JPH0413188Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette used in printers and the like.

[Prior Art] Ink ribbon cassettes used in printers and the like are generally equipped with a ribbon storage chamber for storing an endless ink ribbon, a ribbon outlet and a ribbon retraction port extending from the ribbon storage chamber. Most of the endless ink ribbon is stored in the ribbon storage chamber in a meandering manner, and a portion of the ribbon is exposed between the ribbon outlet and the ribbon inlet. Both inner surfaces of the ribbon storage chamber are flat surfaces.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Since the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage chamber is a flat surface, the ink ribbon comes into surface contact with the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage chamber over its entire width, preventing sliding movement of the ink ribbon. In addition to the high frictional resistance, the surface of the ink ribbon tends to stick to the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage chamber due to the stickiness of the ink impregnated in the ink ribbon. Therefore, the ink ribbon tends to run poorly, and a large force is required to feed the ink ribbon, and a large torque is required to drive the ink ribbon.

As a technique for reducing the frictional resistance during sliding movement of the ink ribbon, there is a technique disclosed in Utility Model Application No. 164908/1982 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 126121/1989, but both of these techniques are Protrusions or grooves are formed on the top or bottom surface of the chamber facing the edge of the ink ribbon to simply reduce the frictional resistance when the ink ribbon slides, and prevent the sticky ink from adhering to the surface of the ink ribbon. This is not possible, and there is a possibility that the ink ribbon will run poorly due to this.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette that can reduce the frictional resistance during sliding movement of the ink ribbon, and prevent the ink ribbon surface from adhering to the surface of the ink ribbon due to stickiness of the ink, thereby improving the running performance of the ink ribbon. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is characterized by a plate having protrusions formed on the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage chamber, facing the surface of the ink ribbon and extending in the sliding direction of the ink ribbon. This is where the shaped member is attached.

[Operation] The ink ribbon slides while partially contacting the protrusions of the plate member on the inner surface side of the ink ribbon storage chamber. Therefore, the contact area with the surface of the ink ribbon is reduced, and the frictional resistance during sliding movement of the ink ribbon is reduced, and adsorption of the ink ribbon surface due to stickiness of the ink is also prevented.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink ribbon cassette 1 consists of a case 2 and a lid 3. In the ink ribbon storage chamber 4 of the ink ribbon cassette 1, as shown in FIG. It is stored in a folded state. A ribbon outlet 6 and a ribbon inlet 7 integrally extend forward from both sides of the ink ribbon cassette 1, respectively. On the ribbon delivery side of the ink ribbon storage chamber 4, a wall 8 having a slit 8a through which the ribbon can pass is formed integrally with the case 2, and a ribbon presser spring 9 is provided on the side of the wall 8. There is. On the ribbon retraction side, the separator 1 is rotatably supported by a through hole (not shown) formed in the bottom of the case 2.
The drive roller 1 is rotatably fitted to the rollers 0 and 11.
2 and a driven roller 13 are disposed, and an ink ribbon 5 stored in a ribbon storage section is interposed at the meshing portion of both rollers. The ink ribbon 5 is sent out from the ribbon delivery port 6 by rotating the drive roller 12 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2, and is drawn into the ribbon storage chamber 4 from the ribbon intake port 7. At this time, since the ink ribbon 5 in the ribbon outlet 6 is pressed with a constant force by the ribbon presser spring 9, a part of the ink ribbon 5 is pushed into the ribbon outlet 6 by the rotation of the drive roller 12. The ribbon is fed while being stretched with a constant tension between it and the ribbon inlet 7. The lid body 3 is formed in a shape corresponding to the planar shape of the case 2, and a locking pawl 3a formed on the lid body 3 engages with a locking protrusion 2a formed on the case 2. In particular, it is configured to cover the entire upper surface of the case 2. Plate members 15, 15 each having a protrusion 15a are mounted on the inner surfaces 14, 14 of the ribbon storage chamber 4 so as to face the surface of the ink ribbon 5. Third
As shown in the figure, the plate-like member 15 has locking pieces 15b, 15b formed on the upper side, and protruding pieces 15 on the lower side.
c, 15c are formed. And plate member 15
is installed by engaging the locking piece 15b with the locking groove 2b formed on the edge of the case 2, and fitting the protruding piece 15c into the groove 2c formed on the bottom of the case 2. It is further fixed by attaching the lid body 3. The protrusions 15a extend in the sliding movement direction of the ink ribbon 5, so that the surface of the ink ribbon 5 partially comes into contact with the protrusions 15a. Ribbon guide protrusions 10a and 11a are formed on the separators 10 and 11, respectively.
The tips of a and 11a reach the end of the protrusion 15a. The ink ribbon 5 is transferred to the drive roller 1 via a ribbon drive mechanism (not shown) provided in a printer (not shown) to which the ribbon cassette 1 is mounted.
By rotating 2 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2,
The ribbon is sent out from the ribbon delivery port 6, and is also drawn in from the ribbon intake port 7, and sequentially moves to the ribbon delivery side in a meander-folded state inside the ribbon storage chamber 2. At this time, the ink ribbon 5 slides while partially contacting the protrusion 15a of the plate member 15 on the inner side of the ink ribbon storage chamber 4. Therefore, the contact area with the surface of the ink ribbon 5 is reduced, and the frictional resistance during sliding movement of the ink ribbon 5 is reduced, and adsorption of the ink ribbon surface due to stickiness of the ink is also prevented.
can be moved smoothly within Case 2,
The running performance of the ink ribbon 5 is improved, and the ink ribbon 5 can be sent with a small force.

In this embodiment, only one protrusion was formed on the plate-like member attached to the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage section, but the number of protrusions may be two or more. It can be selected as appropriate depending on the shape of the cassette, the width of the ink ribbon, etc. Further, the method for attaching the plate-like member can be selected as appropriate, and may be fixed by a method such as adhesion.

[Effects of the invention] As explained in detail above, the present invention has a plate-like structure in which protrusions are formed on the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage chamber, facing the surface of the ink ribbon and extending in the sliding direction of the ink ribbon. Since the parts are installed,
The contact area with the surface of the ink ribbon is reduced, which reduces the frictional resistance when the ink ribbon slides, and also prevents the stickiness of the ink from adhering to the surface of the ink ribbon, thereby improving the running performance of the ink ribbon. It has the excellent effect of being able to feed the ink ribbon with a small force.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view showing the relationship. 4... Ink ribbon storage chamber, 5... Ink ribbon, 14... Inner surface, 15... Plate member, 15a
...Protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An ink ribbon cassette characterized in that a plate member having a protrusion formed thereon that faces the surface of the ink ribbon and extends in the sliding direction of the ink ribbon is attached to the inner surface of the ink ribbon storage chamber.