JPH03283A - Ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cassette used in a thermal transfer recording system.

<Conventional technology> Today, personal computers and word processors are widely used, and as a method for recording information input from these human-powered devices, it is easy to miniaturize the device and it is excellent in low noise. Thermal transfer recording methods are widely used.

In this thermal transfer recording method, for example, in a serial type device, an ink ribbon coated with heat-melting ink is conveyed from a supply core to a take-up core, and the ink ribbon is selectively moved by a recording head in synchronization with this conveyance. The molten ink is transferred to a recording sheet. In the above recording method, if you try to continue recording even after the ink ribbon is completely fed out from the supply core, the ink ribbon will break, so a sensor is provided to detect the ribbon end, and the sensor detects the ribbon end. I am trying to stop recording at that point.

Conventional ribbon end detection means is such that a transparent ribbon, silver ribbon, etc. is provided near the end of an ink ribbon, and when the transparent ribbon, etc. is detected by a photosensor provided at a predetermined position of a carriage into which the ink ribbon is loaded. I am trying to interrupt recording.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, with the ribbon end detection means, when the ink ribbon is not loaded in the carriage, the sensor surface of the photosensor may be exposed to external light and the sensitivity of the sensor may deteriorate, or the sensor may be exposed to dust from the outside. However, dirt and dust adhere to the sensor, causing deterioration in sensor sensitivity.

In particular, when the ink ribbon is conveyed, ink particles tend to adhere to the sensor surface due to friction between the ink ribbon and the rollers, so it is necessary to frequently clean the sensor surface.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ink ribbon cassette that can prevent deterioration of sensor sensitivity due to external light, dust, etc. adhering to the sensor surface.

Means for Solving the Problems〉 A typical means according to the present invention for solving the above problems includes a supply core for supplying an ink ribbon, and a system for winding up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply core. a winding core; a container containing the supply core and the winding core;
The present invention is characterized in that an ink ribbon cassette is constructed by providing an end detection means for detecting the end of the ink ribbon, which is provided in the supply core.

<Function> In the above means, since the sensor serving as the end detection means is provided in the supply core, when the ink ribbon is wound around the core, the sensor is not exposed to external light or dust. will not stick to the surface. Therefore, deterioration of sensor sensitivity is prevented.

<Example> Next, an example will be described in which the above means is applied to an ink ribbon cassette used in a serial type thermal transfer recording device.

(First Example) As a first example, an example in which a photosensor is used as the end detection means will be described.

Figure 1 shows an ink ribbon cassette A and a thermal transfer recording device ffB for serial recording with this cassette A loaded.
FIG.

To explain the structure of the ink ribbon force set A, a supply core 2 and a take-up core 3 are rotatably housed in a container 1, and an ink ribbon 4 is wound around the supply core 2 and housed therein. There is. This ink ribbon 4 is connected to the supply core 2
The recess 1 formed in the container l via the guide roller 5a
Once exposed at point a, it is guided by guide roller 5b and wound around winding core 2.

The ink ribbon 4 is a long film coated with thermally transferable (heat-melting, heat-softening, heat-sublimating, etc.) ink, and is known in itself.

The supply core 2 is provided with end detection means for detecting the end of the ink ribbon 4, and in this embodiment, a photo sensor 6 is provided.
The system is configured to detect this. That is, as shown in FIG. 2(A), a light emitting diode 6 is connected to the supply core 2.
A and a phototransistor 6b are provided as a photosensor 6. While the ink ribbon 4 is wound around the supply core 2, the phototransistor 6b is shielded from light by the ribbon 4 and does not receive light; however, as shown in FIG. As shown in B), when the ink ribbon 4 is completely unwound from the supply core 2, the sensor 6 is exposed, and the light from the light emitting diode 6a is reflected by the reflection mirror 6C provided near the supply core 2.
The reflected light is reflected by the phototransistor 6b.
It receives light. As a result, the ink ribbon 4 is transferred to the supply core 2.
This is to detect that it is fully extended.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a locking groove 1b is formed at a predetermined position of the cassette container 1, and the cassette A is moved into the carriage by engaging with a locking protrusion 7a provided on the carriage 7 of the recording apparatus B. 7 can be loaded.

