JPH061026A - Printer cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To make it possible to supply recording paper and ink ribbon to a printer easily and reliably. [Structure] A recording paper storage unit 2 and an ink ribbon storage unit 3 are provided in one housing 1, and a core 8 is provided in the recording paper storage unit 2.
The recording paper 7 wound in a roll shape is stored in the ink ribbon storage portion 3, and the supply reel 9 in which the ink ribbon 13 is wound around the bobbin 12 and the ink ribbon 13 in the bobbin 14 are stored in the ink ribbon storage portion 3.
The take-up reel 10 for winding up the ink ribbon 13 is housed. Then, support plates 15 are provided on both left and right sides of the storage space 11 in the ink ribbon storage section 3, and the bobbin 14 of the take-up reel 10 is placed in a recess 16 provided in the upper portion of the support plate 15 to wind the take-up reel 10. Reel 1
0 is configured to be detachable from the ink ribbon storage unit 3. Further, a lid 22 that is openable and closable with respect to the ink ribbon storage portion 3 is attached to the housing 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer cassette which is used in a printer in which an image is transferred onto a recording sheet by a recording head via an ink ribbon, and the ink ribbon and the recording sheet are stored in the printer cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a thermal transfer type color video printer has a thermal head and a platen roller therein, and an ink ribbon and a recording paper are overlapped with each other between the thermal head and the platen roller during recording. The thermal head transfers an image (image, symbol, character, etc.) onto the recording paper via the ink ribbon.

Conventionally, a cassette containing a supply reel around which an ink ribbon is wound and a take-up reel around which one end of the ink ribbon is fixed and which winds up the ink ribbon wound around the supply reel is accommodated. Is attached to the printer to supply an ink ribbon to the printer, and by inserting a tray capable of storing a plurality of strip-shaped recording sheets into the printer, the recording sheet to the printer is inserted. I am trying to supply.

In practice, as shown in FIG. 17A, first,
By opening and closing the opening / closing plate 101 provided on the front surface of the printer P so as to rotate downward, the tray housing portion 102 is exposed, and the tray 103 is taken out from the tray housing portion 102. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 17B, a predetermined number of recording papers 104 are placed in the tray 103 taken out.
Are stacked on top of each other. After that, FIG.
As shown in C, the tray 1 on which the recording paper 104 is set
By inserting 03 into the tray storage section 102,
The supply of the recording paper 104 to the printer P is completed.

On the other hand, as for the supply of the ink ribbon, as shown in FIG. 18, another opening / closing plate 110 provided on the front surface of the printer P is opened by rotating the opening / closing plate 110 downward to expose the cassette housing portion 111. Let After that, by inserting the cassette 112, in which the supply reel around which the ink ribbon is wound and the take-up reel around which the ink ribbon is wound, are inserted into the cassette housing portion 111, the printer P
Supply of ink ribbon to the printer is completed.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned conventional printer P has the following drawbacks.
That is, first, as shown in FIG.
To expose the tray storage unit 102 to the front, pull out the tray 103 from the tray storage unit 102, set the recording paper 104 on the tray 103, and insert the tray 103 into the storage unit 102 again. As shown in FIG. 18, the other opening / closing plate 110 is opened to expose the cassette housing portion 111 to the front surface.
It is necessary to insert the cassette 112 for the ink ribbon into the first cartridge, and the operation is very troublesome.

In addition, when the recording paper 104 is set on the tray 103, the recording paper 104 is directly touched by hand, so that the recording paper 104 is easily soiled. Also, the tray 10
When the recording paper 104 is set on the tray 3, there is a risk that the front and back of the recording paper 104 may be set by mistake.
Alternatively, there is a problem that the recording sheet 104 needs a means for discriminating between the front side and the back side, which is costly.

Further, since the recording paper 104 and the ink ribbon are supplied independently of each other, there is a possibility that the recording paper 104 and the ink ribbon whose characteristics do not match each other are supplied, and the quality of the image transferred to the recording paper 104 deteriorates. In addition to the problem, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon and the remaining amount of the recording paper 104 do not match due to their usage, and there is a possibility that the ink ribbon and / or the recording paper 104 must be frequently supplied. is there.

A package (housing) is required for each of the tray 103 for the recording paper 104 and the cassette 112 for the ink ribbon.
There is a problem that the structures of 02 and 111, and by extension, the structure of the printer P itself become large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to supply recording paper and an ink ribbon to a printer with a simple operation and reliably, and An object of the present invention is to provide a printer cassette that allows easy management (remaining amount, etc.) of recording paper and ink ribbon.

[0011]

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a recording head 31 and a recording conveyance roller 32 are provided inside, and during recording, the recording head 31 and the recording conveyance roller are arranged. 1 is used for a printer P in which the ink ribbon 13 and the recording paper 7 are conveyed in an overlapping state between 32 and the image is transferred to the recording paper 7 by the recording head 31 via the ink ribbon 13. As shown in
A recording paper storage unit 2 and an ink ribbon storage unit 3 are provided in one housing 1.

