JP6634688B2 - Tape printing device and tape printing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tape printing apparatus and a tape printing system provided with a cartridge mounting section to which a tape cartridge is removably mounted.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of tape printing apparatus, there is known a tape printing apparatus including a cassette mounting section to which a tape cassette is removably mounted (see Patent Document 1).
The tape cassette accommodates a tape feed roller, a first tape spool around which a first tape is wound, a ribbon spool around which an ink ribbon is wound, and a ribbon winding spool around which the ink ribbon is wound. ing. In the cassette case of the tape cassette, a roller support hole corresponding to the tape feed roller, a first tape support hole corresponding to the first tape spool, and a winding support hole corresponding to the ribbon winding spool are formed. ing. Further, the cassette case has a guide hole for guiding the mounting of the tape cassette and two pin holes for positioning the cassette case.
On the other hand, a tape mounting shaft corresponding to a roller support hole, a ribbon take-up shaft corresponding to a take-up support hole, a guide shaft corresponding to a guide hole, and two pin holes Two corresponding positioning pins are provided upright.
When the tape cassette is mounted on the cassette mounting section, the tape drive shaft is fitted on the tape feed roller, the ribbon take-up shaft is fitted on the ribbon take-up spool, the guide shaft is inserted into the guide hole, and the two pin holes are inserted. Two positioning pins are inserted.
In this case, the tape drive shaft and the guide shaft protrude greatly from the cassette mounting portion, and the corresponding tape feed rollers (roller support holes) and the guide holes are arranged at diagonal positions in the tape cassette in plan view. I have. As a result, the tape cassette is accurately and smoothly mounted on the cassette mounting portion.

JP 2012-126141 A

  In such a conventional tape printing apparatus, the tape drive shaft and the guide shaft which protrude greatly from the cassette mounting portion are not sufficiently separated, in other words, the roller support hole and the guide hole of the tape cassette are not sufficiently separated. If they are not separated from each other, there is a problem that the tape cassette is inclined and the detachment is not performed smoothly. In addition, if the part that holds the tape cassette and the roller support holes and guide holes are not arranged in a well-balanced manner, the mounting force and the pulling force will be biased. Is not performed smoothly.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape printing apparatus and a tape printing system capable of smoothly attaching and detaching a tape cartridge.

  The tape printing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a cartridge mounting portion to which a tape cartridge having a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion extending in a mounting / removing direction and arranged apart from each other is detachably mounted; Two recessed portions that are connected to the cartridge mounting portion and into which fingers for gripping the mounted tape cartridge are inserted, and a first recess provided in the cartridge mounting portion and inserted into the first receiving portion of the mounted tape cartridge. An insertion shaft, and a second insertion shaft provided in the cartridge mounting portion and inserted into the second receiving portion of the mounted tape cartridge, wherein the second insertion shaft is the first insertion shaft when viewed from the mounting direction of the tape cartridge. With respect to the insertion axis, the distance between the dent line located on the opposite side across the imaginary line connecting the two dents and of the two dents farther from the first insertion axis. , Than the distance between the recessed portion of the position closer from the first insertion axis, characterized in that it is arranged to close the site.

  According to this configuration, the second insertion shaft is located on the opposite side of the first insertion shaft across an imaginary line connecting the two recesses, and the first insertion shaft of the two recesses is provided. Since the distance between the concave portion at a position farther from the axis and the distance between the concave portion at a position closer to the first insertion shaft is arranged at a position closer to the first insertion shaft, the distance between the first insertion shaft and the second The distance from the insertion axis becomes longer. For this reason, the first insertion shaft (the first receiving portion) and the second insertion shaft (the second receiving portion) have a well-balanced diagonal positional relationship with the gripping position of the tape cartridge gripped via the recess. Becomes Therefore, when the tape cartridge is attached or detached, the force applied via the gripping portion acts relatively uniformly on the first receiving portion (first insertion shaft) and the second receiving portion (second insertion shaft). This makes it difficult for the tape cartridge to be twisted with respect to the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft, so that the tape cartridge can be smoothly attached and detached. Further, the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft are located at locations that are easily recognized on the cartridge mounting portion, and together with the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion of the tape cartridge, the front, rear, left, and right directions at the time of mounting can be easily adjusted. It functions as a landmark that can be recognized. Thus, the tape cartridge can be oriented in the correct direction and can be mounted on the cartridge mounting portion, and in this regard, the tape cartridge can be smoothly attached and detached.

  In this case, it is preferable that the first insertion shaft rotatably supports a platen roller provided in the tape cartridge and having the first receiving portion as a shaft hole in a state where the tape cartridge is mounted.

  According to this configuration, the shaft that rotatably supports the platen roller and the first insertion shaft can also be used, and the number of parts provided for guiding the attachment and detachment of the tape cartridge can be reduced. it can.

  In this case, it is preferable that the clearance between the second insertion shaft and the second receiving portion is smaller than the clearance between the platen roller and the roller receiving portion of the cartridge case that rotatably supports the platen roller.

  According to this configuration, when the tape cartridge is attached or detached, the deformation between the first receiving portion and the first insertion shaft (platen roller) generated through the platen roller and the roller receiving portion is changed to the second insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft. It can be suppressed by insertion / removal with the receiving part. Therefore, also in this respect, the attachment / detachment of the tape cartridge can be performed smoothly. Further, the tape cartridge can be accurately positioned on the cartridge mounting portion.

  Further, it is preferable that the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft penetrate the tape cartridge when the tape cartridge is mounted.

  According to this configuration, the contact dimension between the first insertion shaft and the first receiving portion and the contact dimension between the second insertion shaft and the second receiving portion can be maximized. This makes it difficult for the tape cartridge to tilt when it is attached or detached, so that the tape cartridge can be attached or detached smoothly.

  Further, it is preferable that the second insertion shaft is formed integrally with a mounting base portion of the cartridge mounting portion on which the tape cartridge is seated.

  According to this configuration, the second insertion shaft can be easily formed.

