Abstract:
A print head cleaning member allowing simplification of the structure and downsizing is obtained. This print head cleaning member comprises a spent ink cartridge and a cleaning component including a mounting portion of resin for mounting the cleaning component on the ink cartridge and a cleaning portion. The ink cartridge is used as a guide portion for bringing the cleaning component into contact with the print head.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a print head cleaning member, and more particularly, it relates to a print head cleaning member comprising a cleaning component for cleaning a print head.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Background Art  
         [0004]     A cleaning member disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-141672 or 10-6491 (1998), for example, is generally known in relation to an image generating apparatus.  
         [0005]     The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-141672 discloses a method of cleaning a head wiper for cleaning an ink nozzle (printing portion) with a head wiper cleaning plate mounted on an ink cartridge of an ink jet printer (image generating apparatus).  
         [0006]     The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-6491 discloses an ink jet recording apparatus (image generating apparatus) so formed as to clean the outer peripheral surface of a roller member provided on gap holding means keeping a printing medium and ink discharge means at a constant distance.  
         [0007]     On the other hand, a thermal transfer printer employing a thermal head (print head) for printing is generally known as an exemplary image generating apparatus. In this conventional thermal transfer printer, the print head is cleaned with a cleaning member.  FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the overall structure of an exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer.  FIG. 11  is a sectional view showing a printing state of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer.  FIG. 12  is a perspective view for illustrating the overall structure of a print head cleaning component of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer.  FIG. 13  is a sectional view showing a print head cleaning state of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer. The structures of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer and the cleaning component are now described with reference to FIGS.  10  to  13 .  
         [0008]     In the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer, an ink cartridge  102  is inserted into an ink cartridge receiving hole  101   a  provided on a side portion of a printer body  101 . An engaging member  103  is also provided on the side portion of the printer body  101  for fixing the ink cartridge  102  inserted into the ink cartridge receiving hole  101   a.  The ink cartridge  102  includes a pair of ink ribbon storage portions  102   a  and  102   b  each storing an ink ribbon (ink sheet)  109  (see FIG.  11 ), a pair of coupling portions  102   c  and  102   d  for coupling the pair of ink ribbon storage portions  102   a  and  102   b  with each other and a concave engaging portion  102   e  provided on the coupling portion  102   d  for engaging with the engaging member  103 . The printer body  101  is provided therein with a thermal head (print head)  104  for printing, a platen roller  105  opposed to the thermal head  104 , a feed roller  106  for carrying a paper  110  and a press roller  107  pressed against the feed roller  106  with prescribed pressing force, as shown in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0009]     The thermal head  104  has a support shaft  104   a,  an arm  104   b  and a print head  104   c.  The thermal head  104  is mounted on the printer body  101  to be rotatable about the support shaft  104   a.    
         [0010]      FIG. 12  shows a cleaning component  108  employed for cleaning the print head  104   c  of the thermal head  104  in the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer. This cleaning component  108  has a cleaning portion  108   a  of felt or the like and a pair of resin guide portions  108   b  and  108   c.    
         [0011]     A printing operation of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer is now described with reference to  FIG. 11 . The feed roller  106  rotates along arrow F 2  in  FIG. 11 , thereby carrying the paper  110  in a paper carrying direction (along arrow E 2  in  FIG. 11 ). At this time, the ink ribbon storage portion  102   b  of the ink cartridge  102  feeds the ink ribbon  109 . The thermal transfer printer presses the print head  104   c  against the platen roller  105  through the paper  110  and the ink ribbon  109  while carrying the paper  110  and the ink ribbon  109 , thereby performing printing.  
         [0012]     An operation of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer for cleaning the print head  104   c  is described with reference to  FIGS. 12 and 13 . In general, the print head  104   c  is cleaned with the cleaning component  108  shown in  FIG. 12 . More specifically, the cleaning component  108  is inserted into the ink cartridge receiving hole  101   a  provided on the side portion of the printer body  101  so that the pair of guide portions  108   b  and  180   c  of the cleaning component  108  function as guides for bringing the cleaning portion  108   a  into contact with the print head  104   c,  as shown in  FIG. 13 . Then, the cleaning component  108  is reciprocated along arrow D in  FIG. 12  in the state shown in  FIG. 13 , thereby wiping off foreign matter adhering to the print head  104   c  with the cleaning portion  108   a.  The print head  104   d  is cleaned in this manner.  
