Print consumable cartridge

By improving the outer shell structure of the integrated printing consumable box to a radial opening design, combined with the axial positioning groove and support components, the problem of high assembly difficulty in the existing technology has been solved, and an efficient and stable assembly process has been achieved.

CN119175951BActive Publication Date: 2025-11-18ZHUHAI QUIN TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411251982.1
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-09-06
Publication Date
2025-11-18
Estimated Expiration
2044-09-06

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing integrated printing consumable box is difficult to assemble and has low production efficiency, especially the axial positioning of the supply axis, the recycling axis and the core is difficult, which affects the success rate of modular production and assembly.

Method used

The outer shell structure is improved by having the first and second boxes open radially, with radial mounting ports and axial positioning grooves. Supports replace the short shafts for positioning, and the axial positioning grooves guide the components to the accurate position, increasing the stability of the supports and positioning grooves. Arc protrusions and flanges are used to strengthen the structure.

Benefits of technology

It reduces assembly difficulty, improves production efficiency, simplifies component installation, ensures assembly accuracy and stability, and adapts to the needs of modular production.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The printing consumable box comprises a shell, a paper tape, a winding core, a carbon tape, a supply shaft and a recycling shaft. The shell comprises a first box body, a connecting arm and a second box body. The first box body is provided with a first cavity and an outlet. The second box body is provided with a second cavity and an inlet. The connecting arm is provided with a paper running channel. The first cavity, the outlet, the paper running channel, the inlet and the second cavity are sequentially communicated. The winding core and the supply shaft are arranged in the first cavity. The recycling shaft is arranged in the second cavity. The paper tape is wound outside the winding core. The carbon tape is wound between the supply shaft and the recycling shaft. The first box body comprises a first box body and a first cover. The second box body comprises a second box body and a second cover. The first box body, the connecting arm and the second box body are connected. The first box body is provided with a first mounting port which is radially opened to the winding core. The winding core and the supply shaft are mounted through the first mounting port. The second box body is provided with a second mounting port which is radially opened to the recycling shaft. The recycling shaft is mounted through the second mounting port. The present application reduces the assembly difficulty to improve the production efficiency.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of printing consumables technology, specifically to an integrated printing consumables box that combines a carbon ribbon and a paper tape. Background Technology

[0002] An integrated printing consumable box for thermal transfer printing includes an outer shell. The outer shell includes a larger main box and a smaller secondary box arranged at intervals from front to back, and two connecting arms arranged at intervals from left to right to connect the main box and the secondary box. The main box forms a main cavity and an outlet, and the secondary box forms a secondary cavity and an inlet. A paper feeding channel with open top and bottom is formed between the two connecting arms, and the outlet and the inlet are opposite each other through the paper feeding channel.

[0003] The integrated printing consumable cartridge also includes paper tape and its core, ribbon and its supply shaft, and its recycling shaft. The core and supply shaft are both installed in the main chamber, with the core located at the first axis and the supply shaft at the second axis. The recycling shaft is installed at the third axis in the secondary chamber. The paper tape is wound around the core, and after being drawn out, it extends from the outlet to the paper feed path. The ribbon is wound around the supply shaft, and after being drawn out, it extends from the outlet to the paper feed path. The paper tape and ribbon overlap in the paper feed path and cooperate with the heating head and rollers to complete the heat transfer. The printed paper tape is fed out from the opening of the paper feed path, while the used ribbon enters the secondary chamber from the inlet and is recycled by the recycling shaft.

[0004] The existing integrated printing consumable cartridge has an outer shell that is divided into two halves, with the left and right directions being the axial directions of the core, feed shaft, and take-up shaft. Each half-shell includes half of the main cartridge, half of the auxiliary cartridge, and a connecting arm. During cartridge assembly, one half-shell is first laid down, and the ribbon, its feed shaft, take-up shaft, paper tape, and its core are then inserted into this half-shell along the axial direction. Finally, the other half-shell is closed from top to bottom.

[0005] In reality, this assembly method is quite difficult. After the supply shaft, take-up shaft, and core are installed downwards into the horizontal half-shell, their downward-facing ends are positioned. However, the upward-facing ends of these three components must also be accurately positioned so that the other half-shell can be properly closed. First, the components that need to be positioned accurately include, but are not limited to, the supply shaft, take-up shaft, and core, resulting in a large number of components. Second, since the supply shaft, take-up shaft, and core are all rotating structures, there will inevitably be clearances in their fit. Without external support, due to looseness, their upward-facing ends will inevitably not be able to maintain an accurate position.

