JP5040966B2 - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tape cassette that is detachable from a tape printer.

  Conventionally, when mounted on a cassette mounting portion of a printing apparatus, by selectively pressing a plurality of detection switches provided on the cassette mounting portion, the type of tape stored in the cassette case (tape width or printing) A tape cassette is known that allows a printing apparatus to detect a mode or the like (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Specifically, a cassette detection unit in which through holes are formed in a pattern corresponding to the tape type is provided on a part of the lower surface of the tape cassette. When the tape cassette is mounted on the cassette mounting portion, the plurality of detection switches that are always biased upward are selectively pressed according to the pattern of the through holes formed in the cassette detection portion. In the printing apparatus, the tape type of the tape cassette mounted on the cassette mounting portion is detected according to the combination of pressing or non-pressing on the plurality of detection switches.

JP-A-4-133756 Japanese Patent No. 3543659

  However, since the pattern of the through holes formed in the cassette detection unit is only required to be able to detect the tape type by the printing apparatus, a random pattern is assigned to be different depending on the tape type. In other words, these through-hole patterns do not have regularity that is recognizable in appearance, and thus it is difficult to discriminate the tape type even by human eyes. Therefore, for example, in a tape cassette manufacturing process, it is difficult for an operator to visually check the appearance of the tape cassette and confirm the type of tape to be stored in the cassette case.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette capable of recognizing a tape type by visually observing the appearance of the tape cassette.

To achieve the above object, a tape cassette according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a tape that is a printing medium, an upper surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a pair of side surfaces, contains the tape, and is transported in a predetermined manner. A cassette case for guiding the tape along a path, and the cassette case exposes the tape guided along a portion extending in parallel with the front surface of the transport path, and the tape. disposed downstream relative to the opening in the transport direction of the tape guide portion for guiding the tape which is exposed to the outside, certain areas of the front and adjacent to the upstream side of the opening in the transport direction provided, and a type specifying unit for specifying the type of the tape, said tape, one side between the opening and the tape guide portion is transported so as to be exposed to the front, before Type specifying portion includes vertical information sections of the plurality of band shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, in a defined pattern in accordance with the type of the tape, among the plurality of vertical information sections, at least one vertical information A convex portion that protrudes from the front surface toward the front of the cassette case is formed in the area.

The tape cassette of the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to claim 1, the first vertical information section that is closest vertical information sections in the opening of the plurality of vertical information sections, the opening It arrange | positions at intervals toward the said conveyance direction upstream.

  A tape cassette according to a third aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to the second aspect, the type specifying portion includes at least a tape width specifying portion for specifying a tape width of the tape.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the tape cassette according to the third aspect, in addition to the configuration of the third aspect of the invention, the tape width specifying portion includes the first vertical information area and the opening among the plurality of vertical information areas. A second vertical information area which is a vertical information area located second closest to the upstream side in the transport direction, and the convex portion is formed in each of the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area. The combination of whether or not the tape width specifies the tape width.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the tape cassette according to the third aspect, in addition to the configuration of the third aspect, the plurality of vertical information areas include at least three rows of vertical information areas, and the tape width specifying section includes the plurality of vertical width information areas. Among the vertical information areas, the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area that is the second closest vertical information area from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction, and the transport direction from the opening An uppermost vertical information area which is a vertical information area located farthest upstream, and each of the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area, and the uppermost vertical information area has the convexity The combination of whether or not the portion is formed specifies the tape width.

  In addition to the configuration of the invention described in claim 3, the type specifying unit includes a printing mode specifying unit that specifies whether the printing mode is a normal image or a mirror image. It is characterized by that.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the sixth aspect of the invention, the plurality of vertical information areas include at least three columns of vertical information areas, and the printing mode specifying unit includes the plurality of vertical information areas. Of the vertical information area, the third vertical information area is the vertical information area that is the third closest position from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction, and the third vertical information area includes the convex portion. Whether the print mode is a normal image or a mirror image.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the tape cassette according to the seventh aspect, in addition to the configuration of the seventh aspect of the invention, the tape width specifying unit is configured to include the first vertical information area and the opening among the plurality of vertical information areas. Whether or not each of the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area includes the convex portion includes a second vertical information area that is a vertical information area that is second closest to the upstream side in the transport direction. These combinations specify the tape width.

In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 9, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to claim 7, the plurality of vertical information areas include five rows of vertical information areas, and the tape width specifying portion includes the plurality of vertical information areas. Among the vertical information areas, the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area that is the second closest information area from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction, and the upstream from the opening in the transport direction A most vertical information area which is a vertical information area located farthest toward the side, and each of the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area, and the most upstream vertical information area has the convex portion. A combination of whether or not is formed specifies the tape width.

  A tape cassette according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the tape cassette according to any one of the seventh to ninth aspects, wherein the plurality of vertical information areas are arranged at equal intervals between the adjacent vertical information areas. It is characterized by being.

  The tape cassette according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the tape cassette according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the type specifying portion is a plurality of strip-shaped areas extending in parallel with the transport direction of the tape. A plurality of horizontal information areas arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the plurality of vertical information areas and the plurality of horizontal information areas intersect and overlap each other. The combination of whether or not at least one overlapping region includes the convex portion for each of the plurality of longitudinal information sections specifies the type of the tape.

  A tape cassette according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the tape cassette according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the type specifying unit is provided in at least two rows of vertical information areas of the plurality of vertical information areas. In the case of including the formed convex portion, the convex portion is formed as a convex portion independent from each other in each of the at least two rows of vertical information areas.

  A tape cassette according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the tape cassette according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the type specifying unit is arranged in at least two rows of vertical information areas among the plurality of vertical information areas. In the case of including the formed convex portion, the convex portion includes at least one convex portion formed across the at least two rows of vertical information areas.

The tape cassette of the invention according to claim 14, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of claims 2 to 10, the tape guide portion is provided on the most downstream side of the pre-Symbol conveying path, the pre-Symbol tape The length of the specific area of the front surface, which is discharged from the cassette case and provided with the type specifying portion, is the distance between the opening and the tape guide portion, and the tape is exposed. The upper surface and the bottom surface of the cassette case have a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction, and at least a part of the first vertical information area is more than the cassette center line. It is on the downstream side in the tape transport direction, and the distance from the cassette center line is in the range of 14 to 20% of the tape exposure length.

The tape cassette of the invention according to claim 15, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of claims 2 to 10, the tape guide portion is provided on the most downstream side of the pre-Symbol conveying path, the pre-Symbol tape The length of the specific area of the front surface, which is discharged from the cassette case and provided with the type specifying portion, is the distance between the opening and the tape guide portion, and the tape is exposed. The length of the first vertical information area is equal to or shorter than the tape exposure length, and the distance from the opening is within a range of 30 to 36% of the tape exposure length.

  In the tape cassette according to the sixteenth aspect of the invention, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to the fourteenth or fifteenth aspect, the interval between the center lines in the left and right direction of the adjacent vertical information areas is 7 to 10 of the tape exposure length. It is characterized by being in the range of%.

The tape cassette of the invention according to claim 1 includes a type specifying unit that specifies the type of tape in a specific area on the front surface of the cassette case, and is included in the type specifying unit in a prescribed pattern according to the type of tape. A convex portion is formed in at least one of the plurality of vertical information areas. Accordingly, a human can identify the type of tape by simply observing the type identification portion of the tape cassette and confirming in which vertical information area a convex portion is formed among the plurality of vertical information areas. . Type specifying unit is adjacent to an opening to expose the tape to the outside, Ri specific region near positioned in the tape transport direction upstream side, the tape is an opening, provided in the conveyance direction downstream side of the opening one side between the tape guide portion is Ru is conveyed while exposed to the front. Therefore, humans can visually confirm the type specifying portion from the front together with the tape discharged from the opening and exposed, so that the confirmation is easy.

The tape cassette according to the invention of claim 2, the first vertical information section is spaced toward the upstream from the opening. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, the human can specify the position of the first vertical information area on the basis of a part that can be easily grasped visually, such as an opening .

  In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 3, the type specifying unit includes at least a tape width specifying unit for specifying the tape width of the tape. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 2, a human can look at only the tape width specifying portion, and the tape width which is one of the most important elements among various elements included in the type of tape. Can be easily identified.

In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 4, the tape width specifying portion is provided in the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area, which are located at positions closest to the first and second from the opening , respectively, among the plurality of vertical information areas. The tape width is specified by a combination of whether or not the convex portion is formed. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 3, humans visually check only the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area whose positions are easily specified with reference to the opening , and confirm the combination of the presence or absence of the convex portion. By simply doing, the tape width can be easily specified.

  In the tape cassette according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, at least three rows of vertical information areas are provided, and the tape width specifying portion is located at the most upstream side in the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area, and the tape transport direction. The combination of whether or not a convex portion is formed in each of the most upstream longitudinal information areas located in the position specifies the tape width. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 3, a human only has to visually check only the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area, and the most upstream vertical information area and confirm the combination of the presence or absence of the convex portion. Many tape widths can be easily identified.

  In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 6, the type specifying unit includes a printing mode specifying unit in addition to the tape width specifying unit. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 3, a human can visually observe the print mode specifying portion, and among the various elements indicated by the type of tape, the print mode which is one of important elements along with the tape width. Can be specified.

In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 7, at least three rows of vertical information areas are provided, and the printing mode specifying portion has a convex portion formed in the third vertical information area which is the third closest position from the opening. The printing mode is specified depending on whether or not the printing is performed. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 6, the human can easily specify the printing mode only by visually checking only the third vertical information area and confirming the presence or absence of the convex portion.

In the tape cassette according to the eighth aspect of the invention, the tape width is specified by the first longitudinal information area and the second longitudinal information area which are located at positions closest to the first and second from the opening , respectively. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 7, humans visually check from the first vertical information area to the third vertical information area where the position can be specified with reference to the opening , and confirm the combination of the presence or absence of the convex portion. Only the tape width and the printing mode can be easily specified.

In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 9, at least five rows of vertical information areas are provided, and the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area respectively located at the first and second closest positions from the opening , and The tape width is specified by the uppermost stream longitudinal information area on the uppermost stream side in the tape transport direction. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 7, the human visually checks only the most upstream vertical information area from the first vertical information area to the third vertical information area, and confirms the combination of the presence or absence of the convex portion. Only a large number of tape widths and printing modes can be easily specified.

  In the tape cassette according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the adjacent longitudinal information areas are arranged at equal intervals. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 7 to 9, it is possible to more easily grasp the arrangement position of each vertical information area.

  In the tape cassette of the invention according to claim 11, the type specifying unit includes a plurality of horizontal information areas extending in parallel to the tape transport direction, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the vertical information area, and the vertical information area and the horizontal information area. The tape type is specified by a combination of whether or not at least one overlapping region includes a convex portion in each vertical information section among a plurality of overlapping regions where the two overlap. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 10, humans can easily specify the type of tape by simply checking the combination of the presence or absence of convex portions by visually checking the overlapping region. it can.

  In a tape cassette according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, any one of the first to eleventh aspects formed in at least two rows of longitudinal information areas is formed as a protrusion that is independent of each other. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 11, it becomes easy for a human to distinguish and recognize the convex portion of each information area.

  In the tape cassette according to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, when the type specifying part includes a convex part formed in at least two rows of vertical information areas, at least the convex part formed across the vertical information areas of at least two rows. Contains one. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 11, when manufacturing a tape cassette, for example, the convex portions of adjacent vertical information areas can be formed continuously, so that the manufacture is easy. is there. Further, since the convex portions formed over at least two rows of vertical information areas have different shapes from the independent convex portions, the type of tape can be easily identified by recognizing the difference in the shapes. .

In the tape cassette according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the tape guide portion is provided on the most downstream side in the tape transport direction , and the length in the left-right direction of the specific region having the type specifying portion is the opening and the tape guide portion. Or less than the exposed tape length. At least a part of the first vertical information area is within a range of 14 to 20% of the tape exposure length on the downstream side in the transport direction from the horizontal center line of the cassette case. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the invention according to any one of claims 2 to 10, the human specifies the position of the first vertical information area on the basis of the position of the center line of the cassette case that is easy to visually grasp. can do.

In the tape cassette according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the tape guide portion is provided on the most downstream side in the tape transport direction , and the length in the left-right direction of the specific region having the type specifying portion is determined by the opening and the tape guide portion. Or less than the exposed tape length. And at least one part of a 1st vertical information area exists in the range of 30 to 36% of the tape exposure length of a conveyance direction upstream from opening . Therefore, in addition to the effects of the invention according to any one of claims 2 to 10, a human can specify the position of the first vertical information area on the basis of the position of the opening which is easy to visually grasp. .

  In the tape cassette according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the distance between the center lines in the left-right direction of the adjacent longitudinal information sections is in the range of 7 to 10% of the tape exposure length. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 14 or 15, the human can specify the position of the first information area, and can also specify the position of another vertical information area therefrom.

It is a perspective view of the tape printer 1 in the state where the cassette cover 6 is closed. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the tape cassette 30 and the cassette mounting part 8. FIG. It is a top view of the cassette mounting part 8 in which the laminate type tape cassette 30 was mounted when the platen holder 12 was in the standby position. It is a top view of the cassette mounting part 8 in which the laminate type tape cassette 30 was mounted when the platen holder 12 was in the printing position. It is a top view of the cassette mounting part 8 in which the receptor type tape cassette 30 was mounted when the platen holder 12 was in the printing position. It is a top view of the cassette mounting part 8 in which the thermal type tape cassette 30 was mounted when the platen holder 12 was in the printing position. It is the elements on larger scale of cassette opposing surface 12B in which the arm detection part 200 was provided. It is arrow direction sectional drawing in the II line | wire of FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the tape printer 1. FIG. It is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the wide cassette 30 from the upper surface 30A side. It is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the tape cassette 30 from the bottom face 30B side. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view in which an arm portion 34 of a wide cassette 30 is enlarged. FIG. 5 is a front view of the wide cassette 30 and is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between various components provided on the arm front surface 35. It is explanatory drawing of specific area | region R0 in the wide cassette 30. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a part of a wide cassette 30. FIG. It is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the narrow cassette 30 from the upper surface 30A side. 3 is an external perspective view in which an arm portion 34 of a narrow cassette 30 is enlarged. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a part of a narrow cassette 30. FIG. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 15 when the platen holder 12 shown in FIG. 8 is opposed to the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. 15. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 18 when the platen holder 12 shown in FIG. 8 faces the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 18. 4 is a flowchart showing processing related to printing by the tape printer 1. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the tape kind table. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which the tape cassette 30 and the platen holder 12 faced when an error is detected in the tape printer 1. FIG. It is the external appearance perspective view which expanded the arm front surface 35 of another wide cassette 30. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the identification parts 800A-800E in the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the structure of the identification parts 800A-800E in another wide cassette 30. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the identification parts 800A-800E in another narrow cassette 30. FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings to be referred to are used for explaining the technical features that can be adopted by the present invention, and the configuration of the described apparatus is not intended to be limited thereto, but is merely an illustrative example. is there.

