JPH05177893A - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the adhesion of dust on an ink ribbon film surface and prevent the deterioration of an ink performance by a method wherein open parts, at which a thermal head and a transfer surface come into contact with an ink ribbon, are provided on the top and bottom surfaces of a cassette, the ink ribbon is covered with the casstte other than the open parts, and shutters opening/closing when the cassette is loaded on a thermal transfer printer are provided on the open parts. CONSTITUTION:A shutter 6 is made of a thin plate having a triangle cutout 8. The shutter 6 and a shutter 7 are connected to shutter belts 9 at the both ends thereof so as to be integrally operated, and mounted on a cassette so as to pass a passing groove between the inner wall of the cassette and an ink ribbon. The shutter 6 is provided with springs 10 and 11 on the ends thereof to always close two open parts D and E. When the ink ribbon cassette is inserted, an opening/closing rod 13 is inserted to an open/close hole 12 to operate the shutter 6 at the cutout part 8. Simultaneously, the other shutter 7 is also pressed open through the belt 9. After the insertion of the opening/closing rod 13, both the open parts are opened, and both a thermal head and a transfer surface can come into contact with an ink ribbon film.

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 for use in a thermal transfer printing apparatus, which obtains a printed image by selectively transferring the ink of an ink ribbon to a surface to be transferred by a heat generating means such as a thermal head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of an ink ribbon cassette conventionally used in a thermal transfer printing apparatus will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The ink ribbon film 3 is wound around the supply roll 1, and the ink ribbon film 3 after printing is wound around the ink ribbon winding roll 2.

The ink ribbon film 3, the supply roll 1 and the winding roll 2 are housed in an ink ribbon cassette constituting exterior A constituted by an ink ribbon cassette upper constituent portion 4 and an ink ribbon cassette lower constituent portion 5. The ink ribbon cassette upper part 4 has an opening B for contacting the ink ribbon with the transfer surface, and the ink ribbon cassette lower part 5 has an opening C for contacting the ink ribbon and the thermal head. Then, the ink ribbon is mounted on the thermal transfer printing apparatus in a state where both sides of the ink ribbon are exposed from the exterior of the ink ribbon cassette.

[0004]

However, in the conventional ink ribbon cassette, since the ink ribbon film surface is always exposed in a normal state, dirt such as dust or oil on fingers is attached to the exposed ink ribbon film surface. However, there is a problem that normal printing may be hindered, and the ink quality may deteriorate if the ink ribbon film surface is exposed to the outside air even from the viewpoint of ink performance retention. It was

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to obtain an ink ribbon cassette in which the above-mentioned dirt does not adhere to the surface of the ink ribbon film and the deterioration of the ink performance is prevented, in order to solve the conventional problems as described above. is there.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an ink ribbon cassette in which the ink ribbon is left in the upper and lower surfaces of the cassette while leaving an opening for contact between the thermal head and the transfer surface. Further, a shutter that opens and closes when mounted in the thermal transfer printing apparatus is attached to the above-mentioned opening to prevent adhesion of dirt on the surface of the ink ribbon film and prevent deterioration of ink performance.

[0007]

In the ink ribbon cassette configured as described above, when the ink ribbon cassette is inserted into the printing apparatus, the shutter is opened and closed by using the shutter opening / closing bar provided so as to match the notch provided in the shutter of the ink ribbon cassette. The shutter opening / closing arm provided with a projection that selectively engages with an engagement hole provided in the shutter of the ink ribbon cassette is pressed by the ink ribbon cassette to operate, and the opening is opened, It is possible to contact the ink ribbon with the thermal head and the transfer surface.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of an ink ribbon cassette provided with a shutter according to the present invention. The ink ribbon film 3 is wound around the supply roll 1, and the ink ribbon film 3 after printing is wound around the ink ribbon winding roll 2.

The ink ribbon film 3, the supply roll 1 and the winding roll 2 are housed in an ink ribbon cassette constituting exterior A constituted by an ink ribbon cassette upper constituent portion 4 and an ink ribbon cassette lower constituent portion 5. The ink ribbon cassette structure exterior A has a structure that covers the ink ribbon except for the openings D and E.

FIG. 1 shows shutters 6 and 7 having a size capable of closing the openings D and E inside the exterior A of the ink ribbon cassette. In addition to the above parts, the shutter 6 is made of a thin plate having a triangular notch 8, and both ends are connected by a shutter belt 9 to be integrated. The shutter is attached to the cassette shown in FIG. 1 so as to pass through a passage groove provided between the inner wall of the cassette portion shown in FIG. 1 and the ink ribbon portion. Then, at the end of the shutter 6, a spring 10 and
11 is attached and the two openings D and E are always closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the facing direction side of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, a shutter opening / closing hole 12 is provided on the side surface in the cassette insertion direction near the cut start portion when the shutter is closed. FIG. 3 shows the internal state of the thermal transfer printing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3, a shutter opening / closing bar 13 which can be inserted into the opening / closing hole 12 is provided inside the thermal transfer printing apparatus.

