Printer and ribbon cassette therefor

Claim 2

A printer for use with a ribbon cassette including a rotatable supply core having wound therearound an inked ribbon and a rotatable take-up core for taking up the inked ribbon, for thermally transferring solid ink on the inked ribbon to a sheet, said printer comprising: an elongated platen (13) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting; a carriage (15) capable of being reciprocated longitudinally of said platen (13), said ribbon cassette (45) being capable of being loaded on said carriage (15) for movement therewith; a printing head (40) mounted on said carriage (15) for movement therewith for applying thermal energy for said thermal transfer to said inked ribbon, (52) said printing head (40) being movable between a first position remote from said platen (13) and a second position where a portion of said inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply (51) and take-up (62) cores of said ribbon cassette (45) is urged by said printing head (40) against the sheet on said platen - (13) to-thermally transfer the ink within an area on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet (32), said area on said inked ribbon (52) portion having width in the widthwise direction of said inked ribbon, the width of said area being at most equal to a half of a width of said inked ribbon; and said platen (13) having a surface thereof facing to said printing head (40) through said inked ribbon (52) and the sheet (32) when said printing head (40) occupies said second position, said surface of said platen (13) being substantially planar over an extent within which said printing head (40) is reciprocated.

Claim 3

A printer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said planar surface of said platen (13) has a width less than that of the inked ribbon (52).

Claim 4

A printer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said planar surface of said platen ( 1 3) has a width less than that of the inked ribbon (52) by approximately 1 to 5 mm.

Claim 5

A printer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said planar surface of said platen (13) has a widthwise center coincident with that of the inked ribbon (52).

Claim 6

A printer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said printing head (40) has a heat-generating resistance element (5) incorporated in an area of said printing head corresponding to said area on said inked ribbon portion.

Claim 7

A printer as set forth in claim 5, wherein said heat-generating resistance element (41) is positioned so as to be shifted from a widthwise center of said planar surface of said platen (13).

Claim 8

A combination of a ribbon cassette and a printer for thermally transferring solid ink on an inked ribbon within said ribbon cassette to a sheet, said combination comprising: said ribbon cassette (45) including a rotatable supply core - (51) having wound therearound the inked ribbon (52) and a rotatable take-up core (62) for taking up the inked ribbon; said printer comprising an elongated platen (13) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting, a carriage (15) capable of being receiprocated longitudinally of said platen - (13), said ribbon cassette (45) being capable of being loaded on said carriage (15) for movement therewith, a printing head (40) mounted on said carriage (15) for movement therewith, said printing head (40) being movable between a first position remote from said platen (13) and a second position where a portion of said inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply (51) and take-up (62) cores of said ribbon cassette (45) is urged by said printing head - (40) against the sheet (32) on said platen (13) to thermally transfer the ink within an area on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet (32), said area on said inked ribbon portion having a width in the widthwise direction of said inked ribbon (52), the width of said area being at most equal to a half of a width of said inked ribbon, and means for rotatingly driving said take-up core of said ribbon cassette to impart a taking-up tension (fo) to said inked ribbon cassette; and means (100, 73) mounted on either one of said carriage of said printer and said ribbon cassette and operative in response to a change in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51) for imparting a variable back tension (fi) opposite to said taking-up tension, to said inked ribbon portion so as to constantly satisfy the following inequlity, said back tension being variable as to be reduced in accordance with the reduction in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core, (51 where a: constant

Claim 9

A combination of a ribbon cassette and a printer for thermally transferring solid ink on an inked ribbon within said ribbon cassette to a sheet, said combination comprising: said ribbon cassette (45) including a rotatable supply core - (51) having wound therearound the inked ribbon (52) and a rotatable take-up core (62) for taking up the inked ribbon; said printer comprising an elongated platen (13) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting, a carriage (15) capable of being receiprocated longitudinally of said platen - (13), said ribbon cassette (45) being capable of being loaded on said carriage (15) for movement therewith, a printing head (40) mounted on said carriage (15) for movement therewith, said printing head (40) being movable between a first position remote from said platen (13) and a second position where a portion of said inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply (51) and take-up (62) cores of said ribbon cassette (45) is urged by said printing head - (40) against the sheet (32) on said platen (13) to thermally transfer the ink within an area on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet (32), said area on said inked ribbon portion having a width in the widthwise direction of said inked ribbon (52), the width of said area being at most equal to a half of a width of said inked ribbon, and means for rotatingly driving said take-up core of said ribbon cassette to impart a taking-up tension (fo) to said inked ribbon cassette; and means (100, 73) mounted on either one of said carriage of said printer and said ribbon cassette and operative in response to a change in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51) for imparting a variable back tension (fi) opposite to said taking-up tension, to said inked ribbon portion so as to constantly satisfy the following inequlity, said back tension being variable as to be reduced in accordance with the reduction in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core, (51 where a: constant

Claim 10

A combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein said means (73) for imparting a variable back tension imparts braking force to the outermost turn of the inked ribbon wound around said supply core (51).

