JP3580807B2 - Ink sheet set - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ink sheet set for use in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a facsimile machine.

When printing on recording paper such as plain paper using a thermal printer, an ink ribbon cartridge is usually used because of its easiness of replacement and ease of handling. When the thermal printer is a line printer, a wide ink sheet is used. Conventional ink sheet cartridges of this type are designed to replace an ink sheet with a cartridge body as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-81749, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-193732, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-141987. Therefore, the supply spool and the take-up spool of the ink sheet can be rotatably supported and are detachably configured.
JP-A-6-81749 JP-A-10-193732 JP-A-9-141987

  However, if the user mistakes the mounting position of the supply-side spool and the winding-side spool with respect to the cartridge body and the right and left arrangement of each spool, if the front and back surfaces of the new ink sheet are properly set with respect to the cartridge body. Therefore, there is a problem that the printing operation becomes impossible.

  Generally, one side of the supply spool and the take-up spool is provided with a gear portion for transmitting power from the main body of the image forming apparatus and rotating each spool. In this case, if the mounting side of the gear portion is erroneous, the supply of the ink sheet becomes impossible. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange the gear portion on the correct side surface of the cartridge main body and set it in the main body of the apparatus in the correct direction.

  Accordingly, there has been a problem that a normal user is confused or troublesome in mounting the supply-side spool and the winding-side spool in the correct positions and directions.

  Furthermore, if a core tube wound with another company's ink sheet can fit into the spool, the other company's ink sheet will be erroneously used. There has been a problem that the image forming apparatus does not operate normally, for example, it is not possible to exhibit high printing performance.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described conventional problems, and provides an ink sheet set that improves the workability of replacing an ink sheet set and prevents an erroneous ink sheet set from being mounted. The purpose is.

2. The ink sheet set according to claim 1, wherein the winding-side core tube comprises a supply-side core tube, a winding-side core tube, and an ink sheet wound around the core tube. has an outer diameter that the inner diameter part and the fitting, the intermediate coupling comprising a tubular base portion to be inserted into the winding core tube, and a outermost diameter portion having the same diameter as the outer diameter of the winding core tube has a body, said intermediate connecting member is, when it is attached to one end of the take-up core tube, wherein the end face of the outermost diameter portion, intermediate connector of the takeup-side core tube is inserted length to the other end surface is not found the ink sheet is the width of the same, when the ink sheet is wound on the winding core tube, the ink sheet is said winding core tube and a characterized in that covering to the end face of the outermost diameter portion of the intermediate connector That.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink sheet set according to the first aspect, the ink sheet set is provided on an image forming apparatus and is engaged with a take-up drive spool that is elastically deformable in an axial direction. A first cam surface on which the engaging claw of the take-up drive spool is elastically deformed and which can be used to engage with the pawl; And a second cam surface on which the locking claw cannot be overcome by elastic deformation.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink sheet set according to the second aspect, when the take-up core tube is rotated in a direction in which the ink sheet is taken up, the second cam surface is It is characterized by engaging with the locking claw.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink sheet set according to the second or third aspect, the cam portion is formed by dividing a tip of the intermediate connector into three in the circumferential direction. It is characterized by having.

  On the other hand, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the intermediate connector is irremovably attached to the winding-side core tube.

  As described above, in the ink sheet set of the present invention, the intermediate connector is attached to one end of the core tube around which the ink sheet is wound, and is rotated integrally with the core tube by the power transmitted from the main body side. Therefore, the core tube of another company's ink sheet without an intermediate connector cannot be installed in a specific ink sheet cartridge, etc. This has the effect that troubles such as deterioration of printing quality and printing failure due to non-use can be prevented.

Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the facsimile apparatus 1 on which the ink sheet cartridge 20 is mounted, FIG. 2 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of a setting portion of the ink sheet cartridge 20, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ink sheet cartridge 20, and FIG. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the ink sheet cartridge 20, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a spool connecting portion on the winding side.

