JPH0858172A - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To eliminate the detachment of a supply roll or a taking-up roll by opening the attaching part of a housing in the direction almost parallel to the running direction of a thermal ink ribbon to constitute an ink ribbon cassette. CONSTITUTION: Attaching grooves 15 are formed to an ink ribbon cassette 4 almost horizontally with respect to the mounting direction of the ink ribbon cassette 4 to an apparatus main body and the connection parts 18c, 19c of respective support caps 18, 19 are fitted in the support cap attaching holes 20 in the attaching grooves 15. Therefore, even when the ink ribbon cassette 4 is reversed, the connection parts 18c, 19c are not detached from the opening parts of the support cap attaching holes 20. Even when the cassette 4 comes into contact with the apparatus main body or is forcibly reversed when it is mounted on the apparatus main body, the support caps 18, 19 are not detached.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette for mounting a thermal ink ribbon and disposing it at a printing position in a printing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a thermal transfer type printing apparatus, ink is melted on a thermal ink ribbon by a thermal head and transferred to a paper side for printing. The thermal ink ribbon is wound between a supply roll and a take-up roll so as to run between both rolls. Both rolls are loaded in the housing of the ink ribbon cassette and set in the apparatus main body together with the ink ribbon cassette. As shown in FIG. 8, in the conventional ink ribbon cassette 40, support caps 43a to 43c are fitted and inserted at both ends of the cores of the supply roll 41 and the take-up roll 42, and the support caps 43a to 43c are also supported by the mounting groove 45 cut in the vertical direction. Both rolls 41 and 42 are mounted by engaging the caps 43a to 43c. Support caps 43a to 43c
Is mounted in the mounting groove while passing over the engaging projection 47 from the opening 46 above the mounting groove 45. Then, the ink ribbon cassette 40 is inverted and set in the apparatus main body while both rolls 41 and 42 are set.

[0003]

However, in the conventional ink ribbon cassette 40, since the mounting groove 45 is cut in the vertical direction, when it is inverted, the support cap 43 is removed.
The loads a to 43c are applied to the engaging protrusions 47 of the mounting groove 45. Therefore, when the cassette 40 is set in the main body of the apparatus, if it is handled roughly, the support caps 43a to 43a-4
3c gets over the engagement protrusion 47 and comes off the mounting groove 45, and the supply roll 41 and / or the take-up roll 42
Was sometimes dropped. In particular, when the ink ribbon cassette 40 comes into contact with the main body of the apparatus or when the ink ribbon cassette 40 is swiftly inverted, the supporting caps 43a to 43c are more likely to come off due to the reaction.

Therefore, the work of setting the ink ribbon cassette 40 in the main body of the apparatus must be done calmly and carefully. However, when replacing the thermal ink ribbon, it is often in a hurry, especially during printing, and the ink ribbon cassette will not easily fall off even if it is handled with care. Was wanted.

The present invention is to solve the above problems. Its purpose is to set supply rolls and / or
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink ribbon cassette in which the take-up roll does not easily fall off when the cassette is loaded in the apparatus main body.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the invention of claim 1, a pair of rolls for a thermal ink ribbon is held at a mounting portion of a housing through support members at both ends thereof. In the ink ribbon cassette in which the thermal ink ribbon travels between the two rolls, the attachment part is formed so as to open in a direction substantially along the traveling direction of the thermal ink ribbon.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the ink ribbon cassette according to the first aspect of the present invention, a mounting portion for temporarily placing a roll supporting member is provided in parallel with the mounting portion. A third aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the ink ribbon cassette of the second aspect, a rolling prevention portion for preventing the rolling of the support member of the roll is formed in the placing portion.