More specifically, the recording paper 7 wound in a roll shape is stored in the recording paper storage portion 2, and the ink ribbon 13 is wound in a roll shape in the ink ribbon storage portion 3. Ink ribbon 1 in which one end of the supply ribbon 9 and one end of the ink ribbon 13 are fixed and which is wound around the supply reel 9
3 and a take-up reel 10 for winding 3
Also, one of the take-up reels 10 is detachably attached to the ink ribbon storage unit 3 and configured.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 are stored in the recording paper storage portion 2 in a state of being overlapped with each other and wound in a roll.
A take-up reel 10 for taking up the ink ribbon 13 wound in a roll shape together with the recording paper 7 is housed in the ink ribbon housing portion 3 and one end of the ink ribbon 13 is housed. Is detachably attached to the ink ribbon storage unit 3.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13,
A large number of recording papers 7 cut into strips are stored in the recording paper storage unit 2 in a stacked state, and an ink ribbon 13 is wound into a roll in the ink ribbon storage unit 3. The supply reel 9 and the take-up reel 10 on which one end of the ink ribbon 13 is fixed and which winds the ink ribbon 13 are housed. One of the supply reel 9 and the take-up reel 10 is an ink ribbon housing unit. It is configured to be detachably attached to 3.

Preferably, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the housing 1 is provided with a lid 22 which is openable and closable with respect to the ink ribbon storage section 3. In addition to this, a window 23 (window 4 in FIGS. 11 to 13) for pulling out the recording paper 7 is provided in the recording paper storage portion 2.
3) is provided and configured.

[0016]

When the printer cassette C _{1 according} to the present invention is set in the printer P, first, as shown in FIG. 5A, the lid 22 of the ink ribbon storage section 3 is opened by the opening / closing mechanism provided in the printer P. For example, the take-up reel 10 in the storage section 3 is opened so as to face the inside of the printer P, and the take-up reel 10 can be conveyed into the printer P. Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the take-up reel 10 is transported into the printer P by a known transport mechanism, and the ink ribbon 13 is transported by the recording transport roller 3.
2 is transported to above. After that, as shown in FIG. 6A, the partially exposed end of the recording paper 7 is pulled out by a known transporting unit and further transported onto the recording transport roller 32.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6B, the recording head 31 moves to the recording conveyance roller 32 side, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 are pressure bonded by the recording head 31 and the recording conveyance roller 32. To do. Then, the heat corresponding to the information of the image to be recorded is output through the recording head 31, so that the ink on the ink ribbon 13 is recorded.
The peeled ink adheres to the recording paper 7 in an amount corresponding to the heat generated from the ink. Then, the recording conveyance roller 3
By the conveyance of the recording paper 7 by 2 and the winding (conveyance) of the ink ribbon 13 by the winding roller 10, the thermal output of the recording head 31 is scanned, for example, in a line-sequential manner on the recording paper 7. The image is transferred onto the recording paper 7 by the recording head 31.

By thus setting the cassette C1 for the printer according to the present invention in the printer P, the supply of the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 to the printer P is completed.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a printer cassette (hereinafter simply referred to as a cassette) according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, a first embodiment of the cassette according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This cassette C ₁
As shown in FIG. 1, has a recording paper storage portion 2 and an ink ribbon storage portion 3 in one housing 1 formed of, for example, a synthetic resin. That is, the housing 1 has the ink ribbon storage portion 3 at the front portion (the side facing the printer when the cassette C ₁ is inserted into the printer), and the recording paper storage portion 2 at the rear portion.

The recording paper storage unit 2 has an outer shell 4 at the rear portion thereof formed in a substantially arcuate shape to form a storage space 5 in which a cylindrical object can be stored. A support shaft 6 is formed at each central portion on the inner side surface. The recording paper 7 is wound in a roll shape in the recording paper storage unit 2. The recording paper 7 is wound in a roll shape around a cylindrical core 8 having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the support shaft 6, and the support shaft 6 is provided in the hollow portion of the core 8. By inserting it,
The recording paper 7 wound in a roll shape can be stored in the recording paper storage unit 2.

On the other hand, the ink ribbon storage portion 3 has a space 11 formed therein for storing the supply reel 9 and the take-up reel 10. In the illustrated example, the storage space 11 in the ink ribbon storage unit 3 and the storage space 5 in the recording paper storage unit 2 communicate with each other in the housing 1, but the storage spaces 5 and 11 are mutually connected in the housing 1. You may make it provide the partition for shielding.

The supply reel 9 has a cylindrical bobbin 12, and an ink ribbon 13 is wound around the bobbin 12 in a roll shape. The width of the ink ribbon 13 is set to be smaller than the axial length of the bobbin. Therefore, as a whole, the end portions of the bobbin 12 project from both sides of the ink ribbon 13 wound in a roll.
On the other hand, the take-up reel 10 has a bobbin 14 having the same shape as the supply reel 9, and one end of the ink ribbon 13 is fixed to the bobbin 14. Also in the take-up reel 10, the axial length of the bobbin 14 is set to be larger than the width of the ink ribbon 13, similarly to the supply reel 9.

