JPH072203Y2 - Tape printing device and tape cassette mounted in the device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of use] The present invention relates to a tape printing device for printing on a tape-shaped printing medium and a tape cassette for accommodating the tape-shaped printing medium mounted on the device. It is about.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as a tape printing apparatus that prints on a tape-shaped printing medium, a tape printing apparatus that prints on a tape by mounting a tape cassette accommodating a tape as a printing medium on the apparatus main body is known. Has been. As one of the tape printing devices of this type, for example, as disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 272232, normal image characters are printed on the non-adhesive surface of a single-sided adhesive tape with release paper, and the printing surface is protected. There is a so-called non-laminate type that does not perform. Here, the printing of a normal image character is a printing of a character that should normally be read when viewed from the printing surface side. Then, the printed tape is attached to a desired attachment target with the printed surface exposed on the surface.

On the other hand, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. Sho 62-1996 proposed by the present applicant.
There is also a so-called laminate type, as disclosed in No. 62, in which a mirror-image character is printed on a tape having transparency and a double-sided adhesive tape with release paper is attached to the printed surface. Here, the printing of the mirror image character means that the character is a character to be read normally when viewed from the back side of the printing surface. When the printed tape is pasted on the desired pasting object, the transparent tape is positioned on the surface to protect the printing surface, and the mirror-printed characters can be used as normal image characters through this tape. Be read as

The advantage of the laminate type is that the printing surface is protected and the durability is good, but on the other hand, it has the disadvantage that the structure of the tape cassette is complicated and the cost is high. On the other hand, the non-laminated type has a simpler structure than the laminated type, but the printed surface is not protected and the durability is poor. That is, both advantages and disadvantages.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned conventional two types of tape printers are dedicated machines of the respective types described above, and are compatible with both a laminate type tape cassette and a non-laminate type tape cassette. It was impossible to print. That is, when a laminate type tape cassette is attached to a non-laminating type tape printer that prints normal image characters and printing is performed, the printed normal image characters are read from the back side of the tape having transparency. As a result, you end up reading a mirror image character. Conversely, if a non-laminate type tape cassette is installed in a laminate type tape printing device that prints mirror image characters and printing is performed, the tape will be read from the front side of the mirror image printed tape, and as a result, the mirror image characters will be read. I will end up. Therefore, a user who wants to selectively use the laminated type and the non-laminated type according to the application needs to purchase the dedicated machines of both types.

The above problems are not limited to the laminated / non-laminated type, and the same applies to various types of tape cassettes developed in the future.

Further, as a tape printing apparatus capable of both normal image printing and mirror image printing, there is a tape printing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-135671. In this apparatus, the tape feeding direction is set to the normal image printing mode. The case and the case of mirror image printing were reversed. Therefore, two different tape mounting portions are provided, and one feeding motor is required for each mounting portion, resulting in an increase in size and cost of the apparatus.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a tape printing apparatus capable of producing a plurality of types of tapes by a single type of apparatus having a simple structure and a tape cassette attached to the apparatus. Is intended to provide.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a tape printing apparatus of the present invention comprises a tape feeding means for feeding a tape-shaped printing medium, and a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the tape-shaped printing medium. A thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in the direction of
A character generator that stores a character pattern for printing, and a signal for driving a desired element among the heating elements of the thermal head to generate heat according to the character pattern read from the character generator according to print data. A signal generating means for generating, a first tape cassette accommodating a print medium on which a normal image character is printed by the thermal head, and a second tape cassette storing a print medium on which a mirror image character is printed by the thermal head. A mounting portion to which both the tape cassette and the tape cassette can be mounted, a detection means provided in the mounting portion for detecting the type of the tape cassette, and a normal image printing and a mirror image by the thermal head based on the detection result by the detection means. In order to switch between printing and printing, the signal from the signal generating means is applied to the heating element. It is characterized in that a control means for inverting to the column direction. Further, the tape cassette of the present invention is a tape cassette to be mounted in the tape printing apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, and a detected object indicating the type of the tape cassette is provided at a position corresponding to the detecting means in the housing of the tape cassette. It is characterized by the provision of a section.

