JP4675260B2 - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer that performs printing by transferring ink of an ink ribbon onto a printing medium such as a label, and more particularly to a thermal transfer printer that winds an ink ribbon after printing onto a ribbon take-up reel.

  In a thermal transfer printer that performs printing using an ink ribbon on a print medium such as a label, the print medium and the ink ribbon are nipped and conveyed by a platen roller and a thermal head, and a heating element of the thermal head is selectively heated. As a result, the ink ribbon ink is transferred onto the label to print desired characters, barcodes, and the like, and the ink ribbon after printing is taken up by a ribbon take-up reel.

  When winding an ink ribbon directly on the peripheral surface of a ribbon take-up reel without using a core such as a paper tube, a mechanism is required to pull out the wound ink ribbon from the peripheral surface of the ribbon take-up reel. As the mechanism, a ribbon take-up reel is composed of a plurality of reel body portions that are connected by a first connecting member having elasticity between one end portions and a second connecting member that connects the other end portions. When removing the wound ink ribbon, the second connecting member is removed, the first connecting member is bent or curved, and the other end portions of the plurality of reel body portions are brought into contact with each other, A mechanism has been proposed in which the outer diameter of the reel body is reduced and the wound ink ribbon is removed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, in the prior art, after the ink ribbon is taken up in a state where the outer diameter of the reel body is small after the outer diameter of the reel body is reduced and the ink ribbon is removed from the ribbon take-up reel, Ink ribbon take-up speed slows down or differs in the width direction, which causes printing defects and makes it impossible to remove the ink ribbon taken up on the ribbon take-up reel. It was.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-127064

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to prevent the ink ribbon from being taken up by the ribbon take-up reel in a state where the outer diameter is reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printer that can prevent the occurrence of defects and the winding of an ink ribbon on a ribbon take-up reel in a state where it cannot be removed.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration.
The gist of the invention described in claim 1 is a thermal transfer printer which performs printing by transferring ink of an ink ribbon onto a printing medium, and winds up the ink ribbon after printing onto a ribbon take-up reel. The reel includes a ribbon take-up shaft that is pivotally supported at one end and an open end at the other end, a reel body that is fixedly attached to the ribbon take-up shaft in the rotational direction, and the ribbon take-up shaft. A loosely mounted rotating plate, a shape of the reel body, a ribbon winding state in which the ink ribbon is wound around the reel body, and a ribbon drawing state in which the outer diameter of the reel body is smaller than the ribbon winding state In the ribbon winding state, the rotating plate is fixed to the ribbon winding shaft in the rotation direction, and the ribbon is pulled out. Comprises a switching means for releasing the fixing of the rotating plate and the ribbon winding shaft in the rotational direction, and a rotation driving means for rotating the ribbon winding shaft, and the ribbon winding using the rotating plate. A rotation detecting means for detecting the rotation of the reel; and a rotation speed of the ribbon take-up reel detected by the rotation detecting means is greater than a predetermined predetermined speed than a rotation speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotation driving means. In the case of being late, the present invention resides in a thermal transfer printer comprising a printing control means for stopping the printing operation.
Further, the gist of the invention of claim 2 is that the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up reel detected by the rotation detecting means is greater than a predetermined predetermined speed than the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotational drive means. 2. The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying a user that the ribbon take-up reel is in the ribbon undrawn state when it is late.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substantially semi-cylindrical first reel body attached so that a peripheral surface thereof is parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft, and the first reel. The ribbon take-up shaft is sandwiched between the main body and a substantially half of the ribbon take-up shaft attached so as to be movable in a direction normal to the ribbon take-up shaft in a state where the peripheral surface is parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft. A second reel body having a cylindrical shape, and the switching means moves the second reel body in a normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft, thereby allowing outer peripheries of the first reel body and the second reel body to move. And a moving means for switching between the ribbon winding state in which the outer diameter of the first reel body and the second reel body is smaller than the ribbon winding state. It consists in the thermal transfer printer according to claim 1 or 2 wherein.
The gist of the invention of claim 4 is that the moving means is slidably mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft, and has a cylindrical winding having an operation portion extending from the release end side of the ribbon take-up shaft. 4. The thermal transfer printer according to claim 3, wherein the thermal transfer printer is a take-up shaft release lever, and the ribbon take-up state and the ribbon take-out state are switched by sliding the take-up shaft release lever.