4 to 6 are schematic views showing a state in which the ink ribbon cassette of the present invention is inserted into the thermal transfer printing apparatus. FIG. 4 shows the shutter opening / closing bar 13 before being inserted. FIG. 5 shows the shutter opening / closing bar 13 being inserted. As shown in FIG. 5, when the ink ribbon cassette is inserted, the opening / closing bar 13 is inserted into the opening / closing hole 12 and the shutter 6 is operated by the cut portion 8, and at the same time, the other shutter 7 is also opened by the shutter belt 9.

FIG. 6 shows the shutter opening / closing bar 13 after insertion. Both openings are opened as shown in FIG. 6 so that the thermal head and the transferred surface can come into contact with the ink ribbon film. (Embodiment 2) FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention and is a perspective view showing the structure of an ink ribbon cassette having shutters 14 and 15. Shutters 14 and 15 above
Is just large enough to close the openings F and G. The shutter 14 made of a thin plate as shown in FIG.
15 is attached to the shutter passage groove 16 inside the cassette, and springs 17 to 20 are attached to the end portion of the passage groove 16 and the ends of the shutters 14 and 15 so that the two openings F and G are always closed. To do.

FIG. 8 shows shutters 14 and 15 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the engaging hole 21 is formed on the side surface of the shutter portion.
To provide. FIG. 9 shows a side surface of the ink ribbon cassette. A slide guide groove 22 is provided so that the engaging hole 21 appears on the side surface of the cassette. 10 and 11 show the inside of the thermal transfer printing apparatus in two directions. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a shutter opening / closing arm 23 having a projection that selectively engages with the engaging hole 21 is provided inside the thermal transfer printer, and an opening / closing arm tension spring 24 is attached to the opening / closing arm.

12 to 14 are schematic views showing a state in which the ink ribbon cassette of the present invention is inserted into the thermal transfer printing apparatus. FIG. 12 shows the state before inserting the cassette. FIG. 13 shows the cassette being inserted. The upper and lower shutter opening / closing arms 23 are pressed by the opening / closing arm tension springs 24 against the ink ribbon cassette as shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 shows the state after the above cassette is inserted. The openings F and G are opened as shown in FIG. 14 so that the ink ribbon film can contact the thermal head and the transfer surface.

[0017]

As described above, the present invention is provided with the shutter which opens and closes when it is mounted on the thermal transfer printing apparatus, so that the ink ribbon film is hermetically sealed so that it does not come into contact with the outside air during storage. This is effective in preventing dirt from adhering to the film surface and preventing deterioration of ink performance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an ink ribbon cassette according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the outer appearance of the ink ribbon cassette on the side opposite to FIG. 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the inside of the thermal transfer device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the shutter of the ink ribbon cassette according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is operating and before the shutter opening / closing bar is inserted.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the shutter of the ink ribbon cassette according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is operating and the shutter opening / closing bar is being inserted.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the shutter of the ink ribbon cassette according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is operating, after the shutter opening / closing bar is inserted.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an ink ribbon cassette according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a shutter portion inside an ink ribbon cassette according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a side surface of an ink ribbon cassette according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a main part according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part according to a second embodiment of the present invention from a position where an angle is changed.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram before inserting a shutter arm according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram during insertion of the shutter arm according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram after the shutter arm is inserted in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an external view of a conventional ink ribbon cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Supply Roll 2 Winding Roll 3 Ink Ribbon Film 4 Upper Component 5 Lower Component 6, 7 Shutters 14, 15 Shutter 8 Triangular Notch 9 Shutter Belt 10, 11 Spring 17, 18, 19, 20 Spring 12 Shutter Opening / Closing Hole 13 Shutter opening / closing bar 16 Shutter passage groove 21 Engagement hole 22 Slide guide groove 23 Shutter opening / closing arm 24 Opening / closing arm tension spring A Ink ribbon cassette configuration exterior B, C Conventional example opening D, E Example 1 opening F, G Opening for Example 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ink ribbon is stored inside a cassette,
In an ink ribbon cassette used in a thermal transfer printing apparatus, in which an opening for contacting an ink ribbon with a thermal head and a transfer surface is formed on the upper surface and the lower surface, the opening of the upper surface and the lower surface is opened and closed when the thermal transfer printing apparatus is mounted. An ink ribbon cassette featuring a shutter.