JPH10138615A - Medium to be recorded - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to visually determine easily and positively a residual unrecorded part becoming small during the recording operation of a recording device without wasting a recording area by providing a a residual unrecorded amount display part in a marginal area on the recording face side. SOLUTION: A recording area FD2a and a marginal area FD2b on both sides of the recording area FD2a are provided on the recording face D2b side of a long-size recording medium D2. On one of the sides of these marginal areas FD2b, a single linear display part FD2c, for example, is provided which visibly indicates the residual unrecorded amount of the recording medium D2. In addition, a display part FD2d may be provided which displays a sequential change in the number of lines, for example, one to two and further to three following the dwindling residual unrecorded area of the recording medium D2. Further, the display parts FD2c, FD2d may be provided on the other side or both sides of the marginal area FD2b. Thus it is possible to visually determine the residual unrecorded amount easily by the display parts FD2c, FD2d on the recording face D2b side of the recording medium D2 during the printing operation of a tape printing device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording medium mounted on a recording apparatus for recording characters such as characters, marks, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a facsimile apparatus or a printer as an example of a recording apparatus, a long recording sheet is used. Section is often provided.

[0003]

However, if the remaining amount display portion of the paper is located on the back side of the recording paper, the remaining amount display portion is missed during the recording operation and is continued to be used. It ended halfway, and it was necessary to reload new recording paper into the recording device and restart the recording operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to easily and surely visually check that the remaining amount of a long recording medium is small, and to check the remaining amount. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium in which a recording area is not stained by a display unit that is visible.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium which is mounted on a recording apparatus and recorded. A recording area on the recording surface side of the recording medium, and at least one margin area on both sides of the recording medium, and a display unit for visually indicating the remaining amount of the medium is provided in the margin area. I do. This makes it possible to easily see the display unit provided on the recording surface side of the recording medium during the recording operation of the recording apparatus, so that the remaining amount of the long recording medium can be easily reduced. The display area is provided in the margin area, and the display area is not wasted on the display area.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the display section changes according to the remaining amount of the recording medium. Thus, the user can easily understand how much of the medium remains by looking at the display unit, and should continue using the recording operation as it is, or use a new recording medium in the recording device. It can be easily determined whether or not the camera should be re-mounted, so that the recording operation does not end in the middle and does not start over.

According to the recording medium of the present invention, a half-cut portion is provided between the recording area and the blank area for facilitating separation of the recording area and the blank area. It is characterized by having been provided. Thus, when the recording area and the margin area are gripped and torn apart, the tear area is torn at the half-cut portion, and unnecessary margin areas can be easily removed from the recording area.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium, wherein a double-sided adhesive tape having a release paper laminated on one side is attached to the back side of the recording medium. Thus, by peeling the release paper from the double-sided adhesive tape, for example, the recording medium can be attached to an object to be attached such as a spine of a file via the double-sided adhesive tape.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A recording medium according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a recording apparatus according to the present embodiment is a tape printing apparatus 1 that prints a large number of characters or marks such as hiragana, kanji, and symbols on a wide or narrow recording medium (tape). It is. Inside the tape printer 1,
A tape station TS for recording a narrow recording medium D1 as a first recording medium in a single color, and a wide recording medium D2 as a second recording medium in a color or a single color. And two wide stations WS. Thereby, after the recording is completed, the narrow recording target recorded in monochromatic at the tape station TS from an outlet (not shown) on one side (left side) of the main body frame 2 of the tape printing apparatus 1 at the tape station TS. While the medium D1 is ejected, a wide recording medium D2 recorded in color or monochrome in the wide station WS is ejected from an ejection port 2a at the center of the front surface of the main body frame 2.

On the keyboard 3, in addition to a plurality of character keys for inputting characters such as a line feed key and a hiragana key and a mark key, various keys such as an edit key such as an execution key and a cancel key are provided. A setting key for vertical writing or horizontal writing is provided. When a cable 4 is connected between the tape printer 1 and the keyboard 3, signals such as data input through various keys on the keyboard 3 are transmitted and received via the cable 4. Can be. A display 5 as a display device is provided on the front right side of the main body frame 2.
The display 5 can display characters, marks, and the like input from the keyboard 3 over a plurality of lines on the screen.

On the front side of the main body frame 2, a cover case 7 which can be opened and closed on the front side is provided.
The cover case 7 is opened, and either the tape cassette TC or the color or single-color ribbon cassette RC used at the time of the wide station WS is loaded into the carriage CA.
The cover case 7 can be closed by setting on the top. Thereby, depending on whether the user desires the narrow recording medium D1 recorded in a single color or the wide recording medium D2 recorded in a color or a single color,
Either the tape cassette TC or the ribbon cassette RC is selected, and the carriage CA in the cover case 7 is selected.
Can be set on top. In the tape printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, in the tape station TS, recording can be performed only on the narrow recording medium D1 in a single color, but is not necessarily limited to this mode, and full-color recording can be performed. It may be changed as follows.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a front view and a plan view, respectively, showing a main part of a recording mechanism inside the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment. The tape station TS refers to a recording area on the left side of the bottom chassis HS extending forward and backward inside the main body frame 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the wide station WS refers to the recording area of the bottom chassis HS. Refers to the right recording area. In the tape station TS, recording is performed in the line recording mode. In the line recording mode, the narrow recording medium D1 pulled out from the tape cassette TC and the ink ribbon IR or the like used for recording on the recording medium D1 are moved in one direction, that is, in the main body frame 2. It is transported to the outside of the side. Then, the recording head HD in a fixed state performs recording on the narrow recording medium D1 via the ink ribbon IR,
Only the recorded recording medium D1 is discharged to the outside of the side of the main body frame 2.

On the other hand, in the wide station WS,
Recording is performed in the serial recording mode. In this serial recording mode, the recording head HD is transported in the main scanning direction (ie, the horizontal direction in FIGS. 2 and 3) that intersects the transport direction of the wide recording medium D2 (ie, the direction from the top to the bottom in FIG. 3). While the recording head HD performs recording on the recording medium D2, after the recording is completed, the recording medium D2 is transported by a predetermined amount in the transport direction, and is again recorded while transported in the main scanning direction.

Specifically, the carriage transport mechanism CH
FIG. 4B shows a state in which the carriage CA is reciprocated in the main scanning direction that intersects with the direction in which the wide recording medium D2 is conveyed.
As shown in the figure, the recording head HD performs recording in the main scanning direction of the recording medium D2 ("A", "I"
"U", "E", "O" lines, and "KA""KI""KU"
At the same time, after the recording is completed, the transport mechanism QH for the wide recording medium D2 moves the recording medium D2 by a predetermined amount (a large number of heating elements) in the transport direction from top to bottom in FIG. (See FIG. 4 (a)).
Then, the carriage transport mechanism CH again outputs the recording medium D.
2 by the carriage CA in the main scanning direction, the recording head HD records on the recording medium D2 (records “sa”, “shi”, “su”, “se”, and “so” as shown), and the like. Is repeated.

The carriage transport mechanism CH includes a step motor SM installed at the right end inside the main body frame 2.
, A small-diameter drive gear portion SM2 attached so as to mesh with the drive shaft SM1 of the motor SM, and a large-diameter drive gear portion SM3 meshed with the gear portion SM2 (FIG. 3).
), A driving pulley SP2 for the timing belt that rotates integrally with the gear portion SM3, a driven pulley SP1 for the timing belt provided at the left end inside the main body frame 2, and both pulleys SP1, A guide for supporting the carriage CA that extends between the SP2 and the rear end CA1 of the carriage CA and that is connected to the rear end CA1 of the carriage CA and that extends through the rear end support portion CA2 of the carriage CA and extends inside the main body frame 2. Axis GD.

When the stepping motor SM is driven forward or reverse, the driving pulley SP2 is rotated in one direction or the opposite direction via the driving shaft SM1 and the driving gears SM2 and SM3, thereby rotating the timing belt TB. Move in or out direction. Therefore, with the movement of the timing belt TB, the carriage CA on which the recording head HD is mounted can move between the two pulleys SP1 and SP2 along the guide axis GD without using a head rotating mechanism as in the related art. 2 and 3, the tape is fed stepwise in the left-right direction, so that it is arranged at the tape station TS as shown by the solid line in FIGS.
As shown by the two-dot chain line, the wide station WS
Reciprocate in the recording area. The step motor S
Since the control pulse amount of M and the feed amount of the timing belt TB accurately correspond to each other, if the control device CP shown in FIG. The TB is fed by a predetermined amount, and the carriage CA is accurately conveyed.

The transport mechanism QH for the wide recording medium D2
Are supporting projections ST1, ST2 for supporting a wound recording medium D2 placed on the rear side inside the main body frame 2.
And paper feed roller units JR1 and JR2 arranged side by side at a predetermined distance in that order in the main scanning direction of the recording medium D2.
And Specifically, between the chassis KS and the long side chassis HS2, support projections ST2 and ST1 are attached to the chassis KS and the long side chassis HS2, respectively. The recording medium D2 is inserted from both sides into the center space D2a, and supports the medium D2 (see FIG. 4). Incidentally, the cassette case HS0 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
However, it is desirable to store the recording medium D2 in the wound state, but it is not necessarily limited to that mode.