  The tape printer 1 and the tape cassette 30 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. In the description of this embodiment, the lower left side of FIG. 1 is the front side of the tape printer 1, the upper right side of FIG. 1 is the rear side of the tape printer 1, and the lower right side of FIG. 1 is the left side of the tape printer 1. 2 is the front side of the tape cassette 30, the upper left side of FIG. 2 is the rear side of the tape cassette 30, the upper right side of FIG. 2 is the right side of the tape cassette 30, and the lower left side of FIG. The left side of the cassette 30 is assumed.

  In practice, the gear group including the gears 91, 93, 94, 97, 98, and 101 shown in FIG. 2 is covered with the bottom surface of the cavity 8A, but these gear groups will be described. As necessary, the bottom surface of the cavity 8A is not shown in FIG. 2 to 6 schematically show the side wall that forms the periphery of the cassette mounting portion 8, this is merely a schematic diagram, and for example, the side wall shown in FIG. 2 is drawn thicker than the actual side. It is. 3 to 6 show the state in which the various tape cassettes 30 are mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 with the upper case 31A removed, in order to facilitate understanding.

  First, a schematic configuration of the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. In the following, thermal type tape cassette 30 containing only thermal paper tape, receptor type tape cassette 30 containing printing tape and ink ribbon, laminated type containing double-sided adhesive tape, film tape and ink ribbon A tape printer 1 configured as a general-purpose machine that can commonly use a plurality of tape cassettes 30 of different tape types, such as the tape cassette 30 of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the tape printer 1 includes a main body cover 2 having a rectangular shape in plan view. On the front side of the main body cover 2, a keyboard 3 including character keys such as characters, symbols, and numbers, various function keys, and the like is disposed. On the rear side of the keyboard 3, a display 5 capable of displaying input characters and symbols is provided. A cassette cover 6 that is opened and closed when the tape cassette 30 is replaced is provided on the rear side of the display 5. Although not shown, a discharge slit for discharging the printed tape to the outside is provided behind the left side surface of the main body cover 2, and the cassette cover 6 is provided on the left side surface of the cassette cover 6. A discharge window for exposing the discharge slit to the outside in the closed state is formed.

  Next, the internal structure of the main body cover 2 corresponding to the cassette cover 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, inside the main body cover 2 corresponding to the cassette cover 6, a cassette mounting portion 8, which is an area in which the tape cassette 30 is detachable, is provided. The cassette mounting portion 8 is recessed so as to substantially correspond to the shape of the bottom surface 30B of the cassette case 31 to be described later when the tape cassette 30 is mounted, and includes a cavity 8A having a flat bottom surface and an outer edge of the cavity 8A. And a cassette support portion 8B which is a flat portion extending horizontally.

  As shown in FIG. 2, two positioning pins 102 and 103 are provided at two locations on the cassette support portion 8B. More specifically, a positioning pin 102 is provided on the left side of the cavity 8A, and a positioning pin 103 is provided on the right side of the cavity 8A. The positioning pins 102 and 103 are pin holes 62 and 63 which are two concave portions formed on the lower surface of the common portion 32 of the tape cassette 30 when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 (see FIG. 11). Are provided at corresponding positions. The positioning pins 102 and 103 are inserted into the pin holes 62 and 63 when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, and support the tape cassette 30 from below at the left and right positions of the peripheral edge of the tape cassette 30.

  The cassette mounting portion 8 is provided with a transport mechanism that pulls out the tape from the tape cassette 30 and transports it, a printing mechanism that prints characters and the like on the surface of the tape, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, a head holder 74 on which a thermal head 10 including a heating element (not shown) is mounted is fixed on the front side of the cassette mounting portion 8. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, upstream and downstream support portions 74 </ b> A and 74 </ b> B that support the tape cassette 30 from below when mounted on the tape printer 1, are attached to the left and right ends of the head holder 74. (Hereinafter collectively referred to as head support portions 74A and 74B). A cassette hook 75 is provided on the rear side of the head holder 74 to lock the tape cassette 30 when it is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8.

  A tape feed motor 23, which is a stepping motor, is disposed outside the cassette mounting portion 8 (upper right side in FIG. 2). A drive gear 91 is fixed to the lower end of the drive shaft of the tape feed motor 23. The drive gear 91 is engaged with the gear 93 through the opening, and the gear 93 is engaged with the gear 94. On the upper surface of the gear 94, a ribbon take-up shaft 95 is provided upright for rotating the ribbon take-up spool 44 described later. Further, a gear 97 is engaged with the gear 94, a gear 98 is engaged with the gear 97, and a gear 101 is engaged with the gear 98. On the upper surface of the gear 101, a tape drive shaft 100 is erected to rotate the tape drive roller 46 described later.

  When the tape feed motor 23 is driven to rotate counterclockwise with the tape cassette 30 mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, the ribbon take-up shaft 95 is moved counterclockwise via the drive gear 91, gear 93, and gear 94. It is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction. The ribbon take-up shaft 95 rotates the ribbon take-up spool 44 in which the ribbon take-up shaft 95 is inserted. Further, the rotation of the gear 94 is transmitted to the tape drive shaft 100 through the gear 97, the gear 98, and the gear 101, and the tape drive shaft 100 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction. The tape drive shaft 100 rotates the tape drive roller 46 in which the tape drive shaft 100 is inserted.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, an arm-shaped platen holder 12 is pivotally supported on the front side of the head holder 74 so as to be swingable about the shaft support portion 12 </ b> A. At the front end side of the platen holder 12, a platen roller 15 provided so as to be able to contact and separate relative to the thermal head 10 and a tape drive roller 46 into which the tape drive shaft 100 is inserted is provided so as to be able to contact and separate. The movable transport roller 14 is rotatably supported together.

  The platen holder 12 is connected to a release lever (not shown) that moves in the left-right direction in conjunction with opening and closing of the cassette cover 6. When the cassette cover 6 is opened, the release lever moves in the right direction, and the platen holder 12 moves toward the standby position shown in FIG. In the standby position shown in FIG. 3, the platen holder 12 is moved away from the cassette mounting portion 8, so that the tape cassette 30 can be attached to and detached from the cassette mounting portion 8. The platen holder 12 is always elastically biased to the standby position by a winding spring (not shown).

  On the other hand, when the cassette cover 6 is closed, the release lever moves to the left, and the platen holder 12 moves toward the printing position shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the platen holder 12 is moved in the direction close to the cassette mounting portion 8. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the laminate type tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, the platen roller 15 moves the thermal head 10 via the film tape 59 and the ink ribbon 60. And the movable conveying roller 14 presses the tape driving roller 46 via the double-sided adhesive tape 58 and the film tape 59.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, when the receptor type tape cassette 30 is mounted, the platen roller 15 presses the thermal head 10 via the print tape 57 and the ink ribbon 60 and is movable. The conveying roller 14 presses the tape driving roller 46 via the printing tape 57. As shown in FIG. 6, when the thermal type tape cassette 30 is mounted, the platen roller 15 presses the thermal head 10 via the thermal paper tape 55, and the movable conveyance roller 14 moves to the thermal paper tape 55. Then, the tape driving roller 46 is pressed. Thereby, at the printing position shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, printing can be performed using the tape cassette 30 mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8. Details of the thermal paper tape 55, the printing tape 57, the double-sided adhesive tape 58, the film tape 59, and the ink ribbon 60 will be described later.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a transport path for transporting the printed tape 50 is provided between the tape discharge portion 49 of the tape cassette 30 and the discharge slit (not shown) of the tape printer 1. Yes. A cut mechanism 17 that cuts the printed tape 50 at a predetermined position is provided in the transport path. The cutting mechanism 17 includes a fixed blade 18 and a movable blade 19 that is opposed to the fixed blade 18 and is movably supported in the front-rear direction (vertical direction shown in FIGS. 3 to 6). The movable blade 19 is moved in the front-rear direction by a cutter motor 24 (see FIG. 9).

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a plate-like protrusion extending in the left-right direction is provided on the rear side of the platen holder 12, that is, the surface facing the thermal head 10 (hereinafter referred to as the cassette facing surface 12 </ b> B). A protruding member 225 is provided. The protruding member 225 protrudes substantially horizontally from the cassette facing surface 12B toward the cassette mounting portion 8. The protruding member 225 is a height that faces a facing portion 820 (see FIGS. 12 to 15) provided on the arm front surface 35 of the tape cassette 30 to be described later in a state where the tape cassette 30 is mounted at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting portion 8. It is provided in the position.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the arrangement and configuration of the protruding member 225 in the platen holder 12 will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the protrusion member 225 is provided above the upper row arm detection switches 210B and 210D, which will be described later, on the cassette facing surface 12B of the platen holder 12, and the upper row arm detection switch 210D and the lower row arm. It extends to the right side (left side in FIG. 7) from the left-right direction position with respect to the detection switch 210E.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the protruding member 225 is integrally formed with the platen holder 12 so as to protrude rearward (left side in FIG. 8) from the cassette facing surface 12 </ b> B of the platen holder 12. The protruding height of the protruding member 225 with respect to the cassette facing surface 12B is the cassette facing surface 12B and the arm front surface when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 and the platen holder 12 is moved toward the printing position. The distance is set to 35. Therefore, the protruding member 225 faces the arm front surface 35 of the tape cassette 30 present in the cassette mounting portion 8, and the tip thereof faces the facing portion 820. In addition, the protruding member 225 is formed with an inclined portion 226 in which a part of the lower surface is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the tip side (left side in FIG. 8).

  In the platen holder 12 in the example of FIG. 9, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the protruding member 225 comes into contact with the arm front surface 35 (opposing portion 820), but the protruding member 225 is not necessarily the opposing portion 820. There is no need to abut. That is, the protrusion height of the protruding member 225 with respect to the cassette facing surface 12B is the same as the cassette facing surface 12B when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 and the platen holder 12 is moved toward the printing position. The distance from the arm front surface 35 may be slightly shorter.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, an arm detector 200 is provided on the cassette facing surface 12 </ b> B slightly on the right side from the middle position in the longitudinal direction. The arm detection unit 200 includes a plurality of arm detection switches 210, and a switch terminal 222 (see FIG. 8) of each arm detection switch 210 projects substantially horizontally from the cassette facing surface 12B toward the cassette mounting unit 8. In other words, each arm detection switch 210 is connected to the front surface of the tape cassette 30 existing in the cassette mounting portion 8 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting direction of the tape cassette 30 with respect to the cassette mounting portion 8 (vertical direction in FIG. 2). In detail, it protrudes so as to face an arm front surface 35) which will be described later. Each arm detection switch 210 is provided at a height position facing an arm identification unit 800 described later in a state where the tape cassette 30 is mounted at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting unit 8.

  Here, the detailed arrangement and structure of the arm detection switch 210 in the platen holder 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, five through holes 12 </ b> C are arranged in three rows in the vertical direction on the cassette facing surface 12 </ b> B of the platen holder 12. More specifically, the arrangement is two in the upper row, two in the middle row, and one in the lower row. And the position of each through-hole 12C in the left-right direction is different. Specifically, the five through holes 12C are zigzag in the order of the left side of the cassette facing surface 12B (right side in FIG. 7), the left side of the middle row, the left side of the upper row, the right side of the middle row, the right side of the upper row, and the lower row. Is arranged. Corresponding to these five through holes 12C, five arm detection switches 210A, 210B, 210C, 210D, and 210E are provided in order from the left side of the cassette facing surface 12B.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the arm detection switch 210 includes a substantially cylindrical main body 221 installed inside the platen holder 12, and a rod-shaped switch terminal 222 that can advance and retreat in the axial direction from one end of the main body 221. It has. The other end side of the main body 221 of each arm detection switch 210 is attached to the switch support plate 220 and installed inside the platen holder 12. Further, on one end side of each main body portion 221, the switch terminal 222 can be advanced and retracted through a plurality of through holes 12C formed in the cassette facing surface 12B of the platen holder 12. Each switch terminal 222 is always held in a state of being extended from the main body 221 by a spring member (not shown) provided inside the main body 221.

  The protruding height of the switch terminal 222 in the extended state with respect to the cassette facing surface 12B is substantially the same or slightly smaller than the protruding height of the protruding member 225 described above. That is, when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 and the platen holder 12 is moved toward the printing position, the distance between the cassette facing surface 12B and the arm front surface 35 is substantially the same or slightly smaller. When the switch terminal 222 is not pressed, the switch terminal 222 extends from the main body 221 (off state), and when pressed, the switch terminal 222 is pressed into the main body 221 (on state).

  When the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, when the platen holder 12 moves toward the standby position (see FIG. 3), each arm detection switch 210 is separated from the tape cassette 30, so that all arm detections are performed. The switch 210 is turned off. On the other hand, when the platen holder 12 moves toward the printing position (see FIGS. 4 to 6), the arm detection switch 210 detects the arm provided on the front surface of the tape cassette 30, more specifically on the arm front surface 35 described later. Opposite part 800. At this time, there is a slight distance between the tip of the switch terminal 222 of the arm detection switch 210 in the extended state and the arm front surface 35. However, since the arm identifying unit 800 is provided with a pressing portion 802 that is a convex portion in a prescribed pattern, the arm detection switch 210 is selectively pressed by the pressing portion 820. The tape type is detected based on the ON / OFF combination of the arm detection switch 210 at this time, which will be described in detail later.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the tape printer 1 includes a control circuit unit 400 formed on a control board. The control circuit unit 400 includes a CPU 401 that controls each device, a ROM 402, a CGROM 403, a RAM 404, an input / output interface 411, and the like connected to the CPU 401 via a data bus 410.

