JP3341052B2 - Printing cassette - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates is related to <br/> shall the print cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a thermal printer which is one of printing apparatuses, ink of an ink ribbon is transferred to an image receiving paper by heat of a thermal head. However, when performing full-color printing, three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, or It is necessary to print the four colors, which are obtained by adding black to them, as appropriate. In that case, the thermal head is relatively expensive among the components of the printer, and in order to reduce the price, a single thermal head is used, and a color ink ribbon that is sequentially painted in three or four colors in the sub-scanning direction is used. Each time one color is printed, the image receiving paper is returned to the printing start position, and the next color is superimposed. In such a printer, the color ink ribbon, which is one of the consumables, needs to be replaced by a user, and is made into a cassette for easy mounting. In addition, image receiving paper, which is another consumable, is often sold as a set.

[0003]

However, the image receiving paper disappears almost simultaneously with the ink ribbon, and the image receiving paper is replenished when the ink ribbon is replaced. Therefore, in that case,
It was necessary to attach both the ink ribbon and the receiving paper separately. In some label printers, the ink ribbon and the image receiving tape are stored in a single cassette.However, since this is only for monochrome printing using a single-color ink ribbon, there is no need to superimpose the colors. In order to perform color printing, the only way to return the image receiving tape is to route the image receiving tape from outside the cassette.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing cassette capable of simultaneously and easily mounting a color ink ribbon and an image receiving tape, which are consumables in full-color printing.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, an invention according to claim 1 is a printing cassette which is used by being mounted on a printing apparatus having a printing head, wherein an external measuring surface of the cassette body is provided. Forming a print head insertion portion into which the print head is inserted, and an image receiving tape storage portion and an ink ribbon storage portion are provided adjacent to each other in the cassette body,
An image receiving tape supply spool and an image receiving tape wound around the image receiving tape supply spool, pulled out to the outer measurement surface of the cassette body, and fed out to the position of the print head insertion section are provided in the image receiving tape storage section. In the ribbon accommodating portion, an ink ribbon supply spool and an ink ribbon take-up spool are provided adjacent to each other. The ink ribbon supply spool is wound around the ink ribbon supply spool, pulled out to the outside measurement surface of the cassette body, and positioned at the print head insertion portion. Winding on the ink ribbon winding spool via at least yellow,
A color ink ribbon is provided in which three colors of magenta and cyan are separately applied in the sub-scanning direction, and the image receiving tape supply spool is driven by the printing device to pull out the image receiving tape drawn out of the cassette main body. The cassette body is configured to be rewound into the storage section ,
The color ink ribbon stored in the cassette body
A window is formed so that the ink surface can be visually recognized from the outside .

[0006]

[0007]

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the color ink ribbon and the image receiving tape are both housed in the cassette body, full color printing can be supported, and the replacement of the consumable color ink ribbon and the image receiving tape can be performed simultaneously and easily. Can be done. In addition, the ink of the color ink ribbon is
The window is formed so that the surface can be viewed from the outside.
The ink of the specified color on the color ink ribbon
Color ink drawn into the print head insertion section
It is possible to externally adjust the ink color of the ribbon.
Wear.

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a printing cassette and a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the inside of a printing cassette as an example to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the printing cassette, FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the same printing cassette, FIG. 4 shows a color ink ribbon and an image receiving tape housed in the cassette body.
Is a schematic front view partially showing an example of color coding of a color ink ribbon, (b) is a schematic front view showing a part of an image receiving tape, and FIG. 5 is a front view showing a printing apparatus as an example to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the printing apparatus as viewed from the back side, showing a cassette loading section with a case lid removed.