[0006] Therefore, the probability of successfully closing the other half of the shell downwards and accurately aligning it with multiple components simultaneously is extremely low. Furthermore, there's no way to support the components between the two halves during the closing process, making this assembly method extremely difficult and impacting production efficiency. On the other hand, the axial end of the recovery shaft also needs to be connected to a gear to mesh with the printer's gear set. This method requires assembling both halves first, followed by installing the gear, which hinders modular production and assembly of components, increases the number of production steps, and also affects production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated printing consumable box that reduces assembly difficulty and improves production efficiency.

[0008] The printing consumable cartridge provided by this invention includes a shell, a paper tape, a core, a ribbon, a supply shaft, and a take-up shaft. The shell includes a first box body, a connecting arm, and a second box body connected sequentially along a first direction. The first box body has a first cavity and an outlet, and the second box body has a second cavity and an inlet. A paper feeding channel is formed at the connecting arm. The first cavity, the outlet, the paper feeding channel, the inlet, and the second cavity are sequentially connected. The core and the supply shaft are disposed in the first cavity, and the take-up shaft is disposed in the second cavity. The paper tape is wound around the core, and the ribbon is wound between the supply shaft and the take-up shaft. The first box body includes a first box body and a first cover, which are closed to form a shape. The first cavity is formed, and the second box body includes a second box body and a second cover, which are closed to form the second cavity. A connecting arm is connected between the first box body and the second box body. At least a portion of the first cavity is disposed in the first box body, which has a first mounting port for the first cavity. The first mounting port opens radially along the core and communicates with the outlet. The core and the supply shaft are installed through the first mounting port. At least a portion of the second cavity is disposed in the second box body, which has a second mounting port for the second cavity. The second mounting port opens radially along the recovery shaft and communicates with the inlet. The recovery shaft is installed through the second mounting port.

[0009] As can be seen from the above solution, the present invention mainly improves the outer shell structure of the left and right halves of the shell in the background technology into a structure in which both the first and second halves of the box can be radially opened and closed with a lid. With this configuration, the paper roll, including the paper tape and core, the ribbon, and its supply and return shafts can all be radially placed into the corresponding cavities. In this way, the paper roll and ribbon assembly are placed in one step, eliminating the problem of axial positioning difficulties. Placement does not affect the closing, thus simplifying assembly. In particular, the ribbon and its supply and return shafts are crucial. The ribbon is flexible and loose, and its outlet or inlet is narrow. Previously, during the axial placement of the half-shell and the closing of the other half-shell, the ribbon was difficult to align with the outlet or inlet, causing significant obstruction. However, in the present invention, the first mounting port is connected to the outlet, and the second mounting port is connected to the inlet. When placing the ribbon and its supply and return shafts, the ribbon issue is no longer considered. After placing the supply shaft into the first cavity and the return shaft into the second cavity, the ribbon naturally reaches the outlet, the paper path, and the inlet. Therefore, the present invention significantly reduces the assembly difficulty of the integrated printing consumable box and effectively improves production efficiency.

[0010] A further embodiment is that the printing consumable box also includes a support member, which includes a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment arranged opposite each other along the axial direction of the core. The first shaft segment is sleeved with the core, and the second shaft segment is supported by the first box body. The support member is installed into the first cavity together with the core through the first mounting port.

[0011] As can be seen from the above, the prior art uses a protruding short shaft inside the semi-shell for inserting the core to achieve positioning. However, since the paper roll of the present invention is installed radially, the protruding short shaft in the first box body would obstruct the insertion of the paper roll. To address this problem, the present invention adds a support member. The first shaft segment of the support member replaces the existing short shaft and is sleeved with the core, while the second shaft segment of the support member is supported and positioned by the internal structure of the first box body.

[0012] A further proposed solution is as follows: The first housing is provided with a first shaft positioning groove, which communicates with the first cavity and extends from the first mounting opening to the shaft center of the core; a second shaft segment is inserted into the first shaft positioning groove. The first housing is also provided with a second shaft positioning groove, which communicates with the first cavity and extends from the first mounting opening to the shaft center of the supply shaft; the supply shaft is inserted into the second shaft positioning groove. The second housing is provided with a third shaft positioning groove, which communicates with the second cavity and extends from the second mounting opening to the shaft center of the recycling shaft; the recycling shaft is inserted into the third shaft positioning groove.

[0013] As can be seen above, since the spindle positioning grooves extend from the corresponding mounting openings to the corresponding spindle centers, when placing paper rolls, supply spindles, or recycling spindles, the guiding effect of the spindle positioning grooves can guide the spindle components to the accurate spindle center position without requiring perfect alignment. This design further reduces the operational difficulty of placing components and further improves the assembly efficiency of the consumable box.