In the storage space 11, the lower part is a storage space for the supply reel 9 and the upper part is a storage space for the take-up reel 10. That is, the support plates 15 for positioning the take-up reels 10 on the upper side are installed on the left and right sides of the storage space 11, and the bobbins of the take-up reels 10 are placed in the semi-circular recesses 16 provided on the upper sides of the respective support plates 15. Are to be placed. A hole 17 through which the bobbin 12 of the supply reel 9 is inserted is formed in the lower portion of the support plate 15.
Are formed. In addition, this ink ribbon storage unit 3
Are the support plates 1 on the left and right inner surfaces facing each other.
A bearing provided with a compression spring (not shown) is formed in a portion corresponding to the hole 17 of No. 5, and the end of the bobbin 12 of the supply reel 9 is rotatably inserted into the bearing.

Therefore, when the supply reel 9 and the take-up reel 10 are stored in the ink ribbon storage portion 3, for example, after the take-up reel 10 is placed in the recess 16 of the support plate 15, the bobbin of the supply reel 9 is placed. One of the ends is passed through the hole 17 of the one support plate 15 and inserted into the corresponding bearing. Then, the inserted bobbin 12 is pressed against the side surface of the ink ribbon storage portion 3 against the elastic force of the compression spring. At this time, since the tip of the other bobbin of the supply reel 9 is located inside the ink ribbon storage portion 3 than the installation position of the other support plate 15, this time, the other bobbin 12 is provided.
The end portion of each is passed through the hole 17 of the other support plate 15 and inserted into the corresponding bearing. The bobbin 12 of the supply reel 9 is
It is released from the pressing force in the compression direction by the compression springs on both sides and is rotatably attached to the bearing.

Also, the cassette C _{1 according} to the first embodiment.
In FIG. 1B, as shown in FIG. 1B, an opening 21 is provided in the front portion of the ink ribbon storage portion 3.
The take-up reel 10 on the support plate 15 can be taken out through the 1 through 1. A lid 22 that is openable and closable with respect to the opening 21 is attached rotatably in the vertical direction around the support shaft as shown by the arrow.
In the illustrated example, the bobbin of the supply reel 9 also serves as the rotation support shaft of the lid 22.

A small gap 23 is formed between the upper edge of the lid 22 when the lid 22 is closed and the end portion of the outer shell 4 in the recording paper storage portion 2. The edge of the recording paper 7 is slightly pulled out. The external appearance of the cassette having the above structure is shown in FIG.

Next, the cassette C _{1 according} to the first embodiment described above.
The printer P in which is set will be described with reference to FIG. The printer P has a thermal head 31 and a platen roller 32 inside. Thermal head 3
1 is movable by a known drive mechanism to a position (a position indicated by a chain double-dashed line) where the head surface 31a contacts the platen roller 32.

A ribbon guide 33, a feed roller 34 and a flap 35 are arranged side by side with the platen roller 32.
Is provided. The ribbon guide 33 has a substantially arcuate cross section, and for example, as shown in FIG.
It is for guiding the ink ribbon 13 from the cassette C ₁ set to the platen roller 32 side. The feed roller 34 is for pulling the recording paper 7 in the cassette C ₁ into the printer P by rotating counterclockwise, for example. The flap 35 uses the recording paper 7 pulled out by the feed roller 34 to the platen roller 3
It is for guiding to the second side.

A tray 36 is attached to the printer P so that it can be taken in and out freely. This tray 36
Has its inner surface shape are made substantially the same as the outer shape of the portion of the cassette C _1, are adapted to receive the cassette C _1. Then, by a known slide mechanism (not shown), it can be slid automatically or manually, and the accommodated cassette C ₁ can be accommodated inside the printer P. Further, the tray 36 is provided with a stopper 37 composed of a dogleg-shaped leaf spring on the front inner wall, and when the cassette C ₁ is accommodated in the tray 36, a flat plate is formed by the outer shell of the cassette C _1. When the cassette C ₁ is completely elastically deformed and is completely accommodated in the tray 36, the cassette C ₁ elastically returns to the dogleg shape and presses the cassette C ₁ .
The rattling of the cassette C ₁ in the tray 36 is suppressed.

Next, the cassette C _{1 according} to the first embodiment.
Will be described together with the operation of the printer P with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the tray eject key (EJ) on the front panel (not shown) of the printer P is used.
Tray 36 by operating the ECT key) or manually
From the printer P. Then, the cassette C ₁ is accommodated in the tray 36 that has been pulled out. FIG. 4B shows a state in which the cassette C ₁ is accommodated in the tray 36. At this time, the cassette C ₁ is fixed by the stopper 37 without rattling the tray 36.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5A, the tray 36 is inserted into the printer P by operating the tray insertion key (EJECT key) on the front panel or manually.
(See FIG. 4B). At this point, the cassette C ₁ is stored in the printer P. At the time of this insertion, the lid 22 of the cassette C ₁ is opened by a known opening / closing mechanism, and the take-up reel 10 in the ink ribbon storage unit 3 is opened.
However, it faces the inside of the printer P through the opening 21 of the cassette C ₁ . At this time, the feed roller 3 is attached to the end of the recording paper 7 that is partially pulled out from the cassette C _1.
4 contacts.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the take-up reel 10 is conveyed to a position diagonally above the platen roller 32 by a known conveying mechanism in the printer P while drawing an arcuate locus. As the take-up roller 10 is conveyed, the ink ribbon 13 is conveyed to the platen roller 32 side. In this case, the ink ribbon 13 is the ribbon guide 3
It is guided by 3 in a direction facing above the platen roller 32.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, the feed roller 34 rotates counterclockwise in the drawing to pull out the recording paper 7. The recording paper 7 pulled out by the feed roller 34 is guided to the platen roller 32 side by the flap 35. Then, the recording paper 7 is positioned below the ink ribbon 13 and the platen roller 3 is pulled out by the feed roller 34 and the guide by the flap 35.
When the end portion of the recording paper 7 is conveyed in a direction facing above 2, and is slightly exposed to the outside of the printer P through the take-out port 39 formed by the upper edge of the tray 36 and the upper edge of the insertion port. , Once the rotation of the feed roller 34 is stopped,
The thermal head 31 waits for recording.