  First, the structure of a facsimile machine 1 as an image forming apparatus of the present invention will be schematically described. The facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment reads an image or the like from a document 8, transmits the image data as facsimile data to another facsimile apparatus via a communication line such as a telephone line, and transmits a communication line such as a telephone line. It receives facsimile data transmitted from another facsimile machine via the MFP and forms an image on the recording paper 4 as well as a function as a normal facsimile machine. It has a function as a printer that receives print data transmitted through the printer and forms an image according to the data.

  A receiver (not shown) is arranged on one side of the main body case 2 of the facsimile machine 1. The upper cover body 6 that covers the upper surface of the main body case 2 having an open top surface is pivotally attached to the upper rear end of the main body case 2 so as to be pivotable about a pivot point 6a at the rear end. An operation panel 3 having a key switch 3a, a liquid crystal display device 3b, and the like is provided on a front side of an upper surface of the upper cover body 6. The operation panel 3 is also configured so that the front side can be opened upward and turned in order to remove the document 8 when the document 8 is not properly fed. At the rear of the upper surface of the main body case 2, a paper feed table 5 for stacking and placing the recording paper 4 in an obliquely downward state is provided rotatably with respect to the rear of the upper cover body 6. A document table 7 is detachably mounted in the middle part of the upper surface of the main body case 2.

  In the main body case 2, a pair of feed rollers 9 for conveying the original 8 from the original platen 7, a contact type image scanner (CIS) 10, and an upper side of the reading unit are provided below the operation panel 3. And a paper discharge roller pair 12 are disposed.

  A paper feed roller 15 for transporting the recording paper 4 from the paper feed table 5 one by one and a separation biased by a spring on its upper peripheral surface are provided in the main body case 2 below the paper feed table 5. A paper feed unit 14 including a pad 16 and the like is provided.

  A roller-shaped platen 17 as a printing unit, a thermal head 22 on a printing table 19 urged by a spring 18 toward the lower surface of the platen 17, And a storage unit 13 for the ink sheet cartridge 20 that is disposed so as to straddle in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 1).

  In the ink sheet cartridge 20 in the storage section 13, the supply sheet spool 25 for the ink sheet 21 is disposed on the rear side of the main body case 2, the take-up sheet spool 26 is located on the front side of the main body case 2, and the supply side sheet The spool 25 is arranged in a forwardly inclined shape (hip-up shape) so that the spool 25 side is at a high position and the take-up side sheet spool 26 is at a low position. Therefore, the lower portion of the storage section 13 is located on the rear side of the lower surface of the main body case 2, and in combination with the configuration in which the ink sheet cartridge 20 is inclined forward, a large space is formed at the rear lower surface of the main body case 2. It is formed. Thus, a control board 29 for executing the operation of the facsimile machine 1 and the like is arranged in this space, that is, below the storage section 13.

  The ink sheet 21 wound from the supply-side sheet spool 25 to the front take-up sheet spool 26 passes through the top surface of the thermal head 22 and the tension body 23 made of a spring plate, and is positioned below the take-up sheet spool 26. To the surface side. At this time, the ink surface of the ink sheet 21 is on the upper surface. The recording paper 4 overlapping the upper surface (ink surface) of the ink sheet 21 is printed in a printing section where the platen 17 and the thermal head 22 overlap, and then is printed on the upper side of the ink sheet cartridge 20 on the winding sheet spool 26 side. The paper passes through the upper surface of the partition plate 24 having the function of the formed transport chute, and is discharged to the front of the main body case 2 via the discharge roller pair 28. An upper chute portion 27 of a plurality of rib-shaped transport chutes protruding downward is arranged on the lower surface of the upper cover body 6 so as to extend from the upstream side to the downstream side with the platen 17 interposed therebetween. It is configured such that the recording paper 4 can pass between the partition plate 24 of the cartridge 20 and the partition plate 24.

