Patent Abstract:
Disclosed are a ribbon cartridge, a thermal transfer printer, and a method for installing the ribbon cartridge. The ribbon cartridge ( 2 ) comprises a bracket ( 23 ), a supply cylinder ( 21 ) arranged on the bracket and used for accommodating an unused ribbon, and a winding cylinder ( 22 ) arranged on the bracket and used for accommodating a used ribbon, where the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are placed in parallel, and have an initial state in which the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are close to each other and an open state in which the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are away from each other under the action of an external force. Compared with a ribbon cartridge whose supply cylinder and winding cylinder are arranged at a fixed interval in the prior art, the ribbon cartridge as disclosed is more compact and needs less installation space.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a National Stage Entry of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2014/075415 filed on Apr. 15, 2014, which claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 201310134207.3, entitled “Ribbon Cartridge, Thermal Transfer Printer and Method For Installing Ribbon Cartridge” and filed on Apr. 17, 2013 with the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the disclosure of which is incorporated therein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a ribbon cartridge, a thermal transfer printer using the ribbon cartridge, and a method for installing the ribbon cartridge. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a ribbon cartridge  1 ′ adopted in an existing thermal transfer printer includes a supply cylinder  31 ′, a winding cylinder  32 ′, and a printing head accommodating member  33 ′ located between the supply cylinder  31 ′ and the winding cylinder  32 ′, which are rigidly connected. A supply spool (not shown) configured to support an unused ribbon is disposed within the supply cylinder  31 ′, a winding spool (not shown) configured to support and wind the used ribbon is disposed within the winding cylinder  32 ′, and both the supply spool and the winding spool are freely rotatable about their own axes. A driving hole (not shown) is provided at an end of the winding cylinder  32 ′ and is configured to match with a driving shaft  102 ′ in a plugging manner on a frame  101 ′ of the printer  100 ′. Thus, a ribbon  10 ′ may lead out from an opening of the supply cylinder  31 ′, extend through the printing head accommodating member  33 ′, enter into the winding cylinder  32 ′ via an opening  35 ′ thereof and be wound on the winding spool. 
     The frame  101 ′ includes a cartridge installing member  130 ′, which has a cross-section of a shape matching with the shape of the cross-section of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′. A locking assembly  137 ′ is disposed on a side wall of the frame  101 ′ and is configured to prevent release of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ installed in the printer  100 ′. The locking assembly  137 ′ includes a body  137   a , an elastic slice  137   b  and an operating slice  137   c  which are formed integrally with the body  137   a , and a locking hook  137   d . To install the ribbon cartridge  1 ′, the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ is inserted into the cartridge installing member  130 ′ via an installing hole  133 ′ on a side of the printer  100 ′, the driving hole of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ matches with the driving shaft  102 ′ on the printer  100 ′ in a plugging manner, and the locking hook  137   d  of the locking assembly  137 ′ locks a side wall  26 ′ of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′; subsequently, a printing head assembly  110 ′ is rotated and closed with respect to the frame  101 ′ so that a printing head of the printing head assembly  110 ′ is tangent to and cooperates with a platen  120 ′, in this way, the printing head is located within the printing head accommodating member  33 ′ and in contact with the ribbon  10 ′. 
     The above-described thermal transfer printer  100 ′ and the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ used therein are defective in that: the supply cylinder  31 ′ and the winding cylinder  32 ′ of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ are linearly connected rigidly, and the printing head is located within the printing head accommodating member  33 ′ between the supply cylinder  31 ′ and the winding cylinder  32 ′ when the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ is installed in the printer, that is, the supply cylinder  31 ′ of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′, the printing head, and the winding cylinder  32 ′ of the ribbon cartridge  1 ′ are linearly arranged in sequence, thereby increasing the distance between front and rear sides of the printer, so that the space on a top surface of a desk occupied by the printer is increased, and a demand for the miniaturization of the printer cannot be met. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present disclosure is to provide a ribbon cartridge with a compact structure, and further provide a thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge and a method for installing the ribbon cartridge. 
     To this end, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a ribbon cartridge includes a bracket; a supply cylinder disposed on the bracket and configured for accommodating an unused ribbon; and a winding cylinder disposed on the bracket and configured for accommodating a used ribbon, where the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are arranged in parallel, and the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder have an initial state in which the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are close to each other and an open state in which the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are away from each other due to an effect of an external force. 
     The bracket is located at the same side of the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder, and a ribbon exposing opening is provided in the bracket. 
     The bracket is configured to apply an elastic force to the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder, so that the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder always trend to return to the initial state. 
     The bracket includes a first cantilever part and a second cantilever part which is fixedly connected or integrally formed with the first cantilever part, a suspending end of the first cantilever part is connected with the winding cylinder, a suspending end of the second cantilever part is connected with the supply cylinder, and the first cantilever part and/or the second cantilever part is elastic. 