When still image information is supplied to the printer P from, for example, a video camera or a still camera electrically connected via the external terminal, the thermal head 31 first operates as shown in FIG. 6B. It moves to the platen roller 32 side by a known drive mechanism, and the thermal paper 31 and the platen roller 32 press-contact the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13.

After that, heat corresponding to the still image information supplied to the printer P is output via the thermal head 31, whereby the ink on the ink ribbon 13 is separated by an amount corresponding to the heat from the thermal head 31. The peeled ink adheres to the recording paper 7. The platen roller 32 and the feed roller 34 convey the recording paper 7 and the take-up roller 10 winds (conveys) the ink ribbon 13, so that the thermal head 31 scans the recording paper 7 in a line-sequential manner, for example. The image corresponding to the above-mentioned still image information is recorded on the thermal head 3
1 is transferred to the recording paper 7.

Then, for example, 1 supplied to the printer P.
When all the still images of the number of sheets have been transferred to the recording paper 7, the transport operation of the recording paper 7 by the platen roller 32 and the feed roller 34 is stopped once, and at the same time as this stop, the thermal head 31 separates from the platen roller 32. Return to the original position. Simultaneously with the returning operation of the thermal head 31, the feeding operation of the recording paper 7 by the feed roller 34 is performed again, the recording paper 7 is ejected from the take-out port 39, and the recording paper 7 for one still image is ejected. When
The recording paper 7 is cut by a known cutting mechanism or by cutting with saw teeth by a human hand, and the operation of the printer P is completed.

After that, the image is transferred to the recording paper 7 in accordance with the output request to the printer P while the cassette C ₁ is mounted in the printer P, and the recording paper 7 is sequentially ejected from the ejection port 39. become. If the recording paper 7 is of a type in which the recording paper 7 is all separated from the core 8,
The process ends when all the recording paper 7 is ejected from the take-out port 39, or if the recording paper 7 is of a type in which one end is fixed to the core 8, the recording paper 7 cannot be conveyed. .

The end of this operation can be detected by the following configuration. That is, for example, the consumption rate of the recording paper 7 and the consumption rate of the ink ribbon 13 are set to be the same, and further, a transparent film tape or a magnetic tape is attached near the final end of the ink ribbon 13, By detecting the transparent film tape or the magnetic tape with an optical sensor or a magnetic sensor installed in the vicinity of the guide 33, the ending operation can be detected. Then, the cassette replacement request lamp on the front panel is turned on based on the detection signal from the sensor to notify the user of the replacement of the cassette C ₁ . The used cassette C ₁ is discarded as it is.

As described above, according to the cassette C ₁ according to the first embodiment, the recording paper storage unit 2 and the ink ribbon storage unit 3 are provided in one housing 1 and the recording paper storage unit 2 is provided. , Storing the recording paper 7 wound in a roll,
A supply reel 9 in which an ink ribbon 13 is wound in a roll shape, and the ink ribbon 13 in the ink ribbon storage portion 3.
And a take-up reel 10 for winding up the ink ribbon 13 is housed, and the take-up reel 10 is
Since it is configured to be detachably attached to the ink ribbon storage unit 3, the housing 1 can be set in the printer P, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 can be supplied to the printer P.

Therefore, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 can be supplied to the printer P at one time, and since it is not necessary to consider the front and back of the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13, the handling is very easy. It will be easy.
When the housing 1 is set, the ink ribbon 13 and the recording paper 7 are not touched by human hands, so that the quality of the image transferred onto the recording paper 7 is improved. In particular, in this embodiment, the housing 1 is provided with the lid 22 which is openable and closable with respect to the ink ribbon storage portion 3, so that it is possible to prevent foreign matter from being mixed in during storage, and the recording paper 7 It is possible to further improve the quality of the image transferred to.

Further, it is not necessary to provide the front / back discriminating means for the user (user) on the cassette C ₁ or the recording paper 7 (and the ink ribbon 13), which is advantageous in reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, there is no possibility that the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 that do not match the characteristics are erroneously used, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 that always match the characteristics can be used. In addition, in the design stage and the manufacturing process, it is easy to set the amounts of the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 so that the remaining amounts of the ink ribbon 13 and the recording paper 7 are the same. It is not necessary to manage the remaining amount of the ribbon 13 and the remaining amount of the recording paper 7 independently, which is advantageous in terms of management.

