WO2010125127A1

WO2010125127A1 - Cassette for use in a tape printer

Info

Publication number: WO2010125127A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/055767
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kris Vandermeulen; Stefaan Van den Broecke; Nico Van Den Branden
Original assignee: Dymo
Priority date: 2009-04-28
Filing date: 2010-04-28
Publication date: 2010-11-04
Also published as: GB0907280D0

Abstract

A cassette adapted to be received by a tape printer, the cassette comprising a housing for accommodating a tape medium; an opening in the housing, said opening configured to receive a printhead arrangement of the tape printer when the cassette is received by the tape printer; and a cover movable from a closed position in which the opening is at least partially closed to an open position.

Description

Cassette for use in a tape printer

The present invention relates to a cassette for use in a tape printer, to a tape printer, and to a combination of a cassette and a tape printer.

One type of printing device that is widely known is a tape printer. A tape printer generally comprises a printing means comprising a thermally activatable printhead for printing onto a consumable in the form of an image receiving tape medium.

Typically, the image receiving tape has an upper image receiving layer for receiving an image and a removable backing layer secured to the upper image receiving layer by a layer of adhesive, such that after an image has been printed the backing layer can be removed and the image receiving layer can be stuck down in the form of a label. Such printers often include cutters for cutting off a length of image receiving tape after the image has been printed.

Such printers may also operate with a consumable in the form of image receiving tape comprising a continuous backing sheet whilst the image receiving layer has been pre-cut into labels, such that a label can be printed and then peeled off from the backing sheet. A tape printer intended to operate with such an image receiving tape does not need a cutter to cut the image receiving tape.

A number of forms of container for consumables are known in the art, including cassettes or cartridges which comprise a housing in which is located a supply of such image receiving tape. Such cassettes or cartridges are receivable by a printer for use in the printer. Cassettes are generally usable once only, such that once the image receiving tape has been consumed, the cassette (including the housing) is thrown away.

A cassette can have a housing which substantially encloses the supply of image receiving tape or the housing can be simpler, for example a spool and two sides within which the tape is located. A simpler cassette is sometimes called an image receiving holder. In thermal printers, an image is generally generated by activation of the thermal printhead against an ink ribbon, such that ink from the ink ribbon is transferred onto the image receiving layer at a print zone. The ink ribbon is in the form of an elongate tape medium. So-called direct thermal tapes are also available, in which an image is created directly onto or within the direct thermal tape without the interposition of an ink ribbon.

If an ink ribbon is used in a thermal printer, it is generally provided in a cassette having a housing, the housing being receivable by the printer. The ink ribbon is passed out of the cassette into overlap with the image receiving tape such that both the ink ribbon and the image receiving layer are fed past the printhead. Each length of ink ribbon is used for only one printing operation and is then rewound back into the ink ribbon cassette. The ink ribbon is therefore also a consumable.

Known tape printing apparatus of the type with which the present invention is concerned are disclosed in EP-A-322918 and EP-A-322919 (Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha) and EP-A-267890 (Varitronic). The printers each include a printing device having a cassette receiving bay for receiving a cassette or tape holder. In EP-A-267890, the tape holder houses an ink ribbon and a substrate tape, the latter comprising an upper image receiving layer secured to a backing layer by an adhesive. In EP-A-322918 and EP-A-322919, the tape holding case houses an ink ribbon, a transparent image receiving tape and a double sided adhesive tape which is secured at one of its adhesive coated sides to the image tape after printing and which has a backing layer peelable from its other adhesive coated side. With both these apparatus, the image transfer medium (ink ribbon) and the image receiving tape (substrate) are in the same cartridge.

It has also been proposed by the present applicants in, for example, EP-A- 578372 to house the ink ribbon and the substrate tape in separate cassettes or cartridges.

Furthermore, EP-A-0661163 discloses a label printer which receives a cartridge or cassette into a cassette receiving bay via lateral insertion. The print elements on the printhead of the label printer are arranged substantially in a column or line, which herein is termed the print line or printing line. The direction of lateral insertion is a direction perpendicular to such a print line. The direction of lateral insertion may also be considered perpendicular to an axis of a spool of a supply of image receiving medium held in the cassette.

The devices of the type described above are provided with a keyboard which enables a user to enter characters, symbols and the like to form an image to be printed by the tape printer. The keyboard usually has text character keys and number keys for entering letters and number keys respectively, plus some function keys which, among other things, operate menus and allow printing attributes to be set.

In order to achieve successful printing, the image receiving cassette must be held firmly in place in the printer and must be inserted in the correct location with respect to the printhead. If the cassette can move about within the printer or is incorrectly positioned during insertion, images might not be correctly printed on the tape, or malfunction of the printer could be caused. Known cassette locking mechanisms often require the printer or cassette to include complex mechanisms with several distinct moving parts. The mechanisms often include linkages for moving one or both of a printhead and a platen towards the tape in the cassette, and/or linkages for engaging locking members with parts of the cassette. Similarly, known mechanisms for ejecting a cassette from a printer also include complex mechanisms with several distinct moving parts for disengaging such locking members and/or for pushing the cassette from the printer. Both types of mechanism (locking and ejection) can thus be expensive to manufacture, add weight to the printer, and may require regular servicing.

Simpler printers may not include ejection mechanisms that push a cassette from the printer. However, even in these printers, to remove a cassette from a printer the user often needs to first press a button or pull a lever to cause the locking mechanism to be disengaged. The user is then able to grip the cassette and remove it from the printer by hand. Thus several steps need to be carried out by the user to remove the cassette from each of these types of printers. This increases the time it takes a user to e.g. swap the type of cassette being used in the printer. Some cassettes fully enclose an image receiving tape. The tape is then drawn out of the cassette to a print zone between a print head and a platen of the printer to enable printing onto the tape. In other cassettes, the print zone is formed within the bounds of the cassette, so the image receiving tape passes through an opening in the cassette, into which opening the printhead is received when the cassette is in use in the printer. If the cassette also contains an ink ribbon, the ink ribbon may also pass through the opening. When such a cassette is outside a tape printer, foreign matter such as dust and dirt can contact, stick to, and damage either or both of the tape and ink ribbon. Subsequent printing using the tape and ink ribbon may therefore be of poor quality.

Known cassettes have a supply of image receiving tape that comprises an image receiving layer adhered to a liner layer. In some known cassettes, after printing has been performed on the image receiving layer, the image receiving layer is fed out of the cassette and cut to detach a printed label, and the liner layer is unstuck from the image receiving layer and wound onto a take-up spool. The take-up spool can be driven by a drive shaft of the printer engaged with an inner side of the spool to feed the image receiving tape past the printhead. By providing this feature, no further means for driving the tape, such as a driven platen roller or separate rollers, are required. Other cassettes contain an image receiving tape including the image receiving layer and the liner layer and also including a backing layer adhered between the image receiving layer and the liner layer. In these other cassettes, the backing layer can remain attached to the image receiving layer after printing and the liner layer is wound onto the take-up spool. These cassettes are vertically inserted into the printer, i.e. the cassette is inserted into, and received by, the printer in the direction of the width of the image receiving tape stored in the cassette. However, the inventors have identified that such known cassettes including this take-up spool are incapable of being laterally inserted (see definition above) into printers, as such an insertion direction causes the cassette to interfere with the drive shaft.

