JP2011207194A - Ink ribbon cassette device in printer, ink ribbon cassette for printer, and printer for ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

Kind Code: A1 An ink ribbon cassette device, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and a printer for an ink ribbon cassette are provided in a printer that can be reloaded into a printer (thermal printer 1) with tension applied to the ink ribbon (thermal transfer ribbon 14). To do.
Focusing on accumulating tension on the ribbon supply shaft 16 side of the ink ribbon 14 by the winding operation of the ink ribbon 14 in the ink ribbon cassette 2, a winding shaft gear 19, a supply shaft gear 18, and a printer The one-way connecting gear 7 that can be engaged with and disengaged from the take-up shaft gear 19 when the cassette housing 15 is attached to and detached from the printer 1, and the accumulator that accumulates power on the ribbon supply shaft 16 when the ink ribbon 14 is fed to the printing unit 5. A gear disengagement mechanism 21 capable of releasing the engagement of the take-up shaft gear 19 and the supply shaft gear 18 with the engagement of the force mechanism 20 with the take-up shaft gear 19 of the one-way connecting gear 7; It is characterized by having.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette device in a printer, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and a printer for an ink ribbon cassette. The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette printer.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, thermal printers and other various printers include a printer that attaches and detaches an ink ribbon cassette to load a thermal transfer ink ribbon and other ink ribbons.
A general ink ribbon cassette has a ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft in its cassette housing, and when this is loaded into a printer, an ink ribbon is stretched between the ribbon supply shaft and the ribbon take-up shaft. Therefore, manual ribbon winding work is required.
In addition, depending on the printer, depending on the width and type of printing paper and the width, color, and other types of ink ribbon, the ink ribbon cassette may be replaced each time when the ink ribbon is different. You need to get the necessary combination of.

However, each time the ink ribbon cassette is replaced, the manual ribbon winding operation is cumbersome and the setup is poor, and the ribbon winding operation also has human factors such as individual differences and working habits. There is a problem that variations occur in the tension (tension) of the ink ribbon.
Furthermore, there are various problems such as forgetting the winding operation when removing the ink ribbon cassette from the printer and reloading it, which may cause jamming and wrinkling of the ink ribbon during the printer operation.

JP-A-7-256967

    The present invention has been considered in view of the above problems, and an ink ribbon cassette device, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and an ink ribbon cassette in a printer that can be reloaded into the printer with tension applied to the ink ribbon. It is an object to provide a printer for use.

    Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon cassette device, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and a printer for an ink ribbon cassette that can prevent jamming and wrinkling of the ink ribbon when the ink ribbon cassette is attached and detached.

    In addition, the present invention eliminates the need for manual ribbon winding work, thereby avoiding variations in tension on the ink ribbon and forgetting winding work, etc. In the printer, an ink ribbon cassette device, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and an ink ribbon cassette It is an object to provide a printer.

    It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink ribbon cassette device, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and a printer for an ink ribbon cassette in a printer that are improved in setup when reloading or replacing the printer.

    That is, the present invention focuses on accumulating tension on the ribbon supply shaft side of the ink ribbon by loading the ink ribbon cassette into the first printer and winding up the ink ribbon accompanying its use. The invention has a cassette housing that can be attached to and detached from a printing unit of a printer, and a ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft provided on the cassette housing. The ribbon take-up shaft is engaged with and disengaged from the take-up drive shaft of the printer, and the ribbon take-up shaft can be rotationally driven by the take-up drive shaft. Ink ribbon cassette device in a printer that is wound around the ribbon winding shaft And a reeling shaft gear that allows the ribbon winding shaft to rotate, a feeding shaft gear that allows the ribbon supply shaft to rotate, and a printer housing of the printer that rotates. A one-way connecting gear that can be attached to and detached from either the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear when the cassette housing is attached to or detached from the printer, and the ink ribbon from the ribbon supply shaft. With the engagement of the force accumulation mechanism for accumulating the ribbon supply shaft with the feeding to the printing unit and either the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear of the one-way connecting gear. A gear disengagement mechanism capable of disengaging the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear from each other. A ink ribbon cassette apparatus in the printer according to claim and.