In this case, a compression spring AB is attached to the supporting projection ST1 on the bottom chassis HS side so as to bias the projection ST1 toward the chassis KS. On the other hand, the support projection ST2 on the chassis KS side
Is movable toward the support projection ST1 on the bottom chassis HS side so as to correspond to the sheet width of the recording medium D2, and is indicated by, for example, a solid line or a two-dot chain line in FIG. As described above, even if the recording medium D2 has a different sheet width, the two support projections ST1 and ST2 are not connected to the recording medium D2.
2, the leading end side of the recording medium D2 can be sent out in the direction of the sheet feed rollers JR1 and JR2.

The rollers JR1 and JR2 are rotatably mounted between the long side chassis HS2 in the bottom side chassis HS and the chassis KS on the wide station WS side. The bottom chassis H
Tape station TS of short side chassis HS1 in S
On the side, a step motor SN is fixed. Therefore, the driving force of the forward or reverse rotation of the motor SN is applied to the gears Y1 to Y7, ST3, ST3, which constitute the sheet feeding gear train GY arranged side by side along the long side chassis HS2.
The transmission via ST4 and the like causes the support projection ST1 and the roller portions JR1 and JR2 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.

The roller portions JR1 and JR2 have a plurality of paper feed rollers JR1b and JR2b attached to a pair of upper and lower roller shafts JR1a and JR2a, respectively. Therefore, when the rollers JR1b and JR2b are pressed against each other and the leading end of the wound recording medium D2 is sandwiched between the rollers JR1b and JR2b, and the rollers JR1b and JR2b rotate, the recording is performed. The medium D2 is conveyed forward so as to be pulled out, or conveyed backward so as to be rewound.

A second platen P2 is provided on the bottom surface side of the recording head HD between the paper feed rollers JR1 and JR2, and the platen P2 has a surface supporting the recording medium D2. It is formed in a substantially flat shape. In this case, if a cylindrical platen is used as the second platen P2, the heating element for recording on the recording head HD is orthogonal to the cylindrical platen. Without sufficient pressure contact with the platen, the recording result is likely to be blurred or missing.
Accordingly, if the second platen P2 is formed in a substantially flat plate shape, such a situation can be prevented. Therefore, it is desirable to use a flat platen rather than a cylindrical platen.

A sensor mark SX is provided on the upper surface on the side (left side in FIG. 3) of the platen P2. The mark SX is used when the recording head HD reciprocates in the left-right direction. Head H on the side
It is used to detect the moving origin of D. That is, when the control device CP sends a control pulse to the step motor SM by a predetermined amount to cause the recording head HD to perform recording while moving forward in the main scanning direction, the movement origin on the wide station WS side by the mark SX is recorded. This serves as a reference for controlling the position of the head HD.

More specifically, the mark SX is composed of two patterns having a reflection area and a non-reflection area alternately, and a reflection type sensor (not shown) mounted on the carriage CA is mounted on the platen P2. The mark SX as a target attached to the target is detected. Then, the control device CP determines the position at which the reflection sensor detects a change point where the reflection state changes from the reflection state to the non-reflection state twice, as the origin. This is because if there is only one change point, and if there is a white recording medium D2 with respect to the black platen, the control device CP mistakenly detects the boundary between the sheet and the platen as the change point. . To prevent such false detections,
It is desirable to provide the sensor mark SX having two patterns as described above.

A detection sensor SW for detecting the leading end of the recording medium D2 is provided in the vicinity of the downstream side of the roller portion JR2, and the conveyance of the recording medium D2 is performed based on the output signal of the sensor SW. Control is performed. For example, the user sets the recording medium D2 at a predetermined position on the rear side inside the main body frame 2 and sets the leading end side to the sheet feed roller unit J.
The sheet is fed in the R1 and JR2 directions, and the sheet can be fed. Then, the forward rotation drive of the step motor SN is transmitted through the gear train GY, and the both rollers JR are transmitted.
1. The controller CP drives the step motor SN until the sensor SW detects the leading end of the recording medium D2.
Since the control pulse amount of the step motor SN and the feed amount of the recording medium D2 correspond exactly unless there is a feed error such as meandering, the control device CP controls the step motor SN to perform the control. When the pulse is sent by a predetermined amount, the conveyance control of the recording medium D2 is performed.

A cutter device KC for cutting the recording medium D2 is provided downstream of the roller portion JR2. By operating at the timing,
The recording medium D2 is cut. The cutter device KC may be of a type in which, for example, the blade portion KC1 of the cutter (see FIG. 4) reciprocates in the width direction of the recording medium D2 (the left-right direction in FIG. 3) and cuts. , Other than that, blade part KC
The one blade may be of a type that moves up and down to cut the recording medium D2 by the width of the recording medium D2. The point is that the recording medium D2 may be cut.

Then, the recording medium D2 in the wound state can be easily removed from the tape printer 1.
The control device CP performs the following control. That is, the control device CP
Supplies a predetermined amount of control pulses to the step motor SN after the recording operation on the recording medium D2 by the recording head HD, drives the step motor SN, and transmits the control roller R1 via the gear train GY or the like. , R2 and the support projections ST1 and ST2 are rotated so that the leading end of the recording medium D2 passes the positions of the downstream paper feed roller unit R2, the platen P2, and the recording head HD, and the upstream paper feed unit R
The recording medium D2 is conveyed toward the supporting projections ST1 and ST2 to a position away from the recording medium D1, and is driven and controlled to rewind the leading end portion of the recording medium D2.

In this case, after the recording operation on the recording medium D2 by the recording head HD is completed, the cutter device KC for cutting the recording medium D2 is driven to cut the recording medium D2. SL, the leading end of the recording medium D2 is brought into contact with the supporting projections ST1, ST1.
Rewind to side 2. Thereby, the recorded and cut recording medium D2 can be easily taken out of the tape printer 1 through the discharge port 2a. On the other hand, the user moves the support projection ST2 to the chassis KS side while the user moves the recording medium D2 in the wound state in which the leading end portion of the unrecorded recording medium D2 is rewound, and from the support projection ST1 side. It can be moved away and very easily removed from the tape printer 1. A control device C for easily removing the recording medium D2 from the tape printer 1.
The control of P is not limited to the recording medium D2, and can be applied to the recording medium D1 as needed, for example.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 25, the long recording medium D2 has a recording area FD2a and a margin area F between the recording area FD2a and the margin area FD2b.
Half cut portion FD for facilitating separation from D2b
2e, and the recording surface D of the recording medium D2.
2b, the recording area FD2a and the margin areas F on both sides of the recording area FD2a.
D2b, and the remaining amount of the medium D2 is visually indicated on one side (left side) of the blank area FD2b.
For example, one linear display unit FD2c is provided. Thereby, during the printing operation of the apparatus 1, the recording medium D2
The display section FD2c provided on the recording surface D2b side can be easily seen. In addition, as shown in FIG. 25B, the display unit FD2d according to another embodiment is configured such that, for example, one line is changed to two lines according to the remaining amount of the recording medium D2. Since the shape, and further, changes in order to three linear shapes, the user can confirm whether the display portion FD2d, that is, any one of one, two, and three linear shapes, It is very easy to understand how much of the medium D2 remains.

The display units FD2c and FD2 are provided on the other (right) side or both (left and right) sides of the margin area FD2b.
D2d may be provided, or the margin area may be only one of both sides (right or left). Also,
The shapes of the display units FD2c and FD2d are not necessarily limited to the mode. Further, the display unit FD2d
Need not necessarily be changed to one, two, or three linear shapes, and if it is not necessary, the half-cut portion FD2
e may not be present.

Next, the structure of the carriage CA will be described. A tape cassette TC (see FIGS. 2, 5, and 7) accommodating a narrow recording medium D1 and an ink ribbon IR, or the like, on the surface (mounting surface) side of the carriage CA.
Ink cassette RC containing only ink ribbon IR
(See FIG. 8) can be selectively placed, while a step motor SL (see FIGS. 3 and 6) is mounted on the back side thereof. The step motor SL is used to feed a tape such as an ink ribbon IR in a cassette TC set on a carriage CA, and is also used to press the recording head HD and a wide recording medium D2 at the time of the wide station WS. And used for separation.
The reason why the step motor SL is used as the drive source for the two purposes is to effectively use the driving force of the step motor SL.

A recording head HD is mounted below the carriage CA. On the recording surface side of the recording head HD, a large number of heating elements capable of generating heat in units of one dot are arranged in a line at a predetermined distance (printing distance). It is arranged for the width L1 (see FIG. 4). Then, a tape feeding mechanism using a driving force such as a step motor SL moves the recording medium (tape) D1 or the like in the cassette TC mounted on the carriage CA while intersecting in the direction in which the heating elements are arranged. Since the ink is conveyed to the recording surface side of the recording head HD, the heat generated by the heating element melts the ink of the ink ribbon IR, and the ink can be attached to the recording medium D1 in units of one dot.

