JPH031264Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a ribbon feeding device for a ribbon cassette.

In general, a ribbon cassette is detachably attached to a printing device and has a feeding ribbon core around which a ribbon is wound and a take-up ribbon core around which the ribbon that has passed through the printing section is wound. However, in conventional ribbon feeding means, as shown in FIG. The ribbon 2 is wound by this winding ribbon core 5 and the drive shaft 3.
This is done by a belt 6 stretched between the two. Therefore, in this method, as the winding of the ribbon 2 progresses, the winding diameter of the winding ribbon core 5 increases, and in order to adjust the rotation speed of the winding ribbon core 5 with respect to the rotation speed of the drive shaft 3, the winding diameter of the winding ribbon core 5 increases. It is necessary to create a slip between the belt 5 and the belt 6, and this appears as a load on the drive shaft 3. Further, since the belt 6 is disposed outside the ribbon cassette, the belt 6 may come off or break due to external influences. Furthermore, in the ribbon cassette, it is necessary to apply a constant tension to the ribbon 2, so a tension applying mechanism is required separately in addition to the one shown in Fig. 1, which increases the number of parts and requires a tension applying mechanism. A space is required to set it up. On the other hand, a ribbon having a support surface and an ink surface has a lifespan proportional to the amount of winding of the ribbon, but extending this lifespan is a major technical challenge. Here, there is a certain limit to the size of the ribbon cassette, and in order to accommodate as many ribbons as possible in the ribbon cassette, the space required to provide the above-mentioned tension applying mechanism becomes a non-negligible amount.

For this reason, as seen in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 53-78118, an endless belt-like belt is provided that is in constant contact with the outer periphery of the feeding ribbon core and the winding ribbon core around which the ribbon is wound, and this belt is driven. There are devices that allow efficient ribbon feeding. However, in this type of ribbon cassette, the belt comes into contact with the ink surface of the ribbon, and the ink surface of the ribbon is damaged by the belt when the ribbon is fed, which has a negative effect on printing quality. .

This idea was developed in view of these points, and it is a ribbon in a ribbon cassette that does not damage the ink surface of the ribbon and maintains high printing quality in a type where the ribbon is fed by a belt. The purpose is to obtain a feeding device.

This invention includes a ribbon cassette that is detachably attached to a printing device, a ribbon is drawn out from the ribbon cassette with the ink side facing outward, and a feeding ribbon core is wound around the ribbon with the ink side facing inside. A take-up ribbon core is provided in the ribbon cassette, a plurality of rollers including at least one drive roller driven by a drive mechanism of the printing device are provided in the ribbon cassette, and at least different sides are provided between these rollers. An endless belt is stretched so that it has
Different sides of the outer periphery of this belt are located at positions where they are constantly in frictional contact with the outer periphery of the ribbon wound around the feeding ribbon core and the take-up ribbon core, and the belt is rotated by the rotation of the drive roller. The ribbon is fed out and wound up in this manner. Therefore, the contact surface of the belt is the opposite side of the ribbon from the ink side;
As a result, the ink surface is not damaged by the belt, and high print quality can be obtained.

An embodiment of this invention will be explained based on FIGS. 2 to 4. First, 7 is a printing device (not shown)
This is a ribbon cassette that is detachably attached to the ribbon cassette 7, and inside the ribbon cassette 7 are a feeding ribbon core 9 around which the ribbon 8 is wound, a ribbon outlet 10 fed out from the feeding ribbon core 9 side, and a printing section 1.
1. A winding ribbon core 13 for winding up the ribbon 8 that has passed through the ribbon inlet 12 is rotatably provided.
Here, one surface of the ribbon 8 is an ink surface 14, and the other surface is a film surface 15 serving as a supporting surface. A drive roller 16 is provided in the ribbon cassette 7 at the front side thereof, and two rollers 17 are arranged at the rear side so as to form a substantially equilateral triangle with the drive roller 16.
18 are provided. Here, this roller 1
7 and 18 are drum-shaped as shown in FIG. Furthermore, these drive rollers 1
6. An endless belt 19 is stretched around the rollers 17 and 18. As a result, the belt 19
is an approximately equilateral triangle with three different sides A, B, and C.
It has two sides. The positional relationship between this belt 19, the feeding ribbon core 9, and the winding ribbon core 13 is such that the A side of the belt 19 is tangent to the feeding ribbon core 9, and the C side of the belt 19 is tangent to the winding ribbon core 13. It is located. Therefore, in the initial state, most of the ribbon 8 is wound around the feeding ribbon core 9 and the ribbon winding diameter is large, so that the outer circumferential surface of the ribbon 8 (film surface 15 side) A of the belt 19 as shown in the figure.
The sides are in contact with each other with a large friction area in a state where they are greatly curved, and since the winding ribbon core 13 side only has the winding start end of the ribbon 8, the C of the belt 19 is The side is second
As shown in the figure, they are in tangential frictional contact.