    A second invention has a cassette housing that is attachable to and detachable from a printing unit of a printer, and a ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft provided on the cassette housing, and the cassette housing is attached to and detached from the printer. The ribbon take-up shaft is disengaged from and disengaged from the take-up drive shaft of the printer, and the ribbon take-up shaft can be rotationally driven by the take-up drive shaft. An ink ribbon cassette for a printer configured to be wound around the ribbon winding shaft through a printing unit, wherein the ribbon winding shaft is provided in the cassette housing so as to be detachable from each other, and the ribbon winding shaft is rotatable. A gear and a supply shaft gear capable of rotating the ribbon supply shaft, and the ink ribbon from the ribbon supply shaft A force accumulation mechanism for accumulating force on the ribbon supply shaft as it is fed to the print unit, and a rotatable rotation mechanism provided on the printer housing of the printer and the winding as the cassette housing is attached to and detached from the printer. The take-up shaft gear and the supply in accordance with the engagement of the one-way connecting gear that can be engaged and disengaged with either the shaft gear or the supply shaft gear with the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear. An ink ribbon cassette for a printer having a gear disengagement mechanism capable of disengaging the shaft gears from each other.

    According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon having a printer housing, a printing unit provided in the printer housing, and a winding drive shaft provided in the printer housing, and supplying an ink ribbon to the printing unit As the ink ribbon cassette provided with the winding shaft is attached to and detached from the printer housing, the ribbon winding shaft is engaged with and disengaged from the winding driving shaft, and the ribbon winding shaft is driven to rotate by the winding driving shaft. A printer for an ink ribbon cassette that is capable of winding the ink ribbon fed out from the ribbon supply shaft in a band shape onto the ribbon take-up shaft through the printing unit, wherein the ink ribbon cassette is The ink ribbon cassette can be engaged with and disengaged from each other, and the ribbon winding shaft can be rotated. A take-up shaft gear and a supply shaft gear capable of rotating the ribbon supply shaft, and an accumulating force for accumulating the ribbon supply shaft as the ink ribbon is fed from the ribbon supply shaft to the printing unit. And a gear engagement release mechanism capable of releasing the engagement of the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear. The mechanism is rotatably provided in the printer housing, and the gear to the printer housing is provided. As the ink ribbon cassette is attached / detached, the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear is engaged / disengaged, and the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear are engaged with each other by the gear engagement release mechanism. An ink ribbon cassette printer having a one-way connecting gear that can be released.

    The gear engagement release mechanism can be provided on either the ribbon take-up shaft or the ribbon supply shaft.

    The gear disengagement mechanism causes the retraction window formed in the cassette housing to face either the ribbon take-up shaft or the ribbon supply shaft so as to be able to reciprocate, and the ribbon take-up shaft in the retraction window. Alternatively, it is possible to provide a biasing member that biases one of the ribbon supply shafts in the engaging direction of the winding shaft gear and the supply shaft gear.

    The force accumulation mechanism is provided on the ribbon supply shaft, and a coil spring that accumulates rotational force in a direction opposite to the feeding direction on the ribbon supply shaft with the feeding of the ink ribbon from the ribbon supply shaft; A torque limiter provided on the ribbon supply shaft and capable of regulating the rotational force to a predetermined level.

    The one-way connecting gear includes a tapered tip portion that is tapered toward the cassette housing, and a gear shaft portion that extends from the tapered tip portion toward the printer housing, and the tapered tip portion is And a tapered conical portion having a flat peripheral surface, and a tapered gear portion formed between the tapered conical portion and the gear shaft portion and continuing to the gear shaft portion.

    In the ink ribbon cassette device, the printer ink ribbon cassette and the ink ribbon cassette printer in the printer according to the present invention, since the one-way connecting gear is interposed from the printer side between the supply shaft gear and the take-up shaft gear, When the ink ribbon cassette is installed in the printer, the supply shaft gear and the take-up shaft gear are separated, and the ribbon supply shaft's power storage mechanism stores the ink on the ribbon supply shaft at a predetermined level. When the ink ribbon is detached from the printer, the ink ribbon can be pulled to the ribbon supply shaft side by this accumulated force, and tension can be applied to the ink ribbon. Avoid wrinkling and jamming due to sagging during storage It can be.

