JPH09188050A - Tape-ribbon complex cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent interference between a tape and an ink ribbon when a ribbon cassette is mounted to a tape cassette, while ensuring attaching and detaching characteristics of the ribbon cassette with respect to the tape cassette, in a complex cassette in which the ribbon cassette is releasably attached to the tape cassette. SOLUTION: A regulating part 40 comprising a vertical protrusion is provided at the rear end of a head holder 15 of a printer, and a part 69 to be regulated comprising a vertical engaging groove is formed in a ribbon cassette 50 in such a manner that the part 40 can be engaged with the groove in precisely positioned, in front and rear direction, relationship. And when the cassette 50 is attached to a tape cassette mounted to the printer, the part 40 is engaged with the part 69 so that an ink ribbon 54 regulates the position of the ribbon cassette 50 in a direction (rearward) apart from an exposed tape.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape / ribbon composite having a tape cassette containing a tape as a print medium to be printed by a printer, and a ribbon cassette containing an ink ribbon and detachably attached to the tape cassette. The present invention relates to a cassette, and more particularly to a cassette that prevents interference between the tape and the ribbon when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the tape cassette.

[0002]

The applicant of the present invention has put into practical use a label producing printer suitable for producing a tape-shaped label.
In this printer for label production, in order to enable multicolor printing, a tape cassette that accommodates a tape as a print medium and is detachably attached to the printer, and an ink ribbon that is detachably attached to the tape cassette are attached. A tape / ribbon composite cassette having a ribbon cassette is applied. As the ribbon cassette, a plurality of types of ribbon cassettes in which different color ribbons are housed are applied.

On the other hand, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-74956 discloses that
A tape / ribbon composite cassette similar to that described above, which is applied to a printer for producing a tape-shaped label, is also described. In this tape / ribbon composite cassette, in order to mount and position the ribbon cassette on the tape cassette, a housing opening for mounting the ribbon cassette is formed on the tape cassette, and the outer peripheral shape of the ribbon cassette is set to the housing opening. The ribbon cassette is formed in the same shape as the peripheral wall surface, and the outer peripheral wall surface of the ribbon cassette is guided by the peripheral wall surface of the accommodation opening to positionally regulate the ribbon cassette with respect to the tape cassette.

The tape cassette and the ribbon cassette are formed with a head insertion portion into which a print head is inserted when the tape cassette and the ribbon cassette are mounted in the printer. The print head inserted into the head insertion portion has an ink ribbon drawn from the ribbon cassette. The tape drawn out from the tape cassette comes into contact with the outer surface side of the ink ribbon, and printing is performed by the print head on a portion of the ink ribbon and the tape which is sandwiched between the print head and the platen.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Like the tape / ribbon composite cassette described in the above publication, the outer peripheral wall surface of the ribbon cassette is guided by the peripheral wall surface of the accommodation opening to positionally regulate the ribbon and the ribbon with respect to the tape cassette. The cassette can be almost positioned. However, in order to be able to mount the ribbon cassette in the accommodation opening of the tape cassette, a minute gap is required between the peripheral wall surface of the accommodation opening and the outer peripheral wall surface of the ribbon cassette, and rattling due to the minute gap is caused. As a result, the positioning accuracy of the ribbon cassette with respect to the tape cassette decreases, and the printing quality deteriorates.

In other words, if the rattling occurs, the transfer of the ink ribbon becomes unstable between the print head and the platen and in the vicinity thereof, and the position of the ink ribbon with respect to the tape fluctuates, so that a certain print quality cannot be ensured. . Therefore, if the gap between the peripheral wall surface of the accommodation opening and the outer peripheral wall surface of the ribbon cassette is extremely small, it becomes difficult to smoothly attach / detach the ribbon cassette to / from the tape cassette, or when the ribbon cassette thermally expands. It becomes impossible to attach and detach.