  Similarly, it is preferable that the second insertion shaft is screwed at a base end thereof to a mounting base portion of a cartridge mounting portion on which the tape cartridge is seated.

  According to this configuration, the second insertion shaft can be easily installed on the cartridge mounting portion with predetermined positional accuracy.

  Similarly, it is preferable that the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft are fixed to the device frame at the base end, and extend through the mounting base portion of the cartridge mounting portion on which the tape cartridge is seated.

  According to this configuration, the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft can be installed firmly and with high positioning accuracy.

  On the other hand, the tip of the second insertion shaft is preferably formed in a hemispherical shape.

  According to this configuration, at the time of mounting the tape cartridge, the alignment between the second receiving portion and the second insertion shaft can be easily performed, and the mounting of the tape cartridge can be performed smoothly.

  A tape printing system according to the present invention includes the tape printing apparatus described above and a tape cartridge detachably mounted on a cartridge mounting section.

  According to this configuration, the attachment and detachment of the tape cartridge can be performed smoothly, and the handleability of the tape printer can be improved.

1 is an external perspective view of a tape printer according to an embodiment in an open state. It is the top view (a) and side view (b) of the tape cartridge which concerns on embodiment. It is a top view of a cartridge mounting part. It is the perspective view which looked at the opening / closing lid from the back side. FIG. 3A is a plan view of the upper case and a tape cartridge with the upper case removed, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tape cartridge as viewed from the back side. It is an enlarged perspective view of a cartridge mounting part. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tape cartridge according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 3A and 3B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a state in which the tape cartridge according to the first embodiment is mounted on a cartridge mounting portion. FIGS. It is a structural diagram around a guide pin concerning a modification of a 1st embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the tape cartridge according to the second embodiment is mounted on a cartridge mounting portion.

  Hereinafter, a tape printing apparatus and a tape printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This tape printing apparatus performs printing while feeding out a printing tape and an ink ribbon from a mounted tape cartridge, cuts a printed portion of the printing tape, and creates a label (tape piece). In addition, a tape printing system is configured by the tape printing apparatus and a tape cartridge used by being mounted on the tape printing apparatus.

[Overview of Tape Printer]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a tape printer and a tape cartridge mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 1, the tape printing apparatus 1 includes an apparatus case 3 forming an outer shell, a cartridge mounting section 5 in which a tape cartridge 100 is removably mounted, and an opening / closing lid 7 for opening and closing the cartridge mounting section 5. , Is provided. On the upper surface of the device case 3, a cartridge mounting portion 5 is provided on the back side, a display 11 is provided in the center, and a keyboard 13 is provided on the near side. In the vicinity of the opening / closing lid 7, a recess 15 for finger hanging is provided. The opening / closing lid 7 is opened by putting a finger on the recess 15 and pulling it up. On the side surface (left side surface) of the device case 3, a vertically long tape discharge port 17 from which the print tape 102 is discharged is provided.

  Further, the tape printing apparatus 1 includes a printing mechanism 23 having a print head 21 erected on the cartridge mounting section 5, a tape feeding mechanism 25 built in a space behind the cartridge mounting section 5, and a tape discharge port 17. And a tape cutting mechanism 27 built in the vicinity. The user inputs print information from the keyboard 13, checks the print information on the display 11, and executes printing by key operation. When printing is instructed, the printing tape 102 and the ink ribbon 110 run in parallel by driving the tape feed mechanism 25. Further, printing is performed by transferring the ink of the ink ribbon 110 to the printing tape 102 by the heat applied to the ink ribbon 110 from the printing mechanism 23. By this printing feed, the print tape 102 is discharged from the tape discharge port 17, and when printing is completed, the tape cutting mechanism 27 is driven to cut off the printed portion of the print tape 102.

[Overview of Tape Cartridge]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the tape cartridge 100 includes a tape roll 106 in which a printing tape 102 is wound around a tape core 104, and a ribbon roll 114 in which an ink ribbon 110 is fed around a core 112. . Further, the tape cartridge 100 includes a take-up core 116 that winds up the used ink ribbon 110, and a platen roller 120 (platen) that contacts the print head 21 and feeds the print tape 102 and the ink ribbon 110. . Further, the tape cartridge 100 includes a cartridge case 130 that houses the tape roll 106, the ribbon roll 114, the take-up core 116, and the platen roller 120. As described above, the tape cartridge 100 of the present embodiment has a so-called shell structure in which the outer shell is covered by the cartridge case 130.

  In the tape cartridge 100, an insertion opening 134 into which the print head 21 is inserted when the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the tape printer 1 is formed in the cartridge case 130. The tape cartridge 100 has a tape outlet 138 formed in the cartridge case 130 and through which the print tape 102 is sent out. Although details will be described later, the tape roll 106 is rotatably supported by a cylindrical core shaft 192 protruding inside the cartridge case 130.

  When the platen roller 120 and the take-up core 116 are driven by the tape feed mechanism 25, the print tape 102 is fed out of the tape core 104, and the ink ribbon 110 is fed out of the feed core 112. The fed print tape 102 and ink ribbon 110 run in parallel at the platen roller 120 and are subjected to printing by the print head 21. The feeding end portion (printed portion) of the printed printing tape 102 on which printing has been performed is sent out from the tape feeding port 138 to the tape discharging port 17. On the other hand, the ink ribbon 110 goes around the peripheral wall portion of the insertion opening 134 and is taken up by the take-up core 116. Note that a plurality of types of tape cartridges 100 having different thicknesses are prepared according to the tape width of the printing tape 102.

[Details of tape printer]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cartridge mounting portion 5 is formed in a planar shape complementary to the planar shape of the tape cartridge 100, and has the largest thickness of the tape cartridge 100 among a plurality of types of mountable tape cartridges 100. The recess is formed to have a depth corresponding to the cartridge 100. In this case, the mounting base 31 (mounting base portion) and the side plate portion 33 that constitute the bottom plate portion of the cartridge mounting portion 5 are integrally formed (molded) of resin or the like. A slit-shaped tape discharge path 35 is formed between the cartridge mounting section 5 and the tape discharge port 17, and the tape cutting mechanism 27 is built in this portion.

