JP4000477B2 - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer, and more particularly to a thermal transfer printer including a cartridge mounting portion that detachably supports an ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon.

  As is well known, in a thermal transfer printer, an ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon is mounted on a main body, a recording medium such as paper fed between a thermal head and a platen roller, and a thermal head as a platen roller. With the head down, the ink ribbon and the paper are pressed against and held by the platen roller, the transport roller is rotated, and the recording medium is transported to the downstream side of the thermal head. Thermal transfer is performed and a desired image is printed.

In the thermal transfer printer as described above, as a configuration in which the ink ribbon cartridge having the ink ribbon is mounted on the main body, conventionally, there is one in which the reel of the ink ribbon cartridge is supported by a holder provided on the main body side ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-165256 A

However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a holder-side support member is required in addition to the holder, and details are not clearly shown. However, the holder must be attached to a frame or the like on the main body side. However, there is a problem that the mounting work is necessary and the structure is extremely complicated.

Conventionally, there are thermal transfer printers as shown in FIGS. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional thermal transfer printer, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing main parts of an ink ribbon cartridge and a supply side cartridge mounting portion of the conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic sectional view showing a cartridge mounting portion on the supply side of the conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIG. 3 . Hereinafter, a conventional thermal transfer printer will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The thermal transfer printer shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 includes an ink ribbon cartridge 2, a transport roller 3 for transporting a recording medium, a thermal head (not shown), a platen roller, and the like on the inner surface side of a U-shaped metal main body frame 1. It is arranged. A bracket 5 for attaching a motor 4 as a drive source is provided on one outer surface of the main body frame 1, and between the bracket 5 and a side frame 6 attached to a vertical surface of the main body frame 1. In the formed area, a winding drive mechanism 7 composed of a plurality of intermediate gears 71, a torque regulator 72, and the like, a conveyance roller side gear 31 that transmits a rotational force to the conveyance roller 3, and the like are disposed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ink ribbon cartridge 2 has a reel 22 on the side of winding the ink ribbon 21 having a recess 22 a in which three grooves 22 b are formed, and a recess in which a groove is similarly formed. It is composed of a supply-side reel (not shown) around which an ink ribbon 21 is wound.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the cartridge mounting portion 180 on the winding side where the ink ribbon cartridge 2 is mounted includes a metal reel support shaft 182 attached to the main body frame 1 by a crimping portion 181 and a reel support. A resin-made receiving reel 183 attached to one end of the shaft 182, a compression coil spring 184, and a metal retaining C-shaped ring 185 are formed. The receiving reel 183 that is engaged with the reel 22 of the ink ribbon cartridge 2 includes three protruding ribs 183 a that engage with the grooves 22 b formed on the reel 22 of the ink ribbon cartridge 2, and three positioning ribs. 183b is integrally formed.

  By the way, in the conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in order to constitute the cartridge mounting portion 180, the reel support shaft 182 is attached to the main body frame 1 by the caulking portion 181, and the receiving side reel 183 is also used. Therefore, there is a problem that it is necessary to attach a metal retaining C-shaped ring 185 to the reel support shaft 182, and its workability is poor and it is difficult to reduce the number of manufacturing steps.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is extremely simple and effective without increasing the number of parts, and without requiring a troublesome caulking operation or a mounting operation of a retaining C-type ring. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer printer that can be manufactured automatically.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for detachably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, and a drive mechanism for driving the ink ribbon to wind up are provided. In the thermal transfer printer provided with a side frame mounted on the vertical surface of the main body frame, the cartridge mounting portion has a groove extending in the axial direction in the vicinity of the front end portion thereof, and is formed integrally with the side frame. A reel support shaft, a receiving reel that is rotatably inserted into the reel support shaft, locked by a claw that engages with the groove, and formed into a shape into which the reel of the ink ribbon cartridge is fitted; One end of the cylindrical groove formed in the receiving reel is inserted, and the other end is directly or directly on the main body frame side. Indirectly constitutes with the abutted compression coil spring.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for removably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, a drive mechanism for winding and driving the ink ribbon, and a vertical surface of the main body frame In the thermal transfer printer provided with the mounted side frame, the cartridge mounting portion has a groove extending in the axial direction in the vicinity of the tip portion thereof, a reel support shaft formed integrally with the side frame, and the reel A receiving reel that is rotatably inserted into the support shaft, is locked by a claw that engages with the groove, and has a shape in which the reel of the ink ribbon cartridge is fitted, and the receiving reel is configuring with a compression coil spring for biasing the distal end side of the reel support shaft.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for removably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, a drive mechanism for winding and driving the ink ribbon, and a vertical surface of the main body frame are provided. In the thermal transfer printer including the mounted side frame, the cartridge mounting portion has a locking claw at the tip, a reel support shaft formed integrally with the side frame, and the reel support shaft. A receiving reel formed in a shape to be inserted in a rotatable manner, locked by the locking claw, and fitted with a reel of the ink ribbon cartridge, and the receiving reel is connected to the reel support shaft. configuring with a compression coil spring for biasing the distal end side.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a cylindrical groove into which one end side of the compression coil spring is inserted is formed in the receiving reel.

