JPH0111483Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] In the present invention, a first core to which one end of the ribbon is fixed and a second core to which the other end is fixed are rotatably stored in a cartridge case, and one of the cores is rotatably housed in a cartridge case. By fitting the core into the ribbon winding drive shaft attached to the printing device and rotating it, the ribbon wound around the other core is moved along the printing ribbon movement path outside the cartridge case (the ribbon is used for printing). The present invention relates to a multi-use ribbon cartridge of the type that is wound up after passing through a path exposed from the cartridge case and moving.

This type of cartridge was previously used for one-time type ink ribbons, but today a multi-strike type ribbon that can be used many times has been developed, and a cartridge that can easily use this multi-strike type ribbon has been developed. There is a growing need for the development of

However, in this type of cartridge, in order to tension the ribbon in the printing ribbon movement path, a tension spring that provides running resistance to the ribbon is applied on the ribbon supply side. Reusing the ribbon by switching sides is not possible because the action of the tension spring would be counterproductive.

In view of these circumstances, the purpose of this invention is to make it possible to easily use a multi-use ink ribbon repeatedly by simply reversing the cartridge and installing it in a printing device. shall be.

The multi-use ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention can achieve this purpose.
A first opening for fitting a ribbon winding drive shaft attached to a printing device into the first core and a second opening for fitting into the second core are respectively provided on opposing wall surfaces of the cartridge case. a first tension spring and a second tension spring are respectively provided in the ribbon movement path between the printing ribbon movement path outside the case and the first core and the second core; Release the action of the first tension spring near the first core when the drive shaft is fitted into the first core, and release the action of the second tension spring near the second core when the drive shaft is fitted into the second core. A configuration is adopted in which a release structure is provided with a cam body for release.

By doing this, the ribbon driving direction can be reversed by reversing the cartridge and replacing the core fitted to the take-up drive shaft, and
With this reversal operation, the tension spring on the ribbon supply side acts, and the action of the tension spring on the take-up side can be automatically released.

Therefore, by using the cartridge of the present invention, a multi-use ink ribbon whose end portion is fixed to the core can be used repeatedly simply by reversing the cartridge.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Note that FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view showing an embodiment of the cartridge of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is a cartridge case, and a first core 3 and a second core 4 to which the ends of a thermal multi-strike ink ribbon 2 are fixed with adhesive tape or the like are located at left and right positions inside the case 1. They are each held rotatably.

The cores 3 and 4 are formed into a hollow cylindrical shape, and each of the cores 3 and 4 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 6 on its inner surface to engage with the winding drive shaft 5.

The take-up drive shaft 5 is held on a cartridge mounting base 7 of a printing device.

Inside the cartridge case 1, as shown in FIG. 1, a first tension spring 11 and a second tension spring 12 are provided at left and right positions, respectively. The ribbon 2 is held between the guide pin 13 and the first tension spring 11 and between the guide pin 14 and the second tension spring 12, respectively. A central portion of the ribbon moving path between the guide pins 13 and 14 is exposed to the outside from the case 1, and can be used for transfer printing onto recording paper (not shown) by a printing thermal head 15. .

As shown in FIG.
The pieces 21 and 22 provided with are held on the upper and lower walls 23 and 24 of the case 1 so as to be able to slide up and down,
One of the surfaces 25 and 26 of the tension springs 11 and 12 that comes into contact with the cam body 20 is inclined so that the lower the figure, the further away from the guide pin 13, and the other side is tilted so that the higher the figure is, the farther from the guide pin 14. Form it at an angle.

By forming it in this way, when the cartridge case 1 is attached to the mounting base 7, the frame 2
1 and 22 are pushed by the mounting base 7 and moved upward, and the cam body 20 and the inclined surfaces 2 of the springs 11 and 12
5 and 26, the tension spring on the piece side into which the drive shaft 5 is fitted can be moved away from the guide pin, and at the same time the action of the other tension spring can be released.

Modifications of the configuration of this embodiment using one or more of the following combinations are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

The outer shape of the cartridge case does not necessarily have to be bilaterally symmetrical, and can have various shapes. However, whatever shape it takes, it is necessary that it can be fixed to the mounting base 7 by being turned upside down and left and right. Therefore, the engagement points between the cartridge case locking portion of the mounting base 7 and the cartridge case locked thereon need to be symmetrical in the left and right and up and down directions.

Both cores are placed one above the other and held rotatably within the case.

The ink ribbon is not limited to the impact type, but may be one used for thermal transfer, electrical transfer, or the like.

The ribbon is not limited to an ink ribbon, but may also be a lift-off tape used for typewriters.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view showing an embodiment of the cartridge of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. Reference symbol in the drawing, 1... Cartridge case, 2...
...Ribbon, 3...First core, 4...Second core, 5
... Winding drive shaft, 6 ... Protrusion, 7 ... Cartridge mounting base, 9, 23, 24 ... Case wall, 11
...First tension spring, 12...Second tension spring, 13, 14...Guide pin, 15...Thermal head for printing, 20...Cam body, 21, 2
2... Top, 25, 26... Inclined surface of tension spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a first end to which a multi-use ribbon is fixed;
A core and a second core having the other end fixed are each rotatably held in a cartridge case, and a first opening for fitting a ribbon winding drive shaft attached to a printing device into the first core. and a second opening for fitting the second core, respectively, are provided on opposing wall surfaces of the cartridge case, and a printing ribbon moving path outside the case and a second opening for fitting the first core and A first tension spring and a second tension spring are respectively provided in the ribbon movement path between the second core and the first tension spring that is close to the first core when the take-up drive shaft is fitted into the first core. and
A multi-use ribbon cartridge comprising a release structure including a cam body for releasing the action of the second tension spring close to the second core when the second tension spring is inserted into the second core.