  Further, on both sides of the cartridge mounting portion 5, two recessed portions 16 connected to the cartridge mounting portion 5 are provided. The two concave portions 16 are used when the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 5 and when the tape cartridge 100 mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 5 is pulled out (removed). Constitutes an insertion space into which is inserted. That is, the two recessed portions 16 are disposed adjacent to the cartridge mounting portion 5 and at positions corresponding to the portions where the tape cartridge 100 is gripped. The two recesses 16 are formed by extending the mounting base 31, and are opened and closed by the opening / closing lid 7 together with the cartridge mounting portion 5.

  On the other hand, the mounting base 31 of the cartridge mounting section 5 has a positioning protrusion 41 on which the core shaft 192 is fitted and positioned, a print head 21 covered by a head cover 43, and a platen for driving a platen roller 120 to rotate. A drive shaft 45 (first insertion shaft) and a take-up drive shaft 47 that rotationally drives the take-up core 116 are provided upright. A guide pin 50 (second insertion shaft) is provided upright at a position diagonal to the platen drive shaft 45. Further, a tape detecting unit 51 that detects the type (attribute information) of the printing tape 102 and the rotation stop of the feeding core 112 and the winding core 116 are released on the mounting base 31 located near the winding drive shaft 47. And a core release unit 53 that performs the operation.

  Further, the mounting base 31 is provided with a pair of small protrusions 55 at diagonal positions thereof. In addition, a pair of hook pieces 57 for hooking an intermediate portion of the mounted tape cartridge 100 are provided. On the other hand, in the space on the back side of the mounting base 31, the above-described tape feed mechanism 25, which includes a motor for rotating the platen drive shaft 45 and the take-up drive shaft 47 and a gear train (both not shown), is incorporated. Have been. The tape feed mechanism 25 power-branches with a gear train, and rotates the platen drive shaft 45 and the take-up drive shaft 47 synchronously.

  The printing mechanism unit 23 has a print head 21 formed of a thermal head, and a head support frame 61 that supports and rotates the print head 21. Further, the printing mechanism unit 23 includes a head release mechanism (not shown) for rotating the print head 21 between the printing position and the retracted position via the head support frame 61, and the print head 21 (and the head support frame 61). And a head cover 43 that covers the

  The head release mechanism operates in conjunction with the opening and closing of the opening / closing lid 7, and moves (rotates) the print head 21 to the printing position in conjunction with the closing operation of the opening / closing lid 7. The head release mechanism moves (rotates) the print head 21 to the retracted position in conjunction with the opening operation. The print head 21 that has moved to the printing position contacts the platen roller 120 via the ink ribbon 110 and the print tape 102, and the print head 21 that has moved to the retracted position is separated from the platen roller 120. Accordingly, when the tape cartridge 100 is attached or detached, interference of the print tape 102 or the ink ribbon 110 with the print head 21 is prevented.

  The print head 21 is provided with a plurality of heating elements, and the plurality of heating elements are arranged in a row in the same direction as the axial direction of the platen roller 120. Then, printing is performed by feeding the printing tape 102 and the ink ribbon 110 and selectively driving a plurality of heating elements. The head cover 43 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and is formed (molded) integrally with the mounting base 31 (the cartridge mounting portion 5). The head cover 43 protrudes greatly vertically from the mounting base 31, allows the print head 21 to rotate inside, and functions as a mounting guide for the tape cartridge 100 on the outside.

  The tape detecting section 51 is constituted by a plurality of microswitches 51a, and selectively engages with a detected section 180 of the tape cartridge 100, which will be described later, and determines the type of the printing tape 102 such as the tape width, tape color, and material. Is detected. The drive of the print head 21 and the tape feed mechanism 25 is controlled based on the detection result.

  The core release section 53 is composed of two release pins 53a for the feeding core 112 and the winding core 116. Although details will be described later, the cartridge case 130 is provided with rotation stopping hooks 206 which are respectively engaged with the feeding core 112 and the winding core 116 (see FIG. 6). The release pin 53a is engaged with the stop hook 206, and the rotation stop of the feeding core 112 and the take-up core 116 is released.

  The platen drive shaft 45 includes a platen support shaft 48 (first insertion shaft) that extends long so as to pass through the platen roller 120, and a spline-shaped rotation drive shaft 49 that is rotatably supported by the base of the platen support shaft 48. (See FIG. 3). The rotational power of the tape feed mechanism 25 is transmitted to the rotation drive shaft 49, and further transmitted from the rotation drive shaft 49 to the platen roller 120 (details will be described later). Although details will be described later, the platen support shaft 48 and the guide pin 50 have a function of guiding the attachment and detachment of the tape cartridge 100.

  The winding drive shaft 47 has a fixed shaft 47a and a spline-shaped movable shaft 47b rotatably supported by the fixed shaft 47a. Also in this case, the rotational power of the tape feed mechanism 25 is transmitted to the movable shaft 47b, and further transmitted from the movable shaft 47b to the winding core 116.

  When the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 5, the core shaft 192 (tape core 104) engages with the positioning protrusion 41, the platen roller 120 engages with the platen drive shaft 45, and the winding drive shaft 47 winds up the tape cartridge 100. The core 116 engages. Then, when the cover 7 is closed, the print head 21 rotates and comes into contact with the platen roller 120 with the print tape 102 and the ink ribbon 110 interposed therebetween, and the tape printer 1 enters a print standby state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the opening / closing lid 7 is rotatably attached to the apparatus case 3, that is, is opened / closed via a hinge 71 provided on the back side. The opening / closing lid 7 has an opening / closing lid main body 73 and a viewing window 75 provided at the center of the opening / closing lid main body 73. Further, the opening / closing lid 7 is provided on a back surface of the opening / closing lid main body 73, and is rotatably supported by the hinge portion 71. And an operating lever 79 for rotating the. Further, the opening / closing lid 7 is provided on the back of the opening / closing lid main body 73 and has two pushing projections 81 for pushing in the tape cartridge 100, and the opening / closing lid 7 is protrudingly provided on the back of the opening / closing lid main body 73 and has a built-in lid closing detection switch (not shown). And a press-down projection 83 for operating (ON).

