A support assembly, a consumable unit, a printer core, and a printing device.

Abstract

This application discloses a support assembly, a consumable unit, a printer core, and a printing device. The support assembly includes a support member and a force-applying member. The support member has a sheet-receiving portion for accommodating printing sheets, with a downward-opening sheet-receiving groove and a sheet ejection gap at the front end of the sheet-receiving groove. The force-applying member is mounted on the support member and is adapted to apply an upward pushing force to the printing sheets accommodated in the sheet-receiving groove, with the applied pushing force located close to the sheet ejection gap in the front-back direction. The consumable unit uses the aforementioned support assembly, the printer core is adapted to accommodate the aforementioned consumable unit, and the printing device includes the aforementioned consumable unit and the printer core. Using the above technical solution can solve or improve the problem of poor sheet ejection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of printing apparatus, specifically to a support assembly, a consumable unit, a printer core, and a printing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technology, printers generally include a printhead and a consumable unit. The printhead typically includes a frame, a drive roller, and a heating element. The drive roller is mounted on the frame and rotates relative to it during operation, driving the ribbon and printing sheet sandwiched between the drive roller and the heating element towards the printer's exit. The heating element is mounted on the frame and positioned opposite the drive roller, applying heat to the ribbon and printing sheet sandwiched between them, causing the color or ink on the ribbon to be printed onto the printing sheet. The frame, drive roller, and heating element work together to form a receiving space. The consumable unit is generally configured to be inserted into or removed from the receiving space of the printhead for replacement. The consumable unit generally includes a support, a take-up shaft, a release shaft, a ribbon, and printing sheet. The support structure supports the take-up and release shafts and accommodates the printing sheet. The take-up and release shafts hold the ribbon; unused ribbon is mostly wound onto the release shaft, while the rest is wound onto the take-up shaft after use. The take-up shaft is generally located in front of the release shaft. When the filament unit is placed into the accommodating space, the drive roller and heating element are typically positioned between the take-up and release shafts. An exit gap is often provided at the front end of the space on the support structure where the printing sheet is held. This exit gap is generally located after the take-up shaft; however, in some cases, such as to shorten the longitudinal dimension of the filament unit, it may be located before the release shaft. When the filament unit is placed into the accommodating space, the exit gap is located after the drive roller and heating element. If, to shorten the longitudinal dimension of the printer, the exit gap is positioned even closer to the drive roller and heating element, it may be moved closer to them. The sheet ejection gap is typically configured to allow only one sheet to pass through at a time. Therefore, the gap width must be slightly greater than the thickness of one sheet and slightly less than the thickness of two sheets. This gap is generally formed by the gap between an upper limit stop and a lower limit stop, which in existing technology are arranged to span the sheet ejection gap laterally. In actual use, users often observe problems with poor sheet ejection, meaning the sheet cannot smoothly pass through the ejection gap and enter between the drive roller and the heating element.

[0003] The aforementioned printer structure is common in thermal transfer and dye-sublimation printers. The problems also frequently occur in thermal transfer and dye-sublimation printers. However, other printers may have similar structures or experience similar problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to overcome the aforementioned defects or problems in the prior art and to provide a support component, a consumable unit, a printer core, and a printing device that can solve or improve the problem of poor sheet output during printing.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the following technical solution is adopted:

[0006] The first technical solution relates to a support assembly for supporting a take-up shaft and a release shaft and for accommodating a printing sheet, wherein the take-up shaft and the release shaft are used to load a ribbon, and the printing sheet is used for printing; it includes: a support member having a first shaft support portion, a second shaft support portion, and a sheet-accommodating portion, wherein the first shaft support portion is used to support the take-up shaft, the second shaft support portion is used to support the release shaft, and the first shaft support portion is located in front of the second shaft support portion; the sheet-accommodating portion has a sheet-accommodating groove adapted to accommodate the printing sheet, the sheet-accommodating groove opening downward, and a sheet-ejection gap at the front end of the sheet-accommodating groove, the sheet-ejection gap being located behind the first shaft support portion and configured to allow only a single sheet of the printing sheet to pass through; and a force-applying member installed on the support member and adapted to apply an upward pushing force to the printing sheet accommodated in the sheet-accommodating groove, wherein the position of applying the pushing force is close to the sheet-ejection gap in the front-back direction.

[0007] The second technical solution is based on the first technical solution, wherein the receiving portion is provided with an upper limit portion and a lower limit portion; the film output gap is formed by the gap between the upper limit portion and the lower limit portion, and the number of upper limit portions is at least two, with each upper limit portion arranged at intervals along the left-right direction.