Further, with the tape cassette and the ribbon cassette mounted, the ink ribbon and the tape are brought into close proximity to the front face of the print head, and the platen is brought into contact with the print head to print. When the ribbon cassette is loaded into the tape cassette with the tape cassette loaded, the lower end of the ink ribbon interferes with the lower end of the tape and the ink ribbon becomes jammed, making it difficult to load the ribbon cassette smoothly. is there.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to prevent interference between a tape and an ink ribbon when mounting the ribbon cassette on the tape cassette while ensuring the detachability of the ribbon cassette in the tape / ribbon composite cassette. .

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape / ribbon composite cassette which accommodates a tape as a print medium and is detachably attached to a printer having a print head, and an ink ribbon. In a tape / ribbon composite cassette having a ribbon cassette detachably mounted on the tape cassette, a tape exposing part and a ribbon exposing for bringing a tape and an ink ribbon close to a print head in a state where the tape / ribbon composite cassette is mounted on a printer. Parts are provided in the tape cassette and the ribbon cassette,
In order to guide and position the ribbon cassette when mounting the ribbon cassette, the tape cassette is provided with a plurality of spaced guide portions, and the ribbon cassette is provided with a plurality of guided portions that engage with the plurality of guide portions. When the ribbon cassette is attached to the tape cassette attached to the printer, the position of the ink ribbon in the ribbon exposed portion is regulated by the regulation portion provided on the printer body side from the tape in the tape exposed portion. The regulated portion is formed on the ribbon cassette.

When mounting the ribbon cassette on the tape cassette, a plurality of guided portions of the ribbon cassette are engaged with a plurality of mutually separated guide portions of the tape cassette,
The ribbon cassette is guided and positioned with respect to the tape cassette, and the state is maintained even after the ribbon cassette is mounted on the tape cassette. Since it is guided and positioned through the plurality of guide portions and the guided portion that are separated from each other, the positioning can be performed with high accuracy. In particular, if the three guide portions and the guided portion are formed to be elongated in the ribbon cassette attaching / detaching direction, the contact area between the plurality of guide portions and the guided portion also becomes small, so the sliding resistance when attaching / detaching the ribbon cassette is also small. The detachability of the ribbon cassette is not impaired, and the sliding resistance is not so large even if the sliding gap between the guide part and the guided part is set small, so the sliding gap is sufficiently small. Therefore, the positioning accuracy can be improved.

When mounting the ribbon cassette,
The regulated portion formed on the ribbon cassette is positionally regulated in the direction in which the ink ribbon of the ribbon exposed portion is separated from the tape of the tape exposed portion by the regulation portion provided on the printer body side. The ribbon cassette can be smoothly mounted without interfering with the lower end of the ink ribbon and jamming the ink ribbon.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the tape / ribbon composite cassette according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the restricting portion is a projection formed in a head holder of the print head in a vertical direction, and the restricted portion is engaged with the projection. It is characterized in that it is composed of mating vertical engaging grooves. Therefore, the head holder can be effectively used to form the restriction portion, and the configuration for the restriction portion is simplified.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is a label producing printer for producing a tape-shaped label by multi-color printing characters, symbols and characters on a tape as a print medium,
The present invention is applied to a tape / ribbon composite cassette applied to this printer. The tape / ribbon composite cassette includes a tape cassette detachably attached to the printer and a ribbon cassette detachably attached to the tape cassette.

First, the label producing printer will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard 2, a liquid crystal display 3, a cassette cover 4, a cutter lever 5 and the like are provided on the upper surface of the label producing printer 1, and a printing mechanism 10 is arranged below the cassette cover 4. ing. When the cover open lever 6 is slid to the right in FIG. 1, the cassette cover 4 is opened, and the printing mechanism 10 is opened with the cassette cover 4 open.
The tape cassette 30 can be mounted on the tape cassette 30, and the ribbon cassette 50 can be mounted on the tape cassette 30.

Tape cassette 30 and ribbon cassette 50
The tape cassette 30 is configured separately from
The tape cassette 30 is detachably mounted from the upper side, and the ribbon cassette 50 is detachably mounted from the upper side. A tape cassette 30 and a ribbon cassette 50 are combined. It is a ribbon composite cassette 350 (see FIG. 5).

