Carbon ribbon holder, carbon ribbon assembly and carbon ribbon printer

Abstract

The present application discloses a carbon ribbon holder, a carbon ribbon assembly, and a carbon ribbon printer. The carbon ribbon holder is provided with a pickup unit, and each pickup unit is provided with at least two pickup parts exposed on the upper surface of the carbon ribbon holder, the pickup parts being suitable for the pads of fingers to abut against, and at least two pickup parts in the same pickup unit facing away from each other, so that two fingers can exert force relative to each other to pick up the carbon ribbon holder. The carbon ribbon assembly adopts the above-mentioned carbon ribbon holder, and the carbon ribbon printer is provided with a storage space for accommodating the above-mentioned carbon ribbon assembly. The adoption of the above-mentioned technical solution can reduce the width of the carbon ribbon printer compared to the structure with side ears on both sides of the carbon ribbon holder, so that the carbon ribbon printer occupies a smaller desktop area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of carbon ribbon printing devices, and in particular to a carbon ribbon holder, a carbon ribbon assembly and a carbon ribbon printer. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, a ribbon printer comprises a printer body and a ribbon assembly. The ribbon assembly comprises a ribbon take-up shaft, a ribbon release shaft, a ribbon, and a ribbon holder. The ribbon holder supports the ribbon take-up shaft and the ribbon release shaft and allows them to rotate relative to the ribbon holder about their respective rotation axes. The rotation axes of the ribbon take-up shaft and the ribbon release shaft are parallel to each other and spaced apart. The ribbon is wound around the ribbon take-up shaft and the ribbon release shaft. The printer body is provided with a storage space for accommodating the ribbon assembly.

[0003] The carbon ribbon assembly is a consumable item and needs to be replaced frequently. Generally, there are two ways to disassemble and install the carbon ribbon assembly. One is the side insertion method, which is to insert the carbon ribbon assembly into the accommodating space or take it out from the accommodating space along the rotation axis of the carbon ribbon take-up shaft. The side insertion method is generally used when the carbon ribbon width is narrow (such as printing receipts); the other is the placement method, which is to insert the carbon ribbon assembly into the accommodating space or take it out from the accommodating space in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the carbon ribbon take-up shaft. The placement method is generally used when the carbon ribbon is wide (such as printing A4 paper).

[0004] In the prior art, when inserting and removing a ribbon assembly, the ribbon holder has side ears at each end along the rotation axis of the ribbon take-up shaft. These ears are used to lift the ribbon holder. The user pulls on the side ears with both hands to remove the ribbon assembly from or insert it into the storage space.

[0005] However, in modern lifestyles, printers are often placed on a desk. This is especially true for home printers, where users often prefer to minimize desktop space. This requires a more compact printer structure, minimizing both the lateral width and the front-to-back depth of the desktop. However, the use of side ears on both sides of the ribbon holder inevitably requires a larger space on the printer body for hand access, which results in a wider printer. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above-mentioned defects or problems existing in the background technology, and to provide a carbon ribbon holder, a carbon ribbon assembly and a carbon ribbon printer. Compared with the structure of side ears on both sides of the carbon ribbon holder, the width of the carbon ribbon printer can be reduced, so that the carbon ribbon printer occupies a smaller desktop area.

[0007] In order to achieve the above objectives, the following technical solutions are adopted:

[0008] The first technical solution relates to a carbon ribbon holder, which is used to support a carbon ribbon winding shaft and a carbon ribbon release shaft, wherein the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon release shaft both extend along a first direction and are arranged at intervals along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the carbon ribbon holder includes two frames and two connecting parts, the two frames are respectively used to support the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon release shaft; the two connecting parts are arranged along the first direction and are both used to connect the two frames; a printing area is enclosed between the two frames and the two connecting parts; wherein the carbon ribbon holder is provided with at least one pickup unit; each of the pickup units is provided with at least two pickup parts, each of the pickup parts is exposed on the upper surface of the carbon ribbon holder, and is configured to be suitable for contact with the fingertips of fingers; at least two pickup parts in the same pickup unit are arranged along a direction intersecting the first direction and facing away from each other along the second direction.

[0009] The second technical solution is based on the first technical solution, wherein a pickup space is provided below the pickup portion to accommodate the front end of a finger.

[0010] The third technical solution is based on the first technical solution, wherein the two acquisition parts of the same acquisition unit facing away from each other are located on both sides of a first plane; the first plane is defined as a mirror-symmetrical plane perpendicular to the second direction and the carbon ribbon winding axis and the carbon ribbon releasing axis.

[0011] The fourth technical solution is based on the third technical solution, wherein the two capturing parts of the same capturing unit facing away from each other are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the first plane.

[0012] The fifth technical solution is based on the first technical solution, wherein, when two acquisition parts facing away from each other in the same acquisition unit are located on the same side of the first plane, one of the acquisition parts closest to the first plane is less than or equal to 1 cm away from the first plane, and the first plane is defined as a mirror symmetry plane perpendicular to the second direction and the carbon ribbon winding axis and the carbon ribbon releasing axis.

[0013] The sixth technical solution is based on any one of the first to fifth technical solutions, wherein two acquisition parts facing away from each other in the same acquisition unit are arranged along the second direction.

[0014] The seventh technical solution is based on the sixth technical solution, wherein there are at least two acquisition units, and each of the acquisition units is arranged along the first direction.

[0015] The eighth technical solution is based on the seventh technical solution, wherein the capture units are respectively provided at both ends of the carbon ribbon holder along the first direction, each capture unit is provided with two capture parts, and the two capture parts of the same capture unit are respectively formed on surfaces of two first protrusions arranged along the second direction and facing away from each other along the second direction.

[0016] The ninth technical solution is based on the seventh technical solution, wherein a second protrusion is provided on each of the connecting parts, and two capturing parts facing away from each other in the same capturing unit are respectively formed on surfaces of the second protrusion facing away from each other along the second direction.

