JP3770760B2 - Ink sheet cassette - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink sheet cassette, and more particularly, to a small ink sheet cassette that enables recycling of some parts of a cassette case.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a line printer having a long thermal head in which heating elements are arranged and arranged along the width direction of a recording paper has been used as a recording apparatus for quickly recording line by line or page on a recording paper. Yes.
[0003]
In this line printer, a winding core and an output core each having an ink sheet wound from both ends are disposed in the cassette body so as to be rotatable and spaced from each other. An ink sheet cassette having a cassette body that forms a transport path for the ink sheet transported and supplied to the take-up core side is used, and when the ink sheet cassette is mounted on the line printer, the thermal head of the line printer is placed between the cores. The thermal head and the platen roller are pressed against each other through an ink sheet positioned on the transport path, and recording is performed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the line printer, it is desired to reduce the size of the apparatus itself. Therefore, downsizing of the ink sheet cassette mounted on the line printer is one of the problems. That is, if the ink sheet cassette can be downsized, the line printer itself can be downsized.
[0005]
However, as described above, in the ink sheet cassette having a configuration in which the feeding core and the winding core are arranged apart from each other, there is a space that can store the pancake when the ink sheet for the entire length is wound. Each core has to be prepared in the outer peripheral area, and there is a limit to downsizing.
[0006]
In addition, consumables such as ink sheet cassettes are encouraged to be recycled in consideration of the global environment.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing points, and is an ink sheet cassette that is configured to reduce the overall shape of the ink sheet cassette, and allows a part of the cassette case to be recycled, and can be easily reassembled. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple ink sheet cassette.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the ink sheet cassette according to claim 1 of the present invention is a pair of cassette frames in which a pair of winding cores and a feeding core around which an ink sheet as a recording medium is wound are adjacent to each other. And supporting a guide member extending in parallel with a line connecting the center of the take-up core and the take-up core, which folds back the ink sheet drawn out from the send-out core in the winding core arrangement direction. A line connecting the center of the feeding core and the winding core between the ink sheet supplied between the feeding core and the guide member and the ink sheet folded back to the winding core side by the guide member. configured as a thermal head of a line printer so as to face the ink sheet in the direction perpendicular folded back to the winding core side forms a gap to be inserted And holding the ink sheet holder so as to cover the ink sheet in the conveying direction while exposing the ink sheet to at least a portion facing the thermal head, and a part having a joining portion by a mold hinge And a cassette case integrally formed so that the ink sheet holder can be replaced by opening and closing.
[0009]
According to the present invention, the take-up core and the delivery core are arranged adjacent to each other in the same space, and a space that can accommodate pancakes when the ink sheet for the entire length is wound is stored. It is possible to reduce the overall shape of the ink sheet cassette by using it as a part, and the number of parts can be reduced by forming the cassette case that holds the ink sheet holder in a single member. The ink sheet holder can be easily exchanged by opening and closing a part of the joint part.
[0010]
An ink sheet cassette according to claim 2 is the ink sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein the ink sheet holder is held by a portion of the cassette case that is opened and closed by a mold filing and the other portion. An engaging claw as a lock member is formed at each of the opposed positions.
[0011]
According to the present invention, the ink sheet holder can be easily and reliably held by the engagement of the engagement claws.
[0012]
Furthermore, the ink sheet cassette according to claim 3 is the ink sheet cassette according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a tongue piece as a grip portion is integrally formed on the cassette case by a mold. It is characterized by that.
[0013]
According to the present invention, the tongue piece can be stored in a bent state when not in use, and can function as a gripping portion by being extended when in use.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the configuration of an embodiment of the ink sheet cassette of the present invention and the effects obtained by adopting the configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the ink sheet cassette 1 in the present embodiment covers an ink sheet holder 2 that supports the ink sheet S so that the ink sheet S can be conveyed from the side, and covers the ink sheet S from the plane direction. Thus, the cassette case 3 is held.
