JPH04357073A - Ribbon cartridge of color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure that no contamination between different chromatic areas occurs by providing a ribbon feed member and a ribbon brake spring and further, providing slits at points corresponding to the chromatic areas on the multicolor ink ribbon pressing part of the ribbon brake spring. CONSTITUTION:A multicolor ink ribbon 8 consisting of chromatic areas is provided in an ink ribbon moving direction. In addition, ribbon feed members 20, 21 which wind the multicolor ink ribbon 8 installed near an introduction aperture of a ribbon cartridge 9 and a ribbon brake spring 22 which is installed near a discharge aperture of the ribbon cartridge 9 and presses the surface of the multicolor ink ribbon 8 to make the ribbon 8 tensely stretched, are provided. Further, slits are provided at points corresponding to the border parts of various colors on the multicolor ribbon 8 pressing part of the ribbon brake spring 22. Subsequently, the ribbon brake spring 22 does not come into contact with the border parts of the color areas of the multicolor ink ribbon 8, neither scratches the border parts. Thus no color contamination between the color areas occur.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the structure of a ribbon cartridge for a color printer using multicolor ink ribbons.

0002

[Prior Art] In a ribbon cartridge storing an ink ribbon, when pulling out the ink ribbon from the ribbon cartridge body storing the ink ribbon to the printing section,
It is necessary to apply tension to the ink ribbon so that it does not sag near the printing area. The method is to place the ribbon near the outlet of the ribbon cartridge body.
It is common to apply a frictional load to the ink ribbon to apply tension to the ink ribbon between it and an ink ribbon winding member provided near the entrance of the ribbon cartridge body. (See Figure 2)

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the brake member provided to apply a frictional load to the ink ribbon is
In a ribbon cartridge for a color printer, in which multiple color bands are provided parallel to the running direction of the ink ribbon in order to brake the ink ribbon by applying a certain pressure to the surface of the ink ribbon, different color bands are used. The adjacent portion also slides in contact with the brake member, causing ink to transfer to other color bands via the brake member, resulting in color mixing, which is a major problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon cartridge that does not cause color mixing between different color bands of the color ribbon cartridge and is equipped with a brake member that has a simple structure.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A ribbon cartridge for a color printer according to the present invention stores a multicolor ink ribbon in which a plurality of color bands are provided in the running direction of the ink ribbon. The ribbon brake spring is provided with a ribbon feeding member that winds up the multicolor ink ribbon, and a ribbon brake spring that is provided near the outlet of the ribbon cartridge and applies tension to the multicolor ink ribbon by pressing the surface of the multicolor ink ribbon. The ink ribbon is characterized in that a slit is provided at a location corresponding to the boundary between the color bands in the pressing portion of the multicolor ink ribbon.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the general structure of a serial printer embodying the present invention. The carriage 1 moves horizontally in parallel along a guide shaft 5 arranged between a side frame (L) 2 and a side frame (R) 3 in parallel with a platen 4. Carriage 1 has print head 6
A ribbon mask 7 is installed on the carriage 1 between the print head 6 and the platen 4 to prevent the paper from getting dirty.
is equipped with. A color ink ribbon 8 inserted between the print head 6 and the ribbon mask 7 is housed in a ribbon cartridge 9. The carriage 1 is driven by a CR motor 11, which is a pulse motor, via a timing belt 10 inserted into the bottom surface. Furthermore, platen 4
is driven by a paper feed motor 12 fixed to the side frame (R) 3.

FIG. 2 shows a ribbon winding mechanism. Timing belt 1 latched to carriage 1
0 is attached to a belt driven pulley 13, and the belt driven pulley 13 is engaged with a planetary gear 15 via a planetary lever 14. The planetary lever 14 selectively swings, and the first
It engages with the planetary transmission gear A16 at a specific position, and the second
It engages with the planetary transmission gear B17 at a specific position. The planetary transmission gear B17 is always engaged with the planetary transmission gear C18, and the planetary transmission gear C18 is always engaged with the ribbon drive gear 19 together with the planetary transmission gear A16.

The color ink ribbon 8 is stored in an endless manner inside a ribbon cartridge 9, and is moved between the ribbon feed roller 20 and the ribbon presser by driving a ribbon drive gear 19 inserted through the ribbon feed roller 20. The color ink ribbon 8 held between rollers 21 (ribbon feeding members) is wound up. In order to prevent the color ink ribbon 8 from sagging at this time, a ribbon brake spring 22 is attached to the outlet of the ribbon cartridge 9.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the ribbon brake spring 2. As shown in FIG. The ribbon brake spring 22 is provided with slits 22-a, 22-b, and 22-c at three locations. The slits 22-a, 22-b, and 22-c are located at positions corresponding to the boundaries of each color band of the color ink ribbon, black 8-a, magenta 8-b, cyan 8-c, and yellow 8-d. This prevents the ink from penetrating into the boundary between each color band of the color ink ribbon 8 due to the pressure of the ribbon brake spring 22, thereby suppressing the occurrence of color mixing.

FIG. 4 shows a ribbon shift mechanism. The ribbon cartridge 9 is mounted so as to be supported by a cartridge holder (L) 23l and a cartridge holder (R) 23r at both ends thereof. The shift cam 24 is driven by a ribbon shift motor 25, and a shift arm 26 is in sliding contact with the cam groove 14-a of the shift cam 24, and as the shift cam 24 rotates, it swings about the shift arm shaft 27 as a fulcrum. move. shift arm 2
6 is further fixed integrally with a shift adjustment arm 28 for adjusting the initial height of the ribbon cartridge 9, and the shift adjustment arm 28 is engaged with a slide shaft 29 at its tip 28-a. . The slide shaft 29 is
It is fixed to the cartridge holder 23 at its upper end 29-a, and is held so as to be slidable in the vertical direction along a guide hole of a slide shaft guide 30 provided on the side frame (L) 2. . Further, the spring hook portion 30- of the cartridge holder 23 and the slide shaft guide 30 is
A coil spring 31 is attached between the cartridge holder 23 and the cartridge holder 23, and urges the cartridge holder 23 vertically downward.

0012

Effects of the Invention The ribbon brake spring of the ribbon cartridge according to the present invention is provided with a slit at a location corresponding to the boundary between the color bands of the ribbon at the pressing portion of the multicolor ink ribbon. Since the boundary between the color bands is not touched, and the same area is not rubbed or pressurized, no color mixture occurs between the color bands.

Further, color mixing can be prevented simply by using a ribbon brake spring provided with a slit, which also contributes to simplifying the structure of the ribbon cartridge.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serial printer employing a ribbon cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing main parts of a ribbon cartridge and a ribbon winding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a ribbon brake spring section according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a ribbon shift mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

8 Color ink ribbon 9
Ribbon cartridge 20
Ribbon feed roller 21
Ribbon presser roller 22
Ribbon brake spring 22-a
,b,c slit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a ribbon cartridge storing a multicolor ink ribbon having a plurality of color bands in the running direction of the ink ribbon, the ribbon feeding member is provided near an entrance of the ribbon cartridge and winds up the multicolor ink ribbon. and a ribbon brake spring provided near the outlet of the ribbon cartridge to press the surface of the multicolor ink ribbon and apply tension to the multicolor ink ribbon, and the ribbon brake spring includes a A ribbon cartridge for a color printer, characterized in that a slit is provided at a location corresponding to a boundary between the color bands in the pressing portion.