According to the configuration of the invention according to claim 1, the reel support shaft of the cartridge mounting portion, since the molded side frame integrally, may be attached to the side frame to the body frame, it is possible to reduce the crimping if fitted to reception side reel to the reel support shaft, the pawl provided on the reception side reel, since the locked engaged with the axially extending grooves provided in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the reel support shaft, conventional The retaining C-type ring is not necessary, and the troublesome work of attaching the retaining C-shaped ring can be reduced. In addition, since one end of the compression coil spring is inserted into a cylindrical groove formed in the receiving reel, the compression coil spring can be easily mounted, and the receiving reel can be made thinner and lighter. The effects such as being able to be realized are achieved.

According to the configuration of the invention according to claim 2, the reel support shaft of the cartridge mounting portion, since the molded side frame integrally, may be attached to the side frame to the body frame, it is possible to reduce the crimping if fitted to reception side reel to the reel support shaft, the pawl provided on the reception side reel, since the locked engaged with the axially extending grooves provided in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the reel support shaft, conventional The retaining C-shaped ring as described above is not necessary, and the troublesome work of attaching the retaining C-shaped ring can be reduced.

According to the configuration of the invention according to claim 3, the reel supporting shaft of the cartridge mounting portion, since the molded side frame integrally, may be attached to the side frame to the body frame, it is possible to reduce the crimping If the receiving reel is fitted to the reel support shaft, it is locked by a claw provided at the tip of the reel support shaft, so that the conventional C-type ring is not required, and the troublesome C-type C The work of attaching the ring can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the one end side of the compression coil spring is inserted into the cylindrical groove formed in the receiving reel, the mounting operation of the compression coil spring is easy and the receiving reel Therefore, the thickness can be reduced accordingly, and the weight can be reduced.

An ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for removably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, a drive mechanism for winding and driving the ink ribbon, and a side frame mounted on a vertical surface of the main body frame. In the thermal transfer printer, the cartridge mounting portion has a groove extending in the axial direction in the vicinity of the front end portion thereof, and a reel support shaft formed integrally with the side frame, and is rotatably inserted into the reel support shaft. , is engaged by pawl engaging said groove, and a receiving-side reel reel of the ink ribbon cartridge is formed in a shape to be fitted, the cylindrical groove formed in the receiving-side reel, A compression coil spring having one end inserted and the other end directly or indirectly in contact with the main body frame. .

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an enlarged schematic sectional view showing a cartridge mounting portion on the supply side of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 3 to 5 denote substantially the same parts.

In accordance with the present invention, the cartridge mounting portion 8 includes a reel support shaft 82 formed integrally with the synthetic resin side frame 6 and a synthetic resin receiving reel that is rotatably fitted to the reel support shaft 82. 83 and a compression coil spring 84.