  The thermal transfer printer of the present invention includes a ribbon take-up shaft that is pivotally supported at one end and an open end at the other end, a reel body that is fixed to the ribbon take-up shaft in the rotational direction, and a ribbon take-up shaft. The rotary plate loosely mounted on the shaft and the shape of the reel body are switched between a ribbon winding state in which the ink ribbon is wound around the reel body and a ribbon unwinding state in which the outer diameter of the reel body is smaller than the ribbon winding state. In the ribbon winding state, the rotating plate is fixed to the ribbon winding shaft in the rotational direction, and in the ribbon unwinding state, the ribbon winding winding comprising switching means for releasing the fixing of the rotating plate and the ribbon winding shaft in the rotational direction. Using the reel, the rotation detection means detects the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotation drive means. When the ribbon take-up reel rotation speed is slower than a predetermined rotation speed, the printing operation is stopped so that the rotating plate is fixed to the ribbon take-up shaft and the rotation direction in the ribbon take-up state. Therefore, the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotation driving means and the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up reel detected by the rotation detecting means by using the rotary plate substantially coincide with each other, whereas in the ribbon withdrawal state Since the rotation of the rotating plate and the ribbon take-up shaft in the rotational direction is released, the ribbon take-up reel detected by the rotation detecting means using the rotating plate rather than the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotation driving means. The rotation speed of the printer becomes slower than the predetermined rotation speed, and the ribbon removal state is identified during the printing operation and the printing operation is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink ribbon from being taken up by the ribbon take-up reel with the outer diameter being reduced and the ribbon to be taken up in a state where printing failure has occurred or the ink ribbon cannot be removed. There is an effect that it is possible to prevent winding of the take-up reel.

  Furthermore, the thermal transfer printer of the present invention includes a ribbon take-up shaft between the first reel body and a substantially semi-cylindrical first reel body attached so that the circumferential surface is parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft. Reel body comprising a substantially semi-cylindrical second reel body that is mounted so as to be movable in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft in a state in which the circumferential surface is kept parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft Is used to move the second reel body in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft, and the ribbon reeling state in which the outer circumferences of the first reel body and the second reel body are substantially circular and the first reel body and the first reel body By configuring the 2-reel main body so that the outer diameter of the ribbon becomes smaller than the ribbon winding state, the ribbon winding state and the ribbon drawing state can be obtained without removing the member. In the ribbon undrawn state, the second reel body is moved in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft while the peripheral surface is kept parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft, The outer diameter of the whole direction can be made uniformly small, and there is an effect that it is possible to easily perform the work of extracting the wound ribbon.

  Further, the thermal transfer printer of the present invention includes a cylindrical take-up shaft release lever that is slidably mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft as a moving means and has an operation portion extending from the release end side of the ribbon take-up shaft. By sliding the take-up shaft release lever, it is possible to switch between the ribbon take-up state and the ribbon take-out state, so that the operation direction of the take-up shaft release lever and the take-out direction of the taken-up ribbon can be changed. It is possible to make them coincide with each other, and it is possible to easily perform the operation of extracting the wound ribbon.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part in the embodiment of the thermal transfer printer according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a ribbon winding state of the ribbon take-up reel shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining the arrangement of rotation detection sensors for detecting the rotation of the ribbon take-up reel shown in FIG.
6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a ribbon winding state of the ribbon winding reel illustrated in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 6A is a side view and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX ′ illustrated in FIG. is there.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a ribbon drawing state of the ribbon take-up reel shown in FIG.
FIG. 8 is a view showing a ribbon winding state of the ribbon take-up reel shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a side view, and (b) is an XX ′ sectional view shown in (a). is there.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the thermal transfer printer according to the present embodiment includes a platen roller 1 and a thermal head 2 having a heating element formed on a surface facing the platen roller 1, and a plurality of labels 3 are strip-shaped. The label continuum 5 temporarily attached to the mount 4 and the ink ribbon 6 are nipped and conveyed by the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2, and the heat generating body of the thermal head 2 is selectively heated to thereby generate the ink ribbon 6. The ink is transferred to the label 3 to print desired characters, barcodes, and the like. A continuous label body 5 wound in a roll shape is loaded between the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2. A paper supply unit 7 for supplying the label continuous body 5 and an ink ribbon 6 wound in a roll are loaded, and the ink ribbon 6 is supplied between the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2. A ribbon take-up reel 9 for taking up the ink ribbon 6 after printing, a label detection sensor 10 for determining printing timing, and a rotation detection sensor for detecting the rotation of the ribbon take-up reel 9. 11.