[Operation] In the tape printing apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration, when the detection means provided in the mounting portion detects the type of the tape cassette, the control means performs normal image printing by the thermal head based on the detection result. In order to switch between mirror image printing, the signal from the signal generating means is inverted with respect to the arrangement direction of the heating elements. As a result, the thermal head performs normal image printing when the first tape cassette is loaded, and the second
If the tape cassette of is installed, mirror image printing is performed. Further, in the tape cassette of the present invention, the detected portion indicating the type of the tape cassette activates the detection portion of the tape printing device, and the tape printing device is responsive to the tape cassette of normal image printing and mirror image printing. Make it print.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting portion 5 for mounting the tape cassette 3 is formed on the back surface of the tape printing apparatus 1 of the present invention, and the ribbon winding cam 7 and the tape feed roller cam 9 are mounted on the mounting portion 5. It is arranged. The ribbon winding cam 7 and the tape feed roller cam 9 are interlocked with a motor 11 built in the tape printing apparatus 1, and the cams 7 and 9 are rotated in the directions of the arrows in the drawing. The mounting portion 5 is further provided with an operating protrusion.
13 is provided, and the operating protrusion 13 is movable in the vertical direction. The actuating protrusion 13 is always urged upward, but when it is pressed downward, the detector 15 (fourth detector) built in the tape printer 1 is used.
(See the drawing), and this detector 15 is connected to the control section of the tape printer 1 described later.
Further, a thermal head 17 is fixedly mounted on the mounting portion 5, and the thermal head 17 is arranged so as to be housed in an opening 19 formed in the tape cassette 3 when the tape cassette 3 is mounted. The thermal head 17 has a fifth
As shown in the figure, the heating element 18 is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the tape to be printed.

Different tape cassettes 21 and 23 are prepared for the tape cassette 3 to be mounted on the mounting portion 5, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The tape cassette 21 shown in FIG. 2 is a non-laminate type tape cassette for performing normal image printing by the tape printer 1, and the tape cassette 23 shown in FIG. 3 is a laminate type tape cassette for performing mirror image printing. Is.

Then, inside the tape cassette 21 shown in FIG. 2, a tape roll 27, in which a printing tape 25 to be printed by the thermal head 17 is wound in a roll shape, is attached to a rotary shaft 29 formed in a housing 28 of the tape cassette. It is rotatably mounted. An adhesive layer is formed on the surface of the printing tape 25 opposite to the printing surface, and release paper is attached on the adhesive layer. The tape cassette 21 further includes a ribbon roll 33 formed by winding an ink ribbon 31 coated with ink in a roll shape, and a take-up spool 35 that winds the ink ribbon 31. The ribbon roll 33 is a housing. It is rotatably held by a rotary shaft 37 formed on 28. Further, an engagement protrusion 43 is formed on the inner diameter 41 of the take-up spool 35, and the take-up spool 35 is rotatably held in a hole 44 provided in the housing 28. The take-up spool 35 is adapted to engage with the ribbon take-up cam 7 when the tape cassette 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 5.

The printing tape 25 and the ink ribbon 31 are guided inside the housing 28 to the opening 19a, and only the printing tape 25 is discharged from the opening 19a to the outside of the housing 28.

The printing surface of the printing tape 25 on which the release paper is not attached and the surface of the ink ribbon 31 coated with the ink are opposed to each other. When the tape cassette 21 is mounted in the mounting portion 5 of the tape printer 1, the printing tape 25 and the ink ribbon 31 are thermally transferred by the platen roller 46 held by the pressure release member 45 at the opening 19a of the tape cassette 21. Pressed against the head 17. At this time, the printing surface of the printing tape 25 faces the thermal head 17 side.

A tape feed roller 47 is rotatably supported by the tape cassette 21 near the opening 19a. The tape feed roller 47 is rotatably held in a hole 49 provided in the housing 28, and an engagement protrusion 51 is provided on the inner surface of the tape feed roller 47.

Further, a hole 53 is provided in a part of the housing 28,
When the tape cassette 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 5, the above-mentioned operating protrusion 13 is inserted into the hole 53 so that the operating protrusion 13 cannot be operated on the lower surface of the housing 28 of the tape cassette 21. When the tape cassette 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 5 of the tape printer 1, the above-mentioned tape feed roller cam 9 engages with the tape feed roller 47 of the tape cassette 21.

