JPH0585662U - Ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] It is an object of the present invention to provide a ribbon cassette that always keeps the ink ribbon running normally. [Structure] The material of the ribbon roller 5 is made of polyetrafluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene hexafluoropropylene copolymer, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, tetra having a low affinity with the ink 4b. Fluorine-based resin such as fluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer or silicon-based resin was used.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette mounted in a thermal transfer printer or the like, and more particularly to a ribbon cassette suitable for a multi-time ink ribbon that can be repeatedly used.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a ribbon cassette already proposed. As shown in FIG. 1, the cassette case 1 contains a supply reel 2 around which an ink ribbon 4 is wound and a take-up reel 3 around which the used ink ribbon 4 is wound up. A plurality of rotatable ribbon rollers 5 are arranged in the traveling path of the ink ribbon 4, and the ink ribbon 4 fed from the supply reel 2 is drawn through the ribbon roller 5 and the thermal head 6 in the middle is moved. At the opening 7 for abutting, the tape is once taken out of the ribbon cassette and used for printing, and then again put in the ribbon cassette and taken up by the take-up reel 3.

In such a ribbon cassette, a multi-time ink ribbon that can be repeatedly used is being used for the purpose of reducing the printing cost. The case of using the multi-time ink ribbon 4 which can be repeatedly used will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the multi-time ink ribbon 4 generally has a heat-melting property on an ultrathin polyethylene base film 4a. Ink 4b is applied, and a part of this ink 4b is melted by the heat of the thermal head 8 and transferred to the paper. The multi-time ink ribbon 4 printed in this way is fed out from the supply reel 2, and when all of it is wound up on the take-up reel 3, the printing of the printer is once stopped and the ribbon cassette is turned upside down and printed again. Start. Then, what was the supply reel 2 up to now becomes the take-up reel 3, and what was the take-up reel 3 becomes the supply reel 2 so that the multi-time ink ribbon 4 can be repeatedly used.

[0004]

However, in the multi-time ink ribbon 4 as described above, as shown in FIG. 4, only a part of the ink 4b is transferred onto the paper 8 by one printing operation, so that the ink ribbon 4 immediately after printing is printed. The ink 4b becomes a semi-molten state, and the part 4c where a part of the ink 4b has fallen out becomes sticky. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, even in the case of the one-time ink ribbon 4 which is used only once, not all the ink 4b is transferred, but a part of the ink 4b remains, and the part is in a semi-molten state. . Generally, the conventional ribbon roller 5 uses a resin having a high affinity with the ink, such as prestyrene, preethylene, acetylene styrene, acetylene butadiene styrene, and polyacetal. The ink 4b easily adheres to the ribbon roller 5 that contacts the ink surface, and as shown in FIG. 6, the ink 4b accumulates on the side surface of the ribbon roller 5, causing a problem in normal ribbon running. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional art, and to provide a ribbon cassette that keeps the ink ribbon running normally by making it difficult for ink 4b to adhere to the ribbon roller 5. is there.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above problems, the ribbon cassette of the present invention is characterized in that at least a portion of the ribbon roller that rotates in contact with the ink ribbon and that contacts the ink ribbon is formed of a material having a low affinity with ink. .

[0006]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, the ink on the ribbon surface after printing is in a semi-molten state by using a material such as fluororesin or silicone resin, which has a low affinity for ink, at least in the portion of the ribbon roller that contacts the ink ribbon. Even then, it becomes difficult for ink to adhere to the ribbon contact portion of the ribbon roller.

[0007]

【Example】

 FIG. 1 shows the structure of a ribbon cassette according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the ribbon roller arranged in the ribbon cassette. In FIG. 1, the ribbon roller 5 which is the feature of the present invention will be described in detail because the ribbon cassette has the same constituent elements as those of the conventional example. The ribbon roller 5 shown in FIG. 2 has a hollow cylindrical shape and is provided with flange portions 5a at both ends thereof for restricting the vertical deflection of the ink ribbon 4. The width of the side surface with which the ink ribbon 4 contacts is the ink ribbon 4 The width is set to be equal to or slightly larger than the width. The ribbon roller 5 is rotatably supported by a shaft provided in the ribbon cassette 1 and rotates as the ink ribbon 4 travels.

Here, the entire ribbon roller 5 is formed of a resin material having a low affinity with the ink 4b. Examples of such a material include fluorine such as polyetrafluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene hexafluoropropylene copolymer, polychlorotrifluoroethylene and tetrafluoroethylene ethylene copolymer. Resins or silicone resins are suitable. When a ribbon roller 5 made by cutting or molding a mold using such a resin having a small affinity is used, conventionally, the multi-time ink ribbon 4 is used about 3 to 4 times, as shown in FIG. Although the ink was adhered to the surface of the ribbon roller 5, the surface of the ribbon roller 5 was partially blackened even after five times of use, and there was no abnormality in the running of the ink ribbon 4.

At least the portion of the ribbon roller 5 that comes into contact with the ink ribbon 4 may be made of a material having a low affinity for ink. For example, conventional prestyrene, polyethylene, acetylene styrene, acetylene butadiene styrene, and polyacetator. The surface of the ribbon roller 5 made of such a material as the main component is coated with a liquid whose main component is a fluorine-based or silicon-based material that has a low affinity for ink, or the ribbon roller 5 is dipped in the liquid. The whole may be coated.

[0010]

【The invention's effect】

 As described above, in the present invention, at least the portion of the ribbon roller that rotates with the traveling of the ink ribbon and that contacts the ink ribbon is made of a material having a low affinity with ink. Ink does not adhere to the ink contact portion of the ribbon roller, and the ribbon can be always run normally even with a ribbon cassette using a multi-time ink ribbon that can be repeatedly used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a ribbon cassette of the present invention and a conventional ribbon cassette.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a ribbon roller of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of an ink ribbon.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a ribbon surface state after printing of a multi-time ink ribbon.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a ribbon surface state after printing of a one-time ink ribbon.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state where ink is attached to the surface of a ribbon roller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cassette case 2 supply reel 3 take-up reel 4 ink ribbon (multi-time ink ribbon) 4a base film 4b heat-melting ink 5 ribbon roller 6 thermal head 7 opening 8 paper

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ribbon cassette provided with a ribbon roller that rotates in contact with an ink ribbon, characterized in that at least a portion of the ribbon roller that comes into contact with the ink ribbon is formed of a material having a low affinity with ink. Ribbon cassette to do. 2. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the ribbon roller that comes into contact with the ink ribbon is made of a fluororesin. 3. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the ribbon roller that comes into contact with the ink ribbon is made of silicone resin. 4. The ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the ribbon roller is coated with a material having a low affinity for ink.