JP2937973B2 - Printer ribbon switching mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dot impact printer using a ribbon, and more particularly to a ribbon switching mechanism for switching the position of a ribbon track.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional ribbon switching mechanism is disclosed in
JP-A-36076 discloses an ink ribbon switching mechanism. This mechanism minimizes an increase in the weight of the carrier by using a stepping motor for ribbon transfer drive for ink ribbon switching drive.

As another conventional example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
There is an ink ribbon switching device described in JP-A-02488. This device can swing the ink ribbon by pressing the lower surface of the ribbon cassette mounting table from below the ink ribbon cassette.

[0004]

In the above-described ribbon switching mechanism of the conventional printer, a motor or the like is driven by using a complicated mechanism from the outside to move the ribbon cartridge, and then the ribbon track on the print head is switched. Therefore, there has been a problem that the ribbon switching mechanism becomes complicated and costs increase.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple ribbon switching mechanism which does not require a ribbon switching power and mechanism in order to solve the above problems.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a ribbon switching mechanism of a printer according to the present invention is a ribbon switching mechanism for switching a ribbon having a plurality of ribbon tracks. A print head that is held on the axis of the printer and moves left and right, a ribbon cartridge that houses the ribbon and has two arms that support the ribbon at each end, and a ribbon holding arm that is connected to the print head and holds the ribbon. ,
A clutch provided at a fulcrum between the print head and the ribbon holding arm, the difference between the lengths of the two arms of the ribbon cartridge by the switching width of the ribbon track, and the transfer of the print head between the two arms by the ribbon. It is characterized by moving to a track switching position.

It is preferable that the ribbon holding arm is released by turning off the clutch, and the ribbon holding arm is fixed by turning on the clutch.

Further, when switching the position of the ribbon,
After moving the print head to the side of the two arms that is closer to the ribbon position to be switched, it is preferable that the clutch is turned off, the ribbon holding arm is removed, and ribbon feeding is performed.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the ribbon holding arm automatically moves to the ribbon position to be switched by the tension of the ribbon.

It is preferable that printing is performed after the clutch is turned on and the ribbon holding arm is fixed.

Further, it is preferable that the two arms are extendable and contractible in accordance with the switching width of the ribbon track.

In the present invention, in particular, a print head section having a ribbon holding arm having a clutch machine at a movable fulcrum, a ribbon cartridge whose arm position is shifted back and forth by a ribbon switching width dimension, and a ribbon feed mechanism for feeding a ribbon Thus, a simplified ribbon switching mechanism is provided.

When switching the ribbon position, the print head is moved to the cassette arm near the ribbon position to be switched, and the clutch at the fulcrum of the ribbon holding arm is turned off.
F and remove the ribbon.

By the above operation, the ribbon holding arm is moved to the switching ribbon position by the tension of the ribbon. Thereafter, the clutch is turned on, the ribbon holding arm is fixed, and then printing is performed, whereby printing can be performed at a target ribbon position.

[0015]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are a plan view and a side view, respectively, showing the configuration of an embodiment of the ribbon switching mechanism of the present invention.
This mechanism is provided in a printing unit of a dot impact printer and has a print head 1 held on a printer shaft and moving left and right, and a ribbon having two arms 2a and 2b for storing the ribbon and supporting the ribbon at each end. Cartridge 2;
The print head includes a ribbon holding arm connected to the print head and holding a ribbon, and a clutch provided at a fulcrum between the print head and the ribbon holding arm. The length of the two arms 2a and 2b of the ribbon cartridge 2 is
A difference is provided by the track width of the ribbon, and the leading end supports the ribbon. That is, the main body of the ribbon cartridge 2 and the track of the ribbon are not parallel. The clutch 4 is turned off to detach the ribbon holding arm 3, or turned on to fix the ribbon holding arm 3.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, the case where the number of ribbon tracks is two is described. The ribbon track includes a ribbon track 5a on the near side and a ribbon track 5b on the back side.

First, when it is desired to print the ribbon track on the front ribbon track 5a, the ribbon cartridge 2
The print head 1 is moved to the shorter arm 2a of the two arms 2a and 2b, the clutch 4 is turned off, the ribbon holding arm 3 is removed, and the ribbon of the ribbon cartridge 2 is connected from the outside. Refeed by motor. As a result, the ribbon holding arm 3 is moved to the rear side by the tension of the ribbon, and the ribbon track 5a on the front side is below the print head 1. Thereafter, the clutch 4 is turned on to prevent the ribbon holding arm 3 from moving, and then the print head 1 is moved right and left, whereby printing can be performed on the ribbon track 5a on the front side.

Next, when it is desired to print the ribbon track on the rear ribbon track 5b, the print head 1 is moved to the longer arm 2b of the two arms 2a and 2b of the ribbon cartridge 2, and the ribbon track is moved. Is printed by the same operation as in the case where is set to the front side. That is, after the clutch 4 is turned off and the ribbon holding arm 3 is removed,
The ribbon of the ribbon cartridge 2 is fed back by a motor connected from the outside. Thereby, the ribbon holding arm 3 is moved to the front side by the tension of the ribbon, and the ribbon track 5b on the back side is below the print head 1. Thereafter, after the clutch 4 is turned on to prevent the ribbon holding arm 3 from moving, the print head 1 is moved right and left, so that printing can be performed on the ribbon track 5b on the far side.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the case where the number of ribbon tracks is two has been described. However, even in a multi-track printer that prints a plurality of colors, the cassette arm position is adjusted in accordance with the outer track interval. , The print head is moved to a position corresponding to each track position, and the ribbon track position can be switched by performing the same operation as described above.

As described above, the ribbon switching mechanism of the present invention does not require a ribbon switching power and mechanism, and can realize a simple ribbon switching mechanism.

[0022]

According to the ribbon switching mechanism of the present invention, the actuator of the ribbon switching unit is only the clutch in the print head. Instead of the mechanism for moving the entire ribbon cassette, only the arm for moving the ribbon is used. Therefore, there is an effect that the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

Further, even in the case of a ribbon having a plurality of tracks, there is an effect that the track can be changed only by a simple control for changing the horizontal position of the print head when the ribbon is switched.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 print head 2 ribbon cartridge 2a, 2b arm 3 ribbon holding arm 4 clutch 5a, 5b ribbon track

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A ribbon switching mechanism of a printer that switches a ribbon having a plurality of ribbon tracks, a ribbon feed mechanism that feeds the ribbon, a print head that is held on a shaft of the printer and moves left and right, and stores the ribbon. And supporting the ribbon at each end 2
A ribbon cartridge having two arms, a ribbon holding arm connected to the print head and holding the ribbon, and a clutch provided at a fulcrum between the print head and the ribbon holding arm. Wherein the length of the two arms is different by the switching width of the ribbon track, and the print head is moved to the switching position of the ribbon track between the two arms. . 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon holding arm is released by turning off the clutch, and the ribbon holding arm is fixed by turning on the clutch. Ribbon switching mechanism. 3. When switching the position of the ribbon, the print head is moved to an arm side of the two arms which is closer to the ribbon position to be switched, and then the clutch is turned on.
3. The ribbon switching mechanism of the printer according to claim 2, wherein the ribbon holding arm is detached from the FF to perform ribbon feeding. 4. The ribbon switching mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the ribbon holding arm automatically moves to a ribbon position to be switched by the tension of the ribbon. 5. The ribbon switching mechanism according to claim 4, wherein printing is performed after the ribbon holding arm is fixed by turning on the clutch. 6. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the two arms are extendable and contractible in accordance with a switching width of the ribbon track.
A ribbon switching mechanism for the printer according to claim 1.