[0014] A further embodiment includes at least one of the following: the joint between the first housing and the first cover is located at the axis of the core; at least a portion of the first cavity is disposed in the first cover; the first cover is also provided with a fourth axis positioning groove, the fourth axis positioning groove and the first axis positioning groove are opposite to each other and form a first axis positioning hole; the second shaft segment is located in the first axis positioning hole; the first cover is provided with a fifth axis positioning groove, the fifth axis positioning groove and the second axis positioning groove are opposite to each other and form a second axis positioning hole; the supply shaft is located in the second axis positioning hole; the second cover is provided with a sixth axis positioning groove, the sixth axis positioning groove and the third axis positioning groove are opposite to each other and form a third axis positioning hole; the recycle shaft is located in the third axis positioning hole.

[0015] As can be seen from the above, although the axial positioning groove on the cartridge body can accurately position the core, supply shaft, and recycle shaft to their axial positions during assembly, these internal structures are under stress and rotating during operation. The core, supply shaft, and recycle shaft may jump and disengage from their axial positions under stress, thus affecting printing. Therefore, this invention also provides another axial positioning groove on the first and second covers, opposite to the axial positioning groove on the cartridge body. These two opposing semi-circular positioning grooves form a circular axial positioning hole, further stably confining these rotating components to their fixed axial positions.

[0016] A further embodiment includes at least one of the following: a first axial positioning hole extending axially to the outside of the first housing; a second axial positioning hole extending axially to the outside of the second housing; and a third axial positioning groove and a third axial positioning hole extending axially to the outside of the second housing.

[0017] As can be seen from the above, both the supply shaft and the recovery shaft need to be driven. The second axial positioning hole where the axial section of the supply shaft is located, and the third axial positioning hole where the axial end of the recovery shaft is located, need to be connected to the outside of the box. In particular, the axial end of the recovery shaft needs to be connected to a gear, and this gear needs to be set to the outside of the second box. The axial through-hole design of the third axial positioning groove allows the recovery shaft to be placed into the second box after assembly, that is, after the complete gear set is assembled and forms an integral module, without the gear obstructing the placement process. In addition, this application does not use the protruding short shaft in the half shell of the prior art to position the core, but instead uses a support member. Since the first axial center does not need a short shaft and a side wall for the short shaft to base, the setting of the first axial positioning hole extending axially to the outside of the first box can eliminate the side wall thickness of the outer shell and reduce the width of the outer shell.

[0018] A further embodiment is that the first cartridge body is provided with a first arc-shaped protrusion, the first arc-shaped protrusion protruding from the surface of the first cartridge body, and the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion coincides with the axis of the core, and the first arc-shaped protrusion is set along the edge of the first axis positioning groove, the first arc-shaped protrusion being used for axis positioning engagement with the printer; and / or, the first cartridge body is also provided with a positioning protrusion protruding from its own surface, the protrusion direction of the positioning protrusion being perpendicular to the axial direction, the positioning protrusion being used for axial positioning engagement with the printer.

[0019] As can be seen from the above, although the side walls of both the cartridge body and the lid restrict and position the second axis segment of the support, the relatively thin side walls are insufficient to bear the weight of the paper roll, core, and support, as well as the forces generated by rotation. This is especially true when the cartridge body and lid separate, compromising the integrity of the side walls and weakening their strength. Therefore, this invention also provides a first arc-shaped protrusion at the edge of the first axial positioning groove to reinforce the side walls at stress points. Furthermore, the outer contour of the first arc-shaped protrusion can be used for axial positioning with the printer's recess, ensuring stable and reliable assembly of the consumable cartridge and printer. The first arc-shaped protrusion achieves the dual functions of structural reinforcement and axial positioning with the printer. Additionally, the positioning protrusion is used for axial positioning with the printer, ensuring stable and reliable assembly of the consumable cartridge and printer.

[0020] A further embodiment involves a first flange protruding from the surface of the first box body and positioned along the edge of the first box body at the joint. The first flange connects with a first arc-shaped protrusion. A second arc-shaped protrusion and a second flange are connected to the first cover. Both protrude from the surface of the first cover, with the center of the second arc-shaped protrusion coinciding with the axis of the core. The second arc-shaped protrusion is positioned along the edge of a fourth axis positioning groove and is used for axis positioning with the printer. The second flange is positioned along the edge of the first cover at the joint. The first flange and the second flange are opposite and engage with each other along the closing direction of the first cover.

[0021] As can be seen from the above, similar to the first arc protrusion, the second arc protrusion serves the dual purpose of structural reinforcement and positioning with the printer axis; similarly, the setting of the first flange and the second flange can also strengthen the structural strength of the box body and the cover at the joint, and the wider first flange and the second flange make it easier to set more structures to cooperate with each other so that the box body and the cover are more stably and firmly joined.

