JPH04168086A - Color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make possible the setting of a printer when an ink ribbon with different properties is used by providing an uneven surface or a light reflective piece on an ink ribbon cassette. CONSTITUTION:An ink ribbon cassette consists of a winding part 1, a supply part 2, a frame part 3 and an ink ribbon 4. A projecting part or a recessed part is formed on a part of the frame part, and the ink ribbon cassette is introduced from an arrow direction and the recessed part 5 is engaged with a push switch 10 provided on a frame 11 for a printer. Then the printing format of this printer is controlled in accordance with the switching of the push switch 10. In addition, an optical reflective switch is used instead of the push switch, on a printer side, if the ink ribbon cassette has a light reflective piece, for example, a metal piece attached in lieu of an uneven surface provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a structure of an ink ribbon cassette mounting portion of a color printer, particularly a thermal transfer type color printer.

[Conventional technology] Ink ribbons for color printers are supplied in the form of cassettes, but as technology advances, there are ink ribbons made of different materials for transferring pigments and dyes, such as melting type and sublimation type, and printing paper. Various types of ink ribbons adapted to different materials (or films) have come to be supplied.

In order for these various ink ribbons to be used in the same printer, they must be supplied in cassettes of the same shape and size. - For ink ribbons with different force characteristics, the printer had to be controlled in each case software-wise, for example by dip switches or by means of a program.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a structure that allows easy printer settings when using ink ribbons with different characteristics.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the present invention, a part of the cassette is provided with a protrusion or a recess corresponding to the characteristics of the ink ribbon, and a switch is also provided on the printer side at a position corresponding to the protrusion or recess. The above problem is solved by providing this.

[Example] Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of the ink ribbon cassette of the present invention, respectively. FIG. 2 is a top view showing such an ink ribbon cassette installed in a printer.

In FIG. 1A, the ink ribbon cassette includes a winding section 1,
It is composed of a supply section 2, a frame section 3, and an ink ribbon 4, and a concave portion or a convex section is formed in a part of the frame section.

Specifically, the winding section 1 and the supply section 2 are arranged facing each other,
A frame 3 is provided between them. The frame 3 is provided with an opening so that the ink ribbon 4, a print head, a platen roller, and printing paper can come into contact with it.

This frame body 3 is provided with a recess 5. The position of this recess 5 needs to be changed depending on the position of the bushing switch arranged in the printer. For example, it is possible to arrange it in the winding section 1 or the supply section 2 if necessary.

FIG. 1B shows an embodiment in which the concave portion 5 in FIG. A is changed to a convex portion.

In FIG. 2, the printer includes a winding mechanism section 8 that is connected to the winding core 6 of the cassette and winds up the ink ribbon, and a tension mechanism section 9 that is connected to the winding core 7 of the ribbon supply section and applies tension to the ribbon during printing. , a bushing switch 1 provided at a position abutting a concave portion or a convex portion provided on the cassette;
0 and the frame 11 to which they are attached are shown.

In operation, the ink ribbon cassette is inserted in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2, and the recess 5 fits into the bushing switch 10 provided on the frame 11. The printing style of this printer is controlled in accordance with the switching of this bushing switch 10. For example, various aspects can be considered, such as recording methods such as melting and sublimation, when the recording paper is OHP paper or plain paper, and the size of the recording member. In this way, various aspects and combinations thereof can be easily set in the printer by the combination of the recessed portion 5 and the bushing switch 10.

In this embodiment, when the cassette shown in FIG. 1A is installed in the printer, the center switch of the three push switches provided in the printer is turned ON (in the case of a pushON switch), and both ends are turned OFF. In the case of a triple switch, a total of 8 modes can be set by selecting the recess formation position on the cassette side. The same is true even if the concave portions are made convex portions.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which a light-reflective piece, such as a metal piece, is attached or embedded instead of the unevenness.

In this case, an optical reflex switch is used instead of a bushing switch in the printer.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, by providing the ink ribbon cassette with unevenness or a light reflecting piece, when the cassette is installed in the printer, the switch of the printer is automatically and selectively set to 0N1.
Since the switch is turned off, the trouble of switching dip switches is eliminated, and erroneous operations or forgotten operations do not occur.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an ink ribbon cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of an ink ribbon cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink ribbon cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a top view of the ink ribbon cassette when installed, and is a perspective view of an ink ribbon cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention.
・Frame body 4... Ink ribbon 5...
- Concave portion 6... Winding core 7... Winding core 8... Ink ribbon winding mechanism 9... Ink ribbon tension adding mechanism 10... Bush switch Fig. 1 A 1st UXJ day 3 Fig. 4议 mark sticker

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a color printer that records an image on a selected recording member by thermal processing using an ink ribbon inserted in a cassette, when the ink ribbon cassette is installed in the color printer, A switch is provided at a position in contact with one side of the ink ribbon, and the switch is operated by the installation operation of the ink ribbon cassette in the color printer.
A color printer characterized in that the operation mode of the color printer is set by the switch operation.