JPH10305645A - Ink ribbon replacing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink ribbon replacing unit for reusing a used ribbon cassette without discarding by replacing the ink ribbon. SOLUTION: The ink ribbon replacing unit comprises a used ribbon cassette fitting part 11, an unused ribbon roll fixing part 21 having a rotatable bobbin 22, a pair of bobbins 15, 16 to be engaged, respectively, with the feeding side reel and the take-up side reel of a used ribbon cassette 10 fitted to the ribbon cassette mounting part 11, a roller 14 for holding the winding passage of an unused ink ribbon, a reel fitting part 24 having a bobbin 25 to be fitted with a reel 23 for taking up the unused ink ribbon, and a member for driving the bobbin 15 to be engaged with the feeding side reel of the used ribbon cassette 10 and the bobbin 25 to be engaged with the reel fitting part 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ribbon exchanging apparatus, and more particularly to a method for converting a used ink ribbon into an unused ink ribbon without discarding a main body case of a ribbon cassette used in a thermal transfer printer or the like. The present invention relates to a device for replacing an ink ribbon to be replaced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a heating element is selectively driven based on a recording signal while moving a thermal head along a platen to melt ink of an ink ribbon on recording paper.
2. Description of the Related Art Thermal transfer printers that perform desired recording by transfer are widely used as output devices such as computers and word processors because of their ease of maintenance, low noise, and high print quality.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a ribbon cassette used in such a thermal transfer printer. The ribbon cassette 1 has a surface of a substrate made of a long plastic film inside a main body case 2. And an ink ribbon 3 coated with an ink layer. Both ends of the ink ribbon 3 are wound around a supply-side reel 4 and a take-up reel 5 that are rotatably held.

[0004] A plurality of ink ribbon guide members 6 are disposed between the supply reel 4 and the take-up reel 5 in the main body case 2, and the ink ribbon 3 is routed from these guide members 6. A path has been formed. Also,
A recess 8 is formed in an intermediate portion 7 between the supply reel 4 and the take-up reel 5, into which a thermal head which is a recording head of the printer is inserted when the ribbon cassette is mounted on a carriage of a thermal transfer printer. In the recess 8, the ink ribbon 3 is
From the main body case 2 once again.

[0005] The ribbon cassette 1 thus configured
Is mounted on a carriage of a thermal transfer printer and used for recording.

[0006]

However, in the conventional ribbon cassette, when the ink ribbon is used up, it is general that the ink ribbon is discarded together with the main body case. There was a problem that the cost would be high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon exchanging apparatus capable of reusing a main body case of a ribbon cassette.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink ribbon exchanging apparatus for attaching a used ribbon cassette to an unused ribbon cassette mounting portion. A ribbon roll mounting portion having a rotatably held bobbin capable of mounting a ribbon roll, and a supply reel and a take-up reel of the ribbon cassette when a used ribbon cassette is mounted on the ribbon cassette mounting portion. And a reel mounting portion having a bobbin capable of mounting a reel for winding a used ink ribbon, a roller for holding a winding path of an unused ink ribbon, and a supply of the ribbon cassette. A driving member that drives a bobbin engaged with the side reel and a bobbin engaged with the reel mounting portion. By adopting such a configuration, the used ink ribbon is pulled out from the main body case of the ribbon cassette, and the ink portion of the drawn ink ribbon and the ribbon end are separated at the boundary between the portion detected by the sensor. Then, a portion detected by a sensor wound around a supply side reel of the ribbon cassette, which is one of the separated ribbons, is adhered to the tip of an unused ribbon roll, and the ribbon cassette, which is the other of the separated ribbons, After the ink portion wound on the take-up reel is adhered to the reel for winding the used ink ribbon, an unused ink ribbon constituting the unused ribbon roll is driven by driving a motor as a drive source. Is wound into the main body case of the used ribbon cassette, and the used ink ribbon is wound on the main body case of the ribbon cassette. By winding from the scan, it is possible to easily replace the ink ribbon.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink ribbon exchanging apparatus for mounting a used ribbon cassette, and winding the mounted ribbon cassette. The present invention is characterized in that it has a winding bobbin that engages with the side reel and winds up the ink ribbon, and a ribbon roll mounting portion that has a bobbin rotatably held and capable of mounting an unused ribbon roll. By adopting such a configuration, the ink ribbon take-up bobbin is rotated by the motor, and the unused ink ribbon adhered to the end of the used ribbon roll mounted on the bobbin is transferred to the ribbon traveling path in the main body case. The ink ribbon can be easily replaced by winding the ink ribbon in the inside.