[0008] The third technical solution is based on the second technical solution, wherein the receiving portion is provided with a top wall, the top wall forms the bottom of the receiving groove, and each of the upper limit portions is formed at the front end of the top wall.

[0009] The fourth technical solution is based on the second technical solution, wherein the film output gap is located between the first shaft support and the second shaft support.

[0010] The fifth technical solution is based on the fourth technical solution, wherein each of the upper limit positions is located in front of the second shaft support, and the position where the force-applying member applies the top resistance force is located in front of the second shaft support.

[0011] The sixth technical solution is based on the second technical solution, wherein the number of the upper limit part is two and they are respectively located on both sides of the sheet output gap along the left and right direction, the number of the lower limit part is two and they are respectively located on both sides of the sheet output gap along the left and right direction, and the position where the force-applying member applies the top resistance force is at least located on both sides of the printed sheet along the left and right direction.

[0012] The seventh technical solution is based on any one of the first to sixth technical solutions, wherein the force-applying member has a base, a connecting portion and an elastic portion fixedly connected to each other, the base is located below the printed sheet, the connecting portion is adapted to be fixedly connected to the support member, and the elastic portion extends from the base and is adapted to apply a top resistance force to the printed sheet.

[0013] The eighth technical solution is based on the seventh technical solution, wherein the receiving portion has sidewalls on both sides along the left and right directions, the sidewalls forming the sidewalls of the receiving groove, and the outer surfaces of the two sidewalls are respectively provided with outwardly protruding hook portions; there are two connecting portions located on both sides of the base along the left and right directions, and the connecting portions are provided with hook holes suitable for hooking with the hook portions; there are two elastic portions, which extend from the base to the left and right sides respectively.

[0014] The ninth technical solution is based on any one of the first to sixth technical solutions, wherein the support member is provided with a first magnetic part, the force-applying member is provided with a second magnetic part, the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part are respectively located above and below the printing sheet and attract each other to make the force-applying member push upward against the printing sheet.

[0015] The tenth technical solution relates to a consumable unit, including a take-up shaft, a release shaft, a ribbon, and a printing sheet, and further includes a support assembly as described in any one of the first to ninth technical solutions; the first shaft support supports the take-up shaft, the second shaft support supports the release shaft, the ribbon is loaded on the take-up shaft and the release shaft, and the printing sheet is accommodated in the sheet receiving slot.

[0016] The twelfth technical solution relates to a printer mechanism, which includes a mechanism frame, a drive roller, and a heating element. The drive roller is mounted on the mechanism frame and rotates relative to the mechanism frame during operation. The heating element is mounted on the mechanism frame and is disposed opposite to the drive roller. The mechanism frame, the drive roller, and the heating element cooperate to form an accommodating space. The accommodating space is suitable for accommodating a consumable unit as described in the tenth or eleventh technical solution. The accommodating space has an opening suitable for loading or unloading the consumable unit. The drive roller and the heating element are further configured such that when the consumable unit is loaded into the accommodating space, the drive roller and the heating element are located between the take-up shaft and the release shaft and in front of the upper limit position.

[0017] The thirteenth technical solution relates to a printing apparatus comprising a printing core as described in the twelfth technical solution and a consumable unit as described in the tenth or eleventh technical solution, the consumable unit being adapted to be loaded into or unloaded from the receiving space through the opening.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the above solution has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] Through continuous observation, experimentation, and research, the applicant discovered that the main cause of the poor sheet ejection problem is the change in the sheet ejection gap during printer operation. Specifically, due to factors such as moisture or heat within the consumable unit, the front end of the sheet deforms and becomes uneven. The projection of the front end of the sheet in the front-to-back direction widens in the vertical direction, causing poor sheet ejection. To solve this problem, the first technical solution incorporates a force-applying component. This component applies an upward force to the sheet, positioned close to the sheet ejection gap in the front-to-back direction. This force flattens the front end of the sheet, preventing the widening of the front end's projection in the vertical direction, thus improving the flatness of the front end and facilitating easier sheet ejection, thereby alleviating the poor sheet ejection problem.

[0020] Further observation, experimentation, and research revealed that another significant reason for the poor sheet output problem is the change in the sheet output gap during printer operation. Specifically, during printer operation, heat generated by the heating element or other factors causes the upper limit section of the consumable unit, located in the enclosed space, to expand due to heat. In existing technology, this upper limit section spans the sheet output gap, and under gravity, its central portion bends downwards, reducing the minimum width of the sheet output gap and causing poor sheet output. To address this issue, the second technical solution sets the number of upper limit sections to at least two, spaced apart in the left-right direction. This reduces the deformation of each upper limit section after thermal expansion and allows it to expand and deform in the left-right direction, avoiding the large deformation and downward bending under gravity inherent in upper limit sections spanning the sheet output gap. This reduces the variation in the sheet output gap width, making sheet output easier and further improving the problem of poor sheet output.