     The bracket includes a first cantilever part, a second cantilever part which is pivoted with the first cantilever part, and an elastic element disposed between the first cantilever part and the second cantilever part, where a suspending end of the first cantilever part is connected with the winding cylinder, and a suspending end of the second cantilever part is connected with the supply cylinder. 
     Each of the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder includes a cylinder body for accommodating a ribbon, an opening for ribbon formed on the cylinder body, and a support shaft disposed on an end wall of the cylinder body along an axial direction of the cylinder body and configured for supporting a ribbon core cylinder, where a transmission gear in a transmission connection with an external power is arranged on the support shaft provided on the supply cylinder and/or the support shaft provided on the winding cylinder. 
     A cylinder body of the supply cylinder includes a first part formed integrally with the bracket and a first half-cylinder body jointed with the first part, a space for accommodating an unused ribbon is formed between the first part and the first half-cylinder body, a cylinder body of the winding cylinder includes a second part formed integrally with the bracket and a second half-cylinder body jointed with the second part, and a space for accommodating a used ribbon is formed between the second part and the second half-cylinder body. 
     A pull handle is disposed on the bracket. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a thermal transfer printer includes: a frame; and a printing head assembly, a platen and a paper roll support mechanism which are disposed on the frame, where the thermal transfer printer further includes the above ribbon cartridge installed in the frame, a winding cylinder and a supply cylinder of the ribbon cartridge are moved away from each other to avoid the printing head assembly during installing of the ribbon cartridge, and the winding cylinder and the supply cylinder of the ribbon cartridge installed in place are close to each other at a same side of the printing head assembly. 
     The thermal transfer printer further includes a first positioning portion disposed on the frame and configured for positioning the winding cylinder and a second positioning portion disposed on the frame and configured for positioning the supply cylinder, and a driving member is disposed on the first positioning portion and configured to drive a support shaft on the winding cylinder to rotate and wind a ribbon. 
     The frame includes a body and a guide structure disposed on the body and configured to guide the winding cylinder and the supply cylinder of the ribbon cartridge during the installing of the ribbon cartridge, the body includes side walls and a connection part perpendicularly connected with the side walls, and the printing head assembly is configured to be installed on the connection part, where the guide structure includes an upper guide portion and a lower guide portion which are located at upper and lower sides of the printing head assembly, one of the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion is formed by guide ribs arranged on the side walls, and the other of the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion is formed by the connection part. 
     The first positioning portion is formed by a first arc-shaped rib transitively connected with the connection part, the second positioning portion is formed by a second arc-shaped rib transitively connected with the guide rib, and each of the first arc-shaped rib and the second arc-shaped rib protrudes from an inner surface of the side wall and has an unenclosed structure with an opening. 
     According to the present disclosure, a method for installing the above ribbon cartridge includes: pushing a ribbon cartridge toward a printing head assembly from an outer side of the printing head assembly, so that a supply cylinder and a winding cylinder of the ribbon cartridge run across the printing head assembly and installed in place. 
     According to the present disclosure, the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder of the ribbon cartridge are connected via a bracket. In installing the ribbon cartridge, the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are moved away from each other due to the pressure by the printing head assembly and avoid the printing head assembly, so that the ribbon is tensioned by the printing head and covers the printing head, and after avoiding the printing head assembly, the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder return to the initial state in which they are close to each other. Therefore, compared with the existing ribbon cartridge including a supply cylinder and a winding cylinder which are fixedly spaced, the ribbon cartridge of the present disclosure has a more compact structure and requires for a reduced installing space. 
     In addition to the above objects, features and advantages, other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be further described in detail in combination with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Accompanying drawings, which construct a part of the specification and are used for better understanding of the present disclosure, illustrate some preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and show principles of the present disclosure in combination with the description below. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural view of an existing thermal transfer printer; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric structural view of a ribbon cartridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial structural section view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a first structural exploded view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a second structural exploded view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a section structural view of a thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric structural view of the thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, where an upper cover and a front cover of the thermal transfer printer are opened; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial structural view of the frame of the thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is a first installing view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure onto the thermal transfer printer; and 
         FIG. 11  is a second installing view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure onto the thermal transfer printer. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                  1. Printing mechanism 
                  2. Ribbon cartridge 
               