[0022] A further embodiment includes at least one of the following: a first flange is provided with a first locking protrusion, and a second flange is provided with a second locking groove, the first locking protrusion and the second locking groove cooperating in the covering direction; a first flange is provided with a first locking groove, and a second flange is provided with a second locking protrusion, the second locking protrusion and the first locking groove cooperating in the covering direction; one of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a positioning post, and the other of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a positioning hole, the positioning post and the positioning hole cooperating in the covering direction; one of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a buckle, and the other of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a latch, the buckle and the latch engaging.

[0023] As can be seen from the above, with this design, when the box body and the lid are closed, they can not only be positioned first, but also lock together after positioning, and then be fastened tightly. Therefore, it can ensure that the box body and the lid are stably and firmly connected, and have stronger resistance to drops and impacts.

[0024] A further proposed solution is to arrange multiple first card protrusions and multiple first card slots in two rows along the width direction of the first flange, with multiple first card protrusions and multiple first card slots in each row arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first flange, and the first card protrusions and first card slots being arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the first flange between adjacent rows.

[0025] As can be seen from the above, under this configuration, the interlocking concave and convex structures arranged in two rows provide excellent restraint in both the width and length directions of the outer shell, preventing the box body and lid from separating and further enhancing its resistance to impact forces from all directions.

[0026] Another further embodiment is that the first box body includes a first sidewall, and a second axial positioning groove is disposed on the first sidewall. The first sidewall includes a first side portion and a second side portion located on both sides of the groove opening of the second axial positioning groove. The second box body includes a second sidewall, and a third axial positioning groove is disposed on the second sidewall. The connecting arm is wall-shaped and extends along the second sidewall toward the first sidewall. The extended end of the connecting arm is located on the axial outer side of the first sidewall and connects between the first side portion and the second side portion.

[0027] As can be seen from the above, this design serves two purposes: firstly, it strengthens the structure of the first box body to resist deformation; secondly, it reduces the width of the outer shell. In the first aspect, because the supply shaft is very close to the bottom of the first box body, the second axial positioning groove, extending downwards from the first mounting opening at the top and penetrating both sides of the first sidewall thickness, almost divides the first sidewall into two separate parts. Since the outer shell is mostly injection molded, this design makes the second axial positioning groove a weak point, and the bottom wall of the first box body is prone to bending deformation directly opposite the second axial positioning groove. Therefore, this invention cleverly utilizes the extended end of the connecting arm to connect the first and second sides of the second axial positioning groove opening, thus reinforcing the first sidewall and effectively preventing the aforementioned bending deformation. In the second aspect, the connecting arm in the background art is a protrusion-shaped connection to the axial outer side of the first box body. This design makes it unnecessary to increase the width of the outer shell, and the maximum width of the paper roll it can accommodate is also smaller. Therefore, this invention sets the extended end of the connecting arm into a wall shape, reducing the external width of the outer shell and making its internal width larger, enabling the placement of wider paper rolls. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the first structure of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a second exploded view of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the bottom shell of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention from a first-view perspective.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the bottom shell of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention from a second perspective.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the bottom shell of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention from a third-person perspective.

[0035] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the first cover of the printing consumable box embodiment of the present invention from a first perspective.

[0036] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the first cover of the printing consumable box embodiment of the present invention from a second perspective.

[0037] Figure 10 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the second cover of an embodiment of the printing consumable box of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram showing the installation of the printing consumable box embodiment of the present invention, including the core, supply shaft, and recycling shaft, onto the base shell.

[0040] Figure 13 This is a structural diagram of the printer body that is used in conjunction with an embodiment of the printing consumables box of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The printing consumable box provided by the present invention includes a shell 1, a paper tape 9, a core 90, a support 5, a carbon ribbon 6, a supply shaft 71, and a recycling shaft 72.

[0042] See also Figure 2 The outer casing 1 includes a first box 11, a connecting arm 29, and a second box 12 connected sequentially along a first direction (left and right direction in the figure). The first box 11 is provided with a first cavity 210 and an outlet 201. The second box 12 is provided with a second cavity 220 and an inlet 202. The two connecting arms 29, which are arranged left and right at intervals, form a paper feeding channel 290 with an open top and bottom. The first cavity 210, the outlet 201, the paper feeding channel 290, the inlet 202 and the second cavity 220 are connected sequentially.

[0043] The core 90 and the supply shaft 71 are disposed in the first cavity 210, and the take-up shaft 72 is disposed in the second cavity 220. Paper tape 9 is wound around the core 90 and exits from the outlet 201 to the paper feed channel 290. Carbon ribbon 6 is wound between the supply shaft 71 and the take-up shaft 72 and extends between the outlet 201, the paper feed channel 290, and the inlet 202. Paper tape 9 and carbon ribbon 6 overlap at the paper feed channel 290 and cooperate with the printer head and rollers to complete printing. The core 90, supply shaft 71, and take-up shaft 72 are parallel to each other.