Claim 11

A combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means for imparting a variable back tension comprises resilient means having an amount of deflection changing correspondingly to the change in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (31).

Claim 12

A combination as set forth in claim' 8, wherein said means for imparting a variable back tension comprises elongated spring means (76) having one end thereof fixed to one of said carriage (15) of said printer and a casing of said ribbon cassette (45), and friction means (91) mounted on the other end of said spring means (76) and resiliently urged against the outermost turn of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51).

Claim 13

A combination as set forth in claim 10, including: said means for imparting a variable back tension being located at substantially equal distances from a rotary axis of said supply core (51) and a rotary axis of said take-up core (62); and actuator means (104) mounted on the other of said carriage ( 1 5) of said printer and said ribbon cassette (45) for engaging said elongated spring means (102) when said ribbon cassette (45) is loaded on said carriage (15), to cause said elongated spring means (102) to be deflected, to thereby urge said friction means against the outermost turn of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51) with a predetermined urging force.

Claim 14

A combination as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for imparting a variable back tension is disposed within the casing of said ribbon cassette (45), the one end of said elongated spring means is fixed to a wall of the casing, and said actuator means comprises a camming member connected to said spring means and a pin (104) fixed to said carriage (15) and protruding into said ribbon cassette (45), when the same is loaded on said carriage - (15), to engage said camming member.

Claim 15

A combination as set forth in claim 12, wherein said elongated spring means comprises a leaf spring (102).

Claim 16

A combination as set forth in claim 13, wherein said friction means (101) comprises felts respectively applied to opposite surfaces of the other end of said spring means - (103).

Claim 17

A combination as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for imparting a variable back tension is mounted on said carriage (15). of said printer, the one end of said elongated spring means is fixed to said carriage (15), the casing of said ribbon cassette having an opening allowing said means for imparting a variable tension to be introduced therethrough into said casing when said ribbon cassette is loaded on said carriage (15), and said actuator means comprises a camming member connected to said spring means and an edge of said opening engaging said camming member when said ribbon cassette is loaded on said carnage.

Claim 18

A combination as set forth in claim 15, wherein said elongated spring means comprises a leaf spring (102).

Claim 19

A combination as set forth in claim 16, wherein said friction means comprises felts respectively applied to opposite surfaces of the other end of said spring means (102).

Claim 20

A combination as set forth in claim 7, further comprising means for imparting a constant back tension opposite to said taking-up tension, to said inked ribbon portion.

Claim 21

A combination as set forth in claim 18, wherein said means for imparting a constant back tension is disposed within a casing of said ribbon cassette (45) and comprises a first felt fixed to a wall of said casing, a leaf spring (102) having one end thereof fixed to the wall of said casing, a second felt attached to the other end of said leaf spring for resiliently urging a portion of the inked ribbon extending between said supply and take-up cores, against said first felt.

Claim 22

A combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein said printing head (40) has a heat-generating resistance element (41) incorporated in an area of said printing head corresponding to said area on said inked ribbon portion.

Claim 23

A ribbon cassette for a printer, comprising: a casing; a supply core (51) rotatably disposed within said casing, said supply core having wound therearound an inked ribbon (52); a take-up core (62) rotatably disposed within said casing for taking up the inked ribbon with a taking-up tension (fo) upon operation of the printer; and means ( 4 00) disposed within said casing and operative in response to a change in diameter of the inked ribbon wound around said supply core for imparting a variable back tension (fi) opposite to said taking-up tension, to a portion of the inked ribbon extending between said supply and take-up cores so as to constantly satisfy the following inequality, said back tension being variable so as to be reduced in accordance with the reduction in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51), where a: constant