Some embodiments of the present invention are arranged to address or overcome one or more of the above problems, A first aspect of the present invention may provide a cassette adapted to be received by a tape printer, the cassette comprising: a housing for accommodating a tape medium; and at least one locking portion for interacting with the tape printer; wherein the at least one locking portion is integrally formed with at least a part of the housing; and wherein the at least one locking portion is movable, relative to said part of the housing, from a locked position at which the at least one locking portion prevents removal of the cassette from the tape printer, to an unlocked position at which the at least one locking portion permits removal of the cassette from the tape printer.

A second aspect of the present invention may provide a cassette adapted to be received by a tape printer, the cassette comprising: a housing for accommodating a tape medium; an opening in the housing through which a printhead arrangement of the tape printer is received when the cassette is received by the tape printer; and a cover movable from a closed position at which the opening is blocked to an open position at which the opening is unblocked.

A third aspect of the present invention may provide a cassette adapted to be inserted into a tape printer in a lateral direction, the cassette comprising: a housing for accommodating a supply of composite tape having an image receiving layer and a liner layer; a supply for supplying the composite tape; a take-up spool for receiving the liner layer from the supply, the take-up spool being rotatable about an axial direction different from the lateral direction; and engaging means for engaging the take-up spool with drive means of the tape printer.

A fourth aspect of the present invention may provide a tape printer in combination with a cassette, the cassette being according to any one of the first, second or third aspects.

A fifth aspect of the present invention may provide a tape printer, comprising: a cassette receiving bay for receiving in a lateral direction a cassette, the cassette containing a supply of image receiving tape having an image receiving layer and a liner layer; a print head for printing an image on the image receiving layer; drive means for engagement with engaging means of the cassette, which engaging means are engaged with a take-up spool for receiving the liner from the supply, the take-up spool being rotatable about an axial direction different from the lateral direction; and control means for controlling the drive means in order to position the tape relative to the print head.

A sixth aspect of the present invention may provide a tape printer, comprising: a body with a mouth; a cassette receiving bay at an internal side of the mouth, wherein the cassette receiving bay is arranged such that a first portion of a cassette is receivable into the cassette receiving bay through the mouth, and such that a second portion of the cassette is present on an external side of the mouth, opposite from the internal side of the mouth, when the first portion of the cassette is present in the cassette receiving bay; and at least one locking element at the internal side of the mouth, the at least one locking element being for interacting with at least one respective locking portion of the cassette to prevent removal of the cassette from the cassette receiving bay, at least one respective locking portion extending from the first portion of the cassette to the second portion of the cassette; wherein the mouth is arranged such that a user is capable of contacting the at least one locking portion at the external side of the mouth to move the at least one locking portion from a locked position at which the at least one locking portion prevents removal of the cassette from the tape printer, to an unlocked position at which the at least one locking portion permits removal of the cassette from the tape printer.

A seventh aspect of the present invention may provide a tape printer in combination with a cassette, the tape printer being according to one of the fifth and sixth aspects.

An eighth aspect of the present invention may provide a method for unlocking a cassette from a tape printer, the method comprising: applying a force to a surface of at least one locking portion of the cassette to grip the surface, wherein the at least one locking portion is for interacting with the tape printer; and increasing the force to move the at least one locking portion, relative to part of a housing of the cassette for accommodating a tape medium, from a locked position at which the at least one locking portion prevents removal of the cassette from the tape printer, to an unlocked 0 055767

position at which the at least one locking portion permits removal of the cassette from the tape printer.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention, with the upper casing of its housing and the dust cover omitted for clarity;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the cassette of Figure 1 exploded into its component parts;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing how components of Figure 2 assemble together to form the cassette shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cassette of Figure 1, again with the upper casing and dust cover omitted for clarity; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cassette of Figure 1, with the upper casing and dust cover in place and the dust cover closed;

Figure 6 is a close up perspective view of a portion of Figure 5;

Figure 7 illustrates interaction of the cassette of Figure 1 with a printer, with (i) and (iii) showing cross section and perspective views, respectively, of the cassette unlocked in the printer, and (ii) and (iv) showing cross section and perspective views, respectively, of the cassette locked in the printer;

Figure 8 illustrates movement of the dust cover of the cassette of Figure 1 , with (i) and (iii) showing perspective and plan views, respectively, of the cassette with the dust cover open, and (ii) showing a plan view of the cassette with the dust cover closed; and

Figure 9 shows a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an embodiment of the present invention, for unlocking a cassette from a tape printer.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a cassette of another embodiment of the invention; Figure 11 shows part of the cassette of Figure 10 in more detail;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of an unlocking mechanism in a label printer for unlocking a cover of the cassette of Figure 10;

Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the unlocking mechanism of Figure 12, along line F-F of Figure 12; Figure 14 shows a perspective view of a cassette receiving bay of the label printer;

Figure 15 shows a cross section of part of the label printer showing the unlocking mechanism before the cassette of Figure 10 is inserted into the cassette receiving bay;

Figure 16 shows a cross-section view of the part of the label printer shown in Figure 15 and the cassette of Figure 10, as the cassette is inserted;

Figure 17 shows a cross-section view of the part of the label printer shown in Figure 15 and the cassette of Figure 10, with the cover of the cassette in an unlocked configuration;

Figure 18 shows a cross-section view of the part of the label printer shown in Figure 15 and the cassette of Figure 10, with the cover of the cassette in an open position;

Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the cassette of Figure 10, with the cover in an open position;

Figure 20a shows the underside of the cover ;

Figure 20b shows the part of the printer which interacts with the EEPROM of the cover;

Figure 21 shows a platen lock member and the cover where the platen lock member is in a lock position where the platen roller is locked;

Figure 22 shows the platen lock member of Figure 21 in an unlock position such that the platen can move;

Figure 23 shows a perspective view of the underside of the cassette receiving bay showing the platen lock member in the unlock position; and Figure 24 shows in detail the interaction between the platen lock member with the platen support member in the lock position.

In the figures, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a cassette 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing assembled from an upper casing 10 and a lower casing 20. The upper casing 10 has an interior surface that is on the inside of the cassette 100 when the lower casing 20 is connected to the upper casing 10, and an exterior surface 12 that is on the outside of the cassette 100 when the lower casing 20 is connected to the upper casing 10. The lower casing 20 comprises a base 23 formed integrally with side portions 25. The base 23 has an interior surface that is on the inside of the cassette 100 when the lower casing 20 is connected to the upper casing 10, and an exterior surface 22 that is on the outside of the cassette 100 when the lower casing 20 is connected to the upper casing 10.

The upper casing 10 connects to the lower casing 20 by way of a series of pegs 11 of the upper casing 10 locating within a series of corresponding holes 21 of the lower casing 20. The pegs 11 can be retained in the holes 21 for example by adhesive between the pegs and holes, friction (caused by an interference fit between the pegs and holes), or by a snap fit connection between the pegs and holes. When the cassette 100 is so assembled, the exterior surface 12 of the upper casing 10 forms an upper surface of the cassette 100, the exterior surface 22 of the base 23 forms a lower surface of the cassette 100, and exterior surfaces 24 of the side portions 25 form side surfaces of the cassette 100 that join the upper and lower surfaces. The cassette 100 has front, rear, left and right sides A, B₅ C, D, as labelled in Figure 1.