[0017] The tenth technical solution is based on any one of the first to fifth technical solutions, wherein both of the frames are provided with supporting paper boards, and the two supporting paper boards are respectively covered on the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft; at least one of the capture units is located in the middle of the carbon ribbon bracket along the first direction, and at least two of the capture units located in the middle of the carbon ribbon bracket along the first direction are respectively formed on the side surfaces of the two supporting paper boards facing away from each other along the second direction.

[0018] The eleventh technical solution is based on the tenth technical solution, wherein the middle portions of the two supporting paper boards along the first direction are each provided with a groove opening on the side surface, and the pickup portion is formed at the bottom of the groove.

[0019] The twelfth technical solution relates to a carbon ribbon assembly, which includes a carbon ribbon winding shaft, a carbon ribbon release shaft, a carbon ribbon and a carbon ribbon holder as described in any one of the first to eleventh technical solutions; the carbon ribbon holder supports the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon release shaft; the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon release shaft are both rotatably connected to the carbon ribbon holder; the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon release shaft both extend along a first direction and are arranged at intervals along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the carbon ribbon is wound around the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon release shaft.

[0020] The thirteenth technical solution relates to a carbon ribbon printer, which includes a printer body and a carbon ribbon assembly as described in the twelfth technical solution; the printer body includes a base and an upper cover suitable for covering the base; the base is provided with a accommodating space suitable for accommodating the carbon ribbon assembly, and the accommodating space is configured to allow the carbon ribbon assembly to be placed in or taken out along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and intersecting with the second direction; the base and the carbon ribbon holder are configured so that when the carbon ribbon assembly is accommodated in the accommodating space, the pickup portion forms a clearance space along the front thereof for the tip of a finger to abut against the pickup portion.

[0021] The fourteenth technical solution is based on the thirteenth technical solution, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0022] The fifteenth technical solution is based on the thirteenth or fourteenth technical solution, wherein the accommodating space is also configured to adapt the carbon ribbon holder along the first direction and the second direction, so that when the carbon ribbon assembly is placed in the accommodating space, the carbon ribbon winding shaft and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft are positioned relative to the base; the base is provided with a first printing part at a position corresponding to the printing area, and the upper cover is provided with a second printing part at a position corresponding to the printing area; one of the first printing part and the second printing part is provided with a paper feed roller, and the other is provided with a print head; the base is also provided with an accommodating space for accommodating the second printing part above the accommodating space.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the above solution has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] In the first technical solution, the term "acquisition portion" should not be interpreted as any specific physical component, but rather as a specific surface of a component suitable for contact by the pad of at least one finger. In particular, "each acquisition portion...is configured to be contacted by the pad of a finger" should be interpreted as meaning that even when the ribbon assembly is accommodated in the accommodating space of the base, each acquisition portion is still suitable for contact by the pad of a finger, where "the pad of a finger" should be interpreted as the pad of the first knuckle of the finger, which is farthest from the palm.

[0025] In the first technical solution, the term "capturing unit" should not be interpreted as any one physical component or collection of components, but rather as a collection of all capturing portions that are capable of being contacted by at least two fingers of a hand. Therefore, "each capturing portion is exposed on the upper surface of the ribbon holder" should be interpreted as meaning that each capturing portion can be contacted by the pad of at least one finger when at least a portion of a human hand is positioned on the upper surface of the ribbon holder.

[0026] In the first technical solution, when the number of pickup units is one, it means that the carbon ribbon holder can be taken and placed with one hand; when the number of pickup units is two, it means that the carbon ribbon holder can be taken and placed with two hands; when the number of pickup units exceeds two, it means that the carbon ribbon holder can be taken and placed in different ways, for example, it can be taken and placed with one hand, or with both hands, or any of the two two-handed taking and placing methods can be selected.

[0027] In the first technical solution, because the same pickup unit has at least two pickup portions arranged along a direction intersecting the first direction and facing away from each other along a second direction, when the extension direction of a hand intersects the first direction (the width direction of the ribbon printer), at least two fingers (generally, the at least two fingers are "thumb and index finger," "thumb and middle finger," or "thumb, index finger, and middle finger") can act on the two pickup portions of the same pickup unit along the second direction, and the directions of the force applied by the two fingers are opposite along the second direction, which is suitable for the fingers to grasp and apply force, thereby enabling the ribbon holder to be more reliably and conveniently picked up from the storage space. The orientation of the pickup portion should be understood as the orientation opposite to the direction of the finger pad when the finger contacts the pickup portion in a normal state of suitable grasping. Because the same pickup unit has at least two pickup portions facing away from each other along the second direction, the ribbon holder of this patent not only avoids the side ears occupying the base, compared to the prior art, but also reduces the lateral displacement of the base caused by the lateral bending of the fingers when grasping the ribbon holder or ribbon assembly. Therefore, the ribbon holder, ribbon assembly, and ribbon printer in this patent can reduce the width of the ribbon printer, making the ribbon printer occupy a smaller desktop area. It should be noted that "at least two pickup parts of the same pickup unit are facing away from each other along the second direction" should be interpreted as allowing the two pickup parts to slightly deviate from the second direction (wherein, "slightly deviate" should be defined as the angle between the two pickup parts and the second direction is less than 30 degrees). If this slightly deviated design is more ergonomic, a better gripping effect will be achieved. However, it should be noted that when the two pickup units are located at both ends along the first direction, such a deviation may also cause the lateral width of the ribbon printer to increase slightly.

[0028] Here, we should explain the difficulty of removing the carbon ribbon assembly from the storage space of the base:

[0029] First, in order to facilitate the clutch member to engage and disengage the ribbon take-up shaft, the ribbon holder needs to have a high degree of adaptability with the accommodating space in the first and second directions. This makes it easy for the ribbon holder to interfere with the base if it deviates when taking or placing the ribbon holder.

[0030] Second, in the second direction, in order to avoid paper jams caused by the gap between the ribbon holder and the cavity wall of the accommodating space, the ribbon holder and the accommodating space need to have a higher degree of adaptability in the second direction. This makes it easier for the ribbon holder to interfere with the base when deflecting in the second direction when taking and placing the ribbon assembly;

[0031] Third, since the first printing section is embedded in the printing area formed by the carbon ribbon holder, the carbon ribbon holder is likely to interfere with the first printing section when the carbon ribbon assembly is taken out and placed.