The reel support shaft 82 is integrally formed with a groove 82a extending in the axial direction in the vicinity of the tip thereof at the time of molding. The receiving reel 83 is formed with a claw 83c that engages with a groove 82a formed in the reel support shaft 82, and a cylindrical groove 83d into which one end of the compression coil spring 84 is inserted. 4, in the portion engaged with the reel 22 of the ink ribbon cartridge 2, as in the conventional example, in order to fit the ink ribbon cartridge 2, three portions that engage with the groove 22 b formed in the reel 22 . The protruding rib 83a and the three positioning ribs 83b are integrally formed. The protruding rib 83a and the positioning rib 83b are formed in a shape along the inner peripheral surface of the recess 22a of the reel 22 so as to have a positioning function when engaged with the reel 22.

  In assembling the cartridge mounting portion 8 in the above configuration, first, the reel support shaft 82 is inserted into the through hole 1a of the main body frame 1 and the side frame 6 is attached to the main body frame 1 using screws or the like (not shown). Thereafter, with one end side of the compression coil spring 84 being inserted into the cylindrical groove 83d of the reception side reel 83, it is fitted together with the compression coil spring 84 from the front end side of the reel support shaft 82, and the claw 83c of the reception side reel 83 is inserted. If the groove 82a of the reel support shaft 82 is fitted, the other end side of the compression coil spring 84 is brought into contact with the main body frame 1, and the receiving side reel 83 is pushed against the distal end side of the reel support shaft 82 by the spring force of the compression coil spring 84. The claw 83c of the receiving reel 83 is fitted into the groove 82a of the reel support shaft 82, and is engaged in the state shown in FIG.

In the embodiment according to the above configuration, the reel support shaft 82 of the cartridge mounting portion 8, because it is molded integrally with the side frame 6 may be attached to the side frame 6 to the body frame 1, caulking as in the prior art When the receiving side reel 83 is fitted to the reel support shaft 82, the claw 83c provided on the receiving side reel 83 is inserted into the axially extending groove 82a provided near the tip of the reel support shaft 82. Since it is engaged and locked, the conventional retaining C-shaped ring is not required, and the troublesome work of attaching the retaining C-shaped ring can be reduced. In addition, since one end side of the compression coil spring 84 is inserted into a cylindrical groove 83d formed in the receiving reel 83, it is easy to mount the compression coil spring 84 and the thickness of the receiving reel 83 is reduced. It is possible to reduce the thickness and reduce the weight.

  When the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 8, the reel 22 of the ink ribbon cartridge 2 is fitted to the receiving reel 83 of the cartridge mounting portion 8, as in the conventional example shown in FIG. Needless to say, the main body frame 1 may be mounted while resisting the compression coil spring 84.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a cartridge mounting portion on the supply side of a thermal transfer printer according to another embodiment of the present invention. 2, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3 to 5 denote substantially the same parts.

In this embodiment, the reel support shaft 84 of the cartridge mounting portion 8 is formed integrally with the side frame in the same manner as in the first embodiment, but at the time of forming, the tip of the reel support shaft 84 is moved in the axial direction. By dividing the groove 82b, for example, it is divided into four pieces 82c and divided into four pieces 82c. In the illustrated example, a part 82c, the tip of the two pieces 82c in the illustrated example, has an inclined portion 82d from the tip to the side frame side. A locking claw 82e is formed. That is, the mold for molding the side frame is manufactured so that the reel support shaft 82 having the locking claw 82e can be molded, and is integrally molded at the time of molding. In addition, the receiving-side reel 83 that is rotatably inserted into the reel support shaft 82 is formed with a cylindrical groove 83d into which one end of the compression coil spring 84 is inserted, as in the first embodiment. The claw 83c as shown in FIG.

  In the above configuration, in order to assemble the cartridge mounting portion 8, as in the first embodiment, first, although not shown, the reel support shaft 82 is inserted into the through hole of the main body frame, and the side frame is screwed to the main body frame. Attach it using etc. Thereafter, when the one end side of the compression coil spring 84 is inserted into the cylindrical groove 83d of the reception side reel 83 and fitted together with the compression coil spring 84 from the front end side of the reel support shaft 82, the reception side reel 83 becomes the reel. The tip end 83e of the receiving reel 83 is inserted into the tip end of the reel support shaft 84 in the state shown in FIG. It is locked to the formed locking claw 82e. In this state, since the other end side of the compression coil spring 84 is in contact with the main body frame, the receiving side reel 83 is pushed against the tip end side of the reel support shaft 82 by the spring force of the compression coil spring 84.

