JPH06155877A - Structure of multiple ink ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a structure of a multiple ink ribbon cassette which enables resetting of a multiple ribbon cassette to be performed simply and correctly and is excellent in operability. CONSTITUTION:Supports 21 and 23 are inserted into the opposite ends of a feed-side spool 27, while supports 22 and 24 are inserted into the opposite ends of a take-up spool 28. The supports 21 and 24 and the supports 22 and 23 being used herein and in the relation of contraposition to each other are identical in the shape with each other. As to the structure of holding parts of a cassette main body 50, holding parts 31 and 34 and holding parts 32 and 33 being located at contrapositive positions to each other are formed also to be identical in the shape with each other. In other words, the cassette main body 50 is so shaped that it can be fitted to a printer (not shown in the figure), as it is, even when it is turned by 180 deg..

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-ink ribbon cassette and, more particularly, to a multi-ink ribbon cassette structure which is advantageously applied to, for example, a printer device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The structure of an ink ribbon in a printer device is roughly classified into a one-time ink ribbon whose life is terminated by one printing and a multi-ink ribbon cassette capable of printing several degrees to several tens of degrees. It

Conventionally, a multi-ink ribbon cassette used in, for example, a thermal transfer printer is characterized in that it can be manufactured at a relatively low price, but since the ink ribbon cassette does not have an endless structure, the ink ribbon can be repeatedly used. I had to reverse the running direction.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a conventional multi-ink ribbon cassette structure, and FIG. 2 (a) is an external view thereof.
(B) and (c) show the resetting procedure.

The ribbon 6 is stretched between a spool 7 on the winding side and a spool 8 on the winding side. A support 1 and a support 3 are inserted and supported at both ends of the spool 7, respectively. Further, the support 2 and the support 4 are respectively inserted and supported at both ends of the spool 8.

The ribbon 6 is placed in the multi-ink ribbon cassette 5.
When loading, the spools 7 and 8 are housed in the cassette body 5, and the supports 1, 2, 3, and 4 are engaged with the receiving portions 11, 12, 13, and 14 (see FIG. 2).
(A)). After the ribbon 6 is loaded in the multi-ink ribbon cassette, the cassette 5 is mounted at a position where these supports 1, 2, 3, 4 are engaged with the printer device (not shown).

When all the ribbons 6 are wound on the winding side, the multi-ribbon cassette 5 is reset. The procedure for resetting is as follows. First, remove the ribbon 6 from the ribbon cassette 5 and then, as shown in FIG.
Remove the support 1 and the support 3, and then remove the support 2 and the support 4 from the spool on the winding side.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the ribbon 6
Is rotated 180 °, and the supports 1, 2, 3, 4 are attached so that the winding side becomes the winding side. The spool and the ribbon thus assembled are loaded into the multi-ink ribbon cassette main body 5 as shown in FIG. 2A, and the multi-ink ribbon cassette main body 5 is attached to the printer to complete the resetting.

[0009]

However, in the conventional multi-ink ribbon cassette structure, since the support shapes of the spool end portions of the winding side and the winding side are not the same, as described above, the multi-ink ribbon cassette 5 is used. It was necessary to take out the ribbon 6 once and reset the ink ribbon. That is, the winding-up side and the winding-up side of the ink ribbon spool that has been used up to now have to be temporarily removed from the multi-ink ribbon cassette body and reloaded, which requires a complicated procedure and the ink on the ribbon 6 Has poor workability such as sticking to the hands of workers.

At this time, since the support shapes of the spool end portions on the winding side and the winding side are not the same, it has been necessary to take care not to misalign the positions during reloading. As described above, the conventional multi-ink ribbon cassette structure has a problem that many steps, careful operation, and a lot of time are required for resetting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a multi-ink ribbon cassette structure which is easy to reset the multi-ribbon cassette and has excellent workability.