Next, a second embodiment of the cassette according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition,
Components corresponding to those in FIGS. 1 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals.

This cassette C ₂ is, as shown in FIG.
The cassette C ₁ has almost the same structure as the cassette C ₁ according to the first embodiment, but is different in the following points. That is, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 which are superposed on each other are wound around a cylindrical core 8 in a roll shape, and the support shafts 6 in the recording paper storage unit 2 are inserted into the hollow portions of the core 8. By doing so, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 are stored, and
The end of the ink ribbon 13 led out from the recording paper storage unit 2 is fixed to the ink ribbon storage unit 3, and only the take-up roller 10 for winding the ink ribbon 13 is stored. Of course, this winding roller 10 is
As in the embodiment, by being placed in the concave portion 16 on the support plate 15, it is supported at the upper position in the ink ribbon storage portion 3. Therefore, also in this embodiment, only the end portion of the recording paper 7 is pulled out from the window 23 of the recording paper storage unit 2. As the printer P applied to the second embodiment, the same printer (see FIG. 3) described in the first embodiment can be used.

Next, the cassette C _{2 according} to the second embodiment.
Will be described together with the operation of the printer P with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 8, the tray eject key (EJE) on the front panel (not shown) of the printer P is used.
The tray 36 is pulled out from the printer by operating the CT key) or manually. And this tray 3 pulled out
The cassette C ₂ is accommodated in 6. Cassette C _{2 in} FIG. 8B
The tray 36 is stored in the tray 36. At this time, the cassette C ₂ is fixed by the stopper 37 without rattling the tray 36.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9A, the tray 36 is inserted into the printer P through the insertion port 38 by operating the tray insertion key (EJECT key) on the front panel. At this point, the cassette C ₂ is stored in the printer P. At the time of this insertion, the lid 22 of the cassette C ₂ is opened by a known opening / closing mechanism, so that the take-up reel 10 in the ink ribbon storage section 2 faces the printer P through the opening 21 in the cassette C _2. . Further, at this time, the feed roller 34 comes into contact with the end of the recording paper 7 which is partially pulled out from the cassette C ₂ .

Next, as shown in FIG. 9B, the take-up reel 10 is conveyed to a position diagonally above the platen roller 32 by a known conveying mechanism in the printer P while drawing an arcuate locus, As the take-up roller 10 is conveyed, the ink ribbon 13 is conveyed to the platen roller 32 side. In this case, the ink ribbon 13 is the ribbon guide 3
It is guided by 3 in a direction facing above the platen roller 32.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10A, the feed roller 34 rotates counterclockwise in the drawing to pull out the recording paper 7. The recording paper 7 pulled out by the feed roller 34 is fed to the platen roller 32 by the flap 35.
Be guided to the side. Then, the recording paper 7 is drawn by the pull-out by the feed roller 34 and the guide by the flap 35.
Is conveyed in a direction below the ink ribbon 13 and above the platen roller 32, and the end portion of the recording paper 7 is
At a stage where it slightly goes out of the printer P through the take-out port 39, the rotation of the feed roller 34 is once stopped,
The thermal head 31 waits for recording.

When still image information from a video camera or a still camera electrically connected via an external terminal is supplied to the printer, first, the thermal head 31 is driven by a known driving mechanism to drive the platen roller. The recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 are pressure-bonded by the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 32. After that, the heat corresponding to the still image information supplied to the printer P is output via the thermal head 31, so that the image corresponding to the still image information is transferred to the recording paper 7 via the ink ribbon 13. become.

Then, for example, 1 supplied to the printer P.
When all the still images of the number of sheets have been transferred to the recording paper 7, the transport operation of the recording paper 7 by the platen roller 32 and the feed roller 34 is stopped once, and at the same time as this stop, the thermal head 31 separates from the platen roller 32. Return to the original position. Simultaneously with the returning operation of the thermal head 31, the feeding operation of the recording paper 7 by the feed roller 34 is performed again, the recording paper 7 is ejected from the take-out port 39, and the recording paper 7 for one still image is ejected. When
The recording paper 7 is cut by a known cutting mechanism or by cutting with saw teeth by a human hand, and the operation of the printer P is completed.

The ending operation of the cassette C ₂ (recording paper 7
And the operation when the supply of the ink ribbon 13 is completed) are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Also in the cassette C _{2 according} to the second embodiment, like the cassette C _{1 according} to the first embodiment, the housing 1 is set in the printer P, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon to the printer P are set. 13 can be supplied, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 1 to the printer P can be supplied.
The supply of 3 can be done at one time, and the handling becomes very easy. Further, since the ink ribbon 13 and the recording paper 7 are not touched by human hands, the quality of the image transferred onto the recording paper 7 is improved.