  The viewing window 75 is formed in a horizontally long shape, and is made of a transparent (transparent to visible light) resin that is separate from the opening / closing lid main body 73. The tape cartridge 100 mounted on the cartridge mounting section 5 can be visually recognized (the type of the printing tape 102 and the remaining amount of the tape) through the viewing window 75. Further, the pair of shaft support pieces 77, the operating lever 79, the pushing projection 81, the pushing projection 83, the holding portion 85, and the opening / closing lid body 73 are integrally formed (molded) with resin.

  The operating lever 79 protrudes greatly from the back surface of the opening / closing lid main body 73, and is inserted into a slit opening 87 provided on the side of the cartridge mounting portion 5 when the opening / closing lid 7 is closed. The operation lever 79 inserted into the slit opening 87 operates the above-described head release mechanism to rotate the print head 21. Similarly, the pressing projection 83 is inserted into the rectangular opening 91 adjacent to the slit opening 87 in accordance with the closing of the opening / closing lid 7, and operates (ON) the lid closing detection switch. The pushing projection 81 corresponds to a position near the platen roller 120 of the tape cartridge 100, and pushes the tape cartridge 100 so that the tape cartridge 100 is seated on the mounting base 31 of the cartridge mounting section 5 with the closing of the opening / closing lid 7. .

[Details of tape cartridge]
Next, the tape cartridge 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 5, and FIG. In the description of the tape cartridge 100, referring to FIG. 2 as an example, the front surface in the mounting direction, which is the upper front surface of the tape cartridge 100, is referred to as “front surface”, the reverse surface in the mounting direction is referred to as “back surface”, Are referred to as a "left side surface", a right side surface as a "right side surface", an upper arc-shaped side surface as a "tip surface", and a lower side surface as a "base end surface".

  As described above, the tape cartridge 100 includes the cartridge case 130, and the tape roll 106, the ribbon roll 114, the take-up core 116, and the platen roller 120 housed therein. The tape cartridge 100 has an insertion opening 134 formed in the cartridge case 130, a tape outlet 138 formed on the left side near the platen roller 120, a surface where the tape roll 106 is stored, a left side, And an identification sticker 141 (see FIG. 1) attached over the right side surface. On the identification sticker 141, the tape width, tape color, material, and the like of the printing tape 102 stored in the cartridge case 130 are displayed at two places on the front surface and the left side surface.

  The cartridge case 130 constitutes the outer shell of the tape cartridge 100 (shell structure), and has an L-shaped appearance in plan view, with the base end of the right side slightly projecting. In the front and back directions, the cartridge case 130 is composed of a lower case 150 located on the back side when the cartridge case 130 is mounted on the cartridge mounting section 5 and an upper case 152 located on the front side. In the cartridge case 130 of the embodiment, the upper case 152 is formed of a transparent resin molded product, and the lower case 150 is formed of an opaque resin molded product.

  The upper case 152 is integrally formed (molded) with a top wall portion 156 that forms the surface of the cartridge case 130 and an upper peripheral wall portion 158 that is suspended from a peripheral portion of the top wall portion 156. Further, the lower case 150 includes a bottom wall 160 that forms the back surface of the cartridge case 130, a lower peripheral wall 162 erected on the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 160, and a bottom wall that defines the insertion opening 134. It is integrally formed (formed) with the opening peripheral wall portion 164 erected on the portion 160.

  A plurality of joining pins 170 are provided at appropriate intervals on the lower end surface of the upper peripheral wall portion 158 of the upper case 152, while a plurality of joining pins 170 are provided on the lower peripheral wall portion 162 of the lower case 150 in correspondence with the plurality of joining pins 170. A joint hole 172 is provided (see FIG. 5). After setting components such as the tape roll 106 and the ribbon roll 114 in the lower case 150, the tape cartridge 100 is joined by joining the upper case 152 so that the joining pins 170 are pressed into the joining holes 172. Assembled. Each joining hole 172 is a through hole in consideration of ease of molding.

  In a plan view, a guided portion 182 (second receiving portion) into which the guide pin 50 is inserted is provided at a position diagonal to the platen roller 120 (first receiving portion). Specifically, the guided portion 182 includes a first through hole 184 formed through the top wall 156 of the upper case 152 and a second through hole 186 formed through the bottom wall 160 of the lower case 150. , (See below for details).

  On the other hand, on the left side surface and the right side surface of the lower case 150, a pair of hook receiving portions 174 to be hooked on the above-mentioned pair of hook pieces 57 are provided (see FIGS. 2 and 6). The tape cartridge 100 is prevented from being lifted by the pair of locking pieces 57 on the cartridge mounting section 5 side being locked by the pair of locking receiving sections 174 of the mounted tape cartridge 100. Further, on the back surface of the lower case 150, there is provided a small fitting hole 176 into which the pair of small projections 55 is fitted with some margin (see FIG. 6). The tape cartridge 100 on the mounting base 31 can be easily positioned by fitting the pair of small protrusions 55 on the cartridge mounting portion 5 into the pair of small holes 176 of the mounted tape cartridge 100.

  Further, on the back surface of the lower case 150, a detected part 180 corresponding to the tape detecting part 51 is provided at a left corner on the base end face side (right corner when viewed from the front side) ( See FIG. 6). The detected section 180 is configured in a portion corresponding to the plurality of microswitches 51a of the tape detecting section 51, and obtains a plurality of bit patterns depending on the presence or absence of the receiving hole 180a provided in this section. That is, this bit pattern corresponds to the type of the printing tape 102 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a tape accommodation area 190 for accommodating the tape roll 106 is widely formed in an upper space (a front end surface side) in the cartridge case 130. At the center of the tape housing area 190, a core shaft 192 integrally formed (molded) with the lower case 150 is provided upright. The core shaft 192 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a tape roll 106 (tape core 104) is rotatably supported on the outer peripheral surface thereof. A tape guide 194 that guides the fed print tape 102 to the platen roller 120 is provided integrally with the lower case 150 in the tape housing area 190 located near the platen roller 120.