         [0013]     In the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , however, the cleaning component  108  for the print head  104   c  requires the pair of guide portions  108   b  and  108   c,  in order to bring the cleaning portion  108   a  into contact with the print head  104   c.  Consequently, the cleaning component  108  is disadvantageously complicated in structure and increased in size.  
         [0014]     The head wiper cleaning plate disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-141672, which is a member for cleaning the head wiper for cleaning the ink nozzle, must disadvantageously be provided independently of the head wiper cleaning the ink nozzle (printing portion). Therefore, the structure of a cleaning portion is complicated, and the number of components is increased.  
         [0015]     The cleaning member disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-6491 is not a member cleaning a printing portion of the ink jet printer but a member for cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the roller member provided on the gap holding means keeping the printing medium and the ink discharge means at the constant distance. Therefore, the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-6491 neither discloses nor suggests a member cleaning the printing portion.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the aforementioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a print head cleaning member allowing simplification of the structure and downsizing.  
         [0017]     In order to attain the aforementioned object, a print head cleaning member according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a spent ink cartridge and a cleaning component mounted on the ink cartridge for cleaning a print head, and the ink cartridge is used as a guide portion for bringing the cleaning component into contact with the print head.  
         [0018]     In the print head cleaning member according to the first aspect, as hereinabove described, the spent ink cartridge is so used as the guide portion for bringing the cleaning component into contact with the print head that no guide portion may be provided on the cleaning component, whereby the cleaning component can be simplified in structure and downsized. Further, the spent ink cartridge can be recycled through the use as the guide portion for the cleaning member, and the number of components can be reduced.  
         [0019]     In the aforementioned print head cleaning member according to the first aspect, the cleaning component preferably includes a mounting portion for mounting the cleaning component on the ink cartridge and a cleaning portion mounted on the mounting portion for cleaning the print head by coming into contact with the print head. According to this structure, the mounting portion is provided independently of the cleaning portion made of felt or the like, whereby the cleaning portion can be easily mounted on the ink cartridge through the mounting portion.  
         [0020]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion and the cleaning portion, a chamfer is preferably provided on at least an ink cartridge insertional end of a contact surface of the cleaning portion. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be smoothly brought into contact with the print head for cleaning the same.  
         [0021]     In this case, the chamfer is preferably provided on each ink cartridge insertional end of the contact surface of the cleaning portion. According to this structure, both ink cartridge insertional ends of the contact surface of the cleaning portion can be inhibited from being caught on the print head when the cleaning member is inserted into or extracted from an image generating apparatus, whereby the contact surface of the cleaning portion can be more smoothly brought into contact with the print head.  
         [0022]     In the aforementioned print head cleaning member according to the first aspect, the ink cartridge preferably includes a pair of ink sheet storage portions, a pair of coupling portions coupling the pair of ink sheet storage portions with each other and a recess portion provided on one of the pair of coupling portions closer to an ink cartridge insertional forward end and mounted with the cleaning component for locating the mounting position, and the cleaning component is preferably detachably mounted on the recess portion. According to this structure, the recess portion locating the mounting position of the cleaning component can suppress displacement of the mounting position. Further, the detachable cleaning component can be exchanged as a consumable part.  
         [0023]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion and the cleaning portion, the mounting portion of the cleaning component preferably has a pair of side portions extending from both ends of the mounting portion perpendicularly to the surface of the mounting portion respectively, and hooked engaging portions are preferably provided on the forward ends of the pair of side portions respectively. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be easily mounted on the ink cartridge by engaging the hooked engaging portions provided on the forward ends of the side portions with the coupling portions of the ink cartridge.  
         [0024]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion having the hooked engaging portions, the ink cartridge preferably includes a pair of ink sheet storage portions and a pair of coupling portions coupling the pair of ink sheet storage portions with each other, and the distance between opposite portions of the pair of hooked engaging portions is preferably smaller than the width of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end, and the hooked engaging portions are preferably rendered elastically deformable. According to this structure, the hooked engaging portions can be easily engaged with the coupling portions of the ink cartridge by elastically deforming the hooked engaging portions.  
