JP3426983B2 - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention, I detachable tape cassette der the printing apparatus having a thermal head, with a replaceable tape unit formed by winding the heat-sensitive printing tape around the tape spool It relates to a tape cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a tape cassette having a built-in printing tape for printing characters or the like through a thermal head or the like, which has been used in a printing device or the like, a printing tape which is used when the printing tape is used up Instead, various kinds of tape cassettes in which a new printing tape can be replaced have been proposed by the present applicant. Replacement of such print tape is usually
This is performed by replacing the tape cassette with the wound tape spool wound around the tape cassette.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional replacement tape spool, when the replacement tape spool is replaced, a part of the wound printing tape is pulled out and the tape spool is stored in the tape spool storage portion. The printing tape that is stored and pulled out must be placed in the recess of the tape cassette where the thermal head is placed when the tape cassette is mounted in the printing device.

However, the printing tape pulled out from the tape spool has a curl because it is stored in a wound state, and is curved due to the curl. Therefore, there is a problem that the work of mounting the tape cassette becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette in which the replacement work of the replacement tape spool is simple.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the tape cassette according to claim 1 of the present invention is a tape cassette which can be attached to and detached from a printing apparatus having a thermal head, and printing is performed by the thermal head. A replacement tape unit in which a printing tape is wound around a tape spool, a tape spool storage section that can store the replacement tape unit, and a printing tape that faces the printing tape when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device. In a tape cassette having a concave portion in which a thermal head is disposed, a guide means for guiding the printing tape drawn from the tape spool to the concave portion while curving is provided, and the bending direction when the guide means guides the printing tape. So that the curving direction of the printing tape due to the curl becomes the same , and
Film unit on at least one side of the tape unit.
It is characterized by the fact that a label is attached .

In the tape cassette having the above structure, when the replacement tape spool is replaced, the curving direction of the printing tape pulled out from the tape spool and the guide means guide the printing tape. Since the curving direction at that time coincides, the printing tape can be easily arranged along the guiding direction of the guide means, and the replacement work of the replacement tape spool becomes simple. Moreover, the film sheet
Is the printing tape wound on the tape spool.
Hold the wound state so that it will not be released from the pool
At the same time, at least one of the upper and
It protects from the adverse effects of heat and light from the parts.
It

The tape cassette according to a second aspect of the present invention has the same structure as that of the first aspect, but in the replacement tape unit, the printing tape has a thermosensitive coloring layer formed on one surface of the base tape. At the same time, a release paper is attached to the other surface of the base tape via an adhesive, and is wound around the tape spool with the thermosensitive coloring layer facing inward.

A tape cassette according to a second aspect of the present invention, which has the above-described structure, has the same operation as that of the first aspect,
While the replacement tape unit is being stored, the thermosensitive coloring layer of the printing tape can be effectively prevented from being exposed to light, heat, etc. from the outside. It is possible to exchange. Furthermore, the tape cassette according to claim 3.
, The film sheet is replaced with the replacement tape.
Affixed to both sides of the optical unit, exposing both sides directly to the light.
Sea urchin to protect'm not. Therefore, the printing tape
Combined with the fact that the heat-sensitive layer is wound inward.
Through each film sheet almost completely from the outside
It can be protected from adverse effects such as heat and light.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings based on an embodiment in which a tape cassette used in a tape printer is embodied. First, the replacement tape unit according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the replacement tape unit, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing the configuration of the printing tape. In each of these drawings, a replacement tape unit 1 includes a tape spool 2, a printing tape 3 wound around the tape spool 2, and a film sheet 4 attached to the upper end surface and the lower end surface of the printing tape 3 (see FIG. 1 shows only the upper film sheet 4).

