JPH0650213Y2 - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION << Industrial Application Field >> The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and more particularly, to a structure of an ink ribbon storage portion for storing an endless ribbon while taking it in.

<< Prior Art >> A conventional ink ribbon cassette will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a part in section, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

In these figures, 1 indicates the entire configuration of the ink ribbon cassette, 2 indicates the ink ribbon cassette case main body, 3
Is a cassette case lid, 4 is an ink ribbon delivery passage, an outlet 4a is provided at the tip thereof, and 5 is an ink ribbon delivery passage, and an inlet 5a is provided at the tip thereof. Reference numeral 6 denotes a pair of take-in roller portions, each of which has a feed roller 7 and a pinch roller 8. Reference numeral 9 denotes a support body that rotatably supports the pinch roller 8. Reference numeral 10 is a coil spring, 11 is an ink ribbon storage portion, 12 is a ribbon storage wall arranged on the right side of the ink ribbon storage portion, 13 is a ribbon traveling guide wall which is disposed through the delivery path 4.
14 is an endless ink ribbon.

Next, the operation of the endless ribbon and the flow path in the above structure will be described.

Now, the ink ribbon 14 is stored in the storage portion 11 of the cassette case body 2.
Is temporarily stored, and a part of the ink ribbon is pulled out, and the ink ribbon is inserted from the intake port 5a of the traveling path 5 and is sandwiched between the feed roller 7 and the pinch roller 8, and the pinch roller 8 has a coil spring. The appropriate pressing force is given by 10.

By rotating the feed roller 7 in the direction of arrow a by a drive source (not shown), the ink ribbon 14 is sequentially folded and stored in the storage section 11.

In this storage section 11, since the longest possible ribbons are stored in a predetermined volume with high density, the ink ribbons 14 sequentially taken in from the take-in roller section 6 are alternately folded and repeatedly contacted with each other. In this state, it is stored while being pushed toward the storage wall 12.

On the other hand, the ink ribbon 14 coming out from the storage wall 12 side is sent out while being guided by the ribbon traveling guide wall 13 and passes through the inside of the traveling path 4, and an appropriate bias is applied to the ink ribbon 14 in this traveling path by a leaf spring (not shown). Given, exit 4a
Is transmitted in the direction of arrow b.

The ribbon is tensioned by the bias between the two outlets 4a and 5a, and when the ribbon cassette 1 is attached to the printing portion, the ribbon faces the print head portion to perform printing.

The drive of the feed roller 7 when the ribbon cassette 1 is attached to the printing unit is such that a groove of, for example, a + character is formed on the feed roller shaft 7a, and this + character groove is a convex shape provided on the printer side (not shown). The rotation drive is transmitted by engaging with the + shaft of the.

Therefore, the ink ribbon 14 is accommodated in the ribbon accommodating portion 11 while being taken in by the take-in roller portion 6, and gradually becomes a ribbon accommodating wall.
While moving in the 12-direction, the ribbon guide wall 13 guides and sends out to the traveling path 4.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In the conventional ink ribbon cassette case body 2 described above, in particular, in the ribbon cassette storage portion 11, the ink ribbons 14 may be alternately folded and stored at a high density. Since there are many, the movement of the entire ink ribbon may not be performed smoothly.

That is, the bottom surface of the ink ribbon cassette main body is formed with a constant thickness in the take-in roller portion 6, the ribbon storage portion 11 and the traveling paths 4 and 5, while the ink used at the height of the cassette case main body 2 is also used. It is formed with a margin slightly larger than the ribbon width, and the cassette case lid 3 is assembled from above.

Therefore, when the ink ribbon 14 is taken in by the take-in roller portion 6, a slight variation occurs in the vertical direction, so that the bottom surface of the cassette case in the ribbon storage portion 11 and the cassette case lid rub against the ink ribbon, and the ink ribbon Are not moved smoothly.

Further, due to this, the folding operation may be disturbed and the ribbon may be wound around the take-in roller portion 6 to cause a ribbon jamming phenomenon, resulting in a ribbon feed failure.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette in which the ink ribbon can be smoothly moved, and the ribbon feeding can be smoothly performed without causing the disorder of the folding operation and the ribbon clogging phenomenon. And

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an ink ribbon take-in traveling path and an ink ribbon traveling path at both ends.
In an ink ribbon cassette that has an ink ribbon storage part in the center and stores the ink ribbon in the ribbon storage part and stores it in an indeterminate shape, a step is provided between the ink ribbon running path at both ends and the bottom surface of the ink ribbon storage part, The feature is that the ink ribbon storage section is lower than the ink ribbon running path.

