Patent Publication Number: US-2012034011-A1

Title: Printer and winding attachment

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-176619, filed on Aug. 5, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a printer and a winding attachment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Winding attachments around which a strip-shaped material (or web material), such as an ink ribbon, is wound are used in printers and printing devices. 
     In some types of printers, the strip-shaped material is wound into a roll around the winding attachment. In this case, it is desirable that the winding attachment is easily separated from the roll. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side sectional view showing an example of an internal configuration of a printer according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a winding attachment of the printer, showing a state of a diameter thereof being enlarged. 
         FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the winding attachment of the printer, showing a state of a diameter thereof being reduced. 
         FIG. 3A  is a side view of the winding attachment and a used-up ribbon roll of the printer, showing a state where the winding attachment and the used-up ribbon roll are mounted on a winding shaft, 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the winding attachment and the used-up ribbon roll of the printer, showing a state where the winding attachment and the used-up ribbon roll are separated from the winding shaft. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the winding shaft and the winding attachment of the printer. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a winding attachment of a printer according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 6A  is a side view of the winding attachment and a used-up ribbon roll of the printer, showing a state where the winding attachment and the used-up ribbon roll are mounted on a winding shaft. 
         FIG. 6B  is a side view of the winding attachment and the used-up ribbon roll of the printer, showing a state where the winding attachment and the used-up ribbon roll are separated from the winding shaft. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a winding shaft and a winding attachment of a printer according to a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 8A  is a front view of a winding attachment of a printer according to a fourth embodiment. 
         FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of the winding attachment of the printer taken along an IXb-IXb line shown in  FIG. 8A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     According to one embodiment, a printer includes a winding shaft configured to be rotatably driven, and a winding attachment which is detachably mounted on the winding shaft and on which a strip-shaped material is wound when the winding attachment mounted on the winding shaft is rotated. The winding attachment includes a winding section on which the strip-shaped material is wound, and an elastic member configured to reduce the diameter of the winding section in a radial direction of the rotation axis of the winding shaft when the winding attachment is separated from the winding shaft compared to when the winding attachment is mounted on the winding shaft. 
     Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements, and thus duplicate descriptions will be omitted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a device (e.g., printer  1 ) according to an illustrative embodiment may print on a label (used as a printing medium) (not shown), which is provided on (e.g., adhered to) an inner surface  2   a  of a strip-shaped paper  2 . In some embodiments, the printer  1  may print on a printing medium other than a label, for example, a continuous-form paper without a backing sheet. In addition, the printer  1  may write and read data to and from an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) chip attached on the label. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a main body  1   a  of the printer  1  includes a housing  1   b  with a bottom wall  1   c  and a side wall. The housing  1   b  includes a longitudinal wall  1   d  provided perpendicular to the bottom wall  1   c.  A roll holding shaft  3 , a conveying roller  4 , a platen roller  5 , a supply shaft  7  for an ink ribbon  6 , a winding shaft (or take-up shaft)  8  for the ink ribbon  6 , a print block  9 , a pinch roller block  10 , and the like are mounted on the longitudinal wall  1   d.  A control circuit (not shown) may be disposed on the rear side of the longitudinal wall  1   d  in the housing  1   b.    
     The roll holding shaft  3  may rotatably hold a roll (e.g., a paper roll)  11 , around which the strip-shaped paper  2  is wound. In one embodiment, the roll holding shaft  3  may be rotatably supported by the longitudinal wall  1   d.  Alternatively, the roll holding shaft  3  may be fixed on the longitudinal wall  1   d,  thereby allowing the paper roll  11  wound with the strip-shaped paper  2  to rotate around the roll holding shaft  3 . In any case, in this embodiment, the roll holding shaft  3  and the paper roll  11  are not driven by, for example, a motor. The paper roll  11  wound with the strip-shaped paper  2  rotates (or is driven) in conjunction with rotation of the conveying roller  4  and the platen roller  5 , which are located downstream of the paper roll  11  in a paper feeding direction TD (the left direction in  FIG. 1 ). As such, the strip-shaped paper  2  is discharged from the paper roll  11 . 
