JPS62156980A - Ribbon cartridge for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically control the tension on an ink ribbon to within an appropriate range, by providing movable ribbon-tensioning mechanisms in a ribbon feeding passage on both the payout side and the take-up side of a printing position facing a printing head. CONSTITUTION:Normally, ribbon-tensioning mechanisms 13, 14 are maintained in the solid-line positions by tension springs 13c, 14c. When high tensions are applied to an ink ribbon 10 on the take-up side and the payout side of a printing position, movable arms 13a, 14a are turned against the energizing forces of the tension springs 13c, 14c, to the one-dot chained line positions at maximum. Tension rollers 13b, 14b of the mechanisms 13, 14 are moved in movable ranges l1, l2 by amounts corresponding to variations in the tensions on the ribbon 10 acting in the take-up direction and the payout direction, respectively. A ribbon feeding passage on the take-up side and the payout side is changed to the state indicated by the one-dot chained line, and the tension on the ink ribbon 10 is constantly maintained within an appropriate range by the tension springs 13c, 14c.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a ribbon that is removably attached to a carriage base that reciprocates in the direction of the print line in a printing device such as a typewriter or printer using an electric thermal transfer method. It concerns cartridges.

<Prior Art> In this type of conventional ribbon cartridge, an unused ink ribbon for printing is wound around a ribbon core on the supply side, the tip end is wound around a ribbon core on the take-up side, and a guide roller is placed between the two ribbon cores. A predetermined ribbon running path is formed via a ribbon drive roller and a ribbon drive roller. When this ribbon cartridge is removably attached to the carriage base of a printing device, the print head on the carriage base is located inside the ink ribbon in the ribbon running path, and the print head is moved toward the platen for each printing operation. The ink ribbon is pulled and pressed against the platen with the printing paper interposed therebetween, and printing is performed. When the print head detaches from the ink ribbon and returns to its original position,
The transport drive of the ink ribbon is stopped and the same operation is repeated to print intermittently on the printing paper.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> By the way, in this type of printing device, it is necessary to maintain the portion of the ink ribbon located in the ribbon running path in a state with appropriate tension. There is a ribbon cartridge in which a bank tension mechanism is provided in the ribbon running path on the supply side to ensure stable ribbon running. However, ■ changes in the tension of the ink ribbon due to changes in the ribbon running path of the ribbon cartridge due to the reciprocating movement of the print head toward the platen during printing operations;
Changes in the tension of the ink ribbon due to deviations in the control timing of the ink ribbon transfer for each printing operation; ■Changes in the tension of the ink ribbon caused by the ribbon cartridge being subjected to strong acceleration when the carriage base is moved back and forth rapidly; A change in tension occurs. Due to the synergistic effect of the changes in the tension of each of the ink ribbons (① to ②), the tension of the ink ribbon changes greatly, and a slack state or a strong tension state occurs in the portions of the ink ribbon on the supply side and the winding side with respect to the printing position. As a result, smooth running of the ink ribbon cannot be ensured, and sometimes even the printing operation is obstructed. Furthermore, changes in the tension of the ink ribbon make it difficult to obtain a constant print quality, and furthermore, the load on the print head becomes uneven, which may shorten the life of the print head.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is possible to maintain the tension of the ink ribbon within an appropriate range even in response to changes in the ribbon running path and deviations in control timing during printing operations. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ribbon cartridge for a printing device that has a function that can be automatically controlled within the printer.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the ribbon cartridge of the printing device of the present invention has an ink ribbon for printing wound around ribbon cores on the supply side and the winding side and stored therein. By mounting a ribbon cartridge on a carriage base of a printing device that is equipped with a print head and reciprocated in the direction of the print line, the ink ribbon is pulled out from the ribbon cartridge by the print head and interposed on the platen through the print paper. In the ribbon cartridge of the printing device which is in pressure contact with the printing paper and prints intermittently on the printing paper, in the ribbon running path on the supply side and the winding side with respect to the printing position facing the printing head, The gist of the configuration is that each ribbon is provided with a movable ribbon tension applying mechanism.

With the above configuration, the ribbon tension applying mechanism provided in the ribbon running path on the supply side and the winding side on both sides of the printing position facing the print head of the ribbon cartridge can adjust the tension change of the ink ribbon. It automatically operates in response to the ink ribbon and controls the tension of the ink ribbon within an appropriate range.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

The printing device to which the ribbon cartridge of the present invention is installed includes:
A printing paper 2 is wound around a platen 1 that can be rotated in forward and reverse directions, and the paper is fed.A carriage base 3 is provided at a predetermined interval with respect to the platen 1 and is transported in the direction of the printing line indicated by the arrow, that is, in a direction parallel to the platen 1. The print head 4 is rotatably mounted on a rotary shaft 5 as a fulcrum.

The ribbon cartridge 6 is attached to the carriage base 3.
It is fitted onto the top and fixed by three locking claws 7. Inside this ribbon cartridge 5, a winding-side ribbon core 8 and a supply-side ribbon core 9 are rotatably provided on the left and right sides, respectively, and an unused ink ribbon 10 is wound around the supply-side ribbon core 9. The used ink ribbon 10 is wound up with the leading end of the ribbon 10 being engaged with the winding-side ribbon core 8.