  On the other hand, the ink sheet 21 is bent downward at the top surface of the tension body 23, passes through the lower surface of the partition plate 24, and is wound around the lower peripheral side of the winding sheet spool 26. .

  Next, the configuration of the ink sheet cartridge 20 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  The ink sheet cartridge 20 includes a cartridge body 30, an ink sheet 21, a pair of left and right supply-side spools 36 and 37 as the supply-side sheet spool 25, and a pair of right and left take-up spools as the take-up sheet spool 26. 38 and 39.

  Each of the spools 36, 37, and 39 is a shaft portion with a flange that is detachably fitted to both ends of the core tubes 40 and 41 for winding the ink sheet 21, and is used for injection molding of a synthetic resin material, for example. And a single spool 38 is formed by combining a plurality of components.

  Next, the configuration of the cartridge body 30 as the cartridge body will be described with reference to FIGS. The cartridge body 30 includes a pair of left and right side plates 31a and 31b extending from the sheet supply side to the take-up side so as to surround the right and left outer sides of the ink sheet 21, and winding of the supply side of the ink sheet 21 around the pair of side plates 31a and 31b. It is composed of an upper cover piece 32 connected to both sides of the left and right sides so as to cover the upper side of the unit, and a partition plate 24 that also covers a pair of side plates 31a and 31b so as to cover an upper portion on the winding side of the ink sheet 21. It is integrally produced by injection molding using a resin material. Accordingly, a portion surrounded by the supply-side upper cover piece 32 which is long in the left and right direction, the winding-side partition plate 24, and the left and right both-side plate connecting pieces 31a and 31b becomes a window hole where the ink sheet 21 is exposed. The roller-shaped platen 17 faces from the upper side of the section, and the printing table 19, the thermal head 22, and the tension body 23 face from below the window hole section (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Further, knobs 35, 35 having a fin shape or the like protrude upward from both left and right end portions of the partition plate 24 or a pair of left and right side plates 31a, 31b.

The outer shafts 44 of the supply-side right spool 37 and the take-up right spool 39 and the support shaft portions of the supply-side left spool 36 are provided on the side plates 31a and 31b except for the take-up left spool 38. Are loosely fitted to each other to form an open-end shaft support groove 33 (see FIGS. 6 and 8). Each of the outer shafts 44 (support shaft portions) is connected to the shaft support groove portions 33 by the open grooves 34 formed by cutting out the side plates 31a and 31b so as to extend radially outward. When the shaft is pushed upward in a state of substantially crossing the support groove 33, the width between the lower open groove edges of each shaft support groove 33 expands elastically, but in the free state, each outer shaft 44 (support shaft). Are not dropped into each shaft support groove 33.

  The ink sheet 21 is formed by forming an ink layer on one entire surface of a wide resin film. As shown in FIG. 8, the ink sheet 21 is wound around a pair of cylindrical core tubes 40 and 41 made of paper or the like. . With the recording paper 4 facing the ink layer of the ink sheet 21, the recording paper 4 is sandwiched between the platen 17 and the recording surface of the thermal head 22 which is a line printer, and power is supplied to the heating resistor of the thermal head 22 according to image data. Thereby, an image is formed on the recording paper 4 line by line.

  FIG. 8 shows a supply-side right spool 37 and a take-up side right spool 39 which are fitted to the right ends (the right side as viewed from the discharge side of the recording paper 4) of the supply-side core tube 40 and the take-up side core tube 41, respectively. As shown, the inner tube portion 42, which has the same shape, fits inside the right end of the core tube 40 (41), a large-diameter flange portion 43, and a rotatable cartridge body 30 described later. And a small-diameter cylindrical outer shaft 44 as a supporting shaft portion.