As shown in FIG. 7, the tape cassette TC contains a narrow recording medium D1 and an ink ribbon IR used at the time of the tape station TS in a substantially rectangular cassette case. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the ribbon cassette RC contains a narrow ink ribbon IR used at the time of the wide station WS in a substantially rectangular cassette case.
Unlike the tape cassette TC, it does not contain a narrow recording medium D1.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the tape cassette TC prints on a narrow recording medium D1 made of, for example, a transparent tape or the like, and prints on the narrow recording medium D1. And a double-sided adhesive tape YT, which is backed on a narrow recording medium D1 on which printing is performed, is wound around reels TC1, TC2, and TC3, respectively, and stored. An ink ribbon take-up reel TC4 for winding up the used ink ribbon IR is provided.

The narrow unused ink ribbon IR wound around the reel TC2 and pulled out from the reel TC2 is superimposed on the narrow recording medium D1, and is opened together with the narrow recording medium D1. The recording medium enters the section TC5 and passes between the recording head HD and the platen P1. Thereafter, the ink ribbon IR is separated from the recording medium D1 having a small width, and is driven by the step motor SL.
It reaches the take-up reel TC4 of R and is taken up by this reel TC4.

The tape cassette TC is moved to the carriage CA.
In a state where the reel TC4 is set, a cam member PC4a for winding a ribbon projecting from the front side of the carriage CA is inserted into the reel TC4, and the reel TC4 is integrated with the reel TC4. The drive cam follower TC4b which is driven in a fixed manner is inserted. Therefore, reel TC4
Is rotated by receiving the driving force of the step motor SL via a gear train (described later) provided on the carriage CA under the engagement between the driving cam follower TC4b and the cam member PC4a. The IR can be wound up.

The double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape YT is wound around a reel TC3 with the release paper facing out, with the release paper being superposed on one side, and stored. Then, the double-sided adhesive tape YT pulled out from the reel TC3 is
It passes between the tape drive roller TC6 and the tape laminating roller P3, and is adhered to the narrow recording medium D1 on the side where the release paper is not superimposed. It is desirable that the recording medium D2 also has a double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape in which release paper is overlapped on one side, adhered to the back side of the medium D2.

Thus, the narrow recording medium D1 wound around the reel TC1 and pulled out from the reel TC1 is used as a pair of sensors S1 for detecting the end or for detecting the color.
E, the tape cassette T via the guide pin TB1 etc.
It passes through the opening TC5 of C. Thereafter, the narrow recording medium D1 to which the double-sided adhesive tape YT is attached is rotatably provided on one side lower portion of the tape cassette TC, and is driven by a step motor SL to rotate. The tape cassette TC passes through a gap between the tape laminating roller P3 disposed opposite to the roller TC6 and the tape cassette TC.
And is discharged from the main body frame 2. In this case, the double-sided adhesive tape YT is pressed against the recording medium D1 by the rollers TC6 and P3.

The tape laminating roller P3 is supported by a roller holder LD along with the platen P1. Therefore, the roller holder LD is provided with a tape drive roller TC.
6 and the tape bonding roller P3, and further, the recording head HD and the first platen P1 can be pressed and separated from each other. In this case, it is preferable that the first platen P1 be rotatable for transporting the recording medium D1, and therefore, it is desirable to use a cylindrical platen.

As shown in FIG. 7, the tape drive roller TC6 is provided with a through hole TC8, and the tape drive roller cam follower TC9 is formed in the through hole TC8. . Therefore, when the tape driving cam member PC6b projecting from the front surface side of the carriage CA is inserted into the through hole TC8 (see FIG. 9), the tape driving cam member PC6b engages with the cam follower TC9. it can. On the other hand, a tape feeding cam member PC3a projecting from the front side of the carriage CA is inserted into the reel TC3.
A drive cam follower that rotates integrally with the reel TC3 is not mounted inside C3, and the cam member PC3a only rotates idly.
Has no effect.

In the wide station WS, the ribbon cassette RC holds the recording surface D2 of the wide recording medium D2.
b (see FIG. 4), the both ends of the ink ribbon IR are wound on a reel RC for winding an unused ink ribbon.
1. The used ink ribbon is wound and stored on a reel RC2 for winding up the used ink ribbon. Then, the ink ribbon IR pulled out from the reel RC1 by the rotation of the reel RC2 according to a ribbon winding mode described later passes through the sensor SE, and then moves to the guide member R.
It passes through the opening RC3 of the ribbon cassette RC via B1 (see FIG. 8), and is further wound around the reel RC2 via the guide member RB2.

The ribbon cassette RC is mounted on the carriage CA.
In the state of being set on the upper side, the tape feeding cam member PC4a and the tape driving cam member PC6b projecting from the front side of the carriage CA are inserted into the reels RC4 and RC5, respectively. Unlike the case of TC, inside the reels RC4 and RC5,
The drive cam follower that rotates integrally with the reels RC4 and RC5 is not mounted. Therefore, since the cam member PC4a and the tape drive roller TC6 that receive the driving force of the step motor SL only rotate idly, the ink ribbon I
There is no effect on the feed of R, and it is not necessary to cut off the drive.

In the case of a color ink ribbon IR in the ribbon cassette RC, for example, a plurality of inks of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and the like are used.
In this order, a fixed length of each line, that is, one line L2 (FIG. 4)
(See (b)) in the length direction of the recording area. This is because while the recording head HD is transported in the main scanning direction of the recording medium D2, the recording head HD
This is because, in addition to recording one line L2 on the recording medium D2 via the ink ribbon IR for one line of one of cyan and yellow, one line L2 is also recorded in a color obtained by mixing these inks. . (Note that the cross line in FIG. 4B indicates a range in which the recording head HD performs main scanning and records one line L2). In this case, the recording medium D for one line of any one of magenta, cyan, and yellow is used.
After the recording on the recording medium D2, the recording head HD is superposed at the same position on the recording medium D2 via the ink ribbon IR for one line in another color and, if necessary, one line in another color. By recording, it is possible to record in a mixed color of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), for example, red, blue, and the like.

The difference between the tape cassette TC and the ribbon cassette RC is as shown in FIGS.
In addition to the presence or absence of the double-sided adhesive tape YT and the recording medium D1, reels TC2 and RC for winding an unused ink ribbon.
1 and the positions of the used ink ribbon take-up reels TC4 and RC2. That is,
Reel TC1 for recording medium D1 of tape cassette TC
Is the position of the reel RC1 of the ribbon cassette RC, and the position of the reel TC3 for the double-sided adhesive tape YT is the position of the reel RC2.

This is because the tape cassette TC is a single-color ribbon, and therefore, it is sufficient to store the ink ribbon IR for the length of the recording medium D1 (tape). On the other hand, the ribbon cassette for multi-color recording on the wide station WS is used. Since the RC requires inks of three colors, such as cyan, magenta, and yellow, for a fixed length (ie, one line), it is necessary to store a ribbon length that is three times or more the recording length. It is. However, when the ribbon cassette RC is for a single color,
Three color inks such as cyan, magenta, and yellow are unnecessary.

Therefore, if the ribbon storage position is the same in both cassettes TC and RC, the cassette TC
The storage efficiency in the RC is deteriorated, and it is necessary to prepare an unnecessarily large cassette case.
This is not preferable from the viewpoint that the size increases. Therefore, the cassettes TC and RC used in the two recording stations TS and WS are configured as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 so that their internal components do not interfere with each other and are arranged efficiently.

In order to distinguish between the tape cassette TC and the ribbon cassette RC, a plurality of (for example, seven) marking portions TC7 and RC6 are provided on the upper right side of the tape cassette TC and the ribbon cassette RC. Depending on whether these marking portions TC7 and RC6 are concave portions or not concave portions, for example, the distinction between the tape cassette TC and the ribbon cassette RC, and further, the width of the recording medium D1 in the tape cassette TC. , The ribbon cassette RC indicates the type of monochrome or color. Then, as shown in FIG.
7, the detection sensor SQ arranged on RC6 is
7. By detecting the presence or absence of the concave portion of RC6, the control device CP determines the difference between the cassettes TC and RC,
It is possible to identify a width of 1, a single color or a color, and the like.

Further, since the sensor SE is set so as to detect the yellow ink of the ink ribbon IR in the ribbon cassette RC, when the yellow ink is transported to the sensor SE, the control device CP It can be determined that the ink is yellow ink. This is because, in the case of color printing, the leading end of the yellow ink is detected, and the control device CP controls the conveyance of each of the cyan, magenta, and yellow ribbons having a fixed length L2, and the printing head HD This is to prevent recording in a different color. On the other hand, when the ink ribbon IR is a single color, for example, one color ink such as black is applied to the entire surface of the base material, but since a detection mark (not shown) is provided at the end, the sensor SE is used. Detects a mark for detection and outputs a detection signal to the control device CP, so that the control device CP
Can determine the end of the ink ribbon IR.