[0032] Fourth, when placing the ribbon assembly, the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly is more inclined toward the ribbon release shaft along the second direction. When removing the ribbon assembly, the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly is more inclined toward the ribbon take-up shaft along the second direction. Therefore, the shift in the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly can easily cause interference between the ribbon assembly and the base during placement and removal.

[0033] Fifth, to ensure that the second printing unit presses against the first printing unit more reliably, thereby generating friction to move the paper, the upper cover needs to be securely connected to the base. Therefore, the base also needs to have a storage space above the storage space for the second printing unit. The side walls forming this storage space are often above the plane of the upper surface of the frame and located outside the ribbon holder along the first direction, which greatly limits the space for the hand to exert lateral force on the ribbon holder.

[0034] Sixth, when the upper cover moves relative to the base in the rotation direction, in order to achieve a reliable connection between the upper cover and the base, the upper cover often cannot be fully opened, that is, in the extreme opening state, the projection of the upper cover on the desktop still covers the projection of the carbon ribbon assembly on the desktop. At this time, the space between the upper cover and the base is smaller, and the human hand needs to keep the palm facing the desktop and the hand needs to extend roughly along the second direction to take and place the carbon ribbon assembly.

[0035] In summary, existing ribbon printers, especially those used to print A4 or larger paper, can only smoothly and reliably grasp the ribbon assembly by increasing the lateral width when using a built-in ribbon assembly. The core inventive concept of this patent is to remove and install the ribbon assembly by grasping or pinching at least two pickup portions with the pads of two or more fingers facing each other along a second direction. This significantly reduces the lateral width of the ribbon printer, facilitating miniaturization of the ribbon printer, while also ensuring that users can conveniently and reliably remove and install the ribbon assembly.

[0036] In the second technical solution, since a pickup space is provided below the pickup part, the front end of the finger can enter the pickup space below the pickup part, which enables the finger to hold the pickup part more effectively and apply an upward force while applying a grasping force or pinching force to the pickup part. Therefore, compared with other embodiments in the first technical solution (for example, the finger acts on the pickup part only through friction), it can more effectively exert force and reliably lift or lower the carbon ribbon holder.

[0037] In the third technical solution, two mutually opposing capturing parts of the same capturing unit are arranged on both sides of the first plane, which is beneficial for ensuring that the center of gravity of the ribbon holder is always located between the two opposite fingers, thereby preventing the ribbon holder from tilting along the second direction.

[0038] In the fourth technical solution, the two capturing parts of the same capturing unit facing away from each other are mirror-symmetrical relative to the first plane, which is conducive to adapting to the change of the center of gravity along the second direction when taking and placing the carbon ribbon holder, making the force of the taking and placing operations more balanced.

[0039] In the fifth technical solution, by limiting the distance between the pickup part closest to the first plane and the first plane when two pickup parts of the same pickup unit facing away from each other are located on the same side of the first plane, it can be ensured that when taking and placing the carbon ribbon assembly, the fingers can cope with the change of the center of gravity of the carbon ribbon assembly along the second direction, avoiding interference between the carbon ribbon holder and the accommodating space of the base when taking and placing the carbon ribbon assembly.

[0040] In the sixth technical solution, the two capture parts of the same capture unit, facing away from each other, are arranged along the second direction, ensuring that the extension direction of the human hand is approximately guaranteed to extend along the second direction. It should be noted that the above technical features should be interpreted as allowing the layout direction of the two capture parts to deviate slightly from the second direction. If this slightly deviated design is more ergonomic, it will achieve a better grasping effect. However, it should be noted that when the two capture units are located at opposite ends along the first direction, such a deviation may also cause the lateral width of the carbon ribbon printer to increase slightly.

[0041] In the seventh technical solution, each capture unit is arranged along the first direction, which is convenient for the user's two hands to be distributed along the first direction and conforms to the operating habits of human hands.

[0042] In the eighth technical solution, the two pickup units are located at both ends of the carbon ribbon holder along the first direction, effectively avoiding the printing area; the two first protrusions are arranged along the second direction, which can make it easier for two fingers of the same hand to operate.

[0043] In the ninth technical solution, two picking-up parts are directly formed by a second protrusion, so that the carbon ribbon holder can be picked up by fingers through a "pinching" action.

[0044] In the tenth technical solution, since at least one pickup unit is located in the middle of the carbon ribbon holder along the first direction, the carbon ribbon assembly can be disassembled and assembled with one hand, and this hand acts on the middle of the carbon ribbon holder, so it is easy to maintain balance in the first direction, avoiding interference between the carbon ribbon holder and the accommodating space along the first direction.

[0045] In the tenth technical solution, since the two pickup sections are located on the side surfaces of the paper support paper, facing away from each other along the second direction, the top cover does not need to avoid the first or second protrusions, as compared to technical solutions in which the pickup sections are formed by first or second protrusions. Furthermore, since the pickup section is located in the middle of the ribbon holder, paper jams are less likely to occur even if there is a clearance between the ribbon holder and the base.

[0046] In the eleventh technical solution, due to the presence of the groove on the side surface of the supporting paper board, and the acquisition part is formed at the bottom of the groove, the acquisition part and the clearance space can be reliably formed on the carbon ribbon holder at the same time without the need to redesign the accommodating space to form the clearance space located in front of the acquisition part.

[0047] Any one of the twelfth technical solutions adopts any one of the above technical solutions, and therefore has the corresponding technical effects.

[0048] Technical Solution 13 stipulates that the base and ribbon holder are configured so that when the ribbon assembly is accommodated in the accommodation space, a clearance space is formed in the forward direction of the pickup portion. This allows the tip of a finger to smoothly contact the pickup portion. Of course, if the clearance space is formed by the shape of the ribbon holder itself, it should also be interpreted as meeting the requirements of this definition.

[0049] In the fourteenth technical solution, the third direction is perpendicular to the second direction, which is beneficial to avoid interference between the carbon ribbon holder and the base.

