JP2573337Y2 - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette used for a wire dot printer, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink ribbon cassettes are widely used in wire dot printers and the like because of their low printing cost.
FIG. 3 shows an overall view of a conventional ink ribbon cassette. In this ink ribbon cassette, a long ink ribbon 1 is stored in a case 20 in which a ribbon storage section 21, a ribbon delivery passage 22, and a ribbon receiving passage 23 are integrated. The ink ribbon 1 is a non-terminal one in which its ends are connected to each other. For the most part, meandering ribbon storage unit 21
And a part of the ribbon is discharged from the ribbon delivery passage 22 and passes through the ribbon receiving passage 23 to the ribbon storage portion 21.
Is back inside. Between both ends of the ribbon sending passage 22 and the ribbon receiving passage 23, there is a printing unit 24 inserted into the printing mechanism of the printer. A traveling mechanism 2 for nipping and traveling the ink ribbon 1 is disposed on the side of the ribbon receiving passage 23 in the ribbon storage section 21.

The traveling mechanism 2 includes a driving gear 3 and a driven gear 4 which mesh with each other with the ink ribbon 1 interposed therebetween. The drive gear 3 is formed by arranging a plurality of independent small gears in a daisy chain, and inserts the tip of the separator 7 between the daisies. Similarly, the driven gear 4 has the leading end of the separator 8 interposed therebetween. The drive gear 3 is connected to a rotary drive source (not shown).

When the driving gear 3 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the driven gear 4 rotates followingly, and the ink ribbon 1 sandwiched runs. The drive gear 3 and the driven gear 4 draw the ink ribbon 1 of the printing unit 24 into the ribbon storage unit 21. Storage unit 21
Inside, the ink ribbon 1 is pushed by the succeeding ink ribbon 1 sequentially drawn in, and the preceding ink ribbon 1 moves to the ribbon delivery passage 23 side while meandering. The preceding ink ribbon 1 having the same length as that drawn into the ribbon storage section 21 is drawn out from the ribbon delivery path 23 to the printing section 24.

[0005]

The ink ribbon is usually fed in a certain direction in the printer. However, the ink ribbon may be fed backward due to a human error in operation or a mechanical trouble. In the case of the conventional ink ribbon cassette, when the ink ribbon is fed backward, the ink ribbon sags, and there is a problem that the ribbon traveling mechanism entrains and bites the ink ribbon to cause a printing trouble.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has as its object to provide an ink ribbon cassette in which the ink ribbon is prevented from being jammed when the ink ribbon is fed backward.

[0007]

An ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink ribbon cassette of the present invention comprises a ribbon storage section 21, a ribbon delivery path 2
Case 2 in which ribbon 2 and ribbon receiving passage 23 are integrated
0, the endless ink ribbon 1 which is mostly stored in the ribbon storage section 21, a part of which exits the storage section 21 from the ribbon delivery path 22, and circulates in the case 20 through the ribbon reception path 23. And a ribbon traveling mechanism 2 provided in the ribbon storage section 21.

In the traveling mechanism 2, the driving gear 3 abuts on one surface of the ink ribbon 1 passing therethrough, the driven gear 4 is pulled in backward in the traveling direction on the other surface, and the pushing driven gear 5 abuts on the other side.
The drive gear 3 is provided so as to mesh with each of the driven gears 4 and 5 with the ink ribbon 1 interposed therebetween, and the rotating shaft 12 of the pushing driven gear 5 has the rotating shaft 6 of the driving gear 3 as a center point. The driven driven gear 4 and the driven driven gear 5 are slidably engaged with an arc guide 13 formed in an arc shape up to a point where the driven driven gear 4 and the driven driven gear 5 mesh with each other.

[0010]

When the ink ribbon 1 is pulled back or the drive gear 3 rotates reversely by an unexpected force, the ink ribbon 1 is pulled in the retreating direction, and the rotary shaft 12 of the pushing driven gear 5 is pulled in along the arc guide 13 and driven. It slides toward the gear 4. When the driving gear 3, the driven driven gear 4, and the driven driven gear 5 mesh with each other in a three-freezing state, the rotation of the gears stops.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of an ink ribbon cassette to which the present invention is applied. This ink ribbon cassette includes a case 20 in which a ribbon storage section 21, a ribbon delivery path 22, and a ribbon receiving path 23 are integrated.
In addition, a long and endless ink ribbon 1 is stored. The ink ribbon 1 meanders and is mostly in the ribbon storage 2
1 partly exits the ribbon storage section 21 through the ribbon delivery path 22 and returns from the ribbon reception path 23 back into the ribbon storage section 21. Between the leading end of the ribbon delivery passage 22 and the leading end of the ribbon receiving passage 23, there is a printing unit 24 inserted into a printing mechanism of a printer (not shown). A ribbon traveling mechanism 2 for nipping and running the ink ribbon 1 is disposed on the side of the ribbon receiving passage 23 inside the ribbon storage section 21.