[0021] In the third technical solution, the upper limit part is formed at the front end of the top wall. Therefore, the uppermost printing sheet can be ejected through the ejection gap between the upper limit part (formed at the front end of the top wall) and the lower limit part.

[0022] In the fourth technical solution, the sheet ejection gap is located between the first shaft support and the second shaft support, thus reducing the size of the support member in the front-back direction. At the same time, when the upper limit part is closer to the heating element, it is less likely to cause the sheet ejection gap to shrink due to heat deformation.

[0023] In the fifth technical solution, the upper limit position and the position where the force-applying member applies the top resistance are both located in front of the second shaft support. This makes the position where the force-applying member applies the top resistance closer to the upper limit position, resulting in higher flatness of the front end of the printed sheet.

[0024] In the sixth technical solution, the two upper limit stops are located on both sides of the sheet ejection gap along the left-right direction. This avoids the situation where, when there are more than two upper limit stops, an upper limit stop inevitably appears in the middle of the sheet ejection gap along the left-right direction. Such a middle upper limit stop, when exposed to high heat, has a certain probability of deforming downwards, causing the sheet ejection gap to narrow. The two lower limit stops are located on both sides of the sheet ejection gap along the left-right direction. This avoids the lower limit stops from deforming downwards due to thermal expansion, which would widen the sheet ejection gap. A widened sheet ejection gap would lead to the possibility of two or more printing sheets ejecting simultaneously from the sheet ejection gap. The force-applying component applies a top force that covers at least both sides of the printing sheet along the left-right direction to prevent the printing sheet from bending in those directions.

[0025] The seventh technical solution proposes a method where the force-applying component applies an upward resisting force using elasticity. In this solution, the base is located below the printed sheet, the connecting part is connected to the support component on the side by a hook, and the elastic part extends from the base to the left and right sides, which helps to reduce the size of the force-applying component in the vertical direction and makes the structure more compact.

[0026] The eighth technical solution provides a specific implementation method for the seventh solution.

[0027] The ninth technical solution provides a method for applying an upward pushing force using magnetism. In this solution, the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part are defined as being able to magnetically attract each other. The printing sheet is clamped by the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part, so that the front end of the printing sheet can be flattened. At this time, all positions of the second magnetic part that contact the printing sheet (including indirect contact) are positions where an upward pushing force is applied.

[0028] The tenth technical solution defines a consumable unit with the support components of any one of the first to ninth technical solutions, thereby achieving the corresponding technical effects.

[0029] In the eleventh technical solution, the shaft cover is positioned above the release shaft to prevent the release shaft from contacting the print core during insertion, thus reducing the risk of ribbon damage. This is because the ribbon is primarily wound around the release shaft during print core insertion. By providing a support plate, and ensuring that the support plate and the sheet receiving portion are mutually restrictive in the vertical direction, the printing sheet is supported and prevented from detaching from the sheet receiving slot. It is important to note that this vertical restriction is only intended to prevent the printing sheet from detaching from the sheet receiving slot; it does not require the support plate to be completely immobile relative to the sheet receiving portion in the vertical direction.

[0030] The twelfth and thirteenth technical solutions respectively provide a printer core and a printing device that use or combine with the above technical solutions, and thus have the corresponding technical effects. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments, the accompanying drawings used are briefly described below:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of support component 1 in Embodiment 1;

[0033] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of support component 1 in Embodiment 1;

[0034] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the support component in Embodiment 1;

[0036] Figure 5 for Figure 4 BB-direction sectional view;

[0037] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of part D;

[0038] Figure 7 for Figure 4 CC-direction sectional view;

[0039] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of part E;

[0040] Figure 9 The three-dimensional representation of the consumable unit in Example 1 Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 10 The three-dimensional representation of the consumable unit in Example 1 Figure 2 ;

[0042] Figure 11 This is an exploded perspective view of the consumable unit in Example 1;

[0043] Figure 12 This is a bottom view of the support plate in Embodiment 1;

[0044] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the printing device in Embodiment 1;

[0045] Figure 14 This is an exploded perspective view of the printing device in Embodiment 1.