First, the printing cassette will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the printing cassette 1 has an image receiving tape storage unit
A substantially right half in the drawing of the cassette main body 2 is an ink ribbon storage section 4. The U-shaped print head insertion recess 5 is provided on the upper right side of the cassette body 2 in FIG. 1 (lower right side in FIG. 3).
Are cut out in the upper side portion in the figure, and a tape carry-out portion 6 is formed between the print head insertion concave portion 5 and the image receiving tape storage portion 3. Further, a tape discharge port 7 and an ink ribbon passage port 8 are opened on the right side of the print head insertion recess 5 in the drawing. A positioning recess 9 is formed so as to be aligned with the tape discharge port 7, and three corners of the cassette body 2 excluding one corner thereof are notched from above and below for height adjustment. Tsuba 11,
11, 11 are formed.

An image receiving tape supply spool 22 around which the image receiving tape 21 is wound is provided in the image receiving tape storage section 3.
Are arranged. The image receiving tape 21 is provided with an adhesive layer and a release tape on the back surface of a base tape made of paper or the like.
Through the guide walls 12, 13 and the guide pin 1
4, 15 guided by the print head insertion recess 5
Pass through. Thereafter, the printed image receiving tape 21 is discharged to the outside from the tape discharge port 7. The ink ribbon storage unit 4 includes an ink ribbon supply spool 24 around which the color ink ribbon 23 is wound, and an ink ribbon take-up spool 25 which winds the color ink ribbon 23 fed from the ink ribbon supply spool 24. Has been established. The color ink ribbon 23 is of a thermal transfer type in which a hot-melt type ink is applied to one surface of a base tape, is fed out from an ink ribbon supply spool 24, passes through the tape unloading section 6 from the ink ribbon storage section 4, and passes through the tape unloading section 6. Is guided by the guide wall 16 and passes through the print head insertion recess 5. Reference numeral 17 denotes an ink ribbon guide pin.

As described above, the color ink ribbon 23
It is fed out together with the image receiving tape 21 into the print head insertion recess 5 and is subjected to printing processing. The used color ink ribbon 23 reenters the ink ribbon storage section 4 through the ink ribbon passage opening 8 and is taken up by the ink ribbon take-up spool 25. Reference numeral 18 denotes an ink ribbon guide pin. In addition, on the inner periphery of the ink ribbon take-up spool 25, engagement claws 26, 26, 26,... Are provided. As shown in FIG. 1, an ink ribbon positioning window 31 is formed on the right side of the cassette body 2 in the drawing, and an ink ribbon positioning window 31 is formed therein. It is guided by the guide wall 32 with the ink surface facing up.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a large-diameter driven gear 33 is integrally provided below the image receiving tape supply reel 22 to accommodate the driven gear 33. A bulging portion 34 is formed on the bottom surface of the cassette body 2. Further, on the side of the bulging portion 34 which is aligned with the printing head insertion concave portion 5, as shown in FIG.
Is formed in a notched shape. The ink surface of the color ink ribbon 23 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, the color ink ribbon 23
Indicates an ink surface having a configuration in which three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) are sequentially applied in the sub-scanning direction (the longitudinal direction of the ink ribbon) corresponding to each frame of printing. Have.

Next, the printing apparatus will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the printing apparatus 51 includes an apparatus main body 52.
Is provided with a key input section 53 and a display section 54 on the front side thereof, and a cassette loading section 55 opened to the back side is formed. A lid (not shown) is detachably provided above the cassette loading section 55. Have been. The key input unit 53 is provided with a character input key for creating character string data such as a name, a heading, and an index for label printing, a kana / kanji conversion key, a line feed key, and the like. The display unit 54 displays character string data and message data based on key input.

The cassette loading portion 55 having a rectangular concave portion in plan view is provided with a take-up shaft 56 on the right side in the figure, a cassette guide shaft 57 on the left side in the figure, and a positioning pin 58 on the upper right side in the figure. Is formed in a tape discharge port 59 which is notched. In the cassette loading section 55, a thermal head 61 as a printing (printing) head protruding from the bottom surface on the display section 54 side and a platen roller 62 are arranged.
Is arranged.

