JP3046784U - Ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To mount a ribbon cassette on a carriage of a serial thermal transfer printer, if the front and back sides of the ribbon cassette are mistaken, printing will be performed again with a used ink ribbon. There is a problem that the ink ribbon becomes defective, printing cannot be performed, and the ink ribbon ends immediately. SOLUTION: In a ribbon cassette K, a sealing member 6 is attached to a surface of an upper case 1a in which a through hole 2a of a take-up reel 2 is arranged, and the take-up reel 2 is provided.
Above the through hole 2a.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette, and more particularly to a ribbon cassette used in a thermal transfer printer.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In a general thermal transfer printer, a carriage having a take-up bobbin and a supply bobbin is movably formed along a platen, and a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements is mounted on the carriage, and a desired color is provided. Is detachably mounted on the winding bobbin and the supply bobbin. Then, the ink ribbon and the recording paper are sandwiched between the platen and the thermal head, the thermal head is moved along with the platen together with the carriage, and while the ink ribbon is wound, the thermal head is moved based on the image information. The heating element is selectively heated so that the ink on the ink ribbon is partially transferred to recording paper to perform desired printing. Such a thermal transfer printer is often used as an output device of a computer, a word processor, or the like because of high quality printing, low noise, low cost, and ease of maintenance.

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional ribbon cassette K 1 used in such a general thermal transfer printer (hereinafter, referred to as a printer) includes a take-up reel 2 and a supply reel inside a case 1. 3 are rotatably disposed, and both ends of an ink ribbon (not shown) are wound around the take-up reel 2 and the supply reel 3, respectively. The ink ribbon is guided by a guide roller (not shown) disposed between the take-up reel 2 and the supply reel 3 inside the ribbon cassette K1, and is taken up by the take-up reel 2. It has become. The take-up reel 2 and the supply reel 3 are cylindrical and have through holes 2a and 3a formed therein. Projections 2b and 3b into which the take-up bobbin and the supply bobbin of the printer are inserted and engaged are formed on the inner periphery of the through holes 2a and 3a. In such a conventional ribbon cassette K1, the through holes 2a and 3a are both penetrated, so that the cartridge can be mounted on the carriage of the printer from either the front surface or the back surface of the case 1.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

 However, in the conventional ribbon cassette K1 as described above, the color of the ink ribbon is changed to a color ink ribbon of red or the like while printing using, for example, black, and printing is performed again. When replacing a black ink ribbon that has been used, use the ink ribbon so that it can be mounted on the carriage from either the front or back side of Case 1. It was necessary to judge the mounting direction of the ribbon cassette by looking at the condition. If the ribbon cassette K1 is installed in the wrong direction, the used ink ribbon will be used, and the printing state will be uneven, resulting in poor printing, or the ink ribbon will end immediately. was there. In order to avoid such a problem, when installing the ribbon cassette K1, the operator checks the use state of the ink ribbon that has been used up to the last time, and judges the mounting direction of the front surface and the back surface of the case 1, and In addition, since the ribbon cassette K1 is mounted on the carriage 15, there is a problem that mounting the ribbon cassette is troublesome and time-consuming.

In addition, the ribbon cassette K1 is not limited to the ribbon cassette K1 being used, and even if the ribbon cassette K1 is used first, if the front and rear sides of the case 1 are erroneously mounted on the carriage, the ink cartridge K1 may not be used. The thermal head was located at the end of the ink ribbon where no ink was applied, and printing could not be performed. When such a phenomenon occurs, there is a problem that the operator must take out the ribbon cassette K1 from the carriage, turn the ribbon cassette K1 over, and re-attach the ribbon cassette K1 to the carriage 15.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problem, and as a first means for solving the problem, a take-up reel and a supply reel having a through-hole, and a take-up reel and a supply reel each having the through-hole. One end of a through-hole of the take-up reel, comprising: an ink ribbon wound around both ends and capable of being fed; and a case for rotatably storing the take-up reel and the supply reel and storing the ink ribbon. A seal member for closing the lid was attached to the case. Therefore, the ribbon cassette can be mounted on the carriage of the printer only from the side where the seal member is not attached, so that the mounting direction of the cassette is not mistaken.

As a second means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the seal member has a configuration in which a protruding portion is formed at a portion corresponding to a through-hole of the take-up reel. Therefore, the sticking member and the end of the take-up reel do not come into contact with each other, and the winding load of the take-up reel does not increase, so that the ribbon can be taken up smoothly.

Further, as a third means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the seal member has a structure in which a window through which the winding amount of the ink ribbon can be observed is formed. The user can observe the amount of ribbon wound up and exchange the ribbon cassette as soon as possible.