[0008]

With the above structure, in the invention of claim 1, the pair of rolls around which the heat-sensitive ink ribbon is wound are rotatably attached to the attachment groove of the housing via the support member. Then, the ink ribbon cassette is inverted and loaded into the printer. In this case, since the opening of the mounting portion is opened in a direction substantially along the running direction of the thermal ink ribbon, the supporting member does not fall out of the opening even when the cassette is reversed, and there is a reaction at the time of reversing or the same. It is less likely that the roll will fall out of the opening due to contact with the printing device of the cassette.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the operation of the invention of claim 1, when the roll is set in the ink ribbon cassette, the support member of the roll can be temporarily placed on the placing portion. it can. According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effects of the inventions of claims 1 and 2, the rolling prevention portion prevents the supporting member of the roll temporarily placed on the mounting portion from rolling down from the mounting portion.

[0010]

EXAMPLE An example in which the cassette case for an ink ribbon of the present invention is applied to a facsimile machine will be described below with reference to FIG.
~ It demonstrates based on FIG. The facsimile apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 3 is a model in which the sheet feeding cassettes 2a and 2b are mounted in two stages, and the lower sheet feeding cassette 2b can be mounted separately. A recording unit (not shown) and a reading unit (not shown) are arranged in the apparatus body 3. Further, the ink ribbon cassette 4 is detachably arranged in the recording section. An upper cover 5 is provided on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 3, and is rotated upward when the cassette 4 is attached or detached to be opened.

Next, the ink ribbon cassette 4 loaded in the apparatus main body 3 will be described. 1, 2 and 4
As shown in FIG. 4, the cassette 4 is composed of a housing 7, a supply roll S1 and a winding roll S2 set in the housing 7. Ink ribbon cassette 4 in which the ink ribbon R runs between both rolls S1 and S2
At the stage of setting the supply roll S1 and the take-up roll S2 in the housing 7, as shown in FIG. 1, the inner surface of the housing 7 faces upward. When the cassette 4 is loaded into the facsimile apparatus 1, the ink ribbon cassette 4 is turned over 180 degrees, and the apparatus main body 3 is opened from the open portion with the upper cover 5 opened.
It is designed to be loaded inside. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the inside of the housing 7 of the cassette 4 faces downward in the apparatus main body 3. In the following description of the ink ribbon cassette 4, the left side is the left side and the right side is the right side in the mounted state in FIG. Further, the upper side is referred to as the upper side and the lower side is referred to as the lower side.

The housing 7 is composed of a pair of left and right body frames 8 in which both rolls S1 and S2 are housed, and a support frame 9 which is located between both ends of the body frames 8 and which connects the body frames 8 with a predetermined gap. There is. On the outer surface of the main body frame 8, there is formed a curved guide portion 11 that bulges outward to guide the recording paper P as it passes. Ribs 12 are formed at regular intervals on the outer surface of the guide portion 11 to reduce the contact resistance when the recording paper P passes. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a pair of supply roll holding plates 13 for holding the supply roll S1 is formed at both ends of the left guide portion 11. A pair of take-up roll holding plates 14 for holding the take-up roll S2 is formed at both ends of the right guide portion 11. Both holding plates 13 and 14 are plate members integrally formed with the guide portion 11.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the feed roll holding plate 13 and the take-up roll holding plate 14 are directed toward the center of the cassette 4, that is, along the running direction of the ink ribbon R. A mounting groove 15 that is open toward the side and is horizontal to the mounting surface F of the cassette 4 in the state of FIG. 1 is formed. Engagement protrusions 17 are provided above and below the opening 16 of each mounting groove 15 to prevent the rolls S1 and S2 from falling off when the support caps 18 and 19 at both ends are mounted. Substantially circular support cap attachment holes 20 and 21 that are attachment portions continuous to the opening 16 are attached to the attachment groove 1.
It is formed within 5. The support cap mounting hole 20 on the left side of FIG. 1 has a smaller diameter than the support cap mounting hole 21 on the right side.
19 is to be fitted. As a result, the mounting positions of the two rolls S1 and S2 are prevented from being confused with each other.