Claim 24

A ribbon cassette for a printer, comprising: a casing; a supply core (51) rotatably disposed within said casing, said supply core having wound therearound an inked ribbon (52); a take-up core (62) rotatably disposed within said casing for taking up the inked ribbon with a taking-up tension (fo) upon operation of the printer; and means ( 4 00) disposed within said casing and operative in response to a change in diameter of the inked ribbon wound around said supply core for imparting a variable back tension (fi) opposite to said taking-up tension, to a portion of the inked ribbon extending between said supply and take-up cores so as to constantly satisfy the following inequality, said back tension being variable so as to be reduced in accordance with the reduction in diameter of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51), where a: constant

Claim 25

A ribbon cassette for a printer as set forth in claim 21, wherein said means (400) for imparting a variable back tension imparts braking force to the outermost turn of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51).

Claim 26

A ribbon cassette for a printer as set forth in claim 22, wherein said means (400) for imparting a variable back tension comprises resilient means having an amount of deflection changing correspondingly to the change in diameter of the inked ribbon wound around said supply core.

Claim 27

2 4 . A ribbon cassette for a printer as set forth in claim 22, wherein said means (400) for imparting a variable back tension comprises an elongated spring means (439) having one end thereof fixed to a wall of said casing, and friction means (440) mounted on the other end of said spring means and resiliently urged against the outermost turn of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51).

Claim 28

A ribbon cassette for a printer as set forth in claim 24, including: said means (400) for imparting a variable back tension being located at substantially equal distances from a rotary axis of said supply core (51) and a rotary axis of said take-up core; (62) and a camming member (443a) connected to said spring means ( 4 39) said camming member being engaged by said printer when the ribbon cassette is loaded on the printer, to urge said friction means against the outermost turn of the inked ribbon (52) wound around said supply core (51) with a predetermined urging force.

Claim 29

A ribbon cassette for a printer as set forth in claim 25, wherein said elongated spring means comprises a leaf spring (439).

Claim 30

A ribbon cassette for a printer as set forth in claim 25, wherein said friction means (440) comprises felts respectively applied to opposite surfaces of the other end of said spring means (439).

Claim 31

A combination of an inked ribbon unit and a printer for thermally transferring solid ink on an inked ribbon of the inked ribbon unit to a sheet, said combination comprising: said inked ribbon unit including a rotatable supply core (51) having wound therearound the inked ribbon (52) and a rotatable take-up (62) core for taking up the inked ribbon - (52); said printer comprising an elongated platen (213) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting, movable means capable of being reciprocated longitudinally of said platen, a printing head (40) mounted on said movable means for movement therewith, said printing head being movable between a first position remote from said platen (213) and a second position where a portion of the inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply (51) and take-up (62) cores of said inked ribbon unit is urged by said printing head (40) against the sheet (32) on said platen (213) to thermally transfer solid ink on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet, detecting means (90) for detecting whether or not the ink exists on said inked ribbon to respectively generate a first signal when the ink exists on said inked ribbon and a second signal when the ink does at least partially not exist on said inked ribbon, and control means (43) operative in response to said first signal from said detecting means (90) for controlling said printer so as to allow the same to perform its printing operation, and operative in response to said second signal from said detecting means (90) for controlling said printer so as not to allow the same to perform the printing operation; and enabling means for enabling said detecting means (90) to generate said first signal irrespective of whether or not the ink exists on said inked ribbon.

Claim 32

A combination of an inked ribbon unit and a printer for thermally transferring solid ink on an inked ribbon of the inked ribbon unit to a sheet, said combination comprising: said inked ribbon unit including a rotatable supply core (51) having wound therearound the inked ribbon (52) and a rotatable take-up (62) core for taking up the inked ribbon - (52); said printer comprising an elongated platen (213) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting, movable means capable of being reciprocated longitudinally of said platen, a printing head (40) mounted on said movable means for movement therewith, said printing head being movable between a first position remote from said platen (213) and a second position where a portion of the inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply (51) and take-up (62) cores of said inked ribbon unit is urged by said printing head (40) against the sheet (32) on said platen (213) to thermally transfer solid ink on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet, detecting means (90) for detecting whether or not the ink exists on said inked ribbon to respectively generate a first signal when the ink exists on said inked ribbon and a second signal when the ink does at least partially not exist on said inked ribbon, and control means (43) operative in response to said first signal from said detecting means (90) for controlling said printer so as to allow the same to perform its printing operation, and operative in response to said second signal from said detecting means (90) for controlling said printer so as not to allow the same to perform the printing operation; and enabling means for enabling said detecting means (90) to generate said first signal irrespective of whether or not the ink exists on said inked ribbon.

