JPH06227105A - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To disperse a tensile force generated with running of an ink ribbon, in the width direction of the ribbon, and to attain smooth running and excellent printing by a method wherein a guide member guiding the ink ribbon to a printing position of a print head is moved aslant in the width direction of the ribbon being reverse to the direction of a slant motion of the print head. CONSTITUTION:A print head 1 is inserted inside a cassette case 3 from a head insertion hole 12 and an ink ribbon cassette is fitted to a printer 7. Then a support arm 11 swings to move the print head 1, and an ink ribbon R made to overlap a receptor tape 6 is held between and pressed by a platen roll 5 and the print head 1. When a take-up core 9 and others rotate, the ink ribbon R runs and printing is made on the receptor tape 6. Thereafter the ink ribbon R is taken up sliding in contact with a guide member 2. In this case, the guide member 2 is moved aslant in the width direction of the ribbon being reverse to the direction of a slant motion of the print head l, with the sliding contact. Thereby a tensile force generated with running of the ink ribbon R is dispersed in the width direction of the ribbon.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a platen and a print head which can tilt in the width direction of a ribbon.
The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette in which a guide member for guiding the ink ribbon to a print position by the print head is provided on the lower side in the ribbon traveling direction than the print position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink ribbon cassette, an ink ribbon is pressed by a platen and a print head capable of tilting in the ribbon width direction. Therefore, even if the platen facing the print head is tilted from a predetermined posture, printing is performed. Since the head tilts so as to match the attitude of the platen, the ink ribbon between the print head and the platen is guided to a predetermined printing attitude. Conventionally, however, as shown in FIG. An ink ribbon R, which is rotatably supported in the cassette case 02 and is swingable in the ribbon width direction around the horizontal axis X provided on the printer 03 side together with its supporting member 05, is provided inside the cassette case 02. A head insertion hole 06 that can be inserted in a position opposite to the ink ribbon R and the receptor tape 07. The ten-roll 01 and the print head 04 are internally mounted so that they can run in a state of being overlapped with each other, and both ends of a cylindrical guide member 08 provided on the lower side in the ribbon running direction (arrow) than the printing position of the print head 04 are cassettes. There is an ink ribbon cassette fixed on the case 02 side. When the platen roll 01 is engaged with the drive shaft 09 on the printer 03 side and the print head 04 is inserted into the cassette case through the head insertion hole 06, the print head 04 is The platen roll 01 moves to the platen roll 01 side, and the platen roll 01 and the print head 04 pinch the ink ribbon R superposed on the receptor tape 07 regardless of the inclination of the platen roll 01, and the ink ribbon R is driven by the printer 03. While running with the receptor tape 07, the receptor tape 07 is printed and The ink ribbon R which has passed through the printing position is configured to travel in sliding contact with the guide member 08.

[0003]

For this reason, the print head 0
When the ink ribbon R travels in a state in which the ink ribbon R is tilted in a tilted posture that is tilted from a predetermined posture, the ink ribbon R easily moves in the ribbon width direction along the print head 04. In this case, the ink ribbon R is displaced in the vertical direction at the position of the print head, and runs between the print head 04 and the platen roll 01 in a state of being bent in a V shape. Not only does the ink ribbon R run smoothly due to one end in the width direction sliding or catching on the inner surface of the cassette case at the print head position, but also at the print head position.
In addition, wrinkles and, in extreme cases, the ribbon ends may be broken, which may cause printing defects. That is, for example, when the print head 04 presses the ink ribbon R in a tilted posture in which the upper end side of the print head 04 tilts downward toward the ink ribbon R side, the ink ribbon from the print head 04 to the guide member 08 The traveling distance of R becomes longer toward the upper end side in the ribbon width direction, and the upper end side of the ink ribbon R is in strong sliding contact with the guide member 08, so that the tension distribution along the traveling of the ink ribbon R is distributed in the ribbon width direction. It is biased toward the upper end of R. As a result, the ink ribbon R
The high tension acting on the upper end side causes the upper end side of the print head 04 to be caused in a direction opposite to the tilting direction, and the lower end side of the ink ribbon R is pinched more strongly than the upper end side of the ink ribbon R, so that the print head 04 and the platen roll are rolled. It is considered that the distribution of the clamping pressure of the ink ribbon R in the ribbon width direction due to 01 is biased toward the lower end side of the ink ribbon R, and the ink ribbon R tries to escape to the upper end side in the ribbon width direction where the clamping pressure is weak. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
Even if the ink ribbon runs while the print head is pressing the ink ribbon in a tilted posture that is more inclined than the predetermined posture, the ink ribbon runs even if the tension that accompanies the running of the ink ribbon is well distributed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink ribbon cassette that is difficult to move along the print head in the ribbon width direction and can effectively prevent the situation where the ink ribbon does not run smoothly and the occurrence of print defects.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that a platen and a print head tiltable in the ribbon width direction are loaded with ink ribbons sandwiched between them so that they can travel. In an ink ribbon cassette in which a guide member slidingly contacting the ink ribbon and guiding the ink ribbon to the print position by the print head is provided on the lower side in the ribbon traveling direction than the print position, the guide member is the print head. It is provided so as to be tiltable in the ribbon width direction opposite to the tilting direction, and the following operational effects are obtained from this configuration.