Next, the printing mechanism 10 will be briefly described. FIG. 2 is a view in which the tape cassette 30 and the ribbon cassette 50 are mounted on the printing mechanism 10 of the printer 1 and the inside of the tape cassette 30 and the ribbon cassette 50 is partially crossed so that the roller holder 11 is covered with a platen. 1
2 and the sub roller 13 are provided so as to swing integrally with the roller holder 11 about the pivot shaft 11a. The roller holder 11 is configured to swing open / close in response to opening / closing of the cassette cover 4. At the position near the rear side of the platen 12, for example, 9
A thermal head 14 including six heating elements and a head holder 15 that holds the thermal head 14 are provided. The thermal head 14 and the head holder 15
And correspond to the print head.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a tape 31 as a print medium is wound around a tape spool 30a and mounted in the tape cassette 30.
From the vicinity of the rear side to the tape outlet 32 near the thermal head 14 while being guided by the tape guide path having a substantially U-shaped curved shape in a plan view, from the tape outlet 32 to the tape exposed portion 3
7, the tape 31 of the tape exposed portion 37 is positioned close to the front surface of the thermal head 14, and is led out of the tape cassette 30 by the tape feed roller 33 of the tape cassette 30 and the tape feed sub roller 13. To be done.

Since the tape 31 is wound around the tape spool 30a and the tape knob 34 is configured to engage with the tape spool 30a and rotate integrally, the tape knob 34 is manually rotated. 31 can be rewound. A head insertion portion 35 for inserting the thermal head 14 and the head holder 15 is formed in the central portion in the left-right direction near the front end of the tape cassette 30, and a right portion of the central portion of the tape cassette 30 is formed. A bottomed accommodating portion 36 that accommodates the main body portion 50a of the ribbon cassette 50 is formed.

On the other hand, the main body portion 50a of the ribbon cassette 50
Is loosely fitted in the accommodating portion 36 formed in the tape cassette 30, while the ribbon cassette 50 has an upper wall portion 52.
Is mounted so as to cover the upper surface of the tape cassette 30. 3 shows the tape cassette 30, and FIG.
Shows a ribbon cassette 50, and FIG. 5 shows a tape cassette 3.
0 shows a tape / ribbon composite cassette 350 in which the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted. The ribbon cassette 50 is positioned in the horizontal direction and the height direction with respect to the tape cassette 30, and is detachably fixed via three claws (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, an ink ribbon 54 wound around a ribbon spool 53 is mounted on a ribbon cassette 50, guided by ribbon guides 55 to 58, and led out to a ribbon exposed portion 51. , The exposed ribbon part 51
The ink ribbon 54 is positioned in contact with the front surface of the thermal head 14, and the ink ribbon 54 used for printing is taken up by the take-up spool 61 via the guide rod 59 and the ribbon guide 60. A clutch spring 62 for preventing the looseness of the ink ribbon 54 is provided below the take-up spool 61.
Is installed. A head insertion portion 63 for inserting the thermal head 14 is formed on the left portion near the front end of the ribbon cassette 50.

The upper wall portion 52 of the ribbon cassette 50 has one
Since the pair of knobs 64 are formed, these knobs 6
By grasping 4 with a finger, the ribbon cassette 50 can be easily attached and detached. By bringing the upper wall portion 52 of the ribbon cassette 50 into contact with the upper end surface of the tape cassette 50, the vertical position of the ribbon cassette 50 with respect to the tape cassette 30 is determined, and the three claws of the tape cassette 30 are fixed to the three positions of the ribbon cassette 50. By engaging the two holes, the ribbon cassette 50 is detachably fixed to the tape cassette 30.