[0010]

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

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of an ink ribbon exchanging apparatus according to the present invention, which will be hereinafter referred to as a first embodiment.

The ink ribbon exchanging device according to the first embodiment has a cassette mounting portion 11 for mounting a used ribbon cassette 10 disposed on the upper surface of the base 9. The cassette mounting portion 11 includes three cassette fixing claws 12, a secondary reel mounting portion 13, a roller 14,
It has an unused ink ribbon take-up bobbin 15 and a used ink ribbon discharge bobbin 16. The cassette fixing claws 12 are flexible, and each fixing claw 12 is formed with an engaging projection 17 so as to engage with the ribbon cassette from three directions as shown in the drawing. Although not shown, the secondary reel mounting portion 13 is rotatably held. The roller 14 is formed so as to hold a winding path of the unused ink ribbon when the unused ink ribbon constituting the unused ribbon roll 18 is wound into the used ribbon cassette 10. Although not shown, it is rotatable by a holding member. Bobbin 1 for winding unused ink ribbon
5 is connected to a motor 19 built in the base 9 via a belt 20 similarly built in, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2, and is rotatable by the driving force of the motor 19. I have. Although not shown, the used ink ribbon discharge bobbin 16 is rotatable by a holding member.

Further, the ink ribbon changing device according to the first embodiment has an unused ribbon roll mounting portion 21 arranged on the upper surface of the base 9. The mounting section 21 has an unused ribbon roll mounting bobbin 22. Although not shown, the unused ribbon roll mounting bobbin 22 is rotatable by a holding member.

Further, the ink ribbon exchanging device in the first embodiment is disposed on the upper surface of the base 9.
It has a mounting section 24 for mounting a used ink ribbon take-up reel 23. The mounting portion 24 is provided on the bobbin 2 for mounting the used ink ribbon take-up reel 23.
Five. The bobbin 25 on which the used ink ribbon take-up reel 23 is mounted is connected to the motor 19 built in the base 9 via a belt 26 similarly built in as shown by a broken line in FIG. The motor 19 can be rotated by the driving force of the motor 19 like the unused ink ribbon winding bobbin 15.

The ink ribbon exchanging device according to the first embodiment has a switch 27 for stopping the operation of the motor 19. The switch 27 is used for winding the unused ink ribbon and the used ink ribbon around the unused ink ribbon reel 18 and the used ink ribbon take-up reel 23 as the winding of the unused ink ribbon and the used ink ribbon proceeds. The ink ribbons 28 and 29 in the winding path shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2 have moved the winding path as shown by the arrow A in FIG.
The motor 19 is turned off in the direction of arrow B by the tension of the motor 19, and the motor 19 is stopped.

Further, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 3, when the winding of either the unused ink ribbon or the used ink ribbon is completed, one of the switches 27 is turned off. It stops when it comes.

The ink ribbon exchanging device according to the first embodiment has a holding member 30 for holding a used ink ribbon winding path on the base 9.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. The used ribbon cassette 10 is mounted on the ribbon cassette mounting section 11. At this time, the roller 14 held rotatably is inserted into the concave portion 31 into which the thermal head is inserted when the roller 14 is mounted on the carriage.

The unused ribbon roll mounting section 2
1, the unused ribbon roll 18 is mounted, and the used ink ribbon take-up reel 23 is mounted on the used ink ribbon take-up reel mounting section 24.

A used ink ribbon is pulled out from the used ribbon cassette 10 and wound around the roller 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the ink ribbon pulled out at this time is the end portion of the ribbon, and the ink portion (ink portion 32) and the portion formed for detecting the end of the ink by the sensor ( There is a boundary part of the sensor part 33), and the two parts are bonded.

