JPS6329578Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an ink ribbon device used in printers and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon device that has an ink-impregnated body in which ink is stored and is configured to transfer ink from the ink-impregnated body to an ink ribbon via an ink transfer roller. If the ink level decreases later and the clarity of the print is lost, the initially impregnated ink can be used without replenishing the ink to the ink-impregnated body, making it highly economical and To provide an ink ribbon device with simple structure and high reliability.

In conventional ink ribbon devices, when the clarity of prints is lost after long-term use, there are methods of directly replenishing ink to the ink-impregnated body to improve the clarity of prints, and methods of replenishing the ink-impregnated body of the ink transfer roller. Methods such as increasing the pressing force are being adopted. FIG. 1 shows an example of an ink ribbon device proposed by the present inventors in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 14791/1983. This device is configured to increase the clarity of printing by increasing the pressing force of the ink transfer roller against the ink-impregnated body.

In FIG. 1, an ink ribbon 1 is attached to a tension spring 2.
The ink transfer roller is rotated in the B direction by the tension of the ink ribbon 1 running in the A direction. Also, due to this running tension, the ink transfer roller 3 is guided by the ink transfer roller guide 4 and slides in the C direction, and is pressed against the ink impregnated roller 5, which is an ink impregnated body, and rotates the ink impregnated roller 5 in the D direction. Therefore, the ink on the ink-impregnated roller 5 is transferred to the ink ribbon 1.

With this configuration, the ink will decrease after long-term use,
If the clarity of the print is lost, press the pressing spring 6 made of a spring member in the direction of arrow E through the hole 8 on the side of the ink ribbon cassette 7 to over-center the ink ribbon to the state shown by the broken line. The amount of ink transferred from the ink impregnation roller 5 to the ink ribbon 1 was increased by increasing the pressing force of the ink transfer roller 3. However, even if the pressure spring 6 is turned over once during long-term use, the amount of ink on the ink impregnating roller 5 cannot be fully utilized, and about 50% of the initial setting ink remains on the ink impregnating roller 5.
The current situation is that it remains. Even with the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the ink-impregnated roller 5
Even though there is a considerable amount of ink left in the ink ribbon device, the ink ribbon device must be replaced with a new one, resulting in high running costs.

The present invention attempts to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks by making it possible to apply the pressing force of the ink transfer roller to the ink-impregnated body in multiple stages in order to make full use of the initially set ink. An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts. In the drawing, the ink ribbon 9 is supported by a drive gear support member 11 fixed to the ink ribbon cassette 10, and a drive gear 12 is provided to be rotated by a rotation means (not shown), and the ink ribbon cassette 10 is connected to the ink ribbon 9. Support shaft 13 provided inside
It is supported by a driven gear support member 14 which is rotatable about a fulcrum, and is held by a rotatable driven gear 16 which is pressed against the drive gear 12 by a driven gear pressing spring 15.
The ink ribbon is stored in the ink ribbon cassette 10 while being pulled in by the rotation of the drive gear 12 in the ink ribbon storage chamber 17 and folded irregularly. The ink ribbon 9 sent out from the ink ribbon storage chamber 17 is passed through a passage 18 in the ink ribbon cassette 10.
You will be guided to run. Furthermore, ink ribbon 9
The ink ribbon 9 is tensioned by a tension spring 19 which is a spring member and applies tension to the ink ribbon 9, runs horizontally with respect to the printing position 20, and enters the passage 21 in the ink ribbon cassette again. In the next step, the ink transfer roller guide 22 in the ink ribbon cassette 10 moves the ink transfer roller 2 due to the running tension of the ink ribbon 9 in the direction of arrow A'.
3 rotates in the direction of arrow B' and slides in the direction of arrow C', and this ink transfer roller 23 can freely rotate around a fixed shaft 24 formed integrally with the ink ribbon cassette 10. 25 in the direction of arrow D'. By this rotation of the ink-impregnated roller 25, ink is supplied to the ink ribbon 9 so that the ink impregnated in the ink-impregnated roller 25 adheres to the ink ribbon 9 via the ink transfer roller 23. The ink ribbon 9 supplied with ink is moved again to the drive gear 12.
The ink ribbon is fed into the ink ribbon storage chamber 17 by rotation between the driven gear 16 and the ink ribbon storage chamber 17 .

As described above, the ink stored in the ink impregnation roller 25 is transferred to the ink transfer roller 23 by the rotation and sliding of the ink transfer roller 23 due to the running tension of the ink ribbon 9, and further rotation of the ink impregnation roller 25. The image is transferred to the ribbon 9.