A keyhole-shaped expansion permitting portion 22 is formed continuously with the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21. As a result of forming the expansion permitting portion 22, the mounting groove 15 is bent vertically to expand. Also, it has an elastic structure that allows it to return. A mounting portion 23 is formed adjacent to the outside of the opening 16 for temporarily placing the support caps 18, 19. The mounting portion 23 extends linearly and in an overhanging manner, and a rolling prevention protrusion 24, which is a rolling prevention portion, is provided at an end portion so as to project upward.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the support frames are integrally formed in a bridging manner between a supply roll holding plate 13 and a winding roll holding plate 14. The support frame 9 having a substantially angled cross section includes a support frame main body 25 and an eaves portion 26. The support frame body 25 is integrated with both holding plates 13 and 14 at both ends thereof. The support frame main body 25 is provided with guide recesses 27 at two places so as to guide the ink ribbon cassette 4 when it is set in the apparatus main body 3. As shown in FIG. 1, a stand portion 28 is formed on the eaves portion 26 so as to contact the mounting surface F to stably support the housing 7 and also to function as a handling handle when the cassette 4 is attached to or detached from the apparatus. It is like this. An opening portion 29 is formed in the center of the housing 7 by the pair of main body frames 8 and the pair of support frames 9, and the multi-pass ink ribbon R runs in the opening portion 29. The multi-pass ink ribbon R is sandwiched by a heat-sensitive head and a platen roller (not shown), the ink of the multi-pass ink ribbon R is melted by the heat-sensitive head, and image information is printed on the recording paper.

Next, the supply roll S1 and the winding roll S2 mounted on the housing 7 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the supply roll S1 is supported in a suspended state by a support cap 18 between the two supply roll holding plates 13. In addition, the winding roll S2
Is supported in a suspended state by a support cap 19 between the two holding roll holding plates 14.

The supply roll S1 and the winding roll S2 are roll-shaped by winding an ink ribbon R around a cylindrical core tube made of paper or synthetic resin. The base end side of the multi-pass ink ribbon R is fixed to the outer surface of the supply roll S1 side core tube. The multi-pass ink ribbon R is an elongated ribbon-shaped ink ribbon sheet and is formed by applying a heat-meltable ink on a base film. The multi-pass ink ribbon R is wound around the outer circumference of the core tube on the side of the supply roll S1 for several hundred turns, and its tip is fixed to the outer surface of the core tube on the side of the take-up roll S2.

Support cap 1 for supporting the supply roll S1
Reference numeral 8 is composed of a cylindrical cap body 18a, a gear portion 18b formed in the head portion of the body, and a connecting portion 18c fitted in the support cap mounting hole 20. Similarly, FIG.
Support cap 19 for supporting the upper right winding roll S2
Is composed of a cylindrical cap body 19a, a gear portion 19b formed on the head portion of the body, and a connecting portion 19c fitted into the support cap mounting hole 21.

A key 30 is formed at the base of the cap bodies 18a and 19a of the support caps 18 and 19, respectively.
It is adapted to engage with the key grooves 31, 32 formed on the supply roll S1 and the winding roll S2.
Relative rotation between 1, S2 and the support caps 18, 19 is prevented.

Next, the operation of the ink ribbon cassette 4 of this embodiment will be described. First, the support caps 18 and 19 are attached to both rolls S1 and S2, and the housing 7 is installed on a horizontal surface with the inner surface facing upward as shown in FIG. Then, the support cap 18 on the supply roll S1 side is placed on the placing portion 22 formed on the supply roll holding plate 13, and the placing portion 2 formed on the take-up roll holding plate 14 is placed.
The support cap 19 on the take-up roll S2 side is placed on 2. The support caps 18 and 19 are supported on the mounting portion 22 by the connecting portions 18c and 19c, and in this state, both rolls S1 and S2 are provisionally placed on the mounting portion 22.

