JP2005047054A - Cassette for thermal transfer sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cassette for thermal transfer sheet in which a thermal transfer sheet can be fed out or wound smoothly without touching the inside of the cassette. <P>SOLUTION: The cassette 10 for a thermal transfer sheet comprises a core holder 11 having a winding core holding section 12 and a supply core holding section 13, and covers 20 and 22 for covering the winding core holding section 12 and the supply core holding section 13, respectively. The core holder 11 is provided with a rod 30 for guiding a thermal transfer sheet 5. The rod 30 is disposed on the side opposite to the thermal head 5b for the thermal transfer sheet 5 and on the core holder 11 side for the thermal transfer sheet 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet cassette that houses a sheet body made of a thermal transfer sheet.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a sheet body having a winding core, a supply core, and a thermal transfer sheet is known. The sheet body is stored in a thermal transfer sheet cassette including a winding core holding portion, a core holding body having a supply core holding portion, and a lid body covering the core holding body (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).
[0003]
In the cassette, the thermal transfer sheet is fed out from the supply core and wound around the winding core. During this time, the thermal transfer sheet is heated by the thermal head, and the image is transferred from the thermal transfer sheet to the image receiving sheet.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
US Pat. No. 5,110,228 gazette
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when the thermal transfer sheet is fed out in the cassette, the thermal transfer sheet may come into contact with the inner surface of the cassette, which may hinder the winding of the thermal transfer sheet by the winding core. For this reason, it is conceivable to provide a rod for guiding the thermal transfer sheet in the cassette. However, depending on the installation structure of the rod, the rod may be detached or the thermal transfer sheet guiding function may not be sufficiently performed.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in consideration of such points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer sheet cassette that can be brought into contact with the cassette and can smoothly guide the thermal transfer sheet.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet cassette for storing a winding core, a supply core, and a thermal transfer sheet that is wound around the winding core and the supply core and heated by a thermal head. A core holding body having a portion, a supply core holding portion, a pair of connecting portions connecting the holding core holding portion and the supply core holding portion, a winding core holding portion and a supply core holding portion And a rod that is provided between a pair of connecting portions of the core holder and that contacts the thermal transfer sheet and guides the thermal transfer sheet, and the position of the rod is opposite to the thermal head with respect to the thermal transfer sheet. The thermal transfer sheet cassette is characterized in that the rod is moved to the core holding body side with respect to the thermal transfer sheet.
[0008]
The present invention is the thermal transfer sheet cassette characterized in that an opening support portion for supporting the rod is provided at the connecting portion of the core holder, and the opening portion of the opening support portion is covered with a sealing rib of the lid.
[0009]
The present invention is the thermal transfer sheet cassette, wherein the holding portion of the winding core and the holding portion of the supply core each have an opening bearing that supports and opens the winding core and the supply core.
[0010]
The present invention is the thermal transfer sheet cassette characterized in that a concave rail is provided on the inner surface of the core holder, and a protrusion that fits into the concave rail is provided on the lid.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
1 to 6 are views showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer sheet cassette according to the present invention.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the thermal transfer sheet cassette 10 is a sheet body 1 including a winding core 2, a supply core 3, and a thermal transfer sheet 5 wound around the winding core 2 and the supply core 3. Is to be stored.
[0014]
The thermal transfer sheet 5 in the thermal transfer sheet cassette 10 is unwound from the supply core 3 and taken up by the take-up core 2. During this time, the thermal transfer sheet 5 is heated by the thermal head 5b, and the image is transferred to the image receiving sheet 5a ( FIG. 6).
[0015]
The winding core 2 and the supply core 3 both have flanges 2b and 3b. The winding core 2 and the supply core 3 have ratchets 2a and 3a for positioning.
[0016]
The thermal transfer sheet cassette 10 that stores the sheet body 1 having such a configuration includes a winding core holding portion 12 that holds the winding core 2, a supply core holding portion 13 that holds the supply core 3, and these A core holding body 11 having a pair of connecting portions 17 that connect the holding portion 12 of the winding core and the holding portion 13 of the supply core, and the holding portion 12 of the winding core and the holding core of the core holding body 11 A pair of lid bodies 20 and 21 covering the portion 13 are provided.
[0017]
Of these, the lid 20 covers the holding part 12 of the winding core, and the lid 21 covers the holding part 13 of the supply core.
