JPH05318866A - Ink ribbon cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent malfunction and trouble from occurring by a method wherein a stopper, one end of which is connected with the outer surface of a case, and the other end of which engages in a connecting recessed part with the engaging projected bead formed on the inner surface of the opening of the connecting recessed part opened outwards at one end of an ink ribbon winding spool built in the case so as to face to the outside of the case, is provided. CONSTITUTION:One end part of a spool 11' projects beyond the opening 3'a of a case 2 so as to form a driven part and, at the same time, a connecting recessed part 14' on the inner surface of the spool. On the inner peripheral surface of the connecting recessed part 14', axially extending engaging projected beads 15 are formed at fixed intervals in peripheral direction. Further, the rear piece 9'b, which is set shorter, of a nearly U-shaped stopper 9' is integrally fitted to a recessed part 10' formed on the case 2. On the other hand, the front piece 9'a of the stopper 9' is set longer and forms a locking piece 9'c at its tip. The locking piece 9'c enters the connectingly recessed part 14 so as to engage with the engaging projected bead 15 in order to lock the spool 11'. At usage, by breaking the stopper 9' off, locking is released.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel ink ribbon cartridge. More specifically, the present invention relates to an ink ribbon cartridge in which a spool around which an ink ribbon is wound is rotatably housed, and the spool is locked when not in use to prevent the ink ribbon from being accidentally drawn out. On the other hand, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new ink ribbon cartridge in which the device cannot be mounted in a device such as a printer unless the locked state is released to prevent malfunctions and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink ribbon cartridge in which a spool in which an ink ribbon is wound is rotatably accommodated in a case, it is necessary to prevent the spool from unintentionally rotating when not in use. However, the ink ribbon is unnecessarily fed out, and the end of the phrase is that the ink ribbon is torn or crunched and becomes unusable.

[0003] Therefore, conventionally, some measures have been taken to disable the rotation of the spool so that it will not inadvertently rotate when not in use.

FIG. 7 shows a conventional example of such a device.

In FIG. 7, a is an ink ribbon cartridge, b is its case, and both ends of the ink ribbon are fastened to the cylindrical spool accommodating parts c and c'of the case b, and the case is wound. A substantially cylindrical spool d,
Each d'is rotatably housed separately. Then, connecting recesses e, e'to which shafts such as a drive shaft of a device side such as a printer are connected to end portions of the spools d, d'projecting from one end of the spool accommodating portions c, c'of the case b. Are formed.

Reference numeral f denotes a spool stopper, which is a long plate-shaped main portion g made of synthetic resin having eccentric elasticity and locking portions h and h provided at both ends of the main portion g so as to project in the same direction.
′ Is integrally formed. And the locking parts h, h '
Is composed of several plate-like locking pieces i, i, ..., I ′, i ′, ... Arranged radially when the main part g is viewed in the plate thickness direction.

Then, the engaging portions h and h'of the spool stopper f are fitted into the coupling recesses e and e'of the spools d and d'in a light press fit manner.

Then, the coupling recesses e of the spools d and d ',
Since e ′ is formed with engaging protrusions j, j, ..., j ′, j ′, ... For engaging with a shaft such as a drive shaft of the device, the engaging protrusion j, j, ..., j ', j', ...
Are locking pieces i, i, ..., i of the spool stopper f
The rotation of the spools d and d'is prevented by engaging with the ', i' ...

When using, the locking portions h and h'of the spool stopper f may be pulled out from the coupling recesses e and e'of the spools d and d '.

FIG. 8 shows another example of a conventional device for preventing the spool from unintentionally rotating when not in use.

Reference numeral 1 is an elongated stopper seal, and an adhesive material is applied to both ends of one surface of the stopper seal to provide adhesive parts m and m '.
Are formed.

However, when the ink ribbon cartridge a is not used, the adhesive portions m and m'of the stopper seal 1 are attached to the end faces n and n'protruding from the storage portions c and c'of the case b of the spools d and d '. To stick. As a result, the spools d and d'will not rotate inadvertently.

[0013]

However, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG.
Each of these means must be formed as a member separate from the ink ribbon cartridge a, and there is a problem in that the material cost for that is additionally required.

Further, these spool stoppers f and stopper seals 1 become unnecessary after the ink ribbon cartridge a is mounted in a device such as a printer, and are thrown away and become dust.

Further, even if the spool stopper f and the stopper seal l are attached, the ink ribbon cartridge a can be inserted into the apparatus, so that the spool stopper f and the stopper seal l are carelessly attached. If the ink ribbon cartridge a is mounted in the apparatus as it is, there is a problem that it may cause malfunction or failure.