Then, the support caps 18 and 19 are pressed against the opening 16 of the mounting groove 15 while being rolled laterally. Then, the connecting portion 1 of each of the support caps 18 and 19
8c and 19c press the engaging protrusion 17 of the opening 16, the mounting groove 15 is allowed to be expanded by the action of the expansion permitting portion 22, and the connecting portions 18c and 19c are inserted into the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21, respectively. It is inserted. At the same time when the connecting portions 18c and 19c are fitted into the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21, the mounting groove 15 returns to the original position from the expanded state, and the supporting caps 18 and 19 are set in the mounting groove 15.

After the cassette 4 is turned over 180 degrees, the cassette 4 is loaded into the apparatus main body 3 from above.
Reference numeral 33 is a lock pin of the upper cover 5, and when the cassette 4 is mounted, the lock pin is fitted into the right guide recess 27 in the mounted state. The cassette 4 in the illustrated example is for a multi-pass, and the guide recess 2 is provided so that the cassette 4 can be mounted even if it is inverted right and left.
7 are formed on the left and right. However, in the case of a single pass, the guide recess 27 is only on the right side so that there is no mistake in mounting.
Is formed, and if there is an incorrect mounting on the left and right, the pin 33 prevents the cassette 4 from fitting in the proper position.

Next, when both rolls S1 and S2 are to be removed, the cassette 4 is taken out from the apparatus main body 3 and then inverted, and conversely to the above, each of the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21 is fitted. The support caps 18 and 19 are pressed against the opening 16 side of the mounting groove 15 from the opposite direction to the setting direction.
Then, the connecting portions 18c, 1 of the support caps 18, 19 are connected.
9c presses the engaging projection 17 of the opening 16 to attach the mounting groove 15
Will be expanded again. Then, the connecting portions 18c and 19c come out of the opening 16 and are temporarily placed on the placing portion 22 again.

With the above-mentioned structure, the following effects can be obtained. (1) The mounting groove 15 is formed substantially horizontally with respect to the loading direction of the ink ribbon cassette 4 into the apparatus main body 3, and the connecting portions 18c and 19c of the respective support caps 18 and 19 are provided in the mounting groove 15. It is fitted in the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21. Therefore, even if the cassette 4 is inverted, the connecting portions 18c and 19c will not fall off from the openings 16 of the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21, and the cassette 4
When the cassette 4 is loaded into the device body 3, the cassette 4
There is no possibility that the support caps 18, 19 will come off even when the cassette for ink ribbon is turned over vigorously.

(2) The placing portion 23 is formed adjacent to the opening 16 and can be temporarily placed when both rolls S1 and S2 are set. On the contrary, the support caps 18, 1
When the 9 is taken out from the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21, it can be rolled out once on the mounting portion 23. Therefore, even if the opening 16 is in the lateral direction, both rolls S1 and S2
It will be easier to set, and there will be no mistake of dropping it when setting. Furthermore, since the connecting portions 18c and 19c of the support caps 18 and 19 can be easily fitted into the support cap mounting holes 20 and 21 by simply rolling them laterally from the temporarily placed state and pushing them in through the opening portions 16, especially both rolls. S
No skill is required in the set of S1 and S2.

(3) Rolling prevention projections are provided on the end of the mounting portion 23 so as to project, and the support cap 1 on the mounting portion 23 is provided.
There is no risk that the parts 8 and 19 will roll on the mounting part 23 and fall inside the housing 7.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be modified and implemented as follows. (1) In the above embodiment, the mounting groove 15 is formed horizontally with respect to the mounting surface F. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the mounting groove 15 is not necessarily horizontal to the mounting surface F,
Further, its shape can be changed at any time. Anyway, if the opening 16 is opened in the lateral direction substantially along the running direction of the ink ribbon R into the apparatus main body 3, the support cap 18 will fall out from the support cap mounting hole 20 even if the cassette 4 is reversed. Because there is nothing.

(2) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the placing portion 23 is formed in an oblique shape, and the connecting portion 18c of the support cap 18 placed on the placing portion 23 has the support cap mounting hole 20. It rolls in the direction and comes into contact with the engaging projections 17 on the upper and lower sides in FIG. 6 and stops. That is, the lower engagement protrusion 17 functions as the rolling prevention protrusion 24 as well as the protrusion.

