Tape cartridge with platen protruding into head insertion opening

A tape cartridge 11 includes a platen roller 15, when the tape cartridge 11 is mounted on a tape printer 1, a print head 22 of the tape printer 1 contacting the platen roller 15 with a print tape T and an ink ribbon R arranged therebetween such that the print head 22 can be separated from the platen roller 15; a cartridge case 16 that houses the print tape T, the ink ribbon R, and the platen roller 15; and an insertion opening 17 formed in the cartridge case 16, the print head 22 being inserted into the insertion opening 17. A contact portion 10 of the platen roller 15 that is brought into contact with the print head 22 protrudes relative to a head receiver 72 of the insertion opening 17 to which the print head 22 is exposed.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-161840, filed on Jul. 16, 2010, is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a platen-mounted tape cartridge that is removably mounted on a tape printer, and also relates to the tape printer.

BACKGROUND ART

As this type of tape cartridge, there is known a tape cartridge (see PTL 1) that is mounted on a tape printer such that a thermal head (print head) is inserted into a through opening (insertion opening) formed in a cartridge case. Then, the thermal head is pressed to a platen roller (platen) of the tape cartridge, so that the tape printer is brought into a print state.

This tape cartridge has an external shape that is defined by the cartridge case including an upper case and a seat-side lower case. The upper case has an upper through opening into which the thermal head is inserted. The lower case has a lower through opening into which the thermal head is inserted. The upper through opening is formed such that a contact portion of a platen roller that is brought into contact with the thermal head protrudes. The lower through opening is formed to extend by a certain length relative to the upper through opening such that the contact portion of the platen roller does not protrude. Accordingly, when the tape cartridge is mounted on the tape printer, an ink ribbon that is located near the platen roller is prevented from being hooked to another member.

In this tape printer with the tape cartridge mounted, seating of the tape cartridge is adjusted such that the thermal head (head body) and the platen roller (rubber roller) have equivalent heights and that a lower end portion of the thermal head does not interfere with an edge of the lower case defining the lower through opening.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

In a tape printer to which a thick tape cartridge (print tape with a large width) and a thin tape cartridge (print tape with a small width) can be mounted, a thermal head is provided to meet the thick tape cartridge. Owing to this, seating of the thin tape cartridge has to be adjusted on a lower-end basis to prevent an edge of a lower case from interfering with a lower end portion of the thermal head. Thus, the thermal head cannot contact (or cannot be pressed to) a platen roller (print tape) on a middle-position basis, and printing may not be properly performed.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a tape cartridge, seating of which does not have to be adjusted on a lower-end basis with respect to a print head, and to provide a tape printer.

Solution to Problem

According to an aspect of the invention, a tape cartridge includes a platen, when the tape cartridge is mounted on a tape printer, a print head of the tape printer contacting the platen with a print tape and an ink ribbon arranged therebetween such that the print head can be separated from the platen; a cartridge case that houses the print tape, the ink ribbon, and the platen; and an insertion opening formed in the cartridge case, the print head being inserted into the insertion opening. A contact portion of the platen that is brought into contact with the print head protrudes relative to a head receiver of the insertion opening to which the print head is exposed when the print head contacts the platen.

With this configuration, since the contact portion of the platen that is brought into contact with the print head protrudes relative to the head receiver of the insertion opening to which the print head is exposed, the print head that contacts the platen does not interfere with the head receiver. Accordingly, seating does not have to be adjusted on a lower-end basis with respect to the print head, and the platen and the print head can be mutually positioned on a middle-position basis. Thus, printing can be properly performed regardless of a head width or a tape width.

In this case, the cartridge case may preferably include a seat-surface-side first case wall, and a second case wall parallel to the first case wall. The platen may be rotatably supported from both sides by a first bearing hole that is formed in the first case wall and a second bearing hole that is formed in the second case wall. The head receiver may be defined by an edge of the first case wall near the insertion opening and an edge of the second case wall near the insertion opening, and have a first communication portion that communicates with the first bearing hole and a second communication portion that communicates with the second bearing hole.

With this configuration, even if the external shape of the platen is not increased in size, i.e., even if the platen that is rotatably supported by the first bearing hole formed in the first case wall and the second bearing hole formed in the second case wall has a small diameter, the print head that contacts the platen can be reliably prevented from interfering with the head receiver. Namely, the contact portion of the platen can sufficiently protrude relative to the head receiver of the insertion opening.

In this case, the head receiver may preferably have a shape that faces in a non-contact manner the print head being in contact with the platen.

With this configuration, not only a head body (heating elements) of the print head, but also a holder (hold member) that holds the head body can be prevented from interfering with the head receiver.