  The ROM 402 has a display drive control program for controlling the liquid crystal drive circuit (LCDC) 405 in correspondence with character code data such as letters and numbers inputted from the keyboard 3, and printing for driving the thermal head 10 and the tape feed motor 23. Drive control program, pulse number determination program for determining the number of applied pulses corresponding to the amount of energy to form each printing dot, cutting drive control program for driving the cutter motor 24 to cut the printed tape 50 at a predetermined cutting position, etc. Various programs necessary for control of the tape printer 1 are stored. That is, the CPU 401 performs various calculations based on these various programs. The ROM 402 also stores various tables for specifying the tape type of the tape cassette 30 attached to the tape printer 1, which will be described in detail later.

  The CGROM 403 classifies dot pattern data for printing for each of a large number of characters for printing characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols for each typeface (Gothic typeface, Mincho typeface, etc.). Are stored in correspondence with code data for six types (for example, dot sizes of 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, and 96).

  The RAM 404 is provided with a plurality of storage areas such as a text memory and a print buffer. Document data input from the keyboard 3 is stored in the text memory. In the print buffer, a dot pattern for printing such as a plurality of characters and symbols, the number of applied pulses that is the amount of energy for forming each dot, and the like are stored as dot pattern data. That is, the thermal head 10 performs dot printing according to the dot pattern data stored in the print buffer. In the other storage area, various calculation data and the like are stored.

  The input / output interface 411 includes arm detection switches 210A to 210E, a keyboard 3, a liquid crystal drive circuit (LCDC) 405 having a video RAM (not shown) for outputting display data to a display (LCD) 5, and a thermal head 10. A drive circuit 406 for driving, a drive circuit 407 for driving the tape feed motor 23, a drive circuit 408 for driving the cutter motor 24, and the like are connected to each other.

  Next, the configuration of the tape cassette 30 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6 and FIGS. 10 to 18. In the following, as a general-purpose cassette that can mount various tape types such as thermal type, receptor type, laminate type, etc., by changing the type of tape stored in the inside and the presence or absence of ink ribbon as appropriate The tape cassette 30 comprised is illustrated.

  2 and 10 to 15 are diagrams relating to a tape cassette 30 (hereinafter referred to as a wide cassette 30) in which the tape width is equal to or greater than a predetermined width (for example, 18 mm). More specifically, the wide cassette 30 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 10 to 15 is a laminate type (see FIGS. 3 and 4) in which an ink ribbon 60 having a color other than black (for example, red) is stored. ) And the tape width is “36 mm”. On the other hand, FIGS. 16-18 is a figure regarding the tape cassette 30 (henceforth the narrow cassette 30) from which a tape width becomes less than predetermined width. More specifically, the narrow cassette 30 illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 18 is mounted as a receptor type (see FIG. 5) in which a black ink ribbon 60 is accommodated, and the tape width is “12 mm”. . In the following, the configuration of the tape cassette 30 will be described by mainly exemplifying the wide cassette 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 10 to 15), but the narrow cassette 30 (see FIGS. 16 to 18) is basically also described. It is the same.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, the tape cassette 30 has a cassette case 31 which is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped (box-shaped) casing having rounded corners in plan view as a whole. The cassette case 31 includes a lower case 31B including the bottom surface 30B of the cassette case 31, and an upper case 31A including the upper surface 30A of the cassette case 31 and fixed to the upper portion of the lower case 31B. When upper case 31A and lower case 31B are fixed to each other, side surface 30C having a predetermined height is formed across the outer edges of upper surface 30A and bottom surface 30B. That is, the cassette case 31 has a pair of upper surface 30A and bottom surface 30B that form a rectangular plane opposed to each other in the vertical direction, and a side surface 30C (at a predetermined height across the outer edges of the upper surface 30A and the bottom surface 30B). Here, it is a box-shaped case body having a front surface, a back surface, a left side surface, and a right side surface.

  The cassette case 31 does not have to be surrounded by the side surface 30C on the entire periphery of the top surface 30A and the bottom surface 30B, and has an opening that exposes the inside of the cassette case 31 to a part of the side surface 30C (for example, the back surface). The boss | hub which connects the upper surface 30A and the bottom face 30B may be provided in the position which faces the opening part. Hereinafter, the distance (vertical length) from the bottom surface 30B to the top surface 30A is referred to as the height dimension of the tape cassette 30 or the cassette case 31. In the present embodiment, the vertical direction of the cassette case 31 (that is, the direction in which the top surface 30A and the bottom surface 30B face each other) substantially coincides with the attaching / detaching direction of the tape cassette 30.

  Regardless of the type of the tape cassette 30, the cassette case 31 has a corner portion 32 </ b> A formed with the same width (the same length in the vertical direction). The corner 32A protrudes outward so as to form a right angle in plan view. However, the lower left corner 32A in plan view is not perpendicular because the tape discharge portion 49 is provided at the corner. The lower surface of the corner portion 32 </ b> A is a portion facing the cassette support portion 8 </ b> B described above in the cassette mounting portion 8 when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8. A portion (including the corner portion 32A) that surrounds the entire side surface of the cassette case 31 with the same position and the same width as the corner portion 32A in the vertical (height) direction of the cassette case 31. That's it. More specifically, the common portion 32 is a portion formed symmetrically in the vertical direction with respect to the center line in the vertical (height) direction of the cassette case 31.

  The height dimension of the tape cassette 30 varies depending on the tape width of various tapes (the thermal paper tape 55, the printing tape 57, the double-sided adhesive tape 58, the film tape 59, etc.) stored in the cassette case 31. However, as shown in FIG. 15, the height dimension (width T) of the common portion 32 is set to the same dimension regardless of the tape width of the tape cassette 30. For example, when the width T of the common portion 32 is 12 mm, when the tape width of the tape cassette 30 increases (for example, 18 mm, 24 mm, 36 mm), the height dimension of the cassette case 31 increases accordingly. The width T of 32 is constant. When the tape width of the tape cassette 30 is equal to or smaller than the width T of the common portion 32 (for example, 6 mm, 12 mm), the height dimension of the cassette case 31 is the width T (12 mm) of the common portion 32 plus a predetermined width. is there. In this case, the height of the cassette case 31 is the smallest.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 10, and 11, a first tape spool 40, a second tape spool 41, and a ribbon take-up spool 44 described later are rotatably supported on the upper case 31A and the lower case 31B, respectively. Support holes 65A, 66A, and 67A and support holes 65B, 66B, and 67B are provided.

  In the laminate type tape cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the double-sided adhesive tape 58 wound around the first tape spool 40, the film tape 59 wound around the second tape spool 41, and the ribbon spool 42 are wound. Three types of tape rolls of the rotated ink ribbon 60 are stored in the cassette case 31. And the 1st tape spool 40 which wound the release paper of the double-sided adhesive tape 58 toward the outer side is arrange | positioned rotatably via the support holes 65A and 65B. The second tape spool 41 around which the film tape 59 is wound is rotatably arranged through the support holes 66A and 66B. Further, the ink ribbon 60 wound around the ribbon spool 42 is rotatably disposed in the cassette case 31.

  Between the first tape spool 40 and the ribbon spool 42 in the cassette case 31, a ribbon take-up spool that pulls out the ink ribbon 60 from the ribbon spool 42 and winds up the ink ribbon 60 used for printing characters or the like. 44 is rotatably arranged through the support holes 67A and 67B. A clutch spring (not shown) is attached to the lower portion of the ribbon take-up spool 44 to prevent the ink ribbon 60 taken up by the reverse of the ribbon take-up spool 44 from loosening. .

  In the receptor type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 5, two types of tape rolls, that is, a printing tape 57 wound around a first tape spool 40 and an ink ribbon 60 wound around a ribbon spool 42, are placed in a cassette case 31. It is stored. This receptor type tape cassette 30 does not include the second tape spool 41.

  In the thermal type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 6, one type of tape roll of the thermal paper tape 55 wound around the first tape spool 40 is accommodated in the cassette case 31. The thermal type tape cassette 30 does not include the second tape spool 41 and the ribbon spool 42.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a semicircular groove 34 </ b> K, which is a substantially semicircular groove in a plan view, is formed on the front surface of the cassette case 31 in the height direction of the cassette case 31 (that is, from the top surface 30 </ b> A to the bottom surface 30 </ b> B). It is provided over. The semicircular groove 34 </ b> K is an escape portion provided so that the shaft support portion 12 </ b> A that is the rotation center of the platen holder 12 does not interfere with the cassette case 31 when the tape cassette 30 is attached to the cassette attachment portion 8. A portion of the front surface of the cassette case 31 that extends to the left from the semicircular groove 34 </ b> K (specifically, an outer wall 34 </ b> B described later) is referred to as an arm front surface 35. A portion extending leftward from the right front portion of the tape cassette 30 defined by the arm front surface 35 and the arm back surface 37 provided in the height direction at a position spaced rearward from the arm front surface 35 is referred to as an arm portion 34. . 3 to 6, the arm front surface 35 is slightly behind the right front surface 35A, which is the portion on the right side of the semicircular groove 34K, on the right front surface 35A. They are arranged in parallel.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 12, the structure which guides the tape (for example, the thermal paper tape 55, the printing tape 57, the film tape 59) and the ink ribbon 60 which are printing media in the arm part 34 is demonstrated. The arm portion 34 of the lower case 31B includes an outer wall 34B, an inner wall 34C, and a separation wall 34D. The outer wall 34B constitutes a lower case 31B portion of the arm front surface 35. The inner wall 34C is higher than the outer wall 34B and has the same height as the ribbon width of the ink ribbon 60, and constitutes the lower case 31B portion of the arm back surface 37. The separation wall 34D is provided between the outer wall 34B and the inner wall 34C, and has the same height as the inner wall 34C.

  A pair of guide regulating pieces 34E are formed at the lower ends of both sides of the separation wall 34D. A guide pin 34G having a guide restricting piece 34F formed at the lower end is provided at the upstream side (right side in FIG. 12) of the separation wall 34D in the arm portion 34 of the lower case 31B. A pair of guide restricting pieces 34H are formed in a portion constituting the arm portion 34 in the upper case 31A corresponding to each guide restricting piece 34E provided at the lower ends of both sides of the separation wall 34D. The front end portion of the arm front surface 35 is bent rearward, and an opening 34 </ b> A extending in the vertical direction is formed at the left ends of the arm front surface 35 and the arm back surface 37.

  When the cassette case 31 is configured by joining the upper case 31A and the lower case 31B, a tape (in the example of FIG. 12), which is a print medium, is provided in the arm portion 34 by the outer wall 34B, the separation wall 34D, and the guide pins 34G. The tape running path for guiding the running of the film tape 59) and the ribbon running path for guiding the running of the ink ribbon 60 are formed by the inner wall 34C and the separation wall 34D.

  The direction of the film tape 59 is changed by the guide pin 34G while the lower end of the film tape 59 is regulated by the guide regulating piece 34F, and the cooperation of the guide regulating pieces 34E at the lower end of the separation wall 34D and the respective guide regulating pieces 34H of the upper case 31A. The guide is regulated in the tape width direction. Thus, the film tape 59 is guided to travel between the outer wall 34B and the separation wall 34D in the arm portion 34. Further, the ink ribbon 60 is guided by the inner wall 34C and the separation wall 34D in the arm portion 34 while being guided by the inner wall 34C and the separation wall 34D having the same height as the ribbon width. . At this time, the ink ribbon 60 is regulated in the width direction by the lower surface of the upper case 31A and the upper surface of the lower case 31B. The film tape 59 and the ink ribbon 60 are guided through the respective travel paths in the arm portion 34, are superposed at the opening 34 </ b> A, and are discharged to the head insertion portion 39 (specifically, an opening portion 77 described later).

  With the configuration described above, the tape travel path and the ribbon travel path are formed as different paths separated from each other via the separation wall 34D in the arm portion 34. Accordingly, the film tape 59 and the ink ribbon 60 are reliably guided to travel independently in each travel path in accordance with the tape width and ribbon width. 12 illustrates a laminate-type tape cassette 30 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), the same applies to the arm portion 34 of another type of tape cassette 30. In the receptor type tape cassette 30 (see FIG. 5), the print tape 57 is guided along the tape travel path, and the ink ribbon 60 is guided along the ribbon travel path. In the thermal type tape cassette 30 (see FIG. 6), the thermal paper tape 55 is traveled and guided along the tape travel path, and the ribbon travel path is not used.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the arm front surface 35 is provided with an arm identification portion 800 and a facing portion 820. The arm identification unit 800 is a part that allows a human to specify the type of tape stored in the tape cassette 30, and the arm detection switch 210 (see FIGS. 3 to 5) provided in the platen holder 12 of the tape printer 1. ) Is selectively pressed to cause the tape printer 1 to detect the tape type. The facing portion 820 is a portion where the protruding member 225 provided on the platen holder 12 faces. Details of the arm front surface 35 including the arm identifying unit 800 and the facing unit 820 will be described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 12, in the arm front surface 35, a vertically elongated through hole 850 is provided on the left side of the arm identification portion 800 of the lower case 31 </ b> B in front view. The through hole 850 is provided for releasing the mold when the cassette case 31 is molded, and has no specific function.