     The conveying roller  4  and the platen roller  5  may be rotary-driven by, for example, a motor. The conveying roller  4  is located upstream of the platen roller  5  and a print unit  12  in the paper feeding direction TD. The pinch roller block  10  may include a pinch roller (not shown) which is horizontally placed adjacent to the conveying roller  4 . The pinch roller is biased towards the conveying roller  4  with predetermined pressure. The strip-shaped paper  2 , interposed between the conveying roller  4  and the pinch roller, is conveyed in the paper feeding direction TD in conjunction with the rotation of the conveying roller  4 . In this embodiment, the conveying roller  4 , the platen roller  5 , the motor, a motor controller, and the pinch roller block  10  may constitute a conveying mechanism. 
     A ribbon roll  13 , around which a strip-shaped material (e.g., the ink ribbon  6 ) is wound, is held by the supply shaft  7  of the ink ribbon  6 . The winding shaft  8  may be rotary-driven by, for example, a motor. With the rotation of the winding shaft  8 , the ink ribbon  6  is wound around the winding shaft  8  while simultaneously being discharged from the ribbon roll  13 . Both the ink ribbon  6  and the strip-shaped paper  2  are interposed between a thermal head  9   a  contained in the print head block  9  and the platen roller  5 . The thermal head  9   a  generates heat, which allows ink on the ink ribbon  6  to melt or sublimate. Through such operation of the thermal head  9   a,  a predetermined pattern such as a character, numeric character, bar code, or graphic, is transferred onto a label which is provided on (e.g., attached to) the inner surface  2   a  of the strip-shaped paper  2 . Specifically, in this embodiment, a print mechanism may include the ink ribbon  6 , the supply shaft  7 , the winding shaft  8 , the print head block  9 , the thermal head  9   a,  the motor, and the motor controller. The print unit  12  includes the thermal head  9   a  and the platen roller  5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a winding attachment  15  for the ink ribbon  6  is detachably mounted on the winding shaft  8 . The winding attachment  15  is engaged with the winding shaft  8  via an engagement mechanism  17  (see  FIG. 4 ) and is rotated along with the winding shaft  8 . By employing the above configuration, the ink ribbon  6  is wound around the winding attachment  15 . In this embodiment, the ink ribbon  6  is wound on a periphery  15   b  of the winding attachment  15  to form a used-up roll  13 S of the ink ribbon  6  (see  FIG. 3A ). The use of the winding attachment  15  eliminates the need to install a pipe (e.g., a paper pipe) for winding the ink ribbon  6  at a discharge start end of the ink ribbon  6 . Alternatively, if a pipe for winding the ink ribbon  6  is equipped at the discharge start end of the ink ribbon  6 , an operator may separate the winding attachment  15  from the winding shaft  8  and replace the winding attachment  15  with the pipe for winding the ink ribbon  6 . In this embodiment, the periphery  15   b  of the winding attachment  15  corresponds to a winding section around which the ink ribbon  6  is wound. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  3 A, and  3 B, the winding attachment  15  includes a plurality of segments  15   a  (e.g., 12 segments in this embodiment) of the same shape and an O-ring  16  which is an elastic member configured to bind the segments  15   a.  The winding attachment  15  is mounted to surround the winding shaft  8 . The winding attachment  15  may be mounted on or detached from the winding shaft  8  in the shaft direction of the winding shaft  8 . In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , ring-shaped grooves  15   e  are formed around the center axis of the winding attachment  15  in the vicinity of both end portions of the periphery  15   b  of the segments  15   a  in the longitudinal direction thereof. The O-ring  16  is inserted in the groove  15   e.  The segments  15   a  may be made of synthetic resin, metal, or the like. The  0 -ring  16  may be made of an elastomer. In this embodiment, the O-ring  16  corresponds to an elastic ring. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A , when the winding attachment  15  is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the plurality of segments  15   a  having the same shape are arranged side by side in a circumferential direction of a rotation axis Ax on an outer circumference  8   a  of the winding shaft  8 . In this configuration, as shown in  FIG. 3A , inner circumferences  15   c  of the segments  15   a  are in contact with the outer circumference  8   a  of the winding shaft  8 . In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 3A , gaps (i.e., gaps in the circumferential direction) are formed between the adjacent segments  15   a.    
