CN1139495C

CN1139495C - Ink-ribbon cartridge

Info

Publication number: CN1139495C
Application number: CNB001055194A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 堀江弘明
Original assignee: Alps Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-03-30
Filing date: 2000-03-30
Publication date: 2004-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-30
Also published as: DE60000381T2; JP2000280586A; DE60000381D1; CN1268444A; EP1040932A1; EP1040932B1

Abstract

The invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette friendly to an environment whereby a used ink ribbon can be replaced with an unused ink ribbon with a main body case being not discarded, enabling the main body case to be recycled. An upper case 18 is separable to a first case 19 located to the side of a ribbon turn part 12 and a second case 20 having a bearing part 20a capable of axially supporting, for example, a first reel 16 of a take-up reel and a second reel 17 of a feed reel. The second case 20 is set detachably to a lower case 11. In a state with the second case 20 separated from the lower case 11, a used ink ribbon 15 can be replaced with an unused one.

Description

Ribbon cartridge

Technical field

The invention relates to the invention of ribbon cartridge, particularly about the invention of the ribbon cartridge that can exchange with colour band of crossing and unworn colour band.

Background technology

Allowing thermal printing head when the lettering pressing plate moves, drive a plurality of heater elements selectively according to print signal, make colour band the printing ink fusion, be transferred to the thermal transfer printer of printing paper, easy to maintenance because of it, noise is low, perhaps print of high gradely, be widely used as output devices such as computer, word processor always.

The existing ribbon cartridge 1 that is used for this class thermal transfer printer as shown in Figure 7, in the inside of the lower casing 2a that constitutes housing main body 2 with last shell (not expressing among the figure), is being adorned colour band 3 elongated, that the surface scribbles ink lay.

And the both ends of colour band 3 are bearing on lower casing 2a and the last shell with axle rotationally.

Between the feed reel 4 and take-up reel 5 in above-mentioned housing main body 2, form the colour band extraction channel 7 that is provided with a plurality of guide members 6 of drawing colour band 3 usefulness, colour band 3 is bent traction in this colour band extraction channel 7.

In colour band extraction channel 7, be formed with the spill colour band lead division 8 of for the moment colour band 3 being pulled out from housing main body 2.The printhead of thermal transfer printer (not expressing among a figure) side inserts this spill colour band lead division 8, and by moving up and down of printhead, the printing ink of colour band 3 is transferred on the printing paper.

Have the lower casing 2a of ribbon cartridge 1 of this structure and last shell (not expressing among the figure) and fixed, become one with method such as deposited.

But colour band 3 usefulness of existing ribbon cartridge 1 generally all are later to connect housing main body 2 to abandon together, have consequently increased rubbish, cause environmental problem, increase the parts expense of housing main body 2 simultaneously again, make the cost of ribbon cartridge 1 improve.

Summary of the invention

The present invention finishes in order to address this problem, and its objective is that providing a kind of can not abandon housing main body 2, with the colour band of crossing can with the ribbon cartridge that unworn colour band exchanges, housing main body 2 can re-use.

As the first kind of solution that solves above-mentioned problem, ribbon cartridge of the present invention has colour band, this colour band is equipped with in inside, and the housing main body that constitutes by last shell and lower casing, the above-mentioned colour band of reeling, the rotatable earth's axis is supported on above-mentioned take-up reel and the feed reel of going up shell and above-mentioned lower casing, and between above-mentioned take-up reel and above-mentioned feed reel, the colour band lead division that above-mentioned colour band is outwards drawn from above-mentioned housing main body, the above-mentioned shell of going up can be divided into first shell that is positioned at above-mentioned colour band lead division one side and have and can support second shell of the bearing portion of above-mentioned take-up reel and above-mentioned feed reel by axle, and removable the turning up the soil of above-mentioned second shell is contained on the above-mentioned lower casing.

As the second kind of solution that solves above-mentioned problem, above-mentioned second shell is contained on the above-mentioned lower casing by removable the turning up the soil of snap-button mode.

As the third solution that solves above-mentioned problem, under the state that above-mentioned second shell takes off from above-mentioned lower casing, the above-mentioned colour band of having used can exchange with unworn.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the exploded perspective view of ribbon cartridge of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is the major part enlarged drawing of colour band of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is the stereogram of second shell of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is the exploded perspective view of explanation assemble method of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is the stereogram of ribbon cartridge of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is the accompanying drawing that the method that exchanges with colour band of crossing and unworn colour band is described.

Fig. 7 is the plane of existing ribbon cartridge.

The specific embodiment

At first, ribbon cartridge 10 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the housing main body 21 that shell is 18 that constitute by lower casing 11 and last shell, inside is cavity is made with materials such as synthetic resin.