The platen 12 and the sub-roller 13 are mounted on the roller holder 11, and when the cassette cover 4 is closed, the roller holder 11 swings to the pressure contact side in conjunction with it, and the platen 12 comes into pressure contact with the thermal head 14. , The sub roller 13 is brought into pressure contact with the tape feed roller 33. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink ribbon 54 led out to the ribbon exposed portion 51 on the front surface of the thermal head 14 comes into contact with the front surface of the thermal head 14, and the ink ribbon 5
4, the tape 31 of the tape exposed portion 37 is overlapped, and the ink ribbon 54 and the tape 31 are pressed against the thermal head 14 by the platen 12 and the thermal head is applied to the tape 31 via the ink ribbon 54. A character string or the like is printed by 14 in a dot pattern.
The tip side portion of the printed tape 31 passes between the active blade 16 and the passive blade 17 which constitute the cutter, and the main body case 7
It is led out from the slit 8 formed in the. The active blade 16 is connected to the cutter lever 5 by a connecting plate 18,
By operating the cutter lever 5, the tape 31 is cut by the active blade 16 and the passive blade 17.

Next, a mechanism for guiding and positioning the ribbon cassette 50 with respect to the tape cassette 30 when and after mounting the ribbon cassette 50 on the tape cassette 30, and the ribbon cassette 50 on the tape cassette 30. A mechanism for restricting the ink ribbon 54 so as not to interfere with the tape 31 when the sheet is mounted from above will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a vertical positioning pin 38 is provided at the rear end of the tape cassette 30, and a vertical positioning pin 39 is provided at the right end of the tape cassette 30.
Is provided, and the upper ends of the positioning pins 38 and 39 are formed in a tapered shape. Further, at the rear end portion of the head holder 15, there is formed a restriction portion 40 which is a protrusion in the vertical direction.

In the ribbon cassette 50, a columnar portion 66 having an engaging hole 65 with which the positioning pin 38 engages with a minute gap, and a positioning pin 39 with a minute gap in the front-rear direction and a loose fit in the left-right direction are engaged. A columnar portion 68 having a matching engagement hole 67, and a regulated portion 69 including an engagement groove in the up-down direction with which the regulation portion 40 engages so that it can be precisely positioned in the front-rear direction are provided. The regulating portion 40 and the regulated portion 69 are provided in the vicinity of the rear side of the thermal head 14, and when the ribbon cassette 50 is attached to the tape cassette 30 attached to the printing mechanism 10, the tape exposing portion 37.
The position of the ribbon cassette 50 is regulated in a direction (that is, rearward) in which the ink ribbon 54 of the ribbon exposed portion 51 is separated from the tape 31. The positioning pins 38 and 39 correspond to the guide portions, and the engagement holes 65 and 6
7 correspond to the guided portion, respectively.

Here, if the positioning pins 38 and 39 are configured to engage with the engagement holes 65 and 67 with almost no gap, even if the regulation portion 40 and the regulated portion 69 are omitted, the tape is not provided. It is possible to ensure the positioning accuracy of the ribbon cassette 50 with respect to the cassette 30, but in that case, the sliding resistance between the positioning pins 38 and 39 and the engagement holes 65 and 67 becomes large, so As a result, the ribbon cassette 50 cannot be smoothly attached and detached. Therefore, the positioning pin 38 is engaged with the engagement hole 65 with a minute gap, and the positioning pin 39 is engaged with the engagement hole 67 with a minute gap in the front-rear direction and in the left-right direction in a loose-fitting manner. The regulation portion 40 and the regulated portion 69 ensure the positioning accuracy of the ribbon cassette 50 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction with respect to the tape cassette 30 in the vicinity of the thermal head 14, and also when the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted, the ink ribbon 54 is moved. It is configured to prevent the lower end from being caught by the upper end of the tape 31 and causing a ribbon jam. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the sliding resistance when the ribbon cassette 50 is attached and detached, so that the ribbon cassette 50 can be smoothly attached and detached with a light attaching and detaching force, and due to the interference between the ink ribbon 54 and the tape 31. The occurrence of ribbon jam can be prevented.