[0016]
The ink sheet holder 2 is formed in a substantially elliptical shape so as to rotatably support the winding core 4 and the sending core 5 around which the ink sheet S as a recording medium is wound from both ends. A wall portion (hereinafter referred to as a core housing portion wall portion) 6 and a straight side portion of the elliptical wall portion 6 that extends to the side where the feeding core 5 is disposed to form the ink sheet guide portion 7. It has a pair of cassette frames 9 composed of arm-shaped wall portions (hereinafter referred to as arm-shaped wall portions) 8. Between the arm-like wall portions 8 constituting the ink sheet guide portion 7 of the pair of cassette frames 9, a gap for running the ink sheet is formed between the back side cassette case described later, A plate-shaped ink sheet guide plate 10 for guiding the ink sheet to the winding core 4 is formed. The tip of the arm-shaped wall portion 8 is bent in the shape of a bowl toward the side where the cores 4 and 5 are disposed, and an ink sheet drawn out from the feeding core 5 is wound around the leading end of the winding core. A guide roller 11 is supported as a guide member that is folded back in the arrangement direction of 4, and is provided between the ink sheet S supplied between the feed core 5 and the guide roller 11 and the ink sheet guide portion 7. The thermal head of the line printer is configured to form a gap 12 for insertion together with the head mounting base.
[0017]
On the other hand, the cassette case 3 holds the ink sheet holder 2 so as to cover the ink sheet S in the conveying direction while exposing the ink sheet S to at least a portion facing the thermal head, and has a joint portion by a mold hinge. The ink sheet holder 2 is integrally formed to be exchangeable by opening and closing a part thereof.
[0018]
In the present embodiment, the cassette case 3 is formed on the front half surface side where the gap is formed when the ink sheet holder 2 is divided in the extending direction of the ink sheet guide portion 7. A front cassette case 3A that covers the ink sheet S so as to form an exposed portion of the ink sheet S, and a back cassette case 3B that covers the entire rear surface side of the ink sheet holder 2 where the gap 12 is not formed. A part of the side cassette case 3A and a part of the back side cassette case are connected to each other and integrally formed by a mold helix (hereinafter, the ink sheet holder is referred to based on the extending position of the ink sheet guide portion 7). The front half side where the gap is formed when 2 is divided into two is called the front surface of the ink sheet cassette, and the reverse side is called the back surface).
[0019]
Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the front side cassette case 3 </ b> A has a flat bowl-like cross-sectional shape that is equal to the shape of the front half surface side of the core housing part wall portion 6 that is substantially elliptical. The back side cassette case 3B has a substantially J-shaped cross section in which the rear half side of the arm-shaped wall portion 8 constituting the ink sheet guide portion 7 and the core accommodating portion wall portion 6 is connected. These two members 3a and 3B are located on the open end side of the front cassette case 3A on the side where the winding core 4 is disposed and on the same side of the rear cassette case 3B where the winding core 4 is disposed. It is integrally formed in a state where the open end side that is positioned is connected by a mold hinge.
[0020]
Thus, by forming the back side cassette case 3B and the front side casing 3A integrally and forming the cassette case 3 holding the ink sheet holder 2 as a single member, the number of parts can be reduced, and the assembly can be reduced. Work becomes easy. In addition, the ink sheet holder 2 can be easily replaced by opening and closing the front casing portion 3A (or the rear cassette case 3B) in the case of this embodiment, with a part joined by a mold hinge. be able to.
[0021]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the front surface that faces when the cassette case 3 is disposed along the cassette frame 9 by bending the joint portion formed by the mold hinge. An engaging claw 14 as a lock member is formed at each position of the side cassette case 3A and the back side cassette case 3B. By engaging the engaging claw 14, the ink sheet holder 2 is moved to the front side cassette. It is comprised so that it may hold | maintain between case 3A and the back side cassette case 3B.
[0022]
As described above, the ink sheet cassette 1 according to this embodiment configured by combining the ink sheet holder 2 and the cassette case 3 includes the winding core 4 and the feeding core 5 between the core housing portion wall 6. Since it is configured to be arranged next to each other in the space to be formed, conventionally, an ink sheet for the entire length that had to be prepared in the peripheral area of each of the cores 4 and 5 is wound. A part of the space for storing pancakes can be shared, and the ink sheet cassette 1 can be downsized.