[0050] The fifteenth technical solution defines the harsh operating environment of the carbon ribbon assembly. The challenges posed by the relevant environment to the design of the carbon ribbon bracket have been introduced one by one in the technical effect section of the first technical solution and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiment, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use:

[0052] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of the ribbon printer in Example 1;

[0053] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A;

[0054] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional diagram of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 1;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the printer body in Example 1;

[0056] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 2;

[0057] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 3;

[0058] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 4;

[0059] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 5;

[0060] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 6;

[0061] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon assembly in Example 7;

[0062] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon holder in Example 8;

[0063] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon holder in Example 9;

[0064] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbon ribbon printer in Example 10.

[0065] Description of main reference numerals:

[0066] Ribbon printer 1, ribbon assembly 2, printer body 3, ribbon holder 4, ribbon take-up shaft 5, ribbon release shaft 6, ribbon 7, frame 8, connecting portion 9, paper support board 10, paper guide 11, printing area 12, pickup unit 13, pickup section 14, pickup space 15, first protrusion 16, second protrusion 17, groove 18, base 19, top cover 20, paper support surface 21, accommodating space 22, accommodating space 23, clearance space 24, first printing section 25, second printing section 26, clearance recess 27, first plane 28, first direction 29, second direction 30, third direction 31. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In the claims and the description, unless otherwise defined, the terms "first", "second" or "third", etc. are intended to distinguish different objects rather than to describe a specific order.

[0068] In the claims and the specification, unless otherwise specified, the terms "center", "transverse", "longitudinal", "horizontal", "vertical", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate directions or positional relationships are based on the directions and positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of simplifying the description, and do not imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction.

[0069] In the claims and description, unless otherwise specified, the term "fixed connection" or "fixed connection" should be understood in a broad sense, that is, any connection method in which there is no displacement relationship or relative rotation relationship between the two parties, that is, including non-detachable fixed connection, detachable fixed connection, integral connection, and fixed connection through other devices or elements.

[0070] In the claims and the description, unless otherwise defined, the terms "include", "have" and their variations mean "including but not limited to".

[0071] In the claims and the specification, unless otherwise specified, the term "towards" refers to the direction of a specific surface, that is, the direction opposite to the direction in which the eyes look when the eyes are looking at the specific surface. Therefore, the direction referred to by "towards" is unidirectional.

[0072] In the claims and the specification, unless otherwise specified, the terms "along the first direction," "along the second direction," and "along the third direction" do not imply the direction of a specific single-arrow. For ease of understanding, for example, when a ribbon printer is placed on a table with the paper outlet facing the viewer, "along the first direction" does not refer to the direction from left to right, but rather to the left-right direction, i.e., encompassing both the left-to-right and right-to-left directions.

[0073] In the claims and the specification, unless otherwise defined, the term "lateral" is intended to include a lateral direction along a first direction and a lateral direction along a second direction, but is not used to express a lateral direction along a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction.

[0074] The technical solutions in the embodiments will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0075] Example 1

[0076] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a ribbon printer 1 in this embodiment. Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the ribbon printer 1 includes a ribbon assembly 2 and a printer body 3 .

[0077] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3 FIG. 2 shows the carbon ribbon assembly 2 in this embodiment. Figure 3 As shown, the ribbon assembly 2 includes a ribbon support 4, a ribbon take-up shaft 5, a ribbon release shaft 6, and a ribbon 7. The ribbon support 4 is used to support the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6; the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6 are both rotatably connected to the ribbon support 4; the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6 extend along a first direction 29 and are spaced apart along a second direction 30 perpendicular to the first direction 29; and the ribbon 7 is wound around the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6.

[0078] like Figure 3As shown, the ribbon holder 4 comprises two frames 8 and two connecting portions 9. The two frames 8 are used to support the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6, respectively, and are each equipped with a support plate 10. The two support plates 10 are respectively placed on the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6, and are used to support paper. Two connecting portions 9 are arranged at both ends of the ribbon holder 4 along a first direction 29 and are used to connect the two frames 8. The two support plates 10 and the two connecting portions 9 enclose a printing area 12. The upper surface of the ribbon 7 in the printing area 12 is exposed upward, while the lower surface of the ribbon 7 is exposed downward.

[0079] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the ribbon holder 4 has two pickup units 13, which are arranged at both ends of the ribbon holder 4 along the first direction 29. Each pickup unit 13 has two pickup portions 14, which are exposed on the upper surface of the ribbon holder 4 and are configured to be suitable for contact with the pads of fingers; in this embodiment, the two pickup portions 14 are arranged along the second direction 30 and face away from each other along the second direction 30 and are respectively located on the first plane 28 ( Figure 3 Not shown, please refer to Figure 5 ) on both sides, and are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the first plane 28. The first plane 28 is perpendicular to the second direction 30 and is a mirror-symmetrical plane of the carbon ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the carbon ribbon release shaft 6. Specifically, in this embodiment, each pickup unit 13 is provided with two of the pickup parts 14, and the two pickup parts 14 of the same pickup unit 13 are respectively formed on surfaces of two first protrusions 16 arranged along the second direction 30 and facing away from each other along the second direction 30. In this embodiment, a pickup space 15 is provided below the pickup part 14 to accommodate the front end of the finger. In this embodiment, the paper support board 10 located above the carbon ribbon release shaft 6 is further provided with two paper guides 11 protruding from its upper surface. The distance between the two paper guides 11 is wider in front and narrower in the back along the paper feed direction, so as to facilitate the introduction of paper into the printing area 12.

[0080] See also Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the printer body 3 includes a base 19, an upper cover 20 and an outer cover.

[0081] See also Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the base 19 is provided with a receiving space 22. The receiving space 22 is suitable for accommodating the ribbon assembly 2 and is configured to facilitate the insertion and removal of the ribbon assembly 2 along a third direction 31 that is perpendicular to the first direction 29 and intersecting the second direction 30. In this embodiment, the third direction 31 is perpendicular to the second direction 30. In this embodiment, the receiving space 22 is further configured to accommodate the ribbon holder 4 along the first direction 29 and the second direction 30, so that when the ribbon assembly 2 is placed in the receiving space 22, the ribbon take-up shaft 5 and the ribbon release shaft 6 are positioned relative to the base 19.