Claim 33

A combination of a ribbon cassette and a printer for thermally transferring solid ink on an inked ribbon within the ribbon cassette to a sheet, said combination comprising: said ribbon cassette (645) including a rotatable supply core (51) having wound therearound the inked ribbon (652) and a rotatable take-up core (62) for taking up the inked ribbon; said printer comprising an elongated platen (213) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting, a carriage (15) capable of being receiprocated longitudinally of said platen, said ribbon cassette (645) being capable of being loaded on said carriage (15) for movement therewith, a printing head - (40) mounted on said carriage for movement therewith, said printing head being movable between a first position remote from said platen (213) and a second position where a portion of the inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply and take-up cores of said ribbon cassette is urged by said printing head (40) against the sheet on said platen to thermally transfer the ink within an area on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet, detecting means (90) for detecting whether or not the ink exists on said inked ribbon (652) to respectively generate a first signal when the ink exists on the inked ribbon (652) and a second signal when the ink does at least partially not exist on the inked ribbon, and control means ( 4 3) operative in response to said first signal from said detecting means for controlling the printer so as to allow the same to perform its printing operation, and operative in response to said second signal from said detecting means for controlling the printer so as not to allow the same to perform the printing operation; and enabling means (600) for enabling said detecting means - (90) to generate said first signal irrespective of whether or not the ink exists on the inked ribbon.

Claim 34

A combination of a ribbon cassette and a printer for thermally transferring solid ink on an inked ribbon within the ribbon cassette to a sheet, said combination comprising: said ribbon cassette (645) including a rotatable supply core (51) having wound therearound the inked ribbon (652) and a rotatable take-up core (62) for taking up the inked ribbon; said printer comprising an elongated platen (213) extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the sheet (32) upon new line starting, a carriage (15) capable of being receiprocated longitudinally of said platen, said ribbon cassette (645) being capable of being loaded on said carriage (15) for movement therewith, a printing head - (40) mounted on said carriage for movement therewith, said printing head being movable between a first position remote from said platen (213) and a second position where a portion of the inked ribbon (52) extending between said supply and take-up cores of said ribbon cassette is urged by said printing head (40) against the sheet on said platen to thermally transfer the ink within an area on said inked ribbon portion to the sheet, detecting means (90) for detecting whether or not the ink exists on said inked ribbon (652) to respectively generate a first signal when the ink exists on the inked ribbon (652) and a second signal when the ink does at least partially not exist on the inked ribbon, and control means ( 4 3) operative in response to said first signal from said detecting means for controlling the printer so as to allow the same to perform its printing operation, and operative in response to said second signal from said detecting means for controlling the printer so as not to allow the same to perform the printing operation; and enabling means (600) for enabling said detecting means - (90) to generate said first signal irrespective of whether or not the ink exists on the inked ribbon.

Claim 35

A combination as set forth in claim 29, wherein said enabling means (600) is fixedly attached to a casing of said ribbon cassette (645).

Claim 36

A combination as set forth in claim 30, wherein said enabling means (600) is located at a position shifted from a straight line at equal distances from a rotary axis of said supply core (51) and a rotary axis of said take-up core (62).

Claim 37

A combination as set forth in claim 29, wherein said detecting means (90) comprises illuminating means (9 1 ) for illuminating light toward said inked ribbon portion, and light-receiving means (92) for respectively generating said second signal when said light-receiving means (92) receives the light from said illuminating means (91) and said first signal when said light-receiving means does not receive the light from said illuminating means, said enabling means comprises shielding means (600) for preventing the light from said illuminating means from being received by said light-receiving means.

Claim 38

A combination as set forth in claim 32, wherein said shielding means (600) is fixedly attached to a casing of said ribbon cassette (645) at such a position as to shield said light-receiving means when said ribbon cassette is loaded on said carriage (15).

Claim 39

A combination as set forth in claim 33, wherein said illuminating means (91) comprises a light emitting diode, and said light-receiving means (92) comprises a phototransistor.

Claim 40

A combination as set forth in claim 33, wherein said supply core (51) has wound therearound the inked ribbon from which the ink is partially stripped off by the printing operation.

Claim 41

A combination as-set forth in claim 35, wherein said ribbon cassette (645) is capable of being reused with the cassette being reversed.