JPH0777816B2 - Cleaner for print head - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print head cleaner for a dot printer using a ribbon cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a dot type printer, when micro dust, fiber dust, or the like adheres to a print head, print quality is deteriorated such as uneven printing and broken characters. For example,
In the case of a thermal transfer type dot printer, a group of printing elements provided in the print head press and heat the ink ribbon to transfer the ink to the paper surface according to the heated pattern, but foreign matter adheres to the print head. If it is present, heat will not be easily transferred to the ink ribbon, and some of the characters will be faint and the character density will be uneven. The only way to prevent such deterioration in print quality is to clean the print head and clean the surface of the print element, but in the past, this cleaning was done manually. For example, the head surface is wiped with a cotton swab containing a cleaning liquid to remove the attached dust.

[0003]

The conventional cleaning method as described above is troublesome in that the peripheral structure of the print head needs to be disassembled in advance and the print head needs to be moved to a position where it can be easily seen. Especially, since the space between the head surface and the platen is generally set to be narrow, it is preferable to forcefully insert the cotton swab into this small gap because it may deform the head base or damage the head surface. Was not. In addition, since the space around the print head is narrow and the cleaning work can be performed only with a thin rod-shaped body such as a cotton swab, it is difficult to perform sufficient cleaning of the head surface, which is inefficient. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to facilitate the cleaning work by cleaning a print head with a cartridge cleaner, and to ensure that the head surface is thoroughly cleaned. And

[0004]

According to the present invention, the cartridge case 1 can be mounted in a printer by substantially the same as that of the original ribbon cartridge. Then, the cleaning tape 12 is stored in the cartridge case 1 in place of the original ink ribbon, and in a state where the cleaning tape 12 is attached to the printer, the tape reel 2 is rotated by the operation member 27 provided on the outer surface of the case to manually operate the cleaning tape 12. It is designed so that it can be sent and moved.

That is, the print head cleaner of the present invention is provided with a cleaning tape 12, a tape reel 2 for moving the tape 12, and a cartridge case 1 for accommodating both members 2 and 12, and a cartridge case. 1 has a head pocket 4 into which the print head H is inserted, a tape path of the cleaning tape 12 is set so as to traverse the open end of the head pocket 4, and the outer surface of the cartridge case 1 has the above-mentioned structure. It is a requirement that an operation member 27 for rotating the tape reel 2 is provided.

[0006]

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a print head cleaner of the present invention applied to a thermal transfer printer. In FIG. 2, the cleaner of the present invention is configured substantially the same as an ink ribbon and a ribbon cartridge incorporating a pair of tape reels for winding the ink ribbon. The substantially same form means only that the cartridge case can be attached to the printer.

Specifically, a left and right laterally long cartridge case 1 having four corners cut off has a tape reel 2 for moving a cleaning tape 12 and a guide tape reel 3 on the left and right sides. A head pocket 4 that allows the insertion of the print head H on the printer side is provided in a U-shaped recess on the front left side of the cartridge case 1. Tape outlets 5 and 6 are provided on the left and right of the open end of the head pocket 4. The cartridge case 1 is a flat container-like case body 1
It is composed of a and a cover plate 1b that closes the upper opening of the cover plate. Figure 2
The tape reel 3 for guiding is the case body 1a
It is supported by a cylindrical boss 7 which is erected from the inner bottom surface thereof so as to be freely rotatable. Grooves 8a and 8b for preventing rotation are formed in communication with the upper half of the boss 7 and the lid 1b. The groove 8b on the lid 1b side is shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tape reel 2 for tape transfer is rotatably supported by support holes 9a and 9b formed through the bottom wall of the case body 1a and the lid 1b, and the upper and lower ends thereof are case-shaped. Looking out. The tape reel 2 has a drive hole 10 in the form of a spline hole formed vertically through the reel center. When the cartridge case 1 is installed in the printer,
The drive shaft on the printer side fits into the drive hole 10 from below. With this, the cartridge case 1 is positioned and mounted at the same height as the original ribbon cartridge. In the case where the drive shaft on the printer side is directly connected to the motor on the printer side, the drive hole 10 need only be loosely fitted, and it is expected that the tape reel 2 will be rotationally driven by the drive shaft on the printer side. Not not. Therefore, the drive hole 1 of the tape reel 2
0 does not need to be a shape that engages with the drive shaft.

In the cartridge case 1, a coating liquid member 1 for applying a cleaning liquid to the cleaning tape 12 is provided.
Have three. The coating liquid member 13 in the figure is made of felt, foam rubber,
It is composed of a ring-shaped application roller 14 made of foamed plastic or the like, and a tape reel 2 which supports the roller 14 on the outer circumference. That is, in the illustrated example, the tape reel 2 is used as a support shaft for the coating roller 14. Coating roller 1
A liquid supply port 15 for injecting the cleaning liquid from above and outside is provided on the wall surface of the lid 1b facing the upper surface of 4 in a penetrating manner inside and outside.

