JPH0976610A - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink ribbon cassette hard to occur such a state that the feed of an ink ribbon into a ribbon housing part becomes impossible regardless of the protruding direction of the bent part formed on the ink ribbon by the repetition of printing. SOLUTION: A pair of feed rolls 4, 5 sending an ink ribbon R into a ribbon housing part 3 in a grasped state are provided on the inlet side of the ribbon housing part 3 formed on the way of the round running route of the ink ribbon R and posture correcting members 11 separately coming into contact with both side surfaces of the ink ribbon R sent into the nip of the feed rolls 4, 5 to correct the feed-in posture of the ink ribbon R to the posture along the direction of the rotary axes P1, P2 of the feed rolls 4, 5 is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided with a pair of feed rolls for feeding the ink ribbon into the ribbon accommodating portion in a sandwiched state at the entrance side of the ribbon accommodating portion formed in the middle of the traveling path of the ink ribbon. The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an ink ribbon cassette of this type is used in a printing device such as a wire dot printer or a typewriter, printing is performed on the intermediate portion of the ink ribbon cloth in the ribbon width direction each time the printing operation is performed. The area is repeatedly squeezed by a printing wire or a letter to shrink, and both side edges of the ink ribbon in the ribbon width direction become wavy along the ribbon longitudinal direction. When both side portions of the ink ribbon in the width direction of the ink ribbon are wavy, contact between the wavy portion of the ink ribbon and the running guide member causes the ink ribbon to move up and down in the ribbon width direction to cause meandering. Due to the meandering of the ribbon, one side edge in the width direction of the ink ribbon is abutted against the inner surface of the cassette case facing each other in the direction of the rotation axis of the feed roll to be bent. When sandwiched, as shown in FIG. 7A, the bent portion r1 at one side edge of the ink ribbon R becomes a gap S between one side surface in the rotation axis center direction of the feed rolls 01, 02 and the inner surface of the cassette case. It can get in. In this way, when the ink ribbon R is fed into the ribbon storage portion while one side edge portion of the ink ribbon R is still folded, the folded portion r1 is folded back so as to overlap the print area side of the ink ribbon R, There is a fear that this overlapping portion may become another cause of causing the ink ribbon R to meander further. Since the thickness of the overlapping portion is twice the thickness of the ink ribbon R, the density of the ink ribbon R in the ribbon storage portion increases as the forming length of the overlapping portion in the ribbon longitudinal direction increases. Although the length of the ink ribbon R that can be stored in the ribbon storage portion is substantially reduced, the length of the ink ribbon R to be stored in the ribbon storage portion remains unchanged.
There is a problem that the ink ribbon R is clogged in the ribbon storage portion, and it becomes impossible to feed the ink ribbon R into the ribbon storage.

When there are annular recesses 03 and 04 in the central portions of the feed rolls 01 and 02 in the direction of the axis of rotation, as shown in FIG. 7B, the center of the ink ribbon R in the ribbon width direction. When the bent portion r2 is formed in the portion, the top of the bent portion r2 enters the concave portion 03 of the one feed roll 01, and the ink ribbon R is directly sent to the ribbon storage portion. There is also a problem that the ink ribbon R in which the portion r2 exists has a waist in the ribbon longitudinal direction, the ink ribbon R is stretched in the ribbon storage portion, and the ink ribbon R cannot be fed into the ribbon storage portion. .

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-80766, a ribbon guide roll for changing the running direction of the ink ribbon is arranged on the side closer to the ribbon running direction than the feed roll. Roll
There is a posture correction member configured to correct the feeding posture of the ink ribbon to a posture along the rotation axis of the feed roll by contact with one side surface of the ink ribbon fed between the feed rolls.

[0005]