  That is, inside the cartridge case 130, a tape feed path 196 is formed starting from the tape roll 106 and passing through the tape guide 194 and the platen roller 120 to the tape feed port 138. The printing tape 102 fed out from the tape roll 106 is guided to a platen roller 120 via a tape guide 194, where it is subjected to printing, and further guided from the platen roller 120 to a tape delivery port 138.

  The tape roll 106 has the printing tape 102 and the tape core 104, and has two films 198 adhered to both end surfaces of the printing tape 102 in a roll shape. The two films 198 prevent the print tape 102 wound around the tape core 104 from becoming uneven. Although not shown in the drawing, the tape core 104 incorporates a reverse rotation prevention mechanism. When carrying the tape cartridge 100, the reverse rotation preventing mechanism prevents the printing tape 102 from rotating in the reverse direction. On the other hand, when the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 5 of the tape printing apparatus 1, the reverse rotation prevention mechanism is released from the reverse rotation prevention mechanism by the positioning protrusion 41, and the printing tape 102 can be fed.

  On the right side of the base in the cartridge case 130, a ribbon accommodating area 200 is formed adjacent to the insertion opening 134. At the right side of the ribbon accommodating area 200, a pay-out bearing portion 202 that rotatably supports the ribbon roll 114 (the pay-out core 112), and at the left side, a take-up bearing portion that rotatably supports the take-up core 116. 204 are formed integrally with the cartridge case 130, respectively. That is, the feed-out side bearing portion 202 and the take-up side bearing portion 204 are formed in the upper case 152 and the lower case 150, respectively.

  The notch portions of the feed-out bearing portion 202 and the take-up bearing portion 204 formed in the lower case 150 have rotation preventing hooks 206 whose front ends face the feed-out bearing portion 202 and the take-up bearing portion 204. Are integrally formed. One detent hook 206 is engaged with the feeding core 112 and the other detent hook 206 is engaged with the winding core 116 in a detented state.

  A first ribbon guide 210 that guides the fed ink ribbon 110 to the platen roller 120 is erected integrally with the lower case 150 in the ribbon accommodating area 200 located near the feeding side bearing portion 202. A plurality of second ribbon guides 212 for guiding the ink ribbon 110 around are integrally formed on the outer peripheral side of the opening peripheral wall portion 164.

  That is, a ribbon feed path 214 is formed inside the cartridge case 130, starting from the ribbon roll 114, and passing through the first ribbon guide 210, the platen roller 120, and the plurality of second ribbon guides 212 to the winding core 116. I have. The ink ribbon 110 fed out from the ribbon roll 114 is guided to a platen roller 120 via a first ribbon guide 210, where it is subjected to printing, and further from the platen roller 120, an opening peripheral wall portion 164 (a plurality of second ribbon guides). 212) and is wound around the winding core 116.

  The ribbon roll 114 has the ink ribbon 110 and the feeding core 112, and has an annular leaf spring 220 that applies a braking load to the feeding core 112 (see FIG. 5B). The leaf spring 220 is formed in a wavy shape in the circumferential direction, and is interposed between the top wall portion 156 of the upper case 152 and the feeding core 112 in the axial direction. That is, a rotational braking load is applied to the feeding core 112 by the elastic force of the leaf spring 220. As a result, the back tension is applied to the ink ribbon 110 fed out by the winding core 116, and the ink ribbon 110 is prevented from being loosened.

  The feeding core 112 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of notches 222 are formed in a circumferential direction at an end on the lower case 150 side (see FIG. 6). The plurality of cutouts 222 are adapted to engage and disengage the rotation stop hooks 206 described above. The extension-side bearing portion 202 on the lower case 150 side that supports the extension core 112 is configured with a circular opening, whereas the extension-side bearing portion 202 on the upper case 152 is configured with a cylindrical protruding portion. I have. The above-mentioned leaf spring 220 is mounted on the protruding portion (see FIG. 5B).

  Similarly, the take-up core 116 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of notches 224 are formed in the end on the lower case 150 side in the circumferential direction. The rotation stop hook 206 is engaged with and disengaged from the plurality of notches 224. A spline groove 226 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the winding core 116, and is spline-engaged with the winding drive shaft 47. Thus, the rotational force of the take-up drive shaft 47 is transmitted to the take-up core 116, and the ink ribbon 110 is taken up.

  On the left side of the base in the cartridge case 130, a platen accommodation area 230 is formed adjacent to the insertion opening 134. In the center of the platen accommodating area 230, a lower bearing portion 234 formed in the lower case 150 with an elliptical (elliptical) opening (see FIG. 6) and an upper bearing portion 232 formed in the upper case 152 with an elliptical opening are formed. (See FIG. 5B). The platen roller 120 is supported by the upper bearing portion 232 and the lower bearing portion 234 so as to be freely rotatable and slightly laterally movable. That is, the platen roller 120 supported by the elliptical upper bearing portion 232 and the lower bearing portion 234 has a home position where it engages with the platen drive shaft 45 and a clamping position where it sandwiches the printing tape 102 and comes into contact with the tape guide 194. It is configured to be capable of lateral movement (small movement) between them.

  By the way, the tape cartridge 100 is carried with the feeding end portion of the printing tape 102 slightly protruding from the tape outlet 138 to the outside (see FIG. 1). At this time, if a pushing force or a drawing force acts on the feeding end of the printing tape 102 by mistake, the platen roller 120 pulled by the pushing force moves to the above-described holding position. This prevents the feeding end of the printing tape 102 from being drawn into the cartridge case 130 from the tape feeding port 138.