The tape cutting mechanism 63 is installed so as to face the positioning pin 58 on the right side of the thermal head 61 in the figure, and a cutter lever 64 mounted on the upper right corner of the apparatus main body 52 in the figure, And a cutter tooth 65 that moves forward by a rotating operation of the lever 64. Further, in the cassette loading section 55, mounting tables 66, 66, 66 for height adjustment are formed at three corners except one corner where the platen roller 62 is provided, and the thermal head 61 and the platen roller 62. The drive gears 67 are arranged so as to be spaced sideways. This drive gear 67 is an image receiving tape rewind drive unit.

Next, the circuit configuration of the printing apparatus 51 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the control unit (CPU) 7
0, when information is input from the key input section 71 (53), the information is stored in a print data storage section (ROM) 72, a character based on each information is called from a character generator, and the data to be printed is read out. Is stored in the data storage unit (RAM) 73, and the display control unit 74 is controlled to display the information on the display unit 75 (54).
The control unit (CPU) 70 controls the print control unit 76 to drive the print unit 77, that is, the thermal head 6
1 is moved in the direction of pressing against the platen roller 62, and each heat generating element of the thermal head 61 is selectively heated. The control unit (CPU) 70 drives and controls a platen driving unit (motor) 78 to drive the platen unit 79, that is, to rotate and drive the platen roller 62 in synchronization with the winding shaft 56. Further, a control unit (CPU) 70
Drives and controls the rewind drive unit (motor) 81 based on the print data stored in the data storage unit (RAM) 73 to drive the rewind mechanism unit 82, that is, according to the color to be printed. The driving gear 67 is driven to rotate.

Next, a case where the printing is performed by mounting the printing cassette 1 on the printing apparatus 51 will be described.
The printing cassette 1 is inserted into the cassette loading section 55 of the apparatus main body 52.
In this case, the image receiving tape supply spool 22 of the printing cassette 1 is loosely engaged with the cassette guide shaft 57, and the ink ribbon winding spool 25 is engaged with the winding shaft 56. At this time, the positioning pins 58 are aligned with the positioning recesses 9. As a result, the printing cassette 1 is mounted in the cassette loading section 55 with the thermal head 61 inserted into the print head insertion recess 5. When the printing cassette 1 is mounted, the image receiving tape 21 and the color ink ribbon 23 are superposed between the platen roller 62 and the thermal head 61. Then, the thermal head 61 presses the image receiving tape 21 and the color ink ribbon 23 against the platen roller 62. Further, a driven gear 3 integrated with the lower portion of the image receiving tape supply spool 22 is provided.
3 includes a drive gear 6 in the rewind drive unit insertion window 35.
7 are engaged.

Next, a flowchart of FIG. 8 showing an example of the full-color printing process will be described. Here, prior to the start of printing, the ink ribbon supply spool 2 is set in advance.
By manually rotating the ink ribbon take-up spool 4 and the ink ribbon take-up spool 25, for example, the yellow (Y) color of the color ink ribbon 23 is aligned with the ink ribbon alignment window 31 of the printing cassette 1. Accordingly, the yellow (Y) color is also aligned with the printing start position of the color ink ribbon 23 passing through the print head insertion recess 5.

As shown in FIG. 8, in this full-color printing process, first, in step S10, print data is read, and in the next step S11, the yellow (Y) color of the color ink ribbon Is transferred to the print start position for one frame. When printing for one frame is completed, the take-up shaft 56 and the platen roller 6
By the synchronous rotation of 2, the image receiving tape 21 and the color ink ribbon 23 are both fed by one frame.
When it is determined in the next step S12 that printing of one frame of the yellow (Y) color has been completed, a signal for controlling rewinding of the image receiving tape 21 is output in the next step S13. That is, the driven gear 33 meshing with the drive gear 67 is rotated by the rotational drive of the drive gear 67, and the image receiving tape supply spool 22 integrated with the driven gear 33 is rotated.
Is rotated in the rewinding direction, and the image receiving tape 21 is rewound by one frame. By this rewinding, the image receiving tape 2
1 at the printing start position where the yellow (Y) color is transferred,
This time, the magenta (M) color of the color ink ribbon 23 is correspondingly overlapped.

