JPH09216444A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a tape cartridge which is easily attached and detach from a tape printing device by using one tape cartridge capable of receiving a ribbon cassette or a tape cassette so designed as to be easily attachable to or detachable from the tape cartridge. SOLUTION: A ribbon cassette 17 around which a thermal ink ribbon 1 is wound is so designed as to be freely attachable to or detachable from a tape cassette 18 into which a pressure sensitive adhesive double coated tape 9 is loaded. Further, both ribbon cassette 17 and tape cassette 18 are combined together to form a tape cartridge 19. In addition, the ribbon cassette 17 has an outer shape which enables it to be received into the through part 13 of the tape cassette 18. At the same time, the tape cartridge 19 has an outer shape formed by both cassettes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to a tape cartridge of a tape printer that exclusively prints on a tape stored in a tape cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional tape printer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-3.
23429 has the structure shown in FIG. 2, and the ribbon cassette 78, the transparent tape 102, and the tape with release paper 70 are separated. Therefore, the ribbon cassette 78, the transparent tape 102 and the tape with release paper 70 are separately mounted when they are mounted in the tape printing apparatus.

In the structure shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-56666, the thermal transfer ink ribbon 15, the printing tape 17 and the double-sided adhesive tape 19 are all housed in a single ribbon tape ribbon cassette 1. Has become.

[0004]

However, Japanese Patent Application No. 62-
323429, the ribbon cassette 78
When the transparent tape 102 and the tape 70 with release paper are attached to the tape printing device separately, it is very difficult to attach and also difficult to remove when used. It was very annoying to the person.

In the method shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 2-56666, the combination of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 15, the printing tape 17 and the double-sided adhesive tape 19 is limited to one type, and the user has several types of thermal transfer ink. When it is desired to combine various colors with the ribbon 15, the printing tape 17, and the double-sided adhesive tape 19, many ribbon cassettes 1 for label tapes have to be purchased.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a drawback, and can easily provide a ribbon cassette containing an ink ribbon and a tape cassette containing a print-receiving medium such as a transparent tape and a tape with release paper. By providing a detachable structure, a tape cartridge that can be easily combined and integrated is provided, and a plurality of tape cassettes corresponding to a plurality of adhesive colors or tape colors and a plurality of ribbons corresponding to a plurality of ink colors are provided. By combining cassettes freely, we can supply colorful prints to users at low cost.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a ribbon cartridge including a ribbon cassette having an ink ribbon and a tape cassette having a print medium. Alternatively, one of the outer shapes of the tape cassette is guided to the other outer shape, so that the ink ribbon exposed at the opening of the ribbon cassette and the print medium exposed at the opening of the tape cassette are overlapped with each other. The tape cassette and the tape cassette are combined together, and the ribbon cassette or the tape cassette can be appropriately combined.

In this case, one of the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette is provided with a housing portion having a through hole for housing the other, and the other is housed, and the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette both serve as a tape printer. It is desirable to form the outer shape of the tape cartridge on the mounted side.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a tape cartridge 19 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tape cartridge 19 is composed of a ribbon cassette 17 and a tape cassette 18, and the tape cartridge 19 is removed for clarity. Shows. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the ribbon cassette 17 is attached to the tape cassette 18 as seen from the cross section AA.

The structure of the tape cartridge 19 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a hole 6-1 whose outer peripheral surface is formed of a rubber member and which is rotatably supported by a platen roller shaft (not shown).
A platen roller (shown in FIG. 4) rotatably supported, 7 is a tape feed transmission gear shaft (not shown)
A tape holding roller 8 having a hole 7-1 (described in FIG. 4) pivotally supported on the rotatably supported rotatably, a transparent film 8 is drawn in the direction of arrow F and exposed at the opening 21. There is. Reference numeral 9 is a double-sided tape composed of release paper and adhesive, 10 is a tape guide roller having a groove (not shown) on the circumferential surface, and 11 is a snap fit portion of the ribbon cassette. A tape case (lower) and a tape case (upper) 12 each having an engaging claw 11-1 and an engaging groove 11-2. Further, a penetrating portion 13 is provided near the center of the outer shape of the tape cassette 18 constituted by the tape case (upper) 12 and the tape case (lower) 11 so that the ribbon cassette 17 can be inserted and removed. The above is the description of the structure of the tape cassette 18.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a thermal ink ribbon in which an ink having a characteristic of being melted by heat generated by a print head 2 (shown in FIG. 5) is applied to a film body, which is drawn in the direction of arrow I and exposed at an opening 20. There is. The deformed hole 3-1 on the ribbon take-up core 3 engages with a ribbon take-up shaft (not shown), the power of the ribbon take-up shaft is transmitted, and the ink ribbon 1 is taken up by the ribbon take-up core 3. To be 4 is a snap fit used when detaching from the tape case (bottom) 11 4-
The ribbon case (lower) having 1 and 4-2 and the snap fits 4-1 and 4-2 have a spring property and can be tilted by applying a force from the outside. Further, the snap fit 4-1 has an engaging claw 4-3 for engaging with the engaging groove 11-2 of the tape case (lower) 11, and the snap fit 4-2 has the engaging shape of the tape case (lower) 11. Engaging claw 1
It has an engagement window 4-4 for engaging with 1-1. The above is the description of the structure of the ribbon cassette 17. A ribbon cassette 17 constituted by the ribbon case (upper) 5 and the ribbon case (lower) 4 has a thermal head (FIG.
A penetrating portion 22 for interposing the above). The outer shape of the ribbon cassette 17 is formed to be slightly smaller than the shape of the penetrating portion 13 of the tape cassette 18, so that the ribbon cassette 17 and the tape cassette 18 can be smoothly inserted and removed. Further, when the ribbon cassette 17 is mounted on the tape cassette 18, the positions of the opening 20 and the opening 21 are substantially aligned with each other, and the ink ribbon 1 and the transparent film 8 are superposed.