    In particular, according to the ink ribbon cassette device in the printer of the first invention, the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear provided in the cassette housing which can be engaged with and disengaged from each other, and the take-up shaft as the cassette housing is attached to and detached from the printer. One-way connection gear that can be engaged with or disengaged from either the gear or the supply shaft gear, a power storage mechanism that stores power on the ribbon supply shaft when the ink ribbon is fed to the printing unit, and winding of the one-way connection gear A gear disengagement mechanism that can disengage the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear from each other in accordance with the engagement with either the shaft gear or the supply shaft gear. In addition, the accumulator mechanism accumulates energy on the ribbon supply shaft side as it is used, and this accumulated energy is used to remove ink from the printer. It can be used for the tensioning of Bonn.

    In particular, according to the ink ribbon cassette for a printer of the second invention, the cassette housing, the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear, and the accumulating force for accumulating the ribbon supply shaft as the ink ribbon is fed to the printing unit. The mechanism and the gear disengagement mechanism that can disengage the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear from each other are provided, so that the ink ribbon can be tensioned with a predetermined tension each time the printer is installed or removed. The replacement work can be performed with good setup.

In particular, according to the printer for the ink ribbon cassette of the third invention, when the ink ribbon cassette is attached to or detached from the printer housing, it is engaged with or disengaged from the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear, and the gear engagement release mechanism is used. A one-way connection gear that enables the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear to be disengaged from each other is provided, so that the tension of the ink ribbon in the ink ribbon cassette can be changed even if various ink ribbon cassettes are replaced as necessary. Can be kept at a certain level.

1 is an explanatory diagram of a thermal printer 1 (printer for an ink ribbon cassette), an ink ribbon cassette 2 for a thermal printer 1 (ink ribbon cassette for a printer), and an ink ribbon cassette device 3 in the thermal printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (1) is a schematic side view of the ink ribbon cassette 2 removed from the thermal printer 1, and FIG. 1 (2) is a schematic plan view of the ink ribbon cassette 2. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the thermal printer 1, the ink ribbon cassette 2 for the thermal printer 1, and the ink ribbon cassette device 3 in the thermal printer 1, and FIG. 2 (1) shows that the ink ribbon cassette 2 is attached to the thermal printer 1. FIG. 2B is a schematic side view of the ink ribbon cassette 2. FIG. 3 (1) is a sectional side view of the coil spring 26 and the torque limiter 27, and FIG. 3 (2) is a front view showing an attachment state of the coil spring 26. is there. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the one-way connecting gear 7.

    In the present invention, the ink ribbon cassette is removed from the printer because the ink ribbon ribbon feed shaft stores the tensile force in the direction opposite to the transfer direction by the printing operation or the ink ribbon transfer operation in the printer. In this case, an ink ribbon cassette device, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and a printer for an ink ribbon cassette capable of applying a predetermined tension to the ink ribbon by the pulling action by the accumulated force were realized.

Next, an ink ribbon cassette apparatus, an ink ribbon cassette for a printer, and a printer for an ink ribbon cassette in a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
However, a case where a thermal printer is employed as the ink ribbon cassette printer and a thermal transfer ribbon is employed as the ink ribbon will be described as an example.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams of a thermal printer 1 (printer for an ink ribbon cassette), an ink ribbon cassette 2 for a thermal printer 1 (ink ribbon cassette for a printer), and an ink ribbon cassette device 3 in the thermal printer 1. 1 (1) is a schematic side view of the ink ribbon cassette 2 removed from the thermal printer 1, FIG. 1 (2) is a schematic plan view of the ink ribbon cassette 2, and FIG. FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view of the ink ribbon cassette 2 with the ink ribbon cassette 2 attached to the thermal printer 1. FIG.
The thermal printer 1 includes a printer housing 4, a printing unit 5, a winding drive shaft 6, a one-way connection gear 7, a data input unit 8, a data display unit 9, and a control unit 10.