  As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, a substantially rectangular space in plan view that penetrates the tape cassette 30 in the vertical direction and is surrounded by the arm back surface 37 and the peripheral wall surface continuously provided from the arm back surface 37 is as follows. The head insertion part 39. The head insertion part 39 is provided in front of the cassette case 31. The head insertion portion 39 is connected to the outside also on the front surface of the tape cassette 30 through an opening 77 provided on the front surface of the tape cassette 30. A head holder 74 that supports the thermal head 10 of the tape printer 1 is inserted into the head insertion portion 39, and the tape (the thermal paper tape 55, the printing tape 57, or the film tape 59 is discharged from the opening 34 </ b> A of the arm portion 34. Is exposed to the outside of the cassette case 31 through the opening 77, and printing by the thermal head 10 is performed.

  At a position facing the head insertion portion 39 of the cassette case 31, a support receiving portion used for vertical positioning when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the tape printer 1 is provided. In the present embodiment, an upstream side receiving portion is located upstream of the insertion position (more specifically, the printing position) of the thermal head 10 in the transport direction of a tape (thermal paper tape 55, printing tape 57, film tape 59) that is a printing medium. 39A is provided, and downstream receiving portions 39B (hereinafter collectively referred to as head receiving portions 39A and 39B) are provided on the downstream side.

  When the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, the head receiving portions 39A and 39B face the head support portions 74A and 74B (see FIG. 2) provided on the head holder 74, respectively. , 74B, which is supported from below. Further, a locking portion 38 which is a concave portion having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is provided between the upstream receiving portion 39A and the downstream receiving portion 39B at a position facing the head insertion portion 39 in the lower case 31B. (See FIG. 11). The locking portion 38 is a portion where the cassette hook 75 is locked when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8.

  When the user inserts the tape cassette 30 into the cassette mounting portion 8 and pushes the tape cassette 30 downward, the upstream receiving portion 39A of the tape cassette 30 faces the upstream support portion 74A provided in the head holder 74. Further movement of the upstream receiving portion 39A in the downward direction is restricted. Further, the downstream receiving portion 39B of the tape cassette 30 faces the downstream support portion 74B provided in the head holder 74, and further movement of the downstream support portion 74B in the downward direction is restricted. The tape cassette 30 is maintained in a state where the head receiving portions 39A and 39B are supported from below by the head support portions 74A and 74B.

  Therefore, the vertical positioning can be accurately performed at a position close to the thermal head 10 that performs printing on a tape (here, the thermal paper tape 55, the printing tape 57, and the film tape 59) that is a printing medium. The vertical print center position of the thermal head 10 and the tape width direction center position of the film tape 59 can be maintained with high accuracy. In particular, the tape cassette 30 is supported at the insertion position of the thermal head 10, more specifically, at both the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the printing position in the transport direction of the tape as the printing medium. Therefore, the vertical positioning can be performed particularly accurately, and the vertical printing center position by the thermal head 10 and the central position in the tape width direction can be maintained particularly accurately.

  Further, the upstream side receiving portion 39A and the downstream side receiving portion 39B of the tape cassette 30 of the present embodiment face the head insertion portion 39 from directions orthogonal to each other. Since the head support portions 74A and 74B extending in directions orthogonal to each other are inserted and supported by the head receiving portions 39A and 39B, which are concave portions, the tape cassette 30 is not only in the vertical direction but also in the front and rear direction and the horizontal direction. Movement is also restricted. Thereby, an appropriate positional relationship between the thermal head 10 and the head insertion portion 39 can be maintained.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, when the tape cassette 30 is fitted into the cassette mounting portion 8, the cassette hook 75 is locked to the locking portion 38. As a result, after the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the tape printer 1, the tape cassette 30 can be controlled to move upward, i.e., upward, and the tape can be transported and printed stably.

  As shown in FIG. 11, pin holes 62 and 63 corresponding to the positioning pins 102 and 103 of the tape printer 1 described above are provided at two locations on the lower surface of the corner portion 32A. Specifically, at the rear (upper in FIG. 11) of a support hole 64 (described later) provided in the left front portion (lower right side in FIG. 11) of the cassette case 31, a recess provided in the lower surface of the corner portion 32A, A pin hole 62 into which the positioning pin 102 is inserted. Further, in the vicinity of the central portion of the right end portion (left side in FIG. 11) of the cassette case 31, a concave portion provided on the lower surface of the corner portion 32A is a pin hole 63 into which the positioning pin 103 is inserted. In FIG. 11, the tape driving roller 46 and the like are omitted.

  The distance between the positions of the pin holes 62 and 63 in the vertical direction (height direction) of the tape cassette 30 and the central position in the vertical direction of the film tape 59 which is a printing medium stored in the cassette case 31 is the tape of the tape cassette 30 Regardless of the type (for example, tape width), that is, even if the height dimension of the tape cassette 30 is different, it is constant.

  2 to 6, a pair of upper and lower restricting members 36 are provided on the downstream side of the head insertion portion 39 in the tape transport direction. The base of the regulating member 36 regulates the printed film tape 59 in the vertical direction (tape width direction) on the downstream side of the thermal head 10 and guides the film tape 59 toward the tape discharge portion 49. The adhesive tape 58 is properly bonded without causing a positional shift. In the vicinity of the regulating member 36, a guide wall 47 is provided for separating the used ink ribbon 60 conveyed via the head insertion portion 39 from the film tape 59 and guiding it toward the ribbon take-up spool 44. It is installed. Between the guide wall 47 and the ribbon take-up spool 44, a used ink ribbon 60 guided along the guide wall 47 and a double-sided adhesive tape 58 wound around and supported by the first tape spool 40 are provided. A separation wall 48 is erected to prevent contact with each other.

  A support hole 64 (see FIG. 11) is provided on the downstream side of the regulating member 36 in the tape transport direction, and the tape drive roller 46 is pivotally supported inside the support hole 64 so as to be rotatable. When the laminate type tape cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, the tape drive roller 46 moves from the second tape spool 41 in cooperation with the opposed movable transport roller 14. The film tape 59 is pulled out, and the double-sided adhesive tape 58 is pulled out from the first tape spool 40, guided and adhered to the printing surface of the film tape 59, and conveyed as a printed tape 50 toward the tape discharge portion 49.

  When the receptor type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 5 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, the print tape 57 is pulled out from the first tape spool 40 by the cooperation of the tape drive roller 46 and the movable transport roller 14. . On the downstream side of the thermal head 10, the printed print tape 57, that is, the printed tape 50, is guided toward the tape discharge portion 49 while being regulated in the vertical direction (tape width direction) at the base portion of the regulating member 36. The Further, the used ink ribbon 60 conveyed via the head insertion portion 39 is separated from the print tape 57 by the guide wall 47 and guided toward the ribbon take-up spool 44.

  When the thermal type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 6 is mounted, the thermal paper tape 55 is pulled out from the first tape spool 40 by the cooperation of the tape driving roller 46 and the movable conveying roller 14. On the downstream side of the thermal head 10, the printed thermal paper tape 55, that is, the printed tape 50, is guided toward the tape discharge portion 49 while being regulated in the vertical direction (tape width direction) at the base portion of the regulating member 36. The

  The tape discharge portion 49 is a plate-like member that is provided slightly spaced forward from the front end portion of the left side surface of the cassette case 31 and extends over the upper surface 31A and the lower surface 31B. The tape discharge portion 49 guides the printed tape 50 conveyed through the regulating member 36 and the tape driving roller 46 into a passage formed between the front end portion of the left side surface of the lower case 31B, and passes the passage. Eject from the tape outlet at the end of the tape.

  The detailed configuration and functions of the arm front surface 35 including the arm identification unit 800 and the facing unit 820 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  As described above, the tape cassette 30 according to the present embodiment can be obtained by visually observing the arm identification unit 800 when the tape cassette 30 is not attached to the tape printer 1 and is viewed alone. It is comprised so that the kind of tape stored in can be specified. In addition, when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8 of the tape printer 1, the tape detector 1 detects the information indicated by the arm identification unit 800 by the arm detector 200, so that the tape printer 1 can detect the type of tape. It can be specified. First, the area | region which the arm front surface 35 has and the structure in an area | region are demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the arm front surface 35 is adjacent to an opening 34A for discharging a tape (a thermal paper tape 55, a printing tape 57, or a film tape 59), which is a printing medium, from the arm portion 34, with respect to the opening 34A. Specific region R0 located upstream in the tape transport direction. The length in the left-right direction of the specific region R0 is defined to be equal to or less than the distance L0 between the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 and the tape discharge portion 49. In addition, between the opening 34A and the tape discharge portion 49, the tape discharged from the opening 34A is conveyed toward the tape discharge portion 49 while exposing one surface thereof forward, so that the tape is exposed at the distance L0. It is synonymous with the tape exposure length, which is the length. In the present embodiment, the entire arm front surface 35 between the opening 34A and the left end of the semicircular groove 34K is the specific region R0.

  The specific region R0 includes a first region R1 that functions as the facing portion 820, and a second region R2 that includes the arm identification unit 800 other than the first region R1. Below, each area | region is demonstrated in order of 2nd area | region R2 and 1st area | region R1.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the second region R <b> 2 is parallel to the longitudinal information area X, which is a plurality of strip-like areas extending along a direction (vertical direction in FIG. 14) orthogonal to the tape transport direction, and the tape transport direction. And a lateral information area Y that is a plurality of strip-like areas extending in the left-right direction in FIG.

  The vertical information section X of this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 14 includes five vertical information sections X1 to X5. The vertical information sections X1 to X5 are arranged at an interval from the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 and are arranged at equal intervals from the left side to the right side in a front view. The vertical information section X1 is located on the most downstream side (that is, the leftmost side) in the tape transport direction among the vertical information sections X1 to X5. Vertical information sections X2, X3, X4, and X5 are provided in order from the vertical information section X1 toward the upstream side (that is, the right side) in the tape transport direction. The vertical lengths of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 (that is, the lengths in the left-right direction) are substantially equal, and adjacent vertical information sections in the vertical information sections X1 to X5 are adjacent to each other at equal intervals.

  The lateral information section Y of this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 14 includes three lateral information sections Y1 to Y3. The lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 are arranged side by side from the upper side to the lower side in a front view. The lateral information section Y1 located at the uppermost position among the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 is provided at a position where the center in the vertical direction is substantially the center of the height of the arm front surface 35. The lateral information areas Y2 and Y3 are provided in order from the lateral information area Y1 to the lower side. The lateral lengths (that is, the vertical lengths) of the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 are substantially equal, and adjacent lateral information sections in the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 are adjacent to each other at substantially equal intervals.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 and 18, among the horizontal information areas Y1 to Y3 of the present embodiment, the upper horizontal information areas Y1 and Y2 have a predetermined height dimension (hereinafter referred to as a predetermined height) on the arm front surface 35. ) Provided within the range of T1. Hereinafter, a region in the range of the predetermined height T1 on the arm front surface 35 is referred to as a common identification unit 831. More preferably, the common identification unit 831 is a region that is symmetrical in the vertical direction with the center line N in the vertical (height) direction of the cassette case 31 as the center. On the other hand, an area other than the common identification unit 831 within a range of a predetermined height T2 (T2> T1) of the arm front surface 35 is referred to as an expansion unit 832.

  The predetermined height T1 of the common identification unit 831 is the height dimension of the tape cassette 30 in which the height dimension of the cassette case 31 is the smallest among the plurality of tape cassettes 30 having different tape widths.

  On the other hand, in the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. 15, the lateral information section Y3 located at the lowermost position among the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 is disposed across the common identification portion 831 and the extended portion 832 below the common identification portion 831. The In the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 18, the height dimension of the tape cassette 30 is equal to the predetermined height T <b> 1 of the common identification unit 831, so that the expansion unit 832 does not exist. Therefore, in the narrow cassette 30, the lateral information section Y3 is disposed along the common identification portion 831, that is, the lower end portion of the arm front surface 35, and has a width of about 1/3 of the lateral information sections Y1 and Y2.

  The second region R2 is a region facing the arm detection switch 210 of the tape printer 1 when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8, and includes an arm identification unit 800 that identifies the tape type. A convex portion is formed in at least one of the vertical information sections X1 to X5, and it is determined in advance according to the tape type whether the convex section is formed in any of the vertical information sections X1 to X5. It has been. The arm identifying unit 800 includes vertical information sections X1 to X5, and is a part that specifies a tape type by a combination of whether or not a convex portion is formed in each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5. A human can recognize the tape type by viewing the combination of the convex portions formed in the vertical information sections X1 to X5 of the arm identification unit 800.

  The positions where the convex portions are formed in the vertical direction of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 may be determined for each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5. For example, among the plurality of regions in which the vertical information sections X1 to X5 and the horizontal information sections Y1 to Y3 intersect and overlap (hereinafter referred to as overlapping regions), one overlapping region is provided for each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5. It is good also as a structure which specifies as a discriminating part and specifies a tape kind by the combination of whether the convex part is formed in the discriminating part. In this case, if the position corresponding to the arm detection switch 210 (see FIG. 7) of the tape printer 1 is determined as the identification unit, the tape type can be specified by the tape printer 1 as well as the human eyes.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8, the five overlapping areas facing the five arm detection switches 210A to 210E shown in FIG. It is said. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, a region where the vertical information section X1 and the horizontal information section Y2 intersect and overlap functions as an identification unit 800A facing the arm detection switch 210A. A region where the vertical information section X2 and the horizontal information section Y1 intersect and overlap functions as the identification unit 800B facing the arm detection switch 210B. A region where the vertical information section X3 and the horizontal information section Y2 intersect and overlap functions as the identification unit 800C facing the arm detection switch 210C. A region where the vertical information section X4 and the horizontal information section Y1 intersect and overlap functions as the identification unit 800D facing the arm detection switch 210D. A region where the vertical information section X5 and the horizontal information section Y3 intersect and overlap functions as the identification unit 800E facing the arm detection switch 210E.

  Thus, in this embodiment, one identification part is arrange | positioned 1 each in the vertical information area X1-X5. Furthermore, the identification parts of adjacent vertical information sections are not arranged in the left-right direction. That is, the identification units 800A to 800E are arranged in a zigzag manner. When such an arrangement is adopted, even if the identification part between adjacent vertical information areas is composed of convex parts, the identification of the vertical information area adjacent to the identification part of a certain vertical information area The distinction from the part can be made easier. Further, since the position where the convex portion is formed can be specified by touching the arm identifying unit 800, it is possible to specify the tape type not only visually but also visually.