     On the other hand, when the winding attachment  15  is separated from the winding shaft  8 , the segments  15   a  are bound by the O-ring  16  and are held in the form of a pipe as shown in  FIG. 2B  and  FIG. 3B . Accordingly, an outer diameter Dn (see  FIG. 3B ) of the winding attachment  15  when it is separated from the winding shaft  8  is smaller than an outer diameter Db (see  FIG. 3A ) of the winding attachment  15  when it is mounted on the winding shaft  8 . 
     As described above, since the used-up roll  13 S is formed around the winding attachment  15  mounted on the winding shaft  8 , an inner diameter Dr of the used-up roll  13 S is substantially equal to the outer diameter Db of the winding attachment  15  when the winding attachment  15  is mounted on the winding shaft  8  (see  FIG. 3A ). On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 3B , the outer diameter Dn of the winding attachment  15  is smaller than the inner diameter Dr of the used-up roll  13 S when the winding attachment  15  is separated from the winding shaft  8 . Accordingly, in this embodiment, when an operator separates the winding attachment  15  with the used-up roll  13 S of the ink ribbon  6  formed thereon from the winding shaft  8  in an axial direction, the diameter of the winding attachment  15  is decreased by the O-ring  16  (serving as an elastic member). As a result, a gap g is formed between the periphery  15   b  of the winding attachment  15  and an inner circumference  13   a  of the used-up roll  13 S, as shown in  FIG. 3B . Thus, the operator may more easily separate the used-up roll  13 S from the winding attachment  15 . 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a plurality of projections  17   a,  which are retractable, is formed on the outer circumference  8   a  of the winding shaft  8  at a position closer to a base end section  8   c  than a leading end section  8   b  (in a direction WD). These projections  17   a  are outward biased by a biasing member (not shown) such as a leaf spring or a coil spring so that the projections  17   a  protrude outward from through holes  8   d  formed on the outer surface of the winding shaft  8  in a free state where no external force is exerted. On the other hand, concave sections  17   b  into which the projections  17   a  are to be inserted are formed on the inner circumference  15   c  of the winding attachment  15 . When the winding attachment  15  is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the projections  17   a  are engaged with the concave sections  17   b  in the circumferential and axial direction of the rotation axis Ax of the winding shaft  8 . In this embodiment, an engagement mechanism  17  includes the projections  17   a  and the concave sections  17   b.  This engagement mechanism  17  prevents the winding attachment  15  from separating from the winding shaft  8  and allows the winding attachment  15  to be rotated in conjunction with the winding shaft  8 . While the winding attachment  15  is mounted on or separated from the winding shaft  8 , the projections  17   a  retract due to the projections  17   a  being pressed down by the winding attachment  15 . 
     As described above, in this embodiment, the winding attachment  15  includes the outer circumference  15   b  around which the strip-shaped ink ribbon  6  is wound. The winding attachment further includes the O-ring  16  serving as the elastic member configured to reduce the outer circumference  15   b  further when the winding attachment  15  is separated from the winding shaft  8  than when the winding attachment  15  is mounted on the winding shaft  8 . In this embodiment, since the diameter of the winding attachment  15  is decreased by the O-ring  16  when the winding attachment  15  is separated from the winding shaft  8 , the operator may more easily separate the used-up roll  13 S from the winding attachment  15 . 
     In this embodiment, the winding attachment  15  includes the plurality of segments  15   a  which are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis Ax on the outer circumference of the winding shaft  8 , with the outer circumference  15   b  constituting a winding section, and the O-ring  16  serving as the elastic member and an elastic ring to bind the plurality of segments  15   a  together. With this configuration, the winding attachment  15  which is decreased in diameter by the elastic member when the winding attachment  15  is separated from the winding shaft  8  can be implemented using a relatively simple structure. Alternatively, a coil spring may be employed in place of the O-ring  16 , as an elastic member configured to be wound around the winding shaft  8  in the circumferential direction. 
     In addition, in this embodiment, the projections  17   a  and the concave sections  17   b  are provided as the engagement mechanism  17  to engage the winding attachment  15  with the winding shaft  8  in the axial direction of the rotation axis Ax. This engagement mechanism  17  may prevent the winding attachment  15  from separating from the winding shaft  8 . Alternatively, the engagement mechanism  17  may be constituted by concave sections formed on the winding shaft  8  and convex sections formed on the winding attachment  15 . 