As a fourth means for solving the above problem, the ribbon cassette is a reversible type, and when one side of the ink ribbon is used, the seal member is peeled off and the ribbon cassette is turned over. Since the seal member is attached to the opposite side of the reel to which the seal member has been attached, the seal member is peeled off when one side of the reversible type double-width ink ribbon is used up. Thus, the seal member has been pasted and pasted on the opposite side of the reel, and can be reused.

[0010] Further, as a fifth means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the seal member is configured to leave an uncut portion on a case excluding a through-hole portion of the take-up reel, so that the seal member is reversible. When the one-sided ink ribbon has been used in the double-width type ribbon cassette and the seal member is replaced, the uncut portion that is a part of the seal member remains. Can be determined at a glance that it has been used.

[0011]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Note that the same components as those described above will be described with the same reference numerals. 1 is a plan view of a ribbon cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a portion A in FIG. 2, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a general thermal transfer printer to which a set is mounted. As shown in these figures, the ribbon cassette K of the present invention has an ink ribbon (not shown) inside a case 1 in which an upper case 1a and a lower case 1b made of resin are integrated by ultrasonic welding or the like. Both ends of the ink ribbon are wound around a take-up reel 2 and a supply reel 3, respectively.

The take-up reel 2 and the supply reel 3 are cylindrical and have through holes 2a and 3a formed therein. Projections 2b and 3b into which a printer winding bobbin 17 and a supply bobbin 18, which will be described later, are inserted and engaged are formed on the inner periphery of the through holes 2a and 3a. The ends 2c on both sides of the take-up reel 2 are formed so as to slightly protrude from the surfaces of the upper case 1a and the lower case 1b. Although not shown, similar ends are formed on both sides of the supply reel 3. In addition, between the take-up reel 2 and the supply reel 3, a plurality of guide members (not shown), which include the ink ribbon, are arranged to form a travel path of the ink ribbon. Further, two concave portions 4 are formed on one end surface of the ribbon cassette K, and the ink ribbon is led out from the concave portion 4 on one side of the case 1 and routed to the concave portion 4 on the other side. Then, it is configured to be introduced again into the case 1. Slits 5 are formed in the upper case 1a and the lower case 1b in the vicinity of the center between the take-up reel 2 and the supply reel 3 so as to be horizontally long. Can be checked.

A substantially rectangular seal member 6 is attached to the surface of the upper case 1 a on which the take-up reel 2 is disposed, and one side of the through-hole 2 a of the take-up reel 2 is closed. I have. The seal member 6 is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or the like, and an adhesive is applied to one surface thereof, and a plurality of the members adhered to a mother sheet (not shown) are peeled off from the mother sheet one by one. , Is attached to the upper surface of the take-up reel 2 of the upper case 1a. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, which is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion A surrounded by a circle in FIG. The portion 6a is formed to have a predetermined size by embossing or the like. For this reason, even if the seal member 6 is attached to the upper part of the take-up reel 2, a gap is formed between the ceiling surface of the protrusion 6a and the end 2c of the take-up reel 2, and the seal is formed. The member 6 and the end 2c of the take-up reel 2 do not come into contact with each other.

A window 6b is formed in the seal member 6 at a position corresponding to the slit 5 of the ribbon cassette K so that the remaining amount of the ink ribbon can be checked. At one of the four corners of the sealing member 6 on the side where the adhesive is applied, a corner 6c to which no adhesive is applied is formed, and the sealing member 6 is removed from the mother sheet from this corner 6c. Easy to peel off. Further, when the sealing member 6 attached to the ribbon cassette K is peeled off, it is easy to peel it off.

An uncut part 6e is provided on a part of the seal member 6 except for the protruding part 6a, in which a cut line 6d is formed at a perforation (not shown) or the like. Since the sealing member 6 can be easily peeled off from the mother sheet, when the sealing member 6 is peeled off from the mother sheet, the uncut portion 6e is not cut off from the cutting line 6d and becomes integral with the sealing member 6. So that it can be peeled off from the mother sheet. The sealing member 6 and the case 1 of the ribbon cassette K have a strong adhesive force. For example, when the sealing member 6 attached to the upper case 1a of the ribbon cassette K is peeled off, the uncut portion 6e Is cut off from the cutting line 6d and remains in the upper case 1a. Therefore, if the uncut portion 6e remains, it is possible to determine at a glance that one of the ink ribbons has been used, so that the use of the used ink ribbon again can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 4, a printer which mounts the ribbon cassette K of the present invention and performs desired printing on a recording sheet (not shown) is disposed substantially at the center of the frame 11 of the printer. The platen 12 having a printing surface for transferring and printing ink (not shown) of an ink ribbon onto recording paper by a heat-generating drive of a thermal head 16 which will be described later in a flat plate shape substantially flattens the printing surface of the flat plate shape. They are arranged vertically and horizontally. Below the front side of the platen 12, a carriage shaft 13 is disposed in a horizontal direction parallel to the platen 12. A flange-like guide portion 14 is formed at the front edge of the frame 11, and a carriage 15 is mounted along the carriage shaft 13 and the guide portion 14 so as to be able to reciprocate in the horizontal direction. At the end of the carriage 15 near the carriage shaft 13 at a position facing the platen 12, a thermal head 16 that can freely move toward and away from the platen 12 by a driving mechanism (not shown) is attached. ing. Further, on the upper surface of the carriage 15, a ribbon cassette K of the present invention for supplying an ink ribbon (not shown) between the platen 12 and the print head 16 is removably mounted. ing.

