring wound around one end of the main guide shaft 4, which compression spring is interposed between the outer surface of the switching cam 11 and the inner surface of the frame 1 in a compressed state. Is a resilient action that always returns the notch pinion 9 including the switching cam 11 and the collar 4a to the original position, that is, the normal position (the position in FIGS. 1 and 3) in which the collar 4a is locked to the step portion 4s. It has the function to demonstrate.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a feed ring attached to one end of the cylindrical cam shaft 5. A feed tooth 10a formed on a part of the feed ring 10 has another tooth 10b (hereinafter simply referred to as two teeth). 4, the peripheral surface of the feed wheel 10 normally rotates in contact with the peripheral surface of the cutout pinion 9 where the intermittent feed teeth 9b are not formed as shown in FIG. Therefore, the notch pinion 9 also contacts the peripheral surface of the notch pinion 9 and the front and rear feed dogs 9a, 9a with the peripheral surface of the feed ring 10 so that even if the feed ring 10 rotates, the notch pinion 9 may feed the two teeth 10b. Although not rotated, the switching cam 11 can be held in a state in which the ribbon cassette RC shown in FIG. 4 faces downward or in a state in which the ribbon cassette RC shown in FIG. 6 faces upward. 9 is the two-color conversion position of printer 2 2 by the movement of the (Y line position)
In addition, when pushed to the right in the drawing in the state shown in FIG. 5, the intermittent feed teeth 9b mesh with the two teeth 10b, and the notch pinion 9 is fed and rotated in conjunction with the feed wheel 10, and the switching cam Reference numeral 11 is configured to switch the ribbon cassette RC up and down.

In the illustrated embodiment, the two teeth 10b engage with the feed teeth 9a and 9b of the notch pinion 9, respectively.
The switching cam 11 is intermittently rotated by 1/4 rotation for one rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft 5 (feed wheel 10), so that the cylindrical cam shaft 5
The switching cam 11 is configured to make one rotation when rotated, but these rotation ratios are an example of the embodiment.

Since the two-color conversion device for a print ribbon according to the present invention has the above-described configuration, normal printing is performed with the ribbon cassette RC lowered as shown in FIG. The movement of the printer 2 by the motor M is indicated by the Y line in FIG. 1 in accordance with the program at the time when the print color is converted into, for example, a different color of red, when the movement of the printer 2 is stopped at the position of the X-ray in FIG. The operation is performed to the two-color switching position, and the collar 4a and the notch pinion 9 are pushed rightward while compressing the compression spring 8 as shown in FIG.

Then, the intermittent feed dog 9b of the notch pinion 9
Moves to a position where it engages with the two teeth 10b of the feed wheel 10. If the rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft 5 by the motor M is continued in this state, the notch pinion 9 is intermittently fed by the two teeth 10b and the switching cam 11 Is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 5, and the ribbon cassette RC is moved to its top 11 as shown in FIG.
Pushing up by a enables different-color printing with the different-color ribbon R2.

When the ribbon cassette RC is pushed up and the color of the ribbon is changed to a different color, the printer 2 is moved laterally by the motor M to release the pressing against the collar 4a.
The cutout pinion 9 and the collar 4a are again pushed back to the original position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 by receiving the elastic force of the compression spring 8, but at this time, the cutout pinion 9 does not have the intermittent feed dog 9b. Since the peripheral surface and the three points of the feed dogs 9a and 9a before and after the peripheral surface contact the peripheral surface of the feed ring 10, even if the feed ring 10 rotates according to the rotation of the cylindrical cam shaft 5, the cutout pinion 9
The switch cam 11 can be held in a state where the ribbon cassette RC shown in FIG. 6 is pushed up without rotating.

The ribbon cassette R shown in FIG.
In order to release the push-up state of C and return to the state of the normal printing color shown in FIG. 4, the movement of the printer 2 by the motor M is again shifted by the program to the two-color conversion position of the Y line shown in FIG. Then, the collar 4 a and the notch pinion 9 are pushed while compressing the compression spring 8, and the two-tooth 1
0b is engaged with the intermittent feed dog 9b of the notch pinion 9 and the notch pinion 9 is intermittently rotated, the switching cam 11 rotates in the same procedure as in the above-described two-color conversion, and the ribbon cassette R
Since C can be lowered to the horizontal state shown in FIG. 4, the printing color can be converted into a normal color.

[0023]

As described above, according to the two-color conversion device for print ribbon according to the present invention, when the two-color conversion of the print ribbon is performed, the movement of the printer by the motor is advanced from the normal slide end by the program. By going to the color change position and sliding the notch pinion in the axial direction, the ribbon cassette can be moved up and down to change the two colors, so there is no need to use a dedicated solenoid for the two-color change. Notch pinion and switching cam for two-color conversion,
In addition, the feed ring is attached to each end of the existing guide shaft and cylindrical cam shaft, and no other devices are required.Therefore, there is an advantage that the entire device can be manufactured very simply and at low cost. For example, it is very practical when applied to a printing unit of a time clock.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printing apparatus provided with a two-color conversion device for a printing ribbon according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a main part showing a state at the time of two-color conversion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part showing a state at the time of two-color conversion of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a main part showing a state at the time of two-color conversion of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a print ribbon.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Printer 3 Printer base 4 Guide shaft 4a Collar 5 Cylindrical cam shaft 5a Cam groove M Motor 8 Compression spring 9 Notch pinion 9a Feed dog 9b Intermittent feed dog 10 Feed wheel 10b Two teeth 11 Switching cam RC Ribbon cassette R 2 color printing ribbon

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A printer is mounted on a cylindrical cam shaft and a guide shaft which are laid in parallel, and the cylindrical cam shaft is rotated by a motor, so that various data can be obtained while moving the printer laterally with respect to the inserted card. While printing
In a printing apparatus in which a ribbon cassette containing a print ribbon is switched up and down with respect to a printer to change two colors of printing on a card, a peripheral portion is provided around an end of the cylindrical cam shaft. A feed wheel having two teeth for feeding is attached to a part of the surface, and the motor for rotating the cylindrical cam shaft is set to a two-color advanced printer from a normal slide end position at a pre-programmed time. The control shaft is rotated so as to move to the changeover position, and a switching cam for switching the ribbon cassette up and down is integrated on one side of the end of the guide shaft, and an intermittent feed dog is provided on the peripheral surface. The cut-out pinion provided is slidably mounted in the axial direction, and a compression spring for returning to the original position for constantly pressing the outer surface of the switching cam is mounted at the end of the guide shaft. When the printer moves to the two-color switching position, the printer pushes the cutout pinion to a position where the intermittent feed dog meshes with the two teeth of the feed wheel while compressing the compression spring. Characteristic two-color conversion device for print ribbon. 2. A feed dog, which meshes with two teeth of a feed wheel, and an intermittent feed tooth whose width is cut to less than half the length of the feed dog are alternately formed on the peripheral surface of the cutout pinion. 2. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the wheel is configured to rotate in contact with the peripheral surface of the cutout pinion in which the intermittent feed dog is cut, and three feed teeth before and after the cutout pinion. Two-color conversion device for printing ribbon.