         [0025]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion having the side portions, the ink cartridge preferably includes a pair of ink sheet storage portions and a pair of coupling portions coupling the pair of ink sheet storage portions with each other, and the width of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end is preferably substantially identical to the distance between opposite inner side surfaces of both sides of the mounting portion. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be inhibited from jolting with respect to the ink cartridge in the short-side direction (cross direction) of the coupling portions.  
         [0026]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion having the hooked engaging portions, the ink cartridge preferably includes a pair of ink sheet storage portions, a pair of coupling portions coupling the pair of ink sheet storage portions with each other and a recess portion provided on one of the pair of coupling portions closer to an ink cartridge insertional forward end and mounted with the cleaning component for locating the mounting position, and the thickness of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end in the range provided with the recess portion is preferably substantially identical to the distance between the pair of hooked engaging portions and the bottom surface of the mounting portion. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be inhibited from jolting with respect to the ink cartridge in the thickness direction of the coupling portions.  
         [0027]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the recess portion provided on the coupling portion of the ink cartridge, the cleaning component preferably includes a mounting portion for mounting the cleaning component on the ink cartridge, and the longitudinal length of the recess portion of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end is preferably substantially identical to the longitudinal length of the mounting portion of the cleaning component in plan view. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be inhibited from displacement with respect to the ink cartridge in the longitudinal direction of the coupling portions.  
         [0028]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion and the cleaning portion, the mounting portion of the cleaning component is preferably made of resin. According to this structure, the pair of hooked engaging portions of the mounting portions made of resin can be easily elastically deformed.  
         [0029]     A print head cleaning member according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a spent ink cartridge and a cleaning component for cleaning a print head, while the cleaning component includes a mounting portion for mounting the cleaning component on the ink cartridge and a cleaning portion mounted on the mounting portion for cleaning the print head by coming into contact with the print head, the ink cartridge is used as a guide portion for bringing the cleaning component into contact with the print head, a chamfer is provided on at least an ink cartridge insertional end of a contact surface of the cleaning portion, the ink cartridge includes a pair of ink sheet storage portions, a pair of coupling portions coupling the pair of ink sheet storage portions with each other and a recess portion provided on one of the pair of coupling portions closer to an ink cartridge insertional forward end and mounted with the cleaning component for locating the mounting position, and the cleaning component is detachably mounted on the recess portion.  
         [0030]     In the print head cleaning member according to the second aspect, as hereinabove described, the spent ink cartridge is so used as the guide portion for bringing the cleaning component into contact with the print head that no guide portion may be provided on the cleaning component, whereby the cleaning component can be simplified in structure and downsized. Further, the spent ink cartridge can be recycled through the use as the guide portion for the cleaning member, and the number of components can be reduced. In addition, the cleaning component includes the mounting portion for mounting the same on the spent ink cartridge and the cleaning portion for cleaning the print head so that the mounting portion is provided independently of the cleaning portion made of felt or the like, whereby the cleaning portion can be easily mounted on the ink cartridge through the mounting portion. Further, the chamfer is so provided on at least the ink cartridge insertional end of the contact surface of the cleaning portion that the cleaning component can be smoothly brought into contact with the print head for cleaning the same. Further, the recess portion mounted with the cleaning component for locating the mounting position of the cleaning component can suppress displacement of the mounting position. Further, the cleaning component detachable from the recess portion of the ink cartridge can be exchanged as a consumable part.  
         [0031]     In the aforementioned print head cleaning member according to the second aspect, the chamfer is preferably provided on each ink cartridge insertional end of the contact surface of the cleaning portion. According to this structure, both ink cartridge insertional ends of the contact surface of the cleaning portion can be inhibited from being caught on the print head when the cleaning member is inserted into or extracted from an image generating apparatus, whereby the contact surface of the cleaning portion can be more smoothly brought into contact with the print head.  
         [0032]     In the aforementioned print head cleaning member according to the second aspect, the mounting portion of the cleaning component has a pair of side portions extending from both ends of the mounting portion perpendicularly to the surface of the mounting portion respectively, and hooked engaging portions are provided on the forward ends of the pair of side portions respectively. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be easily mounted on the ink cartridge by engaging the hooked engaging portions provided on the forward ends of the side portions with the coupling portions of the ink cartridge.  
