JPS61222772A - Ink ribbon cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an IDF (ink ribbon) to be easily mounted to and dismounted from a device, by enclosing the IDF and flanges into a cartridge to form an integral unit. CONSTITUTION:When assembling, the leading end of an ink ribbon roll comprising the IDF wound around a core member 8 is led out through an opening part 12a, and the roll is enclosed in a containing part 13. Then, the leading end of the IDF is inserted into an opening part 12b through an opening 11, and is wound around a core member 4 placed in a containing part 14. Next, take-up flanges 7a, 7b are fitted to both ends of the member 4, while flanges 10a, 10b are fitted to both ends of the member 8, and the flanges are fitted into bearing parts 6b, 9b. Thereafter, an upper casing 1 is laid on a lower casing 2, and both casings are firmly pressed against each other, thereby connecting engaging parts to integrate the members. The integral unit thus obtained is set to a mounting position, thereby completing an ink ribbon mounting or replacing operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cartridge formed into a cartridge so that an ink donor film can be easily attached to and removed from a thermal recording device.

[Background technology]

FIG. 5 shows an example of a transfer type thermal recording device, in which a long rolled-up ink donor film (IDF) 51 coated with heat-melting ink on one side and an unused IDF stored therein are shown.
IDF supply roll 52 that supplies DF51, and IDF installed at the transfer position and pulled out from the supply roll 52 side
Thermal heating pad 53 heats the non-ink coated surface of the IDE 51 according to the recording information by bringing the head end into contact with the non-ink coated surface of the IDE 51 and conveys the recording paper 54 that is superimposed on the IDF 51 and is supplied to the transfer position. Contact and head 53
a platen roll 5 that ensures contact between the recording paper 54 and the recording paper 54;
5, and a take-up roll 56 for winding up the used IDF by transfer.

In the above configuration, the IDE 51 housed in the supply roll 52 is pulled out and passes through the conveyance path between the head 53 and the platen roll 55, and its tip end is attached to the engagement part of the take-up roll 56 (not shown). ), and the IDE5
Set 1 ends. At the start of a recording operation, the thermal head 53 comes into contact with the IDE 51 as the recording paper 54 reaches the transfer position. Next, the heating resistor group of the thermal head 53 is heated according to the print (image) information, and the ink of the IDE 51 is selectively heated. The heated ink melts and adheres directly to the recording paper, resulting in thermal transfer. The transferred amount of the IDE 51 is wound up on a winding roll 56.

When the IDE 51 is used to the end, it is replaced with another new IDF. Replacement is performed by removing the flanges that fix the supply roll 52 and take-up roll 56 to the shaft.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, when replacing a conventional IDF, it is necessary to attach the IDE to the roll, fix it to the shaft with a flange, then pull out the IDF and attach it to the take-up side, making it easy to replace and install the IDF. There was an inconvenience that it could not be done.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The present invention has the following features:
This has been done in view of the above, and an ink ribbon cartridge is provided in which an IDF (ink ribbon) and a flange are housed and integrated in a cartridge so that the IDF can be easily installed and removed.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the ink ribbon cartridge according to the present invention will be explained in detail.

FIG. 1 (assembled completed view) and FIG. 2 (exploded perspective view) show an embodiment of the present invention, which has an upper case 1 shaped like a "mouth" and a shape that fits into the upper case 1. A gear 5 (to which a winding force is applied from a drive source) is attached to both ends of the core material 4 on the winding side of the lower case 2 and the ink ribbon (IDF) 3 housed in the pair of cases, and is attached to at least one of them. Bearing portions 6 each provided in two cases (consisting of bearing portions 5a and 5b provided in two cases 1°2)
The winding flanges 7a and 7b are pivotally supported by the IDE3.
Supply flanges 10a and 1 are attached to both ends of the core material 8 of the unused side roll 3a and are pivotally supported by bearing parts 9a and 9b (constituting the bearing part 9) provided in the two cases.
Consists of 0b. An opening 1 is provided in the center of the upper case 1 and lower case 2 so that the IDE 3 is exposed at the transfer section.
1 is provided, and a hollow portion having an inner diameter slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the IDF roll 3a is formed on both sides of the storage portion 13.
14 are formed. Further, the main body side of the thermal recording device is provided with a receiving part to which the bearing parts 6 and 9 are engaged, and also has a built-in deceleration mechanism including a gear that meshes with the gear 5, and a motor that drives the deceleration mechanism. There is. Further, openings 12a and 12b for drawing the ink ribbon roll through the opening 11 from the supply side to the winding side are provided on the opposing surfaces of the ink ribbon roll storage sections 13, 14 of the lower case 2.