When the positioning accuracy of the ribbon cassette 50 in the front-rear direction with respect to the tape cassette 30 in the vicinity of the thermal head 14 is low, when the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted on the tape cassette 30 from above, the tape 31 is attached to the upper end of the tape 31. There is a risk that the lower end of the ink ribbon 54 may be caught and a ribbon jam may occur and the print quality may become unstable. However, the tape cassette 30 and the printing mechanism near the thermal head 14 via the regulating portion 40 and the regulated portion 69. Since the positioning accuracy of the ribbon cassette 50 in the front-rear direction with respect to 10 is secured, the above-mentioned problem does not occur.

The positioning pins 38 and 39 project from the upper end surface of the tape cassette 30. When the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted, the positioning pins 38 and 39 are engaged with the engagement holes 65 and 67, respectively. In order to mount the ribbon cassette 50 after the two-dimensional positioning in the horizontal direction,
The outer peripheral wall surface of the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted with almost no contact with the peripheral wall surface of the housing portion 36 of the tape cassette 30. Therefore, the tape / ribbon composite cassette can be mounted smoothly as compared with the conventional tape / ribbon composite cassette, in which both are positioned through contact between the outer peripheral wall surface of the ribbon cassette and the peripheral wall surface of the accommodating portion of the tape cassette. Further, since the ribbon cassette 50 is detached and replaced while the tape cassette 30 is attached to the printing mechanism 10, the ribbon cassette 50 can be smoothly attached and detached.

The opening window 41 shown in FIG. 3 is an opening for manipulating the tape 31 on the tape guide path with a finger to feed the tape, and an opening window similar to this is a front side wall portion opposite to the opening window 41. Is also formed. It is possible to print in a plurality of colors by replacing the ribbon cassette 50 of the tape / ribbon composite cassette 350, but in that case, the tape 31 may be rewound as necessary, so that the tape feeding as described above may be performed. An opening window 41 is provided for this purpose.

Further, a plurality of detecting actuators 42 are attached to and retractable from one corner of the tape cassette 30, and the printing mechanism 10 has a plurality of detecting actuators 42 corresponding to the plurality of detecting actuators 42. A plurality of detection switches (not shown) are provided to push up the detection operating elements 42 by a predetermined small stroke. At one corner of the ribbon cassette 50, one or a plurality of actuating portions 70 that selectively push down the plurality of detection actuators 42 and one or a plurality of escape holes 71 that do not push down are formed. The detection switch is operated by the detection operator 42 that is pressed down by the operation unit 70. These are tape cassette 3
It is provided to detect the type of 0 (type of tape 31) and the type of ribbon cassette 50 (type of ink ribbon 50).

In the tape / ribbon composite cassette 350 applied to the tape-shaped label producing printer 1 described above, the positioning pins 38 and 39, the columnar portions 66 and 68 having the engaging holes 65 and 67, and the head holder 15 are formed. Since the regulated portion 69 that engages with the regulated portion 40 is provided, as described above, when the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted on the tape cassette 30 and after the mounting, the ribbon cassette 50 is highly accurately mounted on the tape cassette 30. Can be positioned.

Particularly, the tape 31 of the tape exposing portion 37 facing the thermal head 14 is formed by the regulating portion 40 and the regulated portion 69.
On the other hand, since the ribbon cassette 50 can be positionally regulated with respect to the printing mechanism 10 in the direction (backward) in which the ink ribbon 54 of the ribbon exposed portion 51 is separated, the tape 31 of the tape 31 is attached when the ribbon cassette 50 is mounted. The lower end of the ink ribbon 54 does not interfere with the upper end, and ribbon jam does not occur. Further, since the positional relationship between the tape 31 and the ink ribbon 54 in the vicinity of the thermal head 14 is kept constant, the print quality does not change.

Further, the main body 50a of the ribbon cassette 50
The outer peripheral wall of the positioning pin 3 is configured so as to hardly contact the peripheral wall surface of the accommodating portion 36 of the tape cassette 30.
Since the sliding resistance between 8, 39 and the engaging holes 65, 67 is also small, when the ribbon cassette 50 is attached to or detached from the tape cassette 30, it can be smoothly attached and detached with a light attaching and detaching force.

