JPH05104840A - Ribbon cassette and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To fix a tape or ribbon cassette having a tape or ribbon so as not to levitate the same at the time of the running of the tape or ribbon. CONSTITUTION:A cassette protruding part 7a for pressing a ribbon cassette 7 to the rear surface of a cassette receiving part is formed to the ribbon cassette 7 in the vicinity of the printing position thereof and a cassette pressing rib 30a is formed to a platen lever 30 at the position coming into contact with the ribbon cassette 7 of said lever 30. When the platen lever 30 is revolved to the printing position, the cassette pressing rib 30a comes into contact with the upper surface of the cassette protruding part 7a and the ribbon cassette 7 is pressed to the rear surface of the cassette receiving part to be prevented from levitation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette having a tape reel and a ribbon reel, and a printer for forming characters and figures on a tape by using the ribbon cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, on one side of a transparent tape such as PET,
Use the ink ribbon to form any letters or figures, and then apply double-sided tape with adhesive paper applied on both sides and release paper on one side to the side with letters or figures formed,
A printing device for producing a printing tape is widely used.
The printing tape thus produced is attached to a container, a file case, a video cassette or the like and used as an index or the like.

FIG. 3 shows the appearance of a printing apparatus which is an example of a conventional apparatus for producing a printing tape. The printer 1 includes a keyboard 4 provided on the front part of the main body case 3 and a liquid crystal display 5 provided on the rear side thereof, a printing mechanism incorporated in the right half part of the rear part of the main body case 3, and a It comprises a tape cassette 7 detachably mounted in the cassette housing portion 2, a tape cutting mechanism and a control unit incorporated in the left half of the main body case 3.

FIG. 4 shows the construction of the tape cassette 7 and the printing mechanism of the printing apparatus 1. The printing device 1 has a transparent tape 15
Is a device for performing thermal transfer printing on one side of the ink ribbon 16 with the ink ribbon 16 and attaching the double-sided tape 12 to form a laminate type printing tape 18. Tape cassette 7
Transparent tape reel 1 with transparent tape 15 wound inside
3, double-sided tape reel 11 wound with double-sided tape 12,
Three types of reels, the ink ribbon reel 14 around which the ink ribbon 16 is wound, are rotatably held.

The transparent tape 15 and the thermal head 22 of the printer 1 are in a state of being overlapped with the ink ribbon 16.
The keyboard 4 is sandwiched between the platen roller 21 and the platen roller 21 and the heat generating element incorporated in the thermal head 22.
Print any characters, figures, etc. entered in. Next, the double-sided tape 11 is attached to the printing surface of the transparent tape 15 by the tape driving roller 23 and the tape feeding roller 24, and the printing tape 18 is manufactured. Printing tape 18
Is discharged to the outside of the main body case 3 after being cut by the tape cutting mechanism.

A method of fixing the ribbon cassette 7 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state where the ribbon cassette 7 is stored in the cassette storage portion 2. A pair of left and right hinge portions 26 of the cassette cover 25 are rotatably supported in pivot holes 27 of a frame 29, and a leaf spring 28 is attached to a rear end portion of the cassette cover 25. When the tape cassette 7 is mounted, the leaf spring 28 contacts the rib 19 on the back side, which is the opposite position to the printing position of the tape cassette 7, to prevent the tape cassette 7 from rising.

[0007]

However, in the conventional printing apparatus, the ribbon cassette 7 is positioned in the plane direction when it is mounted in the printing apparatus, but the ribbon cassette 7 is separated from the head in the vertical direction. 7 Lifting was only regulated at the rear of the back. Therefore, although the stable running of the tape and ribbon near the head is the most important, the tape and ribbon cassette main body is not prevented from being lifted up near the head. It had risen above the bottom of the cassette compartment. As a result, the meandering of the tape and the ribbon is increased, resulting in problems such as distorted printing and bending of the tape and the ribbon.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon cassette and a printer which can stably prevent the ribbon cassette from being lifted up even when the tape and the ribbon are running. I am trying.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, a ribbon cassette of the present invention comprises a ribbon reel wound with an ink ribbon and a tape reel wound with a tape. A ribbon cassette that is detachably attached to a cassette housing portion of a printing device that is sandwiched between a platen and a head in a state of being overlapped with a tape to form a character or a graphic on the surface of the tape. Has a convex portion or a concave portion that receives a force for pressing the ribbon cassette against the bottom surface of the cassette housing portion when the ribbon cassette is mounted in the cassette housing portion.