[0046] Explanation of key figure labels:

[0047] Support assembly 1, support member 2, force-applying member 3, first shaft support part 4, second shaft support part 5, sheet receiving part 6, top wall 7, side wall 8, rear wall 9, sheet receiving groove 10, sheet exit gap 11, upper limit part 12, upper limit surface 14, stop part 15, lower limit part 16, lower limit surface 17, through hole 18, hook part 19, taking-up part 20, first support part 21, second support part 22, base part 23, first part 24, second part 25, connecting part 26, hook hole 27, elastic part 28, abutting part 29, consumable unit 30, take-up shaft 31, release shaft 32, ribbon 33, shaft cover 34, support piece 35, printing sheet 36; first lug 37, second lug 38, printing device 39, printer core 40, core frame 41, accommodating space 42, drive roller 43, heating element 44. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Unless otherwise specified, the terms “first,” “second,” or “third,” etc., in the claims and description are used to distinguish different objects and not to describe a particular order.

[0049] Unless otherwise specified in the claims and description, the terms "fixed connection" or "fixed connection" shall be interpreted broadly to mean any connection in which there is no displacement or relative rotation relationship between the two parties, including non-removable fixed connection, detachable fixed connection, integral connection, and fixed connection by other means or components.

[0050] Unless otherwise specified, the terms “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof in the claims and description shall mean “including but not limited to.”

[0051] Unless otherwise specified, in the claims and description, the terms "front-back direction", "left-right direction" and "up-down direction" all refer to two directions and are not unidirectional.

[0052] Unless otherwise specified, in the claims and description, the terms “front,” “rear,” “above,” and “below” refer to the orientation relative to the opposite object as indicated in the drawings.

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Example 1

[0055] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 and Figure 2 The support assembly 1 in Embodiment 1 is shown. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the support assembly 1 includes a support member 2 and a force-applying member 3. The support assembly 1 is part of the consumable unit 30 of the printing device 39, used to support the take-up shaft 31 and the release shaft 32, and to accommodate the printing sheet 36. The take-up shaft 31 and the release shaft 32 are used to load the ribbon 33, and the axes of the take-up shaft 31 and the release shaft 32 are parallel to each other. In this embodiment, both axes extend in the left-right direction, and the printing sheet 36 is used for printing.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the support member 2 is provided with a first shaft support portion 4, a second shaft support portion 5, and a receiving plate portion 6, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the support member 2 is also provided with a receiving part 20. (As shown) Figure 1 As shown, the first shaft support 4 supports the take-up shaft 31, and the second shaft support 5 supports the release shaft 32, with the first shaft support 4 located in front of the second shaft support 5. The sheet receiving portion 6 has a top wall 7, two side walls 8, a rear wall 9, and a stop portion 15. The two side walls 8 extend downwards from the left and right sides of the top wall 7 to form the side walls of the sheet receiving groove 10, and the rear wall 9 extends downwards from the rear side of the top wall 7. The top wall 7, the two side walls 8, and the rear wall 9 together form a downwardly opening sheet receiving groove 10. The sheet receiving groove 10 is suitable for receiving the printing sheet 36. The top wall 7 forms the bottom of the sheet receiving groove 10, and a through hole 18 is provided on the top wall 7. This through hole 18 is located behind the second shaft support 5, and its function is to allow the feeding roller to act on the uppermost printing sheet 36 through the through hole 18, thereby driving the uppermost printing sheet 36 forward. Figure 4 As shown, at least two upper limit positions 12 are formed at the front end of the top wall 7, and each upper limit position 12 is arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, forming a distance between them as shown in the figure. Figure 3 The interval 13 is shown. In this embodiment, there are two upper limit positions 12; in other embodiments, the number of upper limit positions 12 may exceed two. Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the stop portion 15 is used to stop the printing sheet 36. The stop portion 15 is located below the front end of the top wall 7 and extends in the left-right direction, spanning the sheet receiving groove 10. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the left and right sides of the stop portion 15 protrude upwards to form lower limit portions 16. Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the bottom surface of the upper limit portion 12 forms the upper limit surface 14, and the top surface of the lower limit portion 16 forms the lower limit surface 17, as... Figure 6 As shown, the lower limit portion 16 is located in front of the upper limit portion 12. Figure 6 and Figure 8As shown, the gap between the upper limit portion 12 and the lower limit portion 16 forms the sheet ejection gap 11. Specifically, the sheet ejection gap 11 is formed between the upper limit surface 14 and the lower limit surface 17 in the vertical direction. The sheet ejection gap 11 is configured to allow only a single sheet of printing material 36 to pass through. Specifically, the width of the sheet ejection gap 11 is greater than or equal to the thickness of a single sheet of printing material 36 but less than the thickness of two sheets of printing material 36. The sheet ejection gap 11 is located at the front end of the sheet receiving slot 10 and behind the first shaft support portion 4. In this embodiment, the sheet ejection gap 11 is located between the first shaft support portion 4 and the second shaft support portion 5. In this embodiment, each upper limit portion 12 is also located in front of the second shaft support portion 5. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the two upper limit stops 12 are respectively located on both sides of the film output gap 11 along the left-right direction. In other embodiments, when more than two upper limit stops 12 are provided, at least two of the upper limit stops 12 are respectively located on both sides of the film output gap 11 along the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the positions of the two lower limit stops 16 along the left-right direction correspond to the upper limit stops 12, that is, they are also located on both sides of the film output gap 11 along the left-right direction. Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a first support portion 21 and a second support portion 22 are provided on the inner surfaces of both sidewalls 8, and a clearance groove is provided above both the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22. Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the outer surfaces of the two sidewalls 8 are respectively provided with outwardly protruding hook portions 19, and the hook portions 19 are positioned close to the upper limit portion 12 in the front-back direction. In this embodiment, a receiving portion 20 is also formed on the right side of the support member 2, which is specifically formed in a recess to facilitate gripping and receiving the support member 2 by hand.