(3) In the above embodiment, the rolling prevention projection 24 is formed at the end of the mounting portion 23. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the mounting portion 23 may be formed in a concave shape as a rolling prevention portion to prevent rolling. If the support caps 18 and 19 are formed in the concave shape in this way, the support caps 18 and 19 are stable at the bottom of the concave shape, and both rolls S1 and S2 suspended on the mounting portion 23 without rolling can be positioned. Becomes

(4) In the above embodiment, the housing 21 has a substantially symmetrical shape in the left-right and front-rear directions. However, body frame 2
2 does not necessarily have to be symmetrical. Further, the support caps 18 and 19 are of different types for each of the supply roll S1 and the winding roll S2 in the above embodiment. However, it is not necessary that all four have the same shape.

Others The present invention is free to set a single-pass ink ribbon other than the multi-pass ink ribbon R in the housing 7, and can be applied to a copying machine, a printer or the like instead of the facsimile device 1. For example, it is free to change and implement it without departing from the spirit.

Further, other technical ideas grasped by the above embodiments will be described below together with their effects. (1) In addition to the configuration of the invention of claim 2, a support member fixing means is provided on the mounting portion. (For example, as shown in FIG. 6, it may be formed in an oblique shape, or as in FIG. 7, the mounting portion may be formed in a concave shape). With such a configuration, the support member is stabilized by the support member fixing means in the temporary placement state, and is positioned on the mounting portion without rolling.

(2) The rolling prevention portion (rolling prevention projection 24, etc.) of the constitution of the invention of claim 3 is also used as the supporting member fixing means, and the mounting portion is formed in an oblique shape (the embodiment shown in FIG. 6). (As an example.) With such a structure, the structure of the housing becomes simpler.

(3) In addition to the configuration of the invention of claim 3, the mounting portion is formed outside the opening of the mounting portion (for example, a structure as shown in FIG. 1). With such a configuration, since the mounting portion is outside the opening, the upper portion of the mounting portion is open, and the support member can be placed on the mounting portion from above.
Therefore, the reliability when the rolls S1 and S2 are detached is extremely good.

[0035]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above in detail,
According to the ink ribbon cassette of the invention described above, the support member is detached even when the ink ribbon cassette is contacted with the device when the cassette is loaded into the printing device or the ink ribbon cassette is turned over vigorously. It will not be lost. Further, according to the invention of claim 2 or 3, it is easy to set both rolls even if the opening is formed laterally, and there is no mistake that they are removed at the time of setting. Further, according to the invention of claim 3, there is no possibility that the supporting member on the mounting portion will roll on the mounting portion and fall into the housing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an ink ribbon cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an ink ribbon cassette of the same embodiment. It is in an inverted state with respect to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing an embodiment in which the ink ribbon cassette of the same embodiment is applied to a facsimile machine.

FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating a state in which a multi-pass ink ribbon is attached to the ink ribbon cassette of the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a main portion for explaining another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view of relevant parts for explaining another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of relevant parts for explaining another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 ... Ink ribbon cassette, 7 ... Housing, 16 ...
Opening parts, 20 ... Support caps that are support members, 23 ... Placement parts, 24 ... Rolling prevention projections that are roll prevention parts, S1 ... Supply rolls, S2 ... Winding rolls, R ... Multi-pass ink ribbons that are heat-sensitive ink ribbons.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cassette for an ink ribbon in which a pair of rolls for a heat-sensitive ink ribbon are held at a mounting portion of a housing through support members at both ends thereof, and the heat-sensitive ink ribbon travels between the both rolls, wherein the mounting portion is provided. An ink ribbon cassette formed so as to open in a direction substantially along the running direction of the thermal ink ribbon. 2. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein a mounting portion for temporarily mounting a roll supporting member is provided in parallel on the mounting portion. 3. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 2, wherein the placing portion is formed with a rolling prevention portion for preventing rolling of the supporting member of the roll.