  The supply-side left spool 36 fitted to the left end of the supply-side core tube 40 fits into the inside diameter of the left end of the core tube 40, and has an inner cylindrical portion 42 with an engagement claw 42a that engages with a notch groove. A large-diameter flange portion 43, a support shaft portion (not shown) provided outside the flange portion 43 and rotatably disposed with respect to a cartridge body 30 described later, and a gear portion 45 provided outside the support shaft portion. (See FIG. 8).

  On the other hand, the take-up left spool 38 that fits into the left end of the take-up core tube 41 is attached to the shaft hole 50 of the one side plate 31a of the cartridge body 30 so as not to come off. And a shaft portion 48 with a flange 48a connected to the first rotating member 46 from the inside of the one side plate 31a. The intermediate connector 56 is detachably fitted to the flanged shaft portion 48, and the intermediate connector 56 is fitted to the inner diameter portion at the left end of the core tube 41 on the winding side. It is formed by injection molding of a synthetic resin material.

  FIGS. 10 (a), 10 (b), 10 (c), and 10 (d) show the first rotating member 46. The inner cylindrical portion 46a is provided along the axis at the inner diameter of the transmission gear 47. A rod-shaped elastic body 51 extending along the axial direction is integrally formed with the notch 46c on one side of the inner cylindrical portion 46a. On the free end side of the elastic body 51, a locking claw 51a is integrally formed radially outward. A fan-shaped base 46b divided into three along the circumference is provided outside the radius of the inner cylindrical portion 46a. Further, a substantially rectangular fitting hole 53 is formed between the base portion 46b and the fitting portion 53a of each of the three engaging members 52 of the shaft portion 48 with the flange 48a. A step portion 53a as an engaging portion is formed on the outer peripheral side of each fitting hole 53. A positioning projection 54 projecting from a side surface facing the shaft portion 48 and extending in the radial direction is integrally formed on the base portion 46b.

  FIGS. 11 (a), 11 (b) and 11 (c) show a configuration of a shaft portion 48 with a flange 48a, and a disk-shaped flange 48a protrudes radially outward from a cylindrical base portion 48b. At one end of the base portion 48b, a guide portion 48c having a slightly smaller radius in the form of a circular arc extends in the axial direction, and the elastic body 51 and its front end locking claw 51a extend along the inner diameters of the base portion 48a and the guide portion 48c. Direction. Three engaging members 52 protrude from the middle of the radius of the flange 48a in a direction opposite to the base 48b. In addition, a positioning hole 55 is formed at the base of the base 48b and the flange 48a so that each positioning projection 54 of the first rotating member 46 fits therein.

According to the above configuration, the elastic body of the first rotary member 46 with respect to the shaft hole 50 as shown in FIG. 9 from the outside of the left side plate 31a shown in FIG. 51, the flange 48a of the shaft 48 is approached from the inside of the side plate 31a, and the three engaging members 52 are inserted into the shaft hole 50. Then, each tip claw portion 52 a of each engaging body 52 is fitted into each fitting hole 53 on the inner diameter side of the transmission gear 47 in the first rotating member 46. As a result, the tip claw portions 52a are engaged with the step portions 53a on the outer peripheral side of the respective fitting holes 53, and are integrated as the winding-side left spool 38, so that they cannot be removed from the shaft hole 50 and eventually the cartridge body 30. It is. In this case, in order for the rod-shaped elastic body 51 to be in phase with the guide groove 48d of the notched guide portion 48c in the shaft portion 48, each positioning protrusion 54 in the first rotating member 46 and a positioning hole in the shaft portion 4 are provided. 55 is made different for each phase. Further, in a state where the left spool 38 is integrated with the take-up side, the outer periphery of the joining portion of the base portion 48b of the shaft portion 48 and the divided base portion 46b of the first rotating member 46 becomes cylindrical, and the shaft hole 50 is formed. 14 (a) and 14 (b) with respect to the transmission gear 47 and the take-up spool 38.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a tubular intermediate connector 56 is provided between the end of the core tube 41 on the winding side and the shaft portion 48. FIGS. 12 (a), 12 (b) and 12 (c), and FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b) show the intermediate connector 56, and the inner diameter of the cylindrical base 57 on the base end side. 57a is formed to have the same diameter dimension D1 so that the base portion 48b of the shaft portion 48 fits tightly and rotatably, and the distal end side of the base portion 57 is integrally formed with a cam portion 58 divided into three in the circumferential direction. The guide portion 48c of the shaft portion 48 is rotatably fitted on the inner diameter side surrounded by the three cam portions 58.

