JPH04261889A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily mount a ribbon along a predetermined route without contaminating the hand. CONSTITUTION:Ribbon guide members (21, 21) are provided in a movable manner so that the inclination (theta1) of the segment connecting each of the guide members (21, 21) and a printing edge (2) can be made smaller than reference inclination (thetas).

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to printers.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers have been widely used that print by feeding an ink ribbon fed from a ribbon cassette between a print head and a card holder.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of such a printer. In the figure, 1 is a platen and 2 is a print head. The print head 2 is configured to be reciprocated in the longitudinal direction of the platen 1 (in the direction of arrow X) via a carrier 3, a carrier shaft 4, and the like. Further, a ribbon 12 fed out from a cassette body 11 of a ribbon cassette 10 is supplied to the tip end 2a of the print head 2. On the other hand, 5
A card holder is a means for preventing an unnecessary portion of the ribbon 12 from coming into contact with the paper P that is fed to the platen 1 from a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in the figure and being soiled.

By the way, tension is applied to the ribbon 12 on both sides of the print head 2 in the ribbon feeding direction (X direction) (for example, at both ends of the card holder 5), so that the ribbon 12 is brought into close contact with the tip 2a of the print head 2. Ribs 6, 6 are fixedly provided for this purpose. Each rib 6 is arranged so that the ribbon 12 is brought into close contact with the tip 2a of the print head 2 without loosening.
and the ribbon 12 between the tip 2a of the print head 2
It is provided so that the inclination (inclination angle θ) of the portion is large. Note that the distance between each rib 6 and the tip 2a of the print head 2 is generally narrow in order to meet the current demand for miniaturization of printers.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the printer described above, it is necessary to attach the ribbon 12 fed out from the ribbon cassette 10 in a large undulating manner using each rib 6 in order to increase the inclination angle θ. There is. Therefore, conventionally, the ribbon 12 is attached by directly picking the portion of the ribbon 12 corresponding to each rib by hand or by hanging it over each rib 6 using a device such as tweezers. However, each rib 6
Furthermore, the space between the tip ends 2a of the print head 2 is narrow, and the ribbon 12 must be rerouted in a complicated manner in the narrow portion, which is disadvantageous and time-consuming. especially,
If the above mounting operation is performed by directly picking up the ribbon 12 by hand, there is an inconvenience that the hands become dirty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printer in which a ribbon can be easily attached along a predetermined path without getting one's hands dirty.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the present invention, the ribbon fed out from the ribbon cassette is passed through the gap between the print head and the card holder, and the ribbon is guided by ribbon guide members disposed on both sides of the print head in the ribbon feeding direction. In a printer configured to be mounted closely to a print head, both the ribbon guide members are moved so that the slope of a line segment connecting the ribbon guide member and the print head can be made smaller than a reference slope. It is characterized by being made possible.

[0008]

According to the present invention, when mounting a ribbon, both ribbon guide members are moved in a direction such that the inclination of the line segment connecting each guide member and the print head is smaller than the reference inclination. This simplifies the path connecting each guide member and the print head by making it almost a straight line, so you can attach the ribbon by hanging it over each guide member without having to pick the corresponding part of the ribbon with your hands or tweezers. be able to. As a result, the ribbon can be easily attached along a predetermined path without getting one's hands dirty.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the printer according to the present invention is constructed so that the ribbon 12 can be easily attached without getting one's hands dirty. Specifically, the printer includes a printer body (not shown), a platen 1, a print head 2,
It is composed of a carrier 3, a carrier shaft 4, a card holder 5, ribbon guide members (21, 21), etc., and includes a ribbon cassette 10 that is detachably attached to the printer body. Components that are the same as those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations will be omitted or simplified.

