JP3104540B2 - Ink 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 cassette applicable to a thermal transfer type printer for recording various information such as video information on recording paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, printer apparatuses that record various video signals on recording paper in full color have begun to spread.

Hereinafter, a conventional ink cassette will be described. FIG. 3 shows a plan view and a front sectional view of a conventional ink cassette. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes an ink sheet having ink applied to a lower surface, reference numeral 2 denotes a supply reel on which the ink sheet 1 before use is wound, and reference numeral 3 denotes a take-up reel for winding the ink sheet. Reference numeral 4 denotes a supply-side storage unit that stores a supply reel, 5 denotes a winding-side storage unit that stores a take-up reel, 6
Reference numerals a and 6b denote connecting portions for connecting the supply-side storage portion 4 and the take-up-side storage portion 5.

The path of the ink sheet 1 in an opening area formed between the supply side storage section 4 and the winding side storage section 5 is shown in FIG.
It changes according to the change in the diameter of the supply reel 2 and the take-up reel 3 as shown by the two-dot chain line.

On the other hand, FIG. 4 is a front view when the ink cassette constructed as described above is mounted on a printer. 7 is a thermal head, 8 is a recording paper, 9
Reference numeral denotes a platen roller for holding the recording paper and the ink sheet 1 together with the thermal head 7, reference numeral 10 denotes a capstan roller for conveying the recording paper 8, and reference numeral 11 denotes a pinch roller for pressing the recording paper 8 against the capstan roller 10.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional construction, when the ink cassette is mounted on the printer in the axial direction of the reel, the opening formed between the supply-side storage section 4 and the take-up-side storage section 5 is formed. The thermal head 7 is located above the ink sheet 1 and the platen roller 9, the capstan roller 10 and the pinch roller 11 are located below the ink sheet 1 so as not to interfere with the path area of the ink sheet 1 in the area and the projection of the connecting portion 6b. You have to retreat in the direction.
Therefore, there is a problem that a large retreat space for mounting the ink cassette is required in the printer device, and the printer device becomes large. Further, since it is difficult to mount the ink cassette horizontally on the printer, it is difficult to reduce the thickness of the printer.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink cassette suitable for reducing the size and thickness of a printer device.

[0008]

In order to achieve this object, an ink cassette according to the present invention has a substantially parallel rotation center axis.
Ink reels with the same surface wound inside a pair of reels
And a pair of guides for guiding the ink sheet.
To the printer in the direction of the rotation axis of the reel.
The ink cassette to be loaded and attached to the printer
In the unattended state, the pair of guides
One side of the ink sheet faces one reel side
Tilt the ink sheets between each other and
Ink sheet fills the space between a pair of reels with one
To the first area and the other reel
Ink between each other to partition into the second area that has entered
It has a configuration for guiding the sheet.

[0009]

With this configuration, the space between the pair of reels is provided.
However, the ink sheet extending there
The first area that has moved closer to the reel and the other reel
Ri elaborate partitioned into the second region, the respective areas and spaces Sir <br/> thermal head and a pinch roller or the like Ru is located
Can be used . Also, between a pair of reels
The extending ink sheet is always guided and changes its posture.
Is regulated , the ink cassette must be
Since the space for retreating the thermal head and pinch roller when mounting the printer on the printer can be reduced, and the ink cassette can be mounted almost horizontally with respect to the printer, the printer can be easily reduced in size and thickness.

[0010]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view and a front sectional view showing an ink cassette of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the ink cassette in the embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 denotes an ink sheet having ink applied to the lower surface, 13 denotes a supply reel on which the ink sheet 12 before use is wound, 14 denotes a take-up reel for winding the ink sheet, and 15 denotes a supply reel. A supply-side storage unit, 16 is a winding-side storage unit that stores a take-up reel, and 17a and 17b are connection units that connect the supply-side storage unit 15 and the winding-side storage unit 16, where the connection unit 17b is
It has a portion parallel to a straight line connecting the center of the supply reel 13 and the center of the take-up reel 14 and is formed near the path of the ink sheet 12 on the projection plane in the reel axial direction. Also, 1
Reference numeral 8 denotes a supply-side guide portion formed in the supply-side accommodation portion 15;
Reference numeral 9 denotes a winding-side guide formed in the winding-side housing 16. Thus, regardless of the winding diameter of the supply reel 13 and the take-up reel 14, a path is formed in which the ink sheet 12 is always conveyed upward with respect to a straight line connecting the center of the supply reel 13 and the center of the take-up reel 14. Have been.