On the left and right sides of the ribbon running path of the ink ribbon 10 formed between the two ribbon cores 8 and 9 with respect to the printing position, there are guide rollers 1) 12 on the winding side and the supply side, and ribbon tension applying mechanisms 13 and 14. A print head 4 is provided respectively.
In the ink running path on the winding side with respect to the printing position opposite to
A pinch roller 16 for press-contacting the roller 0 is provided.

Both of the ribbon tension applying mechanisms 13 and 14 include rotatable movable arms 13a and 14a, and the movable arm 13.
Tension roller 1 provided at the free end of a, 14a
3b, 14. b, and the tension rollers 13b and 14
a tension spring 1 that urges the movable arms 13a and 14b in a direction in which tension is generated on the ink ribbon 10 by b;
3c and 14c. Further, the ribbon drive roller 15 is provided with a one-way clutch 17 that transmits rotational force only in the direction of the arrow.

Next, the operation of the embodiment ribbon cartridge configured as described above will be explained. When the ribbon cartridge 6 is attached to the carriage base 3, the print head 4 is located on the inside of the ink ribbon 10 in the ribbon running path, and this print head 4 is shown by a dashed line every time a printing operation is performed. It is rotated from the non-printing position to the printing position shown by the solid line, and is pressed against the platen 1 via the ink ribbon 10 and printing paper 2, and printing is performed on the printing paper 2. During this printing operation, the ribbon drive roller 15 is rotated via the one-way clutch 17,
The ink ribbon 10 held between the ribbon drive roller 15 and the pinch roller 16 is driven to run in the direction of the arrow, and the unused ink ribbon 10 wound around the supply side ribbon core 9 is moved between the supply side guide roller 12 and the The ribbon is fed out via the tension roller 14b of the ribbon tension applying mechanism 14.

On the other hand, the used ink ribbon 10 sent out by the ribbon drive roller 15 and the pinch roller 16 is transferred to the winding side ribbon core 8 via the tension roller 13b of the winding side ribbon tension applying mechanism 13 and the guide roller 1). While being guided, the ribbon is wound onto a winding-side ribbon core 8 which is interlocked with a ribbon drive roller 15 . Also, when the carriage base 6 returns to the initial printing position in the printing line direction, the one-way clutch 17 causes the ribbon drive roller 1 to
Since no rotational force is transmitted to the ink ribbon 5, the ink ribbon 10 is not run.

Both ribbon tension applying mechanisms 13 and 14 are normally held at the positions shown by solid lines by tension springs 13c and 14c, and strong tension is applied to the ink ribbon 10 on the winding side and the supply side on both sides with respect to the printing position. If this occurs, the movable arms 13a, 14a are tension springs 13c.

It is rotated against the urging force of 14c up to the position shown by the dashed line. Therefore, each tension roller 13b, 14b of both ribbon tension applying mechanisms 13.14 changes in response to changes in the tension of the ink ribbon 10 acting in the winding direction and the feeding direction, respectively, within a large movable range indicated by zl and z2. moved by the amount. As a result, the ribbon running paths on the winding side and the supply side change as shown by the dashed lines, and the tension of the ink ribbon 10 is always maintained within an appropriate range by the tension springs 13c and 14c.

<Effects of the Invention> As is clear from the above description, according to the ribbon cartridge of the printing device of the present invention, movable ribbon tension is applied to the ribbon running path on the winding side and the supply side on both sides with respect to the printing position. Since the structure is equipped with a applying mechanism, the tension of the ink ribbon can be automatically maintained within an appropriate range even when the tension changes due to changes in the ribbon running path due to print head operation or deviations in control timing during ribbon running. can be adjusted accordingly. Therefore, smooth running of the ink ribbon can be ensured, and printing operations can always be performed stably. Furthermore, since the pressure force of the print head against the platen via the ink ribbon and printing paper is stabilized uniformly, high print quality can be obtained and the life of the print head can be extended.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure is a plan view of an embodiment of the ribbon cartridge of the printing device of the present invention with the lid removed. 1 - Platen 2 - Print paper 3 - Carriage base 4 - Print head 6 - Ribbon cartridge 8.9 - Ribbon core 10 - Ink ribbon 13.14 - Ribbon tension applying mechanism 13a, 14a - Movable arm

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A ribbon cartridge containing an ink ribbon for printing wound around ribbon cores on the supply side and take-up side is mounted on a carriage base of a printing device equipped with a print head and reciprocated in the direction of the print line. According to the present invention, the ink ribbon is pulled out from the ribbon cartridge by the print head and intermittently press-contacted to the platen with printing paper interposed therebetween, so that printing is intermittently performed on the printing paper. A ribbon cartridge for a printing device, characterized in that a movable ribbon tensioning mechanism is provided in each of the ribbon running paths on the supply side and the winding side with respect to the printing position facing the printing head. (2) The ribbon tension applying mechanism includes a rotatable movable arm, a tension roller provided at the free end of the movable arm, and the roller biases the movable arm in a direction in which tension is generated on the ink ribbon. 2. A ribbon cartridge for a printing device according to claim 1, further comprising a tension spring.