[0018]
Further, the winding core holding portion 12 of the core holding body 11 holds the shaft 2 c of the winding core 2 and has an open bearing 12 a that opens upward, and the supply core holding portion 13 is the shaft 3 c of the supply core 3. And an opening bearing 13a that opens upward.
[0019]
The opening bearings 12a and 13a both open upward, and are adapted to fit and support the shaft 2c of the take-up core 2 and the shaft 3c of the supply core 3 fitted from above.
[0020]
In addition, a rod 30 is provided between the pair of connecting portions 17 of the core holder 11 so as to contact the thermal transfer sheet 5 and guide the thermal transfer sheet 5. The rod 30 is disposed on the side opposite to the thermal head 5b with respect to the thermal transfer sheet 5, and the rod 30 is disposed on the core holder 11 side with respect to the thermal transfer sheet 5 (FIG. 6).
[0021]
Further, the rod 30 is rotatably supported by an opening support portion 31 provided at each connecting portion 17 and opened upward. The opening portion of the opening support portion 31 is formed by a sealing rib 32 provided inside the lid body 22. Covered and sealed.
[0022]
As described above, when the thermal head 5b presses the thermal transfer sheet 5 by bringing the rod 30 to the side opposite to the thermal head 5b with respect to the thermal transfer sheet 5 and to the core holder 11 side with respect to the thermal transfer sheet 5. The rod 30 is directed toward the core holding body 11, and the rod 30 is not pressed outward from the core holding body 11 when the thermal head 5 b is pressed, and is not detached from the core holding body 11.
[0023]
Further, since the rod 30 is held in the opening support portion 31, the rod 30 can be easily accommodated in the opening support portion 31 simply by inserting the rod 30 into the opening support portion 31 from above. Furthermore, by simply covering the lid 21 on the holding portion 13 of the supply core of the core holder 11, the opening support portion 31 is sealed by the sealing rib 32 of the lid 21, so that the rod 30 is sealed by the opening support portion 31 and the sealing rib 32. Can be held.
[0024]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring 14 is provided on one side (left side) of the winding core holding portion 12 to press the winding core 2 toward the other side (right side). A spring 15 that presses the supply core 3 toward the other side (right side) is also provided on one side (left side) of the holding portion 13. The spring 14 is provided between the wall surface of the winding core holder 12 and the end of the winding core 2, and the spring 15 is between the wall surface of the supply core holder 13 and the end of the supply core 3. Is provided.
[0025]
When the thermal transfer sheet 5 is driven, a driving mechanism (not shown) is inserted from the other side (right side) of the winding core holding portion 12 and the supply core holding portion 13, and this driving mechanism resists the force of the springs 14 and 15. Then, the winding core 2 and the supply core 3 are moved to the left in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 to rotate the winding core 2 and the supply core 3.
[0026]
When the thermal transfer sheet 5 is stopped, the drive mechanism is separated from the take-up core 2 and the supply core 3, and the take-up core 2 and the supply core 3 are moved to the right side in FIGS. The ratchets 2a and 3a of the core 2 and the supply core 3 are engaged with the engaging portions (not shown) of the corresponding winding core holding portions 12 and the engaging portions (not shown) of the holding portion 13 of the supply core. Thus, the winding core 2 and the supply core 3 are locked.
[0027]
Furthermore, concave rails 22 and 23 extending in the vertical direction are respectively provided on the inner surfaces of the holding portion 12 and the holding portion 13 of the core holding body 11, and the lid bodies 20 and 21 are fitted into the concave rails 22 and 23. Protrusions 24 and 25 are provided. That is, when covering the core holding body 11 with the lid bodies 20 and 21, the protrusions 24 and 25 of the lid bodies 20 and 21 are fitted into the corresponding holding portions 12 and the concave rails 22 and 23 of the holding portion 13. Accordingly, the lid bodies 20 and 21 can be smoothly covered on the holding portion 12 and the holding portion 13 of the core holding body 11.
[0028]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration will be described.
[0029]
First, the rod 30 is mounted in the opening support portion 31 of the core holder 11. Next, the sheet body 1 including the winding core 2, the supply core 3, and the thermal transfer sheet 5 is attached to the core holder 11. In this case, the winding core 2 and the supply core 3 are respectively inserted into the winding core holding part 12 and the supply core holding part 13.
