JPH0612053U - Ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To determine the type of ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette without using multiple types of cassette cases of different shapes. [Structure] Outer than the outermost periphery of the ink ribbon 21 wound around the delivery reel 22 and the take-up reel 23,
In addition, the detection switch 17 arranged on the upper surface of the carriage 5 is fitted to the front wall of the cassette case 20 at a portion that substantially coincides with the vertical bisector of the virtual line connecting the centers of the reels 22 and 23. A plurality of detection holes 30 that can be formed are formed, and any one of the detection holes 30 is closed with a tape or the like according to the type of the ink ribbon 21 stored in the ribbon cassette 19. When mounted on the carriage 5, the detection switch 17 on the carriage 5 corresponding to the closed detection hole 30 is pushed, and a combination of ON / OFF operations of the detection switch 30 causes
A type that can detect the type of the ink ribbon 21 inside the ribbon cassette 19.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette used in a thermal transfer printer, and in particular, it is possible to determine the type of ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette without using a plurality of types of cassette cases having different shapes. Regarding

[0002]

[Prior art]

 FIG. 3 shows a conventional general thermal transfer printer. A platen 2 having a flat plate shape is arranged substantially in the center of a frame 1 of the printer so that its printing surface is substantially vertical. A carriage shaft 3 is disposed below the front side of the platen 2 of the frame 1 in parallel with the platen 2.

A flange-shaped guide portion 4 is formed on the front edge of the frame 1, and a thermal head 6 described later is supported on the carriage shaft 3 and the guide portion 4. A carriage 5 is reciprocally mounted along the carriage shaft 3 and the guide portion 4. A thermal head 6, which is opposed to the platen 2 and can freely move toward and away from the platen 2 by a drive mechanism (not shown), is attached to the tip of the carriage 5. An ink ribbon is housed inside, and a ribbon cassette (not shown) for guiding the ink ribbon between the thermal head 6 and the platen 2 is detachably mounted.

Further, on the upper surface of the carriage 5, a winding bobbin 7 for winding the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette and a delivery bobbin 8 for delivering the ink ribbon are arranged.

Further, a sheet insertion port 9 for feeding a sheet (not shown) to the front side of the platen 2 is formed at the rear of the platen 2, and a predetermined portion is provided at the portion of the sheet insertion port 9. A paper feed roller 10 that conveys the paper at a speed is provided. A pressure contact roller 11 that is pressed against the paper feed roller 10 is rotatably disposed below the paper feed roller 10, and the paper feed roller 10 is transmitted to one side surface of the frame 1. A paper feed motor 13 that is rotationally driven via 12 is provided. Then, by driving the paper feed motor 13 to rotate the paper feed roller 10, the paper inserted between the paper feed roller 10 and the pressure contact roller 11 is pinched from the paper insertion opening 9. It is designed to be transported.

In the above-described conventional thermal transfer printer, a sheet is inserted from the sheet insertion port 9, the sheet is sandwiched between the sheet feeding roller 10 and the pressure contact roller 11, and the sheet feeding motor 13 causes the sheet feeding roller to move. By rotating 10 the sheet, the sheet is conveyed at a predetermined speed in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 5. On the other hand, while the thermal head 6 is pressed against the paper with a predetermined pressing force, the carriage 5 is moved and the winding bobbin 7 is rotated to wind the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette, By driving the thermal head 6 based on a desired print signal, desired printing can be performed on the paper.

In such a conventional thermal transfer printer, there are many types of ink ribbons stored in the ribbon cassette, such as an ink ribbon for hot peeling or an ink ribbon for cold peeling, a single color ink ribbon or a full color ink ribbon. However, conventionally, the shape of the cassette case of the ribbon cassette is changed according to the type of ink ribbon, and the change in shape causes the detection switch (not shown) mounted on the carriage to turn ON / OFF. It was designed to identify the type of ribbon.

Then, for example, in the case of an ink ribbon for cold peeling, by operating a peeling roller, the peeling distance of the ink ribbon is formed to be controlled so as to perform cold peeling, or a full color ink is used. In the case of a ribbon, desired printing control is performed according to the type of ink ribbon, such as control to perform color sensing.

