JPS60255476A - Multicolor ink ribbon printing color selection mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve a smooth ribbon shifting operation by mounting an ink ribbon cassette rotatably about the axis line along the platen to be positioned at several positions with a plunger or the like. CONSTITUTION:Support shafts 39 are provided respectively on both sides of an ink ribbon cassette 23 to mount it rotatably and a plunger 40a is so arranged as to move in or out parallel with the surface of an ink ribbon 28 coded in multiple colors across the width. The ink ribbon cassette 23 is turned about the shaft 39 by driving in or out a plunger 40a with a plunger magnet 40 and thus, individual color parts of the ink ribbon are set at multiple positions facing a print head 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention comprises a carrier that reciprocates along a platen and is provided with a print head, and a carrier that moves reciprocally along a platen and that passes between the end surface of the print portion of the print head and the platen. The present invention relates to a printer equipped with an ink ribbon cassette that stores an endless ink ribbon that can run along a printing range, and particularly relates to a print color selection mechanism when using multicolor ink ribbons.

In this type of printer, when performing multicolor printing, ink ribbons that are color-coded at least in the width direction are stored in an ink ribbon cassette, and by shifting the ink ribbon cassette, the desired color of the ink ribbon is placed opposite the print head. Generally, printing is performed by positioning the printer at the desired position.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional printer of this type is shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a platen, 2 is a print head, and 6 is an ink ribbon cassette. The print head 2 is fixed to a carrier 4, and the key rear 4 is guided by a guide bar 5 and is movable along the platen 1 in the left-right direction in the figure. This carrier 4 is provided with a ribbon guide shaft 6.7 and a head mask 8.

The head mask 8 covers the end face of the printing section 9 of the print head 2, and a hole is formed in the portion facing the printing section 9 to enable printing with a pin (wire). The ink ribbon cassette 5 stores endless ink ribbons 10 that are color-coded at least in the width direction and is provided so as to be able to be shifted in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, so that a desired color of the ink ribbon is placed so as to face the print head. It is now possible to do so. ink ribbon 10
is given a transfer force by the drive roller 11 rotating in the direction of the arrow and the pinch roller 12 in pressure contact with the positive roller 11, and is fed out from the feeding section 16 and retracted into the retracting section 14, and then into the storage section 15. As shown, it is folded and stored, and this operation is performed continuously. The fed-out ink ribbon 10 travels along the printing range of the platen 1, but is bent by the ribbon guide shafts 6.7 on both sides of the printing section 90 so that it passes between the end surface of the printing section 9 and the head mask 80. ing. The purpose of bending the ink ribbon near the printing section 9 in this way is to facilitate the curing of the printing paper 16.
To prevent printing paper 16 from being soiled by ink ribbon 10 near platen 1 near . Printing on the printing paper 16 is performed by running the ink ribbon 103, moving the carrier 4 from the initial position to the right in the figure (space operation), and operating the print head to project the dowel to a predetermined position at a predetermined time. be exposed. - When the printing of the row is completed, the printing paper 16 is printed by rotating the platen 1 by a predetermined amount.
This causes a line break, and the carrier 4 moves to the left in the figure and returns to its original position. Selection of the print color during printing is performed by shifting the ink ribbon cassette 3 as described above.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Conventional printers with such a configuration 1 function had the following various drawbacks: 〇 (1) The printing paper is dirty, and the ink ribbon is bent near the printing section to make it easier to set the paper. Poor operability when setting.

(2) A head mask is required to prevent stains on printing paper due to the ink ribbon near the platen near the printing section and to facilitate paper setting near the printing section.

(3) Shifting operations for multicolor printing (in the case of a 4-color ink ribbon, shifts for 6 colors are required = 4 positions in total) are difficult. This is because the ribbon is weak, and even if the ink ribbon cassette shifts, each ribbon guide shaft on the carrier side remains intact.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a printing color selection mechanism for a multicolor ink ribbon that can solve the above-mentioned problems.As a means for that purpose, a print head that reciprocates along a platen, and a mechanism for selecting a print color between the print head and the platen are provided. an ink ribbon cassette that stores an endless ink ribbon that can travel along the printing range along the platen through the ink ribbon cassette of the printer; supporting a partitioning flexible ribbon guide and separating the ink ribbon into a plurality of colors at least in the width direction, and providing the ink ribbon cassette so as to be rotatable around an axis along the platen; A configuration is adopted in which driving means is provided that operates at a predetermined time to rotate the ink ribbon and position each color portion of the ink ribbon in the width direction at a plurality of positions facing the print head.

[Function] By adopting the above configuration, even if the ink ribbon feeding portion is run in a straight line along the platen, the ribbon guide is located on the outside, so it will not interfere with paper setting, and it can be rotated. By rotating the ink ribbon cassette by the drive means, a desired color in the width direction of the ink ribbon can be selectively and easily positioned at a position facing the print head.

〔Example〕

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the main parts of a printer to which the present invention is applied;
The figure is the same side view, and FIG. 5 is the same front view. In the figures, 21 is a platen, 22 is a print head, and 26 is an ink ribbon cassette.

The print head 22 is fixed to a carrier 24 and
4 is movable along the platen 21 in the left-right direction in FIG. A pair of shafts 25 extending vertically are fixed to the carrier 24. The shaft 25 is the print head 2
The ribbon guide slide portion 27/! is located on both sides of the end of the printing portion 26 of No. l' It is supported so that it can move up and down.