<Operation> With the above configuration, the ribbon gradually taken in by the take-in roller portion slides down the downward step immediately after being located at the roller diameter, so that even if the ribbon is highly densely stored in the ribbon storage portion, A sufficient gap is obtained between.

Therefore, the conventional friction can be prevented, and the ink ribbon can be smoothly moved within the ink ribbon storage portion.

<< Embodiment >> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding to the drawing, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing the step shape shown in FIG. 2 in another embodiment. is there.

The same members or the same shapes as in the conventional case (FIGS. 4 and 5) are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, 1N indicates the overall configuration of the ink ribbon cassette. 2N is the ink ribbon cassette body,
The difference from FIG. 4 (conventional cassette case 2) lies only in the shape of the bottom surface, and 2a and 2b indicate the steps on the bottom surface. Three
Is a ribbon cassette lid, 4 is an ink ribbon delivery passage, an outlet 4a is provided at the tip thereof, and 5 is an ink ribbon take-up passage, and an inlet 5a is provided at the tip thereof.

Therefore, the running of the ink ribbon is in the direction of arrow d. The description of the other parts of the ink ribbon cassette case body 2N except the step 2a of the ink ribbon storage portion is omitted.

Now, the ink ribbon 14 sandwiched by the feed roller 7 and the pinch roller 8 of the take-in roller portion 6 is sequentially taken into the ribbon storage portion 11 by the rotation of the feed roller 7. At this time, from the range corresponding to the diameter of the take-in roller on the bottom surface of the cassette case main body 2N toward the ribbon storage section 11 side immediately after that, a thin stepped step 2a is provided. Therefore, the ink ribbon is stored in the ribbon storage portion 11 immediately after being taken in by the take-in roller portion.

The ink ribbon 14 accommodated in the ribbon accommodating portion 11 is gradually moved to the accommodating wall 12 side, and an ascending step 2b is formed in the vicinity of the ink ribbon 14 symmetrically with the above-mentioned step 2a. It has a structure with a relative allowance.

By the way, the shape of the step is formed in the slant shape (2a, 2b) in the embodiment of FIG. 2, but as another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the vertical wall 2c is formed in the ribbon accommodating portion. You may form on either side. As a result, a gap is formed between the ink ribbon cassette lid 3 and the ink ribbon 14, so that the frictional resistance of the ink ribbon 14 can be reduced, and the folded and dense ink ribbon can be smoothly moved. Can be made.

<< Advantages of the Invention >> As described above, according to the present invention, the ink ribbon to be taken in and the ink ribbon cassette lid are provided by providing a lower step on the bottom of the ink ribbon cassette body in the ink ribbon storage portion immediately after the take-in roller portion. Since a certain gap is created between the ink ribbon and the ink ribbon, the ink ribbon can be moved smoothly, and the occurrence of the ribbon clogging phenomenon can be prevented.

Also, the step serves as a dam of the ink ribbon,
This has the effect of preventing clogging in the sending operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional plan view of an ink ribbon cassette of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing another embodiment of FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially sectional plan view of a conventional ink ribbon cassette, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1,1N …… Ink ribbon cassette, 2,2N …… Ink ribbon cassette body, 2a, 2b, 2c …… Step, 3 …… Ink ribbon cassette lid, 4 …… Sending travel path, 5 …… Intake travel path, 6… … Intake roller section, 7 …… Feed roller, 8 …… Pinch roller, 11 …… Ink ribbon storage section, 12 …… Ink ribbon storage wall, 14 …… Ink ribbon.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ribbon accommodating portion having an ink ribbon take-in traveling path and an ink ribbon ejecting traveling path at both ends and an ink ribbon accommodating portion at the center, and a pair of take-in rollers provided on the ink ribbon take-in side. In the ink ribbon cassette for storing the ink ribbon in an indeterminate shape, a step is provided between the ink ribbon running paths at the both ends and the bottom surface of the ink ribbon receiving section, and the ink ribbon receiving path is provided more than the ink ribbon running paths at the both ends. Lowering the section,
Ink ribbon cassette featuring.