Further, on the upper surface of the carriage 15, a take-up bobbin 17 inserted into the take-up reel 2 of the ribbon cassette K and the through-hole 2b of the supply reel 3 to take up the ink ribbon, and A supply bobbin 18 on the ink ribbon supply side is provided. A recording paper insertion slot 19 for feeding recording paper (not shown) to the front of the platen 12 is formed behind the platen 12. The recording paper insertion slot 19 is provided with a carriage for recording paper. A paper feed roller 20 for transporting the paper between the sheet 15 and the plan 12 is provided. Below the paper feed roller 20, a pressure roller 21 that is pressed against the paper feed roller 20 is rotatably disposed. On one side surface of the frame 11, a paper feed gear 22 mounted coaxially with the paper feed roller 20 is arranged to protrude. A motor gear 25 of a paper feed motor 24 composed of a stepping motor is connected to the paper feed gear 22 via a plurality of transmission gears 23. By driving the paper feed motor 24, The paper feed roller 20 is driven to rotate via the motor gear 25, the transmission gears 23, and the paper feed gear 22, respectively, and conveys the recording paper sandwiched between the paper feed roller 20 and the pressure roller 21. .

In such a printer, when printing a desired type or the like, a recording paper is inserted from the paper insertion slot 19 and the paper feed motor 24 is driven, so that the motor gear 25 The paper feed roller 20 is rotated via the transmission gear 23 and the paper feed gear 22 to convey the recording paper so as to be at the print start position. The thermal head 16 is stored in a memory (not shown) while the carriage 15 is moved while the thermal head 16 is pressed against the platen 12 with a predetermined pressing force via an ink ribbon and recording paper (not shown). The printing operation on the recording paper is performed by driving the heat based on the image data thus obtained. When printing for one line is completed in this way, the paper feed motor 24 is driven at a predetermined number of steps to rotate the paper feed roller 20 by a predetermined angle, thereby transporting the recording paper for one line feed pitch. By repeating the above operation, desired printing on the recording paper is completed.

As one embodiment of using such a printer in combination with the ribbon cassette K of the present invention, first, a through-hole 2a of the take-up reel side 2 is covered with the upper case 1a of a new ribbon cassette K. The seal member 6 is attached so as to be closed. The ribbon cassette K is mounted on the carriage 15 of the printer with the upper case 1a side on which the seal member 6 is attached facing upward. Then, the take-up bobbin 17 is inserted into the through-hole 2 a of the take-up reel 2, and the supply bobbin 18 is inserted into the through-hole 3 a of the supply reel 3 to engage. Then, as described in the configuration of the general printer described above, printing on the recording paper is performed by the heat of the thermal head 16 while moving the carriage 15. Then, for example, when the color of the ink ribbon is changed from black to red or the like during printing, the ribbon member K is replaced with another ribbon cassette K while the seal member 6 is kept attached to the case 1. Thereafter, when returning to the previously used black ink ribbon, the black ribbon cassette K may be mounted on the carriage 15 with the side of the black ribbon cassette K to which the seal member 6 is attached facing upward.

When the ink ribbon has been used, if the ribbon cassette K is of a single type that can print only in one direction, the ribbon cassette K is replaced with another new ribbon cassette K and the carriage is moved as described above. 15 and continue printing. In recent years, a large number of printers have been sold which are capable of printing the full width of an ink ribbon by using a double-width type ribbon cassette K by expanding the width of a thermal head. In the case of such a type, printing can be performed in only one direction even with the double width type ribbon cassette K. Therefore, when the ink ribbon has been used in one direction printing, it is natural to replace the ink ribbon with a new one.