[0009]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the ribbon cassette applied to the conventional thermal transfer printer described above, the type of the ink ribbon is identified by changing the shape of the cassette case. It is necessary to prepare a plurality of types of cassette cases, which leads to an increase in the number of parts of the ribbon cassette, resulting in an increase in component cost and an increase in manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is a thermal transfer printer capable of discriminating the type of an ink ribbon stored in a ribbon cassette without using a plurality of types of cassette cases having different shapes. The purpose is to provide a ribbon cassette that can be used.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a ribbon cassette according to the present invention is wound inside a cassette case which is detachably mounted on the upper surface of a carriage and whose ends are held by a reel and a winding reel. In the ribbon cassette containing the ink ribbons, the outer circumference of the ink ribbon wound on each of the reels is outside, and a vertical bisector of a virtual line segment connecting the centers of the two reels is formed. It is characterized in that a plurality of detection portions which can be fitted to the detection switches arranged on the upper surface of the carriage are formed on the front wall of the cassette case at substantially the same position.

[0012]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, any one of a plurality of detection units formed on the outer wall of the ink ribbon on the outer wall of the cassette case is provided with one of the types of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette. When the ribbon cassette is mounted on the carriage, the detection switch on the carriage corresponding to the closed detection unit is pushed by closing it with tape etc. in accordance with the above. The type of ink ribbon inside the ribbon cassette can be detected by a combination of ON and OFF operations.

Therefore, desired print control can be performed according to the type of ink ribbon without changing the shape of the cassette case of the ribbon cassette. Moreover, since each of the above-mentioned detection units is arranged at a position substantially coincident with the vertical bisector of the virtual line segment connecting the centers of the sending reel and the take-up reel, the cassette case can be downsized. Not only that, since the front wall of the cassette case extends around the outer circumference of each detection portion, the detection portion can be stably blocked with tape or the like.

[0014]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a ribbon cassette according to the present invention and a carriage of a thermal transfer printer to which the ribbon cassette is mounted, which are shown by arrows in FIG. 1 along a platen not shown. A thermal head 6 is attached to the carriage 5 so that it can move in and out of the platen, and the thermal head 6 is attached to and detached from the platen. Are formed so that the support shaft 14 which is the center of the contact and separation operation of the thermal head 6 projects.

A take-up bobbin 7 and a delivery bobbin 8 are rotatably driven on the upper surface of the carriage 5, and a second take-up bobbin 15 and a second bobbin 15 are provided on the upper surface of the carriage 5. A delivery bobbin 16 is rotatably driven. Further, at the center position of the carriage 5 in the traveling direction, on the upper surface of the carriage 5 which is a side edge on the side opposite to the thermal head 6, three carriages are arranged at intervals in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the carriage 5. The detection switches 17, 17 ... Are arranged so as to project upward. Furthermore, a photo sensor 18 for detecting the end of the ink ribbon to be used and the color marker of the color ink ribbon is arranged near the support shaft 14 on the upper surface of the carriage 5. .

An ink ribbon 21 is wound around the inside of a cassette case 20 of a ribbon cassette 19 mounted on the carriage 5, and is delivered to the delivery bobbin 8 and the take-up bobbin 7 of the carriage 5, respectively. The reel 22 and the take-up reel 23 are respectively housed therein, and the inner side portions of the ribbon cassette 19 are engaged with the second delivery bobbin 16 and the second take-up bobbin 15 of the carriage 5, respectively. A pair of guide rollers 24, 24 for guiding the ribbon 21 are provided. In addition, a concave portion 25 into which the thermal head 6 is inserted while being mounted on the carriage 5 is formed in a central portion on one side of the cassette case 20, and both sides of the concave portion 25 of the cassette case 20 are symmetrical. Notches 26, 26 into which the support shaft 14 is inserted are formed at the positions, respectively.

In the cassette case 20, a plurality of parts are respectively provided at the intermediate portion between the delivery reel 22, the take-up reel 23 and each guide roller 24, the concave portion 25, and the tip portion of each notch portion 26. Guide members 27a, 27b, 28a, 28b, 29a, 29b are provided.