    The printing unit 5 includes a thermal head 11 and a platen roller 12, and an arbitrary printing paper 13 and a thermal transfer ribbon 14 from the ink ribbon cassette 2 are sandwiched between the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 12. With the rotation, information of predetermined contents can be printed on the printing paper 13 based on the printing data from the thermal head 11.

    The ink ribbon cassette 2 includes a cassette housing 15 that can be attached to and detached from the printer housing 4 or the printing unit 5, a ribbon supply shaft 16, a ribbon take-up shaft 17, a supply shaft gear 18, a take-up shaft gear 19, and a storage shaft. A force mechanism 20 and a gear engagement release mechanism 21 are included.

The ribbon supply shaft 16 holds the thermal transfer ribbon 14 in a roll shape so that the thermal transfer ribbon 14 can be fed out in a strip shape to the transfer path 22 in the cassette housing 15 and guides the thermal transfer ribbon 14 fed out in a strip shape from the ribbon supply shaft 16. The ribbon winding shaft 17 can be wound in a roll shape through the printing unit 5 via the rollers 23 and 24.
On the ribbon take-up shaft 17, a drive connecting shaft 25 that protrudes from the cassette housing 15, faces the take-up drive shaft 6, and is detachable from the take-up drive shaft 6 is formed. That is, as the cassette housing 15 is attached to and detached from the thermal printer 1, the ribbon take-up shaft 17 is engaged with and disengaged from the take-up drive shaft 6 of the thermal printer 1, and the ribbon take-up shaft 17 is rotated by the take-up drive shaft 6. It can be driven.

Both the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 are exposed to the outside of the cassette housing 15 and face the printer housing 4 of the thermal printer 1. The supply shaft gear 18 allows the ribbon supply shaft 16 to rotate, The shaft gear 19 enables the ribbon winding shaft 17 to rotate.
Further, as will be described later, the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 are provided so as to be disengaged from each other via a gear engagement release mechanism 21 and the one-way connecting gear 7.

When the ink ribbon cassette 2 is mounted on the thermal printer 1 as shown in FIG. 2, the energy storage mechanism 20 is applied to the ribbon supply shaft 16 as the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is fed from the ribbon supply shaft 16 to the printing unit 5. It is for accumulating power and has a coil spring 26 and a torque limiter 27.
The coil spring 26 is provided so as to be wound around the ribbon supply shaft 16 and stores a rotational force in the direction opposite to the feeding direction on the ribbon supply shaft 16 as the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is fed from the ribbon supply shaft 16. To do.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the power storage mechanism 20. FIG. 3 (1) is a sectional side view of the coil spring 26 and the torque limiter 27, and FIG. FIG.
The torque limiter 27 is provided in the axial direction of the ribbon supply shaft 16 and can regulate the accumulated energy (rotational force opposite to the feeding direction) by the accumulation mechanism 20 to a predetermined level. And a stator 28 fixed to the ribbon supply shaft 16 and a slider 29 facing the stator 28.
The coil spring 26 is provided between a spring mounting piece 30 protruding from the stator 28 and a spring mounting hole 31 formed in the cassette housing 15.

As shown in FIG. 3 (2), the arrow A direction indicates the transfer direction in which the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is fed from the ribbon supply shaft 16 to the transfer path 22 when the ink ribbon cassette 2 is loaded in the thermal printer 1.
In the arrow B direction, when the ink ribbon cassette 2 is removed from the thermal printer 1, the accumulated energy is released from the coil spring 26, and the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is moved between the ribbon winding shaft 17 and the ribbon supply shaft 16. The release direction pulled by the tension, that is, the accumulation direction of the accumulated energy in the coil spring 26 is shown.

The gear disengagement mechanism 21 is provided on the ribbon take-up shaft 17, and a vertically long retraction window 32 directed in the direction of the ribbon supply shaft 16 is formed on the opposing wall surface of the cassette housing 15. The take-up shaft 17 faces the reciprocating motion.
Further, a push spring 33 (biasing member) and a shaft abutting member 34 that urge the ribbon winding shaft 17 in the direction of engagement with the winding shaft gear 19 and the supply shaft gear 18 are provided in the retraction window 32.