[0044] Combination Figure 3 The outer shell 1 is divided into three parts: a bottom shell 2, a first cover 3, and a second cover 4. The bottom shell 2, the first cover 3, and the second cover 4 are all integrally formed. The bottom shell 2 includes a first box body 21, a connecting arm 29, and a second box body 22 connected sequentially along a first direction. The first box body 11 includes the first box body 21 and the first cover 3, which are closed to form a first cavity 210. The second box body 11 includes the second box body 22 and the second cover 4, which are closed to form a second cavity 220.

[0045] Combined Figure 4The first housing 21 has a first mounting port 2109 that opens radially along the core 90, and the second housing 22 has a second mounting port 2209 that opens radially along the take-up shaft 72. Both the second mounting port 2209 and the first mounting port 2109 face upwards. The first mounting port 2109 communicates with the outlet 201, and the second mounting port 2209 communicates with the inlet 202. The first cover 3 is closed onto the first mounting port 2109 of the first housing 21 to form the first housing 11 described above. The second cover 4 is closed onto the second mounting port 2209 of the second housing 22 to form the second housing 12 described above. That is, in contrast to the axial division of the prior art, the present invention divides the outer shell radially, and further divides the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, thereby allowing internal components such as the paper tape 9, core 90, support member 5, carbon ribbon 6, supply shaft 71, and take-up shaft 72 to be radially inserted into their respective cavities.

[0046] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first box body 21 and the first cover 3 are joined at the joint L, which is the plane where the axis of the core 90 is located. In this division, the lower half of the first cavity 210 of the first box body 11 is the internal space of the first box body 21, and the upper half of the first cavity 210 is the internal space of the first cover 3. Unlike the division of the first box body 11, the joint between the second box body 22 and the second cover 4 is located near the top of the second box body 12. The second cavity 220 is entirely inside the second box body 22, and the second cover 4 mainly serves as a top cover.

[0047] See Figures 5 to 7 The first box body 21 includes two first side walls 23, an arc wall 241, and a rear wall 242. The first box body 21 has its bottom end facing away from the first cover 3 and its front end facing away from the second box body 22. The arc wall 241 extends from the bottom end of the first box body 21 along an arc to the front end. The width direction of the first side walls 23 is consistent with the axial direction of the core 90. The two first side walls 23 are located at opposite ends of the width direction of the first box body 21 and are respectively connected to the two ends of the arc wall 241. The rear wall 242 is located at the rear end of the first box body 21 and is connected between the edges of the two first side walls 23 and the bottom edge of the arc wall 241. Thus, the first side walls 23, the arc wall 241, and the rear wall 242 surround the internal space of the first box body 21, and the arc wall 241 blocks the internal space from both the bottom and the front.

[0048] See also Figures 5 to 7Both first sidewalls 23 are provided with a first axial positioning groove 230 and a second axial positioning groove 240. The first axial positioning groove 230 extends from the first mounting port 2109 to the axial center of the core 90, and the second axial positioning groove 240 extends from the first mounting port 2109 to the axial center of the supply shaft 71. Both the first axial positioning groove 230 and the second axial positioning groove 240 pass through the inner and outer sides of the first box body 21 along the axial direction of the core 90.

[0049] Since the spindle core 90 is located at the first mounting port 2109, the first spindle positioning groove 230 is set as a semi-circular groove with an upward opening; and since the supply shaft 71 is located at the bottom away from the first mounting port 2109, the second spindle positioning groove 240 is set as a U-shaped groove with an upward opening.

[0050] The first box body 21 is provided with a first arc-shaped protrusion 261 and a first flange 262. Both the first arc-shaped protrusion 261 and the first flange 262 protrude from the surface of the first box body 21. The first arc-shaped protrusion 261 is provided along the edge of the first axial positioning groove 230 and the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion 261 coincides with the axis of the core 90. The first flange 262 is provided along the edge of the first box body 21 located at the joint L, that is, along the edge of the first mounting opening 2309. The first flange 262 and the first arc-shaped protrusion 261 are connected to form a "U"-shaped reinforcing rib structure at the edge of the opening of the first box body 21.

[0051] Furthermore, combined Figure 13 The printer body 8, which cooperates with the printing consumable cartridge of the present invention, has a placement position 801. A support base 82 is provided within the placement position 801. An axial positioning groove 820 is provided on the support base 82, and an axial positioning groove 830 and a limiting step 831 are provided within the placement position 801. The first cartridge body 21 also has a positioning protrusion 27 protruding from its surface, the protrusion direction of which is perpendicular to the axial direction. When the first cartridge body 21 is placed in the placement position 801, the first arc-shaped protruding edge 261 can enter the semi-circular axial positioning groove 820 to achieve axial positioning engagement with the outer shell 1. The positioning protrusion 27 cooperates with the axial positioning groove 830 to mutually limit each other axially, achieving axial positioning engagement between the outer shell 1 and the printer body 8. In addition, the first flange 262 engages with the limiting step 831 for limiting engagement.