[0016]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention has a first structure.
In the above, one end is formed integrally with the case, one end of which is connected to the outer surface of the case and the other end of which is located in the connection concave portion of the spool and which is engaged with the engaging projection.

The second type of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is such that a shallow recess is formed on the outer surface of the case and one end of the stopper is connected to the case at the inner surface of the recess.

Furthermore, the third type of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is one in which the case is divided into upper and lower parts.

Furthermore, the fourth type of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is such that a part of the stopper protrudes from the outer surface of the case when viewed from the opening side of the coupling recess of the spool.

[0020]

Therefore, in the first ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the member for locking the spool is formed integrally with the case, a separate part for locking the spool is not required. Have advantages.

Also, in the second ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the base end portion of the stopper on the case side is connected to the case by the inner surface of the recess formed on the surface of the case, When breaking off at the base end,
The burr does not protrude from the outer surface of the case, and the burr after breaking off the stopper does not interfere with the mounting of the device such as a printer.

Further, in the third ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the case is formed in two, the spool is arranged in the case and the stopper tip end portion is in the spool connecting concave portion. There is an advantage that it is easy to perform assembly work such as placement on the

Further, in the fourth ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, even if the ink ribbon cartridge is attached to the apparatus without breaking the stopper, the stopper interferes, so the spool is locked. It is possible to prevent the ink ribbon cartridge that has not been released from being accidentally attached to a device such as a printer.

[0024]

The details of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is an ink ribbon cartridge.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a case, and two spool storage portions 3, 3'having one end open and the other end closed and having a substantially cylindrical shape are connected to each other near their ends by connecting portions 4, 4 '. It is integrally formed of synthetic resin in a state of being spaced apart and arranged in parallel.

The case 2 is formed by combining the upper half 5 and the lower half 6 into two halves, that is, the upper half 5 and the lower half 6.

At the front (openings 3a of the spool storage portions 3, 3 ',
The one with 3'a is the front. The same applies when the directions are shown below. ) Side connecting portion 4 has left and right end portions 4a, 4a thereof.
Is bent in a crank shape when viewed from above, and is connected to a side surface near the upper end on the rear side from the front ends of the spool housing portions 3 and 3 '.

Slits 7 and 7'extending in the axial direction are formed on both side walls of the spool housing portions 3 and 3 ', which are opposite to each other, leaving both ends.

On the inner surfaces of the spool accommodating portions 3 and 3 ', ridges 8 and 8'protrude over the entire circumference at positions close to the open end (front end) side.

Numerals 9 and 9'indicate substantially U-shaped stoppers when viewed from above, and the rear piece 9 is opposed to the front pieces 9a and 9'a.
b and 9'b are made slightly shorter, and the front pieces 9a and 9'a
Locking pieces 9c, 9'c are formed at the tip end of the locking piece 9c, 9'c.

Reference numerals 10 and 10 'are shallow recesses formed on the side surfaces of the lower half 6, and are the base ends of the stoppers 9 and 9', that is,
The tips of the rear pieces 9b and 9'b are connected to the inner surfaces of the recesses 10 and 10 '. The stoppers 9 and 9'are formed at positions that do not overlap the connecting portion 4 when viewed from above.

Denoted at 11 and 11 'are spools having a substantially cylindrical shape, and the flange 1 has a protrusion amount not so large at two positions, that is, a position near one end to a certain extent from one end and a position near the other end.
2, 12, ... Are integrally projected.

Then, such spools 11, 11 '
Is rotatably accommodated in the spool accommodating portions 3 and 3'of the case 2, and the flanges 12 and 12 at one end are located inside the ridges 8 and 8'of the spool accommodating portions 3 and 3 '. Thus, the spools 11 and 11 'are prevented from falling off from the case 2.

Portions 13, 13 'from the flanges 12, 12 to one end of the spools 11, 11' are driven parts, and the inner surfaces of the driven parts 13, 13 ', that is,
Engaging projections 15, 15, ... That extend in the axial direction are formed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the connecting recesses 14, 14 ′ at regular intervals in the circumferential direction.

When the ink ribbon cartridge 1 is mounted on a device such as a printer, the drive shaft (not shown) of the device drives the driven parts 13, 13 'of the spools 11, 11'.
Are connected to the connecting recesses 14 and 14 'in a fitting manner.

Reference numeral 16 is an ink ribbon, both ends of which are fastened to the spools 11 and 11 ', and the spool 1 on the supply side is provided.
Most of them are wound around 1. Further, the portion of the ink ribbon 16 located between the spools 11 and 11 'is exposed to the outside through the slits 7 and 7'of the spool housing portions 3 and 3'.