               
                  3. Paper roll support mechanism 
                  11. Printing head assembly 
               
               
                  12. Platen 
                 111. Support plate 
               
               
                 112. Printing head 
                 113. Elastic element 
               
               
                 111a. Bent portion 
                 121. Platen gear 
               
               
                  21. Supply cylinder 
                  22. Winding cylinder 
               
               
                  23. Bracket 
                  24. Support shaft 
               
               
                  25. Transmission gear 
                  26. Pull handle 
               
               
                  21a. First part 
                  21b. First half-cylinder body 
               
               
                  22a. Second part 
                  22b. Second half-cylinder body 
               
               
                 211. First opening for ribbon 
                 221. Second opening for ribbon 
               
               
                 231. First cantilever part 
                 232. Second cantilever part 
               
               
                 232a. Ribbon exposing opening 
                 241. Rotation stop part 
               
               
                  80. Body 
                  81. Upper cover 
               
               
                  82. Front cover 
                  83. Left wall 
               
               
                  84. Right wall 
                  85. Connection part 
               
               
                 811. First pivot shaft 
                 821. Second pivot shaft 
               
               
                 851. Front portion 
                  6. Positioning part 
               
               
                  61. First positioning portion 
                  62. Second positioning portion 
               
               
                  63. Guide rib 
                  61a. First arc-shaped rib 
               
               
                  62a. Second arc-shaped rib 
                 611. Opening 
               
               
                 621. Opening 
                  9. Driving member 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below in combination with the accompanying drawings, although the present disclosure can be implemented in various ways defined and covered by the appended claims. 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric structural view of a ribbon cartridge according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,  FIG. 3  is a partial structural section view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , a ribbon cartridge  2  includes a supply cylinder  21 , a winding cylinder  22  and a bracket  23 . The supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22 , each having a columnar shape and having a length larger than the maximum width of the ribbon, are disposed one above another, and axes of the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  are parallel to each other. The diameter of the winding cylinder  22  is larger than or equal to the diameter of the supply cylinder  21 . Here, the supply cylinder  21  is configured to accommodate an unused ribbon, while the winding cylinder  22  is configured to accommodate a used ribbon. The ribbon leads out from the supply cylinder  21  and is eventually recycled in the winding cylinder  22 . 
     The bracket  23  is located at the same side of the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22 , and a ribbon exposing opening  232   a  is provided in the bracket  23 . Preferably, the bracket  23  includes a first cantilever part  231  and a second cantilever part  232 , a first end of the first cantilever part  231  is connected with a first end of the second cantilever part  232 , a second end (i.e. a suspending end) of the first cantilever part  231  is fixed to the winding cylinder  22 , and a second end (i.e. a suspending end) of the second cantilever part  232  is connected with the supply cylinder  21 . The ribbon exposing opening  232   a  is arranged in the second cantilever part  232 , and has a shape and a size respectively matching with the shape and size of the printing head. A cavity is formed between the first cantilever part  231  and the second cantilever part  232  to accommodate a printing head assembly. 
     The bracket  23  is configured to apply an elastic force to the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22 , so that the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  always trend to return to their initial states in which the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  are close to each other. Preferably, the bracket  23  is partially or entirely elastic. In the present embodiment, the first cantilever part  231  and the second cantilever part  232  of the bracket  23  are fixedly connected, and the first cantilever part  231  and/or the second cantilever part  232  are made of an elastic material such as plastic or spring steel, so that the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  always trend to move to be close to each other under the effect of the elastic force applied by the first cantilever part  231  and/or the second cantilever part  232  of the bracket  23 . In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the first cantilever part  231  is pivoted with the second cantilever part  232  via a pivot shaft, and the bracket  23  further includes an elastic element, one end of which is connected with the first cantilever part  231  and the other end of which is connected with the second cantilever part  232 , so that the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  always trend to move to be close to each other under the effect of an elastic force applied by the elastic element. Preferably, when the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are at their initial status, the external walls of the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder are tangent to and abut on each other, to enable the most compact structure of the ribbon cartridge. 