Next, a winding mechanism of the ink ribbon IR in the ink cassette RC used at the time of the wide station WS will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
0 to 13 are side surfaces of FIG. 9, that is, arrows II, II-II,
Although the drawings are viewed from III-III and IV-IV, the positions between the components are shown as shifted or omitted in order to make it easier to understand the positional relationship between the components. Therefore, the components shown in FIG. 9 do not always match the components shown in each of FIGS. For example, the pinion PN in FIG. 9 is arranged at a regular position, while the pinion PN in FIG.
To 13 of the pinion PN and the swing lever YB
The positions are shifted to make it easier to see 1st mag. Also,
The sensor SZ and the cam follower CF are not shown in FIG. 13 in order to make the gear C11 and the like easy to see. As shown in FIG. 9, a pinion PN is provided above the carriage CA, and the pinion PN is a rack LA (FIG. 5) that extends in the left-right direction of FIG. 2 over the length of the timing belt TB. See). Therefore, the pinion PN that is rotated by the rack LA in accordance with the movement of the carriage CA transmits its rotational force to the winding gear train R1 on the carriage CA described below.
R2, etc., and the reel RC in the ink cassette RC
2 is rotated to wind up the used ink ribbon IR.

That is, the pinion PN is connected to the large-diameter gear portion P.
Na and a small-diameter gear portion PNb are provided in upper and lower two stages (FIG. 12,
13), and the small-diameter gear portion PNb meshes with the rack LA. On the other hand, the large-diameter gear portion P of the pinion PN
Na consists of a large-diameter gear R1b and a small-diameter gear R
1a, small-diameter gear portion R1 of first winding gear R1
meshes with a. The cam member PC3a inserted into the reels TC3 and RC2 has its rotation axis P as shown by a virtual line in FIG. 13 (not explicitly shown in FIGS. 9 to 12).
It is stored so as to cover C3b. This rotation axis PC3b
Is mounted with a swing bar BD that swings around the axis PC3b.

Since the second take-up gear R2 is rotatably attached to the tip of the swing bar BD, the second take-up gear R2 is configured to swing the swing bar BD. As a result, the large-diameter gear portion R of the first winding gear R1
1b may or may not mesh. This is the carriage CA in the wide station WS.
This is because the reel RC2 needs to wind up the ink ribbon IR at the time of recording in the forward movement (movement to the right in FIG. 2). Thus, the large-diameter gear portion R1b and the take-up gear R2 mesh with each other so as to obtain the driving force due to the rotation of the pinion PN and rotate the cam member PC3a. On the other hand, at the time of non-recording when the carriage CA moves backward (moves to the left in FIG. 2), it is necessary to prevent the driving force due to the rotation of the pinion PN from being obtained in order to prevent the winding of the ink ribbon IR. The large-diameter gear portion R
1b and the winding gear R2 do not mesh with each other.

When the large-diameter gear portion R1b meshes with the winding gear R2, the gear R2 is rotatably supported by the rotating shaft PC3b.
(Described only in FIG. 13), and the winding gear R3
Can be rotated. Then, a spring member BZ (shown by a phantom line in FIG. 13) mounted on the winding gear R3 generates a torque for winding the ribbon by the rotation of the gear R3, and rotates the cam member PC3a. Let
The ink ribbon IR can be wound up.

Next, a mechanism for feeding the ink ribbon IR and the like in the tape cassette TC mounted at the time of the tape station TS will be described. On the back side of the carriage CA,
As described above, the step motor SL as a drive source (drive motor) is fixed. As clearly shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, the drive shaft SL1 of the step motor SL projects through the through-hole of the carriage CA toward the front surface side of the carriage CA. Gear G1 is attached. Gears C2, C3 and the like described below are rotatably mounted on the front surface side of the carriage CA to form a ribbon feed gear train. C2, C4, PC4c and C1, C
2, C4, C5, and PC6a in this order,
The drive cam follower PC4a is rotated for R winding, and the tape drive cam member PC6b is rotated.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, on the front side of the carriage CA, a first carriage carriage in which a small-diameter gear portion C1a and a large-diameter gear portion C1b are formed in two upper and lower stages. Gear C1 is rotatably mounted,
The large-diameter gear portion C1b meshes with a gear G1 that rotates integrally with the drive shaft SL1. In addition, the large-diameter gear portion C1b
A second gear C2 for the carriage and a third gear C3 for the carriage are rotatably mounted on the left and right sides of the small-diameter gear portion C1a located above the second gear C1a.

The carriage second gear C2 is used to transmit a driving force for feeding the tape of the tape cassette TC, and the driving force is transmitted to a carriage gear C4 connected to the gear C2. Is done. That is, the second gear C2 for the carriage, as clearly shown in FIGS.
The large-diameter gear portion C2a and the small-diameter gear portion C2b are formed as upper and lower stages, and the large-diameter gear portion C2a meshes with the small-diameter gear portion C1a of the first gear C1. A small-diameter gear portion C located below the large-diameter gear portion C2a of the gear C2.
2b meshes with the fourth carriage gear C4 rotatably attached to the front side of the carriage CA.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a tape which can be inserted into the reel TC4 for winding up the used ink ribbon IR in the tape cassette TC is provided on the side of the carriage fourth gear C4. Cam member PC for feeding
4a, a gear PC4c provided below the cam member PC4a meshes with a fourth gear C4 for the carriage. The fourth carriage gear C4 meshes with a fifth carriage gear C5 disposed on the left side thereof, and an idle gear IG is provided on the recording head HD side of the fifth carriage gear C5. Are engaged. Also,
The recording medium D is provided beside the fifth carriage gear C5.
1 and a double-sided adhesive tape YT are provided with a cam member PC6b which can be inserted into a tape drive roller TC6 for pressing and bonding the tapes to each other.
The gear PC6a provided at the lower part of the gear 6 meshes with the fifth carriage gear C5.

When the drive shaft SL1 of the step motor SL rotates clockwise (or counterclockwise) as shown in FIG. 9, the carriage first gear C1 is rotated.
Rotates counterclockwise (clockwise), and similarly, the second gear C2 for the carriage rotates clockwise (counterclockwise).
Meanwhile, the fourth gear C4 for the carriage rotates counterclockwise (clockwise) and the fifth gear C5 for the carriage rotates clockwise (counterclockwise), whereby the gear PC6 is rotated.
a rotates clockwise (counterclockwise) to rotate the tape driving cam member PC6b counterclockwise (clockwise) and also rotates the gear PC4c counterclockwise (clockwise). Then, with the rotation of the gear PC4c in the counterclockwise direction, a torque for winding the tape cassette TC is generated by the tightening action of the spring OSN mounted below the cam member PC4a.
The take-up reel TC4 is used for the used ink ribbon IR.
Take up. On the other hand, when the gear PC4c rotates clockwise, the take-up reel TC4 does not send out the ink ribbon IR because the spring OSN is loosened.

The idle gear IG is a gear rotatably mounted on the platen P1 when the roller holder LD is close to the tape cassette TC and the platen P1 is in contact with the recording head HD. (Not shown) to rotate the platen P1.

On the other hand, the rotation of the carriage third gear C3 is performed by the recording head HD in the wide station WS.
And a driving force for pressing and separating the platen P1. Is transmitted. That is, as shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 12, the third gear C3 for the carriage has a large-diameter gear portion C3a and a small-diameter gear portion C3b formed as two upper and lower stages. The large diameter gear portion C3a meshes with the small diameter gear portion C1a of the first gear C1. Further, the small-diameter gear portion C3b of the third gear C3
Meshes with the sixth carriage gear C6 rotatably attached to the front side of the carriage CA.

On the left side of the sixth carriage gear C6, as shown in FIGS.
A swing lever YB that protrudes in an arc shape toward the outside of A is provided, and the swing lever YB can rotate around a rotation axis YB1 that penetrates the base thereof. A seventh carriage gear C7 is rotatably mounted between the swinging lever YB penetrating the rotation shaft YB1 and the carriage CA, and the seventh carriage gear C7 is a sixth carriage gear. Gear C6, and meshes with an eighth gear C8 rotatably attached to the tip end of the swing lever YB base.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, a pair of ninth gears C9 for the carriage are rotatably mounted on the left and right sides of the eighth gear C8 for the carriage, as shown in FIGS. When the swing lever YB swings right and left around the rotation axis YB1, the eighth gear C8 for the carriage is used.
Can be present at a position meshing with any one of the pair of ninth gears C9 for carriage, and at a position not meshing with any of the ninth gears C9 for carriage. ing.

Here, the fact that the eighth gear C8 exists at a position where it does not mesh with any of the ninth gear C9 means that:
This means that the eighth gear C8 is located at a middle position between the pair of ninth gears C9 for the carriage. This position is set when the tip end portion YB2 of the swing lever YB is located at the upper step portion GIa on the left side of FIG. 2 of the guide member GI above the rack LA (see FIG. 9). In other words, the upper step GIa serves as a holding unit. In this case, the driving force of the step motor SL is transmitted to the following carriage gears C3, C6, C7, C8.
It is not transmitted to the gear C9 and thereafter. As a result, in the tape station TS, the recording head HD and the platen P1 are not pressed and separated from each other.

