JPH04250088A - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contribute to greatly miniaturize a printer. CONSTITUTION:Arms 3, 4 are projected from the both ends of a storage chamber 2 for an ink ribbon 1. A part of the ink ribbon 1 is exposed outside between the arms. The arms 3, 4 are extended from the both ends of the storage chamber 2 at right angles to the flat surface of the storage chamber 2. Ribbon lead- out ports 3a, 4a are respectively opened on the side surfaces of the arms 3, 4. A part of the ink ribbon 1 through the ribbon lead-out ports 3a, 4a faces the side surface of the storage chamber 2 between the arms 3, 4.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette used in a printer.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention previously proposed an arm that protrudes from both ends of a storage chamber for storing ink ribbons and exposes a portion of the ink ribbon to the outside at right angles to the plane of the storage chamber. We have proposed an ink ribbon cassette that can contribute to miniaturization of printers by arranging the chamber narrow in the direction in which the arm extends (Japanese Patent Application No. 100693/1999).

0003

However, in the above-mentioned ink ribbon cassette, the storage chamber overlaps the print head in a plane, and there is still room for contributing to miniaturization of the printer.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette in which the width of the storage chamber is narrow in the direction in which the arm extends, and the storage chamber does not overlap with the print head in a plane, thereby contributing to significant downsizing of the printer. Our goal is to provide the following.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the present invention, arms each having a ribbon outlet are protruded from both ends of a storage chamber for storing an ink ribbon, and a part of the ink ribbon is externally released from between the arms through the ribbon outlet. an exposed ink ribbon cassette, each arm extending at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the storage chamber, the ribbon of each arm being arranged such that the ink ribbon faces the side of the storage chamber between each arm; It is characterized in that the outlet is opened on the side of the storage chamber.

[0006]

According to the present invention, each arm extends at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the storage chamber, so that the storage chamber is narrow in the direction in which the arms extend. In addition, the ribbon outlet of each arm is opened to the side of the storage chamber, and the ink ribbon is exposed between each arm facing the side of the storage chamber, so that the storage chamber does not overlap with the print head in a plane. It can be arranged as follows.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 4 show an ink ribbon cassette to which the present invention is applied. ◆In this ink ribbon cassette, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, cylindrical arms 3 and 4 protrude from both ends of a storage chamber 2 that stores an endless ink ribbon 1 in a meandering state. , 4, a part of the ink ribbon 1 is exposed to the outside, and a print head 9 of the printer is disposed between the arms 3 and 4, facing the ink ribbon 1.

The storage chamber 2 and the arms 3, 4 are separated by a partition plate 12,
It is divided by 13. The partition plates 12 and 13 include
Slits 121 and 131 are formed, and this slit 12
A portion of the ink ribbon 1 is drawn out from the storage chamber 2 into the arms 3 and 4 through the arms 3 and 4 through the arms 3 and 4. Storage room 2
A ribbon roller 6 and a presser roller 7 facing the ribbon roller 6 are provided on one side (right side in FIG. 2), and the ink ribbon 1 is inserted between these rollers. The presser roller 7 is pressed against the ribbon roller 6 via the ink ribbon 1 by the spring force of a compression coil spring 8. The ribbon roller 6 is engaged with a drive shaft (not shown) of the printer and is driven to rotate, and together with the presser roller 7 can apply a conveying force to the ink ribbon 1 in the direction of arrow C. Under this conveying force, the used part of the ink ribbon 1 is transferred to the arm 3.
, 4 into the storage chamber 2 through the inside of the arm 4, and at the same time, the unused portion of the ink ribbon 1 is drawn into the storage chamber 2 through the inside of the arm 4.
It is designed to be sent out between the arms 3 and 4 via the inside of the arm 3 from inside.

The arms 3, 4 each extend at right angles to the plane of the storage chamber 2. Ribbon draw-out ports 3a, 4a are formed at the tips of the arms 3, 4, and a portion of the ink ribbon 1 is exposed to the outside between the arms 3, 4 through the ribbon draw-out ports 3a, 4a. The ribbon drawer openings 3a and 4a are connected to the storage chamber 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.
The ink ribbon 1 is exposed to the side of the storage chamber 2 between the arms 3 and 4. Arm 3, 4
Two pins 10 and 11 for twisting the ink ribbon 1 by about 90 degrees are provided inside the storage chamber 2 and the ribbon draw-out opening 3a.
, 4a, the ink ribbon 1 is twisted approximately 90 degrees by the pins 10 and 11 at two locations between the ribbon draw-out openings 3a and 4a.
Guided to 4a. Further, inside the arm 3, as shown in FIG. 4, a leaf spring 14 is provided that presses the ink ribbon 1 against the pin 10, and in response to this pressing force, the ink ribbon 1 is pressed to a predetermined level when the ink ribbon 1 runs. Tension is applied.

According to the above structure, since the arms 3 and 4 extend perpendicularly to the plane of the storage chamber 2, the storage chamber 2 is narrow in the direction in which the arms 3 and 4 extend. Become. In addition, the ribbon drawer openings 3a and 4a of the arms 3 and 4 are connected to the storage chamber 2.
Since the ink ribbon 1 is opened to the side of the storage chamber 2 and exposed between the arms 3 and 4 facing the side of the storage chamber 2, the storage chamber 2 can be arranged so as not to overlap the print head 9 in a plane. (
(See Figures 1 and 3).

As described above, in this embodiment, not only can the storage chamber 2 be arranged narrowly in the extending direction of the arm, but also the storage chamber 2 can be arranged so as not to overlap the print head 9 in a plane. , it can contribute to significant downsizing of printers. For example, in a printer in which the print head 9 is arranged vertically, this can contribute to a significant reduction in thickness (see FIG. 1).

In the above embodiment, the arms 3 and 4 extend perpendicularly to the plane of the storage chamber 2, but the arms 3 and 4 may be inclined relative to the plane of the storage chamber 2.

Furthermore, the ink ribbon 1 is not limited to an endless one, and a Möbius ribbon may also be used.

[0014]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, not only can the storage chamber be narrowly arranged in the direction in which the arm extends, but also the storage chamber can be arranged so that it does not overlap the print head in a plane. , it can contribute to significant downsizing of printers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a side view of an ink ribbon cassette to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Ink ribbon 2　　　　　　　Storage room 3,4 Arm 3a, 4a Ribbon drawer opening

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ink ribbon cassette, wherein arms each having a ribbon outlet are protruded from both ends of a storage chamber for storing ink ribbon, and a part of the ink ribbon is exposed to the outside from between the arms through the ribbon outlet. ,
Each of the arms extends at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the storage chamber, and the ribbon outlet is arranged in the storage chamber such that the ink ribbon faces the side of the storage chamber between the arms. An ink ribbon cassette characterized by having an opening on the side.