         [0033]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component having the mounting portion including the hooked engaging portions, the distance between opposite portions of the pair of hooked engaging portions is preferably smaller than the width of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end, and the hooked engaging portions are preferably rendered elastically deformable. According to this structure, the hooked engaging portions can be easily engaged with the coupling portions of the ink cartridge by elastically deforming the hooked engaging portions.  
         [0034]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion having the side portions, the width of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end is preferably substantially identical to the distance between opposite inner side surfaces of both sides of the mounting portion. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be inhibited from jolting with respect to the ink cartridge in the short-side direction (cross direction) of the coupling portions.  
         [0035]     In the aforementioned structure provided with the cleaning component including the mounting portion having the hooked engaging portions, the thickness of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end in the range provided with the recess portion is preferably substantially identical to the distance between the pair of hooked engaging portions and the bottom surface of the mounting portion. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be inhibited from jolting with respect to the ink cartridge in the thickness direction of the coupling portions.  
         [0036]     In the aforementioned print head cleaning member according to the second aspect, the longitudinal length of the recess portion of the coupling portion closer to the ink cartridge insertional forward end is preferably substantially identical to the longitudinal length of the mounting portion of the cleaning component in plan view. According to this structure, the cleaning component can be inhibited from displacement with respect to the ink cartridge in the longitudinal direction of the coupling portions.  
         [0037]     In the aforementioned print head cleaning member according to the second aspect, the mounting portion of the cleaning component is preferably made of resin. According to this structure, the pair of hooked engaging portions of the mounting portions made of resin can be easily elastically deformed.  
         [0038]     The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0039]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view for illustrating the overall structure of a print head cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view for illustrating the detailed structure of the print head cleaning member according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the print head cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0043]      FIG. 5  is a back elevational view showing the print head cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention mounted on an ink cartridge;  
         [0044]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line  100 - 100  in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0045]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view for illustrating a printing state of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0046]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are diagrams for illustrating a print head cleaning operation with the print head cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0047]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the overall structure of an exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer;  
         [0048]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view showing the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer in a printing state;  
         [0049]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view for illustrating the overall structure of a print head cleaning component of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer; and  
         [0050]      FIG. 13  is a sectional view showing the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer in a print head cleaning state. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0051]     An embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.  
         [0052]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view for illustrating the overall structure of a print head cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIGS.  3  to  6  are diagrams for illustrating the detailed structure of the print head cleaning member according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 7  is a sectional view for illustrating a printing state of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the print head cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  7 .  
         [0053]     In the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention, a spent ink cartridge  2  is inserted into an ink cartridge receiving hole  1   a  provided on a side portion of a printer body  1 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . An engaging member  3  is provided on the side portion of the printer body  1  for fixing the ink cartridge  2  inserted into the ink cartridge receiving hole  1   a.  The ink cartridge  2  includes a pair of ink ribbon storage portions  2   a  and  2   b  each storing an ink ribbon (ink sheet)  9  (see  FIG. 7 ), a pair of coupling portions  2   c  and  2   d  for coupling the pair of ink ribbon storage portions  2   a  and  2   b  with each other and a concave engaging portion  2   e  provided on the coupling portion  2   d  for engaging with the engaging member  3 .  
         [0054]     According to this embodiment, a recess portion  2   f  to be mounted with a cleaning component  8  is provided on the coupling portion  2   c  closer to an insertional forward end of the ink cartridge  2 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . This coupling portion  2   c  closer to the insertional forward end of the ink cartridge  2  has a width W 1  (see  FIG. 6 ). Further, the coupling portion  2   c  closer to the insertional forward end of the ink cartridge  2  has a thickness T 1  (see  FIG. 6 ) in the range formed with the recess portion  2   f.  The recess portion  2   f  has a longitudinal length L 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) in plan view. According to this embodiment, the spent ink cartridge  2  is used as a guide portion for the cleaning component  8 .  
         [0055]     The printer body  1  is provided therein with a thermal head (print head)  4  for printing, a platen roller  5  opposed to the thermal head  4 , a feed roller  6  for carrying a paper  10  and a press roller  7  pressed against the feed roller  6  with prescribed pressing force, as shown in  FIG. 7 . The thermal head  4  has a support shaft  4   a,  an arm  4   b  and a print head  4   c.  The thermal head  4  is mounted on the printer body  1  to be rotatable about the support shaft  4   a.    