  The platen roller 120 has a cylindrical roller base 240 and a rubber roller 242 mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the roller base 240. The rubber roller 242 has a length corresponding to the print head 21 in the axial direction, and the print head 21 that has moved to the printing position contacts the rubber roller 242 with the print tape 102 and the ink ribbon 110 sandwiched therebetween. A spline groove 244 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the roller base 240, and the spline groove 244 is spline-engaged with the rotation drive shaft 49 of the platen drive shaft 45. Thereby, the rotational force of the platen drive shaft 45 is transmitted to the platen roller 120, and the print tape 102 (and the ink ribbon 110) is fed.

[Structure around platen drive shaft and guide pin (first embodiment)]
Next, the structure around the platen drive shaft 45 and the guide pin 50 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail together with the structures of the guided portion 182 of the tape cartridge 100 and the platen roller 120 with reference to FIGS. I do. As described above, the platen drive shaft 45 and the guide pin 50 (second insertion shaft) are provided in the cartridge mounting portion 5 apart from each other. And a guided portion 182 (second receiving portion).

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the platen drive shaft 45 includes a platen support shaft 48 (first insertion shaft) erected on an apparatus frame 260 located below the mounting base 31 and a lower portion of the platen support shaft 48. And a rotation drive shaft 49 rotatably supported by the motor. The platen support shaft 48 is fixed to the apparatus frame 260 in a cantilever state, and extends through the mounting base 31 in the mounting / removing direction of the tape cartridge 100. The platen support shaft 48 extends to substantially the same height as the head cover 43.

  When the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting section 5, the platen support shaft 48 is inserted through the roller base 240 of the platen roller 120. For this reason, the platen support shaft 48 (platen drive shaft 45) rotatably supports the platen roller 120 and also functions as a guide for attaching and detaching the tape cartridge 100 via the platen roller 120.

  The guide pins 50 are erected on the mounting base 31 of the cartridge mounting portion 5 and extend in the mounting / removing direction of the tape cartridge 100 similarly to the platen support shaft 48. That is, the guide pin 50 is formed (molded) integrally with the mounting base 31 and extends to substantially the same height as the platen support shaft 48. In this case, the guide pin 50 and the platen support shaft 48 have a length corresponding to the thickest tape cartridge 100. That is, the guide pin 50 and the platen support shaft 48 have a length that penetrates the mounted tape cartridge 100 in the mounting direction. Further, the tip of the guide pin 50 is chamfered in a hemispherical shape in order to improve the mountability of the tape cartridge 100.

  When the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting section 5, the guide pin 50 is inserted through the guided section 182 of the cartridge case 130. Thus, the guide pin 50 functions as a guide for attaching and detaching the tape cartridge 100 via the guided portion 182.

FIG. 10 shows a modification around the guide pin 50.
In the first modified example of FIG. 10A, the guide pin 50 is screwed to the mounting base 31 at the base end. That is, a male screw 50 a is formed at the base end of the guide pin 50, and a female screw 31 a corresponding to the male screw 50 a is formed at the mounting base 31. By screwing the guide pin 50 into the female screw 31 a of the mounting base 31, the guide pin 50 is in a state of standing upright on the mounting base 31. Preferably, the male screw 50a and the female screw 31a are fixed with an adhesive or the like. In such a first modified example, the guide pin 50 can be formed with high accuracy, and can be easily attached to the mounting base 31.

  In the second modification of FIG. 10B, the guide pin 50 is fixed to the device frame 260 at the base end. As described above, the platen support shaft 48 is fixed to the device frame 260 by press fitting or the like, and similarly, the guide pin 50 is also fixed to the device frame 260 by press fit or the like. That is, the platen support shaft 48 and the guide pin 50 are erected on the device frame 260 and extend through the mounting base 31. In such a second modification, the guide pin 50 and the platen support shaft 48 can be provided with high positioning accuracy.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the platen roller 120 is provided on the tape cartridge 100 so as to be supported by the upper bearing portion 232 of the upper case 152 and the lower bearing portion 234 of the lower case 150. ing. The tape cartridge 100 is provided with a guided portion 182 having a first through hole 184 formed through the upper case 152 and a second through hole 186 formed through the lower case 150.

  As described above, the platen roller 120 has the roller base 240 and the rubber roller 242. The roller base 240 is formed integrally with a cylindrical roller holding portion 300 that holds the rubber roller 242 and an annular engaging portion 302 that has a spline groove 244 that extends below the roller holding portion 300. Further, the roller base 240 is supported by the upper bearing part 232 and the lower bearing part 234 of the cartridge case 130 with some margin, and the platen inserted through the shaft hole (first receiving part) of the roller holding part 300 is provided. Positioning is performed by a support shaft 48.

  The first through hole 184 of the guided portion 182 is formed in the top wall 156 near the upper peripheral wall 158 of the upper case 152. Similarly, the second through hole 186 is formed in the bottom wall 160 near the lower peripheral wall 162 of the lower case 150. That is, the guided portion 182 is positioned such that the guide pin 50 inserted therethrough is located in the gap between the tape roll 106 and the upper peripheral wall portion 158 and the lower peripheral wall portion 162, and follows the upper peripheral wall portion 158 and the lower peripheral wall portion 162. , Is formed. When the upper peripheral wall portion 158 and the lower peripheral wall portion 162 are formed to be thick, the guided portion 182 may be formed to penetrate the upper peripheral wall portion 158 and the lower peripheral wall portion 162.

  By the way, when the tape cartridge 100 is pulled out, the pair of hooking receiving portions 174 are detached from the above-mentioned pair of hooking pieces 57 in the initial stage of pulling out. Rarely deviate from the same time. Therefore, the tape cartridge 100 is easily inclined at the initial stage of pulling. On the other hand, in the relationship between the platen drive shaft 45 and the platen roller 120, the platen shaft 48 (first insertion shaft) is inserted into the shaft hole (first receiving portion) of the roller holding unit 300, and the clearance ClA between both shafts is inserted. Is set very small to affect print quality.