[0052] See Figure 5 The second box body 22 includes two second sidewalls 25 on opposite sides of the axial direction of the recycling shaft 72. Each of the two second sidewalls 25 is provided with a third axial positioning groove 250 extending from the second mounting port 2209 to the center of the recycling shaft 72 and penetrating along the axial direction of the recycling shaft 72 to the outside of the second box body 22. The third axial positioning groove 250 has a U-shaped bottom with an arc.

[0053] Furthermore, the connecting arm 29 is wall-shaped and extends from the second sidewall 25 toward the first sidewall 23. The first sidewall 23 includes a first side portion 2401 and a second side portion 2402 located on both sides of the opening of the second axial positioning groove 240. Since the position of the supply shaft 71 is very close to the bottom of the first housing 21, the second axial positioning groove 240, which extends downward from the first mounting port 2109 at the top, points to the axis of the supply shaft 71, and penetrates both sides of the thickness of the first sidewall 23, almost divides the first sidewall 23 into two separate parts. Since the outer shell 1 is mostly injection molded, this configuration makes the second axial positioning groove 240 a weak point, and the bottom wall of the first housing 11 is prone to bending deformation at the location directly opposite the second axial positioning groove 240. In this invention, the extended end portion 299 of the connecting arm 29 is located on the axially outer side of the first sidewall 23 and connects the first side portion 2401 and the second side portion 2402. By using the extended end of the connecting arm 29 to connect the first side portion 2401 and the second side portion 2402 on both sides of the second axis positioning groove 240, the first side wall 23 is reinforced, effectively preventing the aforementioned bending deformation.

[0054] See Figure 4 In this invention, the paper roll consisting of paper tape 9 and core 90 is mounted by two support members 5. The support member 5 includes a first shaft section 51 and a second shaft section 52 arranged opposite to each other along the axial direction of the core 90. The first shaft section 51 is sleeved with the core 90, and the second shaft section 52 protrudes away from the core 90 along the axial direction of the core 90.

[0055] Combination Figure 12 The core 90 of the paper tape 9 and the supply shaft 71 of the carbon ribbon 6 are installed into the first housing 21 through the first mounting port 2109. The second shaft sections 52 of the two support members 5 on both sides of the paper roll are respectively placed into the two first shaft center positioning slots 230 to achieve shaft center positioning and support the second shaft sections 52. The axial ends of the supply shaft 71 are respectively placed into the two second shaft center positioning slots 240. After the driven gear 729 of the carbon ribbon 6 is installed, the take-up shaft 72 of the carbon ribbon 6 is installed into the second housing 22 through the second mounting port 2209. The axial ends of the carbon ribbon 6 are respectively placed into the two third shaft center positioning slots 250.

[0056] See Figures 8 to 10 The first cover 3 has a generally semi-cylindrical outer contour. Two third sidewalls 34 are provided on both sides of the first cover 3. The third sidewalls 34 include an edge located at the joint L. A fourth axial positioning groove 330 is provided at the edge of the third sidewall 34 in an upward semi-circular recess.

[0057] Furthermore, the first cover 3 is provided with a second arc-shaped protruding edge 361 and a second flange 362 that are connected to form a "U"-shaped reinforcing rib structure. Both the second arc-shaped protruding edge 361 and the second flange 362 protrude from the surface of the first cover 3. The second flange 362 is provided along the edge of the first cover 3 located at the joint L. The second arc-shaped protruding edge 361 is provided along the edge of the fourth axial positioning groove 330 and the center of the second arc-shaped protruding edge 361 coincides with the axis of the core 90. The semi-circular outer contour of the second arc-shaped protruding edge 361 can be used to perform axial positioning engagement with the axial positioning groove of the printer cover.

[0058] Combination Figure 6 and Figure 7 On the first box body 21, the portion of the first flange 262 located on the arc wall 241 is provided with a first locking protrusion 263 and a first locking groove 264, and the portion of the first flange 262 located on the first side wall 23 is provided with a positioning post 265 and a locking slot 266. Specifically, on the portion of the first flange 262 located on the arc wall 241, multiple first locking protrusions 263 and multiple first locking grooves 264 are arranged in two rows along the width direction of the portion of the first flange 262 located on the arc wall 241. In each row, the multiple first locking protrusions 263 and multiple first locking grooves 264 are spaced apart along the length direction of the portion of the first flange 262 located on the arc wall 241. Between adjacent rows, the first locking protrusions 263 and the first locking grooves 264 are positioned opposite each other along the width direction of the first flange 262. The width direction is the radial direction of the core 90, and the length direction is the axial direction of the core 90.