Thereafter, as in the case of the yellow (Y) color, in the next step S14, the color ink ribbon 23
The magenta (M) color is superimposed and transferred by one frame to the printing start position of the image receiving tape 21 where the yellow (Y) color has been transferred. When the printing of the second color of one frame is completed in this manner, the image receiving tape 21 is driven by the synchronous rotation of the winding shaft 56 and the platen roller 62 as described above.
And the color ink ribbon 23 are fed by one frame. Then, in the next step S15, when it is determined that printing of one frame of the magenta (M) color has been completed,
As described above, in the next step S16, a signal for controlling the rewinding of the image receiving tape 21 is output, that is, the image receiving tape supply spool 22 is rotationally driven in the rewinding direction via the driven gear 33 by the rotational driving of the driving gear 67. The image receiving tape 2
1 is rewound by one frame. By this rewinding, the cyan (C) color of the color ink ribbon 23 now corresponds to the printing start position where the magenta (M) color is overlaid and transferred on the yellow (Y) color of the image receiving tape 21. Overlap.

Then, similarly to the case of the magenta (M) color, in the next step S17, the cyan (C) color of the color ink ribbon 23 is transferred to the yellow (Y) color of the image receiving tape 21. Then, the magenta (M) color is further superimposed and transferred by one frame to the printing start position where the magenta (M) color is transferred. When the printing of the third color for one frame is completed, the image receiving tape 21 and the color ink ribbon 23 are both fed by one frame by the synchronous rotation of the winding shaft 56 and the platen roller 62 as described above. Can be If it is determined in the next step S18 that printing of one frame of the cyan (C) color has been completed, in the next step S19, the same printing as described above for the next frame of the image receiving tape 21 is performed. Control is performed sequentially.

By the way, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the printing of transferring the three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) and superimposing them has been described, but the printing of yellow (Y) and magenta (M) has been described. Two colors, two colors of yellow (Y) and cyan (C), two colors of magenta (M) and cyan (C)
Specific full-color printing, such as printing with overlapping colors or printing the color as it is, can be performed with appropriate changes. As described above, by mounting the printing cassette 1 in the cassette loading section 55 of the printing device 51, the printing cassette 1 is set based on the three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) of the color ink ribbon 23. The full color printing can be performed on the image receiving tape 21. Note that the printing device 51 can also be used in the case of normal monochrome printing using a single color.

Next, a description will be given of FIG. 9 showing another example of the configuration of the insertion window of the rewinding drive section in the printing cassette 1 and FIG. 10 showing another example of the configuration of the image receiving tape rewinding drive section of the printing apparatus 51. Will be described. Since the configuration of the portion excluding the rewinding drive unit insertion window and the image receiving tape rewinding drive unit is the same as the content described in the above embodiment,
Here, the description is omitted. As shown in FIG. 9, the printing cassette 1 has a rewinding drive unit insertion window 91 formed on the bottom surface of the tape unloading unit 6 of the cassette main body 2. That is, the rewinding drive unit insertion window 91 is opened at a portion where the image receiving tape 21 passes toward the print head insertion recess 55.

Further, as shown in FIG.
The cassette loading section 55 of the apparatus main body 52 includes a drive roller 92 serving as an image receiving tape rewind drive section, and a moving pin 93 that moves in the direction of contact and separation with respect to the drive roller 92. That is, the driving roller 92 and the moving pin 93
Is disposed on the left side of the thermal head 61. According to this embodiment, when the printing cassette 1 is mounted on the cassette loading section 55 of the printing apparatus 51, the driving roller 92 and the moving pin 93 are inserted into the cassette main body 2 from the rewinding drive section insertion window 91, and the drive is performed. The image receiving tape 21 passes between the roller 92 and the moving pin 93. Therefore, when the image receiving tape 21 is rewound for color superposition, as shown in FIG. 9, the moving pin 93 is moved to the drive roller 92 side, and the image receiving tape 21 is sandwiched in a press-contact state therebetween. ,
By rotating the driving roller 92 clockwise in the figure, the image receiving tape 21 can be rewound by one frame.