The housing of the cassette 100 includes a space for accommodating a supply 70 of tape medium 71, which in this embodiment is a roll of composite tape medium 71 that comprises a backing layer, an image receiving layer adhered to a first surface of the backing layer, and a liner layer adhered to the opposite second surface of the backing layer. In Figures 1 and 4 the supply 70 of tape medium is shown in place mounted on a spindle extending from the interior surface of the base 23 of the cassette 100. In some embodiments the supply 70 may be provided on a spool that locates around the spindle. The tape medium 71 has a length in its elongate direction, and a width in the direction into the page as Figure 1 is drawn.

The image receiving layer and the backing layer of the tape medium 71 feed in a downstream direction from the supply 70 to an output O of the cassette 100, which output O is a hole from the interior of the cassette to the exterior surface 24 of one of the side portions 25 of the cassette. These two layers of the tape medium 71 are guided along a path between the supply 70 and the output O by guide means. In this embodiment, the guide means comprises a series of guide members 5 projecting from the interior surface of the base 23. The liner layer of the tape medium 71 feeds from the supply 70 to a take-up spool 60 in the cassette 100. The liner layer does not exit the cassette 100 at the output O, but instead separates from the backing layer at a separation point S upstream of the output O and then wraps around the take up spool 60. The liner take- up spool 60 is mounted on a spindle extending from the interior surface of the base 23 and is rotatable about an axial direction into the page as Figure 1 is drawn, i.e. in the same direction as the width direction of the tape medium 71. The liner layer of the tape medium 71 is guided along its path between the supply 70 and the take up spool by some of the series of guide members 5 mentioned above.

An ink ribbon 41 (in the form of an elongate tape medium impregnated, or covered on one surface, with ink) extends in the cassette 100 from a reel 48 of an ink ribbon supply spool 46 to a reel 42 of an ink ribbon take up spool 40, each of which is rotatably mounted on a respective spindle extending from the interior surface of the base 23.

Downstream of the supply 70 and upstream of the separation point S, the tape medium 71 is guided by the guide members 5 through a print zone P. Similarly, between the ink ribbon supply spool 46 and the ink ribbon take up spool 40, the ink ribbon is guided by the guide members 5 through the print zone P. A substantially flat surface of a wall portion extending from the interior surface of the base 23 acts as a platen wall 26 at the print zone. The ink ribbon 41 passes through the print zone P in overlap with the tape medium 71 such that the tape medium 71 is located between the ink ribbon 41 and the platen wall 26 at the print zone P. The image receiving layer is closest to the ink ribbon 41, while the liner layer is closest to the platen wall 26. When the cassette is received into an operational position of a printer, heating elements of a print head of the printer heat portions of the ink ribbon 41 at the print zone P, such that ink from the ink ribbon 41 is transferred onto the image receiving layer of the tape medium 71 to form an image on the tape medium 71, as is well known in the art. The print elements are arranged substantially in a column or line, which herein is termed the "print line" or "printing line". It will be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the platen for cooperating with the printhead of the printer 200 may instead be a roller platen rotatably mounted in the cassette 100.

The front side surface A of the cassette 100 includes an opening 27a from the exterior of the cassette 100 to an interior space of the housing. The print zone P is located in this interior space and so, when the cassette 100 is located in a cassette receiving bay of a printer 200 (see Figure 7), the print head locates in this space such as to be operational at the print zone P. The combination of the print head and a support of the printer for supporting the print head will be referred to herein as the "printhead arrangement". During receiving of the cassette 100 in the printer 200, the printhead arrangement is received through the opening 27a, at least approximately in the direction "I" shown in Figure 8. In some embodiments the printhead arrangement may be received through the opening 27a on a non-linear path.

The ink ribbon 41 and the tape medium 71 pass through this interior space and so they can be considered in fluid communication with the exterior of the cassette 100. In order to protect the ink ribbon 41 and the tape medium 71 from dust and dirt that may otherwise reach them from the exterior of the cassette 100 via the opening 27a, the cassette 100 comprises a dust cover 30, as illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 8. The dust cover 30 comprises a substantially U-shaped piece of material, such as a plastic or metal material, the "legs" of which U-shape are parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the cassette 100. The portion of the U-shape linking the "legs" is substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces and substantially parallel to one of the side surfaces of the cassette 100.

The dust cover 30 is pivotally mounted on the cassette 100 by means of two stub axles 31 of the dust cover 30 locating in corresponding journals 18, 28 of the housing. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, a first one 18 of the journals extends from the upper casing 10, while a second one 28 of the journals extends from the lower casing 20. When the upper and lower casings 10, 20 are assembled to form the housing, as described above, the axes of the two journals 18, 28 are coincident and extend in a direction into the page as Figure 1 is drawn. Thus, the axes are substantially parallel to the direction of the width of the tape medium 71. Each of the journals 18, 28 is made from a resilient material and extends about 210° around the circumference of a circle, and so the stub axles 31 snap-fit into the journals 18, 28. Thus, once mounted on the housing, the cover 30 is rotatably movable about the axis of the stub axles 31.

The cover 30 is rotatably movable about this axis from a closed position, as shown in Figures 5 and 8(ii), to an open position, as shown in Figures 8(i) and 8(iii). At the closed position, the opening 27a is blocked. In other words, at the closed position the print zone P, the ink ribbon 41 and the tape medium 71 are all isolated from the exterior of the cassette 100. Thus, there is no fluid communication between the exterior of the cassette 100 and either of the ink ribbon 41 and the tape medium 71. As such, when the cover 30 is in the closed position, dust, debris and dirt cannot reach the ink ribbon 41 or the tape medium 71 from the exterior of the cassette 100, and so subsequent printing using the tape medium 71 and ink ribbon 41 will not be impaired. When the cover 30 is at the open position, the opening 27a is unblocked. In other words, at the open position the print zone P, the ink ribbon 41 and the tape medium 71 are all in fluid communication with the exterior of the cassette 100.

In this embodiment biasing means, in the form of a torsion spring 80, are located between the cover 30 and the housing. The coil of the torsion spring 80 locates around a rod extending from the interior surface of the base 23 while one end of the torsion spring 80 is attached to the cover 30 and the other end of the torsion spring 80 is trapped in a slot formed in the lower casing 20. The biasing means acts to bias the cover 30 to its closed position.

When the cassette 100 is inserted into the printer 200, the cover 30 interacts (e.g. contacts) with an element of the printer such that, during lateral insertion of the cassette 100 into the cassette receiving bay of the printer 200, the element of the printer 200 causes rotational movement of the cover 30 about the axis of the stub axles 31 (which axis is perpendicular to the lateral direction) from the closed position to the open position, against the resilience of the torsion spring 80. In this embodiment, the element of the printer is the printhead arrangement as the printhead passes through the opening 27a, but in other embodiments of course a different part of the printer 200 may so interact with the cover 30.