On the other hand, the eighth gear C8 for the carriage
Is meshed with either one of the pair of carriage ninth gears C9.
However, when the carriage CA moves down the upper step GIa of the guide member GI to the right (wide station WS) in FIG. 2 and the step motor SL rotates clockwise, the transmission of each gear described above is performed. The swing lever YB is tilted slightly to the right, and the eighth gear C8 is moved to the right of the ninth gear C8.
When the gear C9 meshes with the gear C9, or when the step motor SL rotates counterclockwise, the transmission of the gears causes the rocking lever YB to fall slightly to the left, thereby causing the eighth gear C8 to rotate. This means that the gear meshes with the ninth gear C9 on the left side. In this case, the driving force of the step motor SL is transmitted after the carriage gear C9.

The eighth gear C8 is connected to the step motor S
By meshing with one of the two left and right gears C9 according to the rotation direction of L, the driving force of the motor SL is transmitted to the gear C9, and the bidirectional driving of the motor SL can be used. When two operations are performed by one motor as described above, each operation generally uses only one direction rotation of the motor in many cases, and the gear C8 supported by the swing lever YB is one of the swing levers YB. Depending on the direction of rotation, the gear should be engaged with another gear C9 or switched between non-engagement. However, in the case where the bidirectional driving of the motor SL is used as in the present embodiment, simply using the swing lever YB requires one.
During rotation in the direction, the swing gear (that is, the eighth gear C8) escapes from the other gear C9 and cannot be driven. Therefore, gears for engagement (that is, a ninth gear C9) are provided at two positions on both sides of the swing lever YB, respectively, to prevent the eighth gear C8 from escaping from the ninth gear C9. I have. As a result, when the swing lever YB and the eighth gear C8 swing right and left, they can always mesh with any one of the two gears C9. The swing lever YB
When the eighth gear C8 does not swing right and left, the eighth gear C8 may be in a neutral state in which the eighth gear C8 does not mesh with any of the gears C9 depending on the position where the ninth gear C9 is provided.

The pair of ninth gears C9 mesh with the tenth carriage gear C10. The tenth carriage gear C10 is located above the swing lever YB, is rotatably attached to the rotation shaft YB1, and meshes with the eleventh carriage gear C11. Therefore, the eleventh gear C11 for the carriage is
The head drive cam gear CK meshes with the head drive cam gear CK, and the head drive cam gear CK can rotate around the rotation axis PC3b.

As a result, when the drive shaft SL1 of the step motor SL rotates clockwise (or counterclockwise) as shown in FIG. 9, the first gear C1 for the carriage is rotated.
It rotates counterclockwise (clockwise), and similarly, the third gear C3 for the carriage rotates clockwise (counterclockwise).
The sixth gear C6 for the carriage is counterclockwise (clockwise), the seventh gear C7 for the carriage is clockwise (counterclockwise), and the eighth gear C8 for the carriage is counterclockwise (clockwise). Around) the ninth gear C9 for the carriage,
The tenth carriage C10 rotates clockwise (counterclockwise), the eleventh carriage C11 rotates counterclockwise (clockwise), and the tenth gear C11 rotates clockwise (counterclockwise). The head drive cam gear CK can be rotated counterclockwise (clockwise).

On the lower surface side of the head driving cam gear CK, that is, on the carriage CA side, a head driving cam CKa for pressing and separating the recording head HD and the platen P1.
Are provided integrally, and the head driving cam CKa
Has a large diameter portion CK1 and a small diameter portion CK2, as shown in FIG.

On the outer peripheral side of the head driving cam CKa,
The cam follower CF is supported by the swing lever YP so as to contact the outer peripheral surface thereof.
When the recording head HD comes into contact with the large diameter portion CK1 of the head driving cam CKa, the recording head HD comes into pressure contact with the platen P1, whereas when it comes into contact with the outer periphery of the small diameter portion CK2, it is separated from the platen P1. . That is, the head H
D is, as shown in FIGS.
It is rotatable around one direction, and can be pressed against and separated from the platen P1.

On the back side of the carriage CA, FIG.
As shown in FIGS.
And one end H of the press-contact and release member HB is provided.
B1 is connected to the base side of the head HD. Also,
The springs AS and RS serving for release and pressure contact are connected to the other end portion HB2 of the press-contact and release member HB, respectively. Another spring RS is connected to the right side of the carriage CA in FIGS.

When the cam follower CF comes into contact with the large-diameter portion CK1 of the head drive cam CKa, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the spring AS attached to the back side of the carriage CA is greatly elongated,
The member HB overcomes the pulling force of the spring RS.
Is pulled to the head drive cam gear CK side. Then, one end HB of the pressure contact and release member HB
1 moves upward, the head HD
It rotates clockwise one turn and makes pressure contact with the platen P1.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
When F approaches the small-diameter portion CK2 of the head drive cam CKa, the spring AS is not extended, and the tension of the spring AS balances the tension of the spring RS.

As a result, the other end HB2 of the pressure contact and release member HB is separated from the head drive cam gear CK, and the one end HB1 of the pressure contact and release member HB moves downward. And separates from the platen P1. As a result, the press-contact and release member HB is connected to the platen P1 and the recording head H.
A pressure contact / separation means for bringing the pressure contact state with D and the separation state is constituted. FIGS. 15 and 16 show a state before many gears are mounted on the front side of the carriage CA. The driving cam gear CK and the eleventh gear C1
1. The relationship between the springs RS, AS, and the like is clearly indicated.

As described above, the drive cam gear CK receives the drive of the step motor SL as the drive motor and also functions as a drive transmission member for transmitting the drive to the cam follower CF as another member. And
As shown in FIG. 17, the gear CK has a tooth portion CKg meshing with the eleventh gear C11 on its outer periphery, and also covers about two-thirds of the entire tooth portion CKg. A collar CKb is provided. A transmission type sensor SZ for detecting the presence or absence of the flange CKb is provided above the left side of the carriage CA in FIG. 9, and the sensor SZ detects the presence or absence of the flange CKb. By doing so, the recording head HD and the platen P1 play a role of detecting the origin at the time of pressing and separating. still,
FIG. 17 is a diagram of the head drive cam gear CK viewed from the back side with respect to FIGS.

More specifically, the head drive cam gear CK shown in FIG. 16 rotates counterclockwise to reach FIG. 15, that is, the cam follower CF has a small diameter portion CK2 and a large diameter portion CK1 of the head drive cam CKa. During the transition operation for transitioning between the positions, the flange portion CKb of the head drive cam gear CK is located at the detection position of the transmission sensor SZ, and is shielded by the flange portion CKb. When the recording head HD is located at a position where the recording head HD is pressed against the platen P1 (the cam follower CF is at the end of the large-diameter portion CK1) or separated from the platen P1 (the cam follower CF is at the small-diameter portion CK2), the flange portion CKb transmits light. It is no longer present at the detection position of the type sensor SZ and enters the transmission state. The position where the flange CKb is located does not always match the position of the large-diameter portion CK1 and the small-diameter portion CK2 of the head drive cam CKa. This is because the position of the sensor SZ for detecting the flange CKb is shifted. Because there is.

In such a case, when detecting the origin position for pressing and releasing the recording head HD, the sensor SZ
If only the absence (transmission) or presence (shielding) of Kb is detected, it is not possible to determine the position of the head drive cam gear CK in the pressed state, the separated state, and the transition state. That is, the control device CP determines that the collar portion CKb is
In a transmission state that is not present at the detection position of the transmission sensor SZ, whether the head HD is in pressure contact with the platen P1 or is separated from the platen P1, and furthermore, the flange portion CKb is located at the detection position of the transmission sensor SZ. If it exists, it cannot be determined whether the transition from the pressed state to the separated state or the transition from the separated state to the pressed state.

Therefore, where the flange portion CKb of the outer peripheral tooth portion CKg of the head drive cam gear CK exists, the tooth portion C
A portion having no Kg, that is, a missing tooth CKc is provided. In the missing tooth CKc, the eleventh gear C11 does not mesh with the outer peripheral tooth portion CKg. That is, the head drive cam gear CK as the drive transmission member is connected to the step motor S
L is provided with a missing tooth CKc as a non-transmission area that does not transmit the driving of the gear L to another member.
Before 1 is reached, the head drive cam gear CK rotates. Then, the head drive cam gear CK shown in FIG.
However, when the eleventh gear C11 approaches the missing tooth CKc when rotated clockwise (counterclockwise in FIGS. 15 and 16), the head driving cam gear CK stops rotating any further due to the missing tooth CKc. Therefore, the control device CP
Even if more pulses than necessary are applied to the step motor SL, the head drive cam gear CK cannot be rotated, and the flange portion CKb is present at the detection position of the transmission sensor SZ and does not enter the transmission state. .

On the other hand, when the head drive cam gear CK shown in FIG. 17 rotates counterclockwise (FIGS.
6, the clockwise rotation), before reaching the missing tooth CKc, from the shielding state in which the flange CKb is at the detection position of the transmission sensor SZ, the transmission in which the flange CKb is not at the detection position of the transmission sensor SZ. State, the control device CP
Can determine the rotation direction of the head drive cam gear CK.
Then, when the control device CP applies a pulse of a predetermined amount or more to the step motor SL to rotate the head driving cam gear CK in a direction to separate the head HD, the missing tooth CKc of the head driving cam gear CK acts. The position is the origin for press-contact / release control of the recording head HD. As a result, when the control device CP knows the rotation direction of the head drive cam gear CK and the origin for the press-contact / release control, the control device CP applies a pulse from the origin to the stepping motor SL to be separated, Alternatively, it is possible to determine whether the state is a pressed state, or a state of transition from the pressed state to the separated state, or a state of transition from the separated state to the pressed state.