         [0056]     According to this embodiment, the cleaning member is constituted of the spent ink cartridge  2  and the cleaning component  8 . The cleaning component  8  has a longitudinal length L 2  (see  FIG. 3 ) in plan view. This length L 2  (see  FIG. 3 ) is substantially identical to the length L 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the recess portion  2   f.  Therefore, the cleaning component  8  is not displaced along arrow B, whereby the recess portion  2   f  functions also as a locating portion for the mounting position of the cleaning component  8 . The cleaning component  8  has a cleaning portion  8   a  of felt or the like and a mounting portion  8   b  of resin. On a contact surface  8   c  of the cleaning portion  8   a  coming into contact with the print head  4   c,  chamfers  8   d  and  8   e  are provided on ends of in the insertional direction for the ink cartridge  2  and ends in a direction perpendicular to the insertional direction respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Another surface of the cleaning portion  8   a  opposite to the contact surface  8   c  is mounted on the mounting portion  8   b  of resin with a double-faced adhesive tape or the like. The mounting portion  8   b  is U-shaped, as shown in  FIG. 4 . More specifically, the mounting portion  8   b  has a pair of side portions downwardly extending from both ends thereof perpendicularly to the surface of the mounting portion  8   b.  A pair of elastically deformable hooked engaging portions  8   f  engageable with the recess portion  2   f  of the ink cartridge  2  are provided on the forward ends of the side portions respectively. The distance D 1  (see  FIG. 4 ) between opposite portions of the pair of hooked engaging portions  8   f  is rendered smaller than the width W 1  (see FIG.  6 ) of the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2 . On the other hand, the distance D 2  (see  FIG. 4 ) between opposite inner side surfaces of the side portions of the mounting portion  8   b  is rendered substantially identical to the width W 1  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2 . Further, the distance D 3  (see  FIG. 4 ) between the pair of hooked engaging portions  8   f  and the bottom surface of the mounting portion  8   b  is rendered substantially identical to the thickness T 1  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2  in the range formed with the recess portion  2   f.  Therefore, the cleaning component  8  can be detachably mounted on the ink cartridge  2  with the pair of elastically deformable hooked engaging portions  8   f.    
         [0057]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are diagrams for illustrating a print head cleaning operation with the cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention. The print head cleaning operation with the cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to  FIGS. 2, 3 ,  5 ,  6 ,  8  and  9 . In order to clean the print head  4   c  according to this embodiment, the spent ink cartridge  2  is extracted from the printer body  1  along arrow A, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Thereafter the cleaning component  8  is mounted on the recess portion  2   f  of the ink cartridge  2  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , thereby implementing the state shown in  FIGS. 5, 6  and  8 . The ink cartridge  2  mounted with the cleaning component  8  is inserted into the ink cartridge receiving hole  1   a  of the printer body  1 , thereby bringing the cleaning portion  8   a  into contact with the print head  4   c  through the ink cartridge  2  serving as a guide, as shown in  FIG. 9 . Then, the ink cartridge  2  is reciprocated along arrow C in  FIG. 8  in the state shown in  FIG. 9 , thereby wiping off foreign matter adhering to the print head  4   c  with the cleaning portion  8   a.  According to this embodiment, the print head  4   d  is cleaned in this manner.  
         [0058]     A print operation of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to  FIG. 7 . The feed roller  6  rotates along arrow F 1  in  FIG. 7 , thereby carrying the paper  10  in a paper carrying direction (along arrow F 1  in  FIG. 7 ). At this time, the ink ribbon  9  is fed from the ink ribbon storage portion  2   b  of the ink cartridge  2 . The thermal transfer printer presses the print head  4   c  against the platen roller  5  through the paper  10  and the ink ribbon  9  while carrying the paper  10  and the ink ribbon  9 , thereby performing printing.  
         [0059]     According to this embodiment, as hereinabove described, the spent ink cartridge  2  is so used as the guide portion for bringing the cleaning component  8  into contact with the print head  4   c  that no guide portion may be provided on the cleaning component  8 , whereby the cleaning component  8  can be simplified in structure and downsized. Further, the spent ink cartridge  2  can be recycled through the use as the guide portion, and the number of components can be reduced.  
