Printing assembly with replaceable ribbon cartridge and thermal transfer printer having the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a printing assembly with a replaceable ribbon cassette and a thermal transfer printer having the same. The printing assembly comprises a housing, a ribbon cassette assembly, a print head, an automatic lifting drive assembly and an automatic handling mechanism. The housing is open at the lower end and the front side. The ribbon cassette assembly comprises two left and right parallel ribbon cassettes, each of which is provided with a ribbon roll, and one of the ribbon rolls is wound with a ribbon. A strip opening for the ribbon to pass through is provided at the lower part of the side where the two ribbon cassettes are close to each other. An automatic ribbon receiving assembly and an automatic ribbon releasing assembly are provided on the inner wall of the rear side of the housing. The automatic ribbon receiving assembly and the automatic ribbon releasing assembly are respectively connected to the corresponding ribbon rolls in a transmission manner. The print head spans above the ribbon segment between the two strip openings. The automatic lifting drive assembly is installed in the housing and is connected to the print head in a transmission manner. The automatic handling mechanism is arranged in the housing. Advantages: The structural design is reasonable, and the replacement of the ribbon cassette is simple and quick.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a thermal transfer printing technology, and in particular to a printing component with a replaceable ribbon box and a thermal transfer printer having the same. Background Art

[0002] The existing thermal transfer printer has a function of overprinting. During the overprinting process, the printer needs to return to the starting position after printing on the tape using a ribbon of one color, and then replace the ribbon of another color on the thermal transfer printer, and then continue to print using the ribbon of the other color from the starting position. Through two printings, the two pigments on the two ribbons are respectively printed on the tape to form a printed product with multiple colors. The existing thermal transfer printer generally can only replace the ribbon manually, so the ribbon needs to be replaced manually every time overprinting is performed, which has the problem of being inconvenient for overprinting. Summary of the invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a printing component with a replaceable ribbon box and a thermal transfer printer having the same, which effectively overcomes the defects of the prior art.

[0004] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above technical problems is as follows:

[0005] A printing assembly with a replaceable ribbon cartridge comprises a shell, a ribbon cartridge assembly, a print head, an automatic lifting drive assembly and an automatic handling mechanism, the lower end and front side of the shell are open, the ribbon cartridge assembly comprises two ribbon cartridges arranged side by side and spaced apart in the shell, the front sides of the two ribbon cartridges are connected as a whole by a connecting piece, the two ribbon cartridges are respectively equipped with a ribbon roll extending horizontally along the front-to-back direction, and a ribbon is wound on one of the ribbon rolls, a strip opening for the ribbon to pass through is provided at the lower part of one side of the two ribbon cartridges close to each other, the ribbon is pulled out from one of the ribbon rolls, passes through the two strip openings in turn, and is wound on the other ribbon roll, and automatic control mechanisms corresponding to the ribbon rolls of the two ribbon cartridges are provided on the inner wall of the rear side of the shell. The ribbon collecting assembly and the automatic ribbon releasing assembly are respectively extended into the corresponding ribbon boxes and are drivingly connected to the corresponding ribbon rolls, thereby driving the two ribbon rolls to rotate to collect / release the ribbon. The print head spans above the ribbon segment between the two strip-shaped openings. The automatic lifting drive assembly is installed in the shell and is drivingly connected to the print head, and is used to drive the print head to move up and down to press down the ribbon segment or separate from each other. The automatic transport mechanism is arranged in the shell, and is used to take out the ribbon box assembly in the shell from its front side, or to transport the ribbon box assembly placed in front of the shell into the shell, and is connected to the automatic ribbon collecting assembly and the automatic ribbon releasing assembly.

[0006] Based on the above technical solution, the present invention can also be improved as follows.

[0007] Furthermore, the above-mentioned automated transport mechanism includes multiple groups of first sliding wheel groups, a first driving wheel assembly and a clutch driving wheel assembly. The multiple groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups are rotatably assembled at the same height of the lower part of the inner walls on the left and right sides of the above-mentioned shell through wheel axles coaxially penetrating therethrough in the left and right directions, and the lower part of the inner wall on either side of the left and right sides of the above-mentioned shell is equipped with multiple groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups distributed at intervals in the front and back. The multiple groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups on the left and right sides are respectively used for rolling contact with the bottom walls of the two ribbon boxes of the same above-mentioned ribbon box assembly. The above-mentioned first driving wheel assembly includes a first connecting shaft, a first rotating driving mechanism and two first driving wheels. The above-mentioned first connecting shaft is horizontally arranged in the left and right directions and is rotatably assembled on the top wall inside the above-mentioned shell through a bracket. The two above-mentioned first driving wheels are coaxially assembled at both ends of the above-mentioned first connecting shaft and are respectively used for rolling contact with the bottom walls of the two ribbon boxes of the same above-mentioned ribbon box assembly. The top walls of the two ribbon boxes are in contact, the above-mentioned first rotation drive mechanism is assembled in the above-mentioned shell, and is connected to the above-mentioned first connecting shaft for driving it to rotate around the axis, the above-mentioned clutch drive wheel assembly includes a second connecting shaft, a second rotation drive mechanism and two second drive wheels, the above-mentioned second connecting shaft is horizontally arranged along the left and right directions, and is rotatably assembled on the inner top wall of the above-mentioned shell through a bracket, and is located at a position on the front side of the above-mentioned first connecting shaft corresponding to the front opening of the above-mentioned shell, the two above-mentioned second drive wheels are coaxially assembled at the two ends of the above-mentioned second connecting shaft, and the same part of the wheel body of the two is provided with an inner concave surface along its radial direction, the above-mentioned second rotation drive mechanism is assembled in the above-mentioned shell, and is connected to the above-mentioned second connecting shaft for driving it to rotate around the axis until the inner concave surface is placed above the corresponding above-mentioned ribbon box, or rotated to the outer edge of the arc and contacts the top wall of the corresponding above-mentioned ribbon box below.