[0057] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the force-applying member 3 is mounted on the support member 2 and is adapted to apply an upward pushing force to the printing sheet 36 housed in the sheet slot 10, and the position of applying the pushing force is close to the sheet exit gap 11 in the front-back direction. In this embodiment, the force-applying member 3 applies an upward pushing force to the printing sheet 36 through elasticity. Specifically, the force-applying member 3 is provided with a base 23, a connecting part 26, and an elastic part 28 that are fixedly connected to each other (specifically, integrated). The base 23 is located below the printing sheet 36, and it is provided with a first part 24 and a second part 25 from back to front. The connecting part 26 is adapted to be fixedly connected to the support member 2. In this embodiment, there are two connecting parts 26, which are respectively located on both sides of the first part 24 of the base 23 in the left-right direction. Each connecting part 26 is also provided with a hook hole 27 adapted to hook with the hook part 19. The elastic portion 28 extends from the second part 25 of the base 23 and is adapted to apply a top-resisting force to the printing sheet 36. In this embodiment, there are two elastic portions 28, which extend from the left and right sides of the second part 25 of the base 23 to the left and right sides respectively and are inclined upwards. The top position of the elastic portion 28 in the vertical direction is the position where the force-applying member 3 applies the top-resisting force. However, it should be noted that the top position of the elastic portion 28 when there is no printing sheet 36 in the sheet receiving groove 10 is different from the top position of the elastic portion 28 when there is printing sheet 36. The top position of the elastic portion 28 when there is printing sheet 36 in the sheet receiving groove 10 should be regarded as the position where the force-applying member 3 applies the top-resisting force. In this embodiment, the position where the force-applying member 3 applies the top-resisting force is located in front of the second shaft support portion 5, on both sides of the printing sheet 36 in the left and right direction, and below the upper limit portion 12.

[0058] Figure 11 The consumable unit 30 of this embodiment is shown. As shown, the consumable unit 30 includes a support assembly 1, a take-up shaft 31, a release shaft 32, a ribbon 33, a printing sheet 36, a shaft cover 34, and a support plate 35. The first shaft support 4 supports the take-up shaft 31, the second shaft support 5 supports the release shaft 32, the ribbon 33 is loaded on the take-up shaft 31 and the release shaft 32, and the printing sheet 36 is accommodated in the sheet receiving slot 10. In this embodiment, as... Figure 9 and Figure 11 As shown, the shaft cover 34 is fixedly connected to the second shaft support 5 and covers the top of the release shaft 32. Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the support plate 35 is adapted to support the printing sheet 36 upwards. The support plate 35 and the receiving portion 6 are vertically limited to prevent the support plate 35 and the printing sheet 36 located thereon from dislodging from the receiving slot 10. In this embodiment, the force-applying member 3 indirectly acts on the printing sheet 36 by abutting against the support plate 35. In other embodiments, the force-applying member 3 can also directly abut against the printing sheet 36. Specifically, as shown... Figure 12As shown, the support plate 35 has a first lug 37 and a second lug 38 on both sides along the left-right direction. The first support portion 21 on the side wall 8 of the receiving portion 6 is adapted to support the first lug 37, and the clearance space thereon allows the first lug 37 to move in the up-down direction. The second support portion 22 is adapted to support the second lug 38, and the clearance space thereon allows the second lug 38 to move in the up-down direction. Generally, the consumable unit 30 can be sold separately or as part of the printing device 39.