Although the cover 30 is shown to rotate about an axis between its closed and open positions, of course in alternative embodiments the cover 30 may move in a linear direction (e.g. slide) relative to the housing between its closed and open positions. This linear direction may be perpendicular to a path running between a front end (i.e. the end with the side labelled A in Figure 1) of the cassette 100 and a rear end of the cassette 100 (the end with the side labelled B in Figure 1) opposite from the front end. Alternatively, the linear direction may be parallel with the front side A of the cassette 100, (i.e. between sides C and D labelled in Figure 1) or diagonally relative to the front side A of the cassette. Alternatively the cover 30 may rotate about a different axis to that illustrated in the Figures or move along a nonlinear path between its closed and open positions.

The opening 27a for receiving the printhead, in other embodiments, may extend through only one of the upper and lower surfaces 12, 22, or through neither of the upper and lower surfaces 12, 22. Thus, the opening 27a may extend from the exterior of the cassette 100 to the interior space of the housing purely via the front side A of the cassette 100. In that latter case, the cover 30 may comprise a flap (such as a planar flap) mounted and movable within the interior of the cassette 100. Alternatively, the U-shaped cover 30 shown in the Figures may be mounted and movable within the interior of the cassette 100 such that the "legs" of the U-shape are adjacent the interior surfaces of the upper and lower casings 10, 20. Other possible arrangements of the cover 30 will be apparent to the skilled person.

The cassette 100 of this embodiment includes first and second locking portions 29a, 29b for interaction with a printer 200 to lock the cassette 100 in the printer 200 and unlock the cassette 100 from the printer 200. In particular, the locking portions 29a, 29b are integrally formed with two respective side portions 25 of the lower casing 20 of the housing, such that the first locking portion 29a is on an opposite side of the cassette 100 from the second locking portion 29b. The locking portions 29a, 29b are each movable from respective locked positions (as illustrated in the Figures) to unlocked positions (not shown). This will be described with particular reference to Figure 7.

By "integrally formed" it is meant that, for each of the locking portions 29a, 29b, one piece of material comprises the locking portion and its respective side portion 25 of the lower casing 20.

In Figures 7(i) and 7(iii), the front end of the cassette 100 has been inserted in a lateral direction through a mouth 220 of a body of the printer 200 into a cassette receiving bay 210 of the printer 200 on an internal side of the mouth 220. The cassette receiving bay 210 houses a printhead (not shown) of the printer 200 with a series of heating elements for printing onto the image receiving layer of the tape medium 71. The heating elements are aligned along a print line (or printing line) and the lateral direction, as discussed above, is a direction perpendicular to such a print line. Thus, in the present embodiment, the lateral direction is vertically up the page as Figure 7(i) is drawn. A rear side B of the cassette 100 opposite from the front end protrudes from the printer 200. In Figures 7(i) and 7(iii), respective first and second ramp elements 29c, 29d of the first and second locking portions 29a, 29b of the cassette 100 are abutting respective locking elements 229a, 229b of the printer 200. The ramp elements 29c, 29d are portions of the exterior surfaces 24 of the side portions 25 of the lower casing 20 that taper in a direction substantially parallel to the upper and lower surfaces 12, 22 of the cassette 100. The tapers are such that the width of the cassette 100 over the locking portions 29a, 29b increases towards the rear of the cassette. Further towards the rear of the cassette the ramp elements 29c, 29d terminate at respective first and second step portions 29e, 29f of the first and second locking portions 29a, 29b, which step portions extend in a direction perpendicular to the lateral insertion direction. This is further illustrated in Figures 1, 6 and 7.

The locking portions 29a, 29b are made of a resilient material, which biases the locking portions to their respective locked positions shown in the Figures. In addition, resilient members 50, 54 are located between the locking portions 29a, 29b and ribs of the lower casing 20. These resilient members 50, 54 are just an example of biasing means connected to the locking portions 29a, 29b. The resilient members 50, 54 bias the locking portions 29a, 29b to their locked positions, and may be made from rubber.

In other embodiments, biasing means connected to the locking portions 29a, 29b can be omitted and the biasing of the locking portions 29a, 29b to their respective locked positions is provided by the resilience of the material from which the locking portions 29a, 29b are made. In other embodiments, the material from which the locking portions 29a, 29b are made may not be resilient. In that case, and the biasing of the locking portions 29a, 29b to their respective locked positions is provided by biasing means connected to the locking portions 29a, 29b, such as the resilient members 50, 54. The skilled person will appreciate that a single resilient member

(rather than two distinct members) may be connected between the locking portions

29a, 29b to bias them to their locked positions.

As the cassette 100 is further laterally inserted into the printer 200, the ramp elements 29c, 29d contact the respective locking elements 229a, 229b of the printer 200 and cause movement (in direction U indicated in Figure 6) of the locking portions 29a, 29b from a position at which the locking portions 29a, 29b would otherwise prevent the insertion of the cassette 100 into the printer (due to the interference between the locking portions 29a, 29b and the locking elements 229a, 229b), to a position at which the locking portions 29a, 29b permit the insertion. In other words, the locking portions 29a, 29b permit the insertion when the first locking element 29a is moved relative to the housing towards the second locking element 29b, and the second locking element 29b is moved relative to the housing towards the first locking element 29a.

As the cassette 100 is further inserted, the locking portions 29a, 29b eventually clear the locking elements 229a, 229b and spring back to their locked positions (in a direction opposite to direction U shown in Figure 6), as shown in Figure 7(ii). The ramp elements 29c, 29d and step portions 29e, 29f spring into respective voids 229c, 229d in the printer 200 adjacent the locking elements 229a, 229b. At this position shown in Figures 7(ii) and 7(Lv), a first portion of the cassette 100 is present in the cassette receiving bay 210 and a second portion of the cassette 100 is present on an external side of the mouth 220, opposite from the internal side of the mouth 220. The locking elements 229a, 229b are at the internal side of the mouth 220, and the locking portions 29a, 29b of the cassette 100 extend through the mouth. Thus, the locking portions 29a, 29b of the cassette 100 can be considered to extend from the first portion of the cassette 100 to the second portion of the cassette 100.

Thus, the user of this embodiment of the present invention is able to insert and lock the first portion of the cassette 100 in the cassette receiving bay 210 of the printer with a single, simple action (a push of the cassette 100 in this embodiment), and without having to operate any complex locking mechanism of either the printer or the cassette. Moreover, interaction between the respective step portions 29e, 29f of the cassette 100 and corresponding step elements 229e, 229f of the printer 200 when the locking portions 29a, 29b are at their locked positions prevents removal of the cassette 100 from the printer 200.

In other embodiments, the first and second ramp elements 29c, 29d of the first and second locking portions 29a, 29b of the cassette 100 may be omitted. In order to laterally insert the cassette 100 into the printer 200, the user would then have to grip the locking portions 29a, 29b and squeeze them towards each other against their inherent resilience, and against the resilience of the resilient members 50, 54, to their unlocked positions. Thus, the user applies a force on the second locking portion 29b in the direction U shown in Figure 6, and a force on the first locking portion 29a in the opposite direction to U. They could then push the cassette 100 laterally into the printer 200.

In the above-described embodiment, the first and second ramp elements 29c,

29d of the first and second locking portions 29a, 29b of the cassette 100 are portions of the exterior surfaces 24 of the side portions 25 of the lower casing 20. In alternative embodiments, the first and second ramp elements 29c, 29d may be portions of the interior surfaces of the side portions 25 of the lower casing 20.