In the above conventional structure, only one side surface of the ink ribbon comes into contact with the ribbon guide roll that corrects the feeding posture of the ink ribbon to the posture along the rotation axis of the feed roll. When the bent portion is formed so as to project to the other side of the ribbon guide roller, this bent portion does not come into direct contact with the ribbon guide roll. There is a problem that the ink ribbon is sandwiched between the feed rolls without being corrected to the posture along the rotation axis of the roll, and as a result, it becomes impossible to feed the ink ribbon into the ribbon storage portion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make an ink ribbon with respect to a ribbon accommodating portion regardless of a protruding direction of a bent portion formed on the ink ribbon by repeating printing. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette that is unlikely to be unable to be fed.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that it is provided on the inlet side of a ribbon accommodating portion formed on the way of the ink ribbon circulating path. An ink ribbon cassette provided with a pair of feed rolls for feeding the ink ribbon into the ribbon storage portion in a sandwiched state, wherein the ink ribbons individually contact both side surfaces of the ink ribbon fed between the feed rolls. Is provided with a posture correcting member that corrects the feeding posture of (1) to a posture along the direction of the rotation axis of the feed roll. Further, according to the above-mentioned characteristic configuration, the bent portion formed on the ink ribbon by the repeated printing always contacts with any posture correcting member located on the side of the ribbon traveling path immediately before the feed roll, so that the bent portion is projected. Regardless of the direction, the feeding posture of the ink ribbon fed between the feed rolls can be corrected to the posture along the rotational axis of the feed roll. Therefore, no matter which direction on both sides of the ink ribbon the folds formed by repeated printing project, the feeding position of the ink ribbon will change when the ink ribbon is fed from the pair of feed rolls into the ribbon storage. Since the correction is made so as to approach the posture along the axial direction as much as possible, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the ink ribbon cannot be fed into the ribbon storage portion.

The characteristic configuration of the ink ribbon cassette according to a second aspect of the present invention is, in addition to the characteristic configuration according to the first aspect,
The traveling path portion of the ink ribbon immediately before being fed between the both feed rolls is an outer peripheral surface of a ribbon traveling guide member disposed on the upstream side in the ribbon traveling direction with respect to the both feed rolls, and a sandwiching portion of the both feed rolls. While being configured in a straight travel path that passes through, the posture correction member is disposed on both sides of the straight travel path, of the posture correction member facing each other across the straight travel path,
The gap of the straight running path as viewed in the longitudinal direction is configured to have a size substantially corresponding to the thickness of the ink ribbon. Further, according to the above-mentioned characteristic configuration, the posture correcting members arranged on both sides of the straight traveling path correct the bent portion formed on the ink ribbon by repeating the printing to a posture along the rotational axis of the feed roll. While
The ink ribbon portion which does not have the bent portion passes between the posture correcting members on both sides while receiving almost no resistance. Therefore, for example, the increase in running resistance of the ink ribbon can be suppressed as compared with the case where the posture correcting member is arranged in a state where the running path of the ink ribbon is formed in a zigzag shape.

The characteristic configuration of the ink ribbon cassette according to a third aspect of the present invention is, in addition to the characteristic configuration according to the second aspect,
Among the posture correcting members, at least a pair of posture correcting members that face each other across the straight traveling route are arranged so as to face each other in the direction orthogonal to the straight traveling route. Further, according to the above characteristic configuration, of the posture correcting members facing each other in the direction orthogonal to the straight traveling path, one of the posture correcting members comes into contact with the tip of the bent portion protruding toward the one side surface of the ink ribbon. Therefore, even if the ink ribbon tries to move in the direction away from the one attitude correction member, the movement is blocked by contact with the other attitude correction member, so that the ink ribbon is separated from the one attitude correction member, The bent portion does not pass through the posture correcting member in its original posture, and as a result, the performance to correct the feeding posture of the ink ribbon fed between the feed rolls to the posture along the rotational axis of the feed roll is improved. can do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the characteristic configuration of the second aspect, the ink ribbon cassette of
The posture correcting members located on both sides of the straight travel route are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the straight travel route. When manufacturing a die for forming a cassette including a posture correcting member, the one according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of the gap forming portion of the die that forms a gap between the posture correcting members is the thickness of the ink ribbon. Since it has to be machined to a size corresponding to, it requires high-level machining technology and complicated machining work, and it tends to cause a rise in the die manufacturing cost. However, according to the above-described characteristic configuration, the gap of the posture correcting members disposed on both sides of the traveling path in the longitudinal direction of the straight traveling path is configured to be substantially equivalent to the thickness of the ink ribbon. Since the facing distance between the posture correcting members can be freely set, it is possible to increase the thickness of the gap forming portion of the mold that forms the gap between the posture correcting members. The manufacturing cost can be suppressed, and as a result, it is easy to reduce the manufacturing cost of the ink ribbon cassette.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first, second, third, or fourth aspect of the ink ribbon cassette, the posture correcting member is arranged in a direction of a rotational axis of the feed roll. Out of the two inner side surfaces of the cassette case facing each other, one of the inner side surfaces is integrally formed so as to project, and the free end portion of the posture correcting member is formed into a recess or a through hole formed in the other inner side surface. Inserted and held. Further, according to the above characteristic configuration, no gap is formed between both inner side surfaces of the cassette case and the posture correcting member so that the ink ribbon may be inserted along both inner side surfaces of the cassette case. Therefore, the bent portions formed on both side edges of the ink ribbon in the width direction of the ink ribbon are inserted into such a gap, and the feeding position of the ink ribbon fed between the feed rolls is corrected to a position along the rotation shaft core direction of the feed roll. There is no inconvenience of not being performed.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[First Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 1, a cassette case CA for accommodating an ink-impregnated cloth endless ink ribbon R is made of a synthetic resin in which a pair of left and right ribbon guide arms 1A and 1B are integrally formed. The main body case 1 and a lid cover 2 made of synthetic resin, which is joined to the main body case 1 in the ribbon width direction to openably and closably close the opening of the main body case 1. In the middle of the traveling route of the ink ribbon R in the main body case 1, a ribbon storage unit 3 is provided.
Is formed, and a pair of feed rolls 4 and 5 for feeding the ink ribbon R into the ribbon storage unit 3 in a sandwiched state and folding the ink ribbon R are provided on the inlet side of the ribbon storage unit 3. Due to the driving rotation, the ink ribbon R pulled out from the outlet of the ribbon storage portion 3 is guided to the entrance side of the ribbon storage portion 3 through the printing portion between the ribbon guide arms 1A and 1B. In the ribbon guide arm 1A located on the outlet side of the ribbon storage portion 3, the ink ribbon R is held between the main body case 1 and the ink ribbon R loosely, and a predetermined tension is applied to the ink ribbon R located in the printing portion. It is equipped with a leaf spring 6 for giving.