The adhesive portion between the ink portion 32 and the sensor portion 33 of the pulled out ink ribbon is peeled off using a cellophane tape or the like. The peeled ink portion 32 is bonded to the used ink ribbon take-up reel 23 mounted on the used ink ribbon take-up reel mounting portion 24.
On the other hand, the unused ribbon roll 18 attached to the unused ribbon roll
Adhere to the tip of At this time, in bonding the sensor unit 33, an adhesive formed on the leading end of the unused ribbon roll 18 is used.

Next, when the motor 19 is driven, the bobbin 25 on which the used ink ribbon take-up reel 23 is mounted rotates in a direction (FIG. 2, arrow C) for winding the used ink ribbon. The unused ink ribbon take-up bobbin 15 rotates in a direction (arrow D in FIG. 2) for winding the unused ink ribbon. The dash-dot line and arrow A in FIG. 2 indicate the change in the diameter of the ribbon roll caused by winding the unused ink ribbon and the used ink ribbon.
As shown in FIG.
9 moves to the switch 27, and when one of the ink ribbons is wound, the switch 27 is actuated by the tension of the ink ribbon (arrow B), and the motor 19 is turned on.
Rotation stops.

When the motor 19 stops, the unused ink ribbon 28 in the unused ink ribbon winding path and the used ink ribbon 29 in the used ink ribbon winding path are cut. And
The unused side and the used side cut portions are bonded, and one of the reels of the used ribbon cassette 10 is rotated to remove slack of the ink ribbon.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an ink ribbon exchanging apparatus according to the present invention.
Treated as a second embodiment.

The ink ribbon exchanging device according to the second embodiment has a cassette mounting portion 35 mounted on the upper surface of the base 34 for mounting a used ribbon cassette. The cassette mounting section 35 has three cassette fixing claws 36, a secondary reel mounting section 37, and an ink ribbon winding bobbin 38.

Each of the cassette fixing claws 36 has flexibility, and as shown in the drawing, each of the cassette fixing claws 36 has an engaging projection 39 so as to engage with the ribbon cassette from three directions. Is formed. The secondary reel mounting section 3
As shown in FIG. 7, the second cassette 7 in the lower case 40 becomes unstable because the used ribbon cassette in the second embodiment is used without the upper case (not shown) of the cassette case. The secondary reel 41 is formed so as to lock and stabilize the next reel 41, and the secondary reel mounting portion 37 is rotatably held (not shown). Although not shown, the ink ribbon winding bobbin 38 is connected to a motor built in the base 34, and is rotatable by the driving force of the motor.

The ink ribbon changing device according to the second embodiment has an unused ribbon roll mounting portion 42 disposed on the upper surface of the base 34. The unused ribbon roll mounting section 42 has a bobbin 43 to which an unused ribbon roll can be mounted, and the bobbin 43 is rotatable by a holding member. Here, the ribbon roll means a long ink ribbon wound on a reel.

The main body case of the used ribbon cassette used in the second embodiment comprises an upper case (not shown) and a lower case 40, and a rear side wall of the lower case 40. Is formed with a slit 45 through which the ink ribbon 44 can pass. In the second embodiment, the ribbon cassette is used with the upper case (not shown) removed. Hereinafter, the used ribbon cassette without the upper case used in the second embodiment is treated as a used ribbon cassette 46.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described.
When all the ink ribbons have been used (when the printer detects the end of the ribbon), the ribbon cassette is removed from the thermal transfer printer, and the upper case (not shown) is removed from the lower case 40.

Then, the supply reel is taken out of the lower case 40 so that the ink ribbon 44 adhered to the supply reel passes through the slit 45 described above. Here, the supply-side reel is not shown in FIG. 5, but is similar to the supply-side reel 4 when an example of the ribbon cassette is shown in FIG. 6, and is bonded to the end 47 of the used ink ribbon. Say things. Therefore, it is handled as the supply-side reel 4 below. When the supply-side reel 4 is taken out of the lower case 40, the ink ribbon 44 in the ink ribbon travel path is not removed from the ink ribbon travel path such as the guide roller 48.

Then, the supply side reel 4 is detached from the end 47 of the used ink ribbon, and the end 47 is removed.
Is connected to the leading end 50 of the unused ribbon roll 49. In addition, since an adhesive portion coated with an adhesive was formed at the end 47 of the used ink ribbon and was adhered to the supply side reel 4, the peeled adhesive portion and the unused ribbon roll 49 were formed. Connect the tip 50.

