Abstract:
A ribbon cassette structure is provided. The provided ribbon cassette structure includes a cartridge having at least a rotating structure. The rotating structure includes a first actuating element, a first connecting element, a second actuating element and a support shaft. The first connecting element is located between the first actuating element and the second actuating element, and the second actuating element is located between the first actuating element and the support shaft.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette structure, and more particularly to the ribbon cassette structure capable of rotating along only a direction. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    People always try to detain the wonderful memories and the impressive grand sight via a camera, especially while the tempo of life is rapidly increasing. The digital camera needs no films and the user could review the pictures easily, so that the traditional camera is gradually superseded by the digital camera. In addition, since the computer technologies have been improved quickly, the computer has become a prerequisite equipment in the modern life and its powerful functions have brought us with lots of convenience and wonderful experiences. 
         [0003]    Although the pictures stored in the digital camera could be reviewed with a display without the developing and printing steps, it is sometime still necessary to print out the pictures. If someone needs to print pictures out from the digital camera, he always needs to use the exclusive printer or connects the digital camera to a computer and then uses a common printer connected with the computer. Nevertheless, the feeding spool (and/or the take-up spool) of the ribbon cassette of the photo printer and the common printer could rotate in two-way, that is, the feeding spool (the supplying portion) and the take-up spool (the collection portion) are rotated in normal and reverse directions in response to reciprocal movement of the carriage. During the operation of the printers, if the ribbon is forced, it is possible that the used ribbon collected in the collection portion of the ribbon cassette would be rolled back and then be used again. In such a case, the printing quality of the picture would become really bad. 
         [0004]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagram showing a ribbon cassette structure in the prior art. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the conventional ribbon cassette structure  1  includes a supplying portion  11  and a collection portion  12 . The supplying portion  11  has a supplying roller  111  and the collection portion  12  has a collection roller  121 . Both the supplying roller  111  and the collection roller  121  could rotate in two ways. Therefore, when the ribbon  13  is forced, the used ribbon  13  on the collection roller  121  might be rolled back to the supplying roller  111  and the printing quality of the following operation of printing would become bad. In order to overcome the defects resulting from the collection roller  121  capable of rotating in two ways, it might be a solution to design a torsion controller to control the rotating direction of the collection roller  121 . Nevertheless, within the trends of the simplicity, compactness and easy-carrying, the dimensions of the conventional printers or photo printers have become smaller and the free spaces therein are limited. Due to the miniaturizations of the printers or photo printers, it would not be a good solution to add a torsion controller into the compact printers or photo printers to control the rotating direction of the collection roller  121 . Furthermore, it would increase the cost of the printers or photo printers if a torsion controller is added. As above, it does not meet the current demand to add a torsion controller into the conventional printers or photo printers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a ribbon cassette structure is provided. The ribbon cassette structure includes a cartridge having a supplying portion with a supplying roller and a collection portion with a collection roller. The collection roller includes a first actuating element, a first connecting element, a second actuating element and a support shaft. The first connecting element is located between the first actuating element and the second actuating element, and the second actuating element is mounted between the first actuating element and the support shaft. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the first connecting element provides one of elasticity and torsion to move the second actuating element. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the support shaft has a first end facing to the second actuating element and a second end, wherein the first end has a gradient inward channel. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the first actuating element has a socket. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the second actuating element has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is joined with the first connecting element and mounted in the socket. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the second portion of the second actuating element is mounted in the gradient inward channel. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the gradient inward channel has a stop surface to stop the second actuating element through the second portion against the stop surface. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the ribbon cassette structure further includes a first elastic element connected with the support shaft. 
         [0013]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a ribbon cassette structure is provided. The ribbon cassette structure includes a cartridge having a supplying portion having a supplying roller, and a collection portion having a collection roller. The supplying roller has a first actuating element, a first connecting element, a second actuating element and a support shaft. The first connecting element is located between the first actuating element and the second actuating element, and the second actuating element is mounted between the first actuating element and the support shaft. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the first connecting element provides one of elasticity and torsion to move the second actuating element. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the support shaft has a first end facing to the second actuating element and a second end, wherein the first end has a gradient inward channel. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the first actuating element has a socket. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the second actuating element has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is jointed with the first connecting element and mounted in the socket. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the gradient inward channel has a stop surface to stop the second actuating element through the second portion against the stop surface. 
         [0019]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a ribbon cassette structure is provided. The ribbon cassette structure includes a cartridge having a supplying portion and a collection portion. The supplying portion and the collection portion rotate along a same single direction simultaneously, and each of the supplying portion and the collection portion includes a first actuating element, a first connecting element, a second actuating element and a support shaft. The first connecting element is mounted between the first actuating element and the second actuating element, and the second actuating element is mounted between the first actuating element and the support shaft. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the first connecting element provides one of elasticity and torsion to move the second actuating element. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the support shaft has a first end facing to the second actuating element and a second end, wherein the first end has a gradient inward channel. 
         [0022]    Preferably, the first actuating element has a socket. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the second actuating element has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is jointed with the first connecting element and mounted in the socket. 
         [0024]    Preferably, the gradient inward channel has a stop surface to stop the second actuating element through the second portion against the stop surface. 
         [0025]    The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through the following descriptions with reference to the drawings, wherein: 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a ribbon cassette structure according to the prior art; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the ribbon cassette structure according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a diagram showing the collection roller of the ribbon cassette structure in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing the first end of the support shaft according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a diagram showing the ribbon cassette structure according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a diagram showing the ribbon cassette structure according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. 
         [0033]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which shows the ribbon cassette structure according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the present ribbon cassette structure  2  includes a cartridge  28 . The cartridge  28  includes a supplying portion  21  having a supplying roller  211 , and a collection portion  22  having a collection roller  221 . The collection roller  221  could rotate along a single direction rather than along two directions. 