In this case, the cartridge case may further preferably include a feed guide that guides feed of the ink ribbon such that a feed path is exposed to an area near the contact portion.

With this configuration, even if the ink ribbon is loosened, since the ink ribbon is loosened toward the platen by pressure (contact) of the print head, the ink ribbon does not disturb mounting and removal of the tape cartridge to and from the tape printer.

According to another aspect of the invention, a tape printer can use several types of the above-described tape cartridges with different thicknesses. The tape printer includes a tape mount on which any of the tape cartridges can be removably mounted; the print head that protrudes from the tape mount and has a length corresponding to a distance between inner surfaces of the first and second case walls of the mounted tape cartridge with a maximum thickness; and a guide protrusion that protrudes from the tape mount, has a height corresponding to a thickness of the first case wall, is exposed to the first communication portion of the mounted tape cartridge, and guides rotation of the platen.

With this configuration, the platen and the print head can be mutually positioned on a middle-position basis regardless of the width of the print tape. Thus, print quality is not degraded. Also, even if a portion of the first bearing hole is partly cut by the first communication portion, rotation of the platen is not fluctuated due to the guide protrusion exposed to the first communication portion.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

A tape cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention and a tape printer on which the tape cartridge is mounted will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. This tape printer performs printing while a print tape and an ink ribbon are unwound from the mounted tape cartridge and cuts a printed portion of the print tape to create a label (tape piece).

As shown inFIG. 1, a tape printer1includes a housing2that defines an outer shell; a cartridge mount3(tape mount) that is depressed in an upper surface of the housing2, a tape cartridge11that houses a print tape T etc. being removably mounted on the cartridge mount3; an open/close lid4that opens and closes the cartridge mount3; a print mechanism5that includes a print head22standing on the cartridge mount3and performs printing on the print tape T; a tape feed mechanism6that feeds the print tape T by unwinding the print tape T from the tape cartridge11; a cut mechanism7that cuts the print tape T after printing; a keyboard8with which print information is input; and a display9that displays an input result. A user inputs print information with the keyboard8and then executes a print operation while the user checks the print information with the display9.

The tape cartridge11includes a tape unit12in which the print tape T is wound around a tape core18; a ribbon unit13in which an ink ribbon R is wound around a ribbon unwind core19; a ribbon wind core14around which the used ink ribbon R is wound; a platen roller15(platen) that unwinds and feeds the print tape T from the tape unit12; a cartridge case16that houses the tape unit12, the ribbon unit13, the ribbon wind core14, and the platen roller15; and an insertion opening17that is formed in the cartridge case16, the print head22being inserted into the insertion opening17(the detail will be described later). For the tape cartridge11, a thin standard cartridge11A that houses a print tape T with a small tape width, and a thick special cartridge11B that houses a print tape T with a large tape width are prepared (seeFIG. 1).

The cartridge mount3has a shape substantially complementary to a shape of the tape cartridge11, and includes on a bottom plate26a positioning protrusion21that positions the tape core18, the print head22that is covered with a head cover20, a platen driving shaft23that faces the print head22and drives to rotate the platen roller15, and a ribbon wind driving shaft24that drives to wind the ink ribbon R through the ribbon wind core14. Also, the cartridge mount3includes on the bottom plate26a plurality of bottom-raising protrusions25that raise the bottom of the tape cartridge11(standard cartridge11A) in accordance with the thickness of the cartridge case16, and a detector (not shown) that detects the type of the tape cartridge11. Also, a tape feed mechanism6that is driven by a motor and rotates the platen driving shaft23and the ribbon wind driving shaft24is arranged below the bottom plate26.

The print head22is a thermal head. The print head22includes a head body31with arrayed heating elements, a hold member32that holds the head body31at a distal end portion of the hold member32, and a head support shaft33that rotatably supports the hold member32at a proximal end portion of the hold member32(seeFIG. 4). Though not particularly illustrated, the hold member32engages with a head release mechanism. The head body31(print head22) is brought into contact with or separated from the platen roller15in association with open/close operation of the open/close lid4. Also, the hold member32swingably holds the head body31at a middle position in an up-down direction. When the head body31contacts (is pressed to) the platen roller15, the head body31can be evenly pressed to the platen roller15in the array direction of the heating elements.

The plurality of bottom-raising protrusions25are arranged at both upper corners in plan view and a lower left corner in plan view of the cartridge mount3. When the tape cartridge11of either type is mounted, the center in a height direction of the head body31(center of the heating element array) can be aligned with the center in a width direction of the print tape T (center in the up-down direction of the platen roller15). As described above, the thin standard cartridge11A and the thick special cartridge11B are prepared for the tape cartridge11. A seat surface of the standard cartridge11A is defined by the plurality of bottom-raising protrusions25. A seat surface of the special cartridge11B is defined by the bottom plate26. Hence, the special cartridge11B has a plurality of recesses27(seeFIG. 3B) to cancel the plurality of bottom-raising protrusions25.