[0059] Figure 13 and Figure 14 The printer mechanism 40 of this embodiment is shown. The printer mechanism 40 includes a mechanism frame 41, a drive roller 43, and a heating element 44. The drive roller 43 is mounted on the mechanism frame 41 and rotates relative to the mechanism frame 41 during operation. The heating element 44 is mounted on the mechanism frame 41 and is positioned opposite to the drive roller 43 in the vertical direction. The mechanism frame 41, the drive roller 43, and the heating element 44 cooperate to form a receiving space 42. The receiving space 42 is suitable for accommodating the consumable unit 30 in this embodiment. The receiving space 42 has an opening suitable for loading or unloading the consumable unit 30. In this embodiment, the opening is located on the right side of the receiving space 42. The drive roller 43 and the heating element 44 are also configured such that when the consumable unit 30 is loaded into the receiving space 42, the drive roller 43 and the heating element 44 are located between the take-up shaft 31 and the release shaft 32 and in front of the upper limit portion 12. When the consumable unit 30 is to be removed from the opening of the receiving space 42, the user can pinch the take-up unit and apply force outward.

[0060] The printing device 39 in this embodiment includes the aforementioned printer core 40 and consumable unit 30.

[0061] In this embodiment, during use, the printing device 39 operates as follows: the ribbon 33 take-up shaft 31 winds up the ribbon 33, and the ribbon 33 release shaft 32 releases the ribbon 33. Simultaneously, the feeding roller acts on the uppermost printing sheet 36 through the through hole 18, allowing the uppermost printing sheet 36 to smoothly exit through the sheet exit gap 11 between the upper limit surface 14 and the lower limit surface 17 until it enters the space between the drive roller 43 and the heating element 44. The drive roller 43 and the heating element 44 work together to drive the ribbon 33 and the printing sheet 36, while simultaneously transferring the color or ink on the ribbon 33 to the printing sheet 36 through heating, and further driving the printing sheet 36 to exit from the printing device 39. In some cases, the printing sheet 36 needs to repeatedly pass through the drive roller 43 and the heating element 44 to transfer different colors or inks onto the printing sheet 36, thereby printing colorful text or patterns.

[0062] In this embodiment, in order to solve the problem of poor film output, a force-applying component 3 is provided. The force-applying component 3 applies an upward resisting force to the printing sheet 36, and the position of applying the resisting force is close to the film output gap 11 in the front-back direction. This makes the front end of the printing sheet 36 flat under the action of the resisting force, avoiding the defect that the projection of the front end of the printing sheet 36 in the front-back direction is widened in the vertical direction, thereby improving the flatness of the front end of the printing sheet 36 and making film output easier.

[0063] In this embodiment, the number of upper limit positions 12 is set to at least two, and each upper limit position 12 is arranged at intervals along the left and right directions. In this way, the deformation of each upper limit position 12 is small after thermal expansion and it can expand and deform along the left and right directions. This avoids the defect that the upper limit position 12 is deformed due to large deformation and downward bending of the middle part under the action of gravity when it crosses the film exit gap. This reduces the amount of change in the width of the film exit gap 11 and makes film exit easier.

[0064] In this embodiment, the upper limit portion 12 is formed at the front end of the top wall 7. Therefore, the uppermost printing sheet 36 can be ejected through the sheet ejection gap 11 between the upper limit portion 12 (formed at the front end of the top wall 7) and the lower limit portion 16.

[0065] In this embodiment, the sheet ejection gap 11 is located between the first shaft support portion 4 and the second shaft support portion 5, thus making the size of the support member 2 in the front-back direction smaller. At the same time, when the upper limit portion 12 is closer to the heating member 44, it is less likely to cause the sheet ejection gap 11 to become smaller due to heat deformation.

[0066] In this embodiment, the upper limit position 12 and the force application member 3 are both located in front of the second shaft support 5. This makes the position where the force application member 3 applies the top resistance closer to the upper limit position 12, resulting in a higher flatness at the front end of the printed sheet 36.

[0067] In this embodiment, the two upper limit portions 12 are located on both sides of the sheet ejection gap 11 in the left-right direction. This avoids the situation where, when there are more than two upper limit portions 12, an upper limit portion 12 inevitably appears in the middle of the sheet ejection gap 11 in the left-right direction. Such an upper limit portion 12 located in the middle may deform downwards under high heat, causing the sheet ejection gap 11 to become narrower. The two lower limit portions 16 are located on both sides of the sheet ejection gap 11 in the left-right direction. This avoids the sheet ejection gap 11 from widening due to the lower limit portions 16 bending downwards due to thermal expansion. A widened sheet ejection gap 11 would lead to the possibility of two or more printed sheets 36 being ejected from the sheet ejection gap 11 simultaneously. The force-applying member 3 applies a top force at least covering both sides of the printed sheet 36 in the left-right direction, thus preventing the printed sheet 36 from bending in the left-right direction.