In FIG. 2, the cleaning tape 12 is formed in an endless strip shape, and the left and right tape reels 2
The tape outlets 5 on the left and right are wound around 3
A tape path is formed in a state of being led out of the case via 6 and traversing the opening front side of the head pocket 4. That is, in the cartridge case 1, the tape 12 is wound around the tape reel 3 for guide from the tape outlet 6 on the right side in order through the two guide pins 16 and 17, and from this, the circumference of the other tape reel 2 is wound. After being wound around the application roller 14 provided on the surface, a tape path is formed to reach the tape outlet 5 on the left side via the guide rib 18. As a result, the cleaning tape 1
2 shifts to a circulating state. The guide pin 16 also serves as a tape tension and is urged by a spring 19 toward the inside of the case.

The cleaning tape 12 is formed of a woven or non-woven cloth having a liquid supply property, preferably a woven cloth as a base material and having the same width as that of the ink ribbon, and the surface contacting with the print head H is roughened. To add a polishing function.
Through the coating roller 14, the cleaning liquid adheres to the surface of the cleaning tape 12 that is in contact with the print head H, and gradually penetrates to the back surface side.

In the head pocket 4, there is provided a pressing member 20 which is mounted using the left and right tape outlets 5 and 6 in order to bring the cleaning tape 12 into contact with the head surface of the print head H. The pressing member 20 is composed of a metal plate such as phosphor bronze or stainless steel, or a single spring plate 21 made of a plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. 2 and 3, the spring plate 21 includes left and right leg portions 22 and 22 to be inserted into the left and right tape pulling outlets 5 and 6 from the outer surface side of the case, and both leg portions 2.
The restriction walls 23 and 23 that are bent from 2 and 22 to face each other and restrict the movement of the spring plate 21 inward of the case, and the inverted trapezoidal shape that protrudes into the head pocket 4 between the restriction walls 23 and 23. The pressing wall 24 and the hooking pieces 25 provided at the tips of the legs 22 are bent and formed in series. The leaf springs 21 as a whole are mounted so as to prevent the leaf springs 21 from coming out by hooking the hooking pieces 25, 25 to the peripheral ribs on the case body 1a side via the tape outlets 5 and 6.

The tape reel 2 has an operation member 27 which is attached to and detached from the upper surface of the cover plate 1b in order to rotate the tape reel 2 from the outside of the case to transfer the cleaning tape 12. 1 and 4, the operating member 27 also serves as a rotation stopper for the tape reel 2 when not in use. Referring to FIG. 4 as a reference, a spline shaft-shaped operation shaft 28 that can be fitted and engaged from above the drive hole 10 of the tape reel 2, a substrate 29 that is formed to project at the upper end of the operation shaft 28, and the substrate 29. A plastic molded product integrally formed with a plate-shaped operation arm 31 extending from one side through a thin hinge portion 30 and a detent claw 32 protruding from the lower surface of the operation arm 31 on the extended end side. Is. In a state where the operation member 27 is expanded as shown in FIG. 4, the rotation stopping claw 32 is provided in the groove 8b on the lid 1b side.
By engaging the grooves 8a, 8a on the tape reel 3 side through the drive shaft 10 and the operation shaft 28 in the drive hole 10, the tape reel 2 can be held unrotatable when the cleaner is not used.

When the tape reel 2 is rotated, the operation shaft 28 is fitted into and engaged with the drive hole 10,
After removing the rotation stopping claw 32 from the grooves 8a and 8b,
The operation arm 31 is inverted around the hinge portion 30.
In this inverted state, in order to reliably transmit the operating force of the operating arm 31 to the substrate 29, the substrate 29 is provided with a joint hole 33 concentric with the operating shaft 28, and the operating arm 31 is fitted into the joint hole 33. The engaging pin 34 is projected. When the operation arm 31 is reversed, the rotation stopping claw 32 is provided as shown in FIG.
Is switched so as to project upward, so that the tape reel 2 can be easily and surely rotated via the operation arm 31 by pinching the detent claw 32.

The cleaner configured as described above is mounted on the printer instead of the ribbon cartridge after the coating roller 14 is dipped with the cleaning liquid and impregnated with the cleaning liquid. In this mounted state, the pressing member 20 has its pressing wall 24 pressed by the print head H via the cleaning tape 12 and is slightly elastically deformed to the outside of the case. This elastic restoring force causes the cleaning tape 12 to move to the print head H. Crimp. The pressing force of the cleaning tape 12 at this time is 0.1 to 0.4 kg /
The spring pressure of the pressing member 20 is set so as to be cm ² .

