JPH0357498Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette that folds and stores an endless ink ribbon.

Conventionally, in an ink ribbon cassette that folds and stores an endless ink ribbon, the ink ribbon swells as printing is performed for a long time, so the initial length of the ink ribbon is made smaller than the volume that can completely store the ink ribbon. Therefore, when the ink ribbon cassette is transported, the ink ribbon is folded in a disordered manner in the ribbon storage chamber, which impedes the running of the ink ribbon when the ink ribbon cassette is used. Further, since the length of the initial ink ribbon was short, the ink ribbon played within the ribbon storage section, and when the ink ribbon was run, it fell down within the ribbon storage section, resulting in poor running.

The present invention is a ribbon cassette in which the ink ribbon does not bend or become disordered during transportation, and furthermore, the ink ribbon does not fall during travel.

In order to prevent the ink ribbon from being bent or disturbed during transportation, the conventional method involves attaching a ribbon stopper to the ink ribbon cassette body to reduce the ink ribbon storage volume, and removing the ribbon stopper when in use. This is how it was done. Also, to reduce the ink ribbon storage capacity, flip the ribbon sub-case over.
There was a method in which the ink ribbon was placed in the ink ribbon, and when the ink ribbon cassette was used, the lid of the ink ribbon cassette body was opened and the ribbon subcase was removed. However, this required troublesome operations such as removing the ribbon stopper, opening the lid of the ribbon cassette, and removing the subcase.

With this type of ink ribbon cassette, only the ink ribbon is replaced using a ribbon subcase. Conventionally, the ribbon subcase was turned upside down and the ink ribbon was filled into the ink ribbon storage area inside the ink ribbon cassette body. Was. At this time, in order to make it easier to store the ink ribbon, a method was used in which a film and a dedicated lid for the ribbon subcase were attached to the ribbon subcase, and after the ink ribbon was placed in the ink ribbon storage section, the film and dedicated lid were removed. However, this sometimes caused the ink ribbon to get stuck on the film or special lid, resulting in storage failure.

With this invention, the ink ribbon can be replaced reliably without the need to remove the ribbon stopper or ribbon subcase, without disturbing the folded state of the ink ribbon during transportation, and without falling over in the ribbon storage section. This is an ink ribbon cassette intended for.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the ribbon subcase filled with ink ribbon. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a method of moving the ribbon subcase.

As shown in FIG. 1, this is a ribbon subcase in which ink ribbons 1 are housed in a regular manner with little room. This ribbon subcase 2 is provided with an ink ribbon inlet 3 and an ink ribbon outlet 4. This ribbon subcase 2 is placed as it is in the ink ribbon storage section 6 of the ink ribbon cassette 5, and the ink ribbon 1 is further set in the ink ribbon cassette. This allows the ink ribbon 1 to maintain regular folding during transportation.

Next, as shown in FIG.
The ink ribbon 1 is fed by the idle roll 8 and stored at the left end of the ink ribbon storage section 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the ink ribbon 1 is drawn into the ink ribbon storage section 6 from inside the ribbon subcase 2 through the ink ribbon outlet 4 by the feed roll 7 and the idle roll 8.
Due to the elastic force of the ink ribbon 1 thus drawn in, the ribbon subcase 2 gradually moves to the rear of the ink ribbon cassette. As this continues, the ribbon subcase 2 will eventually reach the last position, as shown in FIG. The ribbon subcase 2 then becomes part of the ink ribbon cassette 5. That is, the area of the ink ribbon cassette 5 is reduced by the volume of the ribbon subcase 2. As a result, when used with an ink ribbon cassette, the ink ribbon does not need to be removed from the ribbon subcase, and the ink ribbon can be prevented from being bent or disturbed during transportation. Furthermore, since the ribbon subcase is placed in the ink ribbon storage section in the ink ribbon cassette without being turned upside down, there is no possibility that the ink ribbon will come out when stored in the ink ribbon cassette. Furthermore, since the ribbon subcase moves as the ink ribbon travels, the ink ribbon does not fall over within the ink ribbon storage section in the ink ribbon cassette.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a plan view of the ribbon subcase filled with ink ribbon, Figure 2 is a plan view of the ribbon subcase stored in the ink ribbon cassette, and Figure 3 is the ribbon subcase moving as the ribbon runs. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the ribbon subcase moved to the rear of the ink ribbon cassette as the ribbon runs. 1... Ink ribbon, 2... Ribbon sub case, 3... Ink ribbon inlet, 4... Ink ribbon outlet, 5... Ink ribbon cassette, 6...
...Ikiribbon storage section, 7...Feed roll, 8
...Idol role.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An ink ribbon cassette that folds and stores endless ink ribbon has a ribbon inlet and a ribbon outlet in the storage section that stores the endless ink ribbon, and is attached to the front of the ribbon cassette storage section, and the ink ribbon is stored using a feed roll. An ink ribbon cassette comprising a ribbon subcase that is movable to the rear of a ribbon cassette storage section by the elastic force of the ink ribbon drawn into the ribbon cassette.