In any case, in order to remove the cassette 100 from the printer 200, the user merely has to grip respective surfaces of the locking portions 29a, 29b (at the external side of the mouth 220) by applying respective forces to them and squeezing them towards each other against their inherent resilience, and against the resilience of the resilient members 50, 54, to their unlocked positions. Thus, the user applies the force on the second locking portion 29b in the direction U shown in Figure 6, and the force on the first locking portion 29a in the opposite direction to U. The user then increases the forces applied to the respective surfaces of the locking portions 29a, 29b to disengage the step portions 29e, 29f of the locking portions 29a, 29b from the step elements 229e, 229f of the printer 200 (i.e. to remove interference against movement of the cassette 100 in the lateral direction downwards as Figure 7(ii) is drawn) to permit removal of the cassette 100 from the printer 200. This is further illustrated in Figure 9.

It is to be noted that the direction U in which the force is applied to the second locking portion 29b by the user to disengage the second locking portion 29b from the cooperating locking element 229b of the printer is the same direction that the second locking portion 29b needs to move relative to the cooperating locking element 229b. Since no change in the direction of motion is required, there is no need for a linkage between the surface of the second locking portion 29b to which the user applies the force and the ramp element 29d of the second locking portion 29b.

The user's grip of the locking portions 29a, 29b is increased by the provision of a series of ribs, projections or depressions in the surface of the locking portions 29a, 29b that the user needs to contact. Additionally or alternatively this surface may be made from or coated with a high- friction material such as rubber.

Thus, the user of this embodiment of the present invention is able to unlock and remove the cassette from the printer with a single, simple action, and without having to operate any complex unlocking/locking mechanism of either the printer or the cassette. The single action comprises a single motion (i.e. a squeeze of the locking portion 29a, 29b towards each other).

In alternative embodiments, the first and second locking portion 29a, 29b may be provided on different sides of the cassette 100. For example, the first locking element 29a may be integrally formed with the upper surface of the cassette 100, and the second locking element 29b may be integrally formed with the lower surface of the cassette 100. In further embodiments, the cassette 100 may include only a single locking portion integrally formed with one of the surfaces of the cassette 100, or may include more than two locking portions integrally formed with one or more surfaces of the cassette 100. Thus, the cassette 100 may include at least one locking portion integrally formed with at least part of the housing.

The arrangement and operation of the liner take up spool 60 will now be further explained. As can be seen in Figures 1 to 4, the take up spool comprises a substantially smooth cylinder 62 (for receiving the liner layer) to which is connected or mounted a gear 64. This gear 64 is an example of engaging means for engaging the take up spool 60 with drive means of the tape printer 200. As shown clearest in Figures 1, 4 and 5, a segment of the gear 64 is located in a slot or opening 27b formed through one of the side portions 25 of the cassette 100 that join the upper and lower surfaces of the cassette 100. The opening 27b can also be considered to be formed through one of the side surfaces 24 of the cassette 100.

When the cassette 100 is laterally inserted into the printer 200, as discussed above, teeth of the gear 64 engage with teeth of a drive gear (not shown) of the printer 200. Since this engagement is made via the side surface of the cassette 100, there are no elements of the cassette 100 which interfere with a drive shaft of the drive gear, and so lateral insertion of the cassette 100 is permitted. Once the gear 64 is engaged with the drive means of the printer 200, the drive means of the printer can be controlled by a controller of the printer to rotate the gear 64 which causes rotation of the cylinder 62 to feed the liner layer (and thus the rest of the tape medium 71) from the supply 70 past the print zone P. By providing this feature, no further means for driving the tape, such as a driven platen roller or separate rollers, are required.

In other embodiments, the gear 64 may not project into the slot or opening 27b. For example, the drive gear of the printer may project through the opening 27b to engage the gear 64. In still further embodiments, the gear 64 may be located adjacent (or projecting into) a slot or opening on a different side surface 24 from that illustrated, or adjacent (or projecting into) a slot or opening formed through one of the upper or lower 12, 22 surfaces of the cassette 100. In some embodiments the gear 64 for engaging directly with the drive means of the tape printer is not mounted on the liner take up spool 60. In that case, a gear train may be provided between the gear 64 and a different gear mounted on the liner take up spool 60. Instead of a gear train, a chain drive or belt drive system (or any other system for transferring rotational torque from the gear 64 to the take up spool 60) may be provided between the liner take up spool 60 and the axle of the gear 64 for engaging directly with the drive means of the tape printer 200.

Whether or not the gear 64 for engaging directly with the drive means of the tape printer is mounted on the liner take up spool 60, a system for transferring rotational torque between the gear 64 and a gear 44 mounted on the ink ribbon take up spool 40 may be provided. This system for transferring rotational torque may for example comprise a gear train, a chain drive or a belt drive, or direct meshing of the gears 44, 64. At least part of this system for transferring rotational torque between the gears 44, 64 may be provided in the cassette 100, while at least a part of the system may be provided in a printer 200 for receiving the cassette 100.

It will be appreciated that rotating the gear 44 mounted on the ink ribbon take up spool 40 causes rotation of the reel 42 of the ink ribbon take up spool 40, which in turn causes the ink ribbon 41 to be fed from the reel 48 of the ink ribbon supply spool 46 through the print zone P to the reel 42 of the ink ribbon take up spool 40.

Although in the above embodiments the example of a tape as a recording medium has been used, the invention and the described embodiments would work equally well with other types of recording medium, for example die-cut labels.

Although in the above embodiments the tape medium 71 comprises a liner layer in addition to a backing layer, in alternative embodiments the separate backing layer can be omitted. In those embodiments, the liner layer adheres directly to the image receiving layer, separates from it at the separation point S upstream of the output O, and then wraps around the take up spool 60 as it progresses downstream past the print zone P. The image receiving layer outputted from the output O would not have any backing layer adhered to it. The adhesive between the image receiving layer and the liner layer may remain on the image receiving layer, to provide adhesive labels, or may remain on the liner layer, to provide non-adhesive labels.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the ink ribbon 41 can be omitted. Thus, the ink ribbon supply and take-up spools 46, 40 can also be omitted.

In those embodiments, an ink ribbon from an alternative source (i.e. not supplied from the cassette 100) may still pass in overlap with the tape medium 71 through the print zone P for thermal transfer printing to be performed on the tape medium 71.

Alternatively, the tape medium 71 may comprise a direct thermal tape and an image is created directly onto or within the direct thermal tape by the printhead in the print zone P without the interposition of an ink ribbon.

Although in the embodiments described herein the base 23 is formed integrally with the side portions 25, in alternative embodiments the base 23 may not be formed integrally with the side portions 25. In other words, the side portions 25 may be made from piece(s) separate from the base 23. In some embodiments, the side portions 25 may be formed integrally with the upper casing 10, rather than the lower casing. The side portions 25 may be connectable to the lower casing 20 using pegs and holes similar to the pegs and holes 11, 21 discussed above. The side surfaces of the cassette 100 may all be integrally formed from a single member, or may be formed from a plurality of members. In any case, the at least one locking portion 29a, 29b is still formed integrally with at least a part of the housing.

A cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown in figure 10. The cassette 1002 has a housing 1004. The housing 1004 is arranged to contain a supply of image receiving medium and an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon is provided on an ink ribbon supply spool and is, when used, taken up by the ink ribbon take-up spool. When the cassette is inserted into a cassette bay 1440 (see figure 14), the image receiving medium and ink ribbon are arranged to pass in overlap past a print head 1422 which acts against a rotatable platen 1424 (see figure 14). The print head 1422 and platen 1424 can be seen from Figure 14.

In this embodiment, the print head 1422 is fixed in position and the moveable platen 1424 is able not only to rotate about its axis but also to move between a non-printing position in which the platen is spaced apart from the print head and a printing position in which the platen 1424 acts against the print head 1422. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the platen may be fixed into position, for example only able to rotate about its axis and the print head moves between the printing and non-printing positions. In a further alternative embodiment, both the print head and the platen may be arranged to be moved one towards the other so as to, for example move from a non-printing position to a printing position.

The print head 1422 is arranged, when the cassette is in the cassette receiving bay to be accommodated in a print area 1016 defined in the cassette. This print area can be seen from Figure 10. The print head is arranged to be accommodated in the print area 1016 with the image receiving medium and ink ribbon passing in overlap between the print head 1422 and the platen 1424. A print zone is thus provided between the print head 1422 and the platen 1424.

The ink ribbon is taken from the ink ribbon supply spool and after passing through the print zone is taken up by the ink ribbon take-up spool. As can be seen from Figure 10, the housing of the cassette has a first opening 1020 aligned with the ink ribbon supply spool. This first opening is provided on the side of the cassette which faces the cassette receiving bay and is arranged to receive a first member 1425 provided in the cassette receiving bay. The underside of the cassette has a second opening 1018 aligned with the ink ribbon take up spool. This second opening 1018 is arranged to receive a second member 1426 provided in the cassette receiving bay. These first and second members 1425 and 1426 engage the ink ribbon supply spool and the ink ribbon take-up spool. One or both of the engagement members 1425 and 1426 may be driven so as to be able to drive the ink ribbon forwards and/or in the reverse direction.

As shown in Figure 10, a cover 1028 is provided on a cover side 1030 of the cassette 1002. The cover side 1030 is one of the four sides which extend between a first surface 1031 and a second surface 1029. These four sides are parallel to the respective axes defined by each of the first and second members 1425 and 1426 and the axes about which the image receiving medium supply and the ink ribbon supply rotate. In other words, the four sides are perpendicular to the first and second surfaces. The cover side 1030 is the side which has the opening 1033 through which the image receiving medium and the ink ribbon exits the cassette. The cover side 1030 is the side which generally defines the print zone and which defines (with the cover 1028) the exit 1035 of the cassette. The cover 1028 is arranged to move along the plane of side 1030 between the closed position, which is shown in Figure 10 and the open position which is shown in Figure 19. The cover is thus arranged to move in the plane of side 1030, in the direction of arrow B. The cover 1028 is arranged to move back and forth along the length direction of the side. In some embodiments, the cover may move in the width direction of the slide, have a rotational movement, or move in a combination of any of these directions.

When cover 1028 is in the closed position, the image receiving medium and ink ribbon adjacent to the print area 1016 are covered and hence protected from the exposure to foreign matter. When the cover is open, as shown in Figure 19, the image receiving medium and ink ribbon are exposed so that the platen can contact the image receiving medium, when acting against the print head and printing can be performed.

The movement of the cover will now be described in more detail. Reference is made to Figure 11 which shows part of the cassette of Figure 10 in greater detail. The cover 1028 has an opening 1132. The opening 1132 is arranged, when the cover is in the closed position to engage a locking projection 1134 of the cassette. The projection 1134 engages, that is received in, the opening 1132 in the cover and thus prevents the cover from being opened when the cassette is outside the label printer. The projection 1134 is provided on a generally planar member 1138 which extends generally parallel to the cover 1028. This member 1138 is made of a resilient material such that it is normally biased to the position shown in Figure 11. Alternatively or additionally the member 1 138 itself may be supported or mounted such that the projection 1134 is biased to the position shown in Figure 11. In this scenario, the member 1138 may be relatively rigid. Alternatively or additionally, the projection itself may be of a resilient material.

The cassette is also provided with the cover 1028. The member 1138 has the first locking projection 1134 which is arranged to engage the opening 1132 of the cover 1028 to hold the cover in the closed position. The cassette also has an ink ribbon subassembly which supports the ink ribbon take up spool and the ink ribbon supply spool.

Reference is now made to Figures 12, 13 and 14 which show parts of the label printer which are arranged to cause the unlocking of the cover member. In particular, Figure 14 shows a cassette receiving bay 1440. On the side 1442 of the cassette receiving bay, which faces the cover, is an unlocking mechanism 1450 for unlocking the cover. A perspective view of this mechanism is shown in Figure 12 whilst a cross-sectional view of this mechanism along line F-F is shown in Figure 13. The unlocking mechanism 1450 has a sliding part 1252 which is arranged to move with respect to a housing 1260. The sliding part 1252 is configured to move in the direction of arrow C. This direction is parallel to the longitudinal length of the cover. The sliding part 1252 moves in the same back and forth directions as the cover. The housing 1260 is fixed in position in the tape printer and does not move.

The sliding part 1252 has an opening 1253 through which an unlock member 1254 projects. When the unlocking mechanism 1450 is in the cassette receiving bay 1440, the unlock member 1254 projects through the opening 1253 and extends into the cassette receiving bay 1440. This unlock member 1254 is arranged to control the unlocking of the cover 1028 in the cassette. The unlock member is biased to the position in which the unlock member projects through the opening 1253. This biasing may be achieved as a result of the material which comprises the unlock member and/or as a result of the way in which the unlock member 1254 is supported. The unlock member 1254 may be separate from the main body 55 of the sliding part. The unlock member 1254 is arranged to be mounted on the main body 55 of the sliding part. The unlock member 1254 may be of the same or different material to the main body 55.

The interaction of the cover of the cassette and the cassette receiving bay of the label printer will now be described in more detail.

Reference is now made to Figure 13 which shows the unlocking mechanism 1450 and in particular the unlock member 1254 extending to the cassette receiving bay 1440. Figure 15 shows the cassette receiving bay before a cassette is inserted in the cassette receiving bay. When inserting the cassette, the unlock member 1254 deflects in the direction of arrow D so that the unlock member no longer extends into the cassette receiving bay. The sliding part 1252 is in the initial position and the main body 55 of the sliding part has not moved. The area behind the unlocking mechanism 1450 of the label printer has an opening 1657 (shown in figure 16). This opening 1657 is configured such that when the unlock member 1254 is moved in the direction of arrow D, at least a part of the unlock member 1254 can be accommodated in that opening 1657. The unlock member 1254 is such and/or is mounted so that the unlock member 1254 is sufficiently flexible so that it can move in the direction of arrow D.

