JPH05461U - Thermal transfer ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] In a reversible type thermal transfer ribbon cassette, the action of tension on the ribbon and the left / right switching of the ribbon can be switched with a simple structure when the cassette is reversed, and the mechanism on the printer side is also restricted. It enables a tension switching structure that is not used. [Structure] A pressing member that gives tension to an ink ribbon can be moved by a constant stroke by running the ribbon, and the pressing member is opposed to a guide pin on the ribbon supply side to apply tension, and the pressing member on the ribbon feeding side. Form so as not to apply tension by shifting it from the guide pin.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

  The present invention relates to a reversible thermal transfer ribbon cassette, which is turned upside down.

[0002]

[Prior art]

  In recent years, as a cassette that uses a thermal transfer ribbon, it has been transferred to the conventional one-time type. A reversible type that can return to the home has been developed. This reversible For the mold, when the cassette is turned upside down, the winding side and supply side of the ribbon spool are swapped, It is a structure in which the traveling direction of the bon is reversed. Therefore, in this structure, the supply side A tension spring that gives tension to the bon is installed near both spools, and the cassette is inverted. Tension is always applied only to the ribbon on the feeding side when the ribbon flow is reversed. It was necessary to switch the action and release of the two tension springs.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

  However, the action of this tension spring and the switching of the release can be switched to a small one for a word processor or the like. The thermal transfer cassette has a drawback that the mechanism becomes complicated and the cost becomes high. Also , A mechanism that switches the action and release of the tension spring in association with the mechanism on the printer side However, these can not be installed if the printer model is different, and the audio cassette It had the disadvantage of not being compatible.

[0004]   The present invention eliminates these drawbacks, namely, reversible type heat. In the transfer ribbon cassette, the tension on the ribbon is The mechanism on the printer side enables a simple structure to switch the action and release of the Aiming at a thermal transfer ribbon cassette that can be switched left and right without being restricted It

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

  In order to solve the above problems, the present inventor has installed a thermal transfer ribbon cassette in the cassette body. One spool and the other spool are provided on both sides of the A guide pin and a pressing member are mounted on the It is possible to move the ink ribbon along with the ink ribbon, The pressing member faces the guide pin and applies tension to the guide pin. It is configured to move to the position where the tension is released without facing.

[0006]   In the present invention, a locking portion is provided on the other end of the pressing member, and the locking portion is attached to the cassette book. Insert it between the stoppers provided on the body to allow movement between the strokes and push. The pressure member is composed of a sliding part, an elastic part and an operating part, and the elastic part is elastically attached to the side piece of the cassette body. The ink ribbon to press the sliding part against the ink ribbon. If it is formed from a sliding part that comes into contact with the slider and a leaf spring part with one end attached to the sliding part, The above object can be achieved more suitably.

[0007]

[Action]

  In the thermal transfer ribbon cassette of the present invention, the ink ribbon supplied from the spool is shown in FIG. When moving upward as shown in Fig. 3, the pressing member faces the guide pin as shown in Fig. 3. From the unworn position to the facing position as shown in Fig. 2 as the ribbon travels. It is raised and stopped at that position with a stopper. Ink ribbon on the supply side in this state Is pressed and tensioned while sliding with the pressing member and the guide pin. Next Then, if the cassette is inverted and the flow of the ribbon is set to the opposite downward direction as shown in FIG. Is reversed and the pressing member moves to a position where it does not face the guide pin, and is retracted. The tension on the side ink ribbon is released.

[0008]   Thus, from one spool (right side in FIG. 1) to the other spool (left side in FIG. 1) ), The tension is only applied near one spool on the ribbon supply side. And tension is not applied near the other spool on the ribbon take-in side. Yes. If the cassette is inverted and the ribbon movement direction is reversed, the other spool Tension is applied on one side, and tension is not applied on one spool side. like this Then, when the cassette is inverted, the tension applied to the ribbon automatically switches between left and right. be able to.

[0009]

【Example】

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 embodiment of the cassette body Reference numeral 1 denotes a bottom piece in which one spool 2 and the other spool 3 are rotatably supported, and an upper end portion thereof is provided. Further, two openings 5 for inserting the thermal head 4 are provided symmetrically. Two ends The ink ribbon 6 for thermal transfer fixed and wound on the spools 2 and 3 of The unwound portion can be hung over the two openings 5 and printed with the thermal head 4. I am doing it.