  When the intermediate connector 56 is relatively rotated with respect to the base portion 48 b of the shaft portion 48, the distal end locking claw 51 a is formed by the flat inner diameter portion of the cam portion 58 against the elasticity of the elastic body 51. When pressed, it is rotatable only in one direction (in a direction opposite to the winding direction (when the intermediate connecting body 56 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 13B)), and can be rotated in the winding direction (in the intermediate direction in FIG. 13B). When the connecting body 56 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction), the tip locking claws 51a urged in a radially outward direction by the elastic force of the elastic body 51 are connected to the two adjacent cam portions 58, 58. The outermost diameter portion 57b of the base 57 of the intermediate connector 56 is the same as the outer diameter of the core tube 41. The diameter of the core tube 41 is determined by a two-strip stop protrusion 61 protruding in the axial direction from the outermost diameter portion 57b. (See FIG. 12 (b).) Thereby, the transmission torque from the main body of the image forming apparatus to the transmission gear 47 is reliably transmitted to the take-up spool 26. You can.

  Further, a pair of elastic claws 59 are provided on the intermediate connector 56 so as to extend from the outermost diameter portion 57b along the axis. When the base 57 of the intermediate connector 56 is inserted from the end of the core tube 41 on the winding side, each elastic claw 59 is cut out at the end of the core tube 41 to form a pair of notches for rotation prevention in plan view. It is locked in an L-shaped stop groove 60 (only one is shown in FIG. 12B). As a result, the take-up spool made by another company without the stop groove 60 in the core tube 41 cannot be mounted on the ink sheet cartridge 20 of the present invention, and is mistakenly attached to an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus manufactured by the present applicant. It is possible to prevent erroneous use in which an ink sheet 21 of a different company having different quality is attached, and to prevent troubles such as deterioration of print quality and printing failure due to not using the regular ink sheet 21. It is preferable that the first rotating member 46, the shaft portion 48 with the flange 48a, and the intermediate connector 56 of the present invention are each formed of a synthetic resin material.

  With the above configuration, the first rotating member 46 and the shaft portion 48 with the flange 48a are previously attached to the predetermined shaft hole 50 of the cartridge main body 30 so as not to come off so that the winding left spool 38 is formed. On the other hand, the intermediate connector 56 is attached to the end (left end) of the core tube 41 on the winding side so that it cannot be pulled out (see FIG. 14A).

  A mode in which a replacement ink sheet set is mounted on the cartridge body 30 will be described. The replacement ink sheet set is a set of a new ink sheet 21 wound around the supply-side core tube 40 and a take-up side core tube 41. The intermediate connector 56 may be attached. In these cases, the width dimension of the ink sheet 21 is preferably a dimension from the outer end of the outermost diameter portion 57b of the intermediate connector 56 connected to one end of the core tube 41 to the other end of the core tube 41. . The end of the new ink sheet 21 is attached to the outer periphery of the core tube 41 with an adhesive tape or the like. Then, a take-up right spool 39 is inserted into the right end of the core tube 41 and mounted. As shown in FIG. 8, a supply-side left spool 36 and a supply-side right spool 37 are inserted and attached to both ends of the supply-side core tube 40, respectively. Next, when the base portion 48b of the shaft portion 48 is inserted into the inner diameter portion 57a of the intermediate coupling body 56 and the intermediate coupling body 56 is relatively rotated, the tip locking claw 51a is opposed to the elasticity of the elastic body 51. Is pressed by the flat inner diameter portion of the cam portion 58, and can be rotated only in one direction (when the intermediate connector 56 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 13B in the direction opposite to winding) (FIG. 15). As described above, one of the four spools 36, 37, 38, and 39 (the winding-side left spool 38) is irremovably attached to the cartridge main body 30. In the above-described embodiment, it is clear that the transmission gear 47 is disposed on the left or right side of the cartridge body 30. When the user replaces the new ink sheet 21, both ends of the core tubes 40 and 41 are attached to each spool. Error direction and the like of Rutoki is reduced, but they can quickly and easily replace the ink sheet 21.