     A first opening for ribbon  211  is disposed on the wall of the supply cylinder  21  along an axial direction of the supply cylinder  21 , and a second opening for ribbon  221  is disposed on the wall of the winding cylinder  22  along an axial direction of the winding cylinder  22 , so that the unused ribbon in the supply cylinder  21  may lead out from the first opening for ribbon  211  and enter into the winding cylinder  22  via the second opening for ribbon  221 . 
     A support shaft  24  for supporting a ribbon core cylinder is provided at each of both axial ends of the supply cylinder  21 , a support shaft  24  for supporting a ribbon core cylinder is provided at each of both axial ends of the winding cylinder  22 , and a transmission gear  25  is fixed on the support shaft provided at one of both axial ends of the winding cylinder  22 . As such, two support shafts  24  are coaxially disposed at both axial ends of the supply cylinder  21  to support a ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  on which the unused ribbon is wound, and the other two support shafts  24  are coaxially disposed at both axial ends of the winding cylinder  22  to support a ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  on which the used ribbon is wound. Each support shaft  24  has an external diameter matching with an internal diameter of the corresponding core cylinder, and is freely rotatable about its own axis. At least one rotation stop part  241  extending along a radial direction of the support shaft  24  are disposed at the periphery of each of the support shafts  24 , and has a width matching with a width of a positioning groove on the corresponding core cylinder. The transmission gear  25  is fixed to one of the two support shafts  24  for supporting the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  and is located at an outer side of the winding cylinder  22 . 
     In the present embodiment, two rotation stop parts  241  are provided on each of the support shafts  24  symmetrically relative to the axis of the support shaft  24 . 
     The ribbon supply core cylinder S 1 , on which the unused ribbon is wound, is located within the supply cylinder  21 , two ends of the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  respectively match with those two support shafts  24  at both ends of the supply cylinder  21  in a plugging manner, and the positioning groove on the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  matches with the rotation stop part  241  on the corresponding support shaft  24  in a plugging manner. The ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  is located within the winding cylinder  22 , two ends of the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  respectively match with those two support shafts  24  at both ends of the winding cylinder  22  in a plugging manner, and the positioning groove on the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  matches with the rotation stop part  241  on the corresponding support shaft  24  in a plugging manner. 
     The unused ribbon leads out from the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1 , passes through the first opening for ribbon  211  of the supply cylinder  21 , enters into the winding cylinder  22  via the second opening for ribbon  221  of the winding cylinder  22 , and is wound on the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2 . When the ribbon cartridge is installed in the printer, the ribbon led to the winding cylinder  22  from the supply cylinder  21  is pressed by the printing hear of the printer and is extended at the ribbon exposing opening  232   a , and the transmission gear  25  is engaged with a driving member of the printer, so that when the transmission gear  25  is driven by the driving member and rotates, the transmission gear  25  in turn drives the support shaft  24  fixedly connected thereto to rotate, and the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  is rotated along with the support shaft  24  to pull and wind the ribbon wound on the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1 . 
     Further, the ribbon cartridge  2  includes a pull handle  26 , which is disposed on the bracket  23  and is configured for handling by a user to install a ribbon cartridge in the thermal transfer printer or detach the ribbon cartridge from the thermal transfer printer. In the present embodiment, the pull handle  26  is connected with the second cantilever part  232  at a side of the second cantilever part  232  away from the winding cylinder  22 . 
       FIG. 5  is a first structural exploded view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 6  is a second structure exploded view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the supply cylinder  21  includes a first part  21   a  and a first half-cylinder body  21   b , and the winding cylinder  22  includes a second part  22   a  and a second half-cylinder body  22   b , where the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  are fixedly or detachably connected with each other to form a space for accommodating the unused ribbon, and the second part  22   a  and the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22  are fixedly or detachably connected with each other to form a space for accommodating the used ribbon. 