Further, since it is not necessary to provide the front / back discriminating means for the user (user) on the cassette C ₂ or the recording paper 7 (and the ink ribbon 13), it is advantageous in reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, there is no possibility that the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 that do not match the characteristics are erroneously used, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 that always match the characteristics can be used. Since it is possible to match the remaining amount of the ink, the user does not need to manage the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 13 and the remaining amount of the recording paper 7 independently, which is also advantageous in terms of management.

Next, a third embodiment of the cassette according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same reference numerals are given to those corresponding to FIG.

The housing 1 of the cassette C ₃ has a box-like shape, which is thinner than the housing 1 according to the first and second embodiments. Further, the ink ribbon storage portion 3 is provided at the front portion of the housing 1,
The recording paper storage 2 is provided at the rear. In the recording paper storage unit 2, a large number of recording papers 7 each cut into a strip shape,
It is stored in a stacked state. A supply reel 9 on which the ink ribbon 13 is wound in a roll shape, and a take-up reel 10 on which one end of the ink ribbon 13 is fixed and which winds the ink ribbon 13 are stored in the ink ribbon storage section 3. There is.

The ink ribbon accommodating portion 3 is provided with a partition plate 41 for partitioning the accommodating space 11 at an intermediate portion thereof, and the take-up reel 10 is accommodated in the accommodating space in front of the partition plate 41 as a boundary. The supply reel 9 is stored in the rear storage space. Further, in the storage space 11, the space in which the take-up reel 10 is stored is open to the outside at the front, the upper part, and the lower part,
The take-up reel 10 is exposed to the outside.

Here, the supply reel 9 has a cylindrical bobbin 12, and the ink ribbon 13 is wound around the bobbin 12 in a roll shape. The width of this ink ribbon 13 is
It is set smaller than the length of the bobbin 12. Therefore,
Overall, the ink ribbon 1 wound in a roll shape
The ends of the bobbin 12 project from both sides of the bobbin 3. On the other hand, the take-up reel 10 has a bobbin 14 having the same shape as the supply reel 9, and one end of the ink ribbon 13 is fixed to the bobbin 14. Also in the take-up reel 10, the length of the bobbin 14 is set to be larger than the width of the ink ribbon 13, similarly to the supply reel 9.

Take-up reel 10 of ink ribbon storage unit 3
Bearings 42, which are mainly composed of compression springs, are provided on both left and right inner side surfaces of the portion in which the take-up reel 10 is stored, and the take-up reel 10 is lightly held by the compression force of the compression springs of the left and right bearings 42. . Therefore, when inserting the cassette C ₃ to the printer P, the known reels extraction mechanism, eject the take-up reel 10 from the cassette C _3, also be accommodated in the cassette C _3. The supply reel 9 is rotatably attached by a known bearing and cannot be taken out.

On the other hand, the recording paper storage unit 2 has
A window 43 is provided that opens approximately half of the storage portion 2, and a shutter 44 that can be opened and closed is attached to the window 43 via a known guide means (rail or groove). . Further, windows 45 for opening windows are formed on both upper sides of the portion of the ink ribbon storage portion 3 in which the supply reel 9 is stored. This groove 45 is a groove into which a window opening jig 46 (see FIG. 13) provided in the printer P is inserted, and the above-mentioned groove inserted into the groove 45 based on the insertion of the cassette C _3. will be immediately 46 slides toward the rear of the relatively cassette C _3, by the sliding, it is possible to open the shutters thereof 44 to the window 43.

A paper feed plate 47 is attached to the lower portion of the recording paper storage unit 2. This paper feed plate 47
When pressed from below through the hole 48, rotates about the rear end (fulcrum) upward. The recording paper 7 is placed on the paper feed plate 47. Therefore, when the paper feed lever provided in the printer P presses the paper feed plate 47 upward, the paper feed plate 47 is rotationally moved upward, and the recording paper 7 is also lifted upward as the paper feed plate 47 is rotationally moved. become. At this time, if the shutter 44 is open, the recording paper 7 is lifted above the cassette C ₃ through the window 43.

Next, the printer P into which this cassette C ₃ is inserted will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 13. This printer P has a thermal head and a platen roller (not shown) inside and the cassette C ₃ is A jig 46 for opening a window and a paper feed roller 50 are arranged above the inserted portion, and a paper feed lever 49 is arranged below the jig 46.

Then, in the printer P, a cassette C ₃
When is inserted, first, with the window opening jig 46,
The shutter 44 is opened so that the upper surface of the recording paper 7 stored in the recording paper storage unit 2 faces the printer P through the window 43. The printer with the insertion completion of the cassette C _3, the groove 51 of the cassette hold provided in the lower part of the cassette C _3, hold means in the printer P (such as projections or arms) is inserted the cassette C ₃ Hold in P. After that, the take-up reel 10 is taken out by the reel take-out mechanism in the printer P,
The sheet is conveyed to the platen roller side (not shown) (see FIGS. 5B and 9B, etc. for this operation).

After that, the paper feed lever 49 is rotated upward to push the paper feed plate 47 in the cassette C3 from below. By pressing the paper feed lever 49, the paper feed plate 47 is rotated and moved upward, and accordingly, the recording paper 7 is lifted up. When the recording paper 7 is lifted above the cassette C ₃ through the window 43, the recording paper 7 is pressed against the paper feed roller 50. The topmost recording paper 7 among the recording papers 7
Are transported to the platen roller side by the transport drive of the paper feed roller 50.