Therefore, the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment
Is driven, it is necessary to detect the origin for press-contact and release of the recording head HD.
However, it suffices to apply a predetermined amount or more of pulses to the step motor SL to determine whether or not the transmission sensor SZ changes from the signal in the shielding state to the signal in the transmission state. That is, when the change from the signal in the shielded state to the signal in the transparent state is not detected, the control device CP drives the step motor SL in the opposite direction to change from the signal in the shielded state to the signal in the transparent state. After confirmation, the rotation direction of the cam gear CK is determined.

According to the above-described embodiment, the control means CP as the discriminating means discriminates the pressure contact state and the separation state between the platen P2 and the recording head HD, and changes the pressure contact state to the separation state or from the separation state to the pressure contact state. The transition state can be determined. Specifically, the detection sensor SZ as a detection unit determines the pressed state and the separated state and the transition state, and based on a result of the detection sensor SZ, The pressure contact state and the separated state can be determined.

Also, the missing tooth CK of the head drive cam gear CK
c is provided with a notch hole CKd.
An elastic piece CKE constituting a part of the tooth part CKg is formed at d, and the elastic piece CKE has an elastic force. Therefore, when the eleventh gear C11 approaches the head driving cam gear CK and the head driving cam gear CK rotates clockwise, the elastic piece CKe is urged toward the eleventh gear C11 by the elastic force. Nevertheless,
The elastic piece CKe is repelled in the center direction of the head drive cam gear CK (represented by a virtual line in FIG.
17, the head drive cam gear CK cannot be rotated clockwise in FIG.

On the other hand, when the head drive cam gear CK rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 17, the eleventh gear C11
Can engage with the elastic piece CKE and the teeth CKg on the outer periphery of the head drive cam gear CK, so that the head drive cam gear CK can be rotated. However, when the eleventh gear C11 approaches the head drive cam gear CK,
After continuing to rotate the head drive cam gear CK in the clockwise direction in FIG. 17, even if the head drive cam gear CK is to be rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the teeth of the eleventh gear C11 and the teeth CKg on the outer periphery of the head drive cam gear CK. Does not mesh with
Therefore, a leaf spring UB shown by a broken line in FIGS. 15 and 16 is attached to the carriage CA so that the teeth of the eleventh gear C11 can mesh with the teeth CKg on the outer periphery of the head drive cam gear CK. The leaf spring UB urges the head drive cam gear CK in the clockwise direction in FIGS.

A sensor S for detecting the presence of the recording head HD is provided on the rack LA on the back side of the swing lever YB in FIG.
Y is provided, and the sensor SY plays a role as a detection unit for detecting an initial operation of the recording apparatus. The sensor SY is connected to the recording head H
D is mounted on the wide station W
When transported between S and the tape station TS,
When the projection RZ provided on the carriage CA comes into contact with the operation piece SY1, the carriage CA is detected, and the control device CP can determine the position of the carriage CA.

Next, a mechanism for pressing or separating the recording head HD or the like of this embodiment from the platen P1 or the like for transporting and supporting the recording medium D1 will be described. The mechanism for pressing or separating is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, a drive motor SN capable of driving the drive shaft SN1 to rotate forward and reverse, and a drive shaft S of the drive motor SN
And rotation transmitting means SD for receiving the rotation of N1. The rotation transmission means SD receives the rotation of the drive shaft SN1 in one direction, and as shown in FIG. 21, moves the roller holder LD supporting the platen P1 and the tape bonding roller P3 to the recording head HD and the recording head HD. Tape drive roller TC6
The roller holder LD that supports the platen P1 and the tape laminating roller P3 by receiving the rotation in the opposite direction of the drive shaft SN1 while performing the pressing operation of pressing against
Can be separated from the recording head HD and the tape drive roller TC6.

More specifically, the step motor SN is fixed to the pair of tape stations TS. The step motor SN is connected to the recording head HD or the like and the platen P1 or the like at the time of the tape station TS as described above. Pressing and separating between and wide station WS
It is used to selectively perform paper feeding at the time. Thus, the stepping motor SN as a driving source is
The reason for utilizing the two uses is to effectively utilize the driving force of the step motor SN.

Between the short-side chassis HS1 and the long-side chassis HS2, there are provided a gear train GY for sheet feeding, pressure contact and separation, which constitutes a part of the rotation transmitting means SD. These gear trains GY and the like are shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the rotation of the drive shaft SN1 of the step motor SN receives the transmission of the driving force for press-contact and separation between the recording head HD or the like and the platen P1 or the like during the tape station TS. Wide station WS
The transmission of the driving force for feeding the paper at the time is configured to be selectively switched. Specifically, the drive shaft SN1 of the step motor SN is connected to the short side chassis H
Through the notch (not shown) of S1, the long side chassis H
A gear G2 that protrudes toward S2 and that rotates integrally with the drive shaft SN1 is attached to the distal end side of the drive shaft SN1.

Therefore, the gear G meshing with the gear G2
3, a large-diameter gear portion G3a is used to transmit a driving force for press-contact and separation between the recording head HD or the like and the platen P1 or the like.
The gear G3 comprises a small-diameter gear portion G3b, a slidable slide gear SG, a first bevel gear K1, a second bevel gear K2, a double-geared gear NG as a transmission delay unit, a sector gear ED, and the like. The rotation of the drive shaft SN1 can be transmitted via the rotation transmission means SD (see FIGS. 6, 20, and 21). As a result, the forward or reverse rotation of the drive shaft SN1 reciprocates the roller release rod LT left and right (see FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 21C), and the platen P1 and the tape supported by the roller holder LD. The laminating roller P3 can be pressed against and separated from the recording head HD and the tape drive roller TC6, respectively.

The structure for pressing and separating the platen P1 and the like to and from the recording head HD and the like will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 21. It is movably supported, and is rotatably supported on its base end side by a rotation axis LD1 so as to be close to and away from the carriage CA. On the lower surface side of the roller holder LD, a cam portion LT1 provided with a rotating roller at the tip of the roller release rod LT abuts, and the roller release rod LT moves leftward (FIG. 21 ( b)
), The cam portion LT1 pushes up the roller holder LD, and the platen P1 and the tape laminating roller P3 are
Further, the recording head HD and the tape drive roller TC6 can be pressed against each other (see FIG. 21C).
On the other hand, when the roller release rod LT moves to the right, the cam portion LT1 is moved to the roller holder LD.
The roller holder LD is lowered by its own weight without pushing up the lower surface of the roller holder LD.
(See FIG. 21A).

The roller release rod LT has a distal end portion LB1 of a swing lever LB connected to its base end side.
By swinging right and left in FIG. 21, it is configured to move in the left and right direction. That is, the swing lever L
The swing of the distal end portion LB1 of the swing lever B is based on the base end portion L of the swing lever LB.
B2 is driven by a drive shaft S via a first bevel gear K1, a second bevel gear K2, and a double gear NG.
This is performed by rotating integrally with the sector gear ED that receives the transmission of the forward or reverse driving force of N1. Specifically, the second bevel gear K2 rotates counterclockwise (or clockwise), the two-layered gear NG rotates clockwise (counterclockwise), and the sector gear ED rotates counterclockwise. By turning (clockwise), the tip LB1 of the swing lever LB moves rightward (leftward) in FIG. 21, and further, the roller release rod LT moves rightward (leftward) in FIG. Go to However, the mode of the rotation transmitting means SD is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, a mode different from the above-described gear train or the like may be adopted.

The rotation transmitting means SD rotates the drive shaft SN1 in one direction (forward rotation) to perform the pressing operation, and then rotates the drive shaft SN1 in the opposite direction (reverse rotation). Accordingly, when the separating operation is performed, a double gear NG is provided as a transmission delay unit that delays the transmission of the drive shaft SN1 for a predetermined time without immediately transmitting the rotation of the drive shaft SN1 in the opposite direction.

As shown in FIG. 22, this transmission delay portion superimposes two gears NG so that their rotation axes NG3 coincide with each other, and a sliding space is provided on the side surface of one gear NG1. As well as a protrusion NGb fitted on the side surface of the other gear NG2. Therefore, when the protrusion NGb slides between both ends NGa1 and NGa2 inside the elongated hole NGa, the drive shaft SN1 of the step motor SN as the drive motor rotates in the opposite direction. However, the rotation is not transmitted immediately.

More specifically, the gear NG2 is located on the near side of the paper of FIG. 21, and the gear NG1 is overlapped with the gear NG1 on the other side of the paper of FIG. The rotation shaft NG3 passes through the through hole, so that the gears NG1 and NG2 can rotate around the rotation shaft NG3 as a rotation center. And the gear NG1
As shown in FIG. 6, the gear meshes only with the sector gear ED, whereas the gear NG2 meshes only with the base gear K2a of the second bevel gear K2.