         [0034]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which shows the collection roller  221  of the collection portion  22  in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the collection roller  221  includes a first actuating element  23 , a first connecting element  24 , a second actuating element  25 , a support shaft  26  and a first elastic element  27 . The first actuating element  23  includes a socket  231 , and the support shaft  26  has a first end  261  facing to the second actuating element  25  and a second end  262  connected with the first elastic element  27 . The first end  261  has a gradient inward channel  2611 . In this embodiment, the gradient inward channel  2611  is designed in an anti-clockwise arrangement and gradually extended from the surface of the first end  261  to the inside of the support shaft  26 . Also, the gradient inward channel  2611  has a stop surface  26111  (please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a diagram showing the first end  261  of the support shaft  26  according to the first embodiment of the present invention). Nevertheless, it should be noted the gradient inward channel  2611  could be arranged in a clockwise arrangement in other embodiment. The second actuating element  25  has a first end  251  and a second end  252 , wherein the second end  252  is configured as an incline shape to move along the gradient inward channel  2611 . The socket  231  provides the moving space for the second actuating element  25  and the first connecting element  24 , such as a spring, provides the elasticity and/or the torsion to move the second actuating element  25 . The first elastic element  27  serves as a buffer. It is to be noted that, in other embodiments, the first connecting element  24  might be omitted. 
         [0035]    During the process of assembling the collection roller  221 , the first end  251  of the second actuating element  25  would be assembled with the first connecting element  24  and mounted within the socket  231 , and the second end  252  of the second actuating element  25  is mounted within the gradient inward channel  2611  of the support shaft  26 . 
         [0036]    After the collection roller  221  is assembled, the first actuating element  23  might be able to move the second actuating element  25  along the anti-clockwise direction via the first connecting element  24  when the first actuating element  23  is forced by an anti-clockwise pressure; meanwhile, the second end  252  of the second actuating element  25  contacts with the gradient inward channel  2611  and slides into the inside of the support shaft  26  along the gradient inward channel  2611  by the elasticity and/or the torsion provided from the first connecting element  24 . After the second end  252  of the second actuating element  25  is connecting with the stop surface  2611  of the gradient inward channel  2611 , the support shaft  26  would be rotated anti-clockwise by the push from the second actuating element  25 . As above, when the first actuating element  23  receives an anti-clockwise push, the collection roller  221  rotates anti-clockwise. On the other hand, when the first actuating element  23  receives a clockwise pressure and moves clockwise, the second actuating element  25  would rotate clockwise by the elasticity and/or torsion provided from the first connecting element  24 . Nevertheless, during the process that the second actuating element  25  rotates clockwise, the second actuating element  25  would move out from the gradient inward channel  2611  and the support shaft  26  would not be moved due to no surface could receive the push from the second actuating element  25 . Based on the first embodiment, the support shaft  26  cloud only rather rotate anti-clockwise than clockwise, i.e. the collection roller  221  rotates along a single direction rather than two directions. Since the collection roller  221  could rotate only along a single direction rather than two directions, it is easy to prevent the used ribbon collected in the collection portion  22  of the ribbon cassette structure  2  from being rolled back to the supplying portion  21  and be used again. In such a case, the printing quality of the picture could be controlled and maintained more completely. 
         [0037]    Furthermore, it should be noted that if the gradient inward channel  2611  is arranged in a clockwise arrangement, and then the slope of the second end  252  of the second actuating element  25  should be changed to match the gradient inward channel  2611 , so as to move along the gradient inward channel  2611  again when the first actuating element  23  is forced by a clockwise pressure. Nevertheless, in practice, the second end  252  of the second actuating element  25  could be in other shapes, such as the cube, the ladder-shape, the cone, the sphere and so on. Actually, the second end  252  of the second actuating element  25  could be any shape capable of driving the stop surface  26111  to drive the support shaft  26 . 
         [0038]    In addition, even though the first embodiment relates to the structure of the collection roller capable of rotating along a single direction rather than two directions, it should be noted that the similar structure could be applied to the supplying roller, such as the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , or to the collection and supplying rollers simultaneously, such as the third embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0039]    As above, the above embodiments provide ribbon cassette structures formed by applying the incline principle and the specific geometric arrangements of the actuating elements and the elastic elements. During the operation of the ribbon cassette structure provided in this invention, since the actuating element could only cause the relevant roller to rotate along a specific single direction (only the supplying roller is rotated along a specific direction, or only the collection roller is rotated along a specific direction, or both the supplying and collection rollers are rotated along a same single direction), the used ribbon would not be rolled back and used again while the ribbon is forced by a undesired force. Accordingly, the provided ribbon cassette structure could effectively avoid the possibility of that the ribbon is repeatedly used in the conventional ribbon cassette structure and provide a better and more stable printing quality. In addition, the provided ribbon cassette structure could be easily assembled with the various conventional printers or photo printers by a simple cam combination, a gear combination or other simple mechanical combination, so that the cost for providing new torsion controller into the photo printer or printer can be avoided. Furthermore, since no torsion controller is necessary, the provided ribbon cassette structure also conforms to the trends of the simplicity, compactness, easy-carrying and miniaturization. 
         [0040]    As above, it should be easily understood for one skilled in the art that the provided ribbon cassette structure of the present invention could not only avoid the conventional defect that the used ribbon being rolled back and re-used but also save the cost of adding a torsion controller and conform with the trends of the simplicity, compactness, easy-carrying, and miniaturization. Furthermore, the provided ribbon cassette structure could be applied to various printers or other printing devices, such as photo printers. Accordingly, the provided ribbon cassette structure of the present invention has the novelty, progressiveness and industrial application. 
         [0041]    While the invention has been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. Therefore, the above description and illustration should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.