Above-mentioned lower casing 11 forms a pair of 11a of bearing portion that is made of the hole in the substantial middle portion of its base plate 11p, is formed with the first buckling parts 11c that projects upwards and is formed with the hook-shaped second buckling

parts

11f, 11f in the inboard of left and

right sides

11d, 11e at the central portion of the back one side 11b of the 11a of this bearing portion.

Front at the above-mentioned bearing 11a of portion, be formed with the first side wall 11g highlightedly with certain altitude, relative with the both ends, the left and right sides of this first side wall 11g to the outside, separate

certain clearance

11h, 11h, form the

second sidewall

11j, 11j, this

second sidewall

11j, 11j are the same with the height of the first side wall 11g.

The above-mentioned

second sidewall

11j, 11j, extend to the central portion of left and

right side

11d, 11e from the front of lower casing 11 respectively near.

On above-mentioned lower casing 11, in the front of the 11a of bearing portion, 11a, comprise two

gap

11h, 11h near, be formed with the colour band 15 that the back will illustrate and be bent the colour band extraction channel 12 of drawing.

In this colour band extraction channel 12, in the hole of lower casing 11 11k, 11k with a plurality of pin 11m of lower casing 11 on respectively the rotatably support axle a pair of

roller

13,13 and a plurality of roller 14.

In addition, extending to form to each second sidewall 11j of left and

right side

11d, 11e, on the position of mutual subtend, form the 3rd buckling parts 11n that constitutes by hole, a diagonal angle, the installation foot 19b of first shell 19 of the last shell 18 that the back will illustrate and the 3rd buckling parts 11n snap-button are contained in first shell 19 on the lower casing 11.

In colour band extraction channel 12, be formed with the spill colour band lead division 12a that colour band that the back will be illustrated 15 is outwards drawn for the moment from housing main body 21.The printhead (not expressing among the figure) of radio one side can be in upper and lower position in this colour band lead division 12a.

On the base plate 11p of above-mentioned lower casing 11, placing the colour band 15 that the matrix surface that constitutes at elongate thin film shape plastic sheeting scribbles the required color ink lay, be contained in the housing main body 21.

Be formed with the surface on the above-mentioned colour band 15 and scribble the 15a of printing ink portion shown in the black part branch above-mentioned ink lay, Fig. 2,, be formed with striped detecting means 15b, 15c respectively at the both ends of the one end and the other end in the outside of the 15a of this printing ink portion.

In the inside of the leading section that forms this striped detecting means 15b, 15c, scribble the binding agent (not expressing among the figure) of the stickiness that can not harden, perhaps be pasted with the single face adhesive tape.

For example the leading section of the detecting means 15b of an end is connected on first ribbon spool 16 that is made of feed reel, and the leading section of the detecting means 15c of the other end is connected on second ribbon spool 17 that is made of take-up reel, and colour band 15 is wound on first ribbon spool 16.

Lower end shown in the figure of above-mentioned first,

second ribbon spool

16,17 axle respectively is supported on the 11a of bearing portion, the 11a of lower casing 11, and the rotatable earth's axis of the upper end shown in the figure is supported on the 20a of bearing portion, the 20a of the last shell 18 that the back will illustrate.

Be positioned over colour band 15 on the above-mentioned lower casing 11 above, disposing the roughly the same last shell 18 of flat shape and lower casing 11, shell 18 is integrally formed by first and

second shell

19,20 on this, can separate again.

Above-mentioned first shell 19 has formed and has covered the upper plate 19d that is drawn out to the colour band 15 in the colour band extraction channel 12, on this upper plate 19d, a pair of rotating roller 13 is arranged, and be in a plurality of pin 11m of lower casing 11 relatively to the pin (not expressing among the figure) of position, axle is supporting roller 14 respectively.

On first shell 19, the position part at the spill colour band lead division 12a of lower casing 11 is formed with identical shaped spill colour band lead division 19a.In addition, on first shell 19, be formed with a pair of from about outstanding downwards installation foot 19b, the 3rd buckling parts 11n of this a pair of installation foot 19b and lower casing 11 is snap-button mutually, first shell 19 is contained on the lower casing 11, then, the first side wall 11g or the second sidewall 11j that first shell 19 are pressed into lower casing 11 go up in the set hole, install.

Constitute second shell 20 of going up shell 18 with first shell 19, relative on the upper plate 20f of position, form by a pair of rotatable earth's axis and support the 20a of bearing portion, the 20a that the axis hole of first ribbon spool 16 and second ribbon spool 17 constitutes with the 11a of bearing portion, the 11a of lower casing 11.

And, at the peripheral part of second shell 20, be formed with and cover housing main body sidewall 20b 21 inside, that have certain height, be formed with the first buckling parts 20c that leading section is a chevron in the central portion inboard at this sidewall 20b rear.