When the tape cartridge11is mounted on the cartridge mount3, the tape core18engages with the positioning protrusion21, the platen roller15engages with the platen driving shaft23, and the ribbon wind core14engages with the ribbon wind driving shaft24. When the open/close lid4is closed, the print head22contacts the platen roller15with the print tape T and the ink ribbon R arranged therebetween, and the tape printer1is brought into a print standby state. When printing is started, the ink ribbon R and the print tape T simultaneously run in a superposed manner. The print tape T after desired printing by the print head22is sent to the outside of the tape cartridge11and the housing2. The cut mechanism7cuts the printed portion. In contrast, the ink ribbon R used for printing is sent along a path in the tape cartridge11, and is wound around the ribbon wind core14(the detail will be described later). After printing is completed, when the open/close lid4is opened, the print head22is turned and separated from the platen roller15, and hence the tape cartridge11becomes removable.

Next, the tape cartridge11will be described below in more detail with reference toFIGS. 2A to 5B. As described above, the tape cartridge11has the tape unit12, the ribbon unit13, the ribbon wind core14, and the platen roller15that are arranged in the cartridge case16. Also, the tape cartridge11has the insertion opening17in the cartridge case16at a position near the platen roller15.

The cartridge case16defines an outer shell of the tape cartridge11. The cartridge case16includes a seat-side lower case41, and an upper case42corresponding to the lower case41. Also, the cartridge case16has therein a partition wall and a ribbon feed guide (feed guide)43that guides feed of the ink ribbon R. The lower case41has a seat-side lower case wall44(first case wall) and a lower peripheral wall45that stands on the lower case wall44. The upper case42has an upper case wall46(second case wall) that is parallel to the lower case wall44and an upper peripheral wall47that stands on the upper case wall46.

Referring toFIG. 2C, the cartridge case16of the standard cartridge11A has a thickness such that the center in the width direction of the print tape T is aligned with the center in the height direction of the head body31when the standard cartridge11A is seated on the plurality of bottom-raising protrusions25, which serve as the seat surface. In contrast, as shown inFIGS. 3B and 3C, the cartridge case16of the thick special cartridge11B has the plurality of recesses27in the lower case41to cancel the bottom-raising protrusions25. When the special cartridge11B is seated on the bottom plate26, the center in the width direction of the print tape T is aligned with the center in the height direction of the head body31. If three or more types of tape cartridges11with different thicknesses are prepared, the bottom-raising protrusions25are preferably formed stepwise. The recesses27preferably have shapes substantially complementary to shapes of the stepwise bottom-raising protrusions25(not shown).

Referring toFIG. 4, a lower tape bearing51and an upper tape bearing52that rotatably support the tape core18from both sides are respectively formed at substantially the centers in plan view of the lower case wall44and the upper case wall46. A lower core bearing53and an upper core bearing54that support the ribbon unwind core19from both sides are respectively formed at right end portions in plan view of the lower case wall44and the upper case wall46. Also, a lower insertion opening17aand an upper insertion opening17bthat define the insertion opening17and into which the print head22is inserted are respectively formed in left end portions in plan view of the lower case wall44and the upper case wall46. A lower wind bearing hole55and an upper wind bearing hole56that support the ribbon wind core14from both sides are formed at the right side in plan view of the insertion opening17. Also, a lower platen bearing hole57(first bearing hole) and an upper platen bearing hole58(second bearing hole) that rotatably support the platen roller15from both sides are formed at the upper side in plan view of the insertion opening17. Further, the ribbon feed guide43that guides feed of the ink ribbon R, and a tape guide pin66that guides feed of the print tape T are formed in the periphery of the insertion opening17.

The ribbon feed guide43defines a feed path of the ink ribbon R. The ribbon feed guide43includes a first ribbon pin61, a second ribbon pin62, a third ribbon pin63, and a peripheral wall guide64of the insertion opening17that are arranged from an unwind side to a wind side of the ink ribbon R. The second ribbon pin62and the third ribbon pin63are arranged such that the feed path of the ink ribbon R is exposed to an area near the platen roller15, and more particularly to an area near a contact portion10of the platen roller15that is brought into contact with the print head22. Accordingly, the exposed portion of the ink ribbon R that is brought into contact with the print head22faces the contact portion10of the platen roller15with a very small gap arranged therebetween.

