JPH04292980A - Ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a ribbon cassette used in a dot printer such as a serial dot impact printer constituted so as to be capable of rotating a ribbon manual feed knob in a rotary direction desired by an operator. CONSTITUTION:In a ribbon cassette for a printer equipped with a received ribbon manual feed knob 16 in a freely detachable manner, there are places to which the knob 16 are attached and the rotary directions for feeding a ribbon of the knob 16 selectively attached to two places are made mutually opposite. One of the places where the knob 16 is attached is set to a feed roller 13 for feeding a received ribbon and the other one of them is set to the pinch roller 14 brought into contact with the feed roller 13 through the ribbon 12.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette used in a dot printer such as a serial dot impact printer.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of a conventional ribbon cassette 1 used in this type of printer, in which 2 is a ribbon impregnated with ink, 3 is a feed roller, and 4 is a pinch roller. It's Laura. The feed roller 3 is supported by a case 5 together with a pinch roller 4, and when the ribbon cassette 1 is mounted on a carrier (not shown), it engages with a drive system on the carrier side, and the drive system controls the movement of the carrier during printing. Rotates synchronously.

Furthermore, the pinch roller 4 is urged by a spring (not shown) so as to come into pressure contact with the feed roller 3. The ribbon 2 passes between these rollers 3 and 4, and feed roller 3 rotates as described above.
It is circulated by applying a feeding force. That is, the ribbon 2 that has passed through both the rollers 3 and 4 is folded by the folding part 6, then pulled out from the ribbon feeding part 7, drawn into the case 5 from the ribbon drawing part 8, and circulated. Printing is performed using the exposed portion of the ribbon 2 to the outside.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional ribbon cassette having the above structure, when it is desired to manually feed the ribbon 2 for tension adjustment, etc., the cross-shaped engagement groove 9 formed on the feed roller 3 is used to feed the ribbon 2 manually. The cross-shaped engagement portion at the tip of the knob 10 was engaged as shown in FIG. 5, and the ribbon 2 was fed by rotating the knob 10 in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow.

However, with this method, the operator may accidentally rotate the knob 10 clockwise. This occurs because when rotating an object, there is a direction in which it is easier for each individual to rotate the object. If the knob 10 is rotated clockwise by mistake in this way, a ribbon feed jam may occur, which is a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon cassette that allows an operator to rotate a manual ribbon feeding knob in a desired direction of rotation.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a ribbon cassette which is provided with a removable knob for manually feeding the storage ribbon, and has two locations where the knob is attached. The configuration (first configuration) is characterized in that the rotating directions for feeding the ribbon of the knobs selectively attached to the positions are opposite to each other.

In the ribbon cassette of the first configuration, one of the locations to which the knob is attached is a feed roller for feeding the stored ribbon, and the other location to which the knob is attached is in pressure contact with the feed roller via the ribbon. Configuration characterized by being a pinch roller (second configuration)
shall be.

Furthermore, an arrow indicating the direction of rotation of the knob selectively attached to each roller is added to the outer surface of the case of the ribbon cassette of the second configuration near the feed roller and the pinch roller. Featured configuration (
Third configuration).

0010

[Operation] There are two locations where the knobs are attached, and the rotation directions for feeding the ribbon of the knobs selectively attached to these two locations are opposite to each other, so the operator can attach the knobs to the location where the rotation direction is desired. All you have to do is install it and operate it, making it easy to operate. Note that the feed roller and the pinch roller can be selected as the two locations where the knob is attached (second configuration). Also, in the case of the third configuration,
By looking at the arrows, the operator can definitely select the desired knob attachment location.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the ribbon cassette 11 of this example. In the figure, 12 is a ribbon, 13 is a feed roller, 14 is a pinch roller, and these are the case 15.
It is stored inside. Further, 16 is a knob for manually feeding the ribbon. Feed roller 13 and pinch roller 1
The support structure of No. 4 will be explained below with reference to FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feed roller 13 has a cross-shaped engagement groove 13a at one end into which a cross-shaped engagement portion 16a at the tip of the knob 16 can engage, and is rotatably attached to the case 15. Supported. The other end of the feed roller 13 is integrally provided with a shaft 17 that protrudes outward from the case 15 (corresponding to the downward direction when the ribbon cassette is attached).
When the ribbon cassette 11 is mounted on a carrier (not shown), it engages with the center of the ribbon feed gear 18 of the ribbon feed drive system on the carrier side.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the pinch roller 1
4 has an engagement groove 14a similar to the engagement groove 13a at one end, and is rotatably supported by the roller holder 19. The roller holder 19 is swingably supported by the case 15 and biased in the direction of the arrow by a spring 20, and this biasing force causes the pinch roller 14 to press against the feed roller 13 via the ribbon 12. Feed roller 13
The ribbon feeding by the pinch roller 14 is performed in the same manner as in the conventional case.

The knob 16 can be selectively attached to one end of the feed roller 13 or one end of the pinch roller 14 for operation, as shown by solid lines and dotted lines in FIG. The procedure for attaching the knob 16 in these cases is as shown in FIG.
This is done by selectively engaging either the engagement groove 13a or the engagement groove 14a.

As described above, there are two places where the knob 16 is attached, one end of the feed roller 13 and one end of the pinch roller 14, and the direction of rotation of the knob 16 selectively attached to the two places for feeding the ribbon is determined. Since these are opposite to each other, the operator only has to attach the knob to the desired rotation direction and operate it, making the operation easier. Specifically, if you want to rotate the knob 16 clockwise, you can select the pinch roller 14, and if you want to rotate it counterclockwise, you can select the feed roller 13.

Furthermore, if arrows 21 and 22 are provided near the feed roller 13 and pinch roller 14 on the outer surface of the case 15 as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to select the location where the knob 16 is to be attached without making a mistake. Can be done. arrow 21,
22 can be formed at the same time when the case 15 is molded.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, two
Since the knob can be attached to a location in the direction of rotation desired by the operator, operation becomes easier. Further, if arrows indicating the direction of rotation of the knob are provided on the outer surface of the case near the two locations, it becomes possible to select the location for attaching the knob without making a mistake.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a ribbon cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of how to attach the knob according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of a conventional ribbon cassette.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional ribbon cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Ribbon cassette 12 Ribbon 13 Feed roller 14 Pinch roller 15 Case 16 Knob 21, 22 Arrow

Claims (3)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Knob for manual feeding of storage ribbon (16
) in a ribbon cassette for printers that is removably equipped, there are two locations where the knob (16) is attached;
A ribbon cassette characterized in that the rotating directions for feeding the ribbon of the knobs (16) selectively attached to the two locations are opposite to each other. 2. One part to which the knob (16) is attached is a feed roller (13) for feeding the stored ribbon, and the other part to which the knob (16) is attached is a feed roller (13) for feeding the ribbon (12) to the feed roller (13). 2. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, characterized in that the ribbon cassette is a pinch roller (14) that presses against the ribbon cassette via a roller. 3. On the outer surface of the case (15) of the ribbon cassette according to claim 2, in the vicinity of the feed roller (13) and the pinch roller (14), each roller (13, 14) is provided.
A ribbon cassette characterized in that an arrow indicating the rotation direction of a knob (16) selectively attached to the ribbon cassette is added.