  On the back side of the label continuous body 5 conveyed between the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2, an eye mark (black rectangular mark) formed by printing or the like on the back surface of the label continuous body 5 is detected. A label detection sensor 10 that outputs an eye mark detection signal is provided. The eye mark detection signal is input from the label detection sensor 10 to the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 controls the thermal head 2, the platen roller 1, and the ribbon take-up reel 9 at a printing timing based on the eye mark detection signal. Printing is performed on the label 3 by controlling the drive motor 12 that rotates.

  The running speed of the ink ribbon 6 taken up by the ribbon take-up reel 9 is set to exceed the running speed of the label continuous body 5 conveyed by the platen roller 1 so as not to loosen the ink ribbon 6. The difference in running speed between the ink ribbon 6 and the label continuum 5 is configured to be absorbed by providing the ribbon take-up reel 9 with a torque limiter as a slip mechanism.

  A host 40 such as a personal computer is connected to the control unit 20 via an external interface (external I / F) 30, and various data and data are exchanged with the host 40 connected to the outside via the external I / F 30. Commands can be sent and received. Further, the control unit 20 includes an input unit 50 for inputting various data and commands, and a display unit 60 for displaying input data and various information input from the input unit 50 as an interface (I / F). The input data input from the input unit 50 is connected to the control unit 20 via the I / F 31 and the display data corresponding to various information displayed on the display unit 60 is the I / F 31. It is supplied from the control unit 20 via.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the control unit 20 operates in accordance with a ROM (read only memory) 21 that stores a predetermined control program and font data, and a control program stored in the ROM 21 and controls each unit. processing unit) 22, a random access memory (RAM) 23 for storing various data necessary for the operation of the CPU 22, and conveyance for supplying a drive signal such as a pulse signal to the drive motor 12 and rotating the drive motor 12. A control unit 24, a print control unit 25 that causes the thermal head 2 to perform a printing operation based on an instruction from the CPU 22, and an eye mark detection signal received from the label detection sensor 10 under the control of the CPU 22, are converted into digital data. The label detection unit 26 that supplies the CPU 22 as a pitch signal and the detection from the rotation sensor 11 And a rotation detector 27 for detecting a rotational speed of the ribbon take-up reel 9, and outputs the detected rotational speed of the ribbon take-up reel 9 to CPU22 based on No..

  When the CPU 22 receives the print data transmitted from the host 40 via the external I / F 30, the CPU 22 reads out font data corresponding to the character code included in the received print data from the ROM 21, and prints transmitted from the host 40. Bitmap image data corresponding to the data is developed in the drawing area of the RAM 23.

  The CPU 22 instructs the transport controller 24 to transport the continuous label body 5 and wind up the ink ribbon 6 and also instructs the print controller 25 to print bitmap image data developed in the drawing area of the RAM 23. To do.