In the above configuration, when assembling the ink ribbon roll, the tip of the ink ribbon roll with the ink ribbon wound around the core material 8 is pulled out through the opening 12a, and then the ink ribbon roll is placed in the storage part 13 provided with the opening 12a. Store it in. The tip of the ink ribbon pulled out from the opening 12a is inserted into the opening 12b via the opening 11, and is wound around the core material 4 placed in the storage section 14 in which the opening 12b is provided. Next, the winding flanges 7a and 7b are attached to both ends of the core material 4, and the flanges 10allob are attached to both ends of the core material 8, and then each flange is loaded into the bearing parts 6b and 9b. Thereafter, by stacking the upper case 1 on the lower case 2 and strongly pressing them together, the engaging parts (not shown) (consisting of a claw part and a fitting part) are combined.
It can be integrated and has an external shape as shown in FIG.

By setting this to the mounting position provided on the thermal recording device, the work of mounting or replacing the electric ribbon is completed.

Incidentally, in order to facilitate portability and handling, a handle 30 may be provided on one side of the storage section as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4(A) shows another embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as in FIG. The main compartment is divided into two storage parts 40a, 40b and side cases 41a', 41b. By fitting the storage portion 40 and the side case 41, they can be integrally combined. Storage parts 40a, 4
0b has an opening 42a similar to that shown in FIG.
42b is provided.

Also, although not shown in the side cases 41a and 41b, flanges? A, 7b and 10a, 10b bearing portions are formed in the same manner as shown in FIG. Further, reinforcing portions 43 are provided on the side cases 41a and 41b to increase mechanical strength.

In the above configuration, when assembling, the storage section 40a
After inserting an ink ribbon roll into the opening 42a and pulling out the tip of the ink ribbon from the opening 42a, the ribbon tip is inserted into the storage portion 40b from the opening 42b. Storage section 40b
Wrap the inserted ribbon tip around the core material. Next, attach flanges to both ends of each core material as in the case of Figure 2.
After installing a, 7 b, 10a, and 10b,
The side cases 41a and 41b are placed in the storage parts 40a and 40b.
The assembly is completed by fitting the two. The ink ribbon cartridge thus assembled is set in a designated position provided in the thermal recording device. Fig. 4 (II+) is a further modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 (a), in which the storage portions 4Qa and 40b are divided into two parts to reduce the total mold cost during resin molding and reduce the IDF during assembly. It is designed to make it easier to set.

FIG. 5 shows the state in which the ink ribbon cartridge of the first embodiment is applied to a thermal transfer recording device.

Here, the same reference numerals have been used, so the explanation will be omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention, since the IDF and the flange are housed in the cartridge and integrated, the IDF can be easily attached to and removed from the apparatus.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG.
A perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, C4),
(D) is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the ink ribbon cartridge of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a transfer type thermal recording device. . Explanation of symbols 1----1...upper case, 2-------
Lower case, 3-----IDF, 4
．． 8-- Core material, 5----- Gear, 5 a, 6 b, 9. a, 9 b---
--One bearing part? a, 7 b----- Winding flange, 10 a, 10 b --- Supply flange, lt-1111... Opening, 12 a, 12 b, 42 a, 42 b
----Opening, 13.14.40a, 40b・-
------1 storage section, 41 a, 41 b----
----- Side case. Patent applicant Agent: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
Patent Attorney Shin Matsubara 2 Same as Seiji Muraki Same Same as Tadao Hirata Same Same as Jun Ueshima - Figure 1 Figure 3 Crocodile Figure 4 (/r) Figure 4 C field Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a thermal transfer recording device that melts or sublimates ink on an ink donor film by heat generated in response to a print signal from a thermal head and performs transfer printing on recording paper, a supply roll that supplies an ink donor film to a transfer unit. ,
and first and second roll storage parts that store take-up rolls for winding up the ink donor film after the transfer, and an ink donor film that is transferred from the first roll storage part to the second roll storage part. openings that are exposed to the transfer section and that position the platen roll and the thermal head on the exposed front and back surfaces of the ink donor film; An ink ribbon cartridge comprising first and second rotating flanges coupled to a winding core of a take-up roll, wherein at least the second rotating flange has a driven portion that receives rotational force from a drive source. .