[0082] See also Figure 1 、 Figures 2 to 4 In this embodiment, the base 19 and the carbon ribbon holder 4 are further configured so that when the carbon ribbon assembly 2 is accommodated in the accommodating space 22, the pickup portion 14 forms a clearance space 24 along its front direction for the tip of a finger to abut against the pickup portion 14. In this embodiment, the clearance space 24 is also connected to the pickup space 15 so that the front end of the finger can extend into the pickup space 15. In this embodiment, the base 19 is further provided with paper receiving surfaces 21 upstream and downstream of the accommodating space 22, respectively. When the carbon ribbon assembly 2 is accommodated in the accommodating space 22, the paper receiving surfaces 21 are connected to the upper surface of the corresponding paper supporting paper 10, so that the paper can be smoothly transferred from the paper receiving surface 21 to the paper supporting paper 10.

[0083] In this embodiment, the upper cover 20 is adapted to cover the base 19 and is provided with recesses 27 adapted to accommodate the first protrusions 16. The base 19 is provided with a first printing portion 25 at a location corresponding to the printing area 12, and the upper cover 20 is provided with a second printing portion 26 at a location corresponding to the printing area 12. One of the first printing portion 25 and the second printing portion 26 is provided with a paper feed roller, while the other is provided with a print head. In this embodiment, the paper feed roller is provided in the second printing portion 26, while the print head is provided in the first printing portion 25. The base 19 further includes a receiving space 23 above the receiving space 22 for accommodating the second printing portion 26.

[0084] To remove the ribbon assembly 2 from the ribbon printer 1 of this embodiment, one simply opens the top cover 20 to its limit. Then, insert both hands, extending along the second direction 30, into the space between the top cover 20 and the base 19, with the majority of the hands positioned within this space. Then, clasp the index finger and thumb, or middle finger and thumb, of each hand around the two pickup portions 14 of the same pickup unit 13 to grasp the ribbon assembly 2. The ribbon assembly 2 is then lifted out of the accommodating space 22 along the third direction 31. To reinstall the ribbon assembly 2, the reverse operation is performed.

[0085] In this embodiment, the "capturing portion 14" should not be interpreted as any physical component, but should be interpreted as a specific surface of a component suitable for being abutted by the pad of at least one finger. In particular, "each capturing portion 14... is configured to be suitable for being abutted by the pad of a finger" should be interpreted as each capturing portion 14 being suitable for being abutted by the pad of a finger even when the ribbon assembly 2 is accommodated in the accommodation space 22 of the base 19, wherein the "pad of a finger" should be interpreted as the pad of the first knuckle of the finger that is farthest from the palm. In this embodiment, the "capturing unit 13" should not be interpreted as any physical component or collection of components, but should be interpreted as a collection of all capturing portions 14 suitable for being abutted by at least two fingers of a hand. Therefore, "each capturing portion 14 is exposed on the upper surface of the ribbon holder 4" should be interpreted as each capturing portion 14 being able to be abutted by the pad of at least one finger when a human hand is at least mostly located on the upper surface of the ribbon holder 4.

[0086] In the first technical solution, since the same pickup unit 13 has at least two pickup portions 14 arranged along a direction intersecting the first direction 29 and facing away from each other along the second direction 30, when the extension direction of a hand intersects the first direction 29 (the width direction of the ribbon printer 1), at least two fingers of a hand can act on the two pickup portions 14 of the same pickup unit 13 along the second direction 30 (generally, the at least two fingers are "thumb and index finger", "thumb and middle finger", or "thumb, index finger and middle finger"), and the directions of the force applied by the two fingers are opposite along the second direction 30, which is suitable for the fingers to grasp and apply force, so that the ribbon holder can be more reliably and conveniently picked up from the accommodating space 22. The orientation of the pickup portion 14 should be understood as the direction opposite to the direction of the fingertips when the fingers abut against the pickup portion 14 in a normal state suitable for grasping. Because at least two pickup portions 14 in the same pickup unit 13 face away from each other along the second direction 30, the ribbon holder 4 in this patent not only avoids the need for side ears to occupy space on the base 19 compared to the prior art, but also reduces the lateral space occupied by the base 19 caused by lateral bending of the fingers when grasping the ribbon holder 4 or the ribbon assembly 2. Therefore, the ribbon holder 4, ribbon assembly 2, and ribbon printer 1 in this patent can reduce the width of the ribbon printer 1, resulting in a smaller desktop area occupied by the ribbon printer 1. It is important to note that the phrase "at least two pickup portions 14 in the same pickup unit 13 face away from each other along the second direction 30" should be interpreted as allowing the two pickup portions 14 to slightly deviate from the second direction 30 (where "slightly deviate" is defined as the angle between the orientations of the two pickup portions 14 and the second direction 30 being less than 30 degrees). If this slightly deviated design is more ergonomic, it can achieve better grasping results. However, it should be noted that when the two pickup units 13 are located at two ends along the first direction 29 , such a deviation may also cause the lateral width of the ribbon printer 1 to increase slightly.

[0087] Because the ribbon holder 4 and the accommodating space 22 in this embodiment have the following characteristics, it is difficult to remove the ribbon assembly 2 from the accommodating space 22:

[0088] First, in order to facilitate the clutch member to engage and disengage the ribbon take-up shaft 5, the ribbon holder 4 needs to have a high degree of adaptability with the accommodating space 22 in the first direction 29 and the second direction 30. This makes it easy for the ribbon holder 4 to interfere with the base 19 if it deviates during placement and removal.

[0089] Second, in order to avoid paper jams caused by the gap between the ribbon holder 4 and the cavity wall of the accommodating space 22 in the second direction 30, the ribbon holder 4 and the accommodating space 22 need to have a higher degree of adaptability in the second direction 30. This makes it easier for the ribbon holder 4 to interfere with the base 19 when removing and placing the ribbon assembly 2 when it deviates in the second direction 30.