By rotating the operating member 27 by pinching the rotation stopping claw 32 of the operating arm 31 which has been inverted, the coating roller 14 is rotationally driven via the tape reel 2 and is circumscribed on the roller 14 to be in contact with the cleaning liquid. The cleaning tape 12 containing the is transferred. The movement of the tape 12 wipes the head surface of the print head H, and the polishing action of the tape 12 polishes the head surface to remove foreign matter. At this time, the cleaning liquid with which the tape 12 is impregnated adheres to the head surface, promoting the dissociation of foreign matter from the head surface.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the operation member 27 is integrally mounted on the cartridge case 1 as a first embodiment. different. That is, the operating member 27 is made of a plastic molded product in which an operating disc 36 and a spline shaft-like operating shaft 28 projecting from the central lower surface of the operating disc 36 are integrally formed. It is integrated with the tape reel 2 by being press-fitted in a retaining manner. In this mounted state, in order to position the operation disc 36 substantially flush with the upper surface of the cover plate 1b, a recess 39 for storing the disc is formed at a corresponding position of the cover plate 1b. Further, a finger-holding concave portion 37 is provided on the outer surface of the operation disk 36, and the liquid supply port 15 provided in the lid 1b.
A partial arc-shaped liquid supply port 38 leading to is formed. In this case, after mounting the cartridge case 1 in the printer,
As shown in FIG. 6, the operating disk 36 is rotated with a fingertip to move the cleaning tape 12 to clean the print head H.

(Third Embodiment) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the tape guide tape reel 3 is omitted and the length of the tape path in the cartridge case 1 is omitted. The difference from the previous embodiments is that the length is shortened, that a part of the operating member 27 in the first embodiment is changed, and that the form of the pressing member 20 is further changed. More specifically, in FIG. 7, one of the endless cleaning tapes 12 wound around the coating roller 14 is led out to the right tape outlet 6, and the other is led out to the left tape outlet 5 via the guide rib 18. Form a tape path in the case. In this way, the tape path in the cartridge case 1 can be set arbitrarily. The pressing member 20 is composed of an elastic pad 40 such as felt or sponge, and a spring plate 21 supporting the pad. In this case, the pad 40 of the pressing member 20 may be impregnated with the cleaning liquid and applied to the cleaning tape 12. In FIG. 8, the operation member 27 is provided with a cylindrical operation, that is, a protrusion 32a that is easy to grip in place of the detent claw 32 of the first embodiment. On the other hand, the joint hole 33 is formed in a spline shaft shape and the pin 34 is formed in a spline shaft shape in order to enhance the engaging force at the time of fitting.
A knurled groove for preventing slippage was formed on the peripheral surface of the operation knob 32a.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the cleaning tape 12 is taken out from one tape reel 3,
The tape is wound around the other tape reel 2, and the coating liquid member 1 is provided in the middle of the tape pass between the two tape reels 2 and 3.
3 is provided. The coating liquid member 13 includes a coating roller 14 and a shaft 14a supporting the coating roller 14, and the shaft 14a is connected to the case body 1a.
Was rotatably supported by the bottom wall and the cover plate 1b (not shown).

(Another Embodiment) As will be understood from the fourth embodiment, the cleaning tape 12 does not necessarily have to be cyclically transferred, but is a so-called reel-to-reel system in which the cleaning tape 12 is transferred in one direction. May be It will be easily understood that the coating liquid member 13 may be provided separately from the tape reel 2.
The cleaning tape 12 may be coated with an abrasive on the side in contact with the print head H. A cleaner for performing the dry cleaning by omitting the coating liquid member 13 is also expected by the present invention.

[0021]

As described above, according to the cleaner for a print head of the present invention, the print head H can be operated by a simple operation of mounting it on the printer instead of the original ribbon cartridge and manually rotating the operating member 27. Since the cleaning can be performed and the entire head surface with which the ink ribbon contacts can be wiped with the cleaning tape 12, the cleaning operation can be performed easily and efficiently, and effective cleaning can be achieved as compared with the manual operation. As a result, the print head can be used in good condition for a long period of time, and deterioration of print quality can be prevented for a long period of time.

Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the outer surface side of the cleaning tape 12 is pressed by the pressing member 20, the pressing member 20 covers the cleaning tape 12 exposed to the outside of the case when not in use. And be protected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pressing member according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a usage state of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional side view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a usage state of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the inside of the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an operating member according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the inside of the fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cartridge Case 2 Tape Reel 4 Head Pocket 12 Cleaning Tape 13 Coating Liquid Member 27 Operation Member H Print Head

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning tape 12 and the tape 12.
And a tape reel 2 for transferring the two parts, and both members 2.1
A cartridge case 1 for accommodating 2 is provided, and a head pocket 4 into which the print head H is inserted is provided on one side of the cartridge case 1, and a tape path of the cleaning tape 12 in a state of traversing the open end of the head pocket 4. And a cleaning member for a print head, which is provided with an operation member 27 for rotating the tape reel 2 on the outer surface of the cartridge case 1.