Reference is now made to Figure 16. This shows that the cassette is being inserted into the cassette receiving bay but has not been completely received in the cassette receiving bay. For example, the cassette may be two thirds of the way in. The unlock member 1254 is shown as having extended into the opening 1657 of the label printer. This insertion of the cassette moves the unlock member 1254 out of the cassette receiving bay so that the cassette 1002 can be inserted in the cassette receiving bay. In this position, the unlock member 1254 biases on the outer surface of the cover 1028. In contrast to the figure shown in Figure 15, the cassette is now partially shown.

Reference is now made to Figure 17, the cassette is now completely received in the cassette receiving bay. The unlock member 1254 has moved back to the position in which the unlock member 1254 extends into the cassette receiving bay. However, because the cassette is now in the cassette receiving bay, the unlock member 1254 is aligned with the opening 1132 of the cover 1028, The unlock member 1254 is thus arranged to extend through the opening 1132 to move locking projection 1134 in a direction towards the inside of the cassette and away from the cover. The locking projection 1134 no longer engages the opening of the cover 1132 and the cover can now be moved. However, the unlock member 1254 is now engaged with the cover 1132 such that if the sliding part 1252 is moved, the cover 1028 will move with the sliding part.

Before starting to pull with unlock member 1254 on the cover in opening 1132, it has to be ensured that unlock member 1254 does not move into the opening 1657. Therefore, the size of opening 1132 in the cover is such that the unlock member 1254 can move first over such a distance that the unlock member does not move into opening 1657 before it interacts with the side of the opening 1132 to pull on the cover. This ensures that the unlock member 1254 does not moves into opening 1657 when it starts to pull on the cover.

Reference is made to Figure 18 which shows that the cover of the cassette is now in the open configuration, whilst the cassette is in the cassette receiving bay. The unlock member 1254 is thus engaged with the opening 1132 of the cover. Accordingly, when the sliding part 1252 is moved in the direction of arrow E, the cover is also moved in the direction of arrow E. This movement moves the cover along the plane of the side 1130, out of the cassette receiving bay into the label printer. The cover is moved in the direction away from the print area of the cassette and accordingly when in the open position a portion of the cassette cover will be received outside the cassette receiving bay, inside the label printer.

It should be appreciated that the sliding part 1252 is guided by the housing 1260 which is sized to allow the sliding mechanism to move in the direction of arrow C. The housing 1260 defines a pair of guide rails 1262 which guide the movement of the sliding part 1252. The sliding part has correspondingly shaped stepped parts 1264 which engage the guide rails such that the sliding part is arranged to move in a defined path. Movement of the sliding part may be mechanically controlled or may be controlled by a motor.

In one embodiment, the movement of the sliding part is controlled by a cover 1480 of the cassette receiving bay. As the cover 1480 of the cassette receiving bay closes, the sliding part 1252 is moved in the direction of arrow C. In one embodiment, the sliding part 1252 is mechanically coupled to the cover 1028 so that when the cover

1480 of the cassette receiving bay is closed, the cover 1028 of the cassette is open.

Likewise when the cover 1480 of the cassette receiving bay is open, the cover 1028 of the cassette is closed.

Alternatively or additionally the sliding part moves against the force of a spring or other biasing member. The spring is located inside the label printer and is not in the cassette receiving bay. In one embodiment, the spring is located in label printer behind the sliding part and the housing, outside the cassette receiving bay. The spring is biased to urge the slider to the position shown in Figure 14 which corresponds to the cover of the cassette being in the closed position. Accordingly, when the cover 1480 of the cassette receiving bay is opened, the cover 1028 of the cassette will be urged to the closed position by the sliding part 1252, the sliding part being moved by the biasing spring.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, movement of the cover 1028 may be caused by a motor. The motor can be controlled that when the printer is ready for printing, the sliding member 1252 is moved to the open position.

Reference is made to Figure 20a which shows the under part of the cover 1028. Part of the cover which is received in the label printer, outside the cassette receiving bay, when the cover 1028 is in the open position. This part of the cover 1028 is at the opposite end to the part of the cover 1028 which covers the ink ribbon and image receiving medium. In the embodiment shown, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) 2070 is provided. The EEPROM is located on a PCB (printed circuit board) 2071 which is heat staked to the inside of the cover 1028. This EEPROM is able to store information about the printing cassette which can be used to control parameters of the label printer. By way of example only, these parameters comprise one or more of:

Size information on the image receiving medium; width of the label medium; where the image receiving medium is in the form of discrete labels, information associated with the discrete labels; information on the colour of the image receiving medium; information on the material of the image receiving medium; ink ribbon colour; information controlling the print head energy; information controlling print head pressure; template information associated with the image receiving medium; amount of image receiving medium used; amount of image receiving medium remaining: or any other suitable information.

To read the EEPROM 2070, the label printer is provided with contacts 2077 which contact corresponding contacts 2073 on the PCB 2071 on which the EEPROM 2070 is mounted to allow the EEPROM to be read. As can be seen from Figure 20b, a series of contacts 2077 are provided on a PCB 2079 in the label printer. When the cover is in the open position, the contacts 2073 on the cover are arranged to be in contact with the contacts 2077 of the label printer.

As can be seen from Figure 20a, the underside of the cover includes a rib 2060 which defines the maximum distance that the cover can be moved in the direction of opening. This rib extends in the width direction of the cassette. Once the locking projection 1134 is lifted out of opening 1132 and the cover is moved, the locking projection 1134 is biasing on the inside of the cover. The rib 2060 on the inside of the cover interacts with the locking projection 1134 when the cover is in the maximum opened position. The inside of the cover also has a pair of parallel longitudinal guide rails 2075 which guide the movement of the locking projection 1134 to thereby guide the movement of the cover,

It should be appreciated that in this embodiment an EEPROM has been used. However, any other suitable method of providing information may be used. For example, an RF (Radio frequency) tag, a barcode, a pattern of contacts can be provided which provides information for example in the form of a binary code; or one or more switch activators.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the label printer is configured such that printing is prevented unless the cover is in the correct open position. In order to verify this, the position of the cover 1028 itself may be detected or in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the determination that the cover is in the correct open position is made when the detector of the label printer connects to the EEPROM 2070 or the like. In this way, additional circuitry is avoided.

The position of the cover may be determined by means of a light source and detector having the path there between interrupted by the cover, contacts provided on the cover which, when the cover is open, close a circuit, by the cover activating a switch or with any other suitable mechanism.

The movement of the cover 1028 is also arranged to control a platen roller lock 400 as will be described with reference to Figures 21 to 24. The platen roller lock 400 is arranged to have a first end 402. The first end 402 is arranged to be actuated by the cover 28. When the cover 1028 is in the closed position, the first end 402 of the platen roller lock 400 is in a position which causes the platen roller lock 400 to prevent the platen from being moved towards the print head. The platen roller locking member 400 is mounted to pivot about a pivot point 404. The pivot point 404 is between the first end 402 and a second end 406 of the platen roller locking member

Figure 21 shows the first end 402 in the position such that the platen roller is prevented from moving by the second end 406. The first end 402 is arranged to extend into the part of the label printer which receives the cover when the cover is in the open position.

Initially, as shown in Figure 24 and Figure 21, the second end 406 engages a stop 405 of a platen roller support 408. Because the second end 406 engages against the stop 405, the platen roller is prevented from moving towards the print head.