[0008] Furthermore, the above-mentioned first rotating drive mechanism is a motor mounted on a bracket corresponding to the above-mentioned shell top wall. The motor is located at a position corresponding to one end of the above-mentioned first connecting shaft, and its driving shaft extends left and right. The first pulley is installed on the driving shaft of the motor and one end of the first connecting shaft, and the two first pulley belts are wrapped around the first belt.

[0009] Furthermore, the above-mentioned second rotating drive mechanism is a motor mounted on a bracket corresponding to the above-mentioned shell top wall. The motor is located at a position corresponding to one end of the above-mentioned second connecting shaft, and its driving shaft extends left and right. Second pulleys are installed on the driving shaft of the motor and one end of the second connecting shaft, and the two second pulley belts are wrapped around the second belt.

[0010] Furthermore, an auxiliary guide portion for contacting the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel is provided at the top of the ribbon cassette along the front-to-back direction, and an upper surface of the auxiliary guide portion is provided with saw teeth or is set to a frosted surface.

[0011] Furthermore, the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are both rubber rollers.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: reasonable structural design and simple and quick replacement of the ribbon box.

[0013] A thermal transfer printer is also provided, comprising a frame, a printing assembly and an automated linear displacement mechanism, wherein the frame has a horizontal printing table, the front side of the printing table is a tape inlet, and the rear side is a tape outlet, the printing assembly is arranged above the printing table and near it, the automated linear displacement mechanism is assembled in the frame and is drivingly connected to the printing assembly, and is used to drive the printing assembly to move linearly along the printing table between its left and right ends, so as to print the tape passing through the upper surface of the printing table, and a left and right horizontally arranged storage shelf is suspended at a position near the printing table on the front side of the frame, and a plurality of independent and device-mounted storage shelves are arranged on the storage shelf. The above-mentioned installation stations of the ribbon cassette assembly, and the ribbons in the ribbon cassette assemblies placed in the multiple installation stations have different colors, the rear sides of the above-mentioned installation stations are all open, and the front sides thereof are provided with limiting members for preventing the ribbon cassette assembly from escaping from the front, and each of the above-mentioned installation stations is rotatably provided with multiple groups of second sliding wheel groups spaced apart along the front-to-back direction on the left and right sides of the upper end, the vertices of the multiple groups of the second sliding wheel groups and the vertices of the multiple groups of the first sliding wheel groups are located in the same horizontal plane, and the rear side of the above-mentioned ribbon cassette assembly placed in the above-mentioned installation station extends to the rear of the installation station, and the second driving wheel located in the above-mentioned printing assembly is arranged above the rear side of the ribbon cassette assembly placed in the above-mentioned installation station.

[0014] Furthermore, a photoelectric sensor assembly corresponding to each of the above-mentioned installation stations is provided on the rear side of the above-mentioned storage shelf plate, and a photoelectric sensor module compatible with the photoelectric sensor assembly is provided on the front side of the shell of the corresponding above-mentioned printing assembly. The above-mentioned thermal transfer printer has an industrial control system respectively connected to the above-mentioned automated linear displacement mechanism, automated conveying mechanism, automated ribbon collection assembly, automated ribbon discharge assembly, photoelectric sensor assembly and photoelectric sensor module. The industrial control system is used to control the above-mentioned automated linear displacement mechanism to drive the above-mentioned printing assembly to stay behind any of the above-mentioned installation stations according to the sensing signals of the photoelectric sensor assembly and the photoelectric sensor module.

[0015] The beneficial effects are: it can realize automatic and intelligent ribbon cassette replacement, shorten the ribbon cassette replacement cycle, and improve printing efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a replaceable printing assembly of a ribbon cassette of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 A diagram showing the structural coordination between the lifting mechanism and the print head in the replaceable printing assembly of the ribbon cassette of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism in the printing assembly of the replaceable ribbon cassette of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the automatic lifting drive assembly in the replaceable printing assembly of the ribbon cassette of the present invention without the fixing plate;

[0020] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of a ribbon collection / release assembly in a replaceable printing assembly of a ribbon cassette of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the thermal transfer printer of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thermal transfer printer of the present invention without the shelf plate.

[0023] In the accompanying drawings, the components represented by the reference numerals are listed as follows:

[0024] 1. Shell, 2. Ribbon cassette, 3. Print head, 4. Automatic lifting drive assembly, 5. Ribbon segment, 7. Rack, 8. Print assembly, 9. Automatic linear displacement mechanism, 41. Fixed plate, 42. Mounting plate, 43. Rotary drive device, 44. Fork, 45. Swing rod, 46. Connecting rod, 47. Track, 48. Guide wheel, 49. Elastic member, 61. Guide shaft, 62. Drive motor, 63. Synchronous belt, 64. Secondary pulley, 65. Docking assembly, 66. Guide pin, 71. Printing table, 72. Shelf plate, 73. second sliding wheel group, 97. roller screw transmission pair, 98. guide rail, 111. first sliding wheel group, 112. first driving wheel assembly, 113. clutch driving wheel assembly, 411. slide groove, 421. positioning pin, 422. T-shaped member, 461. T-shaped connecting portion, 651. bayonet, 1121. first connecting shaft, 1122. first rotating driving mechanism, 1123. first driving wheel, 1131. second connecting shaft, 1132. second rotating driving mechanism, 1133. second driving wheel, 11331. inner concave surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The principles and features of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The examples given are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0026] Embodiment 1: Figure 1As shown, the printing assembly with replaceable ribbon cassettes of the present embodiment comprises a shell 1, a ribbon cassette assembly, a print head 3, an automatic lifting drive assembly 4 and an automatic handling mechanism, the lower end and the front side of the shell 1 are open, the ribbon cassette assembly comprises two ribbon cassettes 2 which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the shell 1, the front sides of the two ribbon cassettes 2 are connected as a whole by a connecting piece, the two ribbon cassettes 2 are respectively provided with ribbon rolls extending horizontally along the front-to-back direction, and one of the ribbon rolls is wound with a ribbon, a strip opening for the ribbon to pass through is provided at the lower part of one side of the two ribbon cassettes 2 which are close to each other, the ribbon is pulled out from one of the ribbon rolls, passes through the two strip openings in turn, and is wound on the other ribbon roll, and automatic lifting and lowering mechanisms corresponding to the ribbon rolls of the two ribbon cassettes 2 are provided on the inner wall of the rear side of the shell 1 The automatic ribbon collecting component and the automatic ribbon releasing component are respectively extended into the corresponding ribbon box 2 and are connected to the corresponding ribbon rolls, thereby driving the two ribbon rolls to rotate to collect / release the ribbon. The print head 3 spans above the ribbon segment 5 between the two strip-shaped openings. The automatic lifting drive component 4 is installed in the shell 1 and is connected to the print head 3 for driving the print head 3 to move up and down to press down the ribbon segment 5 or separate from each other. The automatic transport mechanism is arranged in the shell 1 for taking out the ribbon box assembly in the shell 1 from its front side, or transporting the ribbon box assembly placed in front of the shell 1 into the shell 1, and is connected to the automatic ribbon collecting component and the automatic ribbon releasing component.

[0027] During actual use, one of the ribbon cassettes 2 of the ribbon cassette assembly is provided with a ribbon roll wound with a ribbon, and the other ribbon cassette 2 is provided with a controlled ribbon roll, and the ribbon rolls of the two ribbon cassettes 2 are respectively connected to the automatic ribbon receiving assembly and the automatic ribbon releasing assembly in the housing 1, respectively. At the same time, the ribbon is pulled out from one of the ribbon cassettes 2 and wound around the controlled ribbon roll in the other ribbon cassette 2. During printing, the automatic lifting drive assembly 4 drives the print head 3 to move downward to press the ribbon segment 5 between the two ribbon cassettes 4 onto the tape below it on the printer support plate, the ribbon releasing assembly unwinds, and the ribbon receiving assembly rewinds synchronously, and printing can be completed during the tape traction and conveying process. During printing, when the ribbon roll needs to be replaced after use, the entire printing assembly is moved to the replacement station, and the automatic ribbon cassette replacement operation can be completed through the automatic handling mechanism, which improves the disadvantage of manual cassette changing in traditional printers, greatly shortens the time spent on cassette changing, and improves the printing efficiency of the printer.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment, it is specifically positioned as Scheme A, in which the above-mentioned automated transport mechanism includes multiple groups of first sliding wheel groups 111, first driving wheel assemblies 112 and clutch driving wheel assemblies 113, and the multiple groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups 111 are rotatably assembled at the same height of the lower part of the left and right inner walls of the above-mentioned shell 1 through wheel axles coaxially penetrating therein in the left and right directions, and the lower part of the inner wall of any left and right side of the above-mentioned shell 1 is equipped with multiple groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups 111 distributed at intervals in the front and back, and the multiple groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups 111 on the left and right sides are respectively used for rolling contact with the bottom walls of the two ribbon boxes 2 of the same above-mentioned ribbon box assembly, and the above-mentioned first driving wheel assembly 112 includes a first connecting shaft 1121, a first rotating driving mechanism 1122 and two first driving wheels 1123, and the above-mentioned first connecting shaft 1121 is horizontally arranged in the left and right directions, and is rotatably assembled on the inner top wall of the above-mentioned shell 1 through a bracket, and the two first driving wheels 1123 are respectively coaxially assembled at the two ends of the above-mentioned first connecting shaft 1121, and are respectively used for rolling contact with the same above-mentioned ribbon The top walls of the two ribbon boxes 2 of the box assembly are in contact, the first rotation drive mechanism 1122 is assembled in the shell 1, and is in transmission connection with the first connecting shaft 1121, and is used to drive it to rotate around the axis, the clutch drive wheel assembly 113 includes a second connecting shaft 1131, a second rotation drive mechanism 1132 and two second driving wheels 1133, the second connecting shaft 1131 is horizontally arranged in the left and right directions, and is rotatably assembled on the top wall of the shell 1 through a bracket, and is located at the front side of the first connecting shaft 1121 corresponding to At the open position on the front side of the shell 1, the two second driving wheels 1133 are coaxially assembled on the two ends of the second connecting shaft 1131, and the same part of the wheel body of the two is provided with an inner concave surface 11331 along its radial direction. The second rotating drive mechanism 1132 is assembled in the shell 1 and is transmission connected with the second connecting shaft 1131, and is used for driving it to rotate around the axis until the inner concave surface 11331 is placed above the corresponding ribbon box 2, or rotate to the outer edge of the arc and contact the top wall of the corresponding ribbon box 2 below.