The state and operation when the ink cassette configured as described above is mounted on a printer will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a thermal head, 21 denotes recording paper, 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a recording head and an ink sheet
Reference numeral 23 denotes a capstan roller for conveying the recording paper 21; 24, a pinch roller for pressing the recording paper 21 against the capstan roller 23; and 25, a sheet guide. FIG. 2A shows a state in which the ink cassette is mounted. The thermal head 20, the platen roller 22, the capstan roller 23, the pinch roller 24
Is disposed at a position where the path of the ink sheet 12 and the connecting portion 17b are retracted. In this state, the recording paper 21 is conveyed to a predetermined position in the direction of the platen roller 22 by the capstan roller 23 and the pinch roller 24. The rotation of the take-up reel 14 causes the ink sheet 12 to be transported to a predetermined position. Next, FIG.
As shown in (b), the thermal head 20 moves,
The ink sheet 12 and the recording paper 21 are nipped and pressed against the platen roller 22. In that state, the capstan roller 23
When a voltage is applied to the thermal head 20 while the take-up reel 14 is rotating, a predetermined image is printed on the recording paper 21.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ink cassette is provided with the supply side guide portion 18 and the winding side guide portion 19 as shown in FIG. Supply side storage unit 1 above 12 paths
5 and the winding-side storage section 16 below the ink sheet 12 path
Near the thermal head 20 and the pinch roller 2
4 and the like, there is a space for waiting, the space for retreating the ink cassette to the printer device is reduced, and the ink cassette can be mounted almost horizontally with respect to the printer device, so that the printer device can be reduced in size and thickness. Easy.

The supply-side guide section 18 and the take-up side guide section 19 are arranged so that the path of the ink sheet 12 is constant regardless of the start and end of winding, and the ink sheet 1
2 so that the opposite side of the ink-coated surface is in contact with the ink-coated surface, so that the ink-coated surface is smooth and free from scratches when the ink sheet 12 is conveyed and printed in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The ink sheet 12 can be stably conveyed and taken up on the take-up reel side.

The connecting portion 17b has a portion parallel to a straight line connecting the center of the supply reel 13 and the center of the take-up reel 14, and is formed near the path of the ink sheet 12 on the reel axial projection plane. Accordingly, the ink cassette can be smoothly mounted without the connecting portion 17b interfering with the thermal head 20, the pinch roller 24, and the like, and the welding and the like of the connecting portion 17b can be facilitated in manufacturing the ink cassette.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the other end 15a of the supply side storage section 15 is formed at a position higher than at the tip end of the supply side guide section 18 at least on the paper entry path. By doing so, it is possible to prevent paper jams when paper enters.

[0018]

As described above , according to the present invention , the ink
In the space between a pair of reels separated by
The first area and the other area
The thermal head is located in the second area
And a space for disposing a pinch roller and the like. Also,
An ink sheet extending between a pair of reels is always
And the change in attitude is restricted , so that the retreat space for the thermal head and pinch roller for mounting the ink cassette is reduced, and the ink cassette is mounted almost horizontally to the printer. From what you can do,
The printer device can be easily reduced in size and thickness.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view and a front sectional view of an ink cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front view illustrating a state where the ink cassette according to the embodiment is mounted on a printer. FIG. 2B is a front view illustrating a printing state of the printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view and a front sectional view of a conventional ink cassette.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state where a conventional ink cassette is mounted on a printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 ink sheet 13 supply reel 14 take-up reel 15 supply-side storage unit 16 take-up-side storage unit 17 connecting unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tsuneharu Nishikura 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Pref. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. In-company (56) References JP-A-5-179752 (JP, A) JP-A-63-170058 (JP, A) JP-A-2-169283 (JP, A) JP-A-61-121979 (JP, A) JP-A-61-235173 (JP, A) JP-A-1-218858 (JP, A) JP-A-1-218857 (JP, A) JP-A-6-982 (JP, A) 9548 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 17/32 B41J 2/325 B41J 17/30

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of leads having substantially parallel rotation center axes.
An ink sheet wound on the same side inside the
Printer having a pair of guides for guiding the ink sheet.
Attached to the device in the direction of the rotation axis of the reel
In a state where the ink cassette is not attached to the printer,
The pair of guides are on one side of the ink sheet between them.
The ink sheet between them so that they face one reel side.
And the ink sheet between them is
Into the space between the reels
The first area and the second area approaching the other reel
To guide the ink sheet between each other so as to partition
An ink cassette characterized by the following. 2. A housing for accommodating each of the pair of reels.
Providing a pair of connecting portions for connecting the pair of storage portions,
One of the connecting portions is located in the vicinity of the ink sheet path area on the projection plane in the both reel axial direction , and
The ink cassette according to claim 1, wherein the ink cassette has at least one portion that is parallel to a plane including a center axis .