JPH06199388A - Shell of inkribbon cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To take out a spool from both shell halves to easily replace the inkribbon, by constituting the hell to enable to assemble and disassemble the upper and lower shell halves, in the inkribbon cartridge containing a rotatable spool winding up the inkribbon. CONSTITUTION:An inkribbon cartridge 1 is constituted of a shell 2 forming the outer shell, a supply spool 3 and a winding spool 4 rotatably contained in the inside of the shell 2 and an inkribbon 5 almost wound up on the supply spool 3, and fitted to both sleeves 3, 4 at both sides respectively. The shell 2 is formed by butt-jointing of the upper and lower shell halves 6, 7. In the lower shell half 7, half-cylindrical lower container halves 8, 8' opened upward are parallelly arranged by making them apart from each other. Respective ends in this axial direction are connected as a unit by respective connection halves 9, 10. Further, in the upper shell half 6, both ends of respective covers 11, 11' cylindrically bent are connected to each other by respective connection halves 12, 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel ink ribbon cartridge shell. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a new ink ribbon cartridge shell which can reuse the part excluding the ink ribbon and can contribute to resource conservation and global environment conservation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an ink ribbon cartridge used in a printer, one as shown in FIGS.
There is.

Reference numeral b denotes a shell forming an outer shell thereof, which has two spool accommodating portions c and c'which are substantially cylindrical and are arranged in parallel with each other at intervals.
The c'is connected by the connecting portions d, d at both ends thereof. Further, openings e, e'are formed on the side surfaces of the spool housing portions c, c 'that face each other.

A supply spool f and a take-up spool f'are separately rotatably accommodated in the spool accommodating parts c and c ', and one end of an ink ribbon g is fixedly attached to the supply spool f. It is wound in a fixed amount and the take-up spool f '
The other end of the ink ribbon g is fixed to the.

The ink ribbon g is led out of the spool accommodating parts c and c'through the openings e and e'formed in the spool accommodating parts c and c ', and the spool accommodating parts c and c'and the connecting part d, It is exposed to the outside by a window h surrounded by d.

The shell b is formed by vertically assembling two upper and lower shell halves i, j, and welding ribs k, k and l, l protruding from their respective side edges are welded to each other. .

[0007]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional ink ribbon cartridge a, when the ink ribbon g is used up, the shell b cannot be reused.

That is, even if the ink ribbon g is used up, the shape and function of the shell b are not impaired in any way, so it should be reusable, but the shell b should be the upper and lower shell halves i, j. Since it is welded, it cannot be separated into the upper shell half i and the lower shell half j again, and the material of the shell b is easily damaged, so it cannot be reused. It is a waste of resources.

Further, since the shell b burns with high calorie, an incinerator must be selected, and there is also a problem that waste disposal is troublesome.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, a shell of an ink ribbon cartridge according to the present invention is a shell of an ink ribbon cartridge which rotatably accommodates a spool around which an ink ribbon is wound. The shell half is assembled and disassembled.

[0011]

Therefore, in the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the upper and lower shell halves are assembled and disassembled, if the upper and lower shell halves are disassembled, the spool can be taken out from them. I can.

Therefore, when the ink ribbon is used up, the used ink ribbon is removed from the spool, the new ink ribbon is fixed to the two spools and wound around the supply spool, and these spools are stored in the spool storage portion. If you reassemble the two shell halves in this state,
The ink ribbon cartridge becomes a new ink ribbon cartridge.

[0013]

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

FIGS. 1 to 8 show a first embodiment of the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an ink ribbon cartridge, a shell 2 forming an outer shell thereof, a supply spool 3 and a take-up spool 4 rotatably housed in the shell 2.
Both ends thereof are separately fixed to the two spools 3 and 4, and most of them are composed of an ink ribbon 5 wound around the supply spool 3.

The shell 2 is formed by an upper shell half 6 and a lower shell half 7 abutting on each other.

The shell halves 6 and 7 are formed by molding a synthetic resin material having a certain degree of rigidity, for example, ABS resin or polycarbonate resin.

The lower shell half 7 has two storage lower halves 8 and 8'in the shape of semi-cylindrical cylinders, which are open upward and are spaced apart from each other and arranged in parallel. It is integrally connected by 10.