[0005]

When the print head travels while the print head holds the ink ribbon in a tilted posture that is tilted more than a predetermined posture, one end side of the ink ribbon in the ribbon width direction is strongly slidably contacted with the guide member. However, for example,
As shown in FIG. 2, the print head 1 presses the ink ribbon R in a tilting posture in which the upper end side of the print head 1 is tilted downward toward the ink ribbon R side, and the columnar guide member 2 serves as a cassette case. 3 is integrally formed on the case bottom surface 4 side in a cantilevered manner, and is provided so as to be tiltable in the ribbon width direction opposite to the tilting direction of the print head 1, the upper end side of the ink ribbon R becomes the guide member 2. Due to the sliding contact force against the guide head 2, the guide member 2 bends and tilts in the ribbon width direction opposite to the tilt direction of the print head 1, that is, the guide member 2 tilts in the direction opposite to the ink ribbon R side, and the ribbon width. The traveling distance of the ink ribbon R from the print head 1 to the guide member 2 on the upper end side in the direction becomes short, and the print head 1 to the guide member 2
The running distance of the ink ribbon R to the ribbon width direction is equalized as much as possible in the ribbon width direction, the distribution of the tension in the ribbon width direction due to the running of the ink ribbon R is dispersed in the ribbon width direction, and the print head 1 is tilted in the tilt direction. The tension that tends to be generated in the opposite direction is reduced, and the distribution of the holding pressure of the ink ribbon R by the print head 1 and the platen roll 5 in the ribbon width direction is made as uniform as possible.

[0006]

Therefore, even if the ink ribbon runs while the print head is pressing the ink ribbon in a tilted posture that is tilted from a predetermined posture, the ink ribbon moves in the ribbon width direction along the print head. It is difficult to do so, and it is possible to effectively prevent the situation where the ink ribbon does not run smoothly and the occurrence of print defects.

[0007]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 3 show a thermal transfer ink ribbon R having an ink layer provided on one side surface of a base film and a receptor tape 6 which are movably loaded.
And the receptor tape 6 are overlapped with each other and run between the platen roller 5 and the heating print head 1 on the printer 7 side so that the operation of the print head 1 can print characters or symbols on the receptor tape 6. 3 illustrates an ink ribbon cassette. The ink ribbon cassette has a ribbon feeding core 8 around which the ink ribbon R before use is wound, a winding core 9 around which the ink ribbon R passing through the print head position is wound, and a tape feeding around which a receptor tape 6 is wound. A position where the print head 1 on the printer 7 side together with its support arm 11 faces the ink ribbon R in a cassette case 3 made of ABS resin that rotatably supports a core 10 and a cylindrical platen roll 5. A columnar resin guide member 2 which is configured to form a head insertion hole 12 that can be inserted and which slides on the ink ribbon R and guides the ink ribbon R to a print position by the print head 1 is printed. It is provided on the lower side of the ribbon running direction (arrow) than the position.

The receptor tape 6 is constructed by attaching a release paper tape 14 to a resin tape 13 having an adhesive layer on one side surface, and the printed receptor tape 6 has slit holes 15 formed in the cassette case 3. The release paper tape 14 can be peeled off and cut to a desired length, and the release paper tape 14 can be peeled off and attached to a desired article. A peripheral wall 16 that surrounds the peripheral edge of the head insertion hole 12 is integrally formed with the cassette case 3, and the print head 1 is pressed against the ink ribbon R from the opening 17 of the peripheral wall 16 so that the ink ribbon R and the receptor tape 6 are connected to each other. 1 and platen roll 5
The pressure is applied by and the printing is performed on the receptor tape 6 by the operation of the print head 1. The winding core 9 and the platen roll 5 are the drive shaft 1 provided on the printer 7 side.
The drive shaft 18 is engaged with the take-up core 9 and is driven to rotate. The drive shaft 18 is provided with a slip mechanism so that the take-up core 9 does not change the take-up diameter. By driving 18 and 19, the ink ribbon R and the receptor tape 6 run between the print head 1 and the platen roll 5 without causing a relative speed difference. The platen roll 5 is formed by externally fitting a rubber sleeve 26 to a resin sleeve 25, and the drive shaft 19 on the printer 7 side that engages with the platen roll 5 is made of a resin having an engaging claw. The sleeve 28 is externally fitted to the base side of the metal pin 27. The guide member 2 is integrally formed on the bottom surface 4 of the case in a cantilevered manner, and the tip end thereof is provided so as to be tiltable in the ribbon width direction with a space from the case lid 20 side. The support arm 11 is provided on the printer 7 side so as to be capable of swinging in the perspective direction with respect to the ink ribbon R about the vertical axis 21, and the print head 1 is provided on the tip side of the support arm 11 about the horizontal axis X in the ribbon width direction. It is mounted to be tiltable.