In this state, the cassette mounting section 3
5, the used ribbon cassette 46 with the upper case (not shown) removed is bonded to the unused ribbon roll mounting portion 42, and the leading end 50 is bonded to the used ink ribbon end 47. An unused ribbon roll 49 is set, and the ink ribbon take-up bobbin 38 is rotated by a motor built in the base 34, and the unused ribbon connected at the end 47 of the used ink ribbon is rotated. An unused ink ribbon constituting the roll 49 is wound up.

When the tip 50 of the unused ink ribbon is wound around the used ribbon roll 51 in the lower case 40, the rotation of the ink ribbon take-up bobbin 38 is stopped to stop the use of the used ink ribbon. End 47
Then, the adhesive portion between the unused ink ribbon tip 50 and the unused ink ribbon leading end 50 is removed, and the unused ink ribbon leading end 50 constituting the unused ribbon roll 49 wound around the used ribbon roll 51 is used for the unused winding. It is adhered to the take-up reel 52.

Thereafter, the used ribbon roll 51 is used.
Is removed from the lower case 40, and the unused take-up reel 52 to which the tip 50 of the unused ink ribbon is adhered is mounted at the same location.

Further, the unused ribbon roll mounting section 4
The unused ribbon roll 49 mounted in 2 is housed in the lower case 40, and the ink ribbon winding bobbin 38 is rotated to remove slack of the ink ribbon.

Therefore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily replace the ink ribbon.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified as needed.

[0037]

As described above, according to the ink ribbon replacement device of the first aspect, the used ribbon cassette is used without removing the main body case, and the unused ink ribbon is stored in the main body case. By winding the used ink ribbon out of the main body case, it is possible to easily replace the ink ribbon, which enables the used ribbon cassette to be reused without discarding the main body case. Becomes possible.

Further, according to the ink ribbon exchanging device of the present invention, the used ribbon cassette is used by removing the upper case of the main body case, and the unused ink ribbon is wound into the lower case. This makes it possible to easily replace the ink ribbon, thereby enabling the used ribbon cassette to be reused without discarding the main body case.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment (first embodiment) of an ink ribbon replacement device according to claim 1.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment (first embodiment) of the ink ribbon replacement device according to claim 1, wherein a broken line portion indicates
Diagram showing that motor and belt are built-in

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of one embodiment (first embodiment) of the ink ribbon replacement device according to claim 1;

FIG. 4 shows an ink ribbon exchange device according to an embodiment (first embodiment) of the ink ribbon and a sensor unit of a used ink ribbon drawn out of a used ribbon cassette used in the first embodiment. Represented figure

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment (second embodiment) of the ink ribbon replacement device according to claim 2.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the inside of a general ribbon cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 35 Cassette mounting part 14 Roller 15 Unused ink ribbon take-up bobbin 16 Used ink ribbon discharge bobbin 21 Unused ribbon roll mounting part 24 Used ribbon take-up reel mounting part 27 Motor stop switch 20, 26 Belt 38 Ink ribbon winding bobbin 42 Unused ribbon roll mounting part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A ribbon cassette mounting section for mounting a used ribbon cassette, a ribbon roll mounting section having a bobbin rotatably held and capable of mounting an unused ribbon roll, and a ribbon cassette mounting section. A pair of bobbins that can be engaged with a supply reel and a take-up reel of the ribbon cassette when the used ribbon cassette is mounted, a roller that holds a winding path of an unused ink ribbon, A reel mounting part having a bobbin capable of mounting a reel for winding the ink ribbon, a driving member driving a bobbin engaging with a supply side reel of the ribbon cassette and a bobbin engaging with the reel mounting part. An ink ribbon exchanging device, characterized in that: 2. A ribbon cassette mounting section for mounting a used ribbon cassette, and a winding bobbin for engaging with a winding reel of the mounted ribbon cassette to drive the winding reel to wind an ink ribbon. A ribbon roll mounting portion having a bobbin rotatably held and capable of mounting a ribbon roll made of an unused ink ribbon.