JPH042111B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention strengthens the welded joint when forming an endless ink ribbon by welding both ends of a tape-shaped ink ribbon made of nylon or the like to prevent thread fraying at the joint. This objective is achieved by bringing a heating element close to the end of the joint so that the radiant heat of the generated heat melts the end of the joint.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a device for strengthening the welded portion of an endless ink ribbon.

Endless ink ribbons used in printers, etc. are made by cutting a long, thin cloth-like ink ribbon made of nylon or other material to a certain length, and joining the two ends together using an ultrasonic welder, etc. .
FIG. 4 shows an outline of a printer using this endless ink ribbon. In the figure, 1 is a latin, 2 is a print head, and 3 is a ribbon cassette. The ribbon cassette 3 is equipped with an endless ink ribbon 4, and the ink ribbon 4 is driven and circulated at predetermined times by ribbon feed rollers 5 and 6 provided within the ribbon cassette 3. The circulating ink ribbon 4 is fed out from the feeding section 7, passes between the platen 1 and the print head 2, and is drawn into the feeding section 8. The print medium 9 is set between the fed-out ink ribbon 4 and the platen 1, and printing on the print medium 9 is performed as follows.
This is done by a print head 2 mounted on a carrier 10 moving in the directions of arrows A and A'.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional welding procedure for this type of endless ink ribbon is shown in FIG. When welding, first
As shown in Figure a, both ends of the tape-shaped ink ribbon 11 are diagonally overlapped and the portions E and A are welded using an ultrasonic welder or the like. As a result, the excess portion of the ink ribbon 11 is cut and removed, as shown in FIG.
A welded portion 12 as shown in FIG. 1 is obtained. Finally, open the overlapped ribbon part to form a straight line, press flat near the welded part as shown in Figure 5c, and press the welded part 12.
An endless ink ribbon is obtained by pressing the lugs 13 of the ribbon onto the ribbon. Note that Fig. 5c shows a case in which the ears 13 are pushed and bent in opposite directions with the center in the width direction of the ribbon as a boundary, but this means that the ends of the ears 13 do not protrude from the ends in the width direction of the ribbon. This is to ensure that.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional ink ribbon obtained in this way, the lugs remaining at the welded portion are simply pressed along the ribbon, so there is no place where this part could get caught on the ribbon's running path. The ribbon will fray as shown in Figure 6 from the welded end with the lowest strength (upper or lower part of Figure 5c), and the frayed nylon thread will be pulled by the ribbon feed roller, etc. Ribbon jam on the wall,
This may cause problems such as ribbon locking.

In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to integrate the welded edges with the ribbon body, but welding the ears to the ribbon body over the entire width will reduce the strength, so it is necessary to strengthen the weakest welded end. The method is valid. In order to achieve this, as shown in FIG. 7, a heating element 14 such as a soldering iron is moved and brought into contact with the welded end of the ink ribbon 11 as shown by the arrow line, and this part is melted. A method of integrating as shown in FIG. 8 has been attempted.

However, with this method, it is difficult to bring the heating element 14 into proper contact with the welded end, and the melted nylon adheres to the heating element, which requires cleaning every time. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, there were drawbacks such as the formation of burrs 15, making it difficult to mechanize.

Therefore, there is a strong demand for alternative measures.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a device for strengthening the welded portion of an ink ribbon that can solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a means for this purpose, as shown in FIG. A heating element 23 is brought close to the joint, and the radiant heat of the heating element 23 melts the end of the seam. Further, an apparatus for realizing this method is composed of a base 27 and a pair of heat sinks 25 and 26, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The heat sinks 25 and 26 are shaped to expose at least the vicinity of the end of the welded seam 22 of the ink ribbon and sandwich the ink ribbon, and the base 27 holds the heating element 23 and supports the heat sink. 25, 26 such that the end of the welded seam 22 of the ink ribbon faces the heating element 23 with a predetermined gap therebetween.
It has 7,38.