This first buckling parts 20c can with the first buckling parts 11c snap-button of lower casing 11, the snap-button of first buckling parts 20c by second shell 20 and the first buckling parts 11c of lower casing 11 is got second shell 20 with taking off and is contained on the lower casing 11.

In addition, as shown in Figure 3, below the sidewall 20b of the left and right sides of second shell 20, be formed with the second hook-shaped buckling parts 20d, the second buckling parts 11f snap-button of this second buckling parts 20d and lower casing 11, even exert pressure from outside oppose side wall 20b, sidewall 20b can not deform yet.

In addition, peripheral part at second shell 20, near the 20a of bearing portion, the 20a, be formed with edge and outstanding fork-shaped the 3rd buckling parts 20e, the 20e in the upper plate 20f parallel direction outside respectively, the buckling parts 19c of the 3rd

buckling parts

20e, 20e and first shell 19 is meshing with each other in the horizontal direction.

Like this, when ribbon cartridge of the present invention 10 loads that print in the gap on the balladeur train of the printer do not expressed in the drawings etc.,, can prevent that also

upper plate

19d, 20f from being vibrated, prevent to produce noise even ribbon cartridge 10 is vibrated.

The assemble method of ribbon cartridge 10 of the present invention is at first roller 13 to be contained in the hole 111k that is arranged in colour band lead division 12, and roller is contained on the pin 11m.

Then, first ribbon spool 16 that will be made of the feed reel of the unworn colour band 15 of reeling inserts the 11a of bearing portion on one side, and second ribbon spool 17 of the colour band 15 of will not reeling inserts the 11a of bearing portion of another side.

The front end of the detecting means 15b of above-mentioned unworn colour band 15 1 ends is connected on first ribbon spool 16, colour band 15 is wound on first ribbon spool 16, and the finish detecting means 15c of the other end of an end of reeling is connected on the unworn colour band 15 that is wound on first ribbon spool 16.

Then, the detecting means 15c that is connected the other end on the colour band 15 that is wound on first ribbon spool 16 is peeled off, 15c is drawn out in the colour band extraction channel 12 with this detecting means, and is pulled to second ribbon spool 17 on one side.Like this, unworn colour band 15 is led in the colour band extraction channel 12.

The front end that leads to the second ribbon spool 17 detecting means 15c on one side is connected on second ribbon spool 17.Because the binding agent when being connected with above-mentioned colour band 15 periphery walls also remains on the detecting means 15c, adhesive stripe-coating specially when therefore connecting.

Next, cover on the colour band extraction channel 12 of having introduced colour band 15 constituting first shell 19 of going up shell 18 parts, the installation foot 19b of first shell 19 and the 3rd buckling parts 11n of lower casing 11 are fastened, make first shell 19 and lower casing 11 snap-buttons together.After this, the first side wall 11g or the second sidewall 11j that the pin (not expressing among the figure) of first shell 19 is pressed into lower casing 11 gone up in the set hole, install by the die casting machine do not expressed among the figure etc.

Then, second shell 20 is covered at axle and be supported on first ribbon spool 16 of lower casing 11 and above second ribbon spool 17.And respectively with first buckling parts 20c of second shell 20 and the first buckling parts 11c snap-button of lower casing 11, the second buckling parts 11f snap-button of the second buckling parts 20d and lower casing 11, simultaneously the 3rd buckling parts 20e of second shell 20 and the buckling parts 19c of first shell 19 are fastened, first and

second shell

19,20 is separately become one, make second shell, 20 desirable being contained on the lower casing 11 simultaneously, the assembling of ribbon cartridge 10 of the present invention finishes with taking off.

The ribbon cartridge of the present invention 10 that will assemble in this order is loaded on the balladeur train of thermal transfer printer (not expressing among the figure) etc., move along printing platen (not expressing among the figure) at this balladeur train, when on printing paper, printing required image by thermal printing head (not expressing among the figure), allow take-up reel 17 rotate, will wind up with the colour band of crossing 15.

Below, with Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 the ribbon cartridge 10 used colour bands 15 of the invention described above are described with the method that unworn colour band 15 exchanges.At first, as shown in Figure 6, be ready in advance pie, be wound on the unworn colour band 15 ' on second ribbon spool 17.The ribbon spool of this unworn colour band 15 ' of reeling all can with in first,

second ribbon spool

16,17 any one.

As shown in Figure 5, suppose that the colour band of being adorned in the ribbon cartridge 10 15 was used, wait operation that second shell 20 is upwards drawn back by hand, the snap-button of the lower casing 11 and second shell 20 is drawn back, second shell 20 is taken off from lower casing 11.

Like this, ribbon cartridge 10, as shown in Figure 4, second ribbon spool 17 of first ribbon spool that has exposed the detecting means 15b that is connecting the ribbon spool terminal and the colour band 15 used of reeling.