[0029] In this embodiment, when the ribbon cassette 2 is used up and needs to be replaced, the first drive wheel assembly 112 and the clutch drive wheel assembly 113 operate simultaneously, and the first rotation drive mechanism 1122 and the second rotation drive mechanism 1132 respectively drive the corresponding first connecting shaft 1121 and the second connecting shaft 1131 to rotate, thereby driving the corresponding first drive wheel 1123 and the second drive wheel 1133 to rotate. During the rotation process, the top wall and the bottom wall of the ribbon cassette assembly are respectively released from the multiple groups of first sliding wheel groups 111 and the first drive wheel 1123 and the second drive wheel 1133, that is, the ribbon cassette assembly is sandwiched between the multiple groups of first sliding wheel groups 111 and the first drive wheel 1123 and the second drive wheel 1133. During the rotation of the first driving wheel 1123 and the second driving wheel 1133, the friction between the two and the top wall of the ribbon cassette assembly can be used to send the ribbon cassette assembly out from the front opening of the shell 1 along the multiple groups of first sliding wheel groups 111 at the lower end. When changing the cassette, at the cassette changing station, the second connecting shaft 1131 is driven by the second rotating driving mechanism 1132 to drive the second driving wheel 1133 to rotate in the opposite direction, and the ribbon cassette assembly "fed" at the lower end of the second driving wheel 1133 is sent into the shell 1 along the multiple groups of first sliding wheel groups 111, and is connected to the automatic ribbon receiving assembly and the automatic ribbon releasing assembly. The design of the entire automatic handling mechanism is relatively ingenious, and the operation of replacing the ribbon cassette is simple, convenient and smooth.

[0030] Specifically, the first rotating drive mechanism 1122 is a motor mounted on a bracket corresponding to the top wall of the shell 1. The motor is located at a position corresponding to one end of the first connecting shaft 1121, and its driving shaft extends left and right. A first pulley is installed on the driving shaft of the motor and one end of the first connecting shaft 1121, and the two first pulley belts are wrapped around the first belt.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first rotation driving mechanism 1122 drives the first connecting shaft 1121 to rotate through a combination of a motor and a belt, and its operation is relatively stable.

[0032] Of course, the first rotation drive mechanism 1122 can also be replaced by other transmission mechanisms with similar functions, such as a chain transmission mechanism or a reduction gearbox transmission mechanism.

[0033] As a preferred embodiment, the second rotating drive mechanism 1132 is a motor mounted on a bracket corresponding to the top wall of the shell 1, and the motor is located at a position corresponding to one end of the second connecting shaft 1131, and its driving shaft extends left and right, and a second pulley is installed on the driving shaft of the motor and one end of the second connecting shaft 1131, and the two second pulleys are wrapped around the second belt.

[0034] In this embodiment, the second rotation driving mechanism 1132 drives the second connecting shaft 1131 to rotate through a combination of a motor and a belt, and its operation is relatively stable.

[0035] Of course, the second rotation drive mechanism 1132 can also be replaced by other transmission mechanisms with similar functions, such as a chain transmission mechanism or a reduction gearbox transmission mechanism.

[0036] It should be added that the following is an introduction to the structure and functions of the relevant components in the printing assembly:

[0037] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the automatic lifting drive assembly 4 includes a fixed plate 41, a mounting plate 42, a rotation drive device 43 and a swing link assembly. The fixed plate 41 is vertically fixed on the inner top wall of the shell 1 and is located between the two ribbon boxes 2 and spans above the ribbon segment 5. The mounting plate 42 is arranged in parallel at one end of the fixed plate 41. The print head 3 is installed at the lower end of the mounting plate 42. Guide structures are respectively provided on both sides of one end of the fixed plate 41 close to the mounting plate 42. Both sides of the mounting plate 42 are vertically slidably matched with the guide structures on both sides of one end of the fixed plate 41. The rotation drive device 43 is assembled on the fixed plate 41. One end of the swing link assembly is transmission-connected with the rotation drive device 43, and the other end is movably connected with the mounting plate 42. The rotation drive device 43 is used to drive the swing link assembly to swing up and down, thereby driving the mounting plate 42 and the print head 3 to move up and down relative to the guide structure.

[0038] In this embodiment, the operation process of the automatic lifting drive assembly 4 is specifically as follows: the rotating drive device 43 drives the swing link assembly to swing up and down around the connection point between the two. During the swinging process, the lower end of the swing link assembly can drive the mounting plate 42 to drive the print head 3 to move up and down along the guide structure, thereby pressing down the ribbon segment 5 (printing) or moving upward to separate (stop printing). The overall structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0039] Of course, the above-mentioned automatic lifting drive component 4 can be a component that directly drives up and down, such as: a cylinder, an electric push rod, etc.

[0040] More specifically, Figure 2 , 3As shown in Figure 4, the above-mentioned swing link assembly includes a U-shaped shift fork 44, a swing rod 45 and a connecting rod 46 respectively arranged in a vertical plane. The above-mentioned swing rod 45 is a U-shaped member with an opening facing upward, one end of which is rotatably connected to the upper part of one end of the above-mentioned fixed plate 41 close to the mounting plate 42, and the other end of which is movably connected to the above-mentioned shift fork 44 through a pin shaft limited inside the above-mentioned shift fork 44. The closed end of the above-mentioned swing rod 45 is slidably connected and cooperated with the arc-shaped sliding groove 411 arranged on the above-mentioned fixed plate 41, the upper end of the above-mentioned connecting rod 46 is rotatably connected to the closed end of the above-mentioned swing rod 45, and the lower end of the above-mentioned connecting rod 46 is movably connected to the above-mentioned mounting plate 42, and the above-mentioned rotation driving device 43 is transmission-connected with the above-mentioned shift fork 44. The above-mentioned rotation driving device 43 is used to drive the above-mentioned shift fork 44 to drive the above-mentioned swing rod 45 to swing around the rotation connection point between it and the fixed plate 41, thereby driving the lower end of the above-mentioned swing rod 45 to slide along the corresponding above-mentioned sliding groove 411, and then driving the above-mentioned connecting rod 46 and the above-mentioned mounting plate 42 to move up and down along the above-mentioned guide structure.