[0059] Similarly, on the first cover 3, the transverse side of the second flange 362 is provided with a second locking protrusion 363 and a second locking groove 364, and the side portion of the second flange 362 located on the third side wall 34 is provided with a positioning hole 365 and a latch 366. On the transverse side of the second flange 362, multiple second locking protrusions 363 and multiple second locking grooves 364 are arranged in two rows along the width direction of the transverse side of the second flange 362. In each row, the multiple second locking protrusions 363 and multiple second locking grooves 364 are spaced apart along the length direction of the transverse side of the second flange 362. Between adjacent rows, the second locking protrusions 363 and second locking grooves 364 are positioned opposite each other along the width direction of the second flange 362. The width direction is the radial direction of the core 90, and the length direction is the axial direction of the core 90.

[0060] In addition, the third sidewall 34 also includes an extension wall portion 341 that protrudes downward from the edge of the joint L. The extension end of the extension wall portion 341 is provided with a fifth axial positioning groove 340 that is concave and arc-shaped and opens downward in the closing direction of the first cover 3.

[0061] The first cover 3 is closed onto the first box body 21. The first flange 262 and the second flange 362 are opposite to and cooperate with each other along the closing direction of the first cover 3. The positioning post 265 and the positioning hole 365 are cooperated with each other along the closing direction. The first latching protrusion 263 and the second latching groove 364 are cooperated with each other along the closing direction. The second latching protrusion 363 and the first latching groove 264 are cooperated with each other along the closing direction. The buckle 366 and the latching opening 266 are engaged. The fourth axial positioning groove 330 and the first axial positioning groove 230 are opposite to each other and form the first axial positioning hole, and the second shaft segment 52 is restricted in the first axial positioning hole. The fifth axial positioning groove 340 and the second axial positioning groove 240 are opposite to each other and form the second axial positioning hole, and the supply shaft 71 is restricted in the second axial positioning hole.

[0062] Combined Figure 11 The second cover 4 has two side stops 45 on each side of its axial direction. The lower end of the side stops 45 has a sixth axial positioning groove 450 that is recessed upward in an arc. The second cover 4 is closed onto the second box body 22. The sixth axial positioning groove 450 and the third axial positioning groove 250 are opposite to each other and form a third axial positioning hole. The recovery shaft 72 is confined in the third axial positioning hole.

[0063] The paper roll and ribbon assembly of this invention are placed in one step, eliminating the problem of difficult axial positioning. Placement does not affect subsequent closing, thus simplifying assembly. Specifically, the placement of the ribbon 6, its supply shaft 71, and its return shaft 72 are not considered in terms of ribbon 6. After placing the supply shaft 71 into the first cavity 210 and the return shaft 72 into the second cavity 220, the ribbon 6 naturally reaches the outlet 201, the paper path 290, and the inlet 202. Therefore, this invention significantly reduces the assembly difficulty of integrated printing consumable boxes and effectively improves production efficiency.

[0064] In other embodiments, the junction between the first cover and the first box body is located above the axis of the core. In this configuration, the first axis positioning groove is U-shaped, and this design increases the volume of the first box body.

[0065] In other embodiments, the opening direction of the first mounting port is different from that of the second mounting port. For example, the opening direction of the first mounting port and the opening direction of the second mounting port form an angle of less than 90 degrees, with the first mounting port opening forward and upward, and the second mounting port opening backward and upward. Naturally, the opening direction of the first mounting port corresponds to the closing direction of the first cover, and the opening direction of the second mounting port corresponds to the closing direction of the second cover.

[0066] In other embodiments, it is also considered to configure the first cover and / or the second cover as semi-transparent to facilitate observation of the consumables at any time.

[0067] In other embodiments, neither the first flange nor the second flange is provided.

[0068] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A printing consumable box, comprising a shell, paper tape, core, ribbon, supply shaft and recycling shaft, wherein the shell comprises a first box body, a connecting arm and a second box body connected sequentially along a first direction, the first box body is provided with a first cavity and an outlet, the second box body is provided with a second cavity and an inlet, a paper feeding channel is formed at the connecting arm, and the first cavity, the outlet, the paper feeding channel, the inlet and the second cavity are sequentially connected; The core and the supply shaft are disposed in the first cavity, the recycling shaft is disposed in the second cavity, the paper tape is wound around the core, and the carbon ribbon is wound between the supply shaft and the recycling shaft. Its features are: The first box body includes a first box body and a first lid, the first box body and the first lid being closed to form the first cavity; the second box body includes a second box body and a second lid, the second box body and the second lid being closed to form the second cavity; the connecting arm is connected between the first box body and the second box body. The first housing is provided with a first mounting port of the first cavity. The first mounting port opens radially along the core and communicates with the outlet. The core and the supply shaft are mounted through the first mounting port. The second box body is provided with a second mounting port of the second cavity. The second mounting port opens radially along the recycling shaft and communicates with the inlet. The recycling shaft is installed through the second mounting port.