Here, the tape spool 2 is a printing tape 3
Is integrally formed with a shaft portion (not shown) around which is wound and a top portion 2A formed at the upper end of the shaft portion and having a diameter larger than that of the shaft portion.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printing tape 3 is heated and colored on one surface (the surface on the left side in FIG. 2) of the base tape 5 made of a polyester film by a heating element of a thermal head TH (described later). A heat-sensitive agent layer 6 on which characters and the like are formed is provided, and a release paper 8 is attached to the other surface (the surface on the right side in FIG. 2) of the base tape 5 via an adhesive layer 7. There is. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing tape 3 thus configured is wound around the tape spool 2 with the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 facing inward. As a result, the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 of the printing tape 3 is not exposed to the outside, and the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 receives heat from the outside.
It is prevented from being adversely affected by light or the like and is not discolored or altered.

Further, an adhesive is applied to one surface of each film sheet 4 to be attached to the upper end surface and the lower end surface of the printing tape 3 which is wound around the tape spool 2 and has a roll shape, Each film sheet 4 is attached to the upper end surface and the lower end surface of the printing tape 3 via such an adhesive. Here, each film sheet 4 maintains the winding state so that the printing tape 3 wound around the tape spool 2 is not released from the tape spool 2, and the upper and lower end surfaces of the printing tape 3 are exposed to heat and light from the outside. It protects it so that it is not directly exposed. Therefore, the printing tape 3 can be protected almost completely from the adverse effects of heat, light, etc. from the outside through each film sheet 4, together with the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 being wound inward. Is.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the structure of the tape cassette in which the replacement tape unit 1 having the above structure is stored will be described. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the tape cassette in which the tape cassette is disassembled, and the tape cassette 10 is basically a tape cassette body 11
And a cassette lid 12 which is attachable to and detachable from the tape cassette body 11. Tape cassette body 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a rectangular case having an open upper side, and a pair of locking holes 13 are formed at both sides of the rear wall 11A of the tape cassette body 11. The locking projections 30 of the cassette lid 12 described later are locked in the locking holes 13, respectively.

A pair of protrusions 14 are formed on the right side of the front wall 11B of the tape cassette body 11, and the engaging grooves 15 are provided between the protrusions 14.
To form. An elastic locking member 34 provided on the cassette lid 12 described later is locked in the locking groove 15. Further, a tape guide piece 16 is integrally provided continuously on the left side of the front wall 11B, and a thermal head guide member 17 is provided behind the tape guide piece 16. The thermal head guide member 17 is formed in a "U" shape in a plan view, and a thermal head TH is disposed in the "U" shaped recess 18 as described later. A locking elongated hole 19 is formed in the rear wall of the recess 18, and a locking piece 35 formed on the cassette lid 12 described later is locked in the locking elongated hole 19. Further, between the thermal head guide member 17 and the left side wall of the tape cassette main body 11, a roller drive shaft 20 which is erected from the bottom wall of the cassette housing portion of the tape printer and is rotationally driven by a tape feed motor is engaged. A compatible tape feed roller 21 is arranged. Since the configuration of the cassette housing portion in such a tape printer is well known, its detailed description is omitted here.

In the tape cassette body 11,
At the left rear position thereof, a tape spool accommodating portion 4 for accommodating the replacement tape unit 1 configured as described above.
2 (see FIG. 4) is provided, and the replacement tape unit 1 is rotatably stored in the tape spool storage portion 42. The tape spool 2 of the replacement tape unit 1 thus stored in the tape spool storage portion 42.
Four tape guides 22, 23, 24, 25 are provided from the bottom wall of the tape cassette body 11 to guide the print tape 3 wound around the tape to the thermal head guide member 17 (for the tape guides 24, 25, see FIG. 4) is provided. As a result, the printing tape 3 pulled out from the tape spool 2 of the replacement tape unit 1 is smoothly sent to the thermal head TH via the tape guides 22, 23, 24, 25.

As shown in FIG. 4, the printing tape 3 is curved and guided by the tape guides 22 to 25 to the thermal head guide member 17 so that the heat sensitive agent layer 6 is located inside. On the other hand, since the print tape 3 pulled out from the tape spool 2 is wound around the tape spool 2 so that the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 is on the inner side, the curl is curl so that the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 is on the inner side. Is attached. Since the curving direction of each of the tape guides 22 to 25 matches the curving direction of the winding habit of the printing tape 3, the printing tape 3 is easily guided along the tape guides 22 to 25 when the replacement tape unit 1 is replaced. be able to. Further, at the time of printing, the printing tape 3 can be smoothly fed to the thermal head TH via the tape guides 22 to 25.