As shown in FIG. 3, one of the pair of feed rolls 4 and 5 is a feed roll 4 on the driving side.
In the main body case 1, both ends of a synthetic resin ribbon holding body 4A having two upper and lower gear surfaces 4a contacting two positions in the ribbon width direction of the ink ribbon R are formed in the rotation axis P1. It is rotatably inserted into each of the through hole 1a and the through hole 2a formed in the lid cover 2 and is rotatably held in a predetermined position in the cassette case CA in a regulated position. Of the both ends of the drive feed roll 4 in the direction of the rotation axis P1 of the ribbon holding body 4A, the end portion on the lid cover 2 side has a rotation operation portion that projects through the through hole 2a of the lid cover 2 to the outside of the cassette case CA. 4B is integrally formed, and the rotation operation portion 4B is manually and forcibly rotated in the direction in which the ink ribbon R is fed into the ribbon storage portion 3 to loosen the ink ribbon R before the start of use of the ink ribbon cassette. Can be removed.

The feed roll 5 on the other driven side
Is a synthetic resin ribbon holding body 5A having two upper and lower gear surfaces 5a capable of meshing with the respective gear surfaces 4a of the drive feed roll 4, and the both ends of the ribbon holding body 5A in the rotation axis P2 are connected to the main body case 1 Through hole 9a formed in the upper end side holding piece 9A of the holding member 9 which is fixed to the above through the coil spring 8
And a through hole 9b formed in the holding piece 9B on the lower end side of the holding member 9 so as to be rotatably inserted therein, and rotatably held by the holding member 9. Further, each of the holding pieces 9A and 9B of the holding member 9 is provided with the main body case 1
It is inserted into the long hole 1b penetratingly formed in the lid cover 2 and the long hole 2b penetratingly formed in the lid cover 2, and the holding member 9 is guided by the both long holes 1b, 2b, and the driving feed roll 4 The driven feed roll 5 is configured to be reciprocally movable in the perspective direction, and the driven feed roll 5 is pressed and biased toward the drive feed roll 4 side by the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 8 via the holding member 9.

In the intermediate portion of the ribbon holding portion 4A of the drive feed roll 4 in the rotation axis P1 direction, that is, in the annular recess 4b between the gear surfaces 4a adjacent in the rotation axis P1 direction of the ribbon holding portion 4A, The tip of the fixed holding member 7 fixed to the main body case 1 is inserted, and the intermediate portion of the driven feed roll 5 in the direction of the rotation axis P2 of the ribbon holding body 5A, that is, the rotation axis of the ribbon holding body 5A. The tip of the intermediate holding piece 9C of the holding member 9 is inserted into the annular recess 5b between the gear surfaces 5a adjacent to each other in the P2 direction.
Therefore, even if the feed rolls 4 and 5 are driven and rotated while the ink ribbon R is wound around either one of the gear surfaces 4a and 5a, the fixed holding member 7 or the holding member 9 is formed.
The ink ribbon R comes into contact with the intermediate holding piece 9C and is peeled off from the gear surfaces 4a and 5a.
It is possible to prevent being caught in.