Therefore, the gear NG2 is rotated by the second bevel gear K2, and the protrusion NGb fitted inside the elongated hole NGa is formed at both ends NG of the elongated hole NGa.
a1 and NGa2, the gear NG2 does not rotate the gear NG1 even if the drive shaft SN1 of the step motor SN rotates in the opposite direction. Do not immediately transmit to the sector gear ED. Then, the protrusion NGb is formed at both ends N of the elongated hole NGa.
Any one of the ends NGal, Ga1, NGa2,
Immediately after contact with NG2, the gear NG2 becomes the gear NG1.
Is started to rotate, and the rotation of the drive shaft SN1 is transmitted to the sector gear ED.

Thus, the predetermined time during which the transmission delay section is operating, that is, the time when the protrusion NGb is sliding between both ends NGa1 and NGa2 of the elongated hole NGa, during the drive by the drive shaft SN1 Is not immediately transmitted, and the transmission of the drive by the rotation transmitting means SD is released. for that reason,
The load or the like applied between the detent torque of the step motor SN or the gears K1, K2, NG, ED, etc. is eliminated or reduced. However, the mode of the transmission delay unit is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiment, and a mode different from the above-described mode may be adopted.
In addition, a “so-called play” and a “dead zone in which the drive by the drive shaft is not immediately transmitted” corresponding to the transmission delay unit may be provided mechanically or electrically, or other configurations may be employed.

When the cam portion LT1 of the roller release rod LT moves leftward in FIGS.
In this state, the platen P1 is sandwiched between the roller holder LD and the bottom surface 2b of the main body frame 2.
And the tape laminating roller P3 serves as a holding means for keeping the recording head HD and the tape driving roller TC6 pressed against each other, so that the platen P1 etc. can be used without continuing to rotate the step motor SN. The recording head HD can keep pressure contact with the recording head HD and the like, and the recording head HD can record on the recording medium D1 supported between the platen P1 and the recording head HD. Therefore, in FIG. 21C, the drive shaft SN1 is rotated in the opposite direction so that the protrusion NGb moves from one end of the elongated hole NGa on the recording head HD side to the other end on the step motor SN side. It is desirable to control the operation of the step motor SN.

An operating section (not shown) for releasing the state where the platen P1 and the like and the recording head HD are pressed against each other and separating the platen P1 and the like and the recording head HD from each other.
Is provided at a position where it can be operated from the outside on the back side of the main body frame 2. However, the operating section is not necessarily limited to this mode. As shown in FIG. 23, for example, the operating section may be attached to the base end side of the rod LT as an operating lever LX. Accordingly, if the tip of the operating lever LX is pinched and rotated in a state where the protrusion NGb has moved to the other end of the elongated hole NGa, the transmission of the drive by the rotation transmitting means SD is released. Therefore, the detent torque of the step motor SN or the gear K1,
There is no load between K2, KG, etc.
Alternatively, the platen P1 and the like and the recording head HD and the like can be easily separated from each other with a small force because of the small size.

Next, the manner in which the paper feed rollers JR1, JR2 and the like are rotated will be described. Slide gear SG
Are the springs SB1 and SB2 and the switching lever KB
Slides in the left and right directions in FIGS.
The gear can selectively mesh with the small-diameter gear portion G3b. The large-diameter gear portion G3a of the gear G3 is connected to the wide station WS.
In order to transmit the driving force for feeding the paper at the time, the small-diameter gear portion G3b of the gear G3, the slide gear SG, and the first paper feeding side arranged along the long-side chassis HS2.
The rotation of the step motor SN is transmitted through the gears Y1 to Y7 of the sheet feed roller unit JR1, JR
Rotate 2 etc. Thus, the slide gear SG is connected to
9 and 20 to be used as a driving force for feeding the paper in the wide station WS, or the recording head HD in the tape station TS.
And the platen P1 etc.
The driving force of the step motor SN as a driving source is effectively used.

More specifically, the long side chassis HS
Two gears, that is, the gear G3 and the second gear Y2 for feeding the paper, are rotatably arranged side by side in the axial direction on a rotation shaft HS3 protruding from the second side toward the short side chassis HS1. The gear G3 attached to the short-side chassis HS1 has a large-diameter gear portion G3a and a small-diameter gear portion G3b formed integrally therewith, whereas the gear G3 adjacent to the long-side chassis HS2 has a large-diameter gear portion G3a and a small-diameter gear portion G3b. 2 gear Y2
Has a flat plate shape. A slide gear SG for switching the driving force is provided on the side of the gear G3. The slide gear SG is short from the long side chassis HS2 in a state in which the slide gear SG is meshed with the small diameter gear portion G3b of the gear G3. Support shaft HS protruding toward the side chassis HS1
4 can be slid.

The support shaft HS4 has a long side chassis H
From S2 toward the short side chassis HS1, a pressing spring SB1, a slide gear SG, and a sliding member F1 are attached in that order, and the pressing spring SB1
Urges the slide gear SG and the slide member F1 from the long side chassis HS2 toward the short side chassis HS1. A support shaft HS5 extends from the wide station WS toward the tape station TS on the rear side of the long side chassis HS2, and a stopper HS6 on the distal end of the support shaft HS5 is a slide member. By attaching F1 and the pressing spring SB2 to the support shaft HS5, the pressing spring SB2 urges the slide member F1 toward the wide station WS.

Then, a plurality of pressing springs SB1, S
By the action of B2 and the switching lever KB described below, the slide member F1 moves the slide gear SG so as to approach the long side chassis HS2 side or the short side chassis HS1 side, and the first bevel gear The gear is meshed with either the attached gear K1 or the first gear Y1.

The switching lever KB is a component for engaging the slide gear SG with either the first bevel gear K1 or the first gear Y1, as shown in FIG. A switching lever KB having first, second, and third arm portions KB1, KB2, and KB3 from the left side is rotatably attached around an axis KB4 attached to the long-side chassis HS2. I have. The switching lever KB abuts on the slide member F1, and moves the slide gear SG together with the slide member F1 to the long side chassis HS2 (ie, the wide station WS).
Side or the short side chassis HS1 (that is, the tape station TS).

That is, when the carriage CA is located at the tape station TS, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 24, the first and second arms KB1 and KB2 move around the axis KB4 toward the tape station TS. The third arm portion KB3 is in a state of standing up in a state of falling down,
Of the arm KB1 presses the slide member F1,
It has been moved to the tape station TS side (see FIG. 20). On the other hand, when the carriage CA is located at the wide station WS, the first and second arms KB1 and KB2 are in the raised state and the third arm is as shown by the phantom line in FIG. In the state in which KB3 is tilted toward the wide station WS, the tip of the first arm KB1 does not press the slide member F1 as described above, and the slide member F1 is moved by the spring spring SB2 to the long side chassis. HS2 (Wide Station W
S), and comes into contact with the first arm KB1 (see FIG. 19).

When the carriage CA moves from the tape station TS to the wide station WS (moves from the solid line to the imaginary line in FIG. 24), the projection CP1 as a switching operation portion of the carriage CA is moved to the side of the third arm portion KB3. Section, the switching lever KB is moved to the wide station W.
When pushed down to the S side, it is rotated by about 90 degrees about the axis KB4, and the engagement between the tip of the first arm KB1 and the slide member F1 is released. On the other hand, the carriage CA moves from the wide station WS to the tape station TS (FIG. 2).
4 from the virtual line to the solid line)
The projection CP1 of A comes into contact with the side of the second arm KB2, and the switching lever KB is pushed down to the tape station TS side, and is rotated substantially 90 degrees around the axis KB4, so that the first arm KB1 is rotated. Is engaged with the slide member F1.

As a result, the switching lever KB and the first
Of the slide member F1 under the action of the pressing spring SB1
Is moved toward the short side chassis HS1 (tape station TS) (see FIG. 20), whereby the slide gear SG meshes with the small-diameter gear portion G3b of the gear G3. As a result, the slide gear SG becomes the first bevel gear K1.
As described above, the driving force for pressing and separating the recording head HD and the roller holder at the time of the tape station TS is transmitted as described above.

On the other hand, the slide member F1 moves toward the long-side chassis HS2 (wide station WS) under the action of the switching lever KB and the second pressing spring SB2 (see FIG. 19), thereby causing the slide gear SG to move.
Is a first gear Y1 arranged on the side of the second gear Y2.
Mesh with. As a result, the driving force for feeding the paper at the time of the wide station WS is changed to the second speed as the gear train.
To the seventh gear Y7 and the like.

Specifically, the first gear Y1 has a large diameter portion Y1a meshing with the slide gear SG and the large diameter portion Y1a.
, A small-diameter portion Y1b on the long-side chassis HS2 side, and the small-diameter portion Y1b is attached to the end of the shaft JR2b of the paper feed roller JR2 and meshes with the gear JR2c.
The shaft JR2b of the roller JR2 is rotated so as to convey the leading end of the recording medium D2 back and forth. Further, the large-diameter portion Y1a of the first gear Y1 meshes with the second gear Y2, and the second gear Y2 is positioned laterally of the gear Y2 (above the plane of FIGS. 19 and 20). Attached third gear Y
3, and the third gear Y3 meshes with a fourth gear Y4 attached to the side of the gear Y3 (above the paper surface in FIGS. 19 and 20).