[0090] Third, since the first printing portion 25 is embedded in the printing area 12 formed by the ribbon holder 4, the ribbon holder 4 is likely to interfere with the first printing portion 25 when the ribbon assembly 2 is taken out and placed.

[0091] Fourth, when placing the ribbon assembly 2, the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly 2 is more inclined toward the ribbon release shaft 6 along the second direction 30. When removing the ribbon assembly 2, the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly 2 is more inclined toward the ribbon take-up shaft 5 along the second direction 30. Therefore, the shift in the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly 2 can easily cause the ribbon assembly 2 to interfere with the base 19 during placement and removal.

[0092] Fifth, to ensure that the second printing section 26 and the first printing section 25 are more reliably pressed against each other, thereby generating friction to move the paper, the upper cover 20 must be securely connected to the base 19. Therefore, the base 19 must also be provided with a receiving space 23 above the receiving space 22 for accommodating the second printing section 26. The sidewalls forming this receiving space 23 are often above the plane of the upper surface of the paper support 10 and located outward of the ribbon holder 4 along the first direction 29. This significantly limits the space available for a hand to exert lateral force on the ribbon holder 4.

[0093] Sixth, when the upper cover 20 moves relative to the base 19 in the rotation direction, in order to achieve a reliable connection between the upper cover 20 and the base 19, the upper cover 20 often cannot be fully opened, that is, in the extreme opening state, the projection of the upper cover 20 on the desktop still covers the projection of the carbon ribbon assembly 2 on the desktop. At this time, the space between the upper cover 20 and the base 19 is smaller, and the human hand needs to keep the palm facing the desktop and the hand needs to extend roughly along the second direction 30 to take and place the carbon ribbon assembly 2.

[0094] In summary, the present embodiment utilizes two or more fingers on each hand to grasp at least two pickup portions 14 facing each other along the second direction 30 to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the ribbon assembly 2. This significantly reduces the lateral width of the ribbon printer 1, facilitating miniaturization of the ribbon printer 1 while ensuring convenient and reliable assembly and disassembly of the ribbon assembly 2 by the user.

[0095] In this embodiment, since a pickup space 15 is provided below the pickup portion 14, the front end of the finger can enter the pickup space 15 below the pickup portion 14, which enables the finger to more effectively hold the pickup portion 14 and apply an upward force while applying a grasping force or pinching force to the pickup portion 14 in opposite directions. Therefore, compared with other embodiments in the first technical solution (for example, the finger acts on the pickup portion 14 only through friction), the carbon ribbon holder 4 can be lifted or lowered more effectively and reliably.

[0096] In this embodiment, the two capture portions 14 of the same capture unit 13, facing away from each other, are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the first plane 28. This helps ensure that the center of gravity of the ribbon holder 4 is always located between the two opposing fingers, preventing the ribbon holder 4 from tilting along the second direction 30. Furthermore, this helps accommodate shifts in the center of gravity along the second direction 30 when removing and placing the ribbon holder 4, ensuring a more balanced force during the removal and placement operations.

[0097] In this embodiment, the two capturing portions 14 of the same capturing unit 13, facing away from each other, are arranged along the second direction 30, ensuring that the extension direction of the human hand generally extends along the second direction 30. It should be noted that the above technical features should be interpreted as allowing the arrangement directions of the two capturing portions 14 to slightly deviate from the second direction 30. If such a slightly deviated design is more ergonomic, it will achieve a better grasping effect.

[0098] In this embodiment, the capturing units 13 are arranged along the first direction 29 , which is convenient for the user's two hands to be distributed along the first direction 29 and conforms to the operating habits of human hands.

[0099] In this embodiment, the two capture units 13 are located at both ends of the ribbon holder 4 along the first direction 29, effectively avoiding the printing area 12; the two first protrusions 16 are arranged along the second direction 30, which can make it easier for two fingers of the same hand to operate.

[0100] In this embodiment, the base 19 and the ribbon holder 4 are configured so that when the ribbon assembly 2 is accommodated in the accommodation space 22 , the pickup portion 14 forms a clearance space 24 along its front direction. This limitation allows the fingertips to smoothly contact the pickup portion 14 .

[0101] In this embodiment, the third direction 31 is perpendicular to the second direction 30 , which helps to avoid interference between the ribbon holder 4 and the base 19 .

[0102] Example 2

[0103] See also Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the difference between Example 2 and Example 1 lies in that the first protrusions 16 are no longer located at either end of the connecting portion 9 along the second direction 30, but are instead protruded from the upper surface of the connecting portion 9. The surfaces of the two first protrusions 16 facing away from each other along the second direction 30 are formed by horizontal stripes or a roughened surface to increase friction, forming a pickup portion 14. However, there is no pickup space 15 beneath the pickup portion 14. Therefore, the fingertips can only act on the pickup portion 14 through friction. With sufficient gripping force and friction, the ribbon assembly 2 can be effectively removed from the accommodating space 22.

[0104] Example 3

[0105] See also Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the difference between the third embodiment and the second embodiment is that the first protrusion 16 is provided with horizontal extensions facing away from each other. The surfaces of the two horizontal extensions facing away from each other along the second direction 30 form the capture portion 14, and the capture space 15 is formed below the horizontal extensions. The effect of this embodiment is basically the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0106] Example 4

[0107] See also Figure 7 As shown in the figure, the fourth embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the surfaces of the two first protrusions 16 facing away from each other along the second direction 30 form a concave slope, which forms the pickup portion 14. Therefore, the fingertips can not only act on the pickup portion 14 through friction, but the gripping force can also generate an upward component through the slope. Compared with the second embodiment, the ribbon assembly 2 can be more effectively removed from the accommodating space 22.