Further, it is located outside the outermost circumference of the ink ribbon 21 wound around the delivery reel 22 and the take-up reel 23, which are shown by imaginary circles in FIG. 2, and at the center of the both reels 22, 23. An example of a detection unit is provided on the front wall of the cassette case 20 at a portion that substantially coincides with the vertical bisector of the virtual line segment that connects the two. Are provided so as to correspond to the detection switch 17 of the carriage 5 described above. When the ink ribbon 21 is a so-called multi-time ribbon that can be used a plurality of times, the detection holes 30 are formed in the front wall of both surfaces of the cassette case 20, respectively.

Each of the detection holes 30 is closed by a seal 31 or the like attached to the surface of the cassette case 20 according to the type of the ink ribbon 21, and the detection holes 30 are closed. A seal or the like is provided so that the type of the ink ribbon 21 can be detected by pressing the detection switch 17 mounted on the carriage 5.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.

In this embodiment, by mounting the ribbon cassette 19 on the carriage 5, the detection switch 17 corresponding to the closed detection hole 30 among the detection holes 30 is pressed, and this detection is performed. The type of the ink ribbon 21 inside the ribbon cassette 19 is detected by a combination of ON / OFF operations of the switch 17.

When the detection switch 17 detects that the ink ribbon 21 is a cold peeling ink ribbon, for example, a peeling roller (not shown) is operated to peel off the ink ribbon 21. It is controlled to form a long wire and perform peeling in the cold. When the detection switch 17 detects that the ink ribbon is a hot peeling ink ribbon, the peeling roller is not operated and a large peeling angle of the ink ribbon 21 is controlled. . Further, when the ink ribbon 21 is a color ink ribbon, control is performed so as to perform color sensing. In this way, desired printing control is performed according to the type of the ink ribbon 21.

According to this embodiment, the type of the ink ribbon 21 is detected by the closed state of the detection hole 30 formed in the cassette case 20 without changing the shape of the cassette case 20 of the ribbon cassette 19. Since proper printing drive control can be performed, it is not necessary to use a plurality of ribbon cassettes 19 having different shapes, and as a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and as a result, the cost of parts can be reduced. This makes it possible to manufacture at low cost.

Moreover, since each detection hole 30 is formed in a portion substantially coincident with the vertical bisector of the virtual line segment connecting the centers of the reels 22 and 23 of the cassette case 20, the end face of the cassette case 20 is formed. As compared with the case where the detection holes 30 are formed parallel to the side surface, not only a large space for forming the detection holes 30 can be secured, but also the detection holes 30 are formed in the original space. It is not necessary to upsize the cassette case 30 for the detection hole 30. Furthermore, since a sufficient space for attaching the seal 31 for closing the detection hole 30 and the like can be secured on the periphery of each detection hole 30, the seal 31 and the like can be stably attached. .

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made if necessary. For example, the detection unit is not limited to the through hole in the embodiment and may be a recess.

[0027]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, in the ribbon cassette according to the present invention, the type of the ink ribbon is detected by the closed state of the detection portion formed in the cassette case of the ribbon cassette, and the proper print drive control is performed. It is not necessary to use a plurality of ribbon cassettes of different types, and as a result, the number of parts can be reduced, the cost of parts can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Moreover, since the detection unit is formed in the space that is originally present in the cassette case, it is not necessary to upsize the cassette case for the detection unit, and furthermore, the detection unit is blocked at the periphery of each detection unit. Since it is possible to secure a sufficient space for sticking a sticker for attaching the sticker, it is possible to stick the sticker stably.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a ribbon cassette and a carriage for mounting the ribbon cassette according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially omitted plan view of the ribbon cassette of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a conventional general thermal transfer printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Carriage 6 Thermal Head 17 Detection Switch 19 Ribbon Cassette 20 Cassette Case 21 Ink Ribbon 22 Feeding Reel 23 Take-up Reel 24 Guide Roller 25 Recessed 26 Notch 30 Detection Hole 31 Seal

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ribbon cassette in which an ink ribbon wound at an end thereof is held by a delivery reel and a take-up reel is housed in a cassette case detachably mounted on an upper surface of a carriage. On the outer surface of the outermost circumference of the ink ribbon wound on each reel, and on the front wall of the cassette case at a portion substantially matching the vertical bisector of a virtual line segment connecting the centers of the two reels, A ribbon cassette, characterized in that a plurality of detection portions which can be fitted to detection switches provided on the upper surface of the carriage are formed.