The drive shaft 26, which is provided upright from the bottom wall of the cassette housing portion of the tape printer in the vicinity of the tape guide 23, is used as a winding shaft for a thermal ribbon housed in a conventional tape cassette. However, in the tape cassette 10 according to this embodiment, the drive shaft 2 is not involved in the feeding operation of the printing tape 3.
A sound deadening spool 27 is fitted so as to reduce the driving sound generated as the 6 rotates. Further, in the tape cassette main body 11, a tape discharging portion 28 is provided in the vicinity of the tape feeding roller 21, and the tape discharging portion 28 includes the front end portion of the left side wall of the tape cassette main body 11 and the left side wall of the tape cassette main body 11. Guide piece 29 extended from
It is composed of a gap formed between and. This allows
The printing tape 3 pulled out from the tape spool 2 is guided to the thermal head TH by each tape guide 22 to 25, and the printing tape 3 is passed through the thermal head TH.
Characters and the like are color-printed on the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 and then discharged from the tape discharge portion 28 to the outside of the tape cassette 10.

The discharged printing tape 3 is peeled off from the release paper 8 and attached to a desired place with the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 facing upward.
At this time, since the discharged printing tape 3 has a curl that curves so that the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 is on the inner side as described above, the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 is on the inner side and the release paper 8 is on the outer side. It becomes a curved state. Therefore, the release paper 8 can be easily peeled off as compared with the case where the heat sensitive agent layer 6 is curved outside and the release paper 8 is curved inside. Further, since the printing tape 3 is curved so that the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 is on the inside and the release paper 8 is on the outside, when the printing tape 3 is attached, the release paper 8 is partially peeled from one end of the printing tape 3. In this state, the part of the print tape 3 from which the release paper 8 has been peeled off can be attached to a desired location, and the print tape 3 can be attached while gradually peeling off the release paper 8, which facilitates the attaching work.

Next, the cassette lid 12 which can be attached to and detached from the tape cassette body 11 will be described. Cassette lid 1
Reference numeral 2 is for covering the open surface of the tape cassette body 11 from the upper side, and a rear end portion thereof is a pair of locking projections which are fitted into respective locking holes 13 formed in the tape cassette body 11. 30 is formed. Also, the cassette lid 12
A recess 31 is formed at the right side position in the front portion of the cassette 31. In the recess 31, a bent portion 32 extending downward from the bottom surface of the cassette lid 12 and a knob continuous in the horizontal direction from the bent portion 32 are provided. An elastic locking member 34 including the portion 33 is provided. The elastic locking member 34 is elastically locked in the locking groove 15 formed between the protrusions 14. Further, the cassette lid 1 is located at the left side of the front of the cassette lid 12.
2 A locking piece 35 is vertically provided from the bottom surface, and the locking piece 35 is elastically locked in a locking elongated hole 19 formed in the rear wall of the thermal head guide member 17.

The tape guide piece 36 vertically provided at the left end of the front end of the cassette lid 12 cooperates with the tape guide piece 16 of the tape cassette body 11 when the cassette lid 12 is attached to the tape cassette body 11. For guiding the feeding of the printing tape 3, and the guide piece 37 vertically provided at the left corner of the cassette lid 12 is also used when the cassette lid 12 is attached to the tape cassette body 11. The tape ejecting portion 28 is configured in cooperation with the guide piece 29 formed on 11.

In order to assemble the tape cassette 10 by mounting the cassette lid 12 on the tape cassette body 11 having the above-described structure, first, the locking projections 30 of the cassette lid 12 are locked by the locking projections 30 of the tape cassette body 11. Hole 13
Insert it inside. After this, the cassette lid 12 is attached to each locking hole 13
Is rotated downward around the bending portion 32 of the elastic locking member 34.
Is elastically fitted into the locking groove 15 and the locking piece 35
Is elastically locked in the locking slot 19. As a result, the cassette lid 12 is fitted into the tape cassette body 11 with a click feeling, and the tape cassette 10 is assembled.

