JPH0789204A - Ribbon guide - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set a ribbon guide even in narrow space without touching an ink ribbon with a finger. CONSTITUTION:Revolving shafts 25a, 25b are vertically provided on the guide main body 21 arranged in front of a printing head and the base ends of movable arms 27a, 27b are rotatably fit to the revolving shafts 25a, 25b. A pair of support shafts 29a, 29b are vertically provided to the movable arms 27a, 27b in the same direction as of the revolving shafts 25a, 25b. Ribbon pressers 31a, 31b capable of forming a linear ribbon running path between the guide main body 21 and the pressers are rotatably fit to the support shafts 29a, 29b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribbon guide for a serial printer, and more particularly, to a part of the ribbon guide which is movable to improve the mountability of an ink ribbon.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a ribbon guide used in a serial printer is installed between a ribbon protector and a print head for the purpose of stabilizing the running of the ribbon in the printing section. An ink ribbon is set in the ribbon guide by the operator when the ribbon cartridge is replaced. At this time, since the finger is soiled when the ink ribbon is directly gripped by the hand, many mechanisms and methods (so-called clean hand structure) that can set the ink ribbon on the ribbon guide without touching the finger have been proposed.

By the way, in recent years, high-speed serial printers are increasingly required to have higher speeds, and in wire-impact printers, it is indispensable to reduce the weight by shortening the wires of the print head in order to meet the higher speeds. Along with this, the tip portion of the print head also tends to be shortened. 3 is a perspective view of the carriage portion of the high speed serial printer, FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ribbon guide. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a ribbon protector bracket 5 is provided in front of the print head 3 which is movable in the left-right direction via the carriage 1, and the ribbon protector bracket 5 is provided at the center thereof. The ribbon protector 7 is attached to the square hole 5a. The print head 3 is lightweight and has a short tip. A ribbon guide 9 is provided between the print head 3 and the ribbon protector bracket 5, and the ribbon guide 9 is attached by fitting a mounting hole 9a into a post (not shown) provided upright on the carriage 1. There is. The ribbon guide 9 has a shape that can be arranged between the print head 3 and the ribbon protector bracket 5, which have a narrow space, by shortening the tip of the print head 3.

The ribbon guide 9 includes ribbon guides 11 and 13.
The ribbon guides 11 and 13 are designed to squeeze the ink ribbon 15 running between the print head tip portion 3a and the ribbon protector 7. That is, the purpose of the ribbon guide 11 is to set the distance A between the platen and the ribbon route (see FIG.
(See the above), and if this A is not secured, the paper may interfere with the ink ribbon 15 when the paper is supplied. The purpose of the ribbon guide 13 is to prevent interference with the edge portion 5b of the square hole 5a.
Due to the rigidity of the ribbon protector bracket 5, the square hole 5
Also, a cannot be made larger than this.

As described above, when the wire is shortened and the tip portion of the print head 3 is shortened in order to respond to the increase in speed, a narrow space is also formed between the print head 3 and the ribbon protector bracket 5 accordingly. The ribbon guide 9 is also limited to a shape which can be arranged between the print head 3 and the ribbon protector bracket 5 which are narrow spaces.

[0006]

However, if the shape of the ribbon guide 9 is limited so that it can be arranged in a narrow space, it becomes difficult to adopt a clean hand structure that can set the ink ribbon 15 without touching it with a finger. However, there is a problem in that the ink ribbon 15 cannot be easily set and the finger is soiled. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a ribbon guide that can be set without touching the ink ribbon with a finger even in a narrow space, thus improving the ease of replacement while ensuring a lightweight print head. The purpose is to

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a ribbon guide according to the present invention has a structure in which a rotary shaft in a direction orthogonal to the ribbon traveling direction and parallel to the ribbon surface is provided in front of the print head. One opposite to the guide body to be placed,
The base end of the movable arm is rotatably fixed to this rotation shaft, and a support shaft in the same direction as this rotation shaft is provided oppositely to the movable arm and is rotated so that it is between the guide body. A ribbon retainer capable of forming a linear ribbon traveling route is rotatably fixed to a support shaft.