  In the above state, the take-up side right spool 39, the supply side left spool 36, and the supply side right spool 37 are fitted into the shaft support grooves 33, 33, 33 in the cartridge body 30, respectively, so that the ink sheet 21 is not loosened. The core tube 41 on the winding side is rotated.

  When the ink sheet cartridge 20 having the above configuration is set in the storage section 13 of the facsimile machine 1, the left and right side plates 31a and 31b of the cartridge body 30 as the cartridge body are supported in a predetermined posture. The inner diameters of the outer cylinders 44 and 44 of the right spool 39 and the supply-side right spool 37 are fitted on shafts (not shown) projecting from the main body frame (not shown), and are wound around the supply-side left spool 36. The gear portion 45 and the transmission gear 47 of the take-side left spool 38 mesh with a power transmission gear (not shown), respectively, and the inner diameter of the outer shaft of the supply-side left spool 36 and the take-up left spool 38 is It fits on a shaft (not shown) that is elastically protruded from the body frame side in the axial direction. As a result, the supply side sheet spool 25 and the take-up side sheet spool 26 can rotate smoothly.

  The output of a print command on the operation panel 3 or a print command command from an external computer (not shown) or the reception of facsimile data from another facsimile apparatus activates the control board 29 to start printing (recording) work. Then, first, the paper feed roller 15 rotates, and the paper feed is started. When the leading end of the recording paper 4 is conveyed a predetermined distance after detecting a paper sensor (not shown) and approaches the platen 17, power is transmitted to the platen 17 and the gear portion 45 and the transmission gear 47 of the ink sheet cartridge 20, and the first rotation is performed. Since the locking claw 51a at the tip of the elastic body 51 of the member 46 is fitted between the two adjacent cam portions 58 of the intermediate connector 56, the transmission gear in the winding direction of the predetermined ink sheet 21 is provided. The torque of 47 can be transmitted to the core tube 41 (see FIG. 15). As a result, conveyance of the ink sheet 21 and feeding of the recording paper 4 are started, and printing is performed by the thermal head 22 which is a printing unit.

Immediately after printing is performed in a state where the ink sheet 21 and the recording paper 4 are sandwiched between the platen 17 and the thermal head 22, the ink on the ink sheet 21 is subjected to printing data (character data) due to heat generated by the heating resistor of the thermal head 22. ), The ink is melted and reflected on the recording paper 4, and then the ink is cooled, so that the ink sheet 21 remains attached to the surface of the recording paper 4. At the location of the top surface 23a of the tension body 23, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink sheet 21 is largely bent downward so as to be wound on the lower side of the outer periphery of the take-up sheet spool 26, so that the ink sheet 21 Adhesion caused by the ink is released. On the other hand, the recording paper 4 whose lower surface is a printing surface is transported on the upper surface of the partition plate 24, so that the transport path between the recording paper 4 and the ink sheet 21 can be reliably separated. The leading end of the partition plate 24 (on the side close to the top surface 23a of the tension member 23) is bent downward to scoop up the leading end of the recording paper 4 in the free state (downstream side of conveyance), and the recording paper 4 It can be prevented from moving downward.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, if a large number of ridges 24 a are formed on the upper surface of the partition plate 24 in the longitudinal direction along the transport direction, the recording paper 4 with the printing surface facing downward is formed. Does not rub the print surface widely, the stain on the recording paper 4 due to the adhesion of ink can be reduced.