On the other hand, in order to remove the cassette lid 12 from the tape cassette 10, the elastic locking member 3 of the cassette lid 12 is used.
The picking portion 33 in 4 is picked up with a finger and pulled up. Due to this pulling up operation, the bent portion 32 and the locking groove 1
5, the fitting between the locking piece 35 and the locking elongated hole 19 is released, and the cassette lid 12 is fixed to the tape cassette body 11
On the other hand, it becomes possible to rotate around each locking hole 13.
After that, when the knob 33 is further pulled up, the cassette lid 12 is rotated around each locking hole 13 to disengage each locking projection 30 from each locking hole 13 at an appropriate position. For example, the cassette lid 12 is removed from the tape cassette body 11.

Next, a state in which the tape cassette 10 constructed as described above is housed in the cassette housing portion of the tape printer will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state where the tape cassette 10 is stored in the cassette storage portion of the tape printer, with the cassette lid 12 omitted.

In FIG. 4, when the tape cassette 10 is stored in the cassette housing portion of the tape printer, the thermal head TH fixed in the cassette housing portion is placed in the recess 18 of the thermal head guide member 17. Here, the thermal head TH is arranged inside the tape cassette 10, and the plurality of heating elements provided in the thermal head TH have the print tape 3 around the tape spool 2 as described above. Since the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 is wound inward, it is in contact with the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 of the printing tape 3 so as to face it.

In the cassette housing portion, a roller holder R is rotatably arranged so as to face the thermal head TH and the tape feed roller 21. In the roller holder R, a platen roller 40 is rotatably supported so as to face the thermal head TH, and a tape feed auxiliary roller 41 is rotatably supported so as to face the tape feed roller 21. Then, when the tape printer is operating, the platen roller 40 moves the thermal head TH.
And the tape feed auxiliary roller 41 is brought into contact with the tape feed roller 21. As a result, the print tape 3 pulled out from the tape spool 2 of the replacement tape unit 1 housed in the tape spool housing portion 42 of the tape cassette body 11 is collaborated by the tape feeding roller 21 and the tape feeding auxiliary roller 41. , Is smoothly guided through the tape guides 22 to 25, and the thermal head TH and the platen roller 40 cooperate in the concave portion 18 of the thermal head guide member 17 to form a character on the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 of the printing tape 3. Is printed. Thereafter, the printing tape 3 on which characters and the like are printed is discharged from the tape discharging unit 28 to the outside of the tape printer by the cooperation of the tape feeding roller 21 and the tape feeding auxiliary roller 41.

As described above, when characters or the like are printed on the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 of the printing tape 3 to create a tape with characters, when the printing tape 3 wound around the tape spool 2 is lost, Instead of the tape spool 2, a new unused tape 3 is wound and replaced with a replacement tape unit 1. In this case, first, the tape cassette 1
0 is taken out from the cassette housing portion, and the cassette lid 12 is removed from the tape cassette body 11 by the procedure described above. After this, the tape spool 2 that has been used up with the printing tape 3 is taken out from the tape spool storage section 42,
The new replacement tape unit 1 formed by winding the unused printing tape 3 is stored in the tape spool storage portion 42.
Then, the printing tape 3 is guided from the tape guides 22 to 25 to the tape feed roller 21 via the recess 18.
As a result, the setting of the replacement tape unit 1 to the tape cassette body 11 is completed, and then the cassette lid 12 is attached to the tape cassette body 11 according to the above-described procedure, whereby the tape cassette 10 is assembled. And such a tape cassette 10
When is mounted in the cassette storage portion for tape printing, it becomes possible to print characters and the like on the printing tape 3 again via the thermal head TH.