The one-way connecting gear 7 is provided on the printer housing 4 of the thermal printer 1 so as to be rotatable only in one direction (the direction opposite to the winding direction by the ribbon winding shaft 17), and the cassette housing 15 to the thermal printer 1 is provided. The winding shaft gear 19 can be separated from the supply shaft gear 18 by engaging with the winding shaft gear 19 with the mounting. That is, the engagement of the take-up shaft gear 19 and the supply shaft gear 18 can be released with the engagement of the take-up shaft gear 19 and the take-up shaft gear 19 against the urging force of the push spring 33.
In addition, the take-up shaft gear 19 can be detached from the one-way connecting gear 7 and reengaged with the supply shaft gear 18 as the cassette housing 15 is removed from the thermal printer 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the one-way connection gear 7, and the one-way connection gear 7 has a tapered tip portion 35 and a gear shaft portion 36.
The tapered tip portion 35 is tapered toward the cassette housing 15.
The tapered tip 35 includes a tapered conical portion 37 having a flat peripheral surface, and a tapered gear portion 38 formed between the tapered conical portion 37 and the gear shaft portion 36 and continuing to the gear shaft portion 36. Have.
The gear shaft portion 36 faces the printer housing 4 from the tapered tip portion 35.

    The ink ribbon cassette device 3 is configured between the thermal printer 1 and the ink ribbon cassette 2 described above, and includes a one-way connecting gear 7 provided in the printer housing 4 and a ribbon supply shaft provided in the cassette housing 15. 16, a supply shaft gear 18, a ribbon winding shaft 17 and a winding shaft gear 19, a force accumulation mechanism 20, and a gear engagement release mechanism 21.

    In the thermal printer 1, the ink ribbon cassette 2, and the ink ribbon cassette device 3 having such a configuration, the winding drive shaft 6 is engaged with the ribbon winding shaft 17 as the ink ribbon cassette 2 is attached to and detached from the thermal printer 1. The ribbon take-up shaft 17 is rotationally driven by the take-up drive shaft 6, and the thermal transfer ribbon 14 fed out from the ribbon supply shaft 16 in a belt shape is wound around the ribbon take-up shaft 17 through the printing unit 5.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, when the ink ribbon cassette 2 is detached from the thermal printer 1, the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 are engaged with each other.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the drive connecting shaft 25 of the ink ribbon cassette 2 is pushed into the winding drive shaft 6 of the thermal printer 1 so as to be aligned, the taper tip 35 of the one-way connecting gear 7 on the thermal printer 1 side is inserted. The boundary between the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 of the ink ribbon cassette 2 abuts, and the one-way connecting gear 7 is located between the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 against the urging force of the push spring 33. Then, the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 are disengaged from each other, and the take-up shaft gear 19 is engaged.
In particular, since the peripheral surface of the tapered conical portion 37 of the tapered tip portion 35 is flat, the one-way connecting gear 7 can be smoothly pushed into the boundary portion between the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 and be tapered. Since the tapered gear portion 38 of the tip portion 35 is continuous with the gear shaft portion 36, the one-way connecting gear 7 and the winding shaft gear 19 can be engaged with each other reliably and smoothly.
Thus, the ribbon take-up shaft 17 is pulled upward by the amount of movement D in FIG. 1 along the retracting window 32, and the engagement between the take-up drive shaft 6 and the drive connecting shaft 25 as shown in FIG. The combined state and the engaged state of the one-way connecting gear 7 and the winding shaft gear 19 are realized.

Therefore, when the operation of the thermal printer 1 is started in this engaged state and the printing operation on the printing paper 13 by the printing unit 5 is performed, the ribbon supply shaft 16 accumulates as the thermal transfer ribbon 14 of the ribbon supply shaft 16 is fed. The force mechanism 20 acts, and tensile force energy in the direction opposite to the feeding direction is stored in the coil spring 26.
However, since the accumulated tensile force energy is held at a predetermined level by the torque limiter 27, there is no possibility that excessive energy is accumulated and the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is cut.