In the above embodiment, three color ink ribbons of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) are sequentially applied in the sub-scanning direction. It is not limited to this,
In addition to black, the black ink may be provided between cyan (C) and yellow (Y), or may be a color ink ribbon having more colors. In addition, the arrangement of the image receiving tape supply spool, the ink ribbon supply spool, and the ink ribbon take-up spool in the cassette body, the design of the printing device, and the like are arbitrary, and other specific detailed structures can be appropriately changed. Of course, it is.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily install consumables in full-color printing by using a printing cassette containing a color ink ribbon and an image receiving tape. A printing apparatus having a rewinding drive unit in a cassette loading unit can rewind an image receiving tape contained in a cassette for full-color printing and perform color superposition.

That is, according to the printing cassette of the first aspect, full color printing can be performed by storing the color ink ribbon and the image receiving tape together in the cassette main body. The ribbon and the image receiving tape can be easily exchanged by using a cassette. Also, add color increments to the cassette body.
A window was formed to allow the ink surface of the bon to be viewed from the outside.
In this window, apply the specified color ink from the color ink ribbon to this window.
By aligning, pull out to the print head insertion section.
Externally align the ink color of the color ink ribbon
It can be.

[0031]

[0032]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration inside a printing cassette as an example to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view showing the printing cassette.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the printing cassette.

4A and 4B show a color ink ribbon and an image receiving tape housed in a cassette body, wherein FIG. 4A is a schematic front view partially showing an example of color coding of the color ink ribbon, and FIG. It is a schematic front view shown.

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view showing a printing apparatus as an example to which the present invention is applied, viewed from the front side.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the printing apparatus viewed from the back side,
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a cassette loading unit with a case lid removed.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a control system of the printing apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a full-color printing process.

FIG. 9 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1, showing a schematic configuration inside a printing cassette as another configuration example to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a printing apparatus as another configuration example to which the present invention is applied, viewed from the back side, similar to FIG. 6 showing a cassette loading section with a case lid removed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 printing cassette 2 cassette body 5 print head insertion recess 7 tape discharge port 8 ink ribbon passage 21 image receiving tape 22 image receiving tape supply spool 23 color ink ribbon 24 ink ribbon supply spool 25 ink ribbon take-up spool 31 ink ribbon positioning window 33 Driven gear 34 Swelling part 35, 91 Rewinding drive part insertion window 51 Printing device 55 Cassette loading part 56 Drive shaft 59 Tape outlet 61 Print head 62 Platen roller 64 Cutter lever 65 Cutter tooth 67 Drive gear 92 Drive roller 93 Moving pin

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 32/00 B41J 3/36 B41J 35/16

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing cassette which is used by being mounted on a printing apparatus having a printing head, wherein a printing head insertion portion for inserting the printing head is formed on an external measurement surface of a cassette body, and the cassette is provided with the printing head. An image receiving tape storage section and an ink ribbon storage section are provided adjacent to each other in the main body.In the image receiving tape storage section, an image receiving tape supply spool, and an external measuring surface of the cassette body wound around the image receiving tape supply spool. An image receiving tape that is pulled out and fed to the position of the print head insertion section; an ink ribbon supply spool and an ink ribbon take-up spool are provided adjacent to each other in the ink ribbon storage section; Draw out to the outer surface of the cassette body and wind it around the ink ribbon take-up spool through the position of the print head insertion section. A color ink ribbon formed by applying at least three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the image receiving tape supply spool is driven by the printing device and pulled out of the cassette body. A tape is rewound into the image receiving tape storage section.
The cassette body is housed in the cassette body.
The ink surface of the color ink ribbon is visible from outside
A printing cassette characterized by forming a transparent window .