The carriage 7 is provided with a supply core support shaft 8 into which the supply core 2 is fitted when the cassette A is loaded, and a winding shaft 9 on which the winding core 3 is engaged.

As shown in FIG. 3, the supply core support shaft 8 is provided with three terminals T+, Tz, and Ti, and the supply core 2
When the photo sensor 6 is inserted into the support shaft 8, the connection pins P+, Pg, and h of the photosensor 6 are connected. A ribbon end detection circuit 10, which will be described later, is connected to the terminals T+, Tt, and T3.

Here, the ribbon end detection circuit 10 with the photosensor 6 connected will be explained. As shown in FIG. 4, the anode of the light emitting diode 6a is connected to the voltage a(+5)vl via the current limiting resistor R, and the cathode is grounded. The collector of the phototransistor 6b is connected to the power supply v1 via a current limiting resistor R1, and the emitter is grounded. Further, the collector is connected to the + side input of the comparator C0, the power supply (+2V) Vt is connected to one side input of the comparator C0, and the output side is connected to the input port P of the CPU that drives and controls each member of the recording device. has been done.

The winding shaft 9 is configured to transmit the driving force of a winding motor (not shown) through a slip clutch, and by rotating the winding shaft 9 in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 1 in synchronization with the recording operation. , the ink ribbon 4 fed out from the supply core 2
is wound onto the winding core 3.

The carriage 7 is connected to a bell) llc, which is passed between pulleys lla and llb, and is configured to be able to reciprocate along the guide shaft 12 by driving a carriage motor lid connected to the pulley 1)a. There is.

Further, the carriage 7 is equipped with a recording head 13 in which heating elements 13a that generate heat when energized are arranged in a line, and the recording head 13 is configured to be able to move up and down in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

Further, a platen 14 is provided at a position facing the recording head 13 and in a moving area of the head 13, and a conveying roller 1 for the recording sheet 15 is provided in parallel with the platen 14.
6 is provided. Note that a pinch roller (not shown) is in pressure contact with the conveyance roller 16, and a conveyance motor 17
When the conveyance roller 16 is driven to rotate, the recording sheet 15 moves in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1 due to the cooperative action with the pinch roller.
It is configured to be conveyed in the direction.

Therefore, in the recording apparatus B, when the recording head 15 heads down, the ink ribbon 4 comes into pressure contact with the recording sheet H5 whose back surface is supported by the platen 14, and in this state, when the carriage 7 travels in the direction of the arrow d, ink ribbon 4
are sequentially fed out from the supply core 2 and wound onto the take-up core 3. Further, when the recording head 3 is energized in accordance with the image signal in synchronization with the carriage 7 traveling in the direction of the arrow d, the heating element 13a of the energized portion generates heat, and the ink melted by this heat is applied to the recording sheet 15. It is transcribed and recorded.

When transfer recording for one line is completed as described above, the recording head 13 heads up, the carriage 7 returns to the home position, and the conveying roller 1G rotates by a predetermined amount to move the recording sheet 15 in the direction of arrow C. It is transported by one line, and the records from the next line onward are manipulated in the same manner as above.

The operation of detecting the end of the ink ribbon 4 during the recording will be explained with reference to FIG. 4.

First, as shown in FIG. 2(A), the ink ribbon 4 is attached to the supply core 2.
When the photo sensor 6 is wrapped around the phototransistor 6b, the photo sensor 6 is shielded from light by the bob 4.
cannot receive light from the light emitting diode 6a and is in an off state. As a result, the + side input of comparator C0 is approximately 5
V, the output becomes high level, and the input port P detects the presence of t ink ribbon.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2(B), when the ink ribbon 4 is completely unwound from the supply core 2, the sensor 6 is exposed and faces the reflection mirror 6C. Then, the light from the light emitting diode 6a is reflected by the reflection mirror 6c, and the photodiode 6b receives the reflected light and turns on. As a result, the + side input of the comparator C0 becomes approximately O■, the output becomes a low level, and the input port P detects "r ink ribbon absent". The configuration is such that recording is interrupted at this time, as in the prior art.