  The conveyance control unit 24 rotates the drive motor 12 by supplying a predetermined drive signal to the drive motor 12 based on an instruction from the CPU 22, thereby rotating the platen roller 1 to move the label continuous body 5. While being conveyed, the ribbon take-up reel 9 is rotationally driven to start taking up the ink ribbon 6 after printing. Further, the print control unit 25 supplies the control signal corresponding to the bitmap image data developed in the drawing area of the RAM 23 to the thermal head 2 in synchronization with the transport speed of the label continuum 5 to perform the printing process. . As a result, the print data is printed on the label 3 temporarily attached to the belt-like mount 4.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the ribbon take-up reel 9 has one end pivotally supported and the other end an open end, and a ribbon take-up shaft 91 that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), and a ribbon take-up shaft 91. A rotation plate 92 for detecting the rotation of the ribbon, a cylindrical take-up shaft release lever 93 mounted around the ribbon take-up shaft 91, a substantially semi-cylindrical first reel body 94, and a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. And a second reel body 95.

  The rotary plate 92 is loosely mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft 91 from the open end side, and is positioned by a fastener 911 attached to the ribbon take-up shaft 91. In addition, a plurality of slits 921 for detecting rotation are periodically formed in the rotating plate 92, and the ribbon take-up shaft 91 and the ribbon take-up shaft 91 are arranged around an inner circumference circle loosely mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft 91. An engaged portion 922 is formed for fixing in the rotation direction.

  The take-up shaft release lever 93 is mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft 91 from the open end side. The ribbon take-up shaft 91 is subjected to D-cut processing, and the D-cut processing portion of the ribbon take-up shaft 91 is configured to engage with the inner peripheral surface of the take-up shaft release lever 93 in the rotation direction. The winding shaft release lever 93 and the ribbon winding shaft 91 are fixed in the rotational direction. The take-up shaft release lever 93 is mounted so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the ribbon take-up shaft 91, and the engaging portion 931 formed on the take-up shaft release lever 93 is connected to the rotary plate 92. , The rotating plate 92 is fixed to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 in the rotational direction, and the engaging portion 931 formed on the take-up shaft release lever 93 is engaged with the rotating plate 92. By releasing the engagement with the joint portion 922, the fixing of the rotary plate 92 in the rotational direction with respect to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 is released.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the first reel body 94 and the second reel body 95 are arranged on the ribbon take-up shaft 91 with a take-up shaft release lever 93 provided around the ribbon take-up shaft 91 interposed therebetween. The first reel body 94 and the second reel body 95 are attached so that their peripheral surfaces are parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft 91. The first reel body 94 and the second reel body 95 are attached to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 by an opening 932 formed in the take-up shaft release lever 93 and an attachment hole 912 formed in the ribbon take-up shaft 91. The screw 96 and the spring holding nut 97 are fixed via the. A spring 98 is interposed between the second reel body 95 and the spring holding nut 97, and the second reel body 95 is attached so as to be movable in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft 91. The opening 932 formed in the take-up shaft release lever 93 has such a shape that the slide of the take-up shaft release lever 93 is not hindered by the screw 96.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the ribbon take-up reel 9 assembled as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 is mounted on the body case 13 of the thermal transfer printer in which the drive motor 12 is housed, and is driven to rotate by the drive motor 12. Connected with the system. A rotation detection sensor 11 such as a photo interrupter for detecting a slit 921 formed in the rotating plate 92 is disposed at the mounting position of the ribbon take-up reel 9 in the main body case 13.

  FIG. 4 shows a ribbon winding state in which the winding shaft release lever 93 is slid in the direction of the rotating plate 92. In the ribbon winding state, the engaging portion 931 formed on the winding shaft release lever 93 is engaged with the engaged portion 922 of the rotating plate 92, and the rotating plate 92 is fixed to the ribbon winding shaft 91 in the rotation direction. 6B, the contact portion 935 formed on the take-up shaft release lever 93 and the convex portion 951 formed on the inner periphery of the second reel main body 95 are in contact with each other. Thus, the second reel body 95 is moved in the direction away from the first reel body 94 against the biasing force of the spring 98, and as shown in FIG. 6A, the first reel body 94 and the second reel body The outer periphery of 95 is substantially circular, that is, the first reel body 94 and the second reel body 95 are substantially cylindrical, the peripheral speed of winding the ribbon is stabilized, and the printing accuracy is stabilized. Note that a lock claw is formed on the operation portion 934 of the take-up shaft release lever 93 extending from the release end side of the ribbon take-up shaft 91, and the lock claw of the operation portion 934 is in the ribbon take-up state. The slide of the take-up shaft release lever 93 is locked by being engaged with the end of the first reel body 94.