Reference is made to Figure 22 and 23 which shows the cover 1028 in the open position. As can be seen, the cover 1028 has moved the first end 402 in the direction of arrow M, away from the space which accommodates the cover when in the open position. When the cover 1028 moves the first end 402 in the direction of arrow M, the second end 406 is moved in the direction of arrow N, that is in an opposite direction to arrow M, about the pivot point 404.

When the cover has moved the first end 402 in the direction of arrow M, the second end 406 is moved to the position as shown in Figures 22 and 23. The second end 406 is moved in the direction of arrow N out of contact with the stop 405 of the platen roller support. Accordingly, the platen is then able to move towards the print head.

Thus, as the cover is opened the platen can be moved towards the print head. When the cover is closed or there is no cassette present, the platen roller support 408 is prevented from moving by the stop 405.

The platen locking member 400 is biased to the position in which the platen roller support 400 is prevented from moving. In one embodiment of the present invention, the label printer is a stand-alone printer. This stand-alone printer may operate independently or may be connected to receive data from a PC. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the label printer may be a PC printer and as such, the keyboard and display may be omitted as the data may be input and displayed on the PC. The PC then acts as an input device for the printer.

The applicant draws attention to the fact that the present invention may include any feature or combination of features disclosed herein either implicitly or explicitly or any generalisation thereof, without limitation to the scope of any of the present claims. In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cassette adapted to be received by a tape printer, the cassette comprising: a housing for accommodating a tape medium; an opening in the housing, said opening configured to receive a printhead arrangement of the tape printer when the cassette is received by the tape printer; and a cover movable from a closed position in which the opening is at least partially closed to an open position.

2. A cassette as claimed in claim 1, comprising a space for accommodating the printhead arrangement; wherein the space is isolated from an exterior of the cassette when the cover is in the closed position.

3. A cassette as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising biasing means for biasing the cover to the closed position.

4. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cover is capable of interacting with an element of the tape printer such that, during receiving of the cassette by the tape printer, the element causes movement of the cover from the closed position to the open position.

5. A cassette as claimed in claim 4, wherein the element comprises the printhead arrangement.

6. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the housing comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a side surface that joins the upper and lower surfaces, the opening being comprised in the side surface; and wherein the cassette is adapted to be received by the tape printer in a lateral direction.

7. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cover is movable about an axis from the closed position to the open position.

8. A cassette as claimed in claim 7 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the axis is substantially perpendicular to the lateral direction.

9. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, arranged such that the printhead arrangement is received to a print zone of the cassette when the cassette is received by the tape printer; and the cassette comprises guide means for guiding the tape medium to the print zone of the cassette.

10. A cassette adapted to be received by a tape printer, the cassette comprising: a housing for accommodating a tape medium; and at least one locking portion for interacting with the tape printer; wherein the at least one locking portion is formed with at least a part of the housing; and wherein the at least one locking portion is movable, relative to said part of the housing, from a locked position at which the at least one locking portion prevents removal of the cassette from the tape printer, to an unlocked position at which the at least one locking portion permits removal of the cassette from the tape printer.

11. A cassette as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing comprises: an upper surface, a lower surface, and a side surface joining the upper and lower surfaces; wherein the at least one locking portion is integrally formed with the side surface.

12. A cassette as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the at least one locking portion is biased to the locked position.

13. A cassette as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one locking portion is made of a resilient material, and the at least one locking portion is biased to the locked position by the resilience of the resilient material.

14, A cassette as claimed in claim 12, comprising biasing means connected to the at least one locking portion, wherein the at least one locking portion is biased to the locked position by the biasing means.

15. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the at least one locking portion comprises a first locking portion and a second locking portion.

16, A cassette as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first locking portion is integrally formed on an opposite side of the cassette from the second locking portion.

17. A cassette as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one locking portion is moved to the unlocked position when the first and second locking portions are each moved relative to said part of the housing and towards each other.

18. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the at least one locking portion comprises a ramp element capable of interacting with the tape printer such that, during receiving of the cassette by the tape printer, the ramp element causes movement of the at least one locking portion from a position at which the at least one locking portion would otherwise prevent the insertion, to a position at which the at least one locking portion permits the insertion.

19, A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 18, wherein the at least one locking portion comprises a grip surface including a series of ribs, projections, or depressions.

20, A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the tape medium comprises one of an image receiving tape and an ink ribbon.

21 , A cassette adapted to be inserted into a tape printer in a lateral direction, the cassette comprising: a housing for accommodating a supply of composite tape having an image receiving layer and a liner layer; a supply for supplying the composite tape; a take-up spool for receiving the liner layer from the supply, the take-up spool being rotatable about an axial direction different from the lateral direction; and engaging means for engaging the take-up spool with drive means of the tape printer.

22. A cassette as claimed in claim 21, wherein the engaging means comprises a gear.

23. A cassette as claimed in claim 22, wherein the gear is on said take-up spool.

24. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the housing comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a side surface that joins the upper and lower surfaces; wherein the engaging means is for engaging the take-up spool with the drive means via an opening in the side surface.

25. A cassette as claimed in claim 24 when dependent on claim 22, wherein a portion of said gear is located in said opening.

26. A tape printer in combination with a cassette, the cassette being as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. A tape printer, comprising: a cassette receiving bay for receiving in a lateral direction a cassette, the cassette containing a supply of image receiving tape having an image receiving layer and a liner layer; a print head for printing an image on the image receiving layer; drive means for engagement with engaging means of the cassette, which engaging means are engaged with a take-up spool for receiving the liner from the supply, the take-up spool being rotatable about an axial direction different from the lateral direction; and control means for controlling the drive means in order to position the tape relative to the print head.

28. A tape printer as claimed in claim 27, wherein the drive means and the engaging means each comprise a gear.

29. A tape printer, comprising: a body with a mouth; a cassette receiving bay at an internal side of the mouth, wherein the cassette receiving bay is arranged such that a first portion of a cassette is receivable into the cassette receiving bay through the mouth, and such that a second portion of the cassette is present on an external side of the mouth, opposite from the internal side of the mouth, when the first portion of the cassette is present in the cassette receiving bay; and at least one locking element at the internal side of the mouth, the at least one locking element being for interacting with at least one respective locking portion of the cassette to prevent removal of the cassette from the cassette receiving bay, at least one respective locking portion extending from the first portion of the cassette to the second portion of the cassette; wherein the mouth is arranged such that a user is capable of contacting the at least one locking portion at the external side of the mouth to move the at least one locking portion from a locked position at which the at least one locking portion prevents removal of the cassette from the tape printer, to an unlocked position at which the at least one locking portion permits removal of the cassette from the tape printer.

30. A tape printer in combination with a cassette, the tape printer being as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 29.

31. A method for unlocking a cassette from a tape printer, the method comprising: applying a force to a surface of at least one locking portion of the cassette to grip the surface, wherein the at least one locking portion is for interacting with the tape printer; and increasing the force to move the at least one locking portion, relative to part of a housing of the cassette for accommodating a tape medium, from a locked position at which the at least one locking portion prevents removal of the cassette from the tape printer, to an unlocked position at which the at least one locking portion permits removal of the cassette from the tape printer.

32. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the at least one locking portion is integrally formed with said part of the housing.