The image corresponding to the still image information supplied to the printer P is transferred to the recording paper 7 based on the thermal output of the thermal head 31 to the ink ribbon 13.
The recording paper 7 to which the image has been transferred is discharged from the take-out port by a known conveying means.

According to the cassette C ₃ of the third embodiment, like the first and second embodiments, the housing 1 is set in the printer P, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 to the printer P are set. Can be supplied, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 can be supplied to the printer P at one time, and the handling becomes very simple. Further, since the ink ribbon 13 and the recording paper 7 are not touched by human hands, the quality of the image transferred onto the recording paper 7 is improved.

Further, since it is not necessary to provide the front / back discriminating means for the user to the cassette C ₃ or the recording paper 7 (and the ink ribbon 13), it is advantageous in reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, there is no possibility that the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 that do not match the characteristics are erroneously used, and the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 that always match the characteristics can be used. Since it is possible to match the remaining amount of the ink, the user does not need to manage the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 13 and the remaining amount of the recording paper 7 independently, which is also advantageous in terms of management.

In particular, in the third embodiment, since the housing 1 can be formed into a thin box shape, the size of the cassette C ₃ itself can be reduced and the cassette storage in the printer P can be reduced. The structure of the portion can be reduced, and the printer P can be downsized.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the cassette according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the same reference numerals are given to those corresponding to those in FIGS.

The cassette C ₄ has almost the same structure as the cassette C ₃ according to the third embodiment, but differs in the following points. That is, in the cassette C ₄ , the ink ribbon storage unit 3
The point is that a lid 22 that can be opened and closed is provided. The lid 22 rotates upward around a support shaft 61 provided above the portion of the ink ribbon storage portion 3 in which the supply reel 9 is stored. Then, by opening the lid 22, the take-up reel 10 in the ink ribbon storage portion 3 is exposed to the outside.

Further, both the supply reel 9 and the take-up reel 10 have shafts 62 and 63 at the centers of the bobbins 12 and 14, respectively. And these reels 9 and 1
The reference numeral 0 indicates the shaft 62 in each of the concave portions 65 and 66 of the support plate 64 provided on both the left and right inner side surfaces of the ink ribbon storage portion 3.
And 63 are rotatably supported in the ink ribbon storage section 3.

Further, a lid 67 that is openable and closable with respect to the window 43 is attached to the upper portion of the recording paper storage unit 2 instead of the shutter. The lid 67 is adapted to rotate up and down about a support shaft 68 provided slightly rearward in the upper portion of the recording paper storage unit 2. That is, in this example, the paper feed lever 49 in the printer P presses the paper feed plate 47 from below, and the paper feed plate 47 and the recording paper 7 placed on it.
When the recording paper 7 is lifted, the recording paper 7 is lifted up, and the lid 67 is also rotated around the support shaft 68 and lifted up. The recess 69 formed from the center of the end surface of the lid 67 toward the center of the lid 67 is a recess for escaping from the paper feed roller 50 when the lid 67 is lifted upward.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, a lock mechanism 70 for locking the two lids 22 and 67 is provided on one inner side surface from the recording paper storage portion 2 to the ink ribbon storage portion 3. . The lock mechanism 70 is unlocked by inserting a protrusion (not shown) installed in the printer P into an unlock hole 71 (see FIG. 15) formed on the side surface of the cassette C ₄ , Two lids 22
And 67 can be opened to the ink ribbon storage unit 3 and the recording paper storage unit 2, respectively. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the cassette C3 according to the third embodiment, so the description thereof will be omitted.

Also in the cassette C _{4 according} to the fourth embodiment, the handling is very simple and the quality of the image transferred onto the recording paper 7 can be improved as in the third embodiment. . Further, it is possible to always use the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 13 having the same characteristics, and it is also advantageous in terms of management regarding the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 13 and the recording paper 7. Further, since the housing 1 can be formed into a thin box shape, the size of the cassette C ₄ itself can be reduced, and the printer P can be reduced in size. In particular, in the case of this example, the lid 22
Since this is provided, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from entering the ink ribbon storage section 3.

[0076]

As described above, according to the printer cassette of the present invention, the recording paper storage portion and the ink ribbon storage portion are provided in one housing, and the recording paper storage portion is roll-shaped. A supply reel in which the wound recording paper is stored and the ink ribbon is wound in a roll shape in the ink ribbon storage section, and an ink ribbon in which one end of the ink ribbon is fixed and which is wound around the supply reel And a take-up reel for taking up the tape, and one of the supply reel and the take-up reel is detachably attached to the ink ribbon storage section. Alternatively, the recording paper and the ink ribbon are stored in the recording paper storage portion in a state of being overlapped with each other and wound in a roll shape, and one end of the ink ribbon is fixed in the ink ribbon storage portion, and recording is performed. A take-up reel for taking up an ink ribbon wound in a roll shape with paper is housed, and the take-up reel is detachably attached to the ink ribbon housing section. Alternatively, in the recording paper storage unit, a large number of recording paper cut into strips are stored in a stacked state, and in the ink ribbon storage unit, an ink ribbon is wound in a roll and a supply reel, One end of the ink ribbon is fixed,
In addition, the take-up reel for winding the ink ribbon is housed, and one of the supply reel and the take-up reel is detachably attached to the ink ribbon housing portion. Then, the recording paper and the ink ribbon can be supplied to the printer.