Then, when the motor 11 rotates, the tape feed roller cam 9 and the tape feed roller 47 are rotated in the arrow direction of the drawing.
The tape feeding roller 47 presses the printing tape 25 by a rotating roller 55 held by the pressure release member 45. Therefore, when the tape feeding roller 47 rotates, the printing tape 25 is fed out of the tape cassette 21.

As described above, when the tape cassette 21 of FIG. 2 is mounted in the tape printer 1, the printing surface of the printing tape 25 is on the thermal head 17 side and is ejected by the rotation of the tape feed roller 47. When the heating element 18 of the thermal head 17 is driven, the ink of the ink ribbon 31 is transferred to the printing tape 25 and printing is performed.

Since the printing surface of the printing tape 25 is the surface of the tape 25 on which the release paper is not adhered, normal image printing is performed (see FIG. 6 (a)).

Next, the laminate type tape cassette 23 shown in FIG. 3 will be described.
A tape cassette is a tape roll 59 that is made by winding 57 in a roll.
It is rotatably mounted on a rotary shaft 63 formed in a housing 61 of 23. The printing tape 57 is made of a transparent film, and even if a mirror image character is printed on the printing surface, the printed character can be read as a normal image character through the film when viewed from the other surface. And the printing tape 57 is
It is guided to the opening 19b by a guide member formed on the housing. Further, in the tape cassette 23, a double-sided tape roll 67 obtained by winding a double-sided tape 65 having a release paper stuck on one surface in a roll shape is mounted on a rotating shaft 69. The tape cassette 23 also includes a ribbon roll 73 including an ink ribbon 71, a take-up spool 75, and a tape feed roller 77.
It is attached in the same manner as the tape cassette 21 described above.

Then, when the tape cassette 23 is mounted on the mounting portion 5,
The printing tape 57 is formed by pressing the platen roller 46.
Is pressed by the thermal head 17, and the printing tape 57 and the ink ribbon 71 are sandwiched between the tape feeding roller 77 and the rotating roller 55. When the tape feed roller 77 rotates in the arrow direction, the printing tape 57 and the double-sided tape 65 are ejected from the tape cassette 23, but the printing tape 57 and the double-sided tape 65 are ejected.
The printing surface of the printing tape 57 and the bonding surface of the double-sided tape 65 face each other, and both are discharged together.

In this way, in the case of the tape cassette 23, the printing tape
Since 57 is integrated with the double-sided tape 65 and the printing surface of the printing tape 57 is covered with the double-sided tape 65, the characters printed on the printing tape 57 are on the side where the double-sided tape 65 is not attached, that is, the transparent printing tape 57. You will see it from the side opposite the printing side. Therefore, as the characters to be printed, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the mirror image characters 79, which are normal image characters when viewed from the inside out, are printed.

The mirror image character 79 is reversed in the direction orthogonal to the tape feeding direction (arrow direction) as compared with the normal image character of FIG. 6 (a). That is, the thermal head
In the arrangement direction of the 17 heating elements 18, the data to be printed are inverted with respect to the case of the normal image character and the mirror image character 79.

When the tape cut 23 is mounted on the mounting portion 5, the tape cassette 23 does not have the hole 53 provided in the tape cassette 21, so that a part of the lower surface of the housing 61 of the tape cassette 23 is provided. Engages with the operating protrusions 13 provided on the mounting portion 5, and pushes the operating protrusions 13 downward.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the control circuit of the tape printer 1 that allows both the non-laminate type tape cassette 21 and the laminate type tape cassette 23 to be mounted. 81 is
It is a CPU, and the CPU 81 has a RO that stores a program for controlling the operation of the CPU 81 and a character pattern of print characters.
A keyboard unit 87 for inputting print data input to the tape printer 1 to the M83 is connected. Also, which tape cassette 2
A detector 15 for detecting whether or not 1 and 23 are attached is connected, and further, a motor drive circuit 89 and a heating element drive circuit 91 are connected. This motor drive circuit 89 is CP
This is a drive circuit for rotating the motor 11 according to the tape feed data from U81, and the motor 11 is connected to the motor drive circuit 89. The CPU 81 outputs the print data to the drive circuit 91 by reversing the vertical direction of the character pattern when printing the normal image character and the mirror image character.