     In the present embodiment, the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  are fixedly connected by plastic welding or adhesive, and likewise the second part  22   a  and the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22  are fixedly connected by plastic welding or adhesive. The first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  is fixedly connected or integrally formed with the first cantilever part  231  of the bracket  23 , the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22  is fixedly connected or integrally formed with the second cantilever part  232  of the bracket  23 , those two support shafts  24  for the supply cylinder  21  are both disposed on the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , and those two support shafts  24  for the winding cylinder  22  are both disposed on the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22 . In assembling the ribbon cartridge  2 , the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  wound by the unused ribbon is placed in the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , with both ends of the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  matching with those two support shafts  24  placed on the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  in a plugging manner, and each positioning groove on the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  matching with the rotation stop part  241  on the corresponding support shaft  24  in a plugging manner; meanwhile, the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  is placed in the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22 , with both ends of the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  matching with those two support shafts  24  placed on the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22  in a plugging manner, and each positioning groove on the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  matching with the rotation stop part  241  on the corresponding support shaft  24  in a plugging manner; subsequently, the unused ribbon is led out from the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1 , and a leading end of the unused ribbon is fixed to the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  in the winding cylinder  22 ; and eventually, the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  are plastic welded together, and the second part  22   a  and the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22  are plastic welded together, thereby accomplishing the assembling of the ribbon cartridge  2 . 
     In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  match with each other in a clamping manner by a clamping part and a clamping slot, and the second part  22   a  and the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22  match with each other in a clamping manner by a clamping part and a clamping slot, so that the first part  21   a  of the supply cylinder  21  is detachable from the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , and the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22  is detachable from the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22 . For example, a clamping part is provided on one of the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , and a clamping slot is provided on the other of the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , in this case, when the clamping part matches with the clamping slot in a clamping manner, the first part  21   a  of the supply cylinder  21  is fixed to the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , and when the clamping part is detached from the clamping slot, the first part  21   a  of the supply cylinder  21  is detached from the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 . 
     When the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  are fixedly connected and the second part  22   a  and the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22  are fixedly connected, the ribbon cartridge  2  is entirely replaced after the ribbon in the ribbon cartridge  2  is used up, thus the ribbon can be quickly replaced. When the first part  21   a  and the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21  are detachably connected and the second part  22   a  and the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22  are detachably connected, after the ribbon in the ribbon cartridge  2  is used up, the first part  21   a  of the supply cylinder  21  is detached from the first half-cylinder body  21   b  of the supply cylinder  21 , and the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22  is detached from the second half-cylinder body  22   b  of the winding cylinder  22 , so that the ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  in the supply cylinder  21  and the ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  wound by the used ribbon in the winding cylinder  22  are detached, and a new ribbon supply core cylinder S 1  wound by the unused ribbon and a new ribbon winding core cylinder S 2  are installed, thus the housing of the ribbon cartridge is reused, thereby reducing consumptive costs. 
     Preferably, the suspending end of the first cantilever part  231  is tangent to and integrally formed with the wall of the second part  22   a  of the winding cylinder  22 , the suspending end of the second cantilever part  232  is tangent to and integrally formed with the wall of the supply cylinder  21 , and the first cantilever part  231  is formed integrally with the second cantilever part  232 . Preferably, the first cantilever part  231  is embodied as a bent plate, and a part of the second cantilever part  232  located at each of two sides of the ribbon exposing opening  232   a  is embodied as a bent rod. 