Further, if the ribbon cassette K is a reversible type double-width type for printing in both reciprocating directions, it has been affixed to the upper case 1a when the ink ribbon on one side has been used. The seal member 6 is peeled from the corner 6c of the seal member 6 where the adhesive is not applied. At this time, the uncut portion 6e of the seal member 6 is cut from the cut line 6d, and is left on the upper case 1a side. The uncut portion 6e left in the upper case 1a makes it possible to identify that one of the ink ribbons has been used. The seal member 6 peeled off from the upper case 1a and having the uncut portion 6e cut off is attached to the upper portion of the take-up reel 2 of the lower case 1b located above with the ribbon cassette K turned upside down. Then, the reels 2, 3 of the upper case 1a, which are turned upside down and positioned on the lower side, are inserted into and engaged with the respective bobbins 17, 18 of the carriage 15, and the ribbon cassette K is placed on the carriage 15. I do.

When the ribbon cassette K to which the seal member 6 is attached is replaced with another ribbon cassette K to which the seal member 6 is attached during printing, the ribbon cassette K to which the seal member 6 is attached is used. By mounting the ribbon cassette K on the carriage 15 with the ink ribbon on the upper side, it is possible to prevent such a problem that the used one of the ink ribbons is accidentally reused. Further, when the uncut portion 6e of the seal member 6 remains on the upper case 1a side when the ink ribbon on the other side has been used, it can be identified that the ink ribbon on one side has been used. It can be determined that both the one side and the other side of the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette K have been used.

Further, if the end 2 c of the take-up reel 2 of the ribbon cassette K is configured to be slightly lower than the surface of the upper case 1 a, the protrusion formed by the embossing process formed on the seal member 6 is formed. 6a may not be provided. If the sealing member 6 is formed of a transparent material, the entire sealing member 6 can be used as a window.

[0024]

[Effect of the invention]

 As described above, in the ribbon cassette of the present invention, the seal member for closing the through-hole of the take-up reel is attached to the surface of the case, so that when the ribbon cassette of the present invention is mounted on the carriage of the printer, Even if you try to mount with the seal member attached to the back side and the seal member not attached to the front side, the seal member is in the way and the bobbin on the carriage side takes up the take-up reel on the ribbon cassette side. Since the ribbon cassette cannot be inserted into the through hole, the ribbon cassette can be securely mounted on the carriage without mistakes in front and back. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a ribbon cassette having a good mounting efficiency to the printer.

Also, since the sealing member has a projection formed at a portion corresponding to the through-hole of the take-up reel, a gap is formed between the ceiling surface of the projection and the end of the take-up reel, and the sealing member is attached. Therefore, the winding load of the winding bobbin of the carriage does not increase. Therefore, it is possible to provide a ribbon cassette that can perform a stable ribbon winding operation even when a seal member is attached.

Further, since the seal member has a window through which the winding amount of the ink ribbon can be observed, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon wound through the window portion can be maintained even when the ribbon cassette is being used. Since the amount can be checked and the remaining print amount can be predicted, it is possible to determine the time to replace the ribbon cassette before the ink ribbon runs out.

The ribbon cassette is a reversible type, and when one side of the ink ribbon has been used, the seal member is peeled off and the ribbon cassette is turned over, and the ribbon cassette is turned upside down. Since the seal member is attached to the side, the carriage-side winding bobbin cannot be engaged with the winding reel on the side corresponding to the used ink ribbon by the seal member. For this reason, it is possible to prevent a problem such as reusing the used one of the ink ribbons, and to prevent a printing error.

Further, since the seal member has an uncut portion left on the case excluding the through-hole portion of the take-up reel, the ink ribbon on the side where the uncut portion remains has been used. And a ribbon cassette that can identify the ribbon cassette.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a ribbon cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the ribbon cassette shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the inside of the circle in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a general thermal transfer printer.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a conventional ribbon cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

 K ribbon cassette 1 case 1a upper case 1b lower case 2 take-up reel 2a through-hole 2b protrusion 2c end 3 supply reel 3a through-hole 4 recess 5 slit 6 seal member 6a protrusion 6b window 6c corner 6d cut-out 6e Uncut portion 12 Platen 15 Carriage 16 Thermal head 17 Winding bobbin

Claims (5)

[Utility model registration request] 1. A take-up reel and a supply reel having a through-hole, an ink ribbon wound at both ends on the take-up reel and the supply reel, respectively, and capable of being fed, and rotating the take-up reel and the supply reel. And a case for accommodating the ink ribbon, wherein a seal member for closing one side of a through hole of the take-up reel is attached to the case. 2. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member has a projection formed at a portion corresponding to a through hole of the take-up reel. 3. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the seal member has a window portion through which a winding amount of the ink ribbon can be observed. 4. The ribbon cassette is a reversible type, and when one side of the ink ribbon is used, the seal member is peeled off and the ribbon cassette is turned over.
4. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the seal member is attached to an opposite side of the case to which the seal member has been attached. 5. The ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the seal member has an uncut portion left on a case excluding a through-hole portion of the take-up reel. cassette.