In the tape printer 1 of the present invention configured as described above,
When the non-laminated type tape cassette 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 5, the operating protrusion 13 is not operated on the lower surface of the housing 28 of the tape cassette 21 as described above.
Therefore, the CPU 81 determines that the non-laminate type tape cassette 21 is mounted on the operation unit 5, and outputs the print data of the normal image character to the heating element drive circuit 91.
The print data of this normal image character is print data in which the vertical direction of the array coincides with the top and bottom of the printed character in the array of heating elements shown in FIG.

In addition, a laminated type tape cassette 23 is attached to the mounting portion 5.
When is attached, the operating protrusion 13 is pressed down on the lower surface of the housing 61 of the tape cassette 23. Therefore, the detector 15
When the CPU 81 detects that the actuating protrusion 13 has been pressed down, the CPU 81 determines that the laminated type tape cassette 23 has been mounted in the mounting portion 5. Therefore, the heating element drive circuit 91 is
5th for the character pattern read from M83
The print data of the mirror image character 79 inverted in the arrangement direction of the heating elements shown in the drawing is output.

Therefore, according to the tape printing apparatus of the present embodiment, the normal image printing is performed on the non-laminate type tape cassette 21 to be subjected to the normal image printing, and the mirror image is performed on the laminate type tape cassette 23 to be subjected to the mirror image printing. Since printing is performed automatically, both laminated type and non-laminated type tapes can be produced by one type of device. Moreover, both types of tape cassettes,
Since the presence or absence of the hole 53 is previously defined as the detected portion indicating the type of the cassette, the user is required to confirm the type of the tape cassette currently mounted and whether the printing to be performed is the normal image printing or the mirror image printing. Just start the printing operation without worrying about printing.
It is possible to obtain a printed tape that is always legible.

[Effect of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention,
Since the normal image printing and the mirror image printing can be automatically switched according to the type of tape cassette, it has a simple structure.
Different types of tape can be easily produced by different types of devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 6 show an embodiment embodying the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tape printer and a tape cassette of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the inside of the tape cassette, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the inside of the tape cassette on which mirror image characters are printed, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control circuit, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the thermal head. FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are plan views showing a printing tape provided with normal image characters and mirror image characters. In the figure, 1 is a tape printer, 3 is a tape cassette, 5 is a mounting part, 11 is a motor, 13 is an operating protrusion, 15 is a detector, 17 is a thermal head, 18 is a heating element, and 21 is a non-laminated type tape. A cassette, 23 is a laminate type tape cassette, 25 and 57 are printing tapes, 28 and 61 are housings, 53 is a hole, 81 is a CPU, and 91 is a heating element drive circuit.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A tape feeding device for feeding a tape-shaped printing medium, and a thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the tape-shaped printing medium, for printing. And a signal for generating a signal for driving a desired element among the heating elements of the thermal head according to the character pattern read from the character generator according to the print data and the character generator for storing the character pattern. Generating means, a first tape cassette containing a print medium on which a normal image character is printed by the thermal head, and a second tape cassette containing a print medium on which a mirror image character is printed by the thermal head. Detecting the type of the tape cassette that is installed inside the mounting part that can be mounted together Control means for inverting the signal from the signal generating means with respect to the arrangement direction of the heating elements in order to switch between normal image printing and mirror image printing by the thermal head based on the detection result by the detecting means. A tape printing device comprising: 2. A tape feeding means for feeding a tape-shaped printing medium, a thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the tape-shaped printing medium, for printing. And a signal for generating a signal for driving a desired element among the heating elements of the thermal head according to the character pattern read from the character generator according to the print data and the character generator for storing the character pattern. Generating means, a first tape cassette containing a print medium on which a normal image character is printed by the thermal head, and a second tape cassette containing a print medium on which a mirror image character is printed by the thermal head. Detecting the type of the tape cassette that is installed inside the mounting part that can be mounted together Control means for inverting the signal from the signal generating means with respect to the arrangement direction of the heating elements in order to switch between normal image printing and mirror image printing by the thermal head based on the detection result by the detecting means. A tape cassette to be mounted on a tape printing apparatus provided with a means, the detected portion indicating the type of the tape cassette being provided at a position corresponding to the detecting means in the housing of the tape cassette. Characteristic tape cassette.