[0108] Example 5

[0109] See also Figure 8 As shown in the figure, the difference between the fifth embodiment and the first embodiment is that each connecting portion 9 is provided with a second protrusion 17, and the second protrusion 17 is provided with two horizontal extensions extending in directions away from each other along the second direction 30. The two pickup portions 14 facing away from each other along the second direction in the same pickup unit 13 are respectively formed on surfaces of the horizontal extension of the second protrusion 17 that are away from each other along the second direction 30. In this embodiment, a pickup space 15 is also formed below the pickup portion 14, that is, below the horizontal extension. In this embodiment, the two pickup portions 14 are respectively located on both sides of the first plane 28 and are mirror-symmetrical relative to the first plane 28. In this embodiment, two pickup portions 14 are directly formed by a second protrusion 17, so that the fingers can act on the two horizontal extensions through a "pinching" action to pick up the carbon ribbon holder 4.

[0110] Example 6

[0111] See also Figure 9 As shown in the figure, the difference between Example 6 and Example 5 lies in that Example 6 replaces the two horizontal extensions of Example 5 with a single sphere. Within the same capture unit 13, two capture portions 14, facing away from each other along the second direction, are formed on surfaces of the sphere that face away from each other along the second direction 30. In this embodiment, a capture space 15 is also formed below the capture portions 14, i.e., below the corresponding hemispheres of the sphere. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ribbon holder 4 can be captured by simply pinching the sphere with a finger.

[0112] Example 7

[0113] See also Figure 10 As shown in the figure, the difference between Example 7 and Example 5 is that the two pickup parts 14 are located on the same side of the first plane 28, and the distance between the pickup part 14 closest to the first plane 28 and the first plane 28 is 1 cm, although it can also be less than 1 cm. This embodiment limits the distance between the pickup part 14 closest to the first plane 28 and the first plane 28 when the two pickup parts 14 of the same pickup unit 13 facing away from each other are both located on the same side of the first plane 28. This ensures that when removing and placing the ribbon assembly 2, the fingers can cope with the change in the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly 2 along the second direction 30, avoiding interference between the ribbon holder 4 and the accommodating space 22 of the base 19 when removing and placing the ribbon assembly 2.

[0114] Example 8

[0115] See also Figure 11As shown in the figure, the eighth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a pickup unit 13 is also provided in the middle portion of the ribbon holder 4 along the first direction 29, bringing the number of pickup units 13 to three. Specifically, each of the two carrier plates 10 has a groove 18 in the middle portion along the first direction 29, opening into the side surface facing away from the other carrier plate 10 along the second direction 30. The pickup portion 14 is formed at the bottom of the groove 18, and the pickup space 15 is formed in the gap between the edge of the carrier plate 10 and the edge of the ribbon roll 7 along the second direction 30. With this design, the eighth embodiment can be loaded and unloaded in the same manner as the first embodiment, and can also be installed and removed using a single hand, with the hand acting on the middle portion of the ribbon holder 4. This facilitates balance in the first direction 29 and prevents interference between the ribbon holder 4 and the accommodating space 22 along the first direction 29. In this embodiment, because the two pickup sections 14 are positioned on the side surfaces of the support paper 10 that face away from each other along the second direction 30, the upper cover 20 does not need to avoid the first or second protrusions 16, 17, as opposed to solutions in which the pickup sections 14 are formed by first or second protrusions 16, 17. Furthermore, because the pickup sections 14 are positioned in the center of the ribbon holder 4, even if a clearance space 24 exists between the ribbon holder 4 and the base 19, paper jams are unlikely to occur. In this embodiment, due to the presence of a groove 18 on the side surface of the support paper 10, with the pickup section 14 formed at the bottom of the groove 18, both the pickup section 14 and the clearance space 24 can be reliably formed simultaneously on the ribbon holder 4, eliminating the need to redesign the accommodating space 22 to create a clearance space 24 located forward of the pickup section 14.

[0116] Example 9

[0117] See also Figure 12 As shown in the figure, the difference between Example 9 and Example 8 is that the paper support plate 10 located above the carbon ribbon release shaft 6 has not one but two grooves 18, one for the pad of the index finger and the other for the pad of the middle finger to abut. Furthermore, each of these two grooves 18 is arranged in a direction slightly offset from the second groove 18 on the other paper support plate 10. The bottoms of the three grooves 18 form the pickup portion 14 of the same pickup unit 13. Compared to Example 8, this embodiment uses an additional finger to apply force, making it more reliable when removing and placing the carbon ribbon assembly 2.

[0118] Example 10

[0119] See also Figure 13As shown in the figure, the tenth embodiment differs from the eighth embodiment in that the groove 18 is not formed on the paper support board 10, and the pickup portion 14 is directly disposed on the side surfaces of the two paper support boards 10 that face away from each other along the second direction 30. Simultaneously, a clearance space 24 corresponding to the pickup portion 14 is formed on the base 19. This clearance space 24 is located forward of the pickup portion 14 along its direction, specifically, on the paper support surface 21. Using this technical solution, a finger can be inserted into the clearance space 24 to grasp the pickup portion 14, and the tip of the finger can also enter the pickup space 15, exerting an upward force on the ribbon assembly 2, thereby removing the ribbon assembly 2 from the accommodating space 22 or inserting the ribbon assembly 2 into the accommodating space 22.

[0120] From the above ten embodiments, it can be seen that, when using the insertable ribbon assembly 2 for conventional ribbon printers 1, especially ribbon printers 1 for printing A4 or larger paper, the only way to smoothly and reliably grasp the ribbon assembly 2 is by increasing the lateral width. The core inventive concept of this patent is to achieve the assembly and disassembly of the ribbon assembly 2 by grasping or pinching at least two pickup portions 14 with two or more fingers on each hand facing each other. This greatly reduces the lateral width of the ribbon printer 1, facilitates the miniaturization of the ribbon printer 1, and also ensures that the user can conveniently and reliably disassemble the ribbon assembly 2.