A part of the ink ribbon 1 passes through the ribbon traveling mechanism 2. The ribbon traveling mechanism 2 is provided with a drive gear 3 in contact with one surface of the ink ribbon 1, and has two driven gears, namely, a driven driven gear 4 and a driven driven gear 5.
Are provided in contact with the other surface. When viewed in the running direction of the ink ribbon 1, the pull-in driven gear 4 is disposed rearward, the push-in driven gear 5 is disposed forward, and the drive gear 3 is engaged with each other with the ink ribbon 1 interposed therebetween.

The drive gear 3 is formed by connecting a plurality of independent small gears to a rotating shaft 6 in a daisy chain. The same applies to the driven driven gear 4 and the driven driven gear 5. Drive gear 3,
The push driven gear 5 is provided with separators 7 and 8 for preventing the ink ribbon 1 from being entangled, and the leading end is cut between small gears connected in a daisy chain.

FIG. 2 shows a driving gear 3, a pull-in driven gear 4,
The arrangement of each shaft hole of the push driven gear 5 is shown. The rotation shaft 6 of the drive gear 3 is rotatably supported by a shaft hole 9 provided in the case 20 and is connected to a rotation drive source (not shown).
The rotating shaft 10 of the pull-in driven gear 4 is rotatably supported by a circular shaft hole 11 formed in the case 20, and the rotating shaft 12 of the pushing driven gear 5 is slidably engaged with the arc guide 13. I have.

The arc guide 13 is formed by providing a through hole in the case 20 and is formed in an arc shape with the rotation shaft 6 of the drive gear 3 as a center point and up to a point where the driven driven gear 4 and the driven driven gear 5 mesh with each other. ing.

This ink ribbon cassette operates as follows.

When the driving gear 3 is pulled in from the driven gear 4 and pushed in and rotated in the direction of the driven gear 5, the ink ribbon 1 runs normally, and a part of the ink ribbon 1 of the printing unit 24 is drawn into the ribbon storage unit 21, A part of the drawn ink ribbon 1 of the same length is sent from the ribbon storage unit 21 to the printing unit 24 through the ribbon sending path 22.

When the ink ribbon 1 is pulled back by an unexpected force or the driving gear 3 rotates in the reverse direction, the ink ribbon 1 is pushed by the retreating force, and the rotating shaft 12 of the pushing driven gear 5 rotates the arc guide 1.
3 and slides toward the driven gear 4. When the driving gear 3, the driven driven gear 4, and the driven driven gear 5 mesh with each other in a three-freezing state, the rotation of the gears is stopped, and the ink ribbon 1 is braked.

In the normal running of the ink ribbon 1, the running friction resistance (drawing force) increases when the amount of the ink ribbon 1 stored in the ribbon storage unit 21 is large, but the ink ribbon 1 is driven by the driving gear 3 and the driven driven gear 3. 4. Since the ink ribbon 1 is pulled out through a plurality of meshing points of the drive gear 3 and the push driven gear 5, slipping is suppressed, sufficient winding force is secured, and stable running of the ink ribbon 1 is achieved.

It is sufficient that the number of driven gears is two or more: the driven driven gear 4 and the driven driven gear 5. Each of these driven gears 4 and 5 is supported by a gear holder in which a spring is incorporated. If the entire gear holder is pressed against the drive gear 3, a larger winding force can be obtained.

The arc guide 13 may not be provided as a through hole in the case 20 but may be provided with a guide groove formed in the inner surface of the case 20. It may be provided.

[0023]

As described above in detail, in the ink ribbon cassette of the present invention, when the ink ribbon runs in the reverse direction, the driving gear, the pull-in driven gear, and the push-in driven gear mesh with each other in a three-way state, and the ribbon travels. The mechanism prevents the ink ribbon from biting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of an ink ribbon cassette to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of shaft holes in an ink ribbon cassette to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a conventional ink ribbon cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is an ink ribbon, 2 is a ribbon traveling mechanism, 3 is a driving gear, 4 is a pulling driven gear, 5 is a pushing driven gear, 1
3 is an arc guide, 20 is a case, 21 is a ribbon storage section,
Reference numeral 22 denotes a ribbon delivery passage, and reference numeral 23 denotes a ribbon reception passage.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-294580 (JP, A) JP-A-5-41834 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 32/00-32/02 B41J 33/52

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A case in which a ribbon storage section, a ribbon delivery path, and a ribbon receiving path are integrated, and a large part of the case is stored in the ribbon storage section, and a part of the ribbon storage section extends out of the ribbon storage section from the ribbon storage section. In an ink ribbon cassette including an endless ink ribbon circulating again in a ribbon storage portion through a receiving passage and a ribbon traveling mechanism provided in the ribbon storage portion, the traveling mechanism is provided on one surface of the ink ribbon passing therethrough. The driven gear is brought into contact with the other surface, the driven gear is pulled in on the other side in the running direction, the driven gear is pushed in on the other side, and the driving gear is provided in mesh with each driven gear with the ink ribbon sandwiched between them. The rotation axis of the driven gear is formed in an arc from the rotation axis of the drive gear to the point where the driven driven gear and the driven driven gear mesh with each other. An ink ribbon cassette slidably engaged with a formed arc guide.