In order to achieve this object, the printing apparatus of the present invention comprises a ribbon reel on which an ink ribbon is wound,
A ribbon cassette having a tape reel wound with a tape and detachable from a cassette storage section is used. The ink ribbon and the tape are sandwiched between a platen and a head, and a character or a graphic is formed on the tape surface. A printing device for forming a platen or a head in the vicinity of the platen or the head, and when at least one of the platen or the head moves toward the other to pinch the ink ribbon and the tape, It has a cassette retainer that interlocks and presses the ribbon cassette against the bottom of the cassette storage section.

[0011]

The ribbon cassette of the present invention having the above construction is detachable from the cassette housing of the printer and supplies the ink ribbon and the tape to the printer. The ink ribbon and the tape are sandwiched between the platen and the head in a superposed state, and the head forms characters and figures on the tape surface. The convex portion or the concave portion near the platen and the head of the printer of the ribbon cassette receives a force for pressing the ribbon cassette against the bottom surface of the cassette housing portion when the ribbon cassette is mounted in the cassette housing portion. Further, the cassette holder of the printing apparatus is located near the platen and the head, and when at least one of the platen and the head moves toward the other to pinch the ink ribbon and the tape, the platen or the head moves. In conjunction with, press the ribbon cassette against the bottom of the cassette compartment.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state in which a ribbon cassette 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is inserted into a printer 1. Most of the configurations of the printer 1 and the ribbon cassette 7 are the same as those of the conventional printer, and the same parts as those of the conventional printer are designated by the same reference numerals. The printing device 1 is a device for performing thermal transfer printing on one surface of the transparent tape 15 with an ink ribbon, and attaching the double-sided tape 12 to create a laminate type printing tape 18. In the tape cassette 7, three types of reels, a transparent tape reel 13 wound with a transparent tape 15, a double-sided tape reel 11 wound with a double-sided tape 12, and an ink ribbon reel 14 wound with an ink ribbon 16 can be rotated. Held in.

The transparent tape 15 and the thermal head 22 of the printing apparatus 1 are in a state of being overlapped with the ink ribbon 16.
The keyboard 4 is sandwiched between the platen roller 21 and the platen roller 21 and the heat generating element incorporated in the thermal head 22.
The characters, figures, etc. entered in are printed. Then, the double-sided tape 11 is bonded to the printing surface of the transparent tape 15 by the tape driving roller 23 and the tape feeding roller 24, and the printing tape 18 is manufactured. The printing tape 18 is cut by the tape cutting mechanism and then discharged to the outside of the main body case 3.

Next, a method of fixing the ribbon cassette 7, which is an essential part of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A platen lever 3 for rotatably supporting the platen roller 21
0 is rotatably supported with the central axis 6a of the switch lever 6 as a fulcrum. A platen roller 21 and a tape feed roller 24 are respectively rotatable on the platen lever 30, and a thermal head 22 and a tape drive roller 2 are also provided.
It is arranged so as to be in pressure contact with 4.

When the ribbon cassette 7 is taken out, the switch lever 6 is rotated counterclockwise to rotate the platen lever 30 counterclockwise from the position shown in the figure. As a result, the ink ribbon 16 and the transparent tape 15
And the platen roller 21 sandwiched between the thermal head 22 and the thermal head 22 are overlapped with each other.
2, the ink ribbon 16 and the transparent tape 15 are released. The tape feed roller 24 is also separated from the tape drive roller 23. Further cassette cover 25
The ribbon cassette 7 is released by rotating the hinge upward with the hinge 27 as a fulcrum, and the ribbon cassette 7 can be taken out from the cassette housing portion 2.

Next, the case of housing the ribbon cassette 7 will be described. The ribbon cassette 7 is inserted with the cassette cover 25 of the cassette housing 2 open. A plurality of positioning pins (not shown) are erected in the cassette housing portion 2 and are fitted into the positioning holes of the ribbon cassette 7 to position the ribbon cassette 7 in the plane direction. At this time, the thermal head 22 enters the cutout portion of the ribbon cassette 7 and the ink ribbon 16 and the transparent tape 1
It is inside the position where 5 and 5 are overlapped. After the cassette cover 2 is closed, the switch lever 6 is rotated clockwise so that the platen lever 30
Rotates clockwise. Then, the platen roller 21 moves toward the thermal head 22, and the ink ribbon 1
6 and the transparent tape 15 are sandwiched in the overlapped state. Further, the tape feed roller 24 is the tape drive roller 2
Abut on 3.