  In the example shown in FIG. 14, convex portions are formed in the identification portions 800B and 800E. On the other hand, the identification portions 800A, 800C, and 800D are surface portions that are flush with the arm front surface 35 and have no protrusions. As described above, each of the identification units 800A to 800E is configured by a convex portion or a surface portion. The convex portion or the surface portion can be identified by human eyes, and when facing the arm detection switch 210, a pressing portion 802 that presses the arm detection switch 210 or a non-pressing portion 801 that does not press (see FIG. 12). ) And causes the tape printer 1 to specify the tape type. The relationship between the identification units 800A to 800E and the arm detection switch 210 will be described in detail later.

  In the first region R1, when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 and the platen holder 12 is moved to the printing position as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 18, the region is provided in the common identification portion 831 on the arm front surface 35. The projecting member 225 faces the region including the first region R1. Therefore, 1st area | region R1 is an area | region corresponding to the back view shape of the projection member 225, and a convex part is not formed in this area | region.

  The first region R1 is disposed at a distance from the opening 34A of the arm portion 34, and the right end thereof is located at least on the upstream side (that is, the right side) in the tape transport direction with respect to the longitudinal information section X1. In the example of FIG. 14, the right end portion of the vertical information section X5 located on the most upstream side in the tape transport direction among the vertical information sections X1 to X5 is substantially positioned on the center line in the left-right direction of the first region R1. Therefore, the right end portion of the first region R1 is located on the upstream side (that is, the right side) in the tape transport direction with respect to all the vertical information sections X1 to X5. Moreover, 1st area | region R1 is provided upwards adjacent to horizontal information area Y1 located in the uppermost among horizontal information areas Y1-Y3. That is, the upper end portion of the first region R1 is located above all of the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3.

  In the example of FIG. 14, the vertical length of the first region R1 is about 2/3 of the width of the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3. The length in the left-right direction of the first region R1 is approximately twice the width of the vertical information sections X1 to X5, and the length in the vertical direction is about 2/3 of the width of the horizontal information sections Y1 to Y3.

  The facing portion 820 is a surface portion on which the protruding member 225 faces when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8 at an appropriate position and the platen holder 12 moves to the printing position (see FIGS. 4 to 6).

  Next, the positional relationship of various components on the arm front surface 35 will be described. As shown in FIG. 13, when the tape cassette 30 of this embodiment is viewed from the front, the length in the left-right direction of the specific region R0 is the distance (tape exposure length) L0 between the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 and the tape discharge portion 49. It is defined as follows. Further, a distance L1 from the center line C in the left-right direction of the cassette case 31 to the left-right reference line C1, which is a virtual line for specifying the position in the left-right direction where the facing portion 820 is provided, is upstream in the tape transport direction. In the right direction, it is defined to be within a range of 18 to 24% of the tape exposure length L0. As the left and right reference line C1, a line on which the facing portion 820 is always positioned may be used. For example, the center line in the left and right direction of the first region R1 can be used. In addition, a vertical reference line C <b> 2 that is a virtual line for specifying a position in the vertical direction where the facing portion 820 is provided is in the common identification unit 831. As the vertical reference line C2, for example, the vertical center line of the first region R1 can be used.

  When the center line C of the cassette case 31 is used as a reference for the arrangement of the vertical information section X1, at least a part of the vertical information section X1 is directed from the horizontal center line C of the cassette case 31 toward the downstream side in the tape transport direction. It is defined to be within a range W1 of 14 to 20% of the tape exposure length L0. Further, when the position of the opening 34A is used as a reference, at least a part of the vertical information section X1 is within a range W2 of 30 to 36% of the tape exposure length L0 from the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 toward the upstream side in the tape transport direction. It is prescribed as follows.

  Further, the left and right positions of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 are defined so that the distance between the center lines in the left and right direction of adjacent vertical information sections is within a range of 7 to 10% of the tape exposure length L0.

  As described above, the positional relationship of various components on the arm front surface 35 is defined for the following reason.

  First, the distance L1 from the center line C in the left-right direction of the cassette case 31 to the left-right reference line C1, which is a virtual line for specifying the position in the left-right direction where the facing portion 820 is provided, is upstream in the tape transport direction. It is desirable that the distance (tape exposure length) L0 between the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 and the tape discharge portion 49 is 18 to 24% in the right direction. For example, it is assumed that the lower case 31B alone needs to specify a print medium to be stored in the cassette case 31. The distance L0 between the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 and the tape discharge portion 49 can be easily confirmed by visual observation even if no tape is attached. Further, the position of the center line in the left-right direction of the tape cassette can be specified by viewing the lower case 31B. Moreover, the range of the specific region R0 can be easily specified by setting the length in the left-right direction of the specific region R0 to be equal to or less than the distance between the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 and the tape discharge portion 49.

  Here, when the opposing portion 820 is to be arranged close to the upstream side in the tape transport direction of the specific region R0 within the above range, the distance L1 from the horizontal center line C of the cassette case 31 is the tape exposure length L0. If the range of 18 to 24% is deviated from the center line C, the facing portion 820 may be outside the range of the specific region R0. Conversely, when the facing portion 820 approaches the horizontal center line C of the cassette, the horizontal range of the specific region R0 is shortened, making it impossible to configure, for example, five columns of vertical information sections.

  Secondly, at least a part of the vertical information section X1 is within a range W1 of 14 to 20% of the tape exposure length L0 from the center line C in the horizontal direction of the cassette case 31 toward the downstream side in the tape transport direction. It is desirable to arrange. This is because if the vertical information section X1 is too close to the opening 34A of the arm 34, the opening 34A and the vertical information section X1 are connected or even if they are not connected, the distance between them is short. This is because problems such as short shots occur when molding 31B. Further, by specifying the position of the longitudinal information section X1 that constitutes the most downstream side (that is, the left end) of the specific region R0 in the tape transport direction, when a tape type is specified, only a certain limited range is visually observed. There is an effect that it is good.

  Third, when the position of the opening 34A is used as a reference, at least a part of the longitudinal information section X1 is in the range of 30 to 36% of the tape exposure length L0 from the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 toward the upstream side in the tape transport direction. Preferably it is within W2. This defines the position of the vertical information section X1 in the specific region R0, as in the above-described range W1, but the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 can be clearly identified visually, and the distance from the opening 34A. Is defined as a position that can be easily determined visually by 30 to 36% of the exposed length of the tape, so that the position of the vertical information section X1 can be more easily specified.

  Fourth, the vertical information sections X1 to X5 may be positioned in the left-right direction so that the distance between the center lines in the left-right direction of adjacent vertical information sections is within a range of 7 to 10% of the tape exposure length L0. desirable. This is because it becomes difficult to provide a boundary if the distance between the center lines in the left and right direction of adjacent vertical information areas is shorter than this, or when a convex part is provided in a certain vertical information area, This is because the size of the direction becomes small and it is difficult to identify it visually. On the contrary, if the distance between the center lines in the horizontal direction of the adjacent vertical information areas is longer than this, the vertical information area consisting of, for example, 5 rows cannot be configured within the specific area R0, and the necessary tape type can be specified. This is because there are cases where it becomes impossible.

  As described above, by defining various positional relationships of the arm front surface 35, it becomes possible for a human to easily recognize the positions of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 and the identification units 800A to 800E by visual observation. The reason will be described below.

  If all the left and right positions where the vertical information sections X1 to X5 are arranged on the arm front surface 35 are grasped, the human only has to confirm whether or not the convex portions are formed in the vertical information sections X1 to X5. The tape type can be specified. If all positions are not grasped, the positions can be specified by the following method.

  First, the position of the vertical information section X1 can be specified as follows. First, the vertical information sections X1 to X5 are arranged at an interval from the opening 34A of the arm portion 34. Therefore, if the separation distance from the opening 34A to the vertical information section X1 is known in advance, the human can visually identify the position of the vertical information section X1 in the left-right direction with reference to the opening 34A. Second, at least a part of the vertical information section X1 is within a range W1 of 14 to 20% of the tape exposure length L0 from the center line C in the left-right direction of the cassette case 31 toward the downstream side in the tape transport direction. Third, it is within the range W2 of 30 to 36% of the tape exposure length L0 from the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 toward the upstream side in the tape transport direction. As described above, the position in the left-right direction of the vertical information section X1 can be specified with reference to the portion that can be easily grasped visually, such as the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 or the center line C of the cassette case 31.

  The vertical information sections X1 to X5 are arranged at equal intervals from the left side to the right side when viewed from the front on the arm front surface 35. Therefore, among the vertical information areas X1 to X5, the arrangement interval of the adjacent vertical information areas or the distance between the center lines in the horizontal direction of the adjacent vertical information areas is within the range of 7 to 10% of the tape exposure length L0. If this is known in advance, the horizontal position of the other vertical information sections X2 to X4 can be specified with the vertical information section X1 as a reference.

  Furthermore, as shown in the example of FIG. 14, one overlapping area is formed in each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 among the plurality of overlapping areas formed by the vertical information sections X1 to X5 and the horizontal information sections Y1 to Y3. Functions as the identification units 800A to 800E, and when the tape type is specified based on whether or not the identification units 800A to 800E have convex portions, it is also necessary to specify the positions of the identification units 800A to 800E. If all the vertical positions where the horizontal information sections Y1 to Y3 are arranged on the arm front surface 35 are grasped, the vertical positions of the identification units 800A to 800E in the vertical information sections X1 to X5 are determined as the horizontal information sections Y1 to Y3. Can be specified as a reference. That is, it is possible for a human to specify the specified positions (left-right direction position and up-down direction position) of the identification units 800A to 800E provided in the overlapping areas of the vertical information areas X1 to X5 and the horizontal information areas Y1 to Y3. it can.

  When the vertical position at which the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 are arranged is not grasped, it can be specified by the following method. The lateral information sections Y1 and Y2 are defined to be within the common identification portion 831 having a predetermined height T1 centered on the vertical center line N of the cassette case 31, and the predetermined height T1 is the width of the common portion 32. This is a value obtained by slightly increasing T. Further, the lateral information section Y3 extends in the left-right direction across the common identifying portion 831 and the extended portion 832 below the common identifying portion 831 in the wide cassette 30 (see FIG. 15), and in the narrow cassette 30 (see FIG. 18). Along the lower end portion of the arm front surface 35, the arm extends in a width smaller than the lateral information sections Y1 and Y2. Therefore, the position of the lateral information section Y3 can be easily specified.

  Further, the lateral information sections Y1 to Y3 are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the vertical direction in the second region R2. Therefore, even when all the vertical positions of the horizontal information areas Y1 to Y3 are not grasped, the horizontal information area is determined based on the part of the cassette case 31 that can be easily grasped visually, such as the vertical center line N or the common part 32. The positions of Y1 and Y2 can be specified.

  As described above, the tape cassette 30 of the present embodiment is configured such that a human can identify the specified positions of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 of the arm identification unit 800 and the identification units 800A to 800E by visually observing the arm front surface 35. Has been.

  Next, specification of the tape type by the combination of whether or not the convex portions are formed in each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 of the arm identification unit 800 or the identification units 800A to 800E will be described. There are various elements in the tape type. In this embodiment, an example in which three elements of the tape width, the print mode, and the character color are specified will be described.

  The tape type elements specified by the vertical information sections X1 to X5 are determined in advance. In the present embodiment, the vertical information areas X1, X2, and X5 are defined as areas indicating information for specifying the tape width, and the vertical information area X3 is defined as an area indicating information for specifying the printing mode. X4 is defined as an area indicating information for specifying the character color. As described above, the tape cassette 30 is configured to be able to specify the elements of the corresponding tape type only by each specific part, regardless of the configuration of other specific parts.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14, in the vertical information sections X1 to X5, when a specific overlapping area functions as the identification sections 800A to 800E, the vertical information sections X1 to X5 provided with the identification sections 800A to 800E. Accordingly, the tape type element specified by each of the identification units 800A to 800E is determined. That is, the identification units 800A, 800B, and 800E are identification units that specify the tape width, the identification unit 800C is an identification unit that identifies the printing mode, and the identification unit 800D is an identification unit that identifies the character color. . Hereinafter, the identification units 800A, 800B, and 800E are referred to as a tape width identification unit, the identification unit 800C is referred to as a print mode identification unit, and the identification unit 800D is referred to as a character color identification unit. I will explain.

With reference to Tables 1 to 3, the tape width, the printing mode, and the character color specified by each specifying unit will be described. For convenience, in the table, the identification portions 800A to 800E are not formed with convex portions but are surface portions, and “0” is indicated, and the identification portions 800A to 800E are indicated with convex portions “1”. ing. When the tape type is specified depending on whether or not the convex portions are formed in each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5, the identification portions 800A to 800E in Tables 1 to 3 are respectively set to the vertical information sections X1 to X5. Of course, the same tape type specifying method described below can be applied.

  As shown in Table 1, the combination indicates the combination corresponding to whether each of the identification parts 800A, 800B and 800E constituting the tape specifying part has a convex part or a surface part without the convex part. Seven types of tape widths from 3.5 mm to 36 mm are defined. Therefore, a person can recognize the tape width of the tape cassette 30 only by visually observing the identification units 800A, 800B, and 800E existing in the vertical information sections X1, X2, and X5 in the arm identification unit 800, respectively. it can. The number of combinations of the convex portions or the surface portions of the three identification portions 800A, 800B, and 800E is eight. However, in this embodiment, since the tape specifying portion includes at least one surface portion, all of the convex portions or the surface portions are convex portions. The tape width corresponding to the combination (the combination of “1, 1, 1”) is not defined.

  Among the tape width specifying portions, as shown in Table 1, the identification portion 800E is a convex portion when the tape width is a predetermined width (18 mm) or more, and a surface portion where no convex portion exists when the tape width is less than the predetermined width. It is stipulated that Therefore, as described above, the tape width is equal to or larger than the predetermined width (18 mm) only by visually identifying the position of the identification portion 800E on the arm front surface 35 and confirming whether or not the convex portion is provided there. Human beings can recognize no.