The rotary shaft cores P1 and P2 of both feed rolls 4 and 5 are arranged to be parallel to each other, and the ribbon holding bodies 4A and 5A of both feed rolls 4 and 5 are arranged.
The width of each of the rotation axis cores P1 and P2 in the direction is smaller than the ribbon width of the ink ribbon R.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the running path portion of the ink ribbon R immediately before being fed between the feed rolls 4 and 5 is arranged on the upstream side of the feed rolls 4 and 5 in the ribbon running direction. The outer peripheral surface of the ribbon traveling guide member 10 that is provided to change the traveling direction of the ink ribbon R in the ribbon thickness direction, and the ribbon gripping portions of both feed rolls 4 and 5 (gear surfaces 4a and 5a of both feed rolls 4 and 5). Since it is configured to a straight traveling path L passing through the meshing portion of the feed rolls 4 and 5, immediately before being fed to the sandwiching portions of both feed rolls 4 and 5,
The ink ribbon R does not bend while being wound around the ribbon holding body of either one of the feed rolls 4 and 5, and therefore, both end edges of the ink ribbon R in the ribbon width direction are not bent. Almost no bending occurs when the ribbon holding body falls to both ends in the direction of the axis of rotation. The feed rolls 4, 5 are provided on the inner side surfaces of the feed rolls 4, 5 of the main body case 1 in the direction of the rotation shaft cores P1, P2 on both sides of the straight traveling path L.
A pair of columnar posture correction members 11 along the rotation axis P1 and P2 directions of the above are integrally formed so as to project, and the free end sides of both posture correction members 11 are recesses 12 formed in the lid cover 2. Is held inserted. Both of the posture correcting members 11 face each other in a direction orthogonal to the straight traveling route L with the straight traveling route L sandwiched therebetween, and a gap between the straight postures L of the two posture correcting members 11 when viewed in the longitudinal direction. W has a size substantially corresponding to the thickness of the ink ribbon R, and is configured to come into contact with both side surfaces of the ink ribbon R traveling on the straight traveling path L in the ribbon thickness direction. For example, the thickness of the ink ribbon R is 0.1
In the case of 5 mm, the gap W is 0.15 mm to 0.2 m
Although it may be configured within the dimensional range of m, it is preferable that the gap W be as close as possible to 0.15 mm. When the bent portions r1 and r2 as described in the related art are formed on the ink ribbon R pulled out from the ink storage portion 3 by repeating the printing, as shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. As shown, these bent portions r1, r
If 2 is in a posture of projecting to the one side surface side of the ink ribbon R, the tips of the bent portions r1 and r2 are brought into contact with the posture correction member 11 on the one side surface side of the ink ribbon R and extended.
The feeding postures of the feed rolls 4 and 5 of the ink ribbon R with respect to the ribbon holding portions are corrected to the postures along the rotational axis P1 and P2 directions of the feed rolls 4 and 5. Further, if the bent portions r1 and r2 are in a posture of projecting to the other side surface side of the ink ribbon R, the tips of the bent portions r1 and r2 are not shown in the posture correcting member 11 on the other side surface side of the ink ribbon R. The ink ribbon R is extended by contact, and the feeding postures of the feed rolls 4 and 5 of the ink ribbon R with respect to the ribbon holding portions are the rotation axis P1 of the feed rolls 4 and 5.
The posture is corrected along the P2 direction.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment,
The pair of posture correcting members 11 are arranged in a state of being opposed to each other in a direction orthogonal to the straight travel route L with the straight travel route L interposed therebetween, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Both posture correcting members 1 located on both sides of the straight travel route L
1 may be arranged such that they are displaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the straight traveling path L with a gap much larger than the thickness of the ink ribbon R therebetween. In this case as well, the gap W in the longitudinal direction of the straight travel path L of the posture correcting members 11
Has a size substantially corresponding to the thickness of the ink ribbon R. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[Third Embodiment] In each of the above-described embodiments, the driven feed roll 5 is rotatably held by the holding member 9,
The follower feed roll 5 is pressed and urged toward the drive feed roll 4 by the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 8 so that the ink ribbon R is sandwiched between the both feed rolls 4 and 5, and the feed rolls 4 are ，
5, two upper and lower gear surfaces 4a, 5a contacting two positions in the ribbon width direction of the ink ribbon R on the ribbon holding bodies 4A, 5A.
As shown in FIG. 6, both ends of the ribbon holding body 5A of the driven feed roll 5 in the direction of the rotation axis P2 are connected to the through hole 1c formed in the main body case 1 and the lid cover 2 as shown in FIG. The driven feed rolls 5 are positionally regulated so that the ink ribbon R can be sandwiched between the feed rolls 5 and 4 by being rotatably inserted into each of the through holes 2c formed in The gear holding surface 4a of the rolls 4, 5 along the entire width of the rotary shaft core P2 in the ribbon holding bodies 4A, 5A does not have the annular recess 5b as shown in each of the embodiments at the intermediate portion of the rotary shaft core P2 in the direction. ，
5a may be formed and implemented. Other configurations are the same as those in the first or second embodiment.