         [0060]     According to this embodiment, the cleaning component  8  includes the mounting portion  8   b  for mounting the same on the spent ink cartridge  2  and the cleaning portion  8   a  for cleaning the print head  4   c  so that the mounting portion  8   b  is provided independently of the cleaning portion  8   a  of felt or the like, whereby the cleaning portion  8   a  can be easily mounted on the ink cartridge  2  through the mounting portion  8   b.    
         [0061]     According to this embodiment, the chamfers  8   d  are so provided on the ends of the contact surface  8   c  of the cleaning portion  8   a  in the insertional direction for the ink cartridge  2  that both ends of the contact surface  8   c  of the cleaning portion  8   a  in the insertional direction for the ink cartridge  2  can be prevented from being caught on the print head  4   c  when the cleaning member is inserted into or extracted from the thermal transfer printer, whereby the contact surface  8   c  of the cleaning portion  8   a  can be more smoothly brought into contact with the print head  4   c.    
         [0062]     According to this embodiment, the recess portion  2   f  mounted with the cleaning component  8  for locating the mounting position of the cleaning component  8  is so provided on the ink cartridge  2  that displacement of the mounting position can be suppressed by the recess portion  2   f.  Further, the cleaning component  8  detachable from the recess portion  2   f  of the ink cartridge  2  can be exchanged as a consumable part.  
         [0063]     According to this embodiment, the mounting portion  8   b  of the cleaning component  8  is provided with the pair of side portions downwardly extending from both ends thereof perpendicularly to the surface of the mounting portion  8   b  respectively while the hooked engaging portions  8   f  are provided on the forward ends of the pair of side portions respectively, whereby the cleaning component  8  can be easily mounted on the ink cartridge  2  by engaging the hooked engaging portions  8   f  provided on the forward ends of the side portions with the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2 .  
         [0064]     According to this embodiment, the distance D 1  between the opposite portions of the pair of hooked engaging portions  8   f  is rendered smaller than the width W 1  of the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2  while the hooked engaging portions  8   f  are rendered elastically deformable, whereby the hooked engaging portions  8   f  can be easily engaged with the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2  by elastically deforming the hooked engaging portions  8   f.    
         [0065]     According to this embodiment, the width W 1  of the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2  is rendered substantially identical to the distance D 2  between the opposite inner side surfaces of both side portions of the mounting portion  8   b,  whereby the cleaning component  8  can be inhibited from jolting with respect to the ink cartridge  2  in the short-side direction (cross direction) of the coupling portion  2   c.    
         [0066]     According to this embodiment, the thickness T 1  of the coupling portion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2  in the range formed with the recess portion  2   f  is rendered substantially identical to the distance D 3  between the pair of hooked engaging portions  8   f  and the bottom surface of the mounting portion  8   b,  whereby the cleaning component  8  can be inhibited from jolting with respect to the ink cartridge  2  in the thickness direction of the coupling portion  2   c.    
         [0067]     According to this embodiment, the longitudinal length L 1  of the recess portion  2   f  of the coupling potion  2   c  of the ink cartridge  2  is rendered substantially identical to the longitudinal length L 2  of the cleaning component  8  in plan view, whereby the cleaning component  8  can be inhibited from displacement with respect to the ink cartridge  2  along arrow B.  
         [0068]     According to this embodiment, the mounting portion  8   b  of the cleaning component  8  of resin is so employed that the hooked engaging portions  8   f  of the mounting portion  8   b  are made of resin, whereby the pair of hooked engaging portions  8   f  can be easily elastically deformed.  
         [0069]     Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.  
         [0070]     For example, while the aforementioned embodiment is applied to the cleaning member for the print head of the thermal transfer printer as an exemplary image generating apparatus, the present invention is not restricted to this but is also applicable to a cleaning member for a print head of another image generating apparatus other than the thermal transfer printer, so far as the image generating apparatus has the print head for printing.  
         [0071]     While the cleaning component is detachably mounted on the ink cartridge in the aforementioned embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this but the cleaning component may alternatively be undetachably fixed to the ink cartridge with a double-faced adhesive tape or the like.