The upper shell half 6 has cover portions 11 and 1 in which portions located on opposite sides are curved in a substantially quarter cylindrical shape.
1'is separated from each other and arranged in parallel, and both ends thereof are integrally connected by connecting halves 12 and 13.

The left and right end surfaces of the connecting half portion 9 at the front end of the lower shell half 7, that is, the end surfaces connected to the inner surfaces of the lower storage half portions 8 and 8'are made into a state in which the meat is slightly cut. Semicircular receiving recesses 14, 14 are formed at a position closer to the upper end of the center from the center.

Further, projections 15 and 15 are provided downward from both left and right ends of the connecting half 12 of the upper shell half 6, and the upper ends of the projections 15 and 15 are located at the center of the surfaces of the projections 15 and 15 which face each other. Semicircular projections 16, 16 are provided at a position near the projections.

Then, the projections 15 and 1 of the upper shell half 6
5 are positioned so as to sandwich the connecting half portion 9 of the lower shell half 7 from the left and right, and projections 16 and 1 formed on the projections 15 and 15.
6 is a receiving concave portion 1 formed on both left and right end surfaces of the connecting half portion 9.
4 and 14, and thereby the upper and lower shell halves 6 and 7 are rotatably connected at their front ends.

Numerals 17 and 17 are engagement holes formed in the rear half of the lower shell half 7 at positions near the left and right ends, and 18, 18 are rear halves of the upper shell halves 6 and 6. Engagement pieces projecting downward from positions near the left and right ends of the half portion 13, and engagement claws 18a, 18a are provided on rear surfaces of lower ends of the engagement pieces 18, 18.

Reference numerals 19 and 19 denote side ribs projecting outward from both left and right end edges of the upper shell half 6, and reference numerals 20 and 20 denote side ribs projecting outward from both left and right end edges of the lower shell half 7. .

Reference numerals 21 and 21 denote side ribs having a C-shaped concave cross section. This side rib restraint 2
Reference numerals 1 and 21 are made of a metal material.

The assembly of the shell 2 is carried out as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper shell half 6 is rotated so that its rear end is largely separated upward from the rear end of the lower shell half 7, and the ink ribbons 5 are respectively fixed thereto. Further, the wound spools 3 and 4 are put into the storage lower halves 8 and 8'of the lower shell halves 7 and 7, and in this state, the upper shell half 6 is rotated downward so that the two shell halves 6 and 7 are rotated. So that they can be matched up and down.

When the rear end of the upper shell half 6 is pushed toward the rear end of the lower shell half 7, the engaging pieces 18, 18 of the upper shell half 6 are bent inward so that the tips of the engaging pieces 18, 18 are bent inward. 7, the engaging claws 18a, 18a of the connecting half 10 are engaged with the engaging holes 17, 17 formed in the connecting half 10.

As a result, the upper and lower shell halves 6 and 7 are
Will not open, but to make this assembly more secure,
The side rib restraints 21, 21 are attached.

That is, the side ribs 19 and 2 which are vertically overlapped with each other.
The side rib restraints 21 and 21 are slid from 0 or 19 and 20 from the front or the rear, and are attached to the outer fittings. As a result, the direction in which the engagement claws 18a, 18a are disengaged from the engagement holes 17, 17 and the direction in which the side rib retainers 21, 21 are disengaged from the side ribs 19, 19, 20, 20 are perpendicular to each other. Therefore, these two coupling means are not disengaged at one time, and the assembled state of the shell halves 6 and 7 is stably maintained.

When the ink ribbon 5 is used up, the side rib retainers 21, 21 are removed from the side ribs 19, 19, 20, 20 in the reverse order of the above procedure, and the engaging claws 18a, 18a and the engaging holes 17 are removed. , 17 disengages the two shell halves 6 and 7 that are fixed in the assembled state, the upper shell half 6 is rotated upward as shown in FIG. 3 and 4 can be taken out, the alternative spools 3 and 4 can be put into the shell 2, and the two shell halves 6 and 7 can be assembled again. The spools 3 and 4 taken out can be reused after the used ink ribbon 5 is removed.

Therefore, the components other than the ink ribbon 5 can be reused.

9 to 11 show a second embodiment 1A of the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention.

The second embodiment 1A is different from the first embodiment only in the means for rotatably connecting the upper and lower shell halves and the engaging means on the rotating end side. The different parts will be described in detail, and the other parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals as the same parts in the first embodiment, and detailed description will be omitted.