Here, the relationship between the amount of ink transferred from the ink-impregnated roller 25 to the ink ribbon 9, that is, the change in print density, and the pressing force of the ink transfer roller 23 against the ink-impregnated roller 25 will be considered.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between print density (amount of ink transferred to the ink ribbon) and the pressure force of the ink transfer roller against the ink impregnation roller. In the drawing, when the pressure P of the ink transfer roller against the ink impregnation roller is increased, the print density increases as shown by the curve A since ink is sufficiently retained at the initial stage. Next, for example, after about 1 million characters, the amount of ink in the ink-impregnated roller decreases by about 30%, resulting in a curve like B. Furthermore, for example, after printing about 2 million characters, the amount of ink in the ink-impregnated roller decreases to about 50%, so C
It looks like a curve. Now, if the force with which the ink transfer roller is pressed against the ink ribbon by the running tension of the ink ribbon is P ₀ , at the initial stage it is at position a, and as the number of prints is gradually increased from there, the optimum density is reached, for example after about 1 million characters have been printed. Suppose that the print becomes unclear and reaches the reading limit b. At this stage, there is still about 70% of the initial setting ink remaining, so if you somehow increase the pressure force _P0 to _P1 , the print density will change from position b to C along the curve B.
It is clear that the concentration reaches the optimum concentration state. Furthermore, if the number of prints is increased after the pressure contact force is set to _P1 , and the print becomes unclear after about 2 million characters have been printed, for example, this indicates that the reading limit has been reached at position d. At this stage, there is still about 50% of the ink remaining, so increase the pressure from P ₁ .
If the print density is further increased to P ₂ by some method, the printing density will move from position d to state e along the curve C, and will recover to the optimum density state.

In order to achieve the above, in this example, the second
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 3, a pair of a first pressure spring 26 made of a spring member and a second pressure spring 28 having a hole 27 in the center are installed in the ink ribbon cassette 10 with both ends supported. do. Furthermore, a hole 29 and a notch 30 are provided on the side surface of the ink ribbon cassette 10 at positions facing the pressing springs 26 and 28.

For example, if the print becomes unclear after printing about 1 million characters, remove the hole 2 on the side of the ink ribbon cassette 10.
9 and the press spring 26 through the hole 27 of the press spring 28.
By overcentering and bringing the state 31 shown by the broken line in FIG. 2, in addition to the pressure contact force P ₀ due to the running tension of the ink ribbon shown in FIG. 4, the optimum density state C can be recovered. Necessary force (P ₁ −
P ₀ ) to increase the amount of ink transferred from the ink-impregnated roller 25 to the ink ribbon 9. Further about
If the print becomes unclear again after printing 2 million characters,
In addition to the pressing spring 26, the pressing spring 28 having a hole 27 in the center is passed through a notch 30 provided on the side surface of the ink ribbon cassette 10, and is moved over the center to form the state 32 shown by the dashed line. It is possible to add the force (P ₂ −P ₁ ) necessary to restore the optimum density state e shown in the figure and further increase the amount of ink transferred. Note that the configuration of the pressing springs is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and the shape, mounting position, number, etc. of the pressing springs can be appropriately selected.

As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention has a configuration in which the pressure contact force between the ink-impregnated body and the ink transfer roller is changed in multiple stages. This makes it possible to make full use of the print density, maintain proper print density for a sufficiently long period of time, and
It becomes possible to postpone the replacement of the ink ribbon device. Therefore, it is possible to provide an ink ribbon device that is highly reliable, economical, and has great practical effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of essential parts showing an example of an ink ribbon device, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the ink ribbon device of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between pressing force and print density. 9... Ink ribbon, 10... Ink ribbon cassette, 23... Ink transfer roller, 25... Ink impregnation roller, 26... Pressing spring, 27...
Hole, 28... Pressing spring, 29... Hole, 30... Notch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An ink ribbon cassette, an ink-impregnated body disposed inside the ink ribbon cassette, an ink ribbon, and a part of its outer periphery are rotated in sliding contact with a part of the ink-impregnated body and a part of the ink ribbon. an ink transfer roller, the ink transfer roller is configured to be movable in the direction of the ink-impregnated body, and a hole is formed in a portion of the ink ribbon cassette facing the ink transfer roller, and the hole and the The ink ribbon is pressed from the outside of the ink ribbon cassette through this hole between the ink transfer roller and the ink ribbon, so that the ink ribbon overcenters and comes into contact with the ink transfer roller, and the ink transfer roller is moved toward the ink-impregnated body and brought into pressure contact. Providing two overlapping leaf springs, providing a hole in the leaf spring located on the side closer to the hole among the two leaf springs, and pushing the leaf spring located on the ink transfer roller side through the hole. An ink ribbon device characterized in that it is also possible to overcenter only the leaf spring on the ink transfer roller side.