  When the leading end of the ribbon is attached to the ribbon holding sheet 941 provided on the outer periphery of the first reel body 94 and the ribbon take-up shaft 91 is rotated in the ribbon take-up state shown in FIG. At the same time, the rotary plate 92, the take-up shaft release lever 93, and the substantially cylindrical first reel main body 94 and the second reel main body 95 rotate together, and the substantially cylindrical first reel main body 94 and the first reel main body 94 and the second reel main body 94 rotate. A ribbon can be wound around the outer peripheral surface of the two-reel body 95.

  When the ribbon wound in the ribbon winding state is pulled out from the release end side, the lock claw of the operation unit 934 is released and the winding shaft release lever 93 is slid away from the rotating plate 92, as shown in FIG. The ribbon is removed.

  In the ribbon extraction state, the engagement between the engagement portion 931 formed on the take-up shaft release lever 93 and the engaged portion 922 of the rotary plate 92 is released, and the rotation direction of the rotary plate 92 with respect to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 is released. 8 is released, and as shown in FIG. 8B, a contact portion 935 formed on the take-up shaft release lever 93, and a convex portion 951 formed on the inner periphery of the second reel body 95, 8 is released, and the second reel main body 95 is moved in a direction approaching the first reel main body 94 in a state in which the second reel main body 95 is kept parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 by the biasing force of the spring 98. As shown to (a), the outer diameter of the 1st reel main body 94 and the 2nd reel main body 95 is smaller than a ribbon winding state, ie, the 1st reel main body 94 and the 2nd reel main body 95 are ribbon winding shape. In becomes substantially elliptic cylindrical shape having a smaller cross sectional area than the cross sectional area at the time when a substantially cylindrical shape, it is possible to extract the wound ribbon from open end side.

Next, a state identifying operation for identifying the state of the ribbon take-up reel 9, that is, whether the ribbon take-up reel 9 is in the ribbon take-up state or the ribbon undraw state is described in detail with reference to FIG.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a state identification operation for identifying the state of the ribbon take-up reel 9 shown in FIG.

  The state identification operation for identifying the state of the ribbon take-up reel 9 is performed with the start of the printing operation. When the printing operation is started, the transport control unit 24 is based on an instruction from the CPU 22. By supplying a predetermined drive signal to the drive motor 12 and rotating the drive motor 12, the platen roller 1 is driven to rotate to convey the continuous label body 5, and the ribbon take-up reel 9 is driven to rotate. Winding of the ink ribbon 6 is started (step A1).

  Next, the CPU 22 rotates the ribbon take-up shaft 91 rotated by the drive motor 12 (hereinafter referred to as the shaft rotation speed) and the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up reel 9 input from the rotation detector 27 ( Hereinafter, the rotation plate rotation speed is referred to (step A2). That is, the shaft rotation speed is a known value grasped by the CPU 22, and the shaft rotation speed, which is a known value, is compared with the rotation plate rotation speed.

  Next, the CPU 22 determines whether or not the rotation plate rotation speed is slower than the predetermined rotation speed with respect to the shaft rotation speed (step A3), and the rotation plate rotation speed is greater than or equal to the predetermined rotation speed with respect to the shaft rotation speed. If it is late, it is recognized that the ribbon take-up reel 9 is in the ribbon take-out state, the printing operation is stopped (step A4), and an error display is sent to notify the user that the ribbon take-up reel 9 is in the ribbon take-out state. Is displayed on the display unit 60 (step A5), and the state identification operation is terminated. In the ribbon extraction state, as described above, since the fixing of the rotating plate 92 with respect to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 in the rotational direction is released, the shaft rotational speed and the rotational plate rotational speed do not coincide with the start of printing. The rotating plate rotation speed becomes slower than the shaft rotation speed.