[0121] In addition to the above embodiments, other embodiments may be designed to achieve the aforementioned technical effects. Specifically, in one embodiment, based on the fifth embodiment, the second protrusion 17 may be configured to slide relative to the connecting portion 9 in the second direction 30 to facilitate handling of changes in the center of gravity of the ribbon assembly 2 during removal and placement. Another embodiment, based on the fifth embodiment, may further include the second protrusion 17 having a downwardly extending rod that extends through the connecting portion 9 and has a flange that abuts the lower surface of the connecting portion 9. To remove the ribbon assembly 2, the second protrusion 17 may be grasped and lifted, causing the flange to abut the lower surface of the connecting portion 9, thereby removing the ribbon assembly 2. When the ribbon assembly 2 is placed in the accommodating space 22, the second protrusion 17 descends due to gravity, avoiding interference with the second printing portion 26. Regardless of the variations, the essence of this patent remains that the ribbon assembly 2 is removed and installed by grasping or pinching at least two pickup portions 14 with the fingertips of two or more fingers facing each other.

[0122] The above description of the specification and embodiments is used to explain the scope of protection of the present application, but does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A carbon ribbon support (4), which is used to support a carbon ribbon take-up shaft (5) and a carbon ribbon release shaft (6); Its characteristics are: The carbon ribbon rewinding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6) both extend along a first direction (29) and are arranged at intervals along a second direction (30) perpendicular to the first direction (29); the carbon ribbon bracket (4) comprises two frames (8) and two connecting portions (9), the two frames (8) being used to support the carbon ribbon rewinding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6) respectively; the two connecting portions (9) are arranged along the first direction (29) and are both used to connect the two frames (8); a printing area (12) is formed between the two frames (8) and the two connecting portions (9); The carbon ribbon holder (4) is provided with at least one pickup unit (13); each of the pickup units (13) is provided with at least two pickup parts (14), each of the pickup parts (14) is exposed on the upper surface of the carbon ribbon holder (4), and is configured to be suitable for contact with the pad of a finger; at least two pickup parts (14) in the same pickup unit (13) are arranged along a direction intersecting the first direction (29) and facing away from each other along a second direction; A pickup space (15) is provided below the pickup portion (14) to accommodate the front end of a finger; Two mutually facing capturing parts (14) in the same capturing unit (13) are arranged along the second direction (30).

2. A carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The two mutually facing pickup parts (14) of the same pickup unit (13) are located on both sides of a first plane (28); the first plane (28) is defined as being perpendicular to the second direction (30) and being a mirror-symmetrical plane of the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6).

3. A carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The two capturing parts (14) of the same capturing unit (13) facing away from each other are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the first plane (28).

4. A carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: When two pickup parts (14) facing away from each other in the same pickup unit (13) are located on the same side of a first plane (28), one of the pickup parts (14) closest to the first plane (28) is less than or equal to 1 cm away from the first plane (28), and the first plane (28) is defined as being perpendicular to the second direction (30) and being a mirror-symmetric plane of the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6).

5. A carbon ribbon holder (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: There are at least two capturing units (13), and each capturing unit (13) is arranged along a first direction (29).

6. A carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The carbon ribbon holder (4) is provided with the pickup units (13) at both ends along the first direction (29), each of the pickup units (13) is provided with two pickup parts (14), and the two pickup parts (14) of the same pickup unit (13) are respectively formed on surfaces of two first protrusions (16) arranged along the second direction (30) and facing away from each other along the second direction (30).

7. A carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: A second protrusion (17) is provided on each connecting portion (9), and two mutually facing and diverging capturing portions (14) in the same capturing unit (13) are respectively formed on surfaces of the second protrusion (17) that diverge from each other along the second direction (30).

8. A carbon ribbon holder (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The two frames are both provided with supporting paper boards (10), and the two supporting paper boards (10) are respectively covered on the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6); at least one of the pickup units (13) is located in the middle of the carbon ribbon holder (4) along the first direction (29), and at least two of the pickup parts (14) in the pickup unit (13) located in the middle of the carbon ribbon holder (4) along the first direction (29) are respectively formed on the side surfaces of the two supporting paper boards (10) that are away from each other along the second direction (30).

9. A carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that: A groove (18) opening on the side surface is provided at the middle of the two supporting paper boards (10) along the first direction (29), and the pickup portion (14) is formed at the bottom of the groove (18).

10. A carbon ribbon assembly (2), characterized in that: The invention comprises a carbon ribbon winding shaft (5), a carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6), a carbon ribbon (7) and a carbon ribbon holder (4) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; the carbon ribbon holder (4) supports the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6); the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6) are both rotatably connected to the carbon ribbon holder (4); the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6) extend along a first direction (29) and are arranged at intervals along a second direction (30) perpendicular to the first direction (29); the carbon ribbon (7) is wound around the carbon ribbon winding shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6).

11. A ribbon printer (1), characterized in that: The printer comprises a printer body (3) and a carbon ribbon assembly (2) as claimed in claim 10; the printer body (3) comprises a base (19) and an upper cover (20) suitable for covering the base (19); the base (19) is provided with a receiving space (22) suitable for receiving the carbon ribbon assembly (2), and the receiving space (22) is configured to allow the carbon ribbon assembly (2) to be placed in or taken out along a third direction (31) perpendicular to the first direction (29) and intersecting with the second direction (30); the base (19) and the carbon ribbon holder (4) are configured so that when the carbon ribbon assembly (2) is received in the receiving space (22), the pickup portion (14) forms a clearance space (24) along its front direction for the tip of a finger to abut against the pickup portion (14) .

12. A ribbon printer (1) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that: The third direction (31) is perpendicular to the second direction (30).

13. A ribbon printer (1) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: The accommodating space (22) is further configured to adapt the carbon ribbon holder (4) along a first direction (29) and a second direction (30), so that when the carbon ribbon assembly (2) is placed in the accommodating space (22), the carbon ribbon reeling shaft (5) and the carbon ribbon releasing shaft (6) are positioned relative to the base (19); The base (19) is provided with a first printing portion (25) at a position corresponding to the printing area (12), and the upper cover (20) is provided with a second printing portion (26) at a position corresponding to the printing area (12); one of the first printing portion (25) and the second printing portion (26) is provided with a paper feed roller, and the other is provided with a print head; the base (19) is further provided with an accommodating space (23) for accommodating the second printing portion (26) above the accommodating space (22).

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