[0012]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a first spool having first and second supports at both ends, and a third spool having third and fourth supports at both ends. Cassette having two spools, first and second receiving portions for engaging the first and second supports, respectively, and third and fourth receiving portions for engaging the third and fourth supports, respectively In a multi-ink ribbon cassette structure which is composed of a main body and is used by stretching a winding-side ribbon and a winding-side ribbon between a first spool and a second spool, a first and a third supports, a second and a fourth supports are provided. Supports, first and third
And the second and fourth receiving portions have the same shape.

[0013]

According to the present invention, when the multi-ribbon cassette having the ribbon wound on the winding side of the multi-ribbon cassette is to be reset, the multi-ribbon cassette is removed from the main body in which the cassette is mounted and the cassette is set to 180 °
Rotate and attach to the body so that the winding side and winding side are opposite.

[0014]

Embodiments of the multi-ribbon cassette structure according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1
Is a perspective view showing an embodiment when the multi-ink ribbon cassette structure of the present invention is applied to a thermal transfer printer or the like,
(A) shows a resetting procedure, and (b) shows a state after resetting.

Supports 21 and 23 are inserted into both ends of the winding-side spool 27, and supports 22 and 24 are inserted into both ends of the winding-side spool 28. Here, the supports 21 and 24 and the supports 22 and 23 which have a kinematic relationship to each other have the same shape.

The structure of the receiving portion of the cassette body 50 is also
The receiving portions 31 and 34 and the receiving portions 32 and 33 at the pair position are formed in the same shape. That is, the cassette body 50 has such a shape that it can be mounted on a printer (not shown) as it is even if it is rotated 180 °.

When the ink ribbon is set, as shown in FIG. 1A, the spool 27 on the winding-feed side is provided with receiving portions 31, 33.
And the take-up spool 28 is engaged with the receiving portions 32 and 34.

Ink ribbon 6 on spool 27 on the winding side
When the ink is wound on the spool 28 on the take-up side, the cassette main body 50 is rotated 180 degrees as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 1A while the ink ribbon 6 is stretched around the spools 27 and 28. As a result, the winding side and the winding feed side are substantially switched. Then, the cassette body 50 is mounted on the printer as it is.

As a result, the support 24 is transferred to the receiving portion 31,
The support 22 goes to the receiving portion 33, and the support 23 goes to the receiving portion 3
2, the support 21 is engaged with the receiving portion 34, respectively.

As described above, since the support and the receiving portion are formed in the same shape, the support and the receiving portion do not have to be pulled out from the spool and inserted after the resetting. That is, according to the present embodiment, the cassette main body 50 is simply turned 180 degrees and mounted in the printer as it is, and the resetting of the multi-ribbon cassette is completed.

Although the multi-ink ribbon cassette structure used in the thermal transfer printer device is shown in the embodiment, the structure of the spool and the support of the present invention is not limited to the thermal transfer printer device, and other printer devices and facsimile devices can be used. Can also be applied to.

[0022]

As described above with reference to the drawings, according to the multi-ink ribbon cassette structure of the present invention, unlike the conventional multi-ink ribbon cassette, it is necessary to pay attention to the supports of different shapes and to carefully reset them, which is complicated. To be released. That is, the multi-ink ribbon cassette structure of the present invention has the following features because the cassette body may simply be rotated 180 degrees and mounted in the printer as it is.

Resetting is one-touch. Do not take multiple steps.

Since it is a one-touch operation, there is no risk of erroneous resetting.

Since it is a one-touch operation, it is effective in reducing the number of steps.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a multi-ink ribbon cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention and a procedure for resetting the same.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a conventional multi-ink ribbon cassette structure and a procedure for resetting the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Ribbon 21-24 Support 27, 28 Spool 31-34 Receiver 50 Multi-ink ribbon cassette body

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first spool having first and second supports at both ends, a second spool having third and fourth supports at both ends, and the first and second supports, respectively. And a cassette body having first and second receiving portions and third and fourth receiving portions that engage with the third and fourth supports, respectively, and between the first and second spools. In a multi-ink ribbon cassette structure in which a ribbon on the winding side and a ribbon on the winding side are stretched and used, the first and third supports, the second and fourth supports, the first and third receivers A multi-ink ribbon cassette structure characterized in that the portions and the second and fourth receiving portions have the same shape.