       FIGS. 5 ,  6 A, and  6 B illustrate a winding attachment of a printer according to a second embodiment. In the second embodiment as shown in PIGS.  5 ,  6 A, and  6 B, a winding attachment  15 A may be employed in place of the winding attachment  15  of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the winding attachment  15 A includes a spiral spring  15   g  having a plate spirally wound around the winding shaft  8 , as an elastic member  16 A. The spiral spring  15   g  may be formed by spiraling metal material such as, for example, spring steel or stainless steel. 
     When the winding attachment  15 A is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the ink ribbon  6  is wound around an outer circumference  15   b  of the spiral spring  15   g  to form the used-up roll  13 S. In this embodiment, the outer circumference  15   b  of the spiral spring  15   g  corresponds to a winding section. In addition, when the winding attachment  15 A is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the winding shaft  8  is engaged with the spiral spring  15   g  in the rotational and axial directions by an engagement mechanism (not shown). 
     In this embodiment, the spiral spring  15   g  is mounted on the winding shaft  8  with its diameter increased elastically. Accordingly, an outer diameter Dn of the spiral spring  15   g  when the spiral spring  15   g  is separated from the winding shaft  8 , as shown in  FIG. 6B , is smaller than an outer diameter Db of the spiral spring  15   g  when the spiral spring  15   g  is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , as shown in  FIG. 6A . Thus, in this embodiment, when an operator separates the winding attachment  15 A with the used-up roll  13 S of the ink ribbon  6  formed thereon from the winding shaft  8 , the diameter of the spiral spring  15   g  constituting the winding attachment  15 A is decreased by its own elasticity. As a result, a gap g is formed between the periphery (or outer circumference)  15   b  of the winding attachment  15 A (the spiral spring  15   g ) and an inner circumference  13   a  of the used-up roll  13 S as shown in  FIG. 6B . Therefore, the operator may more easily separate the used-up roll  13 S from the winding attachment  15 A, 
     In addition, the winding attachment  15 A includes handlers  15   h  formed at end portions of the inner and outer circumferences of the spiral spring  15   g,  respectively. The handlers  15   h  protrude outward in a radial direction of a center axis of the spiral spring  15   g  (i.e., a radial direction of the rotation axis Ax of the winding shaft  8  when the spiral spring  15   g  is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , see  FIG. 6A ) at end portions of the spiral spring  15   g.  Accordingly, the operator may easily change the diameter of the spiral spring  15   g  by moving these two handlers  15   h  with respect to each other along a circumferential direction using his/her own fingers or the like. Specifically, for example, the operator may easily increase the diameter of the spiral spring  15   g  and detachably mount the winding attachment  15 A on the winding shaft  8  by moving these two handlers  15   h  with respect to each other along a circumferential direction using his/her own fingers or the like. In addition, the operator may easily decrease the diameter of the spiral spring  15   g  and separate the used-up roll  13 S from the winding attachment  15 A by moving these two handlers  15   h  with respect to each other along a circumferential direction using his/her own fingers or the like. Furthermore, the operator may easily mount the winding attachment  15 A on the winding shaft  8  by means of a tapered section (not shown) formed at a lead end section of the winding shaft  8 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a winding attachment of a printer according to a third embodiment. In the third embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7 , a winding attachment  15 B may be employed in place of the winding attachment  15  of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the winding attachment  15 B includes a coil spring  15   i  having a wire spirally wound around the winding shaft  8 , as an elastic member  16 B. The coil spring  15   i  is interposed between two clamping member  15   j  and  15   m  which are disposed at both axial end portions of the coil spring  15   i.  When mounting the coil spring  15   i  on the winding shaft  8 , the coil spring  15   i  is axially compressed and is increased in diameter. The clamping members  15   j  and  15   m  are interconnected via a tubular member  15   n  fixed to one of the clamping members  15   j  and  15   m  (for example, the clamping member  15   m  in this embodiment). The tubular member  15   n  and the other clamping member (for example, the clamping member  15   j  in this embodiment) are connected to each other by means of a screw  15   k.  In addition, when the winding attachment  15 B is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the winding shaft  8  is inserted into an internal tube  15   p  of the tubular member  15   n  and the winding shaft  8  is engaged with the tubular member  15   n  in the rotational and axial directions by means of an engagement mechanism (not shown). 