[0068] This embodiment provides a specific implementation of using elasticity to apply an upward pushing force to the force-applying member 3. Specifically, the base 23 is located below the printed sheet 36, the connecting part 26 is connected to the support member on the side by a hook, and the elastic part 28 extends from the base 23 to the left and right sides, which helps to reduce the size of the force-applying member 3 in the vertical direction and make the structure more compact.

[0069] In this embodiment, the shaft cover 34 is positioned above the release shaft 32 to prevent the release shaft 32 from touching the print core 40 during insertion, thus making the ribbon 33 less prone to scratches. This is because, during insertion of the print core 40, the ribbon 33 is mainly wound around the release shaft 32.

[0070] In this embodiment, a support plate 35 is provided, and the support plate 35 and the receiving portion 6 are mutually restrained in the vertical direction, so that the printing sheet 36 is supported and will not fall out of the receiving slot 10. It should be noted that the vertical restraint here is only to prevent the printing sheet 36 from falling out of the receiving slot 10, and does not require that the support plate 35 be unable to move relative to the receiving portion 6 in the vertical direction. Since there is space above the support portion for the lug to move in the vertical direction, when the force-applying member 3 abuts against the support plate 35, it can act on the printing sheet 36.

[0071] Example 2

[0072] The difference between Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 1 is that the force-applying member 3 applies an upward pushing force to the printing sheet 36 via magnetism. Specifically, the support member 2 has a first magnetic part on the front end of the top wall 7, and the force-applying member 3 has a second magnetic part. The first and second magnetic parts are located above and below the printing sheet 36, respectively, and attract each other to push the force-applying member 3 upward against the printing sheet 36. Those skilled in the art, upon receiving the above teachings, are sufficient to develop various embodiments to achieve the function of the force-applying member 3 through magnetism.

[0073] The description of the above specification and embodiments is used to explain the scope of protection of this application, but does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A support assembly (1) for supporting a take-up spool (31) and a release spool (32) and for accommodating a printing sheet (36), the take-up spool (31) and the release spool (32) for loading a ribbon (33), the printing sheet (36) for printing; characterized in that, include: The support member (2) is provided with a first shaft support (4), a second shaft support (5), and a sheet receiving portion (6). The first shaft support (4) supports the take-up shaft (31), and the second shaft support (5) supports the release shaft (32). The first shaft support (4) is located in front of the second shaft support (5). The sheet receiving portion (6) is provided with a sheet receiving groove (10) suitable for receiving the printing sheet (36). The sheet receiving groove (10) opens downward, and the front end of the sheet receiving groove (10) is provided with a sheet exit gap (11). The sheet exit gap (11) is located behind the first shaft support (4) and is configured to allow only a single sheet of the printing sheet (36) to pass through. The force-applying member (3) is installed on the support member (2) and is adapted to apply an upward force to the printed sheet (36) contained in the sheet groove (10), and the position of applying the force is close to the sheet exit gap (11) in the front-back direction. The receiving portion (6) is provided with an upper limit portion (12) and a lower limit portion (16); the sheet ejection gap (11) is formed by the gap between the upper limit portion (12) and the lower limit portion (16), and the number of upper limit portions (12) is at least two, with each upper limit portion (12) arranged at intervals along the left and right directions; The number of the lower limit parts (16) is two and they are located on both sides of the film output gap (11) in the left-right direction respectively; The force-applying member (3) is provided with a connecting part (26), which is adapted to be fixedly connected to the support member (2); the two sides of the receiving plate (6) along the left and right directions are respectively provided with side walls (8), which form the side groove wall of the receiving plate groove (10), and the outer surfaces of the two side walls (8) are respectively provided with outwardly protruding hook parts (19); there are two connecting parts (26); the connecting part (26) is provided with hook holes (27) adapted to hook with the hook parts (19).

2. The support assembly (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the upper limit position (12) is two and they are located on both sides of the film output gap (11) in the left-right direction.

3. A support assembly (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The force-applying member (3) applies the top resistance at least on both sides of the printed sheet (36) in the left-right direction.

4. A support assembly (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The container portion (6) is provided with a top wall (7), which forms the bottom of the container groove (10), and each of the upper limit portions (12) is formed at the front end of the top wall (7).