2. The printing consumable box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The printing consumable box also includes a support member, which includes a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment arranged opposite to each other along the axial direction of the core. The first shaft segment is sleeved with the core, and the second shaft segment is supported by the first box body. The support member is installed into the first cavity together with the core through the first mounting port.

3. The printing consumable box according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first box body is provided with a first axis positioning groove, which is connected to the first cavity and extends from the first mounting port to the axis of the core. The second shaft segment is inserted into the first axis positioning groove. The first box body is provided with a second axial positioning groove, which communicates with the first cavity and extends from the first mounting port to the center of the supply shaft, and the supply shaft is placed into the second axial positioning groove. The second box body is provided with a third axial positioning groove, which is connected to the second cavity and extends from the second mounting port to the center of the recycling shaft, into which the recycling shaft is placed.

4. The printing consumable box according to claim 3, characterized in that: Includes at least one of the following: The junction of the first box body and the first cover is located at the axis of the core. At least a portion of the first cavity is disposed in the first cover. The first cover is also provided with a fourth axis positioning groove. The fourth axis positioning groove and the first axis positioning groove are opposite to each other and form a first axis positioning hole. The second shaft segment is located in the first axis positioning hole. The first cover is provided with a fifth axial positioning groove, which is opposite to the second axial positioning groove and forms a second axial positioning hole, and the supply shaft is located in the second axial positioning hole; The second cover is provided with a sixth axial positioning groove, which is opposite to the third axial positioning groove and forms a third axial positioning hole, and the recycling shaft is located in the third axial positioning hole.

5. The printing consumable box according to claim 4, characterized in that: Includes at least one of the following: The first axial positioning hole extends through the axial direction to the outside of the first housing; The second axial positioning hole extends through the axial direction to the outside of the second housing; The third axial positioning groove and the third axial positioning hole extend through the axial direction to the outside of the second housing.

6. The printing consumable box according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The first box body is provided with a first arc-shaped protrusion. The first arc-shaped protrusion protrudes from the surface of the first box body, and the center of the first arc-shaped protrusion coincides with the axis of the core. The first arc-shaped protrusion is provided along the edge of the first axis positioning groove. The first arc-shaped protrusion is used to perform axis positioning with the printer. And / or, The first box body is also provided with a positioning protrusion protruding from its own surface. The protrusion direction of the positioning protrusion is perpendicular to the axial direction. The positioning protrusion is used to perform positioning engagement with the printer in the axial direction.

7. The printing consumable box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first box body is provided with a first flange, the first flange protrudes from the surface of the first box body, and the first flange is provided along the edge of the first box body located at the joint, and the first flange is connected to the first arc-shaped convex edge; The first cover is provided with a second arc-shaped protrusion and a second flange that are connected. Both the second arc-shaped protrusion and the second flange protrude from the surface of the first cover. The center of the second arc-shaped protrusion coincides with the axis of the core and the second arc-shaped protrusion is provided along the edge of the fourth axis positioning groove. The second arc-shaped protrusion is used for axis positioning with the printer. The second flange is provided along the edge of the first cover located at the joint. The first flange and the second flange are opposite to and cooperate with each other along the closing direction of the first cover.

8. The printing consumable box according to claim 7, characterized in that: Includes at least one of the following: The first flange is provided with a first locking protrusion, and the second flange is provided with a second locking groove. The first locking protrusion and the second locking groove cooperate along the covering direction. The first flange is provided with a first slot, and the second flange is provided with a second protrusion, the second protrusion engaging with the first slot along the covering direction; One of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a positioning post, and the other of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a positioning hole. The positioning post and the positioning hole are engaged in the covering direction. One of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a buckle, and the other of the first flange and the second flange is provided with a latch, wherein the buckle engages with the latch.

9. The printing consumable box according to claim 8, characterized in that: Multiple first card protrusions and multiple first card slots are arranged in two columns along the side width direction of the first flange. In each column, multiple first card protrusions and multiple first card slots are arranged at intervals along the side length direction of the first flange. Between adjacent columns, the first card protrusions and the first card slots are arranged opposite each other along the side width direction of the first flange.

10. The printing consumable box according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that: The first box body includes a first side wall, and the second axial positioning groove is disposed on the first side wall. The first side wall includes a first side portion and a second side portion located on both sides of the groove opening of the second axial positioning groove. The second box body includes a second sidewall, the third axial positioning groove is disposed on the second sidewall, the connecting arm is wall-shaped and extends along the second sidewall toward the first sidewall, and the extended end of the connecting arm is located on the axial outside of the first sidewall and connects between the first side and the second side.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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