Patent ID: 7726893
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A tape cassette which is used for a tape printing device, the tape printing device comprising a tape feed unit for feeding a long tape, a printing unit for printing on the tape, a cutter member being placed on the downstream side of the printing unit for cutting the tape, a mark sensor which detects position indication marks formed at prescribed positions in a tape feeding direction on a back side of the tape opposed to corresponding labels respectively, and a control unit which controls the tape feed unit based on an output signal outputted by the mark sensor, the printing unit including a plurality of printing elements, the printing elements being situated on the downstream side of a print start position of a next label which will be printed on next at a point when the tape after the printing on a label has been fed to a tape cutting position to be cut by the cutter member, the mark sensor being situated on the downstream side of a position indication mark opposed to the next label and on the upstream side of the printing elements at the point when the tape after the printing on a label has been fed to the tape cutting position to be cut by the cutter member, the tape having been rolled up in the tape cassette which is detachably loaded in the tape printing device, the tape cassette comprising: a tape spool around which the tape is rolled up with the back side of the tape facing outward, wherein the tape includes a sheet and a plurality of labels on the sheet, wherein only one position indication mark is provided for each label; a first opening part facing the printing elements, through which the tape pulled out from the tape spool passes; and a second opening part formed in a lateral part of the tape cassette on the upstream side of the first opening part for enabling the detection of the position indication marks, wherein the second opening part is formed at a position facing the position indication mark of the label when a printable front end position of the label is exposed at the first opening part.