As described above in detail, in the tape cassette 10 according to this embodiment, the tape guides 22 to 25 are provided.
Since the curving direction of the printing tape 3 when being guided by the same coincides with the curling direction of the curl attached to the printing tape, when the replacement tape spool 1 is replaced, the printing tape 3 is easily guided by the tape guides 22 to 25. Can be followed. Further, at the time of printing, the printing tape 3 can be smoothly fed to the thermal head TH via the tape guides 22 to 25.

Further, in the replacement tape unit 1 according to the present embodiment, the printing tape 3 is provided around the tape spool 2.
Since the heat-sensitive material layer 6 formed on the printing tape 3 is wound inward on the tape spool 2 when the tape is wound, the heat-sensitive material layer 6 for performing color printing of characters and the like on the printing tape 3 is wound. The heat-sensitive material layer 6 can be protected from discoloration, deterioration, etc. without being directly exposed to heat, light or the like from the outside. As a result, the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 formed on the printing tape 3 can be easily stored for a long period of time while maintaining stable quality without causing discoloration or deterioration.

Further, in the replacement tape unit 1, since the film sheet 4 is attached to the upper end surface and the lower end surface of the printing tape 3 wound around the tape spool 2, the stamp tape 3 has the heat-sensitive agent layer 6 thereof. In addition to the fact that the film is wound inward, it is possible to almost completely protect the film sheet 4 from the adverse effects of heat, light and the like from the outside.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and it goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0032]

As described above, in the tape cassette according to the first aspect of the present invention, the curving direction of the curl of the printing tape in the wound state and the guide means for guiding the printing tape while curving it. Since the curving directions are matched, the printing tape can be easily guided in the curving direction by the guide means, and the replacement tape spool replacement work is simplified. Shi
Or at least one side of the replacement tape unit
Since the film sheet was attached, the film sheet
Print spool wound on the spool spool
Keep the winding state so that it will not be released from
In addition, at least one of the upper and lower end faces of the printing tape is
It protects from the adverse effects of heat, light, etc.

The tape cassette according to claim 2 is
The same effect as that of claim 1 is achieved, but the thermosensitive coloring layer can be prevented from being exposed to light and the like, and the thermosensitive coloring layer formed on the printing tape is stable for a long time without discoloration or deterioration. It can be saved easily while maintaining good quality. Furthermore, in the tape cassette according to claim 3,
The film sheet is attached to both sides of the replacement tape unit.
Protect the sides from direct exposure to light. Therefore, mark
The tape has its heat-sensitive layer wound inward.
Combined with that, almost complete through each film sheet
Can be completely protected from the adverse effects of external heat, light, etc.
It is a thing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a replacement tape unit.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of a print tape.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the tape cassette showing the tape cassette in an exploded manner.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which a tape cassette is accommodated in a cassette accommodating portion of the tape printer, with a cassette lid omitted.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Replacement tape unit 2 tape spool 3 printing tape 4 film sheet 5 base tape 6 Heat-sensitive agent layer 7 Adhesive layer 8 Release paper 10 tape cassette 11 tape cassette body 12 cassette lid

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tape cassette which is detachable from a printing device having a thermal head, wherein a printing tape to be printed by the thermal head is wound around a tape spool, and a replacement tape unit. A tape cassette comprising: a tape spool housing portion capable of housing a tape unit; and a concave portion in which the thermal head is arranged so as to face the printing tape when the tape cassette is mounted in a printing device. A guide means for guiding the drawn-out printing tape to the concave portion while curving the drawn printing tape is provided, and the curving direction when the guiding means guides the printing tape and the curving direction of the printing tape due to the curl coincide with each other.
And at least one side of the replacement tape unit
A tape cassette with a film sheet attached to its surface . 2. In the replacement tape unit, the printing tape has a thermosensitive coloring layer formed on one surface of the base tape, and a release paper is attached to the other surface of the base tape via an adhesive, tape cassette Tsu City of claim 1, wherein the towards the coloring layer on the inner side are wound around the tape spool. 3. The film sheet is the replacement tape.
Affixed to both sides of the optical unit, exposing both sides directly to the light.
The protection for preventing the protection from happening.
Tape cassette.