JP2581407B2 - Ink ribbon cassette and its mounting structure - 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 recording apparatus such as a thermal printer, and more particularly to a structure for fixing an ink ribbon bobbin on which an ink ribbon is wound.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an ink ribbon cassette of this type, an ink ribbon bobbin around which an ink ribbon housed in a cassette housing is wound cannot be removed from the cassette housing. Therefore, when all the ink ribbons have been used, the ink ribbon is replaced as a consumable with the cassette housing.

[0003]

However, the conventional method of replacing the ink ribbon cassette and discarding it as a consumable as in the above-described conventional method increases the cost of the consumables for the user, and saves resources and environmental pollution. Therefore, it is strongly desired that a large resin portion such as a cassette housing be reused.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to replace an ink ribbon bobbin to reduce the cost of consumables and achieve resource saving. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette and a mounting structure for the same, which prevent the environmental pollution and position the ink ribbon bobbin to improve the quality of an image.

[0005]

In order to achieve this object, an ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention forms an image in a cassette housing in a printer body.
In the area where the heating element is located on the paper
A plate for positioning and fixing the ink ribbon bobbin is provided so that the ribbon corresponds to the ribbon. Further, in the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention, the cassette housing can be divided and combined, the ink ribbon bobbin can be replaced, and the plate can be replaced. Further, in the mounting structure of the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention, a positioning device for positioning the plate is provided in a printer main body to which the ink ribbon cassette is mounted. In the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention, the plate is provided with display means for displaying the type of the ink ribbon housed in the cassette housing. Further, in the mounting structure of the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention, the plate is provided with identification means corresponding to the type of the ink ribbon housed in the cassette housing, and the identification means for identifying the identification means is provided on the printer apparatus main body. Provide.

[0006]

According to the present invention , an image is stored in a printer body.
The heating element is located on the paper transport path forming the
As the ink ribbon corresponding to the site, the ink ribbon bobbin is positioning fixed to Kasettohauji in g by the plate. Further, according to the present invention, the ink ribbon cassette is positioned and fixed by the plate positioning means of the apparatus main body. Further, according to the present invention, the type of the ink ribbon is displayed by the plate display means. Further, according to the present invention, the type of the ink ribbon is identified by the identification means of the apparatus main body.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention mounted on a printer main body, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a printer main body, 2 denotes a ribbon cassette insertion opening formed in the printer main body 1, 3 denotes a ribbon positioning pin, and 4 denotes a ribbon identification sensor.

An ink ribbon cassette indicated generally by reference numeral 5 is generally composed of a cassette housing 6, a supply bobbin 7, a take-up bobbin 8, an ink ribbon 9, and a ribbon fixing plate 10. The cassette housing 6 includes an upper housing 6a and a lower housing 6b.
The supply and take-up bobbins 7, 8 on which the ink ribbon 9 is wound are housed.

At both ends of the fixing plate 10, large-diameter fitting insertion holes 11 are formed, and a pair of small-diameter ribbon positioning holes 12 and a ribbon type identification hole 13 are formed at the upper and lower portions of the center. I have.

In such a configuration, the ink ribbon 9
Is loaded into the cut housing 6, first, the bobbins 7 and 8 are fitted into the fitting holes 11 of the fixing plate 10, and the bobbins 7 and 8 are stored in the lower housing 6b along the direction A, and then, The upper case 6a is put on the lower case 6b along the direction B so as to be integrated, and the fixing plate 1
By holding the “0” between the cases 6a and 6b, the bobbins 7 and 8 are stored in the cassette housing 6, and the ink ribbon 9 is loaded. When the ink ribbon 9 loaded in this way is completely used and wound on the take-up roll 8, the upper case 6a is again separated from the lower case 6b and removed, and both ribbons 7, 8 together with the fixing plate 10 are removed.
Of the bobbin 7, 8
Is exchanged together with the fixing plate 10. The ribbon type identification hole 13 provided in the fixing plate 10 has a
For example, the position of the hole is changed depending on the color of the ink ribbon,
The type of the ink ribbon 9 can be identified by the position of the hole.

When the ink ribbon cassette 5 loaded with the ink ribbon 9 is inserted into the ribbon cassette insertion slot of the printer body 1 along the direction C, the ribbon positioning pins 3 are fitted into the ribbon positioning holes 12 and the fixing plate 10 is fixed. Is positioned with respect to the printer main body 1, so that both bobbins 7,
Since the position of the ink ribbon 9 is also determined, the conveyance state of the ink ribbon 9 is improved, and a high-quality image is obtained.

At the same time, the ribbon identification sensor 4 senses the ribbon type identification hole 13 and the ribbon cassette insertion slot 2
The printer main body 1 recognizes the type of the ink ribbon 9 set in the printer. After the ink ribbon cassette 5 is set in the printer main body 1, the ink ribbon 9 is transported in the direction of arrow D and printing is performed.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cassette housing can be divided, the ink ribbon bobbin can be replaced, and the plate can be replaced. Therefore, these can be replaced as consumables. because, what to discard is minimal, since it is possible to reuse the cassette housing, the cost of consumables is safe no longer, also to reduce the economic burden on the user.

Further, since the positioning means for positioning the plate is provided in the apparatus main body on which the ink ribbon cassette is mounted, the position of the ink ribbon with respect to the mechanism in the apparatus main body is performed, so that the ink ribbon transport state is improved. ,
High quality images can be obtained.

Further, by replacing the function of identifying the type of ribbon when the ribbon exchange plates at the same time, even if the type of ribbon is changed body can be obtained that no device to cause erroneous operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view in which an ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention is mounted on a printer main body.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ink ribbon cassette according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer main body 2 Ribbon cassette insertion opening 3 Ribbon position setting pin 4 Ribbon identification sensor 5 Ink ribbon cassette 6 Cassette main body 7 Supply bobbin 8 Winding bobbin 9 Ink ribbon 10 Fixing plate 11 Fitting hole 12 Ribbon position setting hole 13 Ribbon type identification hole

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A ribbon cassette having an ink ribbon wound around the ink ribbon bobbin accommodated in the cassette housing, in the cassette housing, purine
On the paper transport path for forming an image in the
And the ink ribbon corresponds to the part where the heating element is located
Sea urchin, the ink ribbon cassette characterized in that a plate for fixing positioning of the ink ribbon bobbin. 2. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein said cassette housing is divided and united, said ink ribbon bobbin is exchangeable, and said plate is exchangeable. 3. A mounting structure for an ink ribbon cassette, comprising: a printer for mounting the ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1 provided with positioning means for positioning the plate. 4. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein said plate is provided with a display means for displaying a type of the ink ribbon stored in the cassette housing. 5. An ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein said plate is provided with identification means corresponding to the type of ink ribbon housed in said cassette housing, and said identification means is identified in a printer main body. An ink ribbon cassette mounting structure, characterized in that identification means is provided.