    When the ink ribbon cassette 2 is removed from the thermal printer 1 to replace the thermal transfer ribbon 14, the engagement between the one-way connecting gear 7 and the take-up shaft gear 19 is released as shown in FIG. Due to the urging force, the ribbon take-up shaft 17 returns to its original position along the retracting window 32, the supply shaft gear 18 and the take-up shaft gear 19 are engaged, and the coil spring 26 of the ribbon supply shaft 16 is accumulated. The ribbon supply shaft 16 reverses in the direction opposite to the transfer direction, and the take-up shaft gear 19 engaged with the supply shaft gear 18 of the ribbon supply shaft 16 winds the ribbon take-up shaft 17. As a result of the rotation in the take-up direction, tensile forces in opposite directions act on the thermal transfer ribbon 14 from the ribbon supply shaft 16 and the ribbon take-up shaft 17 to remove slack. To grant the necessary tension.

Therefore, a predetermined level of tension is applied to the thermal transfer ribbon 14 in the ink ribbon cassette 2, and the slack can be suppressed.
Thus, when the ink ribbon cassette 2 is mounted on the thermal printer 1 next time, the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is stretched with a necessary tension, and generation of wrinkles or jamming due to the slack can be avoided.

In the above-described embodiment, the gear engagement release mechanism 21 is provided on the ribbon take-up shaft 17 side. However, in the present invention, the gear engagement release mechanism 21 is provided on the ribbon take-up shaft 17 side as necessary. Alternatively, it can be provided on either side of the ribbon supply shaft 16.

1 Thermal Printer (Ink Ribbon Cassette Printer, Examples, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2)
2 Ink ribbon cassette (Ink ribbon cassette for printer, Examples, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2)
3 Ink Ribbon Cassette Device in Thermal Printer 1 (Example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2)
4 Printer housing 5 Printing unit 6 Winding drive shaft 7 One-way connecting gear 8 Data input unit 9 Data display unit 10 Control unit 11 Thermal head 12 Platen roller 13 Printing paper 14 Thermal transfer ribbon (ink ribbon)
15 Cassette housing 16 Ribbon supply shaft 17 Ribbon take-up shaft 18 Supply shaft gear 19 Take-up shaft gear 20 Power storage mechanism 21 Gear engagement release mechanism 22 Transfer path 23 Guide roller 24 Guide roller 25 Drive connecting shaft 26 Power storage mechanism 20 Coil spring (Fig. 3)
27 Torque limiter 28 of the power storage mechanism 20 Stator 29 of the torque limiter 27 Slider 30 of the torque limiter 27 Spring mounting piece 31 Spring mounting hole 32 Retraction window 33 of the gear engagement release mechanism 21 Push of the gear engagement release mechanism 21 Spring 34 Shaft member 35 of gear engagement release mechanism 21 Tapered tip of one-way connecting gear 7 (FIG. 4)
36 Gear shaft of one-way connecting gear 7 (Fig. 4)
37 Tapered conical portion 38 of the tapered tip 35 Tapered gear portion A of the tapered tip 35 Arrow (When the ink ribbon cassette 2 is loaded in the thermal printer 1, the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is fed from the ribbon supply shaft 16 to the transfer path 22. Transfer direction, Fig. 3)
B Arrow (When the ink ribbon cassette 2 is removed from the thermal printer 1, the accumulated energy is released from the coil spring 26, and the thermal transfer ribbon 14 is at a predetermined tension between the ribbon take-up shaft 17 and the ribbon supply shaft 16. Pulling release direction, that is, accumulation direction of accumulated energy in the coil spring 26, FIG. 3)
D Amount of movement of the ribbon take-up shaft 17 along the retracting window 32 (FIG. 1)

Claims (7)