  The partition plate 24 serves as a lower chute serving as a guide portion of the conveyance path of the recording paper 4, and is located between a rib-shaped upper chute portion 27 extending across the platen 17 and the upper surface of the partition plate 24. The recording paper 4 can be surely guided. Further, when a paper jam (paper jam) occurs, simply opening the upper cover body 6 upward increases the distance between the partition plate 24 of the ink sheet cartridge 20 disposed on the main body case 2 side and the upper chute 27. Since the recording paper 4 can be opened, the paper jam of the recording paper 4 can be extremely easily removed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a facsimile apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to various image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copying machine, and an apparatus having a plurality of functions thereof.

  As described above, the ink sheet cartridge according to the present embodiment includes the ink sheet supply side core tube and the take-up side core tube mounted on the left and right ends of each of the left and right ends of the cartridge body via spools that are detachably attached to the left and right sides of the cartridge body. An ink sheet cartridge rotatably mounted on a plate, comprising: a tubular intermediate connector interposed between said at least one spool and one end of said one core tube; Includes a cam portion that engages and disengages with a locking claw projecting from the spool. As described above, when the cylindrical intermediate connector is attached to one end of the core tube in advance, and the spool is inserted into the intermediate connector, the locking claws protruding from the spool engage with the intermediate connector. The core tube of another company's ink sheet without a connector cannot be mounted on the ink sheet cartridge of the present embodiment, so that there is no misuse that another company's ink sheet of different quality is mounted, and the regular ink sheet is not used. Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as deterioration of printing quality and printing defects.

  The take-up spool is configured such that the flanged shaft portion and the first rotating member with the transmission gear are undetachably engaged from the inside and outside through a shaft hole formed in the side plate of the cartridge body. On the other hand, the locking claw is provided at the tip of a rod-shaped elastic body protruding from the first rotating member, and the locking claw is viewed from the inner diameter side of the cam portion of the intermediate connector.

  Accordingly, since the engagement with the cam portion can be achieved by merely inserting the locking claw at the distal end of the elastic body into the inner diameter portion of the intermediate connector, the attachment / detachment work becomes extremely easy. Further, it is possible to easily replace the ink sheet without having to be troubled by a normal user to attach the supply-side spool and the winding-side spool in a correct position and orientation, and to easily rotate the respective spools. Therefore, there is no effect that the side provided with the transmission gear for mounting the ink sheet cartridge is mistaken, and the power transmission from the main body of the image forming apparatus can be performed normally.

The cam portion of the intermediate connector is radially divided into a plurality of pieces from the center of rotation of the take-up side core tube, and the locking claw and the cam are provided only when the first rotating member is rotationally driven in the core tube take-up direction. Since the portions are formed so as to be engaged with each other so as to transmit power, there is an effect that the slack of the attached ink sheet can be extremely easily removed.

  Further, the outermost diameter portion of the intermediate connector is formed to have the same diameter as the outer diameter portion of the core tube, and the intermediate connector has an elastic claw and / or a stopper which engages and disengages with a groove formed in the core tube. It has projections.

  With this configuration, the intermediate connector can be attached to the core tube in advance, and since the intermediate connector is attached only to a predetermined end of the core tube, there is no error in mounting the take-up spool. Since it is mounted on the take-up spool via the intermediate connector, there is an effect that it becomes impossible to mount a core tube of another company that does not have the intermediate connector, and that there is no risk of incorrectly mounting an unauthorized ink sheet. .