  However, as described above, the platen roller 120 is supported by the cartridge case 130 with a margin so as to be able to move laterally (smallly move) with respect to the cartridge case 130. That is, the clearance ClB between the upper bearing portion 232 (roller receiving portion) and the lower bearing portion 234 (roller receiving portion) of the cartridge case 130 and the roller holding portion 300 of the platen roller 120 enables minute movement. Is set to large.

  Therefore, even if the tape cartridge 100 is inclined at the initial stage of the drawing, the roller holding unit 300 and the platen shaft 48 maintain the linearity within the clearance ClB, and do not have a large resistance to the drawing. Conversely, when the inclination of the tape cartridge 100 exceeds the clearance ClB, the cartridge case 130 regulates the movement of the roller holding unit 300, and the roller holding unit 300 and the platen shaft 48 are inclined, resulting in a large resistance to pulling out.

  Therefore, the guide pins 50 that guide the pull-out function to suppress the inclination of the cartridge case 130 so that the inclination of the tape cartridge 100 does not exceed the clearance ClB. Specifically, the clearance ClC between the first through hole 182 (second receiving portion) and the second through hole 186 (second receiving portion) of the cartridge case 130 and the guide pin 50 (second insertion shaft) is reduced. , The clearance is smaller than ClB. That is, clearance ClA <clearance ClB, and clearance ClC <clearance ClB. By doing so, it is possible to realize particularly smooth removal of the tape cartridge 100 without affecting print quality.

  When the first through hole 184 and the second through hole 186 are combined with the upper bearing portion 232 and the lower bearing portion 234 of the platen roller 120 (the annular engagement portion 302 having the spline groove 244), the upper case Both from the side of 152 and from the side of the lower case 150, they are located at a distance from each other and easily recognized. Therefore, when the tape printing apparatus 1 is placed in front of the eyes and the user picks up the tape cartridge 100 while looking at the cartridge mounting portion 5, the front and back sides thereof (the spline grooves 244 are easy to identify because the appearance is different from a mere hole), It functions as a landmark that allows you to easily recognize front, back, left and right directions. As a result, the tape cartridge 100 can be oriented in the correct direction and can be mounted on the cartridge mounting section 5.

  In addition, the tape cartridge 100 has a pair of finger hooking projections 304 (parts to be gripped) on both left and right sides (surfaces opposite to each other that can be gripped) of the cartridge case 130. I have a grip. The pair of finger hooks 304 are formed integrally on the left and right outer surfaces of the lower peripheral wall 162 of the lower case 150.

  However, the finger hook projection 304 is not always necessary, and is used as a portion for directly grasping the upper peripheral wall portion 158 of the tape cartridge 100 facing the above-described recessed portion 16 which is continuous with the left and right sides of the cartridge mounting portion 5 of the tape printer 1. You can also. In that case, the gripping force when gripping is somewhat inferior, but the design is neat.

  As described above, the first through hole 184 and the second through hole 186, and the upper bearing portion 232 and the lower bearing portion 234 of the platen roller 120 (the annular engaging portion 302 having the spline groove 244) are used as landmarks. The front, back, front, back, left and right directions can be recognized. Therefore, when the tape cartridge 100 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 5 of the tape printing apparatus 1, regardless of the presence or absence of the finger hook projection 304, the tape cartridge 100 necessarily has the upper peripheral wall 158 corresponding to the left and right recessed portions 16. The position will be used as a grip.

  In the tape cartridge 100 configured as described above, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the guided portion 182 is an imaginary line connecting the pair of finger hooks 304 to the platen roller 120 in a plan view (when viewed from the attaching / detaching direction). It is disposed at a distal portion of the cartridge case 130 that is the most distal across the L1. The distance between the guided portion 182 and the finger hook projection 304 (the gripping portion farther from the platen roller 120) corresponding to the right gripping portion in FIGS. 8 and 9 is the distance between the guided portion 182 and FIGS. 9 is shorter than the distance from the finger hooking projection 304 (the gripper closer to the platen roller 120) corresponding to the left gripper.

  On the other hand, since the pair of finger hanging projections 304 and the two depressions 16 correspond to each other, the above positional relationship is as follows when viewed from the tape printing apparatus 1 side (the cartridge mounting section 5 side). That is, the guide pin 50 corresponds to a distal portion of the cartridge case 130 that is the most distal to the platen support shaft 48 across the imaginary line L1 connecting the two recesses 16 with respect to the platen support shaft 48 in a plan view (when viewed from the attaching / detaching direction). It is arranged in the position to be. The distance between the guide pin 50 and the concave portion 16 (the concave portion 16 farther from the platen roller 120) corresponding to the grip portion on the right side in FIGS. Is shorter than the distance from the depression 16 corresponding to the left gripping portion (the depression 16 closer to the platen roller 120).

  Such a positional relationship is such that when the tape cartridge 100 is attached to and detached from the cartridge mounting portion 5 of the tape printing apparatus 1 while holding the two finger hooking projections 304 (gripping portions) with fingers, the posture inclination of the tape cartridge 100, Imbalance in how to apply power is unlikely to occur. In addition to enabling smooth attachment and detachment without being caught, the platen roller 120 and the guided portion 182 are visibly present at positions apart from each other, so that the mounting direction of the tape cartridge 100 is erroneously recognized. Don't worry.

  In addition, a platen support shaft 48 (platen drive shaft 45) and a guide pin 50 of the cartridge mounting portion 5 are provided corresponding to the positions of the platen roller 120 and the guided portion 182, respectively. The positional error between the platen roller 120 and the guided portion 182 and the platen support shaft 48 and the guide pin 50 during manufacture is absorbed by the platen roller 120 being supported by the cartridge case 130 with a margin. Is done.