     As such, the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder of the ribbon cartridge provided in the present disclosure are connected via the bracket including a first cantilever part and a second cantilever part, where a first end of the first cantilever part is connected with a first end of the second cantilever part, a second end of the first cantilever part is connected with the winding cylinder, a second end of the second cantilever part is connected with the supply cylinder, the ribbon exposing opening is arranged in the second cantilever part, and the winding cylinder and the supply cylinder are arranged in parallel and close to each other. Therefore, the size of the ribbon cartridge of the present disclosure in a ribbon transmission direction is shortened by a diameter of the winding cylinder, and hence the ribbon cartridge of the present disclosure has a structure more compact than that of the existing ribbon cartridge. 
       FIG. 7  is a section structural view of a thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure,  FIG. 8  is an isometric structural view of the thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, where an upper cover and a front cover of the thermal transfer printer are opened, and  FIG. 9  is a partial structure view of the frame of the thermal transfer printer adopting the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8 , and  FIG. 9 , the thermal transfer printer includes a frame, a printing mechanism  1 , a ribbon cartridge  2 , and a paper roll support mechanism  3 . The frame includes a body  80 , an upper cover  81 , and a front cover  82 . As indicated by directions shown in  FIG. 8 , the upper cover  81  is above the body  80 , and the front cover  82  is in front of the body  80 . The upper cover  81  is pivoted with the body  80  via a first pivot shaft  811 , and the front cover  82  is pivoted with the body  80  via a second pivot shaft  821 . Both the upper cover  81  and the front cover  82  may be rotatably open or close relative to the body  80 . 
     The body  80  includes a left wall  83 , a right wall  84  and a connection part  85 . The left wall  83  and the right wall  84  are parallel to each other, and are distant from each other by a distance lager than or equal to the bigger one of widths of the printing paper and the ribbon. The connection part  85  is perpendicularly connected between the left wall  83  and the right wall  84 , and preferably a front portion  851  of the connection part  85  has an arc-shaped cross section. 
     A printing mechanism  1 , which is configured to print preset content on printing paper, includes a printing head assembly  11  and a platen  12 . The platen  12  is disposed at an inner side of the front cover  82  and has an axis extending in a width direction of the printing paper, and one end of the platen  12  is provided with a platen gear  121 . When the front cover  82  is closed, the platen gear  121  is transmission connected with the driving member (not shown) of the printer, and is driven by the driving member to rotate about its own axis. The printing head assembly  11  includes a support plate  111 , a printing head  112 , and at least one elastic element  113 . 
     The support plate  111  is located below the connection part  85  and between the left wall  83  and the right wall  84 , and is movably connected with the connection part  85 . The printing head  112  is fixedly connected with the support plate  111 , and is located at a side of the support plate  111  away from the connection part  85 . The elastic element  113 , which may be a pressure spring, a torsion spring or a plate spring, is located between the support plate  111  and the connection part  85 , and has one end connected with the support plate  111  and the other end connected with the connection part  85 . Under the effect of the elastic element  113 , the support plate  111  causes the printing head  112  to always trend to move away from the connection part  85 . 
     A positioning part (not shown) cooperating with the support plate  111  is additionally arranged on the body  80 . Due to the restriction by the positioning part, the support plate  111  of the printing head assembly  11  can be stabilized at a preset distance from the connection part  85 . When the front cover  82  is closed relative to the body  80 , the platen  12  presses the printing head  112  and is tangent to the printing head  112 , in this case, the printing head assembly  11  is supported by the platen  12 . When the front cover  82  is opened relative to the body  80 , the platen  12  is separated from the printing head  112 , and the printing head assembly  11  is supported by the positioning part disposed on the body  80 . 
     Preferably, a front end of the support plate  111  includes a bent portion  111   a , which is at front of the printing head  112  but is lower than the printing head  112 . The bent portion  111   a  is configured to guide the ribbon passing by the printing head  112  to enter into the winding cylinder  22 , and protect the printing head  112  against being contacted by the ribbon cartridge  2  during installing of the ribbon cartridge  2 , thereby elongating the service life of the printing head  112 . 