Therefore, the recording paper and the ink ribbon can be supplied to the printer at one time, and since it is not necessary to consider the front and back of the recording paper and the ink ribbon, the handling becomes very simple. When the housing is set, the ink ribbon and the recording paper are not touched by human hands, so that the quality of the image transferred onto the recording paper is improved. In particular, by attaching a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the ink ribbon storage portion to the housing, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering during storage and further improve the quality of the image transferred onto the recording paper. You can

Further, since it is not necessary to provide a front / back discriminating means for the user on the cassette or the recording paper (and the ink ribbon), it is advantageous in reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, there is no possibility that a recording paper and an ink ribbon that do not match the characteristics are erroneously used, and it is possible to always use the recording paper and the ink ribbon that have the characteristics. Also,
In the design stage and the manufacturing process, it is easy to set the amounts of the recording paper and the ink ribbon so that the remaining amount of the ink ribbon and the remaining amount of the recording paper are the same. There is no need to manage the remaining amount of paper independently, which is advantageous in terms of management.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a printer cassette according to the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as a cassette according to the first embodiment), and FIG. 1A shows a state in which a lid is closed, FIG. 6B shows a state in which the lid is opened.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the cassette according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer in which a cassette according to the first embodiment is set.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram (part 1) showing the operation of the cassette according to the first embodiment together with the operation of the printer.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view (No. 2) showing the operation of the cassette according to the first embodiment together with the operation of the printer.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view (No. 3) showing the operation of the cassette according to the first embodiment together with the operation of the printer.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a second embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as a cassette according to the second embodiment) of the printer cassette according to the present invention, and FIG. 7A shows a state in which the lid is closed, FIG. 6B shows a state in which the lid is opened.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view (part 1) showing the operation of the cassette according to the second embodiment together with the operation of the printer.

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view (No. 2) showing the operation of the cassette according to the second embodiment together with the operation of the printer.

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory view (No. 3) showing the operation of the cassette according to the second embodiment together with the operation of the printer.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the configuration of a third embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as a cassette according to the third embodiment) of the printer cassette according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing the configuration of the cassette according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the cassette according to the third embodiment together with the schematic configuration of the printer.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as a cassette according to the fourth embodiment) of the printer cassette according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing the configuration of the cassette according to the fourth exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the cassette according to the fourth exemplary embodiment together with the schematic configuration of the printer.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of supplying recording paper to a printer according to a conventional example.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of supplying an ink ribbon cassette to a printer according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of Codes] C1, C2, C3, C4 Cassette P Printer 1 Housing 2 Recording Paper Storage 3 Ink Ribbon Storage 7 Recording Paper 9 Supply Reel 10 Winding Reel 12, 14 Bobbin 13 Ink Ribbon 22 Lid 23 Window 31 Thermal Head 32 Platen Roller 36 Tray 43 Window 44 Shutter 47 Paper Feed Plate 49 Paper Feed Lever 50 Paper Feed Roller 67 Lid

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A recording head and a recording conveyance roller are provided inside, and at the time of recording, the recording head and the recording conveyance roller are conveyed in a state where an ink ribbon and a recording sheet overlap each other, and the ink ribbon is conveyed. A cassette for a printer, which is used in a printer for transferring an image to the recording sheet by the recording head via the recording head, and has a recording sheet storage section and an ink ribbon storage section in one housing. 2. A recording paper wound in a roll shape is stored in the recording paper storage portion, a supply reel in which the ink ribbon is wound in a roll shape, and the ink ribbon are stored in the ink ribbon storage portion. One end of the reel is fixed and a take-up reel that winds the ink ribbon is stored, and one of the supply reel and the take-up reel is detachable from the ink ribbon storage section. The printer cassette according to claim 1, wherein the cassette is for a printer. 3. The recording paper and the ink ribbon are stored in the recording paper storage portion in a state of being superposed on each other and wound in a roll shape, and one end of the ink ribbon is fixed in the ink ribbon storage portion. 2. The printer cassette according to claim 1, wherein a take-up reel for winding the ink ribbon is housed, and the take-up reel is detachable from the ink ribbon housing section. 4. A large number of recording papers cut into strips are stored in the recording paper storage unit in a stacked state, and the ink ribbon is wound into a roll in the ink ribbon storage unit. A supply reel and one end of the ink ribbon, and a take-up reel for winding the ink ribbon, are housed, and one of the supply reel and the take-up reel is the ink ribbon housing section. The printer cassette according to claim 1, wherein the cassette is removable. 5. The printer cassette according to claim 1, wherein a lid that is openable and closable with respect to the ink ribbon storage portion is attached to the housing. 6. The printer cassette according to claim 1, wherein the recording paper storage portion is provided with a window through which the recording paper is pulled out.