The fourth gear Y4 meshes with a fifth gear Y5 attached to the side of the gear Y4 (above the paper surface in FIGS. 19 and 20), and the fifth gear Y5 is connected to the fifth gear Y5.
(To the left of the paper surface in FIGS. 19 and 20). The sixth gear Y6 meshes with a seventh gear Y7 attached to the side of the gear Y6 (in front of the paper surface in FIGS. 19 and 20).
7 is a large-diameter portion Y7a meshing with the sixth gear Y6 and a small-diameter portion Y on the long-side chassis HS2 side of the large-diameter portion Y7a.
7b. The small-diameter portion Y7b is attached to the end of the shaft portion JR1b of the paper feed roller portion JR1 and meshes with the gear JR1c so that the front end portion of the recording medium D2 is transported back and forth. The shaft JR1b is rotated.

Incidentally, on the side of the large-diameter portion Y7a of the seventh gear Y7 (above the plane of FIG. 3), the support projection ST1 is rotated integrally with the support projection ST1 in order to rotate the support projection ST1. A gear ST4 for connecting the gear ST3 and the large-diameter portion Y7a is provided, and the supporting projection ST1 winds the leading end of the wound recording medium D2 in response to the rotation of the step motor SN. Put it back or pull it out.

Accordingly, in this embodiment,
The springs SB1 and SB2, the switching lever KB, and the projection CP1 as the abutting member constitute the switching means, but are not necessarily limited to this aspect, and another aspect may be adopted.

Next, a control system of the tape printer 1 as an example of the recording device will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 14, a control device CP of the tape printing apparatus 1 is configured with a central control device (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) as a core.
OM) and a readable / writable memory (hereinafter referred to as RAM). The motors SL, S
M, SN drive control program, display program for displaying characters and the like input via each key of the keyboard 3 on the display 5, support projections S from the recording head HD side
A program for rewinding the leading end portion of the recording medium D2 toward the T1 and ST2 side, and various other programs necessary for the operation of the tape printer 1 are stored. The CG-ROM connected to the CPU is a character generator for generating image data at the time of displaying or printing characters or the like. On the other hand, the RAM is provided with various data storage areas such as a display buffer and a print buffer, and this type of data is temporarily stored.

The motor drive circuits SLk, SMk, S
Nk is a circuit for driving the step motors SL, SM, SN. Further, the various sensors SQ described above,
As described above, SY, SE, SZ, etc.
The presence / absence of A, the presence / absence of the cassettes TC and RC, the types and widths of the recording media D1 and D2, the presence / absence of the recording media D1, and the like are detected, and the signals are sent to the CPU. The recording head H
D has a large number of heating elements formed in a row as described, and selectively drives each heating element via the CPU to generate heat on the recording media D1, D2 via the ink ribbon IR. Can print characters and the like.

As described in detail above, according to the recording medium D2 of this embodiment, the recording medium D2 is a long recording medium D2 that is mounted on the tape printer 1 and recorded. A recording area FD2a and margin areas FD2b on both sides of the recording area FD2a are provided on the recording surface D2b side, and display units FD2c and FD2d are provided in at least one of these margin areas FD2b so as to visually indicate the remaining amount of the medium D2. Was. Thereby, during the printing operation of the tape printer 1, the display portions FD2c and FD2d on the recording surface D2b side of the recording medium D2 can be easily seen, so that the remaining amount of the recording medium D2 is small. It can be easily and reliably observed.
Further, the display portions FD2c and FD2d correspond to the margin area FD2.
b, the display units FD2c, FD2
d does not waste the recording area FD2a.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the line recording mode, the first cassette TC storing the recording medium ID and the ink ribbon IR is used, and in the serial recording mode, the second cassette RC storing only the ink ribbon IR is used. However, the recording medium ID is not necessarily limited to this mode.
A cassette TC that stores only the information may be used. Also,
The ink ribbon IR stored in the second cassette RC does not need to be an ink ribbon to which a plurality of colors of ink are sequentially applied, and may be, for example, a single-color ink ribbon. Further, a motor other than the step motor may be used as the drive motor.

Further, a stepping motor SL for transporting the recording medium D1 is used for pressing and separating the recording head HD and the recording medium D2 in the serial recording mode, or the recording is performed on the recording medium D2. It is a desirable mode to use the step motor SN for transporting the medium D2 for pressing and separating the recording head HD and the recording medium D1 in the line recording mode. It is not limited. Also,
The first platen P1 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the second platen P2 is preferably formed such that a surface supporting the recording medium D2 is formed in a flat shape, but this is not essential.

The cassette HS0 (see FIG. 4) for holding the wide recording medium D2 in a wound state is, for example,
A feed roller may be provided inside the paper feed port. Further, the platen and the driving roller are, in the above-described embodiment,
Although they are separate members, they may be made of the same member.
Further, only one or both of the platen and the driving roller may be provided.

The recording apparatus of the present invention is not necessarily a tape printing apparatus. For example, in addition to a general thermal printer or the like, a heat-sensitive stencil sheet, a porous resin plate, or the like may be used as a recording medium. It may be a recording device used as a composition. Further, the recording head may be other than the thermal head.

[0114]

According to the recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording medium is a long recording medium mounted on the recording apparatus and recorded, and the recording area is provided on the recording surface side of the recording medium. And at least one margin area on both sides thereof, and a display portion for visually indicating the remaining amount of the medium is provided in this margin area. Therefore, during the recording operation of the recording apparatus, the recording surface side of the recording medium is Can easily be viewed. Thus, it is possible to easily and surely visually confirm that the remaining amount of the long recording medium is small. Further, since the display section is provided in the margin area, the recording area is not wasted on the display section.

Further, according to the recording apparatus of the present invention, the display changes according to the remaining amount of the recording medium. It is very easy to understand how much is left.

According to the recording apparatus of the third aspect, a half-cut portion is provided between the recording area and the margin area to facilitate separation of the recording area and the margin area. Therefore, when the recording area and the margin area are gripped and torn apart, the tear area is torn at the half-cut portion, and an unnecessary margin area can be easily removed from the recording area.

According to the recording apparatus of the present invention, since the double-sided adhesive tape having the release paper laminated on one side is attached to the back side of the recording medium, the release paper is bonded to the double-sided adhesive tape. If the recording medium is peeled off from the tape, the recording medium can be easily adhered to the adhered object such as the spine of a file via the double-sided adhesive tape.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a tape printing apparatus which is an embodiment of a recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal structure of the tape printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the tape printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a wide recording medium and a recording head in the tape printing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view showing a part of the tape station of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the tape station of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view showing the tape cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front view showing the ribbon cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front view showing the carriage of this embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a side view of main components mounted on the carriage of FIG. 9, viewed from the line II.

FIG. 11 is a side view of main components mounted on the carriage of FIG. 9, as viewed from the line II-II.

FIG. 12 is a side view of main components mounted on the carriage of FIG. 9 as viewed from the line III-III.

FIG. 13 is a side view of main components mounted on the carriage of FIG. 9 as viewed from the line IV-IV.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the tape recording apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged front view showing a state in which gears and the like are removed from the carriage in FIG. 9 and a state in which the recording head is pressed against a platen.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged front view showing a state in which gears and the like are removed from the carriage in FIG. 9 and a state in which the recording head is separated from a platen.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged front view showing a head drive cam gear of this embodiment.

18 is an enlarged front view showing a part of the head drive cam gear of FIG. 17 and a relation with the gear.

FIG. 19 shows conveyance of a wide recording medium according to the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing main components for pressing and separating a recording head and a first platen from each other.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating conveyance of a wide recording medium according to the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing main components for pressing and separating a recording head and a first platen from each other.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a relative positional relationship when a recording head and a platen of this embodiment are pressed and separated from each other.

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view showing a transmission delay unit of this embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a front view showing another example of the operation member for separating the platen from the recording head according to the embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between movement of a carriage and a switching lever according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a plan view showing a display unit for indicating the remaining amount of the recording medium and a recording surface of the recording medium according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 tape printing device (recording device) HD recording head D2 wide recording medium (recording medium) SN SL SM step motor D2b recording surface FD2a recording area FD2b blank area FD2c, FD2d display section FD2e half cut section

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification symbol FI B41M 5/40 B41M 5/26 H (72) Inventor Jun Sugimoto Brother Industrial Co., Ltd. 15-1 Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya-shi

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A long recording medium mounted on a recording device and recorded, comprising: a recording area on a recording surface side of the recording medium; and at least one margin area on both sides of the recording area; A recording medium provided with a display section in the margin area for visually indicating the remaining amount of the medium. 2. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the display changes in accordance with the remaining amount of the recording medium. 3. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a half-cut portion is provided between the recording area and the blank area to facilitate separation of the recording area and the blank area. Recording medium characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a double-sided adhesive tape having a release paper laminated on one side is attached to the back side of the recording medium. Characteristic recording medium.