Then, while the drive shafts 18 and 19 of the printer 7 side are engaged with the take-up core 9 and the platen roll 5, the print head 1 is inserted into the inside of the cassette case 3 from the head insertion hole 12 to form the ink ribbon cassette. When mounted on the printer 7 side, the support arm 11 swings in synchronization with the mounting operation, the print head 1 moves to the platen roll 5 side, and the ink ribbon R superposed on the receptor tape 6 prints on the platen roll 5. When the printer 7 drives the take-up core 9 and the platen roll 5 to rotate by being pressed by the head 1, the ink ribbon R travels between the platen roll 5 and the print head 1 together with the receptor tape 6 and the receptor. The ink ribbon R, which has been printed on the tape 6 and has passed through the printing position, runs while slidingly contacting the guide member 2 and is wound up. It is configured to be wound on the A 9.

The platen roll 5 is the cassette case 3
On the other hand, since the drive shaft 19 is supported in a state in which there is some space in the radial direction, and the drive shaft 19 is provided on the printer 7 side in a cantilever state, the drive shaft 19 is supported by the printing head 1 due to the clamping force. When the platen roll 5 bends and the platen roll 5 tilts in the ribbon width direction, the ink ribbon R runs while the print head 1 presses the ink ribbon R in a tilted attitude tilted more than a predetermined attitude, and the upper end of the ink ribbon R The side is strongly slidably contacted with the guide member 2. However, as shown in FIGS.
Is bent and the ribbon width direction opposite to the tilt direction of the print head 1, that is, the upper end side of the guide member 2 tilts in the direction opposite to the ink ribbon R side, and the ink ribbon from the print head 1 to the guide member 2 is tilted. The running distance of R is substantially equalized in the ribbon width direction, the tension accompanying the running of the ink ribbon R is dispersed in the ribbon width direction, and the ink ribbon R is pulled upward from between the print head 1 and the platen roll 5. The tension to be reduced becomes smaller.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a cylindrical guide member 2 integrally formed on the bottom surface 4 of the case in a cantilevered manner so that breakage due to excessive bending of the guide member 2 can be prevented. A regulating mechanism 22 for regulating the tilting amount due to the bending deformation of the guide member 2 is provided. The regulation mechanism 22 allows the tip end portion of the guide member 2 to enter the laterally long recessed surface portion 23 formed on the inner surface of the case lid 20, and by contacting the tip end portion of the guide member 2 with the peripheral edge of the recessed surface portion 23, It is configured to regulate the amount of tilting caused by the bending deformation of the guide member 2. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the restricting mechanism 22 shown in the second embodiment, in which the leading end portion of the guide member 2 is inserted into the laterally long through hole 24 formed in the case lid 20. Thus, the regulation mechanism 22 is configured. Other configurations are second
It is similar to the embodiment.

[Other Embodiments] The center position of the guide member in the ribbon width direction is swingably supported on the cassette case about a horizontal axis parallel to the ribbon longitudinal direction, and the guide member is aligned with the tilt direction of the print head. May be provided so as to be tiltable in the opposite ribbon width direction. The ink ribbon cassette may be configured so that the ink ribbon runs between the platen roll provided on the printer side and the print head. It may be an ink ribbon cassette not loaded with a receptor tape, that is, a normal ink ribbon cassette. The shape of the guide member is not particularly limited as long as it can tilt in the ribbon width direction opposite to the tilt direction of the print head. The guide member may be tiltable in a state having a division direction of the ink ribbon longitudinal direction.

It should be noted that although reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structures of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional side view of a main part showing a mounted state of an ink ribbon cassette.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of an essential part for explaining the operation.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the inside of an ink ribbon cassette.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an essential part showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an essential part showing a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of a main part for explaining a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Print head 2 Guide member 5 Platen R Ink ribbon

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ink ribbon (R) sandwiched between a platen (5) and a print head (1) tiltable in the ribbon width direction is movably loaded, and the ink ribbon (R) is loaded.
In the ink ribbon cassette, a guide member (2) that slides on the ink ribbon (R) and guides the ink ribbon (R) to a print position by the print head (1) is provided on the lower side in the ribbon traveling direction than the print position, The guide member (2)
Is an ink ribbon cassette provided so as to be tiltable in a ribbon width direction opposite to the tilt direction of the print head (1).