Here, the ribbon guide members are disposed on both sides of the print head 2 in the ribbon feeding direction, and apply tension to the ribbon 12 to guide the ribbon 12 toward the tip end 2a of the print head 2.
It is a means of bringing the object into close contact with the human body. Specifically, both ribbon guide members are connected to each ribbon guide member and the print head 2.
It is configured to be movably provided so that the inclination of the line segment connecting it to the tip end 2a can be made smaller than the reference inclination (inclination angle θs). In this embodiment, the ribbon guide member is formed by ribbon guide pins 21, 21 attached to the slide member 15. More specifically, each ribbon guide pin 21 is attached to the carrier using the slide member 15 so that the inclination of the line segment connecting each guide pin 21 and the print head 2 can be made smaller than the reference inclination (θs). It is movably attached to 3. Standard slope (
As θs), the slope (θ2) of the line segment connecting the ribbon guide pin 21 and the print head 2 at the end of ribbon mounting is selected.

Specifically, the slide member 15 is attached to the carrier so that it can be moved in the direction of arrow Y perpendicular to the carrier feeding direction (direction of arrow 3, and ribbon guide pins 21, 21 are attached to the protruding parts 15b, 15b. The length of the elongated hole 16 described above is selected so that the ribbon guide pin 21 does not move in the Y direction more than necessary (that is, so that it also functions as a stopper). Further, the slide member 15 is pushed against the card holder 5 by a biasing means (a plate spring 19 in this embodiment).
is biased in the direction away from the As a result, when the ribbon installation is finished, the ribbon guide pin 21 and the print head 2
The inclination (inclination angle) of the line segment connecting these is θ2.

Next, the operation will be explained. When attaching the ribbon 12 fed out from the ribbon cassette 10, a part of the slide member 15 (for example, the upright portion 15a) is pressed against the platen 1 by hand, thereby resisting the elastic force of the leaf spring 19. The slide member 15 (therefore, the ribbon guide pins 21, 21) is moved from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. Then, the slope (θ1) of the line segment connecting each ribbon guide pin 21 and the tip 2a of the print head 2
becomes smaller than the reference slope (θs), and the path connecting each pin 21 and the tip end 2a becomes substantially a straight line and is simplified. Therefore, the ribbon 12 can be attached to each guide member 21 by hanging it on each guide member 21 without having to pick the portion of the ribbon 12 corresponding to each guide member with hands or tweezers.

According to this embodiment, both ribbon guide members (21, 21) are connected to the ribbon guide member (21, 21).
21, 21) and the print head (2).
Since the ribbon 12 is configured to be movable so that the angle θ1) can be made smaller than the reference slope (θs), the ribbon 12 can be easily attached along a predetermined path without getting one's hands dirty.

In the above embodiment, the ribbon guide member is attached to the ribbon guide pin 2 attached to the slide member 15.
1 and 21, the inclination of the line segment connecting the ribbon guide member and the tip 2a of the print head 2 is the reference inclination (
Any configuration may be used as long as the ribbon 12 can be moved so as to be smaller than θs) and the ribbon 12 can be brought into close contact with the print head 2 when the ribbon 12 is fed out.

Further, although the present invention has been applied to a printer in which the ribbon cassette 10 is fixed to the printer body, it can also be applied to a printer in which the ribbon cassette 10 is mounted on a carrier.

[0017]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, both ribbon guide members are movably provided so that the inclination of the line segment connecting the ribbon guide member and the print head can be made smaller than the reference inclination. Therefore, the ribbon can be easily attached along a predetermined path without getting one's hands dirty.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing essential parts of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing essential parts of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a ribbon guide member and a print head when a ribbon is attached.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the ribbon guide member and the print head at the end of ribbon attachment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Print head 5 Card holder 10 Ribbon cassette 12 Ribbon

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A ribbon fed out from a ribbon cassette is passed through a gap between a print head and a card holder, and is mounted in close contact with the print head by ribbon guide members disposed on both sides of the print head in the ribbon feeding direction. The printer is characterized in that both the ribbon guide members are movably provided so that the inclination of the line segment connecting the ribbon guide member and the print head can be made smaller than a reference inclination. printer.