In such a configuration, when in use, the ribbon cassette 7 is attached to the printing device, and along with the printing operation, the drive roller 16 is rotated clockwise by the drive mechanism on the printing device side, and the stretched belt 19 is rotated clockwise.
Rotate clockwise. As a result, belt 1
A feeding ribbon core 9 having a ribbon 8 in frictional contact with the A side of the ribbon rotates counterclockwise under the belt 19 while receiving a constant tension from the ribbon 8, and feeds out the ribbon 8 to the ribbon outlet 10 side. . On the other hand, in parallel with this, the ribbon 8 that is in frictional contact with the C side of the belt 19 is rotated counterclockwise under the belt 19 while receiving a constant tension, and the ribbon 8 that has passed through the printing section 11 is sequentially wound up. In this way, the drive roller 1
By driving the belt 19 based on 6, the ribbon 8 is simultaneously fed out and wound up. At this time,
Although the ribbon diameter on the feeding ribbon core 9 side and the ribbon diameter on the winding ribbon core 13 side are different, their circumferential speeds are the same and no slip occurs. Then, as the printing operation progresses, the ribbon diameter on the feeding ribbon core 9 side gradually decreases, and the ribbon diameter on the take-up ribbon core 13 side gradually increases, and finally, as shown in FIG. 4, the ribbon diameter as shown in FIG. 2 is reached. The opposite is true. In the process from the state shown in FIG. 2 to the state shown in FIG. 4, the amount of curvature (pushing force) and frictional area against side A of the belt 19 gradually decrease as the ribbon diameter decreases on the feeding ribbon core 9 side. On the other hand, on the winding ribbon core 13 side, as the ribbon diameter increases, the amount of curvature (pushing force) and friction area against the C side of the belt 19 increase sequentially, so it is necessary to always apply a constant tension to the ribbon 8. The load on the drive roller 16 is small and the efficiency is high.
Further, since a separate means for applying tension to the ribbon 8 is not required, the number of components can be reduced. At the same time, since the belt 19 is provided within the ribbon cassette 7, the belt 19 can be It never comes off. In this case, since the rollers 17 and 18 on which the belt 19 is stretched are drum-shaped, the belt 19 is prevented from coming into contact with the ribbon cassette 7 when the belt 19 is driven. Frictional contact can be made along the center, ensuring reliable operation.

As described above, this invention provides a ribbon cassette that is detachably attached to a printing device, pulls out the ribbon from this ribbon cassette with the ink side facing outward, and winds the ribbon with the ink side facing inside. A feed-out ribbon core and a take-up ribbon core are provided in the ribbon cassette, and a plurality of rollers including at least one drive roller driven by a drive mechanism on the printing device side are provided in the ribbon cassette, and a roller is provided between these rollers. An endless belt is stretched so as to have at least different sides, and a position where different sides of the outer periphery of the belt are constantly in frictional contact with the outer circumferential surface of the ribbon wound around the feeding ribbon core and the winding ribbon core. The belt is rotated by the rotation of the drive roller to feed and wind up the ribbon, so that the contact surface of the belt is opposite to the ink surface of the ribbon. This has the effect that the ink surface is not damaged by the belt and high print quality can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional example, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 3 is a -' sectional view thereof, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view after winding. . 7... Ribbon cassette, 8... Ribbon, 9...
Feeding ribbon core, 13... Winding ribbon core, 14
... Ink surface, 15 ... Film surface (supporting surface),
16... Drive roller, 17-18... Roller, 1
9...Belt.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A ribbon cassette that is detachably attached to a printing device is provided, and a ribbon is pulled out from the ribbon cassette with the ink side facing outward, and a feeding ribbon core and a winding ribbon core are wound around the ribbon with the ink side facing inside. is provided in the ribbon cassette, a plurality of rollers including at least one drive roller driven by a drive mechanism on the printing device side are provided in the ribbon cassette, and at least different sides are provided between these rollers. An endless belt is stretched, and different sides of the outer periphery of the belt are positioned in constant frictional contact with the outer periphery of the ribbon wound around the feeding ribbon core and the winding ribbon core, and the driving A ribbon feeding device for a ribbon cassette, characterized in that the belt is rotated by rotation of a roller to feed and wind up the ribbon.