A protrusion 22 is integrally provided on the upper end of the connecting half 10 of the lower shell half 7 so as to protrude toward the inner surface thereof. About half of the ridge 22 is the connecting half 1
It projects above the upper edge of 0. Then, the ridge 22
The semicircular receiving recesses 23,
Are formed.

At the positions near the left and right ends of the connecting half portion 13 of the upper shell half 6, the projecting pieces 2 are projected so as to project to the inner surface side thereof.
4 and 24 are projected. About half of the protruding pieces 24, 24 protrude downward from the lower edge of the connecting half portion 13. Then, semicircular projections 25, 25 are provided in a substantially central portion of the surfaces of the projecting pieces 24, 24 facing each other.

Then, the projections 25, 2 of the upper shell half 6
5 is fitted in the receiving recesses 23, 23 of the lower shell half 7, whereby the upper and lower shell halves 6, 7 are rotatably connected at their rear ends.

The left and right end surfaces of the connecting half portion 9 at the front end of the lower shell half 7, that is, the end surfaces connected to the inner surfaces of the lower storage half portions 8 and 8'are made to have a slightly shaved state. Semicircular engagement recesses 26, 26 are formed at a position closer to the upper end of the center than the center.

Further, projecting portions 27, 27 project downward from both left and right end portions of the connecting half portion 12 of the upper shell half 6, and the upper ends of the projections 27, 27 are located at the center of the surfaces facing each other. Semi-circular engagement protrusions 28, 28 are provided at a position closer to each other.

When the upper shell half 6 is rotated so that its front end approaches the front end of the lower shell half 7, the projections 17 and 17 of the upper shell half 6 have their lower end portions eccentric. It moves downward while flexing in one direction, and its engaging projections 28, 28 are engaged with the engaging recesses 26 of the lower shell half 7,
The upper and lower shell halves 6 and 7 are assembled to each other by being fitted in 26.

Therefore, by engaging the side rib retainers 21 and 21 with the side ribs 19 and 20 and 19 and 20, the assembled state of the upper and lower shell halves 6 and 7 can be more reliably maintained.

[0042]

As is apparent from the above description, the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge which rotatably accommodates the spool around which the ink ribbon is wound, and is the upper and lower shells. The half is characterized by being assembled and disassembled.

Therefore, in the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the upper and lower shell halves are assembled and disassembled, if the upper and lower shell halves are disassembled, the spool can be taken out therefrom. I can.

Therefore, when the ink ribbon is used up, the used ink ribbon is removed from the spool, the new ink ribbon is fixed to the two spools and wound around the supply spool, and these spools are stored in the spool storage portion. If you reassemble the two shell halves in this state,
The ink ribbon cartridge becomes a new ink ribbon cartridge.

It should be noted that the specific shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in each of the above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples of the embodiment when the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is embodied. The technical scope of the present invention should not be limitedly interpreted by the above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention together with FIGS. 2 to 8, and is a perspective view.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view seen from an angle different from FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which upper and lower shell halves are opened.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a main part shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another main part.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing still another main part.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a coupling process of the main parts shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a second embodiment of the shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention together with FIGS. 10 and 11.
This figure is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper and lower shell halves are opened.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing another main part.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of a shell of a conventional ink ribbon cartridge.

13 is an exploded perspective view of a shell of the ink ribbon cartridge of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Ink Ribbon Cartridge 2 Shell 3 Spool 4 Spool 5 Ink Ribbon 6 Upper Shell Half 7 Lower Shell Half 1A Ink Ribbon Cartridge 19 Side Rib 20 Side Rib 21 Holding Member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ink ribbon cartridge for rotatably housing a spool around which an ink ribbon is wound, wherein upper and lower shell halves are assembled and disassembled. 2. The upper and lower shell halves are rotatably connected at one axial end of a spool housed therein, and engageably and disengageably engaged at multiple ends. 1. The shell of the ink ribbon cartridge according to 1. 3. Side ribs projecting from the side edges of the upper and lower shell halves, and after attaching the upper and lower shell halves, holding members for holding the side ribs of the upper and lower shell halves in a crimped state are attached. The shell of the ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 1 or 2.