     The paper roll support mechanism  3  is disposed on the front cover  82  or the body  80 . In the printing paper transmission direction, the paper roll support mechanism  3  is at the upstream of the platen  12 , and is configured to support a printing paper roll. The paper roll support mechanism  3  may be a paper roll support rack or a paper storage. In the present embodiment, the paper roll support mechanism  3  is a paper roll support rack disposed at an inner side of the front cover  82 . To load printing paper, the front cover  82  is opened relative to the body  80 , and the paper roll support mechanism  3  is rotated out from the body  80  along with the front cover  82 , so that the paper roll can be replaced conveniently. After the replace of the paper roll, a leading end of the new printing paper is led out from the paper roll and passes by the platen  12 , and then the front cover  82  is closed relative to the body  80 , so that the printing paper is sandwiched between the printing head  112  and the platen  12 . 
     The ribbon cartridge  2  has the structure already described as above, which will not be given again hereinafter. 
       FIG. 10  is a first installing view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure onto the thermal transfer printer, and  FIG. 11  is a second installing view of the ribbon cartridge according to the embodiment of the present disclosure onto the thermal transfer printer. As shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , the ribbon cartridge  2  is detachably connected with the body  80 . When installed in the body  80 , the ribbon cartridge  2  is located between the left wall  83  and the right wall  84  of the body  80 , and the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  are parallel to each other at one side of the printing head  112 . A positioning part  6  is disposed between the left wall  83  and the right wall  84  of the body  80 , and is configured to position the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2 . 
     The positioning part  6  includes a first positioning portion  61  for positioning the winding cylinder  22  and a second positioning portion  62  for positioning the supply cylinder  21 , both of which extend perpendicularly with a surface of the left wall  83 . Preferably, each of the first positioning portion  61  and the second positioning portion  62  has a split structure, where the first positioning portion  61  includes two first arc-shaped ribs  61   a  (as shown in  FIG. 9 ) symmetrically arranged on the left wall  83  and the right wall  84  of the body  80 , respectively, and the second positioning portion  62  includes two second arc-shaped ribs  62   a  (as shown in  FIG. 9 ) symmetrically arranged on the left wall  83  and the right wall  84  of the body  80 , respectively. 
     The body  80  is further provided with a guide structure configured to guide the winding cylinder and the supply cylinder of the ribbon cartridge during installing of the ribbon cartridge. The guide structure includes an upper guide portion and a lower guide portion which are located at upper and lower sides of the printing head assembly  11 , respectively, where one of the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion is embodied by guide ribs arranged on the left wall  83  and the right wall  84 , and the other of the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion is embodied by the connection part  85 . In the present embodiment, the lower guide portion is embodied by guide ribs  63  extending below the printing head assembly  11  and the upper guide portion is embodied by the connection part  85  extending above the printing head assembly  11 . The first arc-shaped ribs  61   a  is transitively connected with the connection part  85 , and likewise the second arc-shaped ribs  62   a  is transitively connected with the guide rib  63 . As such, during installing the ribbon cartridge  2 , the wall of the winding cylinder  22  slidably contacts the connection part  85  used for guiding and is eventually maintained in the first positioning portion  61 , and the wall of the supply cylinder  21  slidably contacts the guide rib  63  used for guiding and is eventually maintained in the second positioning portion  62 . 
     In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the first positioning portion  61  and the second positioning portion  62  is of an integral structure, and has one end connected to the left wall  83  of the body  80  and the other end connected to the right wall  84  of the body  80 . The first positioning portion  61  is at the rear side of the printing head assembly  11 , the second positioning portion  62  is arranged in parallel with the first positioning portion  61 , external walls of the first positioning portion  61  and the second positioning portion  62  abut against each other, and shapes of cross sections of the first positioning portion  61  and the second positioning portion  62  fit the shapes of the cross sections of the winding cylinder  22  and the supply cylinder  21  of the ribbon cartridge  2 . Here, the first positioning portion  61  has an internal diameter fitting an external diameter of the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2 , and is configured to accommodate the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2 . An opening  611 , which has a tapered shape, is formed at a side of the first positioning portion  61  toward the printing head assembly  11 , a lower rim of the opening  611  is transitively connected with the connection part  85 , and the minimum size of the opening  611  is larger than the external diameter of the winding cylinder  22 . The second positioning portion  62  has an internal diameter fitting an external diameter of the supply cylinder  21  of the ribbon cartridge  2 , and is configured to accommodate the supply cylinder  21  of the ribbon cartridge  2 . An opening  621  is formed at a side of the second positioning portion  62  toward the printing head assembly  11 , and an upper rim of the opening  621  extends below the printing head assembly  11 . Preferably, the upper rim of the opening  621  of the second positioning portion  62  is connected with the bent portion  111   a  of the support plate  111  of the printing head assembly  11 , and the minimum size of the opening  621  of the second positioning portion  62  is larger than the external diameter of the supply cylinder  21 . 