[Effect]

The ink ribbon is held between a pair of heat radiating plates with at least the vicinity of the end of the welded seam exposed, and the heat radiating plate is mounted on a base such that the end of the ink ribbon welded seam faces the heating element with a predetermined gap therebetween. Positioned by a stand. In this state, the radiant heat of the heating element melts the welded seam end of the ink ribbon and integrates it with the ribbon body.
This integration work is carried out stably and reliably, and the molten nylon does not pull strings and cause burrs, and the molten nylon does not adhere to the heating element and does not require cleaning. In this process, it is of course necessary to control the temperature of the heating element and the process time.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a method for strengthening the welded portion of an ink ribbon using the device for strengthening the welded portion of an ink ribbon according to the present invention. In the figure, 21 is an endless ink ribbon having a welded portion (welded seam) 22, and 23 is a heating element. It is. To strengthen the welded portion 22, a heating element 23 is brought close to the end of the welded joint as shown in the figure, and the radiant heat of the heating element 23 melts the end of the welded joint. As a result, the edge of the welded portion 22 is integrated with the ribbon body, and the welded portion is strengthened. in this case,
Since the heating element 23 does not come into contact with the welded joint, there is no need to clean the heating element, which has been a problem in the past, and the occurrence of burrs is also eliminated. In addition, heat generating plates 25, 26
effectively dissipates heat from the heating element 23 to protect the ink ribbon other than the fused portion.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a weld strengthening device 24 used to carry out this method, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the same. , 26 and a base 27. The heat sinks 25 and 26 are the ink ribbon 21
a convex portion 28 and a concave portion 29 for holding the vicinity of the welded seam, and notches 30, 31, 3 for strengthening the welded portion.
2 and 33, and ink ribbon positioning holes 34 and 35 located at the point-symmetric centers of the heat sinks 25 and 26. The base 27 also includes a heat sink 25,
Positioning parts 36, 37, 38 for positioning 26
and holds a heating element 23. When reinforcing the ink ribbon welded part, first the heat sink 25,
In this case, the ink ribbon positioning holes 34 and 35 are opposed to each other so that the welded seam is located at the hole. In this way, the heat sinks 25, 26
When holding the ink ribbon 21 with the notch 3
0 and the notch 32 are opposed to each other, and the welded part 22 is placed in this notch.
The vicinity of one end of the welded portion 22 is exposed, the notch 31 and the notch 33 face each other, and the vicinity of the other end of the welded portion 22 is exposed within this notch. Next, the heat sinks 25 and 26 holding the ink ribbon 21 in this way are positioned on the base 27 as shown in FIGS.
5 and 26 are respective positioning parts 36 and 3 of the base 27.
7 and 38, the heating element 23 is reliably positioned in three directions orthogonal to each other, and in this state, the heating element 23 is positioned in the notch 3.
1 and 33 and close to the end of the welded portion 22 (joint end). Therefore, by using this device, it is possible to maintain the distance d shown in FIG. 1 at an appropriate constant value and to perform good weld reinforcement,
By controlling the temperature of the heating element and the processing time, it is possible to make the maximum amount of depression D and the fusion length L of the reinforced portion appropriate. In addition, when reinforcing the joint end on the opposite side, the clamping plates 25 and 26
can be rotated 180 degrees on the paper surface of FIG. 2 and the same procedure as described above can be carried out.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve the following various excellent effects.

(1) It is easy to control the dimensions of the reinforced part of the welded part, and a good reinforcing effect can be obtained.

(2) Since it is a non-contact method, there is no need to clean the heating element.

(3) There are no burrs on the ink ribbon.

(4) Work can be carried out reliably, quickly and continuously, and is suitable for mechanization.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a method for strengthening the welded portion of an ink ribbon showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are front and side views of a device for strengthening the welded portion of the same ink ribbon, and FIG. 4 is an endless A schematic diagram of a printer using an ink ribbon, Figures 5a, b, and c are process diagrams showing the steps for welding the ink ribbon, Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the occurrence of fraying at the ribbon weld, and Figure 7 is a reinforcement of the conventional ribbon weld. Fig. 8 is a side view showing the reinforced welded seam end, and Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating the occurrence of burrs at the reinforced ribbon seam end. In the figure, 21 is the ink ribbon, and 22 is the welded ribbon. (welded joint), 23 is a heating element, 24 is a device for strengthening the welded part, 25, 26 is a heat sink, 27 is a base, 36, 3
7 and 38 are positioning parts.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Consisting of a base that holds a heating element, and a pair of heat sinks that sandwich the ink ribbon while exposing at least the vicinity of the end of the welded seam of the ink ribbon; An apparatus for reinforcing a welded part of an ink ribbon, comprising a positioning part that positions the heat dissipation plate that holds the ribbon so that the end of the welded seam of the ink ribbon faces the heating element with a predetermined gap therebetween. .