[0041] In this embodiment, the operation process is specifically as follows: the rotating drive device 43 drives the fork 44 to swing, and the fork 44 drives the swing rod 45 to swing up and down around the connection point between it and the fixed plate 41. During the swinging process of the swing rod 45, the connecting rod 46 is driven to move up and down, thereby driving the mounting plate 42 and the print head 3 that slide with the guide structure to move up and down. The entire component composition utilizes the principle of multiple connecting rod driving, and the design is relatively ingenious.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the lower end of the connecting rod 46 is provided with an assembly hole, and the mounting plate 42 is provided with a positioning pin 421 which is perpendicular thereto and passes through the assembly hole. The lower end of the connecting rod 46 is movably connected through the cooperation between the positioning pin 421 and the assembly hole.

[0043] In this embodiment, the lower end of the connecting rod 46 and the mounting plate 42 are matched with a pin and a hole, and the structures are compactly matched.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment, a T-shaped member 422 corresponding to the lower end of the connecting rod 46 is fixed to one end of the mounting plate 42 close to the fixing plate 41, and the tip of the T-shaped member 23 faces downward and is provided with the positioning pin 421. A T-shaped connecting portion 461 is provided at the lower end of the connecting rod 46, and the mounting hole is provided on the connecting portion. Elastic parts are respectively connected between the two ends of the straight sections of the T-shaped member 422 and the T-shaped connecting portion 461.

[0045] In this embodiment, the design of the T-shaped member 422 and the T-shaped connecting portion 461 is conducive to the good assembly of the elastic member 49, and the design of the elastic member 49 can play a certain buffering role, which can effectively prevent mechanical jamming and ensure the good operation of the swing link assembly.

[0046] The elastic member 49 is a conventional spring, which is easy to assemble and easy to use.

[0047] As a preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned rotation drive device 43 is a motor, which is installed on the upper part of one end of the above-mentioned fixed plate 41 away from the above-mentioned mounting plate 42. Its drive shaft passes through the above-mentioned fixed plate 41 and is connected and fixed to the closed end of the above-mentioned fork. The rotation drive device 43 is reasonably installed and is stable and convenient to use.

[0048] As a preferred embodiment, the guide structure is two vertically arranged rails 47, and a plurality of guide wheels 48 spaced apart vertically are rotatably provided on both sides of one end of the mounting plate 42 close to the fixed plate 41, and the guide wheels 48 are all located on the side where the two rails 47 are close to each other, and respectively roll with the rails 47 on the corresponding side.

[0049] In this embodiment, by designing the guide wheels 48 on both sides of the mounting plate 42 and utilizing the rolling cooperation between the guide wheels 48 and the track 47, it can be ensured that the mounting plate 42 moves up and down in the correct direction without shaking. At the same time, the rolling cooperation can reduce the friction between the two contacts, thereby reducing the energy consumption during the relative movement time.

[0050] Preferably, the print head 3 is a strip-shaped component spanning across the ribbon segment 5 , has a moderate printing amplitude, and effectively cooperates with the ribbon segment 5 .

[0051] As a preferred embodiment, Figure 5 As shown, the above-mentioned ribbon unwinding assembly and the ribbon receiving assembly have the same specifications and both include a guide shaft 61, a drive motor 62, a synchronous belt 63, a main pulley and a secondary pulley 64. The side walls of the ribbon cassette 2 are respectively provided with ribbon reel mounting openings, and the two ends of the above-mentioned ribbon reel extend into the above-mentioned ribbon reel mounting openings on both sides of the above-mentioned ribbon cassette 2 respectively. The above-mentioned guide shaft 61 passes through the corresponding above-mentioned ribbon reel, and one end of the above-mentioned guide shaft 61 is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the above-mentioned housing 1 away from the open side, and the above-mentioned secondary pulley 64 is coaxially mounted on the end. The above-mentioned secondary pulley 64 A recessed area is provided on one side close to the above-mentioned ribbon roll, and a docking assembly 65 which can move along its axial direction is provided on the inner wall of the above-mentioned recessed area. The above-mentioned docking assembly 65 is detachably connected to the corresponding end of the above-mentioned ribbon roll close to it. The above-mentioned driving motor 62 is installed on the inner wall of the side of the above-mentioned ribbon box 2 away from the ribbon roll assembly port and is located below the above-mentioned secondary pulley 64. The above-mentioned main pulley is coaxially installed on the driving shaft of the above-mentioned driving motor 62. The above-mentioned synchronous belt 63 surrounds the above-mentioned main pulley and the secondary pulley 64, and the ribbon roll is mounted on the above-mentioned guide shaft 61.

[0052] In this embodiment, during the installation process, the ribbon roll is inserted into the corresponding guide shaft 61 through the ribbon roll assembly port, and is connected to the corresponding secondary pulley 64 through a docking assembly to realize the rotational winding / unwinding of the ribbon roll, so that the ribbon roll in the ribbon box 2 can complete the winding / unwinding operation of the two ribbon rolls under the drive of the docking assembly 65 and the corresponding secondary pulley 64. Specifically, the driving motor 62 drives the main pulley to operate, which can drive the secondary pulley 64 and the guide shaft 61 to rotate through the synchronous belt 63, thereby driving the docking assembly 65 and the corresponding ribbon roll to rotate through the secondary pulley 64 to realize the unwinding or winding operation, and the operation of the entire assembly is relatively stable.