  Further, the tape width relationship can be specified within each range where the tape width is equal to or larger than the predetermined width (18 mm) or less than the predetermined value by the combination of the presence or absence of the convex portions in the identification portions 800A and 800B. Specifically, when the identification portions 800A and 800B are a surface portion and a convex portion (a combination of “0, 1” in Table 1), the tape width is the maximum within a range greater than or equal to a predetermined width or less than a predetermined value. The tape width (36 mm or 12 mm in Table 1) is shown. When the identification parts 800A and 800B are respectively a convex part and a surface part (a combination of “1 and 0” in Table 1), the tape width is the second largest tape within the range where the tape width is greater than or less than a predetermined value (table 1 indicates 24 mm or 9 mm). When both of the identification portions 800A and 800B are surface portions (a combination of “0, 0” in the table), the third largest tape width (Table 1) within each range where the tape width is greater than or less than a predetermined width. Shows 6 mm or 18 mm). When the identification portions 800A and 800B are both convex portions (combination of “1, 1” in the table) instead of the surface portions, the smallest tape width (3.5 mm in Table 1) is selected from all the tape widths. Show.

  Therefore, as described above, the positions of the identification portions 800A, 800B, and 800E on the arm front surface 35 are visually identified, whether or not the identification portion 800E is formed with a convex portion, and the tape width is equal to or larger than a predetermined width and After determining whether the width is less than the predetermined width, a person can easily specify a more detailed tape width only by confirming whether or not a convex portion is formed on each of the identification portions 800A and 800B. For example, in the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. 15, the identification portion 800E is a convex portion, the identification portion 800A is a surface portion, and the identification portion 800B is a convex portion. 36 mm "can be specified. In the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 18, the identification portion 800E is a surface portion, the identification portion 800A is a surface portion, and the identification portion 800B is a convex portion. Therefore, the tape width is less than a predetermined width of 18 mm and the maximum width is “12 mm”. Can be identified.

  By the way, if the numerical value of the predetermined width is recognized, a person can determine whether or not the tape width of the tape cassette 30 is not the predetermined width by merely viewing the entire tape cassette 30. Therefore, the identification unit 800E that specifies whether or not the tape width is equal to or greater than the predetermined width is not necessarily included in the tape width specification unit. That is, the arm identification unit 800 may not define the vertical information section X5. In other words, at least the longitudinal information sections X1 and X2 are defined in the arm identification unit 800, and at least two identification units 800A and 800B may exist as the tape width specifying unit. By making the identification portions 800A and 800B closest to the opening 34A of the arm portion 34 from which the tape is discharged as a tape width specifying portion, a human can visually recognize the identification portions 800A and 800B together with the exposed tape after discharge. The tape width can be specified more easily.

  As shown in Table 2, whether the printing mode is mirror image printing (laminate) or normal image printing (receptor) according to whether or not the identification unit 800C constituting the printing mode specifying unit is a convex portion. Is stipulated. More specifically, when the identification portion 800C is a surface portion (“0” in the table), it indicates that mirror image printing is performed, and when it is a convex portion (“1” in the table), normal image printing is performed. It is stipulated to show that Therefore, as described above, the print mode is simply determined by visually identifying the position of the identification portion 800C on the arm front surface 35 and confirming whether or not the convex portion is formed thereon. It is possible for a human to easily determine whether the image is normal image printing. For example, in the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. 15, since the identification unit 800 </ b> C is a surface part, it can be specified that the printing mode is “mirror image printing (laminate)”. In the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 18, since the identification portion 800 </ b> C is a convex portion, the printing mode can be specified as “normal image printing (receptor)”.

  As described above, the “receptor (normal image printing)” as a printing mode is a printing type in which the ink ribbon ink is transferred to the tape that is the printing medium, and the color is developed with the thermal tape without using the ink ribbon. In addition to printing types, all printing types that do not perform lamination (mirror image printing) are included. Therefore, by specifying the printing mode, the tape cassette 30 (or the cassette case 31 prepared for the laminate type in the manufacturing process) containing the laminate type print medium or the receptor type print medium is provided. It is possible to specify which of the tape cassettes 30 is stored (or the cassette case 31 prepared for the receptor type in the manufacturing process).

  As shown in Table 3, it is determined whether the character color is black or any other color depending on whether or not the identification unit 800D constituting the character color specifying unit is a convex portion. . More specifically, when the identification portion 800D is a convex portion (“1” in the table), the character color is black, and when it is a surface portion (“0” in the table), other colors ( Color). Therefore, as described above, the character color is black or any other color simply by visually identifying the position of the identification portion 800D on the arm front surface 35 and confirming whether or not the convex portion is formed there. It can be easily determined by humans. For example, in the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. 15, since the identification portion 800D is a surface portion, the character color can be specified as “other than black”. In the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 18, since the identification part 800D is a convex part, it can be specified that the character color is “black”.

  The tape width and the printing mode are essential information for executing proper printing by the tape printing apparatus 1, while the character color is not essential for executing proper printing by the tape printing apparatus 1. Absent. Therefore, the identification unit 800D constituting the character color specifying unit is not always necessary. That is, in the arm identification unit 800, the vertical information section X4 may not be defined. Further, the identification unit 800D may be used to specify other elements of the tape type such as the base color of the tape, not the character color.

  Moreover, the tape width, the printing mode, and the content of the character color specified by each specifying unit are not limited to Tables 1 to 3, and can be appropriately changed. Although the total number of combinations of tape width, printing mode, and character color specified in Tables 1 to 3 is 28, it is not necessary to use all of them. For example, when the improper mounting state can be detected by the tape printer 1 described later, the combination corresponding to the improper mounting state detected by the tape printer 1 is not used.

  So far, the configuration for the arm identifying unit 800 to identify the tape type and the method for the human to identify the tape type by visual inspection of the arm identifying unit 800 have been described. Below, with reference to FIGS. 12-25, the structure of the arm identification part 800 seen in relation to the arm detection switch 210 of the tape printer 1, and the specific aspect of the tape type by the arm detection switch 210 are demonstrated. .

  First, the configuration of the arm identification unit 800 viewed in relation to the arm detection switch 210 of the tape printer 1 will be described. As described above, in the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment, the five arm detection switches 210A to 210E are provided on the cassette facing surface 12B of the platen holder 12 (see FIG. 7). In the tape cassette 30, as shown in FIG. 14, when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8, the overlapping areas facing the arm detection switches 210A to 210E are set as the identification units 800A to 800E, respectively. Yes. In the example of FIG. 14, the identification parts 800A, 800C and 800D are surface parts, and the identification parts 800B and 800E are convex parts.

  The front surface of the arm that faces the front end of the arm detection switch 210 is slightly separated when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8 and the platen holder 12 is moved to the printing position (see FIGS. 4 to 6). 35. Therefore, it functions as a non-pressing portion 801 that does not press the switch terminal 222 of the arm detection switch 210. Since the arm detection switch 210 facing the non-pressing portion 801 is not pressed, it is turned off.

  The convex portion functions as a pressing portion 802 that presses the switch terminal 222 when facing the arm detection switch 210. The arm detection switch 210 facing the pressing portion 802 is turned on when the switch terminal 222 contacts the pressing portion 802. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the pressing portion 802 is formed as a substantially rectangular parallelepiped protrusion having a vertically long rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the identification portions 800 </ b> A to 800 </ b> E (overlapping regions) in front view. In this case, the pressing portion 802 protrudes forward from the arm front surface 35. In the example of the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG. 15, the identification parts 800A, 800C and 800D are non-pressing parts 801, and the identification parts 800B and 800E are pressing parts 802.

  By the way, in the vertical direction of the arm front surface 35, the position where the identification unit 800 </ b> E is provided is in the lateral information section Y <b> 3 located at the lowest position among the lateral information sections Y <b> 1 to Y <b> 3. As described above, the lateral information section Y3 exists across the common identification portion 831 and the extended portion 832 below the common identification portion 831 in the wide cassette 30 having the tape width shown in FIG. However, in the case of the narrow cassette 30 whose tape width is less than the predetermined width shown in FIG. 18, the width is about 1/3 of the lateral information sections Y 1 and Y 2 along the lower end portion of the arm front surface 35. Therefore, in the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 18, the size of the identification unit 800E in the vertical direction is about 1/3 compared to the identification unit 800E of the wide cassette 30 shown in FIG.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the case of the wide cassette 30 (see FIG. 15) whose tape width is equal to or larger than the predetermined width (18 mm), the identification portion 800E is the convex portion, that is, the pressing portion 802, which is less than the predetermined width. In the case of the narrow cassette 30 (see FIG. 18), the identification portion 800E is defined as a surface portion, that is, a non-pressing portion 801. This is due to the following reason. If the tape printer 1 is a dedicated machine in which only the narrow cassette 30 is used, there is a possibility that the arm detection switch 210E is not provided at a position facing the identification unit 800E. On the other hand, when the tape printer 1 is configured as a general-purpose machine that can share the narrow cassette 30 and the wide cassette 30, there is an arm detection switch 210E that should face the identification unit 800E. Therefore, the identification part 800E comprised by the surface part (non-pressing part 801) in the narrow cassette 30 functions as an escape part corresponding to the arm detection switch 210E.

  As described above with reference to Tables 1 to 3, the identification units 800A to 800E of the arm identification unit 800 are associated with elements of the tape types specified by the identification units 800A to 800E, respectively. Each of the identification portions 800A to 800E is formed with either a surface portion (non-pressing portion 801) or a convex portion (pressing portion 802). Therefore, the tape printer 1 can specify the tape type based on the combination of the on / off state of the arm detection switch 210 that is selectively pressed by the arm identification unit 800. More specifically, as described above, a predetermined pattern (combination of convex portions and surface portions) predetermined for the identification portions 800A to 800E is used as the detection patterns (on state and off state) of the corresponding arm detection switches 210A to 210E. The tape type can be specified by referring to a table in which each is associated with a tape type.

  A tape type table 510 shown in FIG. 22 is an example of a table used for specifying a tape type by the tape printer 1 and is stored in the ROM 402 of the tape printer 1. In the tape type table 510, the tape type of the tape cassette 30 is defined in accordance with the on / off combination of the five arm detection switches 210A to 210E. In the tape type table 510 shown in FIG. 22, the arm detection switches 210A to 210E correspond to the switches “SW1” to “SW5”, and the arm detection switches 210 are turned off (OFF) and turned on (ON). ) Correspond to “0” and “1”, respectively.

  Originally, when a total of five arm detection switches 210A to 210E are used, a maximum of 32 tape types can be specified corresponding to a maximum of 32 detection patterns, which is the total number of on / off states. However, in the tape type table 510 shown in FIG. 22, tape types corresponding to 24 detection patterns out of a maximum of 32 detection patterns are set. Of the remaining eight detection patterns, one pattern that can be detected by the tape printer 1 that is not mounted at the appropriate position of the cassette mounting unit 8 is “error”, and the other seven are blank. “Reserve” is set. The mounting state of the tape cassette 30 when an error is detected will be described later.

  Note that the table used in the tape printer 1 is not limited to the tape type table 510. For example, a table in which any other tape type is added to the detection pattern corresponding to “reserved” in the tape type table 510 can be used. It is also possible to delete a tape type registered in the tape type table 510, change the correspondence between each detection pattern and the tape type, or use a table in which the content of the tape type corresponding to each detection pattern is changed. Good. In this case, the prescribed pattern determined for the above-described visual tape type specification is also changed as appropriate.

  Further, as described above, the identification unit 800E of the tape width identification unit and the identification unit 800D which is the character color identification unit are not necessarily provided. Therefore, when the identification units 800E and 800D are not provided, the corresponding arm detection switches 210E (SW5) and 210D (SW4) are not used, so only the tape types corresponding to the arm detection switches 210A to 210C (SW1 to SW3) are used. You can use a table in which is defined.

  Next, an aspect in which the tape printer 1 detects the tape type of the tape cassette 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, 19, and 20. FIG. 19 shows a mode in which the tape type of the wide cassette 30 having the tape width “36 mm” shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 to 15 is detected. FIG. 20 shows a mode in which the tape type of the narrow cassette 30 having the tape width “12 mm” shown in FIGS. 16 to 18 is detected.

  With reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the detection mode of the arm identification unit 800 by the arm detection unit 200 will be described. When the user mounts the tape cassette 30 at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting portion 8 and closes the cassette cover 6, the platen holder 12 moves from the standby position (FIG. 3) toward the printing position (FIGS. 4 to 6). To do. Then, the arm detection unit 200 and the protruding member 225 provided on the cassette facing surface 12B of the platen holder 12 move to positions facing the arm identification unit 800 and the facing unit 820 provided on the arm front surface 35 of the tape cassette 30, respectively. To do.

  If the tape cassette 30 is mounted at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting portion 8, the protruding member 225 faces the facing portion 820. The switch terminals 222 (see FIG. 8) of the arm detection switch 210 protruding from the cassette facing surface 12B are identification units 800A to 800E (non-pressing units 801 or pressing units 802) provided at corresponding positions of the arm identification unit 800. ) And selectively pressed. That is, as shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the arm detection switch 210 that faces the non-pressing portion 801 that is the surface portion is slightly off from the arm front surface 35, so Is done. The arm detection switch 210 facing the pressing portion 802 is pressed by the pressing portion 802 which is a convex portion protruding forward from the front surface of the arm to be turned on.

  When the wide cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 10 to 15 is mounted at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting portion 8, as shown in FIG. 19, the arm detection switches 210 </ b> A, 210 </ b> C, 210 </ b> D are identification portions that are non-pressing portions 801. Since it faces 800A, 800C and 800D, it is in the off state. On the other hand, the arm detection switches 210B and 210E are turned on because they face the identification portions 800B and 800E which are the pressing portions 802. That is, the on / off states of the switches “SW1” to “SW5” corresponding to the arm detection switches 210A to 210E are respectively identified as “0”, “1”, “0”, “0”, and “1”. The Therefore, the tape type is specified with reference to the tape type table 510, as in the above-described visual identification result, “the character color is other than black in mirror image printing (lamination) with a tape width of 36 mm”.