[Other Embodiments] Cassette Case CA of Both Feed Rolls 4 and 5
Since the mounting structure for the ink ribbon cassette differs depending on the model of the ink ribbon cassette, it is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment, and if the ink ribbon R can be fed into the ribbon storage portion 3 in a sandwiched state. For example, the mounting structure can be changed appropriately. Instead of the gear surfaces 4a, 5a formed on the outer peripheral surfaces of the ribbon holding bodies 4A, 5A of both feed rolls, an annular body made of rubber or synthetic resin sponge is used as the ribbon holding body 4A.
It may be carried out by externally fitting and fixing to the outer peripheral surfaces of A and 5A. An ink supply device for supplying ink to the ink ribbon R as the ink ribbon R runs may be provided in the cassette case CA. The shape of the both posture correcting members 11 is not limited to the cylindrical shape, and may be a semi-cylindrical shape or a plate shape.

It should be noted that reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view of an ink ribbon cassette according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an essential part of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of both feed rolls of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view of an ink ribbon cassette according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an essential part of the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of both feed rolls of the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a bent state of a conventional ink ribbon.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Ribbon storage section 4 Feed roll 5 Feed roll 10 Ribbon running guide member 11 Posture correcting member 12 Cavity CA cassette case L Straight running path P1 Rotation axis core P2 Rotation axis core R Ink ribbon W gap

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A pair of feeding the ink ribbon (R) into the ribbon storage section (3) in a sandwiched state at the entrance side of the ribbon storage section (3) formed in the circulation traveling path of the ink ribbon (R). An ink ribbon cassette provided with feed rolls (4) and (5), which individually contacts both side surfaces of the ink ribbon (R) fed between the feed rolls (4) and (5), An ink ribbon cassette provided with a posture correcting member (11) for correcting the feeding posture of the ink ribbon (R) to a posture along the rotational axis (P1), (P2) directions of the feed rolls (4), (5). 2. The running path portion of the ink ribbon (R) immediately before being fed between the feed rolls (4), (5) is in the ribbon running direction more than the feed rolls (4), (5). It is configured as a straight traveling path (L) that passes through the outer peripheral surface of the ribbon traveling guide member (10) disposed on the upper side and the sandwiching portions of both feed rolls (4), (5), and has the above-mentioned posture. The straightening member (11) is arranged on both sides of the straight travel route (L), and the posture straightening member (11) faces each other across the straight travel route (L).
The gap (W) in the longitudinal direction of the straight travel route (L)
The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the ink ribbon cassette has a size substantially corresponding to a thickness of the ink ribbon (R). 3. At least a pair of posture correcting members (11) facing each other across the straight traveling path (L) of the posture correcting member (11) are orthogonal to the straight traveling path (L). The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 2, wherein the ink ribbon cassettes are arranged so as to face each other in the direction. 4. The posture correcting members (11) located on both sides of the straight traveling path (L) are straight traveling paths (L).
3. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 2, wherein the ink ribbon cassettes are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the ink ribbon cassette. 5. The posture correcting member (11) is provided on both inner side surfaces of a cassette case (CA) opposed to each other in the rotational axis (P1), (P2) directions of the feed rolls (4), (5). One of the inner surfaces is integrally formed with a protrusion, and the free end portion of the posture correcting member (11) is inserted and held in a recess (12) or a through hole formed on the other inner surface. The ink ribbon cassette according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4.