[0053] More specifically, the above-mentioned recessed area is a circular groove-shaped structure, the above-mentioned docking component 65 is a circular sheet-like component, the bottom wall of the above-mentioned recessed area is provided with a plurality of guide pins 66 extending along the axial direction of the above-mentioned guide shaft 61, the above-mentioned docking component 65 is provided with holes corresponding to the above-mentioned guide pins 66 one by one, the above-mentioned guide pins 66 pass through the corresponding holes, an elastic member is connected between the bottom wall of the above-mentioned recessed area and the above-mentioned docking component 65, the inner ring of the above-mentioned docking component 65 is provided with a plurality of bayonet holes 651 spaced apart along its circumference, and the outer periphery of one end of the above-mentioned ribbon roll close to the above-mentioned docking component 65 is provided with a card block that engages with the plurality of the above-mentioned bayonet holes 651.

[0054] The design of the docking assembly 65 is relatively reasonable, and can achieve a tight transmission connection between the ribbon roll and the secondary pulley 64, so that when the secondary pulley 64 rotates, the ribbon roll is driven to rotate to perform the winding / unwinding operation.

[0055] As a preferred embodiment, an auxiliary guide portion for contacting the first driving wheel 1123 and the second driving wheel 1133 is provided at the top of the ribbon box 2 along the front-to-back direction, and the upper surface of the auxiliary guide portion is provided with serrations or is set to a frosted surface.

[0056] In this embodiment, the auxiliary guide portion is generally set to a strip shape, the purpose of which is to increase the friction when the first driving wheel 1123 and the second driving wheel 1133 contact the top of the ribbon box 2, prevent relative slippage, and ensure that the ribbon box assembly is well transported from the housing 1.

[0057] As a preferred embodiment, the first driving wheel 1123 and the second driving wheel 1133 are both rubber rollers. The use of rubber rollers can increase the friction between the two and the top of the ribbon box 2, making the contact closer, which is beneficial for utilizing the friction to stably pull out and transport the ribbon box 2 when the first driving wheel 1123 and the second driving wheel 1133 rotate.

[0058] Of course, the first driving wheel 1123 and the second driving wheel 1133 may also be made of other materials, such as hard silicone or other materials that can increase the contact friction with the top of the ribbon box 2.

[0059] Embodiment 2: Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the thermal transfer printer of this embodiment includes a frame 7, a printing component 8 as in the first embodiment, and an automated linear displacement mechanism 9. The frame 7 has a horizontal printing table 71. The front side of the printing table is a tape inlet, and the rear side is a tape outlet. The printing component 8 is arranged above the printing table 71 and close to it. The automated linear displacement mechanism 9 is assembled in the frame 7 and is transmission-connected with the printing component 8 to drive the printing component 8 to move linearly along the printing table 71 between its left and right ends, so as to print the tape passing through the upper surface of the printing table 71. A left and right horizontally arranged storage shelf plate 72 is suspended at a position near the printing table 71 on the front side of the frame 7. The storage shelf plate 72 is disposed on the left and right sides of the printing table 71. 2 is provided with a plurality of independent installation stations for installing the above-mentioned ribbon cassette assembly, and the ribbons in the ribbon cassette assemblies placed in the plurality of the above-mentioned installation stations have different colors, the rear sides of the above-mentioned installation stations are all open, and the front sides thereof are provided with a limiting member for preventing the ribbon cassette assembly from escaping from the front, and a plurality of groups of second sliding wheel groups 73 spaced apart along the front-to-back direction are rotatably provided on the left and right sides of the upper end of each of the above-mentioned installation stations, the vertices of the plurality of groups of the above-mentioned second sliding wheel groups 73 and the vertices of the plurality of groups of the above-mentioned first sliding wheel groups 111 are located in the same horizontal plane, and the rear side of the above-mentioned ribbon cassette assembly placed in the above-mentioned installation station extends to the rear of the installation station, and the second driving wheel 1133 located in the above-mentioned printing assembly 8 is arranged above the rear side of the ribbon cassette assembly placed in the above-mentioned installation station.

[0060] During the printing process, the printing component 8 can be adjusted to move horizontally to any position of the width of the tape below through the automated linear displacement mechanism 9, thereby enhancing the flexibility of printing, increasing the printing width, and completely improving the limitation problem of the fixed printing width of the traditional thermal transfer printer, so that the width of the sequential printing is greatly improved. When the ribbon cartridge needs to be replaced, the printing component 8 is first driven to move horizontally to any controlled installation station through the automated linear displacement mechanism 9, and then the ribbon cartridge assembly in the shell 1 is transported to the corresponding installation station through the automated conveying mechanism, and the second sliding wheel group 73 along the bottom wall of the shelf plate 72 is moved close to the front side of the installation station (see Example 1 for the specific conveying process), and then the automated linear displacement mechanism 9 is controlled to drive the printing component 8 to move to the installation station to be replaced. Next, the ribbon cartridge assembly in the installation station is transported to the shell 1 through the automated conveying mechanism, and docked with the automated ribbon receiving assembly and the automated ribbon releasing assembly, and then the normal printing operation can be continued.

[0061] It should be particularly noted that: when the automated handling mechanism adopts the specific plan A (see Example 1 for details), before the installation station starts to replace the ribbon cassette, or after the ribbon cassette is replaced, the clutch drive wheel assembly 113 needs to drive the second connecting shaft 1131 through the second rotary drive mechanism 1132 to drive the second drive wheel 1133 to rotate until the inner concave surface 11331 faces downward, that is, it does not contact the top wall of the ribbon cassette assembly in the installation station, and, in the left and right directions, there should be no obstacles to the lateral movement of the second drive wheel 1133 (specifically, the upper front part of the shell 1 in the printing assembly protrudes backward, and the lower front part forms a notch on the upper part of the ribbon cassette assembly in the installation station that facilitates its movement and does not expand). This design can avoid the second drive wheel 1133 from rubbing against the ribbon and the assembly during the replacement process, and it is only necessary to adjust the second drive wheel 1133 before outputting the replacement from the installation station.

