JPH0789197A - Ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a length of a thermal transfer tape to be housed in a cartridge. CONSTITUTION:A color detecting mark 7 of a Y ink is formed in a block 2 of the Y ink. A color-detecting mark 8 of an M ink is formed in a block 3 of the M ink. A color-detecting mark 9 of a C ink is formed in a block 4 of the C ink. As a result, spaces for forming the color-detecting marks can be eliminated, so that a total length of a tape 5 is shortened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette used in a printer for color printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer for color printing uses a ribbon cassette in which inks of Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) are repeatedly arranged on a tape, and a color image is formed on a recording paper by thermal transfer. Is being printed. In this color printing, it is necessary to expose the thermal head with ink of a color corresponding to the video signal. Therefore, the color detection mark for detecting the color of the ink on the tape is integrally formed on the tape together with the ink of each color.

FIG. 4 shows a conventional ribbon cassette, in which block portions 42, 43 and 44 coated with or impregnated with inks of respective colors are separately arranged on a base film 41. That is, for example, the block portion 42 is Y ink,
The block portion 43 is formed with M ink, and the block portion 44 is formed with C ink, and a large number of block portions are arranged in this order in the longitudinal direction of the base film 41. On the other hand, the color detection mark for detecting the ink color of each block 42, 43, 44 is
It is formed at the boundary between 43 and 44. In FIG. 4, 4
5 is a color detection mark for detecting the Y block portion 42,
Is a color detection mark for detecting the M block portion 43, and 47 is a color detection mark for detecting the C block portion 44. The color detection mark 45 is also used as a mark for detecting one unit of a series of block groups such as the Y block portion 42 → M block portion 43 → C block portion 44. The color detection marks 45, 46, 47 are formed by applying or impregnating black ink so as to traverse the base film, and are formed so as to have different patterns corresponding to the respective colors.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which a color detection mark is detected, and a transmissive photo interrupter is used as the detector 50. The detector 50 is formed in a bifurcated shape so that the light emitting head and the light receiving head face the front and back surfaces of the base film 41, and the color detection mark (the color detection mark 45 in the illustrated example) is formed across the base film 41. To detect.

[0005]

In the conventional ribbon cassette, the block portions 42, 43, which are the forming portions of the respective color inks,
In addition to 44, it is necessary to form color detection marks 45, 46, 47 in the longitudinal direction of the base film 41, so that the base film 41 becomes long, and when it is wound, its diameter is large and the ribbon The cassette could not be made smaller. In addition, the block parts 42, 4 of each color
In addition to forming 3, 44, color detection marks 45, 46, 4
7 had to be formed with black ink, and the number of steps was increased. Further, the detector 50 for detecting the color detection marks 45, 46, 47 needs to be arranged so as to straddle the base film 41, which causes a problem that the detector 50 also becomes large.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, the film base can be shortened, the detector can be downsized, and a special process for forming the color detection mark is unnecessary. It is an object to provide a ribbon cassette.

[0007]

The ribbon cassette of the present invention distinguishes the color of the ink from the tape in which the block portions of the inks of a plurality of colors are sequentially and repeatedly arranged in the longitudinal direction of the translucent base film. And a color detection mark provided with a pattern in which the light-transmitting property of the base film is left, at a site where each ink block is formed.

The ribbon cassette of the present invention is a tape in which blocks of ink of a plurality of colors are sequentially and repeatedly arranged in the longitudinal direction of a translucent base film, and blocks of each ink for identifying the colors of the ink. A color detection mark provided with a pattern in which the translucency of the base film is left in the part forming portion, and a winding reel for winding the tape while the tape is accommodated in a wound state are arranged. It is also characterized in that it is provided with a cartridge and a light receiving plate which is arranged on a running path of the tape to the take-up reel and which receives light transmitted through the color detection mark.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which a Y block portion 2, a M block portion 3, and a C block portion 4 are sequentially and repeatedly arranged on a base film 1 to provide a thermal transfer layer. The tape 5 is constructed. Base film 1
Is made of a transparent material such as transparent or translucent. The block portions 2, 3 and 4 of each color are formed by applying and impregnating each color ink to the base film 1, and the Y block portion 2 and the M block portion 3 are formed.
The block unit 4 of C constitutes a block group of one unit.

On such a tape 5, color detection marks 7, 8 and 9 for identifying the colors of the respective inks are provided at the respective block portion type portions. That is, the color detection mark 7 for detecting Y is in the glock portion 2 provided with Y ink, and the color detection mark 8 for detecting M is in the block portion 3 provided with M ink. Mark 9 is C
It is formed in each block portion 4 to which ink is applied. These color detection marks 7, 8 and 9 are formed so as to have different patterns according to the respective colors, and in the illustrated example, they are formed in slit shapes having different numbers.
The Y color detection mark 7 is also used to detect one unit of the Y, M, and C block groups.