5. A support assembly (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The film exit gap (11) is located between the first shaft support (4) and the second shaft support (5).

6. A support assembly (1) as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the upper limit positions (12) is located in front of the second shaft support (5), and the position where the force-applying member (3) applies the top resistance force is located in front of the second shaft support (5).

7. A support assembly (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The force-applying member (3) is further provided with a base (23) and an elastic part (28) that are fixedly connected to the connecting part (26). The base (23) is located below the printing sheet (36), and the elastic part (28) extends from the base (23) and is adapted to apply a top resistance force to the printing sheet (36).

8. A support assembly (1) as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The two connecting portions (26) are located on both sides of the base (23) in the left-right direction; there are two elastic portions (28), which extend from the base (23) to the left and right sides respectively.

9. A support assembly (1) for supporting a take-up spool (31) and a release spool (32) and for accommodating a printing sheet (36), the take-up spool (31) and the release spool (32) for loading a ribbon (33), the printing sheet (36) for printing; characterized in that, include: The support member (2) is provided with a first shaft support (4), a second shaft support (5), and a sheet receiving portion (6). The first shaft support (4) supports the take-up shaft (31), and the second shaft support (5) supports the release shaft (32). The first shaft support (4) is located in front of the second shaft support (5). The sheet receiving portion (6) is provided with a sheet receiving groove (10) suitable for receiving the printing sheet (36). The sheet receiving groove (10) opens downward, and the front end of the sheet receiving groove (10) is provided with a sheet exit gap (11). The sheet exit gap (11) is located behind the first shaft support (4) and is configured to allow only a single sheet of the printing sheet (36) to pass through. The force-applying member (3) is installed on the support member (2) and is adapted to apply an upward force to the printed sheet (36) contained in the sheet groove (10), and the position of applying the force is close to the sheet exit gap (11) in the front-back direction. The support member (2) is provided with a first magnetic part; the force-applying member (3) is provided with a second magnetic part. The first magnetic part and the second magnetic part are respectively located above and below the printing sheet (36) and attract each other to make the force-applying member (3) push upward against the printing sheet (36). The receiving portion (6) is provided with an upper limit portion (12) and a lower limit portion (16); the film output gap (11) is formed by the gap between the upper limit portion (12) and the lower limit portion (16), the number of the upper limit portion (12) is at least two, and each of the upper limit portion (12) is arranged at intervals along the left and right direction; the number of the lower limit portion (16) is two and is located on both sides of the film output gap (11) along the left and right direction.

10. A consumable unit (30) comprising a rewind spool (31), a release spool (32), a ribbon (33), and a printing sheet (36), characterized in that, It also includes a support assembly (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; the first shaft support (4) supports the take-up shaft (31), the second shaft support (5) supports the release shaft (32), the ribbon (33) is loaded on the take-up shaft (31) and the release shaft (32), and the printing sheet (36) is accommodated in the sheet slot (10).

11. A consumable unit (30) as described in claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes a shaft cover (34) and a support plate (35); the shaft cover (34) is fixedly connected to the second shaft support (5) and covers the release shaft (32); the support plate (35) is adapted to support the printing sheet (36) upward, and the support plate (35) and the receiving portion (6) are limited in the vertical direction so that the support plate (35) and the printing sheet (36) located thereon cannot be separated from the receiving groove (10); the force-applying member (3) directly abuts against the printing sheet (36) or indirectly acts on the printing sheet (36) by abutting against the support plate (35).

12. A printer cartridge (40), characterized in that, The device includes a movement frame (41), a drive roller (43), and a heating element (44). The drive roller (43) is mounted on the movement frame (41) and rotates relative to the movement frame (41) during operation. The heating element (44) is mounted on the movement frame (41) and is positioned opposite to the drive roller (43). The movement frame (41), the drive roller (43), and the heating element (44) cooperate to form an accommodating space (42). The accommodating space (42) is suitable for accommodating, for example, a movement frame (41), a drive roller (43), and a heating element (44). A consumable unit (30) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the accommodating space (42) is provided with an opening suitable for loading or unloading the consumable unit (30); the drive roller (43) and the heating element (44) are further configured such that when the consumable unit (30) is loaded into the accommodating space (42), the drive roller (43) and the heating element (44) are located between the take-up shaft (31) and the release shaft (32) and in front of the upper limit portion (12).

13. A printing apparatus (39), characterized in that, Includes a printer core (40) as claimed in claim 12 and a consumable unit (30) as claimed in claim 10 or 11, the consumable unit (30) being adapted to be loaded into or unloaded from the accommodating space (42) through an opening in the accommodating space (42).

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