[0062] It should be supplemented that: before replacement, the automatic lifting drive assembly 4 needs to be moved to a high position so that it will not affect the replacement operation of the ribbon cassette assembly.

[0063] The limiting member on the front side of the installation station can be a lever placed horizontally on the upper front side of the storage rack plate 72, or a lever or other component arranged on the front side of each installation station.

[0064] As a preferred embodiment, a photoelectric sensor assembly corresponding to each of the above-mentioned installation stations is provided on the rear side of the above-mentioned storage shelf plate 72, and a photoelectric sensor module compatible with the photoelectric sensor assembly is provided on the front side of the shell 1 of the corresponding above-mentioned printing assembly 8. The above-mentioned thermal transfer printer has an industrial control system respectively connected to the above-mentioned automated linear displacement mechanism 9, automated conveying mechanism, automated ribbon collection assembly, automated ribbon discharge assembly, photoelectric sensor assembly and photoelectric sensor module. The industrial control system is used to control the above-mentioned automated linear displacement mechanism 9 to drive the above-mentioned printing assembly to stay behind any of the above-mentioned installation stations according to the sensing signals of the photoelectric sensor assembly and the photoelectric sensor module.

[0065] In this embodiment, the photoelectric sensor module and any photoelectric sensor assembly are inductively connected to each other to realize the position positioning of the printing assembly 8 when it moves horizontally to replace the ribbon cassette, thereby realizing automatic automatic alignment and facilitating the accurate replacement of the ribbon cassette assembly.

[0066] It should be added that the following is an introduction to the structure and functions of the relevant components in the thermal printer:

[0067] As a preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned automated linear displacement mechanism 9 includes a roller screw transmission pair 97 and a guide rail 98. The lead screw of the above-mentioned roller screw transmission pair 97 is horizontally and rotatably arranged between the two ends of the above-mentioned frame 7, and is located above the above-mentioned tape inlet and tape outlet. The above-mentioned guide rail 98 is horizontally arranged between the two ends of the above-mentioned frame 7, and is located on one side of the lead screw. The above-mentioned printing component 8 is fixedly connected to the nut seat of the above-mentioned roller screw transmission pair 97, and is slidably connected to the above-mentioned guide rail 98. The frame 1 is provided with a driving mechanism (which can be a motor or a combination of a motor and a reduction gearbox) that is transmission-connected to one end of the lead screw of the above-mentioned roller screw transmission pair 97. The driving mechanism can drive the above-mentioned lead screw to rotate, thereby driving the above-mentioned nut seat and the printing component 8 to move along the above-mentioned guide rail 98 between the two ends of the above-mentioned printing table 71.

[0068] In this embodiment, the automated linear displacement mechanism 9 adopts a conventional lead screw transmission pair, which is stable and simple to operate, and can effectively drive the printing assembly 8 to move laterally and adjust the printing width on its tape surface.

[0069] The driving mechanism of the roller screw transmission pair 97 adopts a transmission assembly of a motor and a pulley. One end of the screw is coaxially connected to the secondary wheel. A main wheel is coaxially provided on the driving shaft of the motor. The main wheel and the secondary wheel surround the pulley together.

[0070] Of course, the above-mentioned automated linear displacement mechanism 9 can also adopt other forms of automated linear displacement mechanisms 9, such as telescopic devices, cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, electric push rods, etc., as long as they can drive the printing component 8 to move and print smoothly and well.