  When the rotation plate rotation speed is not slower than the predetermined rotation speed in step A3, that is, when the shaft rotation speed and the rotation plate rotation speed substantially coincide with each other, the CPU 22 determines that the ribbon take-up reel 9 is the ribbon winding reel. Recognizing that it is in the taking state, the state identifying operation is terminated, and the printing operation is continued. In the ribbon winding state, as described above, since the rotary plate 92 is fixed to the ribbon winding shaft 91 in the rotational direction, the shaft rotational speed and the rotary plate rotational speed substantially coincide with the start of printing.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ribbon take-up shaft 91 whose one end is pivotally supported and the other end is an open end, and the ribbon take-up shaft 91 is fixedly attached in the rotational direction. The reel main bodies 94 and 95, the rotary plate 92 loosely mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft 91, and the reel main bodies 94 and 95 are in a ribbon winding state in which the ink ribbon 6 is wound around the reel main bodies 94 and 95. The reel main body 94, 95 is switched to a ribbon extraction state in which the outer diameter of the reel body 94, 95 is smaller than that of the ribbon winding state, and in the ribbon winding state, the rotating plate 92 is fixed to the ribbon winding shaft 91 in the rotation direction. In this state, the ribbon take-up lever 93 includes a take-up shaft release lever 93 that releases the rotation plate 92 and the ribbon take-up shaft 91 in the rotational direction. Using the reel 9, the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up reel 9 detected by the rotation detecting unit 27 using the rotating plate 92 is slower than the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the drive motor 12 by a predetermined rotation speed or more. In this case, since the rotary plate 92 is fixed to the ribbon take-up shaft 91 in the rotation direction in the ribbon take-up state by configuring to stop the printing operation, the ribbon take-up shaft 9 by the drive motor 12 is fixed. , And the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up reel 9 detected by the rotation detector 27 using the rotary plate 92 substantially coincides with each other, whereas in the ribbon undrawn state, the rotary plate 92 and the ribbon take-up shaft 91 are the same. Since the rotation in the rotation direction is released, the rotation detection unit 27 has a higher speed than the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up shaft 91 by the drive motor 12. Thus, the rotational speed of the ribbon take-up reel 9 detected by using the rotary plate 92 becomes slower than a predetermined rotational speed, and the printing operation can be stopped by identifying the ribbon removal state during the printing operation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink ribbon from being taken up by the ribbon take-up reel 9 with the outer diameter reduced and the ribbon take-up reel 9, and the ink ribbon 6 can be removed from the ribbon take-up reel when printing failure occurs or is impossible to remove. There is an effect that it is possible to prevent winding.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, between the first reel body 94 and the substantially semi-cylindrical first reel body 94 attached so that the circumferential surface is parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft 91. A substantially semi-cylindrical second attached so as to be movable in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft 91 with the ribbon take-up shaft 91 being sandwiched and the peripheral surface being parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft 91. By using a reel body consisting of the reel body 95 and moving the second reel body 95 in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft 91, the outer circumferences of the first reel body 94 and the second reel body 95 become substantially circular. The member is removed by switching between a ribbon winding state and a ribbon drawing state in which the outer diameters of the first reel body 94 and the second reel body 95 are smaller than the ribbon winding state. The ribbon reeling state can be switched between the ribbon reeling state and the ribbon reeling state, and the ribbon reel winding state is maintained with the second reel body 95 kept parallel to the ribbon reeling axis. By moving the take-up shaft 91 in the normal direction, the outer diameter of the entire width direction can be reduced uniformly, and the effect of easily taking out the wound ribbon can be achieved.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, a cylindrical take-up shaft release lever that is slidably mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft 1 as a moving means and has an operation portion extending from the release end side of the ribbon take-up shaft. 3, and by sliding the take-up shaft release lever 3 to switch between the ribbon take-up state and the ribbon take-out state, the operation direction of the take-up shaft release lever 3 and the wound ribbon The drawing direction can be made coincident with each other, so that the ribbon can be easily drawn out.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is obvious that the embodiments can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, the number, position, shape, and the like of the constituent members are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be set to a suitable number, position, shape, and the like in practicing the present invention. In each figure, the same numerals are given to the same component.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control part shown in FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part in an embodiment of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the ribbon winding-up state of the ribbon winding reel shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining arrangement | positioning of the rotation detection sensor which detects rotation of the ribbon take-up reel shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the ribbon winding state of the ribbon winding reel shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a side view, (b) is X-X 'sectional drawing shown to (a). It is a perspective view which shows the ribbon extraction state of the ribbon take-up reel shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the ribbon winding state of the ribbon winding reel shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a side view, (b) is X-X 'sectional drawing shown to (a). FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the state identification operation | movement which identifies the state of the ribbon take-up reel 9 shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Platen roller 2 Thermal head 3 Label 4 Band-shaped mount 5 Label continuous body 6 Ink ribbon 7 Paper supply part 8 Ink ribbon supply part 9 Ribbon take-up reel 10 Label detection sensor 11 Rotation detection sensor 12 Drive motor 13 Main body case 20 Control part 21 ROM
22 CPU
23 RAM
24 Conveyance Control Unit 25 Print Control Unit 26 Label Detection Unit 27 Rotation Detection Unit 30 External I / F
31 I / F
40 host 50 input unit 60 display unit 91 ribbon take-up shaft 92 rotating plate 93 take-up shaft release lever (switching means)
94 First reel body 95 Second reel body 96 Screw 97 Nut 98 Spring 911 Fastener 912 Mounting hole 921 Slit 922 Engagement part 931 Engagement part 932 Opening 934 Operation part 935 Contact part 941 Ribbon holding sheet 951 Protrusion part