[0010]   Further, on both left and right end portions of the cassette body 1, between the spools 2 and 3 and the opening portion 5, The guide pin 7 and the pressing member 8 which are erected from the bottom piece are provided at the location, and the pressing member 8 is A sliding part 9 made of, for example, an elastic part 10 fixed to the back surface of the sliding part 9 and an elastic part It consists of an operating part 11 with one end attached to the part 10, and locking parts 12 on both sides of the other end of the operating part 11. Is projected. The locking portion 12 is between the two stoppers 13 and 14 provided on the cassette body 1. And push the pressing member 8 vertically by the stroke between the two stoppers 13 and 14. It is possible. When the locking portion 12 comes into contact with the upper stopper-13, the pressing member 8 The central part of the sliding part 9 is located right next to the guide pin 7, and the elastic part 10 is the cassette body 1. The sliding portion 9 is pressed against the guide pin 7 by resiliently pushing the side piece of the When the stopper 12 comes into contact with the stopper 14 below, the sliding portion 9 is below the guide pin 7. It is formed so that it will not come into contact with.

[0011]   When printing is performed with this ribbon cassette, the drive shaft (not shown) of the printer is Since the spool 3 is rotated, the ink ribbon 6 is fed from one of the spools 2. Is printed on the recording paper (not shown) by the thermal head 4 at the opening 5, while It is wound up on spool 3 of. Here, the pressing member 8 on the one spool 2 side is It moves upward together with the key ribbon 6, and the locking portion 12 hits the stopper 13 and moves to the position shown in FIG. And the elastic part 10 springs toward the side piece of the cassette body 1 and the sliding part 9 is running. Press the ribbon 6 to apply tension.

[0012]   However, the pressing member 8 on the side of the other spool 3 moves downward together with the ink ribbon 6. It moves, the locking part 12 hits the stopper-14, and it is shown in FIG. 3 (right and left are reversed). Is reached and the tension is released. Therefore, the supply side of the ink ribbon 6 Is in a good condition with no tension on the retraction side. Become.

[0013]   Further, when the cassette body 1 is reversed and the flow of the ink ribbon 6 is reversed, Since one spool 2 is on the retracting side, the ink ribbon 6 is in the state shown in FIG. The tension is released, but the other spool 3 is on the supply side, so the ink ribbon 6 Becomes the state of FIG. 2 and tension is applied, and the same action is performed.

[0014]   4 and 5, the pressing member 8 has a dogleg-shaped leaf spring portion 15 and a felt material. And a sliding portion 9 made of, for example, and fixing the sliding portion 9 to one end of the leaf spring portion 15 Inserted between stoppers 13 and 14 by pressing ribbon 6 and providing locking portion 12 at the other end Is.

[0015]   The embodiment of FIG. 6 is similar to the previous embodiment except that the leaf spring portion 9 has a flat plate shape instead of a dogleg shape. , The side piece is provided with the convex portion 16, and the leaf spring portion 15 is elastically caused by the convex portion 16. It was made to let.

[0016]

[Effect of device]

  In this invention, the pressing member that applies tension to the ribbon is fixed by running the ribbon. It is possible to move with a stroke of the ribbon. And apply tension to the ribbon, and push the pressing member I try not to apply tension by sliding it off. This flips the cassette Since the ribbon flow will always be in that state even if it is reversed, the present invention With the reversal, the action of tension and the left and right switching of the release can be automatically switched. It was Therefore, the mechanism of the ribbon cassette is simple and the cost is low. , Various advantages such as compatibility without being restricted by the mechanism on the printer side There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a lid of an embodiment of the present invention is removed.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a tension mechanism of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the same embodiment when ribbon traveling is in the opposite direction.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing a tension mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the same embodiment when the ribbon running is in the opposite direction.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view showing a tension mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 cassette body 2 One spool 3 The other spool 4 thermal head 5 openings 6 Ink ribbon 7 Guide pin 8 Pressing member 9 Sliding part 10 Elastic part 11 Actuator 12 Locking part 13 Stopper 14 Stopper 15 Leaf spring part 16 convex

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A cassette body (1) is provided with one spool (2) and the other spool (3) on both sides thereof, and both spools (2), (3) and an opening (5). Guide pin in between (7)
And the pressing member (8) are provided to sandwich the ink ribbon (6), and the pressing member (8) can be moved together with the ink ribbon (6) in the flow direction of the ink ribbon (6), and the running of the ink ribbon (6). Thus, the thermal transfer ribbon cassette in which the pressing member (8) is moved to a position where tension is provided facing the guide pin (7) and a position where tension is released without facing the guide pin (7). 2. A stopper (12) is provided at the other end of the pressing member (8), and the stopper (12) is provided on the cassette body (1) to form two stoppers (13), (14). The thermal transfer ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer ribbon cassette is inserted between the thermal transfer ribbon cassette and the thermal transfer ribbon cassette. 3. The pressing member (8) comprises a sliding part (9), an elastic part (10) and an actuating part (11), and the elastic part (10) is repelled by a side piece of the cassette body (1). 3. The thermal transfer ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion (9) is pressed against the ink ribbon (6). 4. The pressing member (8) comprises a sliding part (9) which comes into contact with the ink ribbon (6) and a leaf spring part (15) having one end attached to the sliding part (9). The thermal transfer ribbon cassette according to claim 1 or 2, which is characterized in that.