A cassette housing that can be attached to and detached from the printing section of the printer;
A ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft provided in the cassette housing,
As the cassette housing is attached to and detached from the printer, the ribbon take-up shaft is engaged with and disengaged from the take-up drive shaft of the printer, and the ribbon take-up shaft can be rotationally driven by the take-up drive shaft.
An ink ribbon cassette device in a printer in which an ink ribbon fed out in a strip shape from the ribbon supply shaft passes through the printing unit and is wound on the ribbon winding shaft,
A winding shaft gear that allows the ribbon winding shaft to rotate, and a supply shaft gear that allows the ribbon supply shaft to rotate;
A one-way connecting gear that is rotatably provided in the printer housing of the printer, and that can be engaged with and detached from either the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear when the cassette housing is attached to or detached from the printer.
A power storage mechanism for storing power in the ribbon supply shaft as the ink ribbon is fed from the ribbon supply shaft to the printing unit;
A gear disengagement mechanism capable of releasing the engagement of the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear with the engagement of either the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear of the one-way connecting gear. When,
An ink ribbon cassette device for a printer, comprising: The gear disengagement mechanism is
2. The ink ribbon cassette apparatus for a printer according to claim 1, wherein the ink ribbon cassette device is provided on either the ribbon take-up shaft or the ribbon supply shaft. The gear disengagement mechanism is
With the retraction window formed in the cassette housing, either the ribbon take-up shaft or the ribbon supply shaft is allowed to reciprocate,
The retraction window is provided with a biasing member that biases either the ribbon winding shaft or the ribbon supply shaft in an engagement direction of the winding shaft gear and the supply shaft gear. Item 3. An ink ribbon cassette device according to item 1 or 2. The power storage mechanism is
A coil spring that accumulates rotational force in a direction opposite to the feeding direction on the ribbon supply shaft in association with the feeding of the ink ribbon from the ribbon supply shaft;
4. The ink ribbon cassette device for a printer according to claim 1, further comprising a torque limiter provided on the ribbon supply shaft and capable of regulating the rotational force to a predetermined level. The one-way connecting gear is
A tapered tip portion that is tapered toward the cassette housing;
And having a gear shaft from the tapered tip toward the printer housing,
The tapered tip is
A tapered cone having a flat circumferential surface;
5. An ink ribbon for a printer according to claim 1, further comprising a tapered gear portion formed between the tapered conical portion and the gear shaft portion and continuing to the gear shaft portion. Cassette device. A cassette housing that can be attached to and detached from the printing section of the printer;
A ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft provided in the cassette housing,
As the cassette housing is attached to and detached from the printer, the ribbon take-up shaft is engaged with and disengaged from the take-up drive shaft of the printer, and the ribbon take-up shaft can be rotationally driven by the take-up drive shaft.
An ink ribbon cassette for a printer in which an ink ribbon fed out in a strip shape from the ribbon supply shaft is wound around the ribbon winding shaft through the printing unit,
A winding shaft gear that allows the ribbon winding shaft to rotate, and a supply shaft gear that allows the ribbon supply shaft to rotate;
A power storage mechanism for storing power in the ribbon supply shaft as the ink ribbon is fed from the ribbon supply shaft to the printing unit;
The winding of the one-way connecting gear that is rotatably provided in the printer housing of the printer and can be engaged with and disengaged from the winding shaft gear or the supply shaft gear when the cassette housing is attached to or detached from the printer. A gear disengagement mechanism capable of releasing the engagement of the take-up shaft gear and the supply shaft gear with the engagement with either the shaft gear or the supply shaft gear;
An ink ribbon cassette for printers. A printer housing;
A printing section provided in the printer housing;
A winding drive shaft provided in the printer housing,
With the attachment and detachment of the ink ribbon cassette provided with a ribbon supply shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft for supplying an ink ribbon to the printing unit, the ribbon take-up shaft is engaged with and disengaged from the take-up drive shaft, The ribbon winding shaft can be driven to rotate by this winding drive shaft,
A printer for an ink ribbon cassette capable of winding the ink ribbon fed out in a strip shape from the ribbon supply shaft to the ribbon winding shaft through the printing unit,
The ink ribbon cassette is
A winding shaft gear that allows the ribbon winding shaft to rotate and a supply shaft gear that allows the ribbon supply shaft to rotate;
A power storage mechanism for storing power in the ribbon supply shaft as the ink ribbon is fed from the ribbon supply shaft to the printing unit;
A gear engagement release mechanism capable of releasing the engagement of the winding shaft gear and the supply shaft gear,
The printer housing is provided so as to be rotatable, and when the ink ribbon cassette is attached to or detached from the printer housing, it is engaged with or disengaged from the take-up shaft gear or the supply shaft gear, by the gear engagement release mechanism. A printer for an ink ribbon cassette, comprising a one-way connecting gear that enables disengagement of the winding shaft gear and the supply shaft gear.

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