At this time, the ribbon cassette 7 is pressed against the lower surface of the cassette housing portion 2 in the vicinity of the platen roller 21 by the rotation of the platen lever 30, so that the ribbon cassette 7 is prevented from rising. Next, the method will be described. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in the state where the ribbon cassette 7 is stored in the cassette storage portion 2. In the vicinity of the printing position where the ink ribbon 16 of the ribbon cassette 7 and the transparent tape 15 are overlapped with each other, a cassette convex portion for pressing the ribbon cassette 7 against the lower surface of the cassette housing portion 2 in cooperation with the printing device 1. 7a is formed.

On the other hand, a cassette pressing rib 30a is formed at a position where the platen lever 30 comes into contact with the ribbon cassette 7. Then, when the platen lever 30 is rotated to the printing position, the cassette pressing rib 30a abuts on the upper surface of the cassette convex portion 7a and presses the ribbon cassette 7 against the lower surface of the cassette accommodating portion 2 to lift the ribbon cassette 7. Is being prevented. The cassette pressing rib 30a and the cassette convex portion 7a are in the vicinity of the platen roller 21 which is the printing position of the printing apparatus 1 and presses the ribbon cassette 7 against the lower surface of the cassette housing portion, so that the printing apparatus 1 is driven. Moreover, since the ribbon cassette 7 does not float near the platen roller 21, the meandering of the ink ribbon 16 is eliminated, and stable printing can be performed.

According to the present embodiment, as a measure for preventing the ribbon cassette 7 from floating, no extra parts or operations are required, so that the ribbon cassette 7 can be prevented from floating without increasing the cost.

In the present embodiment, the case where the convex portion is formed on the side surface of the ribbon cassette 7 has been described, but the concave portion is formed in the ribbon cassette 7 and the cassette holder on the printing device side is projected. May be. Further, in the present embodiment, the cassette retainer is operated in conjunction with the movement of the platen roller 21 and contact with the thermal head 22, but a printing device that fixes the platen roller 22 and moves the thermal head 22. In this case, the cassette retainer may be operated in conjunction with the movement of the thermal head 22.

[0021]

As described above, according to the ribbon cassette and the printer of the present invention, in the vicinity of the platen and the head, at least one of the platen and the head approaches the other. The ribbon cassette is pressed against the bottom surface of the cassette storage section in conjunction with the movement of the platen or head when the ink ribbon and tape are nipped between the ribbon cassette and the tape, so the ribbon cassette floats up near the platen roller while the printer is driving. Since it does not occur, meandering of the ink ribbon is eliminated, stable printing can be performed, and failure such as bending of the ink ribbon is eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view around a ribbon cassette housed in a printing apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the entire printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of the periphery of a ribbon cassette housed in a conventional printing device.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view around a ribbon cassette housed in a conventional printing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printer 2 Cassette Storage 7 Ribbon Cassette 7a Cassette Convex 11 Double-sided Tape 15 Transparent Tape 16 Ink Ribbon 21 Platen Roller 22 Thermal Head

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tape comprising: a ribbon reel wound with an ink ribbon; and a tape reel wound with a tape, wherein the ink ribbon and the tape are sandwiched between a platen and a head in a superposed state. A ribbon cassette which is detachable from a cassette housing portion of a printing device for forming characters and figures on a surface, and which is provided near the platen and head of the printing device when the ribbon cassette is mounted in the cassette housing portion. A ribbon cassette having a convex portion or a concave portion that receives a force for pressing the cassette against the bottom surface of the cassette housing portion. 2. A ribbon cassette which has a ribbon reel wound with an ink ribbon and a tape reel wound with a tape and which is detachable from a cassette housing portion is used, and the ink ribbon and the tape are used as a platen. A printing device for forming a character or a graphic on the surface of the tape by sandwiching the head between heads, wherein at least one of the platen and the head is moved in a direction approaching the other in the vicinity of the platen and the head A printing apparatus comprising: a cassette retainer for pressing the ribbon cassette against the bottom surface of a cassette storage portion in association with movement of the platen or head when the tape is sandwiched between the ink ribbon and the tape.