Then, the spools 11 and 11 'are placed in the lower half portions 3b and 3'b of the spool housing portions 3 and 3'formed on the lower half 6. At this time, the stopper 9,
The lock pieces 9c and 9'c of 9'are inserted into the coupling recesses 14 and 14 'of the spools 11 and 11'. The ink ribbon cartridge 1 is then formed by coupling the two halves 5, 6 with the upper half 5 over the spools 14, 14 '. And the stopper 9,
The locking pieces 9c, 9'c of 9'are engaged with the engaging ridges 15, 15, ... while being positioned at the front ends of the coupling recesses 14, 14 'of the spools 11, 11', whereby The spools 11 and 11 'are locked so as not to accidentally rotate.

Further, in this state, the stoppers 9 and 9 ′ are in a state of protruding from the side surfaces of the spool accommodating portions 3 and 3 ′ of the case 2, so that such an ink ribbon cartridge 1 is used in a device such as a printer. Even if it is attempted to be attached, the stopper 9 and 9'cannot be attached to the apparatus because the portions protruding from the side surfaces of the spool housing portions 3 and 3'cannot be attached to the apparatus, and the ink ribbon cartridge 1 in the locked state cannot be attached. It is possible to prevent accidental attachment to the device.

When the ink ribbon cartridge 1 is used, the stoppers 9 and 9'are folded off from the case 2 at their base ends.

In this case, burrs are formed after the stoppers 9 and 9'are broken off, but since the burrs are located on the inner surfaces of the recesses 10 and 10 ', they do not project from the outer surface of the case 2. , It does not get in the way of mounting to the device.

[0042]

As is apparent from the above description, the first ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is
It consists of a spool around which the ink ribbon is wound and a case that rotatably accommodates the spool. One end of the spool is exposed to the outside through an opening formed in the case, and the other end is exposed to the outside of the case of the spool. Is formed with a connecting recess that is open toward one side, an engaging protrusion that extends in the axial direction of the spool is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting recess, and one end is connected to the outer surface of the case and the other end is inside the connecting recess of the spool. It is characterized in that the stopper, which is located at the above position and is engaged with the engaging projection, is formed integrally with the case.

The second ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that a shallow recess is formed on the outer surface of the case, and one end of the stopper is connected to the case at the inner surface of the recess.

Furthermore, the third type of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that the case is divided into upper and lower parts.

Furthermore, the fourth ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that a part of the stopper projects from the outer surface of the case when viewed from the opening side of the coupling recess of the spool.

Therefore, in the first ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the member for locking the spool is formed integrally with the case, a separate component for locking the spool is unnecessary. Have advantages.

Also, in the second ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the base end of the stopper on the case side is connected to the case by the inner surface of the recess formed on the surface of the case, When breaking off at the base end,
The burr does not protrude from the outer surface of the case, and the burr after breaking off the stopper does not interfere with the mounting of the device such as a printer.

Furthermore, in the third ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the case is formed in two, the spool is arranged in the case and the stopper tip end portion is in the spool connecting concave portion. There is an advantage that it is easy to perform assembly work such as placement on the

Furthermore, in the fourth ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, even if the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted on the apparatus without breaking the stopper, the stopper interferes, so the spool is locked. It is possible to prevent the ink ribbon cartridge that has not been released from being accidentally attached to a device such as a printer.

The shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above embodiments are merely examples of the embodiment for carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is limited by these. Should not be construed as.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an embodiment of an ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an enlarged main part.

FIG. 4 is a front view.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a main part showing a state in which a lock is applied with a part cut away.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a main part showing a state where a stopper is broken off and a part is cut away.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional means for locking a spool.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of a conventional means for locking a spool.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink ribbon cartridge 2 Case 3a, 3'a Opening formed in case 9, 9'Stopper 9c, 9'c Other end of stopper 10, 10 'Shallow recess 11, 11' Spool 14, 14 'Connecting recess 15 Collision strip 16 Ink ribbon

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A spool around which an ink ribbon is wound,
A case that rotatably accommodates the spool, one end of the spool is exposed to the outside through an opening formed in the case, and a connection concave portion that is opened outward is formed at one end of the spool that faces the outside of the case. And an engaging protrusion extending in the axial direction of the spool is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting recess, one end of which is connected to the outer surface of the case and the other end of which is located in the connecting recess of the spool and which engages with the engaging protrusion. An ink ribbon cartridge characterized in that a combined stopper is formed integrally with the case. 2. The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a shallow recess is formed on the outer surface of the case, and one end of the stopper is connected to the case at the inner surface of the recess. 3. The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the case is divided into upper and lower parts. 4. When viewed from the opening side of the coupling recess of the spool,
The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein a part of the stopper protrudes from an outer surface of the case.