The ink ribbon cassette 2'5 stores the ink ribbon 28 and includes 29 band-shaped ribbon guides made of a flexible material. The ink ribbon 28 is color-coded in the width direction and length direction, as shown in FIG. That is, the ink ribbon 28 has colors A and B in the upper row in the width direction.
The lower row is alternately color-coded into 0 and D colors (・ru.

This ink ribbon 28 is connected to a drive roller 60 that rotates in the direction of the arrow and a pinch roller 31 that presses against the drive roller 30.
The feeding section is given a transport force by this! +2 and close to the platen 21.
1 and is retracted from the retracting portion 63. Reference numeral 64 denotes a spring that applies tension to the ink ribbon 28. The ribbon guides 29 are provided at each of the four corners of the ink ribbon cassette 23.
5 windings, and tension is applied by a tension spring 36 connecting both ends of the winding. This ribbon guide 29 is fed out along the platen 21 and passes through the outside (platen 21 side) of the ink ribbon 28, and is connected to each ribbon guide slide section 27 as shown in detail in FIG. The ink ribbon 28 passes through a notch 67 of the ribbon guide slide part 27 and is held by the ribbon guide slide part 27 and the ribbon guide 29 so that it can run. 68 is a head bin formed in the ribbon guide 29. In addition, support shafts 39 are integrally provided at the ends of both sides of the ink ribbon cassette 230 opposite to the platen 21 side, and the support shafts 39 are supported by a fixed part (not shown) of the printer. Therefore, the ink ribbon cassette) 25%! , is rotatable around the center of this support shaft 69 (around the axis along the platen 21).

In this way, the ink ribbon 28. The ink ribbon cassette 23 equipped with the ribbon guide 29 has two positions depending on the print color (the first position where the ink ribbon colors A and B face the print head).
and a second position facing the print head for colors C and D. Next, the positioning means and positioning method will be explained.

When printing in colors A and B, the ink ribbon cassette 23 is positioned at the first position shown in FIG. In this case, the plunger magnet 40 is in the "off" state and its plunger v40& is retracted and supported at the first position of the ink ribbon cassette 23f. In this state, the upper A and 8 color portions of the ink ribbon 2B (the shaded portions in Figure 2) are facing the printing portion of the print head.
Color printing is performed. In addition, the printing color A when printing,
H is selected using a well-known color detection sensor (not shown) 7al-
It is done using

When printing C and D colors, use the plunger mug (
Drive means) 40 is turned on. As a result, the plunger 40m moves forward by a predetermined amount and increments. - In the second state, the C1D color portion of the ink ribbon 28 (the shaded portion in FIG. 6) faces the printing section, and printing in C and D colors is performed. The selection of print colors C and D during printing is performed by the same means as described above.

Such a shifting operation of the ink ribbon cassette 26 is as follows.
This can be done smoothly by fitting the ink ribbon guide portion 27 onto the shaft 25 with an appropriate gap. Also, since the head bin hole 68 provided in the ribbon guide 29 is sized to accommodate this shift operation, printing at each of the first and second positions is done through the hole 58.
/a' can be used without any problem.

Note that as a means for performing this shift operation, a cam may be used instead of the illustrated plunger magnet 400.

41 (see FIG. 2) is a paper guide.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, ribbon bending near the printing section is eliminated by employing a ribbon guide, and the ink ribbon pinion 211 is rotatably provided, and the ink ribbon is moved to the first position by a driving means such as a plunger magnet. Second
Printing is performed by positioning the ribbon at the position of , allowing smooth ribbon shifting operations. Also,
The top and bottom of the ink ribbon are divided into multiple colors,
By using a method in which these colors are selected by a color detection sensor and printed, the amount of ribbon shift during multicolor printing can be reduced. By reducing the amount, ribbon color mixing can be prevented and shift operation can be stabilized. moreover,.

As described above, the use of the ribbon guide eliminates the ribbon bending near the printing area, making it possible to eliminate the need for a conventional head mask and improve the operability of the telephone.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of the printing color selection mechanism for a multicolor ink ribbon according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the printing color selection mechanism, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, and FIG. 6 is a front view of the same, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the colors of the ink ribbon, FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the main parts of a conventional printer. In the figure, 16 is printing paper, 21 is a print head, 22 is a print head, 23 is an ink ribbon cassette, 24 is a carrier,
25 is a shaft, 26 is a printing section, 27 is a ribbon guide slide section, 28 is an ink ribbon, 29 is a ribbon guide,
65 is a guide roller, 66 is a tension spring, 6
Reference numeral 8 indicates a hole for a head pin, and reference numeral 40 indicates a plunger magnet (driving means). Patent applicant Fujitsu Limited agent Patent attorney Gobe Tamamushi (1 other person)

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printer equipped with a carrier that carries a print head and reciprocates along a platen, and an ink ribbon cassette that stores an endless ink ribbon that can travel between the print head and the platen and run in a printing range along the platen. , the ink ribbon cassette supports a flexible ribbon guide that moves together with the print head and guides the ink ribbon over the printing range, and the ink ribbon is color-coded into a plurality of colors at least in the width direction; is provided to be rotatable around an axis along the platen, and further operates at a predetermined time to rotate the ink ribbon cassette so that each color portion of the ink ribbon in the width direction faces the print head. A printing color selection mechanism for a multicolor ink ribbon, characterized in that it is provided with a driving means for positioning at a plurality of positions.