In this state, wait operation to make second ribbon spool 17 make clockwise direction by hand and rotate, allow first ribbon spool 16 rotate, the remainder of still rolling up among the detecting means 15b is all rolled out.

The clockwise direction that stops first ribbon spool 16 then rotates, and as shown in Figure 6, the front end of the detecting means 15b ' of the unworn colour band 15 ' of above-mentioned preprepared, pie is connected the peripheral part that is wound on the colour band of using 15 on second ribbon spool 17.

Because the binding agent when peeling off on the unused colour band 15 ' of detecting means 15b ' is also attached on the detecting means 15b ', adhesive stripe-coating specially when therefore connecting.

Then, wait operation to make first ribbon spool 16 do counterclockwise to rotate by hand, allow some be wound on the colour band of using 15 rollbacks on second ribbon spool 17 to first ribbon spool 16.

By the backrush operation of this colour band of using 15, the detecting means 15b ' of unworn colour band 15 ' is drawn out in the colour band extraction channel 12, and is exposed to first ribbon spool, 16 1 sides.

To be exposed to the detecting means 15b ' of unworn colour band 15 ' of first ribbon spool, 16 1 sides from peeling off with the colour band of crossing 15.Then, wait operation to make second ribbon spool 17 do the clockwise direction counter-rotating by hand, allow the some colour bands 15 that are wound on first ribbon spool 16 be wound up into once more on second ribbon spool 17 with mistake.

By the time after all colour band 15 is reeled, the clockwise direction that stops second ribbon spool 17 rotates, the front end with the detecting means 15b of the colour band of crossing 15 that is connected on first ribbon spool 16 is peeled off from first ribbon spool 16, again first ribbon spool, 16 clockwise directions are rotated, to roll up to second ribbon spool 17 with the detecting means 15b of the colour band of crossing 15, be connected on the colour band of using 15 that is wound on the pie on second ribbon spool 17.

Next, the front end with the detecting means 15b ' of unworn colour band 15 ' is connected on first ribbon spool 16 of being stripped from, not having whatever with the detecting means 15b of the colour band of crossing 15.

Then, extract with pie second ribbon spool 17 of the colour band of crossing the 11a of bearing portion reeling, will be wound on second ribbon spool 17 that detecting means 15b ' has been connected to the unworn colour band 15 ' on first ribbon spool 16 and be inserted on the 11a of this bearing portion from lower casing 11.

Second shell 20 of last shell 18 is covered on first,

second ribbon spool

16,17, and with lower casing 11 snap-buttons, just can finish the colour band used and the exchange of unworn colour band.

In the explanation of embodiments of the present invention, first shell, 19 usefulness pins are pressed into lower casing 11 grades and are fixed, and are contained on the lower casing 11 but first shell 19 is also can be the same with second shell 20 desirable with taking off.

Ribbon cartridge of the present invention, because first shell that last shell is positioned at the colour band extraction channel can axle supporting take-up reel can separate with second shell of the bearing portion of feed reel with having, and second shell is desirable is contained on the lower casing with taking off, the ribbon cartridge that will can be easily exchange with unworn colour band with the colour band of crossing is provided so can provide a kind of second shell to get from lower casing.

Because above-mentioned second shell is to be contained on the above-mentioned lower casing by the desirable mode of taking off of snap-button,, takes off easily on second shell so getting from lower casing.

Because can be under the state that takes off from above-mentioned lower casing with above-mentioned second shell; carry out the exchange of above-mentioned colour band of using and unworn colour band; so the housing main body with the ribbon cartridge of crossing can re-use, can provide cost low, to the favourable ribbon cartridge of protection environment.

Claims

1. ribbon cartridge, it is characterized in that having colour band, above-mentioned colour band is equipped with in inside, and the housing main body that constitutes by last shell and lower casing, the above-mentioned colour band of reeling, the rotatable earth's axis is supported on above-mentioned take-up reel and the feed reel of going up shell and above-mentioned lower casing, and between above-mentioned take-up reel and above-mentioned feed reel, the colour band lead division that above-mentioned colour band is outwards drawn from above-mentioned housing main body, the above-mentioned shell of going up can be divided into first shell that is positioned at above-mentioned colour band lead division one side and have and can support second shell of the bearing portion of above-mentioned take-up reel and above-mentioned feed reel by axle, and removable the turning up the soil of above-mentioned second shell is contained on the above-mentioned lower casing.

2. ribbon cartridge according to claim 1 is characterized in that above-mentioned second shell is contained on the above-mentioned lower casing by removable the turning up the soil of snap-button mode.

3. ribbon cartridge according to claim 1 is characterized in that under the state that above-mentioned second shell takes off from above-mentioned lower casing, the above-mentioned colour band of having used can exchange with unworn.