[0008]

[Operation] While the movable arm is rotated about the rotation axis,
When the ribbon retainer is rotated around the support shaft, a linear ribbon route is formed between the guide body and the ribbon retainer, and the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette can be set without touching the finger. After that, when the movable arm and the ribbon retainer are rotated in the opposite directions, the linear ribbon route on which the ink ribbon is set is deformed into a predetermined shape, and a ribbon route that can be arranged even in a narrow space is formed. Become.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the ribbon guide according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the ribbon guide of the present invention before ribbon setting, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ribbon guide of the present invention after completion of ribbon setting. The same members as those shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be omitted. An opening 23 is formed in the guide main body 21 arranged in front of the print head 3 (see FIG. 4), and the print head tip 3a is formed in the opening 23.
(See FIG. 4) are arranged. Opening 2
On the left and right of the guide main body 21 sandwiching 3 there are rotary shafts 25a, 25 which are orthogonal to the ribbon traveling direction and parallel to the ribbon surface.
b is erected, the rotating shafts 25a and 25b are movable arms 27a,
The base end of 27b is rotatably supported. Movable arm 27
Support shafts 29a and 29b are erected on a and 27b in the same direction as the rotary shafts 25a and 25b, and the support shafts 29a and 29b rotatably support the bases of the ribbon retainers 31a and 31b. The ink ribbon 15 runs between the ribbon retainers 31a and 31b and the guide body 21. In addition, mounting holes 35a and 35b are formed in the distal ends of the movable arms 27a and 27b, respectively.
b is fitted to a post (not shown) provided upright on the carriage 1 (see FIG. 4). Guide body 2
1, movable arms 27a and 27b, ribbon holders 31a and 31
The ribbon guide 37 is configured with b as a main member.

In order to set the ink ribbon 15 in the ribbon guide 37 thus constructed, first, the ribbon guide 37 is removed from the carriage 1 and the movable arm 2 is moved.
The tip ends of 7a and 27b are moved in the forward direction (direction of arrow B) around the rotary shafts 25a and 25b. Next, the tip ends of the ribbon retainers 31a and 31b are moved in the forward direction (direction of arrow C) around the support shafts 29a and 29b (state of FIG. 1). In this state, the ribbon guide 37 is formed with a ribbon route which is a linear gap between the guide body 21 and the ribbon retainers 31a and 31b. Here, the ink ribbon 15 of the ribbon cassette removed from the printer
Is set. Next, the movable arms 27a and 27b are moved in the rearward direction (direction of arrow D) around the rotary shafts 25a and 25b, and the ribbon retainers 31a and 31b are further attached to the support shaft 29.
It moves backward (direction of arrow E) around a and 29b (state of FIG. 2). As a result, the setting of the ink ribbon 15 on the ribbon guide 37 is completed. In this state, the square hole 5a (see FIG. 3) of the ribbon protector bracket does not interfere with the ink ribbon 15, and
The space between the platen and the ribbon route will also be secured. Finally, the mounting holes 35a and 35b of the ribbon guide 37, on which the ink ribbon 15 is set, are inserted into the carriage 1
The ink ribbon 15 is completely set by fitting it to the post (not shown).

In the ribbon guide 37 according to the above embodiment, the movable arms 27a and 27b and the ribbon retainers 31a and 31 are used.
When b is opened, the guide body 21 and the ribbon retainer 31
A ribbon route into which the ink ribbon 15 can be inserted in a straight line is formed between a and 31b, and the ink ribbon 15 can be set in the ribbon route without touching with a finger.
Then, when the movable arms 27a and 27b and the ribbon retainers 31a and 31b are closed again with the ink ribbon 15 set, the linear gap in which the ink ribbon 15 is set is deformed into a predetermined shape, and a narrow space is formed. However, a ribbon route that can be arranged is formed.
Therefore, in setting the ink ribbon 15, there is no need to touch the ink ribbon 15.

[0012]

As described in detail above, according to the ribbon guide of the present invention, the movable arm and the ribbon retainer are rotated, so that a linear ribbon route is provided between the guide body and the ribbon retainer. The ink ribbon can be set without touching it with a finger, and when the movable arm and the ribbon retainer are rotated in the opposite directions again, the ribbon route is deformed into a predetermined shape and can be arranged even in a narrow space. . As a result, the ink ribbon can be set without touching with a finger even in a narrow space, and the ease of replacement can be improved while ensuring the weight reduction of the print head.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a ribbon guide of the present invention before a ribbon is set.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ribbon guide of the present invention after completion of ribbon setting.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carriage unit of a high speed serial printer.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a ribbon guide.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Print head 21 Guide body 25a, 25b Rotating shaft 27a, 27b Movable arm 29a, 29b Support shaft 31a, 31b Ribbon holder 37 Ribbon guide

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotating shaft in a direction orthogonal to the ribbon running direction and parallel to the ribbon surface is provided opposite to the guide body, and a base end of a movable arm is rotatably fixed to the rotating shaft. A support shaft in the same direction as the rotation shaft is provided opposite to the movable arm, and a ribbon retainer capable of forming a linear ribbon traveling route with the guide body by being rotated is provided on the support shaft. A ribbon guide characterized by being rotatably fixed.