  Also, when the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 16 to 18 is mounted at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting portion 8, the arm detection switches 210A and 210E are identified as non-pressing portions 801 as shown in FIG. Since the portions 800A and 800E are opposed to each other, they are turned off. On the other hand, the arm detection switches 210B, 210C, and 210D are turned on because they face the identification portions 800B, 800C, and 800D that are the pressing portions 802. That is, the on / off states of the switches “SW1” to “SW5” corresponding to the arm detection switches 210A to 210E are respectively identified as “0”, “1”, “1”, “1”, and “0”. The Therefore, the tape type is specified with reference to the tape type table 510, as in the above-described visual identification result, “normal image printing (receptor) with a tape width of 12 mm and the character color is black”.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 23, for example, when the tape cassette 30 is not pushed downward, the arm detection switch 210 does not face the identification units 800A to 800E that should face each other if it is in an appropriate position. . In the present embodiment, as described with reference to FIG. 14, the identification units 800 </ b> A to 800 </ b> E are arranged in the zigzag shape in front view, one in each of the vertical information sections X <b> 1 to X <b> 5. There are no identification parts 800A to 800E arranged in the direction. Further, the pressing portion 802 is a convex portion having the same shape as the overlapping region in front view. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 23, when the tape cassette 30 is shifted upward, the pressing portion 802 does not press the arm detection switch 210 that should not be opposed. Therefore, none of the switch terminals 222 are in contact with the arm front surface 35 (including the arm identification unit 800). That is, all the arm detection switches 210A to 210E are turned off. The switches “SW1” to “SW5” respectively corresponding to the arm detection switches 210A to 210E are specified as “0”, “0”, “0”, “0”, and “0”, respectively. Therefore, in this mounted state, the tape printer 1 identifies “error” with reference to the tape type table 510.

  As described above, the arm identification unit 800 of the present embodiment does not employ a combination pattern of the pressing unit 802 (convex portion) and the non-pressing unit 801 (surface portion) corresponding to “error”. That is, a pattern in which all the identification parts 800A to 800E become non-pressing parts 801 (surface parts) is not adopted. As a result, the tape cassette 30 can not only identify the tape type by the human eye and the arm detection switch 210 of the tape printer 1, but also detect the mounting state of the tape cassette 30 by the tape printer 1. .

  By the way, as described above, the arm portion 34 guides the film tape 59 pulled out from the second tape spool 41 and the ink ribbon 60 pulled out from the ribbon spool 42, and then superposes at the opening 34A to insert the head. It is a part discharged to the portion 39 (specifically, an opening 77 described later). Therefore, the positional relationship in the height direction between the thermal head 10 mounted on the head insertion portion 39 and the film tape 59 and the ink ribbon 60 is determined by the arm portion 34. Therefore, if the tape cassette 30 is not correctly mounted on the cassette mounting portion 8, an error occurs in the positional relationship with the thermal head 10, and printing is performed at a position shifted with respect to the width direction (height direction) of the film tape 59. There is a risk that this may occur (the same applies to the printing tape 57 and the thermal paper tape 55). Therefore, in the present embodiment, the arm identification unit 800 is provided on the side surface (that is, the arm front surface 35) of the arm unit 34 located in the vicinity of the head insertion unit 39 to which the thermal head 10 is mounted. As a result, whether or not the tape cassette 30 is mounted at an appropriate position of the cassette mounting portion 8 with reference to the arm portion 34 (specifically, the arm front surface 35) where the positional relationship with the thermal head 10 is easily detected. By determining the above, it is possible to improve the printing accuracy.

  Next, processing relating to printing by the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 21 is executed by the CPU 401 based on a program stored in the ROM 402 when the tape printer 1 is powered on. More specifically, in the tape printer 1, the CPU 401 executes processing related to printing each time printing is instructed from the keyboard 3 or the like. That is, the following processing relating to printing shows a flow of processing relating to one printing executed by the tape printer 1.

  As shown in FIG. 21, in the process relating to printing, system initialization of the tape printer 1 is first executed (step S1). For example, in the system initialization in step S1, the text memory in the RAM 404 is cleared, or the counter is initialized and returned to a default value.

  Next, the tape type of the tape cassette 30 is specified based on the detection pattern of the arm detection unit 200 (that is, the combination of ON / OFF of the arm detection switches 210A to 210E) (step S3). In step S3, as described above, the tape type corresponding to the ON / OFF combination of the arm detection switches 210A to 210E is specified with reference to the tape type table 510 stored in the ROM 402.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the tape type specified in step S3 is “error” (step S5). If the specified error is “error” (step S5: YES), as described above with reference to FIG. 23, the tape cassette 30 is not properly mounted in the cassette mounting portion 8. Therefore, a display indicating that printing is not ready is started on the display 5 (step S7). For example, in step S7, a text message such as “Tape cassette is not properly installed” is displayed on the display 5. After step S7 is executed, the process returns to step S3. Even if the tape cassette 30 is properly mounted in the cassette mounting portion 8, printing is started on the display 5 because the platen holder 12 is in the standby position (see FIG. 3) when the cassette cover 6 is opened. A message indicating that the state is not possible is displayed (step S7).

  If the specified tape type is not “error” (step S5: NO), the contents of the tape type specified in step S3 are displayed as text information on the display 5 (step S9). For example, when the above-described wide cassette 30 (see FIG. 15) is properly installed, the display 5 indicates that “36 mm laminate type tape cassette is installed. Character color is other than black.” Is done. Further, when the narrow cassette 30 (see FIG. 18) described above is properly installed, the display 5 indicates that “a 12 mm receptor type tape cassette has been installed. The character color is black.” Is done.

  Next, it is determined whether or not there is an input from the keyboard 3 (step S11). When there is an input from the keyboard 3 (step S11: YES), the CPU 401 accepts characters and the like input from the keyboard 3 as print data and stores the print data (document data) in the text memory of the RAM 404 (step S11). S13). If there is no input from the keyboard 3 (step S11: NO), the process returns to step S11, and the CPU 401 waits for an input from the keyboard 3.

  Thereafter, for example, when printing is instructed from the keyboard 3, the print data stored in the text memory is processed in accordance with the tape type specified in step S3 (step S15). For example, in step S15, the printing range and printing size corresponding to the tape width specified in step S3, the printing position corresponding to the printing mode (mirror image printing or normal image printing) specified in step S3, and the like are reflected. Thus, the print data is processed. Based on the print data processed in step S15, a print process on a tape as a print medium is executed (step S17). After the printing process is executed, the printing process (FIG. 21) ends.

  The above printing process (step S17) will be described in detail. When the laminate type tape cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is mounted, the tape drive roller 46 that is rotationally driven via the tape drive shaft 100. However, the film tape 59 is pulled out from the second tape spool 41 in cooperation with the movable conveyance roller 14. Further, the ribbon take-up spool 44 that is rotationally driven via the ribbon take-up shaft 95 pulls out the unused ink ribbon 60 from the ribbon spool 42 in synchronization with the printing speed. The film tape 59 pulled out from the second tape spool 41 is transported along the transport path in the arm portion 34 while passing the outside of the ribbon spool 42.

  Further, the film tape 59 is supplied from the opening 34 </ b> A to the head insertion portion 39 with the ink ribbon 60 superposed on the surface thereof, and is transported between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 15 of the tape printer 1. Then, characters, figures, symbols and the like are printed on the printing surface of the film tape 59 by the thermal head 10. Thereafter, the used ink ribbon 60 is peeled off from the printed film tape 59 by the guide wall 47 and taken up on the ribbon take-up spool 44.

  On the other hand, the double-sided adhesive tape 58 is pulled out from the first tape spool 40 by the cooperation of the tape driving roller 46 and the movable conveying roller 14. The double-sided adhesive tape 58 is overlapped and stuck on the printing surface of the printed film tape 59 while being guided and wound between the tape driving roller 46 and the movable conveying roller 14. The printed film tape 59 with the double-sided adhesive tape 58 attached (that is, the printed tape 50) is further conveyed toward the tape discharge portion 49, discharged from the discharge port, and then cut by the cutting mechanism 17. The

  When the receptor-type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 5 is mounted, the tape drive roller 46 that is rotationally driven via the tape drive shaft 100 prints from the first tape spool 40 in cooperation with the movable transport roller 14. Pull out the tape 57. Further, the ribbon take-up spool 44 that is rotationally driven via the ribbon take-up shaft 95 pulls out the unused ink ribbon 60 from the ribbon spool 42 in synchronization with the printing speed. The print tape 57 drawn out from the first tape spool 40 is folded leftward at the lower right portion of the cassette case 31 in a plan view, and is conveyed along the conveyance path in the arm portion 34.

  Further, the printing tape 57 is supplied from the opening 34 </ b> A to the head insertion portion 39 with the ink ribbon 60 superposed on the surface thereof, and is conveyed between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 15 of the tape printing apparatus 1. Then, characters, figures, symbols, etc. are printed on the printing surface of the printing tape 57 by the thermal head 10. Thereafter, the used ink ribbon 60 is peeled off from the printed printing tape 57 by the guide wall 47 and taken up on the ribbon take-up spool 44. On the other hand, the printed printing tape 57 (that is, the printed tape 50) is further conveyed toward the tape discharge portion 49, discharged from the discharge port, and then cut by the cutting mechanism 17.

  When the thermal type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 6 is mounted, when printing is performed, the tape drive roller 46 that is rotationally driven via the tape drive shaft 100 cooperates with the movable conveyance roller 14. To pull out the thermal paper tape 55 from the first tape spool 40. The thermal paper tape 55 pulled out from the first tape spool 40 is folded leftward at the lower right portion of the cassette case 31 in a plan view and is conveyed along the conveyance path in the arm portion 34.

  Further, the thermal paper tape 55 is supplied from the opening 34 </ b> A of the arm 34 to the opening 77 and is conveyed between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 15. Then, characters, figures, symbols, etc. are printed on the printing surface of the thermal paper tape 55 by the thermal head 10. Thereafter, the printed thermal paper tape 55 (that is, the printed tape 50) is further conveyed toward the tape discharge portion 49 and discharged from the discharge port by the cooperation of the tape driving roller 46 and the movable conveyance roller 14. And cut by the cutting mechanism 17.

  When the thermal type printing is executed, the ribbon take-up spool 44 is also rotationally driven via the ribbon take-up shaft 95. However, a ribbon spool is not accommodated in the thermal type tape cassette 30. Therefore, the unused ink ribbon is not drawn out or the used ink ribbon is not taken up by the ribbon take-up spool 44. In other words, even when the thermal type tape cassette 30 is used in the tape printer 1 having the ribbon take-up shaft 95, the rotational drive of the ribbon take-up shaft 95 affects the printing operation on the thermal paper tape 55. Can be printed properly. In the tape cassette 30 described above, the ribbon take-up shaft 95 may be similarly idled in the support holes 67A and 67B without providing the ribbon take-up spool 44.

  By the way, in the above printing process (step S17), when the laminate type tape cassette 30 is mounted, the mirror image printing in which the ink of the ink ribbon 60 is transferred to the film tape 59 so as to display characters or the like as a mirror image. Is done. On the other hand, when the receptor type tape cassette 30 is mounted, normal image printing is performed in which the ink on the ink ribbon 60 is transferred to the print tape 57 so as to display characters and the like as normal images. Even when the thermal type tape cassette 30 is mounted, thermal normal image printing is performed so that characters and the like are displayed on the thermal paper tape 55 as normal images.

  In the present embodiment, “laminate” as a printing mode means a tape cassette 30 on which mirror image printing is performed, and “receptor” as a printing mode means a tape cassette 30 on which normal image printing is performed. Therefore, the “receptor” as a printing mode includes not only the receptor type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 5 but also the thermal type tape cassette 30 shown in FIG.

  By the processing related to printing (FIG. 21), in the tape printer 1, the tape type of the tape cassette 30 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8 is specified by the detection pattern of the arm detection unit 200. That is, arm detection switches 210 </ b> A to 210 </ b> E of the arm detection unit 200 are selectively pressed by the arm identification unit 800 provided on the side surface (specifically, the arm front surface 35) of the tape cassette 30. The type is specified.

  As described above, the tape cassette 30 of this embodiment can specify the type of tape stored in the tape cassette 30 by viewing the arm front surface 35 when a person views the tape cassette 30 alone. It is configured as follows. In addition, when the tape cassette 30 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 8 of the tape printer 1, the arm detector 200 detects information indicated by the arm identification unit 800, so that the tape printer 1 selects the tape type. It is configured so that it can be identified. Among these, since it is configured such that a human can recognize the tape type of the tape cassette 30 by visual inspection of the arm identification unit 800, the following effects are particularly obtained.

  In the conventional tape cassette manufacturing method, the printing tape is generally stored in a cassette case having a height dimension (so-called case size) corresponding to the tape width. On the other hand, a method for manufacturing a tape cassette in which printing tapes having different tape widths are accommodated in cassette cases having the same height dimension (case size) has been proposed. As described above, according to the method for manufacturing a tape cassette having a common case size, the following effects can be expected.

  First, when transporting cassette cases with different case sizes corresponding to various tape widths from a parts manufacturing factory to an assembly factory, the cassette cases are transported using different transport containers for each case size. It was. On the other hand, by sharing the case size, it is possible to share the transport container used when the cassette case is transported from the parts manufacturing factory to the assembly factory, thereby reducing the transport cost of the cassette case.

  Second, if the case size is different for each tape width, it is necessary to use a different packaging box for each case size when shipping the product from the assembly factory. In this respect, by sharing the case size, it is possible to share a packaging box for product shipment and the like, and the packaging form at the time of product shipment can be made common, thereby reducing costs.

  Thirdly, if an ink ribbon having the same width is used for a printing tape with a small tape width, the ink ribbon may be cut during the printing operation because the width of the ink ribbon itself (ribbon width) is narrow. is there. In that respect, by sharing the case size that can secure a ribbon width having a sufficient strength, the ink ribbon can be prevented from being cut during the printing operation even if the tape width of the printing tape is small.