When the photo sensor 6 is provided on the supply core 2 and the ink ribbon 4 covers the sensor surface as described above, when the ink ribbon 4 is wrapped around the supply core 2, external light will not enter the sensor surface. Also, there is no possibility of dust etc. Therefore, the presence or absence of the ink ribbon 4 can be reliably detected without deterioration of sensor sensitivity.

[Second example]

Next, as a second embodiment, an example using a microswitch as the end detection means will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same parts as in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B), the supply core 2 is provided with a microswitch 18, and when the ink ribbon 4 is wound around the supply core 2, as shown in FIG. ), the microswitch 18 is turned on, and when the ink ribbon 4 is completely fed out from the supply core 2, the microswitch 18 is turned off, as shown in FIG. 5(B). There is. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether or not the ink ribbon 4 is completely fed out from the supply core 2 by turning the switch 18 on and off.

The supply core support shaft 8 is also provided with two terminals T, , T, as shown in FIG.
When inserted, the connecting pins p, . A ribbon end detection circuit 19, which will be described later, is connected to the terminal Tl+Tt.

As shown in FIG. 7, the configuration of the detection circuit 19 is as shown in FIG.
5V) Vl is connected, and the terminal T2 connected to the other end of the microswitch 18 is grounded via a resistor R3. Furthermore, the terminal Tt is connected to the + side power of the comparator C0, and the input of the comparator Co is connected to the power supply (+2V
)vz is connected, and the output side is connected to an input port P of a CPU that drives and controls each member of the recording apparatus.

In the above configuration, when the ink ribbon 4 is wrapped around the supply core 2 as shown in FIG. 5(A), the microswitch 18 is turned on, and as a result, the + side human power of the comparator C0 is approximately 5V. Therefore, the output becomes high level, and the input port P detects the presence of r ink ribbon.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5(B), when the ink ribbon 4 is completely unwound from the supply core 2, the microswitch 1
8 is turned off, and as a result, the + of comparator C0
Since the side input becomes approximately OV, the output becomes a low level, and the input port P detects "no ink ribbon 1".

Even if the microswitch 18 is provided in the supply core 2 as described above, the presence or absence of the ink ribbon can be detected reliably in the same manner as in the first embodiment. It is also possible to reduce costs.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, in the present invention, since the ribbon end detection means is provided in the supply core, the ribbon end can be reliably detected without deteriorating the sensitivity of the end sensor, for example, a photosensor. If a microswitch is used, it is also possible to reduce costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1@ is a configuration explanatory diagram of the ink ribbon cassette and recording device according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 (A), ([1] is a configuration explanatory diagram for detecting the end of the ink ribbon, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the detection circuit; FIGS. 5(A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of the ribbon end detection configuration according to the second embodiment; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the ribbon end detection configuration according to the second embodiment; FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the core and the core support shaft, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the detection circuit. 1 is a container, 1a is a recess, 2 is a supply core, 3 is a winding core,
4 is an ink ribbon, 5a and 5b are guide rollers, 6 is a photosensor, 6a is a light emitting diode, 6b is a phototransistor, 6C is a reflection mirror, 7 is a carriage, 7a
is a locking protrusion, 8 is a supply core support shaft, 9 is a winding shaft, 10 is a detection circuit, 1la1)b is a pulley, llc is a belt, li
d is a carriage motor, 12 is a guide shaft, 13 is a recording head, 13a is a heating element, 14 is a platen, 15 is a recording sheet, 16 is a conveyance roller, 17 is a conveyance motor, 1
8 is a microswitch, and 19 is an end detection circuit.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A supply core for supplying an ink ribbon, a take-up core for winding up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply core, a container housing the supply core and the take-up core, and a container for storing the supply core and the take-up core; An ink ribbon cassette, comprising: end detection means for detecting the end of the ink ribbon. (2) The ink ribbon cassette according to claim (1), wherein the end detection means is constituted by a reflective photosensor. (3) The ink ribbon cassette according to claim (1), wherein the end detection means is constituted by a microswitch.