  Further, the ink sheet set of the present embodiment includes an ink sheet, a supply-side core tube for the ink sheet, and a winding-side core tube, and an intermediate connector is provided at one end of the winding-side core tube. Things. By providing the core tube with the intermediate connector attached in advance as a replacement ink sheet set in this way, when replacing the ink sheet, there is no erroneous mounting of the take-up spool, and the ink sheet replacement work is easy. This has the effect of becoming

  In addition, the same effect as described above can be obtained with the ink sheet winding core tube and the ink sheet set of the present invention.

It is a sectional side view of a facsimile machine. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a path of a recording paper and an ink sheet near a printing unit. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ink sheet cartridge. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge as viewed from the front left side. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge as viewed from the front right side. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the ink sheet cartridge. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the ink sheet cartridge. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the ink sheet cartridge in a state where components are turned upside down. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a first rotating member 46, a flanged shaft portion 48, an intermediate connector, and the like. 10A is a front view of the first rotating member 46, FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line Xb-Xb of FIG. 10A, FIG. 10C is a left side view of FIG. 10A, and FIG. It is a right view of FIG.10 (a). 11A is a front view of the flanged shaft portion 48, FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIb-XIb of FIG. 11A, and FIG. 11C is a right side view of FIG. 11A. (A) is a sectional view of the intermediate connector 56, (b) is a front view of the intermediate connector 56 and an end of the core tube 41, and (C) is a bottom view of the intermediate connector 56. 13A is a perspective view of the intermediate connector 56, and FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIIIb-XIIIb in FIG. (A) is an enlarged sectional view showing a connection state between the first rotating member 46 and the shaft section 48 with a flange, and (b) is an enlarged sectional view showing a connection state with the intermediate connector 56. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG.

Explanation of reference numerals

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 20 ink sheet cartridge 21 ink sheet 24 partition plate 25 supply-side sheet spool 26 take-up-side sheet spool 30 cartridge body 31a, 31b side plate 32 upper cover piece 36-39 spool 40, 41 core tube 42 inner cylinder 43, 48a flange 45 Gear part 46 First rotating member 47 Transmission gear 48 Shaft part 48b Base 50 Shaft hole 51 Elastic body 51a Locking claw 52 Engaging body 52a Tip claw 53 Fitting hole 53a Step 54 Positioning protrusion 55 Positioning hole 56 Intermediate connector 59 Elastic claw 60, 62 Stop groove 61 Stop protrusion

Claims (5)

In an ink sheet set including a supply-side core tube and a take-up-side core tube, and an ink sheet wound around those core tubes,
Has an outer diameter that the inner diameter part and the fitting of the winding core tube, a tubular base portion to be inserted into the take-up core tube, the outermost diameter having the same diameter as the outer diameter of the winding core tube And an intermediate connector comprising:
The intermediate connector is in when it is attached to one end of the take-up core tube, wherein the end face of the outermost diameter portion, to the other end surface of the intermediate connecting member of the take-up core tube is not inserted length of the ink sheet is the width dimension of the same, when the ink sheet is wound on the winding core tube, the winding core tube said ink sheet and said intermediate connector An ink sheet set covering up to an end surface of an outermost diameter portion of the ink sheet. The ink sheet set according to claim 1,
The ink sheet set is used by being engaged with a locking claw of a winding drive spool that is provided in an ink sheet cartridge and is elastically deformable.
A first cam surface on which the locking claw of the take-up driving spool can elastically deform, and a locking claw of the take-up driving spool which cannot elastically deform on the cylindrical base; An ink sheet set, wherein a cam portion having a second cam surface is formed. The ink sheet set according to claim 2,
The ink sheet set, wherein the locking claw is engaged with the second cam surface in order to rotate the take-up side core tube in a direction in which the ink sheet is taken up. In the ink sheet set according to claim 2 or 3,
The ink sheet set, wherein the cam portion is formed by dividing a tip of the intermediate connector into three in a circumferential direction. The ink sheet set according to claim 1,
The ink sheet set, wherein the intermediate connector is irremovably attached to the take-up side core tube.

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