[Structure around platen drive shaft and guide pin (second embodiment)]
Next, the structure around the platen drive shaft 45 and the guide pin 50 according to the second embodiment will be described in detail together with the structure of the guided portion 182 and the platen roller 120 of the tape cartridge 100 with reference to FIG. Further, in the second embodiment, mainly different points from the first embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the guided portion 182 of the tape cartridge 100 in the second embodiment is formed as a groove on the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge case 130. Specifically, the guided portion 182 is formed so that the upper peripheral wall 158 of the lower case 150 and the lower peripheral wall 162 of the lower case 150 are recessed in a substantially semicircular shape toward the platen roller 120. I have. Given the virtual line L2 connecting the platen roller 120 and the guided portion 182, the guided portion 182 as the groove is recessed in such a direction as to have a wall at a position intersecting the virtual line L2. . For this reason, the wall effectively guides at the time of attachment and detachment.

  In this case as well, the guided portion 182 is disposed at a distal portion of the cartridge case 130 that is the most distal to the platen roller 120 across the virtual line L1 connecting the pair of finger hooks 304. Further, a platen support shaft 48 (platen drive shaft 45) and a guide pin 50 of the cartridge mounting portion 5 are provided corresponding to the positions of the platen roller 120 and the guided portion 182.

  As described above, the guided portion 182 is disposed at the distal end of the cartridge case 130, which is the most distal to the platen roller 120 across the virtual line L1 connecting the pair of finger hooks 304. The tape cartridge 100 can be gripped by two finger hooking projections 304 in the correct direction with the platen roller 120 and the guided portion 182 as landmarks.

  Further, when the tape cartridge 100 is attached to and detached from the cartridge mounting section 5 of the tape printing apparatus 1, the force applied to the tape cartridge 100 via the pair of finger hooks 304 is relatively uniformly applied to the guided section 182 and the platen roller 120. By acting on the tape cartridge 100, the inclination of the posture of the tape cartridge 100 and the imbalance in the manner of applying force are unlikely to occur, and the tape cartridge 100 can be smoothly attached and detached without being caught. In other words, when attaching and detaching after correcting the direction, the attaching and detaching force can be uniformly applied to the guided portion 182 and the platen roller 120 having large frictional resistance. For this reason, the tape cartridge 100 does not tilt, and the tape cartridge 100 can be smoothly attached to and detached from the cartridge mounting portion 5.

  In addition, since the guided portion 182 is sufficiently spaced from the platen roller 120, the mounting force and the pulling force are hardly biased. Can be performed smoothly. Although the guide pin 50 and the guided portion 182 of the present embodiment are circular in cross section, they may be semicircular in cross section, polygonal in cross section, or the like. When a feed roller is provided separately from the platen roller 120 (platen) or in place of the platen roller 120, the support shaft of the feed roller is replaced with the platen support shaft 48 and functions as a detachable guide. May be.

  Reference Signs List 1 tape printing device, 3 device case, 5 cartridge mounting portion, 7 opening / closing lid, 16 dent portion, 21 print head, 23 printing mechanism portion, 25 tape feed mechanism portion, 31 mounting base, 45 platen drive shaft, 47 winding drive Shaft, 48 platen support shaft, 49 rotation drive shaft, 50 guide pins, 100 tape cartridge, 102 printing tape, 110 ink ribbon, 120 platen roller, 130 cartridge case, 150 lower case, 152 upper case, 156 top plate, 158 Upper peripheral wall portion, 160 Bottom wall portion, 162 Lower peripheral wall portion, 182 Guided portion, 184 First through hole, 186 Second through hole, 300 roller holding portion, 304 Finger hanging protrusion, ClB, ClC clearance, L1, L2 Virtual line

Claims (9)

A first receiving portion and a second receiving portion extending in the attaching / detaching direction and arranged apart from each other; and a tape roll provided between the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion rotatably. A cartridge mounting portion to which a tape cartridge having a supporting core shaft is detachably mounted;
Two depressions, which are continuous with the cartridge mounting portion and into which fingers for gripping the mounted tape cartridge are inserted,
A first insertion shaft provided in the cartridge mounting portion and inserted into the first receiving portion of the mounted tape cartridge;
A second insertion shaft provided in the cartridge mounting portion and inserted into the second receiving portion of the mounted tape cartridge;
A positioning protrusion that is provided on the cartridge mounting portion and fits into the core shaft of the mounted tape cartridge;
Viewing from the mounting direction of the tape cartridge,
The second insertion shaft is located on the opposite side of the first insertion shaft across an imaginary line connecting the two recesses, and the first insertion shaft of the two recesses is provided. A distance between the concave portion at a position farther from the first insertion axis and a distance between the concave portion at a position closer to the first insertion axis, and disposed at a portion closer to the first insertion axis;
The positioning protrusion is located on an imaginary line connecting the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft, and is provided between the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft ,
The said 1st insertion shaft and the said 2nd insertion shaft are longer than the said positioning protrusion, The tape printer characterized by the above-mentioned . The said 1st insertion axis | shaft rotatably supports the platen roller provided in the said tape cartridge and having the said 1st receiving part as a shaft hole, in the state with the said tape cartridge mounted. The tape printing apparatus as described in the above.   A clearance between the second insertion shaft and the second receiving portion is smaller than a clearance between the platen roller and a roller receiving portion of a cartridge case that rotatably supports the platen roller. Item 3. A tape printer according to Item 2.   The tape according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft penetrate the tape cartridge when the tape cartridge is mounted. Printing device.   The tape printing according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second insertion shaft is formed integrally with a mounting base portion of the cartridge mounting portion on which the tape cartridge is seated. apparatus.   The said 2nd insertion shaft is screwed in the mounting base part of the said cartridge mounting part in which the said tape cartridge sits at the base end part, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. The tape printing apparatus as described in the above.   The first insertion shaft and the second insertion shaft are fixed to a device frame at a base end, and extend through a mounting base portion of the cartridge mounting portion on which the tape cartridge is seated. The tape printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein   The tape printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a tip portion of the second insertion shaft is formed in a hemispherical shape. A tape printer according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A tape cartridge removably mounted on the cartridge mounting portion.

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