[0030]
As described above, since the opening bearing 12a of the holding part 12 of the winding core and the opening bearing 13a of the holding part 13 of the supply core both open upward, the shaft 2c of the winding core 2 and the supply core The shaft 2c of the winding core 2 and the shaft 3c of the supply core 3 can be easily inserted into the opening bearings 12a and 13a simply by fitting the three shafts 3c into the opening bearings 12a and 13a from above.
[0031]
Next, the lid 20 is put on the winding core holding portion 12 of the core holder 11, and the lid 21 is put on the holding portion 13 of the supply core. In this case, the projections 24 and 25 of the lids 20 and 21 are fitted into the holding portions 12 of the core holding body 11 and the concave rails 22 and 23 of the holding portion 13 so that the lids 20 and 21 are smoothly attached to the core holding body 11. It can cover the holding part 12 of the winding core and the holding part 13 of the supply core. Further, the sealing rib 32 of the lid 21 seals the opening support portion 31, whereby the rod 30 can be locked and held between the opening support portion 31 and the sealing rib 32.
[0032]
In this way, the sheet body 1 having the thermal transfer sheet 5 can be stored and held in the thermal transfer sheet cassette 10.
[0033]
After the sheet body 1 is housed in the thermal transfer sheet cassette 10, the thermal transfer sheet cassette 10 is mounted on the printer, and the thermal transfer sheet 5 is heated by the thermal head 5b of the printer, and the image is transferred to the image receiving sheet 5a (FIG. 6).
[0034]
In this case, since the thermal transfer sheet 5 is guided in the cassette 10 between the thermal transfer sheets by the rod 30, the thermal transfer sheet 5 does not contact or abut the inner surface of the cassette 10. For this reason, the thermal transfer sheet 5 can be smoothly unwound from the supply core 13 and wound around the winding core 12. In addition, since the rod 30 has come to the opposite side of the thermal transfer sheet 5 from the thermal head 5b and to the core holder 11 side with respect to the thermal transfer sheet 5, when the thermal head 5b presses the thermal transfer sheet 5, the rod 30 Is directed toward the core holding body 11, and the rod 30 is not pressed outward from the core holding body 11 when the thermal head 5 b is pressed, and does not come off the core holding body 11.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the thermal transfer sheet is smoothly guided by the rod in the cassette, so that the thermal transfer sheet does not come into contact with the inner surface of the cassette, and the thermal transfer sheet can be smoothly fed out or wound up. . Further, even if the thermal transfer sheet is pressed with a thermal head, the rod does not come off.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer sheet cassette according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a thermal transfer sheet cassette.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a thermal transfer sheet cassette.
4 is a side view in the IV direction of FIG. 3;
5 is a side view in the V direction of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a relationship among a thermal transfer sheet, a rod, and a thermal head.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sheet body 2 Winding core 3 Supply core 5 Thermal transfer sheet 10 Thermal transfer sheet cassette 11 Core holding body 12 Winding core holding part 12a Opening bearing 13 Supply core holding part 13a Opening bearing 14 Spring 15 Spring 17 Connecting part 20, 21 Lids 22 and 23 Concave rails 24 and 25 Projection 30 Rod 31 Opening support 32 Sealing rib

Claims (4)

In the thermal transfer sheet cassette for storing a sheet body composed of a winding core, a supply core, and a thermal transfer sheet wound around the winding core and the supply core and heated by a thermal head,
A core holding body having a holding part for the winding core, a holding part for the supply core, and a pair of connecting parts for connecting the holding part for the winding core and the holding part for the supply core;
A lid covering the holding part of the winding core and the holding part of the supply core;
Provided between a pair of connecting portions of the core holder, and a rod for contacting the thermal transfer sheet and guiding the thermal transfer sheet;
A thermal transfer sheet cassette, wherein the position of the rod is arranged on the opposite side of the thermal head with respect to the thermal transfer sheet, and the rod is brought to the core holder side with respect to the thermal transfer sheet. 2. The thermal transfer sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein an opening support portion for supporting the rod is provided at the connecting portion of the core holding body, and the opening portion of the opening support portion is covered with a sealing rib of the lid. 2. The thermal transfer sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein the winding core holding portion and the supply core holding portion each have an opening bearing that supports and opens the winding core and the supply core. 2. The thermal transfer sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein a concave rail is provided on an inner surface of the core holder, and a protrusion is provided on the lid to be fitted to the concave rail.

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