[0071] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal transfer printer, characterized in that: The invention comprises a frame (7), a printing assembly (8) and an automated linear displacement mechanism (9), wherein the printing assembly (8) comprises a housing (1), a ribbon cartridge assembly, a print head (3), an automated lifting drive assembly (4) and an automated transport mechanism, wherein the housing (1) is open at the lower end and the front side, and the ribbon cartridge assembly comprises two ribbon cartridges (2) arranged side by side and spaced apart in the housing (1), the front sides of the two ribbon cartridges (2) being connected as a whole via a connecting piece, the two ribbon cartridges (2) being respectively provided with ribbon rolls extending horizontally in the front-to-back direction, and one of the ribbon rolls being wound with a ribbon, and the lower parts of the two ribbon cartridges (2) being close to each other are provided with a strip opening for the ribbon to pass through, and the ribbon cartridges (2) are provided with a strip opening for the ribbon to pass through, The ribbon is pulled out from one of the ribbon rolls and passes through the two strip-shaped openings in sequence and is wound around the other ribbon roll. An automatic ribbon collection assembly and an automatic ribbon delivery assembly corresponding to the ribbon rolls of the two ribbon boxes (2) are provided on the inner wall at the rear side of the housing (1). The automatic ribbon collection assembly and the automatic ribbon delivery assembly extend into the corresponding ribbon box (2) and are connected to the corresponding ribbon rolls in a transmission manner. The print head (3) spans above the ribbon segment (5) between the two strip-shaped openings. The automatic lifting drive assembly (4) is installed in the housing (1) and is connected to the print head (3) in a transmission manner. The automatic transport mechanism is arranged in the housing (1);The automated transport mechanism comprises a plurality of first sliding wheel assemblies (111), a first driving wheel assembly (112) and a clutch driving wheel assembly (113). The plurality of first sliding wheel assemblies (111) are rotatably mounted at the same height of the lower part of the left and right inner walls of the housing (1) through wheel axles coaxially penetrating the first and second inner walls in the left and right directions. The lower part of the inner wall of either the left or right side of the housing (1) is provided with a plurality of first sliding wheel assemblies (111) spaced apart from each other in the front and rear directions. The plurality of first sliding wheel assemblies (111) on the left and right sides are respectively used to engage with the bottom walls of two ribbon boxes (2) of the same ribbon box assembly. The first drive wheel assembly (112) comprises a first connecting shaft (1121), a first rotation drive mechanism (1122) and two first drive wheels (1123). The first connecting shaft (1121) is horizontally arranged in the left-right direction and is rotatably mounted on the inner top wall of the housing (1) through a bracket. The two first drive wheels (1123) are coaxially mounted on the two ends of the first connecting shaft (1121) and are respectively used to contact the top walls of the two ribbon boxes (2) of the same ribbon box assembly. The first rotation drive mechanism (1122) is mounted on the housing (1). ), and is in transmission connection with the first connecting shaft (1121); the clutch drive wheel assembly (113) comprises a second connecting shaft (1131), a second rotation drive mechanism (1132) and two second drive wheels (1133); the second connecting shaft (1131) is horizontally arranged in the left-right direction, and is rotatably mounted on the inner top wall of the shell (1) through a bracket, and is located at a position on the front side of the first connecting shaft (1121) corresponding to the front opening of the shell (1); the two second drive wheels (1133) are coaxially mounted on the two ends of the second connecting shaft (1131), and the two second drive wheels (1133) are respectively An inner concave surface (11331) is provided at the same part of the wheel body along its radial direction; the second rotation drive mechanism (1132) is assembled in the housing (1) and is drivingly connected to the second connecting shaft (1131) and is used to drive it to rotate around the axis until the inner concave surface (11331) is placed above the corresponding ribbon box (2), or to rotate to the outer edge of the arc to contact the top wall of the corresponding ribbon box (2) below; the first rotation drive mechanism (1122) is a motor assembled on a bracket corresponding to the top wall of the housing (1), and the motor is located at a position corresponding to one end of the first connecting shaft (1121);The frame (7) has a horizontal printing table (71), and a horizontally arranged storage rack (72) is suspended at a position near the printing table (71) on the front side of the frame (7), and a plurality of independent installation stations for installing the ribbon box assembly are arranged on the storage rack (72), and the rear sides of the installation stations are all open, and the front sides thereof are provided with a stopper for preventing the ribbon box assembly from slipping out from the front, and a plurality of groups of second sliding wheel groups (73) are rotatably arranged on the left and right sides of the upper end of each installation station, and are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, and the vertices of the plurality of groups of the second sliding wheel groups (73) and the vertices of the plurality of groups of the first sliding wheel groups (111) are located in the same horizontal plane, and the second rotary drive mechanism (1132) is a motor mounted on a corresponding bracket on the top wall of the housing (1), and the motor is located at a position corresponding to one end of the second connecting shaft (1131). ; 2. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automated transport mechanism is used to take out the ribbon cassette assembly in the housing (1) from the front side thereof, or to transport the ribbon cassette assembly placed in front of the housing (1) into the housing (1), and to connect it with the automated ribbon collection assembly and the automated ribbon delivery assembly.

3. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic lifting drive assembly (4) is used to drive the print head (3) to move up and down to press down the ribbon segments (5) or to separate from each other.

4. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving shaft of the first rotating driving mechanism (1122) extends left and right, and first pulleys are installed on the driving shaft and one end of the first connecting shaft (1121), and the two first pulley belts are wrapped around the first belt.

5. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front side of the printing table is a tape inlet, and the rear side is a tape outlet. The printing component (8) is arranged above the printing table (71) and close to it. The automatic linear displacement mechanism (9) is assembled in the frame (7) and is drivingly connected to the printing component (8) for driving the printing component (8) to move linearly along the printing table (71) between its left and right ends, thereby printing the tape passing over the upper surface of the printing table (71).

6. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear side of the ribbon cassette assembly placed in the installation station extends to the rear of the installation station, and the second driving wheel (1133) located in the printing assembly (8) is arranged above the rear side of the ribbon cassette assembly placed in the installation station.

7. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving shaft of the second rotating driving mechanism (1132) extends left and right, and a second pulley is installed on the driving shaft and one end of the second connecting shaft (1131), and the two second pulley belts are wrapped around the second belt.

8. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A photoelectric sensor assembly corresponding to each of the installation stations is disposed on the rear side of the storage rack plate (72); a photoelectric sensor module compatible with the photoelectric sensor assembly is disposed on the front side of the housing (1) of the corresponding printing assembly (8); the thermal transfer printer has an industrial control system respectively connected to the automated linear displacement mechanism (9), the automated conveying mechanism, the automated ribbon collection assembly, the automated ribbon discharge assembly, the photoelectric sensor assembly and the photoelectric sensor module; the industrial control system is used to control the automated linear displacement mechanism (9) to drive the printing assembly to stay behind any of the installation stations according to sensing signals from the photoelectric sensor assembly and the photoelectric sensor module.

9. A thermal transfer printer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: An auxiliary guide portion for contacting the first drive wheel (1123) and the second drive wheel (1133) is provided at the top of the ribbon box (2) along the front-to-back direction, and the upper surface of the auxiliary guide portion is provided with saw teeth or is configured as a frosted surface.

10. A thermal transfer printer according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first driving wheel (1123) and the second driving wheel (1133) are both rubber rollers.

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