  However, when printing tapes having different tape widths are stored in a cassette case of a common size at the time of manufacturing the tape cassette, there is a possibility that a printing tape having an incorrect tape width may be stored in the cassette case. For example, this is a case where an operator mistakenly stores a 6 mm or 9 mm printing tape in a cassette case that was supposed to store a 12 mm printing tape. This is because a cassette case with a common case size that can accommodate a 12 mm printing tape can accommodate a printing tape of less than 12 mm as long as the rib height is set so that at least a 12 mm printing tape can be accommodated. .

  Also, as described above, the tape cassette printing mode is a so-called receptor type that prints directly on the printing tape as a normal image, and after the mirror image is printed on the transparent tape, a double-sided adhesive tape is applied to the printing surface. There are laminate types. If the case size is made common, the appearance of the cassette case will be the same, and the cassette case may be assembled in an incorrect printing mode. For example, this is a case where an operator mistakenly assembles a receptor type in a cassette case scheduled to be assembled in a laminate type.

  According to the tape cassette 30 of the present embodiment, the human can recognize the tape type of the tape cassette 30 only by visually observing the arm identification unit 800. That is, the tape width to be stored in the cassette case 31 and the printing mode to be assembled to the cassette case 31 can be grasped. Therefore, in the manufacturing process of the tape cassette 30, the operator can work while confirming the contents to be mounted on the cassette case 31, so that manufacturing errors of the tape cassette 30 can be reduced.

  In addition, even when the tape cassette 30 is shipped, the product inspection of the tape cassette 30 can be performed by visually checking the arm identification unit 800 to determine whether or not the contents mounted on the cassette case 31 are correct. . Specifically, it is possible to inspect whether or not the print tape exposed from the opening 77 of the manufactured tape cassette 30 matches the tape type that can be read from the arm identification unit 800.

  In particular, the arm identification unit 800 of the present embodiment is provided on the arm front surface 35 adjacent to the opening 77 where the printing tape or the like is exposed. Moreover, the arm front surface 35 is a portion where the print tape exposed from the opening 77 can be viewed from the same direction (specifically, in front of the tape cassette 30). That is, since the arm identification unit 800 and the printing tape etc. are configured to be visible from the same direction at adjacent positions, the printing tape etc. can be inspected while checking the arm identification unit 800, and the product of the tape cassette 30 The workability of inspection can be improved.

  The arm identification unit 800 is a tape having a simple configuration of a combination of presence / absence of convex portions (that is, a combination of the non-pressing portion 801 and the pressing portion 802) in each of the vertical information sections X1 to X5 (identification portions 800A to 800E). In order to specify the type, it is easy to form the cassette case 31 in advance. For this reason, it is not necessary to print the contents mounted on each cassette case 31 or attach a label indicating the mounted contents at the time of manufacturing the cassette case 31, and the manufacturing error of the tape cassette 30 is eliminated. It can be suppressed at a low cost.

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, the tape cassette 30 which comprised the general purpose cassette to the laminate type is used with the tape printer 1 which is a general purpose machine. Accordingly, one tape printer 1 can be used for various types of tape cassettes 30 such as a thermal type, a receptor type, and a laminate type, and it is not necessary to use a different tape printer 1 for each unit. In addition, the tape cassette 30 is usually formed by combining a plurality of dies and then pouring resin into the tape cassette 30. If the tape cassette 30 corresponds to the same tape width, the tape cassette 30 includes a portion for forming the arm identification portion 800. Since a common mold can be used except for the mold, the cost is greatly reduced.

  By the way, in the specific region R0 of the arm front surface 35, the first region R1 is a surface portion in order to function as the facing portion 820 opposed to the protruding member 225, and functions as the identification portions 800A to 800E in the second region R2. As described above, an example in which one of the surface portion (that is, the non-pressing portion 801) and the convex portion (that is, the pressing portion 902) corresponding to the tape type is provided in the overlapping region. In this case, the convex portion and the surface portion can be freely formed in the specific region R0 as long as the functions as the facing portion 820 and the identification portions 800A to 800E are ensured.

  Specifically, in the above-described wide cassette 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 10 to 15), among the specific region R0, the facing portion 820 (first region R1) and the region that does not function as the identification units 800A to 800E These are all surface portions that are flush with the non-pressing portion 801. Therefore, although the convex part (pressing part 802) provided in specific area | region R0 is all independent, it is not limited to this. For example, in the specific region R0, one convex portion (referred to as a continuous convex portion) having a size and a shape that includes at least two of the plurality of pressing portions 802 may be formed. However, when forming such a continuous convex part, it is necessary to form so that the opposing part 820 which the protrusion member 225 opposes, and the site | part which functions as the non-pressing part 801 may not be included.

  The wide cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 24 and 25 exemplifies a cassette having a continuous convex portion 804 that is formed by connecting the pressing portions 802 provided in the identification portions 800B and 800D. In addition, the wide cassette 30 illustrated in FIG. 26 exemplifies a cassette having a continuous convex portion 804 that is formed by continuing the pressing portions 802 provided in the identification portions 800B, 800C, 800D, and 800E. Even in the wide cassette 30 shown in FIGS. 24 to 26, the combination mode of the identification units 800 </ b> A to 800 </ b> E is the same as that of the wide cassette 30 described above (see FIGS. 2 and 10 to 15). Therefore, the same tape type as the above-described wide cassette 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 10 to 15) is specified by both the detection of the arm detection switch 210 and the human visual inspection.

  Further, in the narrow cassette 30 described above (see FIGS. 16 to 18), all of the facing portion 820 (first region R1) and the region that does not function as the identification portions 800A to 800E in the specific region R0 are not pressed. The surface portion is the same surface as the portion 801. Therefore, although the convex part (pressing part 802) provided in specific area | region R0 is all independent, it is not limited to this. That is, similarly to the wide cassette 30, a continuous convex portion 804 including at least two of the plurality of pressing portions 802 may be formed in the specific region R0. For example, the narrow cassette 30 shown in FIG. 27 illustrates an example in which a continuous convex portion 804 including a pressing portion 802 provided in each of the identification portions 800A, 800C, and 800D is provided. Even in such a narrow cassette 30, the combination of the identification units 800A to 800E is the same as that of the narrow cassette 30 (see FIGS. 16 to 18) described above. Therefore, the same tape type as that of the narrow cassette 30 (see FIGS. 16 to 18) is specified by both the detection of the arm detection switch 210 and the human visual inspection.

In the above embodiment, the thermal paper tape 55, the printing tape 57, the double-sided adhesive tape 58, and the film tape 59 correspond to the “tape” of the present invention. The opening 34A of the arm portion 34 corresponds to an “ opening ”, and the tape discharge portion 49 corresponds to a “tape guide portion”. The specific area R0 corresponds to a “specific area”, and the arm identifying unit 800 provided in the second area R2 corresponds to a “type specifying part”. The vertical information areas X1 to X5 correspond to “a plurality of vertical information areas”, and the horizontal information areas Y1 to Y3 correspond to “a plurality of horizontal information areas”. The vertical information areas X1 to X3 correspond to the “first vertical information area”, “second vertical information area”, and “third vertical information area”, respectively, and the vertical information area X5 corresponds to the “most upstream vertical information area”. Equivalent to. The longitudinal information sections X1, X2, and X5 or the identification portions 800A, 800B, and 800E correspond to “tape width specifying portions”. The vertical information section X3 or the identification unit 800C corresponds to a “printing mode specifying unit”.

  Note that the tape cassette 30 and the tape printer 1 of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  The shape, size, number, and arrangement pattern of the non-pressing portion 801 and the pressing portion 802 in the arm identification unit 800 are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the pressing portion 802 (convex portion) of the arm identification unit 800 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped protrusion having a vertically long rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the identification units 800A to 800E (overlapping region) in front view. However, it can be modified within a range in which the switch terminal 222 of the arm detection switch 210 facing the switch can be turned on. For example, in front view, it may be a hemispherical protrusion with a circular shape in front view including an overlapping region, or may have other different shapes. In the above-described embodiment, the tape cassette 30 provided with the semicircular groove 34K is illustrated. However, the semicircular groove 34K may not be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tape printer 8 Cassette mounting part 10 Thermal head 12 Platen holder 23 Tape feed motor 30 Tape cassette 31 Cassette case 34 Arm part 34A Opening 35 Arm front surface 49 Tape discharge part 55 Thermal paper tape 57 Printing tape 58 Double-sided adhesive tape 59 Film tape 100 Tape drive shaft 210 Arm detection switch 225 Projection member 401 CPU
402 ROM
510 Tape type table 800 Arm identification part 801 Non-pressing part 802 Pressing part 804 Continuous convex part 820 Opposing part X Vertical information area Y Horizontal information area R0 Specific area

Claims (16)

A tape as a print medium;
A cassette case that includes an upper surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a pair of side surfaces, accommodates the tape, and guides the tape along a predetermined transport path ;
The cassette case is
An opening for exposing the tape guided along a portion extending in parallel with the front surface of the transport path to the outside;
A tape guide portion provided on the downstream side with respect to the opening in the transport direction of the tape and guiding the tape exposed to the outside;
Wherein in the conveying direction and adjacent to the upstream side of the opening provided in the specific area of the front, and a type specifying unit for specifying the type of the tape,
The tape is conveyed between the opening and the tape guide portion with one surface exposed forward,
The type specifying unit includes a plurality of strip-shaped vertical information areas extending in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction,
In a prescribed pattern according to the type of the tape, a convex portion protruding from the front surface toward the front of the cassette case is formed in at least one of the plurality of vertical information areas. A tape cassette characterized by that. The first vertical information section that is closest vertical information sections in the opening of the plurality of vertical information sections, a request, characterized in that it is spaced toward the upstream side from the opening Item 2. The tape cassette according to Item 1.   The tape cassette according to claim 2, wherein the type specifying unit includes at least a tape width specifying unit that specifies a tape width of the tape. The tape width specifying part is a second vertical information area that is a second vertical information area that is located second closest to the upstream side in the transport direction from the opening among the plurality of vertical information areas. Including information areas,
4. The tape cassette according to claim 3, wherein a combination of whether or not the convex portion is formed in each of the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area specifies the tape width. The plurality of vertical information areas include at least three columns of vertical information areas;
The tape width specifying unit is a second vertical information which is a first vertical information area of the plurality of vertical information areas, and a vertical information area which is the second closest position from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction. And an uppermost stream longitudinal information area that is a longitudinal information area located farthest from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction,
The tape width is specified by a combination of whether or not the convex portion is formed in each of the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area, and the most upstream vertical information area. Item 4. The tape cassette according to Item 3.   4. The tape cassette according to claim 3, wherein the type specifying unit includes a printing mode specifying unit that specifies whether a printing mode is a normal image or a mirror image. The plurality of vertical information areas include at least three columns of vertical information areas;
The print mode specifying unit includes a third vertical information area which is a vertical information area located at the third closest position from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction among the plurality of vertical information areas,
The tape cassette according to claim 6, wherein whether or not the third vertical information area includes the convex portion specifies whether the printing mode is a normal image or a mirror image. The tape width specifying portion is a second vertical information which is a vertical information area located at a position closest to the second upstream side from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction among the plurality of vertical information areas. Including areas,
The tape cassette according to claim 7, wherein a combination of whether or not each of the first vertical information area and the second vertical information area includes the convex portion specifies the tape width. The plurality of vertical information areas include five columns of vertical information areas,
The tape width specifying unit is a second vertical information which is a first vertical information area of the plurality of vertical information areas, and a vertical information area which is the second closest position from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction. And an uppermost stream longitudinal information area that is a longitudinal information area located farthest from the opening toward the upstream side in the transport direction,
The tape width is specified by a combination of whether or not the convex portion is formed in each of the first vertical information area, the second vertical information area, and the most upstream vertical information area. Item 8. The tape cassette according to Item 7.   The tape cassette according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein in the plurality of vertical information areas, the adjacent vertical information areas are arranged at equal intervals. The type specifying unit includes a plurality of strip-shaped areas extending in parallel with the tape transport direction, and includes a plurality of lateral information sections arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction,
Whether or not at least one overlapping region for each of the plurality of vertical information sections includes the convex portion among a plurality of overlapping regions that are regions in which the plurality of vertical information regions and the plurality of horizontal information regions intersect and overlap. The tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein the combination specifies the type of the tape.   In the case where the type specifying unit includes the convex portions formed in at least two columns of vertical information zones among the plurality of vertical information zones, the convex portions are mutually connected to each of the at least two columns of vertical information zones. 12. The tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein the tape cassette is formed as an independent convex portion.   In the case where the type specifying unit includes the convex portions formed in at least two rows of the vertical information zones among the plurality of vertical information zones, the convex portions are formed across the at least two rows of vertical information zones. The tape cassette according to claim 1, further comprising at least one convex portion. It said tape guide portion is provided on the most downstream side of the pre-Symbol conveying path to discharge the pre-Symbol tape from said cassette case,
The length of the specific region of the front surface on which the type specifying unit is provided is the distance between the opening and the tape guide unit, and the length of the exposed tape that the tape is exposed to. And
The upper surface and the bottom surface of the cassette case are rectangular shapes that are long in the left-right direction,
At least a part of the first vertical information area is located downstream of the cassette center line in the tape transport direction, and the distance from the cassette center line is within a range of 14 to 20% of the tape exposure length. The tape cassette according to claim 2, wherein the tape cassette is a tape cassette. It said tape guide portion is provided on the most downstream side of the pre-Symbol conveying path to discharge the pre-Symbol tape from said cassette case,
The length of the specific region of the front surface on which the type specifying unit is provided is the distance between the opening and the tape guide unit, and the length of the exposed tape that the tape is exposed to. And
The tape cassette according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein at least a part of the first longitudinal information area has a distance from the opening within a range of 30 to 36% of the exposed tape length. .   The tape cassette according to claim 14 or 15, wherein a distance between center lines in the left and right direction of the adjacent vertical information sections is within a range of 7 to 10% of the exposed tape length.

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