     The installing of the ribbon cartridge of the present disclosure into the thermal transfer printer and detaching of the ribbon cartridge from the thermal transfer printer is described below. 
     To install the ribbon cartridge  2 , a user may handle the ribbon cartridge  2  in such a way that the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  is above the supply cylinder  21  while the ribbon between the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  faces the printing head assembly  11  and the connection part  85  of the frame; then the ribbon cartridge  2  is pushed in an arrow direction shown in  FIG. 10  so that the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  is in contact with the front portion  851  of the connection part  85  in the body  80  while the supply cylinder  21  of the ribbon cartridge  2  is in contact with the bent portion  111   a  of the support plate  111  of the printing head assembly  11 ; subsequently, the ribbon cartridge  2  is further pushed by the user so that the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  move apart from each other after overcoming the elastic force applied by the bracket  23 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , after moving along the upper surface of the connection part  85 , the winding cylinder  22  is in contact with the lower rim of the opening  611  of the first positioning portion  61 , meanwhile, after passing by the bent portion  111   a  of the support plate  111  of the printing head assembly  11 , the supply cylinder  21  is in contact with the upper rim of the opening  621  of the second positioning portion  62 , thus the ribbon is in contact with the bent portion  111   a , thereby driving the support shaft  24  on the supply cylinder  21  to release the ribbon. The ribbon cartridge  2  is further pushed subsequently, so that the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  are moved across the printing head assembly  11  and the connection part  85  of the body  80 , respectively, and at this point, the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  move toward each other under the effect of the elastic force applied by the bracket  23  of the ribbon cartridge  2 , so that the supply cylinder  21  of the ribbon cartridge  2  fits with the second positioning portion  62  in the body  80 , and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  fits with the first positioning portion  61  in the body  80 . As such, under the effect of the elastic force applied by the bracket  23 , the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  sandwich both the printing head assembly  11  and the connection part  85  in the body  80 , and are placed at positions constant relative to the printing head assembly  11 , meanwhile, the transmission gear  25  in the ribbon cartridge  2  is transmission connected with a driving member  9  of the printer. In this case, the ribbon leading out from the supply cylinder, which is to be entered into the winding cylinder, extends at the ribbon exposing opening due to the pressure by the printing head assembly, and is easily in contact with the printing paper. 
     Therefore, by pushing the ribbon cartridge  2  toward the printing head assembly  11  from the outside of the printing head assembly  11 , the supply cylinder  21  and the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  run across the printing head assembly  11  and are installed properly. 
     To detach the ribbon cartridge  2 , the user pulls the pull handle in a direction away from the printing head assembly  11 . Under the effect of the pulling force by the user, the winding cylinder  22  and the supply cylinder  21  move away from each other while overcoming the elastic force applied by the bracket  23 , that is, the first cantilever part  231  and the second cantilever part  232  of the bracket  23  move away from each other, thus, the winding cylinder  22  of the ribbon cartridge  2  is moved out from the first positioning portion  61  via the opening  611  of the first positioning portion  61 , and the supply cylinder  21  of the ribbon cartridge  2  is moved out from the second positioning portion  62  via the opening  621  of the second positioning portion  62 , thereby extracting the ribbon cartridge  2 . 
     By adopting the ribbon cartridge of the present disclosure in the thermal transfer printer provided in the embodiments, the supply cylinder and the winding cylinder of the ribbon cartridge installed in the frame of the printer are positioned at the same side of the printing head, and are arranged in parallel close to each other, therefore, the distance between front and rear sides of the printer is shortened by the diameter of one winding cylinder, so that the use of the printer on a desk with a limited top surface is facilitated. 
     Some preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as above, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications and alternations may be made to the present disclosure by those of ordinary skills in the art. Any modifications, equivalent replacements and improvements made without departing from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1