The above is the description of the structure of the tape cartridge 19 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Next, a method for detaching the ribbon cassette 17 from the tape cassette 18 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken from a section AA (shown in FIG. 1) showing a state where the ribbon cassette 17 is removed from the tape cassette 18.

Snap fit 4 of ribbon cassette 17
-1 and 4-2 are moved by the index finger 14 and the thumb 15 to move the index finger 14 in the arrow B direction and the thumb 15 in the arrow C direction. At that time, the engaging window 4-4 of the ribbon case (lower) 4 and the engaging claw 11- of the tape case (lower) 11 which have been engaged until then.
1 is an engagement window 4-4 by tilting the snap fit 4-2 to the inner wall 4-5 of the ribbon case (lower) 4.
The engagement claw 11-1 is in a state where the engagement is released. On the other hand, the engagement claws 4-3 of the ribbon case (bottom) 4 and the engagement groove 11-2 of the tape case (bottom) 11 that are engaged with each other are also positions where the snap fit 4-1 is disengaged. It is released by tilting to. In this state, by raising the ribbon cassette 17 in the direction of arrow D, the ribbon cassette 17 can be smoothly removed without coming into contact with each component. When the ribbon cassette 17 is attached to the tape cassette 18, the ribbon cassette 17 is inserted into the penetrating portion 13 of the tape cassette 18 from above. At that time, snap fits 4-1 and 4-2 are tape cases (bottom) 11
The insertion claws 11-1 and 11-2 of the tape case (bottom) 11 are inserted along the engagement claws 11-1 and the engagement grooves 11-2 of FIG. And is mounted on the tape cassette. Therefore, the tape cartridge 19 is configured in this state.

FIG. 4 is a top sectional view showing the inside of the tape cartridge 19 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The running path of the tapes will be described with reference to FIG.

By pulling out the transparent film 8 adhered to the double-sided tape 9 in the direction of arrow E, the transparent film 8 rotates in the direction of arrow F, and the double-sided tape 9 rotates in the direction of arrow G. At that time, the tape guide roller 10 in contact with the double-sided tape 9 rotates in the direction of arrow H. As the transparent film 8 runs, the thermal ink ribbon 1 is sent in the direction of arrow I, and the slack generated there is taken up by the ribbon take-up core rotating in the direction of arrow J.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the tape cassette 18 of the embodiment of the present invention in which the ribbon cassette 17 is attached to the tape cassette 18 is attached to the tape printer.

The print head 2 is positioned in contact with the platen roller 6, and the tape feed roller 16 is positioned in contact with the tape pressing roller 7. This state is a printable state. The printing operation is the same as the printing operation described in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-323429. Therefore, the ink applied to the thermal ink ribbon 1 is transferred to the transparent film 8 for printing, and the ink is transferred to the transparent film 8. Stick the double-sided tape 9 together.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the outer shape of either the ribbon cassette or the tape cassette is guided to the outer shape of the other, so that both cassettes can be easily integrated. A tape cartridge can be constructed.

Further, by providing a storage portion having a through hole in either one and storing the other, and forming an outer shape of the tape cartridge mounted on the tape printer in both cassettes, the tape cartridge is formed. Since both the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette are attached to the tape printer in the same manner, the ribbon and the tape can be accurately positioned, and the assembling property of the tape cartridge is improved.

Furthermore, it is possible to combine a tape cassette corresponding to a plurality of print medium colors and a plurality of ribbon cassettes corresponding to a plurality of ink colors, and it is possible to obtain a colorful printing tape. Further, since it is possible to combine the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette, it is possible to prepare a large number of types of tape cartridges at low cost, and it is not necessary to impose a financial burden on the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a tape cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a tape cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing how the ribbon cassette is removed from the tape cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an upper sectional view showing the inside of the tape cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing a state in which the tape cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached to the tape printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thermal Ink Ribbon 3 Ribbon Winding Core 4 Ribbon Case (Bottom) 5 Ribbon Case (Top) 6 Platen Roller 7 Tape Holding Roller 8 Transparent Film 9 Double-sided Tape 11 Tape Case (Bottom) 12 Tape Case (Top) 17 Ribbon Cassette 18 Tape cassette 19 Tape cartridge

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tape cartridge comprising a ribbon cassette having an ink ribbon and a tape cassette having a print medium, wherein the outer shape of one of the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette is guided to the other outer shape. And the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette are combined so that the ink ribbon exposed at the opening of the ribbon cassette and the print medium exposed at the opening of the tape cassette are combined. A tape cartridge characterized in that the ribbon cassette or the tape cassette can be appropriately combined. 2. One of the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette is provided with an accommodating portion having a through hole for accommodating the other and the other is accommodated, and the tape is provided by both the ribbon cassette and the tape cassette. The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an outer shape of the tape cartridge mounted on the printer is formed.