In the embodiment according to the above configuration, the reel support shaft 82 of the cartridge mounting portion 8, since the molded side frame integrally, may be attached to the side frame to the body frame, it is possible to reduce the crimping, receiving if fitted side reel 83 to the reel support shaft 82, the tip portion 83e of the receiving-side reel 83 is locked by the pawl 82e of the locking provided at the tip of the reel support shaft 82, as in the prior art The retaining C-shaped ring is unnecessary, and the troublesome work of attaching the retaining C-shaped ring can be reduced. In addition, since one end side of the compression coil spring 84 is inserted into a cylindrical groove 83d formed in the receiving reel 83, it is easy to mount the compression coil spring 84 and the thickness of the receiving reel 83 is reduced. It is possible to reduce the thickness and reduce the weight.

  The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which three protruding ribs are formed on the receiving reel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one or more protruding ribs may be formed. In this case, it is preferable that the number of groove portions of the reel on the ink ribbon cartridge side is the same as the number of protruding ribs.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view showing a cartridge mounting portion on the supply side of the thermal transfer printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which expands and shows the principal part of the cartridge mounting part by the side of the supply of the thermal transfer printer by the other Example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the conventional thermal transfer printer. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an ink ribbon cartridge and a cartridge mounting portion on the supply side of the conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic sectional view showing a cartridge mounting portion on the supply side of the conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIG. 3.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body frame 2 Ink ribbon cartridge 21 Ink ribbon 22 Reel 6 Side frame 7 Drive mechanism 8 Cartridge mounting part 82 Reel support shaft 82a Groove 82e Claw 83 Receiving side reel 83c Claw 83d Cylindrical groove 84 Compression coil spring

Claims (4)

An ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for removably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, a drive mechanism for winding and driving the ink ribbon, and a side frame mounted on a vertical surface of the main body frame. In thermal transfer printers,
The cartridge mounting portion has a groove extending in the axial direction in the vicinity of the tip thereof, and a reel support shaft formed integrally with the side frame, and is rotatably inserted into the reel support shaft. One end side is inserted into a receiving-side reel that is locked by a mating claw and formed into a shape into which the reel of the ink cartridge is fitted, and a cylindrical groove formed in the receiving-side reel, A thermal transfer printer comprising a compression spring having the other end directly or indirectly in contact with the main body frame. An ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for removably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, a drive mechanism for winding and driving the ink ribbon, and a side frame mounted on a vertical surface of the main body frame. In thermal transfer printers,
The cartridge mounting portion has a groove extending in the axial direction in the vicinity of the tip thereof, and a reel support shaft formed integrally with the side frame, and is rotatably inserted into the reel support shaft. A receiving side reel that is locked by a mating claw and that is configured to be fitted with a reel of the ink cartridge, and a compression spring that biases the receiving side reel toward the tip end side of the reel shaft A thermal transfer printer characterized by that. An ink ribbon cartridge having an ink ribbon, a cartridge mounting portion for removably supporting the ink ribbon cartridge, a drive mechanism for winding and driving the ink ribbon, and a side frame mounted on a vertical surface of the main body frame. In thermal transfer printers,
The cartridge mounting portion has a locking claw at its tip, a reel support shaft formed integrally with the side frame, and a rotation support inserted into the reel support shaft. And a receiving side reel formed in a shape in which the reel of the ink cartridge is fitted, and a compression spring that urges the receiving side reel toward the tip side of the reel support shaft. Thermal transfer printer characterized by Wherein the receiving-side reel, a thermal transfer printer according to any one of claims 2 to 3 one end of the compression spring, characterized in that to form a cylindrical groove to be inserted.

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