The color detection marks 7, 8 and 9 of the respective colors are formed in a state where the translucency of the base film 1 remains. This is because when the blocks 2, 3, 4 of each color are formed, a predetermined portion of the base film 1 is masked with a mask or the like, and the mask is removed after the blocks 2, 3, 4 are formed, or a transparent mask. In this case, the color detection marks 7, 8 and 9 can be formed by leaving them as they are. In this case, it is preferable that the color detection marks 7, 8 and 9 are formed in the vicinity of the boundaries of the block portions that are not used for color printing, and on the one side of the base film 1. Such a tape 5 has a color detection mark 7,
Since 8 and 9 are formed in the area of the block portion of each color ink, the space for the color detection mark is not necessary, and only the block portions 2, 3 and 4 of each color are continuous. As a result, the tape becomes shorter and the diameter around which the tape is wound becomes smaller, so that the ribbon cassette can be made smaller. Moreover, since the color detection mark can be formed at the same time when the blocks 2, 3, 4 of each color are formed, a special process for forming the color detection mark is not required, and the manufacturing process can be shortened.

FIG. 2 shows the overall construction of this embodiment. The above-mentioned tape 5 is accommodated in the cartridge 10 in a wound state, and a take-up reel 11 for winding the tape 5 is provided in the cartridge 10. ing. Further, a pinch roller 12 is provided at a portion where the tape 5 is pulled out in the cartridge 10, and a guide roller 13 for guiding the running of the tape 5 is provided at a predetermined portion inside the cartridge 10. A light receiving plate 14 is arranged on the running path of the tape 5 in the cartridge 10.
In the illustrated example, the light receiving plate 14 is provided so as to be located on the inner side of the pinch roller 12. The light receiving plate 14 is colored so that the surface facing the tape 5 is black. An opening is made in one corner of the cartridge 10 facing the light receiving plate 14, and a detector 21 made of a reflection type photo interrupter is removably inserted into the opening 15 to face the tape 5 and the light receiving plate 14.

The detector 21 is the carriage base 20 of the printer.
Is attached to. A thermal head 22 performs thermal transfer printing. In such a configuration, when the cartridge 10 is set on the carriage base 20 of the printer,
The detector 21 enters the opening 15 of the cartridge 10, and the tape 5 is sandwiched by the carriage base 20 and the thermal head 22, and the tape 5 runs in this state. During this traveling, the detector 21 irradiates the tape 5 with infrared light to detect the color detection mark. FIG. 3 shows this detection state, and the infrared light emitted from the detector 21 is applied to the tape 5, but when the color detection mark moves and is emitted on the optical path of the infrared light, the infrared light detects the color. The light passes through the mark, reaches the light receiving plate 14, and is absorbed. Thereby, the color can be identified. With such a configuration, since the light receiving plate 14 is arranged in the cartridge 10 of the ribbon cassette, the detector 21 does not need to straddle the tape 5, and the size can be reduced.

The present invention can be variously modified without being limited to the above embodiments. For example, the block portion may be formed of color inks other than the three primary colors, or the block portion of black ink may be added to the block portion of the three primary colors.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the color detection mark is provided at the block portion forming portion of each color ink, the space for forming the color detection mark is not necessary, and thus the tape can be shortened and the tape can be wound. However, the diameter of the ribbon cassette is reduced, and the ribbon cassette can be downsized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the overall configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing detection of color detection marks.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional structure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing color detection of a conventional structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tape 2 Y Ink Block 3 M Ink Block 4 C Ink Block 7 Y Color Detection Mark 8 M Color Detection Mark 9 C Color Detection Mark

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tape in which block portions of a plurality of colors of ink are sequentially and repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction of a translucent base film, and the base is formed at a portion where each ink block portion is formed in order to identify the color of the ink. A ribbon cassette, comprising: a color detection mark provided with a pattern that retains the translucency of the film. 2. A tape in which blocks of ink of a plurality of colors are sequentially and repeatedly arranged in the longitudinal direction of a translucent base film; A color detection mark provided with a pattern that retains the translucency of the film; a cartridge in which the tape is housed in a wound state and a winding reel for winding the tape is arranged; A ribbon cassette, comprising: a light receiving plate arranged on a traveling path to a take-up reel and configured to receive light transmitted through the color detection mark.