[0023]
In addition, as described above, the portion of the cassette case that is opened / closed by the mold hinge and the other portion of the cassette case facing each other when the ink sheet holder is held, in the case of this embodiment, the back side cassette case 3B The engaging claw 14 as a locking member formed on the cassette case 3A on the front side is engaged with each other so that the ink sheet holder 2 can be easily held and fixed to the cassette frame 9. Thus, the cassette case 3 can be reused, and only the used ink sheet holder 2 can be replaced with a new ink sheet holder 2, and the operation can be easily performed.
[0024]
Further, in the present embodiment, when the ink sheet cassette is taken out from the mounting portion of the ink sheet cassette of the line printer, the tongue piece 15 that the user holds as a gripping portion is formed on one end surface of the front cassette case 3A. Are integrally formed.
[0025]
In the present embodiment, the tongue piece 15 is integrally formed on the straight side portion of the front side cassette case 3A, which is the front side when the ink sheet cassette 1 is mounted on a line printer, and as shown in FIG. A V-shaped cut 16 is formed on the back side surface of the base, and the tongue 15 can be stored in a folded state on the back side when not in use, and can function as a gripping part by being extended when in use. It is like that.
[0026]
In the ink sheet cassette 1 configured as described above, the arrangement side open end of the feeding core 5 of the front cassette case 3A records the ink sheet S wound around the feeding core 5. The end of the ink sheet guide plate 10 on the core arrangement side serves as a take-up opening for guiding the ink sheet S used for recording to the take-up core.
[0027]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the thing of the said embodiment, A various change is possible as needed.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the ink sheet cassette according to the present invention can reduce the number of parts by forming the cassette case of the ink sheet cassette into a single member by mold hinging. The ink sheet holder can be easily replaced by opening and closing a part of the cassette case with a joint. Further, the ink sheet holder is formed by engaging the engaging claws formed at respective positions facing each other when the ink sheet holder of the portion other than the portion that is opened and closed by the mold hinge of the cassette case is held. In addition, the cassette case can be reused by replacing only the ink sheet holder that winds the consumable ink sheet, and it is easy to reassemble the cassette case. In addition, it is possible to fold and store the gripping portion gripped by the user when collecting the ink sheet cassette from the line printer as a mold-folding structure, thereby saving space. Play.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an ink sheet cassette according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing engagement between a front cassette case and a rear cassette case. Explanatory drawing which shows the state extended [FIG. 4] Explanatory drawing which shows the state which folded the tongue piece as a holding part 【Explanation of numerals】
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink sheet cassette 2 Ink sheet holder 3 Cassette case 3A Front side cassette case 3B Rear side cassette case 4 Winding core 5 Sending core 6 Core accommodating part wall part 7 Ink sheet guide part 8 Arm-shaped wall part 9 Cassette frame 10 Ink Sheet guide plate 11 Guide roller 12 Gap 13 Mold hinge 14 Engaging claw 15 Tongue piece 16 Cutting

Claims (3)

A pair of take-up cores and delivery cores around which an ink sheet as a recording medium is wound are supported next to each other between the pair of cassette frames, and the ink sheet drawn out from the delivery cores is An ink sheet that supports a guide member extending in parallel with a line connecting the center of the feeding core and the winding core that is folded back in the arrangement direction, and that is supplied between the feeding core and the guide member, and the guide Between the ink sheet folded back to the take-up core side by the member , facing the ink sheet folded back to the take-up core side in a direction orthogonal to the line connecting the feeding core and the center of the take-up core. An ink sheet holder configured to form a gap into which a thermal head of a line printer is inserted;
While holding the ink sheet holder so that the ink sheet is exposed at least in a portion facing the thermal head and covering the ink sheet in the transport direction, the ink sheet is opened and closed by a joint portion by a mold hinge. A cassette case integrally formed so that the sheet holder can be replaced;
An ink sheet cassette comprising:   2. An engaging claw as a lock member is formed on each of the portion of the cassette case that opens and closes by the mold hinge and the other portion of the cassette case that faces when the ink sheet holder is held. The ink sheet cassette according to 1.   The ink sheet cassette according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a tongue piece as a grip portion is integrally formed on the cassette case by a mold.