Claims (4)

A thermal transfer printer that performs printing by transferring ink of an ink ribbon onto a printing medium, and winds up the ink ribbon after printing onto a ribbon take-up reel,
The ribbon take-up reel has a ribbon take-up shaft whose one end is pivotally supported and the other end is an open end;
A reel body fixedly attached to the ribbon take-up shaft in the rotational direction;
A rotating plate loosely mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft;
The shape of the reel body is switched between a ribbon winding state in which the ink ribbon is wound around the reel body and a ribbon unwinding state in which the outer diameter of the reel body is smaller than that in the ribbon winding state. In the state, the rotating plate is fixed in the rotational direction with the ribbon take-up shaft, and in the ribbon withdrawal state, the rotating plate comprises switching means for releasing the fixing in the rotational direction between the rotating plate and the ribbon take-up shaft,
Rotation driving means for rotating the ribbon winding shaft;
Rotation detecting means for detecting rotation of the ribbon take-up reel using the rotating plate;
When the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up reel detected by the rotation detection means is slower than the predetermined rotation speed than the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotation driving means, the print operation is stopped. And a thermal transfer printer.   When the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up reel detected by the rotation detection means is slower than a predetermined speed than the rotation speed of the ribbon take-up shaft by the rotation driving means, the ribbon take-up reel is The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying a user that the ribbon has been removed. The reel body has a substantially semi-cylindrical first reel body attached so that a peripheral surface thereof is parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft;
The ribbon take-up shaft is sandwiched between the main body and the first reel body, and the peripheral surface of the ribbon take-up shaft is parallel to the ribbon take-up shaft so as to be movable in the normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft. A substantially semi-cylindrical second reel body,
The switching means moves the second reel body in a normal direction of the ribbon take-up shaft so that the outer circumferences of the first reel body and the second reel body are in a substantially circular shape. 3. The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, further comprising a moving unit that switches between an outer diameter of the first reel main body and the second reel main body and the ribbon undrawn state where the outer diameter of the ribbon is smaller than the ribbon wound state. . The moving means is a cylindrical take-up shaft release lever that is slidably mounted on the ribbon take-up shaft and has an operation portion that extends from the release end side of the ribbon take-up shaft,
4. The thermal transfer printer according to claim 3, wherein the ribbon winding state and the ribbon pulling state are switched by sliding the winding shaft release lever.

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