The print tape T unwound from the tape core18is guided by the tape guide pin66to the contact portion10of the platen roller15, and is used for printing at this portion. After printing, the print tape T is sent out from a tape output port67that is formed in the cartridge case16. In contrast, the ink ribbon R unwound from the ribbon unwind core19is guided by the first ribbon pin61and the second ribbon pin62to the contact portion10of the platen roller15, and is used for printing at this portion while the ink ribbon R is superposed on the print tape T. Then, the ink ribbon R passes the third ribbon pin63and the peripheral wall guide64(so as to extend around the insertion opening17), and is wound around the ribbon wind core14. That is, the ink ribbon R is pressed to the platen roller15by the pressure (contact) of the print head22at the exposed portion between the second ribbon pin62and the third ribbon pin63even if the ink ribbon R is loosened. Hence, the ink ribbon R does not disturb mounting and removal of the tape cartridge11to and from the tape printer1.

Next, the periphery of the insertion opening17will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 5A and 5B. As described above, the insertion opening17into which the print head22is inserted is formed at the left end portion in plan view of the cartridge case16, and the platen roller15is rotatably supported at the upper side in plan view of the insertion opening17.

The insertion opening17is defined by the lower insertion opening17aof the lower case wall44, the upper insertion opening17bof the upper case wall46, and an inner peripheral wall portion71(portion of the lower case41). The inner peripheral wall portion71is not formed at a head receiver72from which the print head22is exposed. The head receiver72of the insertion opening17is formed by the lower insertion opening17aand the upper insertion opening17b.

In particular, the head receiver72is defined by an edge of the lower insertion opening17anear the platen roller15and an edge of the upper insertion opening17bnear the platen roller15. The edge of the lower insertion opening17aand the edge of the upper insertion opening17bare formed by cutting such that the contact portion10of the platen roller15protrudes. To be more specific, the edge of the lower insertion opening17athat defines the head receiver72has a lower communication portion73that communicates with the lower platen bearing hole57, and the edge of the upper insertion opening17bhas an upper communication portion74that communicates with the upper platen bearing hole58. These edges face in a non-contact manner the print head22being in contact with the platen roller15.

The lower communication portion73has a depressed shape such that the edge of the lower insertion opening17aand the lower platen bearing hole57communicate with each other. To be more specific, the lower communication portion73is formed at a position corresponding to a region defined by connecting the rotation shaft of the platen roller15and the contact portion10such that the platen roller15is not detached from the lower platen bearing hole57. Similarly, the upper communication portion74causes the edge of the upper insertion opening17band the upper platen bearing hole58to communicate with each other, and is formed at a position corresponding to the region defined by connecting the rotation shaft of the platen roller15and the contact portion10such that the platen roller15is not detached from the upper platen bearing hole58. Accordingly, even if the platen roller15has a small diameter, the print head22(in this case, the head body31and a portion of the hold member32) that contacts the platen roller15can be reliably prevented from interfering with the head receiver72.

With the above configuration, since the contact portion10of the platen roller15protrudes relative to the head receiver72, the print head22does not interfere with the head receiver72. Accordingly, the platen roller15and the print head22can be mutually positioned on a middle-position basis. Also, since the print head22with a sufficient length (in the height direction) can be formed, a pattern, a background, or the like, can be printed on the entire surface.

Next, a tape printer1according to a modification of the invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7. To omit redundant description, a configuration different from that of the first embodiment is mainly described. The cartridge mount3of the tape printer1has a guide protrusion75that guides rotation of the platen roller15. The guide protrusion75is arranged near the platen driving shaft23so as to face the lower communication portion73of the mounted tape cartridge11. The guide protrusion75has a height corresponding to the thickness of the lower case wall44.

The print head22has a length corresponding to the distance between the inner surfaces of the lower case wall44and the upper case wall46in the tape cartridge11with the maximum thickness that can be mounted (in this specification, the special cartridge11B). Accordingly, even if a portion of the lower platen bearing hole57is partly cut due to the lower communication portion73, the rotation of the platen roller15is not fluctuated.

In this embodiment, the head receiver72is defined by the lower communication portion73that causes the edge of the lower insertion opening17aand the lower platen bearing hole57to communicate with each other and the upper communication portion74that causes the edge of the upper insertion opening17band the upper platen bearing hole58to communicate with each other. However, as long as the contact portion10of the platen roller15protrudes relative to the edge of the lower insertion opening17aand the edge of the upper insertion opening17b,the head receiver72may reach to positions near the lower platen bearing hole57and the upper platen bearing hole58. That is, the head receiver72may not communicate with the lower platen bearing hole57or the upper platen bearing hole58and a thin wall may be formed.

Reference Signs List

44lower case wall

46upper case wall

73lower communication portion

74upper communication portion

R ink ribbon

T print tape