     When the winding attachment  15 B is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the ink ribbon  6  is wound around the outer circumference  15   b  of the coil spring  15   i  to form the used-up roll  13 S (not shown in  FIG. 7 , see  FIG. 3A , etc.). In this embodiment, the outer circumference  15   b  of the coil spring  15   i  corresponds to a winding section. 
     In this embodiment, when the coil spring  15   i  is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the coil spring  15   i  is compressed axially and its diameter is increased elastically. On the other hand, when the coil spring  15   i  is separated from the winding shaft  8  and the clamping members  15   j  and  15   m  are released from each other, the coil spring  15   i  is expanded axially and its diameter is decreased elastically. Accordingly, in this embodiment, when an operator separates the winding attachment  15 B with the used-up roll  13 S formed thereon from the winding shaft  8  and the clamping members  15   j  and  15   m  are released from each other, the diameter of the coil spring  15   i  is decreased by its own elasticity. As a result, similarly to the first and second embodiments, a gap g is formed between the periphery (or outer circumference)  15   b  of the winding attachment  15 B (the coil spring  15   i ) and the inner circumference  13   a  of the used-up roll  13 S (not shown in  FIG. 7 , see  FIG. 3A ). Thus, in this embodiment, the operator may more easily separate the used-up roll  13 S from the winding attachment  15 B. 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate a winding attachment of a printer according to a fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a winding attachment  15 C may be employed in place of the winding attachment  15  of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the winding attachment  15 C includes a tubular member  15   r  mounted to surround the winding shaft  8 . The winding attachment  15 C further includes a plurality of nail sections  15   s  which are formed on the outer circumference of the tubular member  15   r  and protrude in a radial and rotational direction (e.g., a clockwise direction CW in this embodiment) of the winding shaft  8 . The plurality of nail sections  15   s  are circumferentially arranged with the same shape at regular intervals and extend in the axial direction of the winding shaft  8 . In addition, when the winding attachment  15 C is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the winding shaft  8  is engaged with the tubular member  15   r  in the rotational and axial directions by means of an engagement mechanism (not shown). 
     When the winding attachment  15 C is mounted on the winding shaft  8 , the ink ribbon  6  is wound around the tubular member  15   r  (nail sections  15   s ) to form the used-up roll  13 S (not shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , see  FIG. 3A , etc.). In this embodiment, the tubular member  15   r  corresponds to a winding section. 
     In this embodiment, since the nail sections  15   s  protrude in the radial direction and the rotational direction (e.g., a clockwise direction CW in this embodiment) of the winding shaft  8 , the nail sections  15   s  burrow into the ink ribbon  6  during rotation of the winding attachment  15 C, thereby preventing the ink ribbon  6  from separating from the winding attachment  15 C. On the other hand, when an operator separates the winding attachment  15 C with the used-up roll  13 S formed thereon from the winding shaft  8  and then rotates the winding attachment  15 C in a counterclockwise direction CCW, the nail sections  15   s  are released from the ink ribbon  6 . That is, in this embodiment, when the operator rotates the winding attachment  15 C in an opposite direction (e.g., the counterclockwise direction CCW in this embodiment) to a burrowing direction of the nail sections  15   s  (e.g., the clockwise direction CW in this embodiment), the operator may more easily separate the used-up roll  13 S from the winding attachment  15 C. 
     While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, various modifications and alterations may be made without being limited to the disclosed embodiments. For example, the present disclosure may be practiced as a part of a printer, a conveying apparatus, an electronic apparatus, an office equipment, etc., in addition to the label printer. In addition, the elastic ring may be formed in an axial end portion of the segments, inside thereof, etc., other than the outer circumference thereof. In addition, specifications (form, structure, shape, size, length, width, height, thickness, section, weight, number, material, arrangement, position, etc.) of various elements (printer, winding shaft, strip-shaped material, print medium, winding attachment, winding section, elastic member, segment, elastic ring, spiral spring, coil spring, nail section, etc.) may be properly changed for practice. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.