The location, number and structure of the positioning pins 38 and 39, the engagement holes 65 and 67, the columnar portions 66 and 68, the regulating portion 40, the regulated portion 69 and the like can be changed as appropriate.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Of course, various modifications may be added and implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0033]

In the tape / ribbon composite cassette according to the first aspect of the present invention, the tape cassette is separated from the tape cassette in order to guide and position the ribbon cassette with respect to the tape cassette when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the tape cassette. In addition to providing a plurality of guide portions, the ribbon cassette is provided with three guided portions that engage with the plurality of guide portions, respectively, and when the ribbon cassette is attached to the tape cassette and after the attachment, the plurality of guide portions are provided. Since the ribbon cassette is guided and positioned with respect to the tape cassette via the guide portion, the ribbon cassette can be positioned with high accuracy. In particular, if the plurality of guide portions and the guided portion are formed to be elongated in the attaching / detaching direction of the ribbon cassette, the contact area between the plurality of guide portions and the guided portion also becomes small, so the sliding resistance when attaching / detaching the ribbon cassette is also small. As a result, the ribbon cassette does not lose its attachability and detachability, and the sliding resistance does not increase so much even if the sliding gap between the guide part and the guided part is set to a small value. The positioning accuracy can be improved by reducing the size.

Further, when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the tape cassette mounted on the printer, the position is regulated in the direction in which the ink ribbon on the ribbon exposed portion is separated from the tape on the tape exposed portion by the regulating portion provided on the printer body side. Since the regulated portion to be regulated is formed on the ribbon cassette, when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the tape cassette, the regulated portion formed on the ribbon cassette is controlled by the regulation portion provided on the printer main body side. Since the position of the ink ribbon at the exposed portion of the ribbon is regulated in the direction of separating it, the lower end of the ink ribbon does not interfere with the lower end of the tape and the ink ribbon is not jammed, and the ribbon cassette can be mounted smoothly. it can.

In the tape / ribbon composite cassette of the second aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect can be obtained, but the regulating portion is composed of a protrusion in the vertical direction formed on the head holder of the print head, and the regulated portion is formed. Since the portion is composed of the engagement groove in the up-down direction that engages with the protrusion, the head holder can be effectively used to form the regulating portion, so that the configuration for the regulating portion is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a label producing printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a printing mechanism of the printer and a tape / ribbon composite cassette.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tape cassette.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a ribbon cassette.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tape / ribbon composite cassette.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a ribbon cassette and a head holder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printer for Label Creation 14 Thermal Head 15 Head Holder 30 Tape Cassette 31 Tape 37 Tape Exposed Area 38, 39 Positioning Pin 40 Restriction Section 50 Ribbon Cassette 51 Ribbon Exposed Area 54 Ink Ribbon 65, 67 Engagement Hole 66, 68 Columnar Section 69 Regulated Part 350 Tape / Ribbon Composite Cassette

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tape having a tape cassette that accommodates a tape as a print medium and is detachably attached to a printer having a print head, and a ribbon cassette that accommodates an ink ribbon and is detachably attached to the tape cassette. In a ribbon cassette, the tape cassette and the ribbon cassette are provided with a tape exposure portion and a ribbon exposure portion that bring the tape and the ink ribbon close to the print head with the tape ribbon ribbon cassette mounted in the printer. For guiding and positioning when mounting the ribbon cassette, the tape cassette is provided with a plurality of mutually separated guide portions, and the ribbon cassette is provided with a plurality of guided portions that are respectively engaged with the plurality of guide portions. When loading the ribbon cassette into the tape cassette loaded in the printer, The tape / ribbon composite characterized in that the regulated portion provided on the main body side is formed on the ribbon cassette, and the regulated portion whose position is regulated in the direction in which the ink ribbon of the ribbon exposed portion is separated from the tape of the tape exposed portion is formed. cassette. 2. The regulating portion comprises a vertical protrusion formed on a head holder of the print head, and the regulated portion comprises an upward engaging groove that engages with the protrusion. The tape / ribbon composite cassette according to claim 1.