Printer ribbon cartridge

Abstract

The utility model discloses a printer ribbon cartridge. The printer ribbon cartridge comprises a housing, a cover body and a ribbon collection assembly. The shell is provided with a containing cavity, the containing cavity is used for storing a ribbon core, the two ends of the shell are provided with a ribbon inlet and a ribbon outlet respectively, the ribbon inlet and the ribbon outlet are communicated with the containing cavity, the bottom of the containing cavity is provided with a plurality of first protruding strips, and the tops of the first protruding strips are used for abutting against one side of the ribbon core; the cover body covers the shell; the ribbon collecting assembly is arranged in the shell and located at the end, close to the ribbon inlet, of the shell, and the ribbon core is arranged in the ribbon collecting assembly in a penetrating mode and penetrates out of the end, close to the ribbon outlet, of the shell. The ribbon core is placed in the containing cavity, the contact area between the ribbon core and the inner wall of the bottom of the shell can be reduced through abutting of the first protruding strips, and therefore the friction force of the shell to the ribbon core is reduced, the ribbon core can be smoothly sent out from the ribbon outlet, it can be ensured that the ribbon core is smoothly output, and the printing process is smoother.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of consumables for dot matrix printers, and in particular to a printer ribbon cartridge. Background Technology

[0002] Ribbons are a common printing consumable. From the earliest mechanical impact printers to later computer dot matrix printers, ribbons have always been used as printing consumables to produce printing effects on paper.

[0003] Currently, existing ribbon cartridges are designed to ensure smooth tape output to guarantee print quality. However, existing ribbon cartridges are prone to jamming and stalling, which prevents the ribbon core from functioning properly and consequently affects print quality. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a printer ribbon cartridge that ensures the ribbon core is fed out smoothly, resulting in smoother printing.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the printer ribbon cartridge includes:

[0006] Cover;

[0007] The housing has a receiving cavity, and a cover is provided on the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is used to store ribbon cores. The two ends of the housing are respectively provided with a ribbon inlet and a ribbon outlet, which are respectively connected to the receiving cavity. The bottom of the receiving cavity is provided with a plurality of first protrusions, and the top of the first protrusions is used to abut against one side of the ribbon core.

[0008] A tape take-up assembly is disposed in the housing and located at one end of the housing near the tape inlet. The ribbon core is inserted into the tape take-up assembly and exits from one end of the housing near the tape outlet.

[0009] The printer ribbon cartridge according to this embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By placing the ribbon core in the receiving cavity and abutting it against the first protrusion, the contact area between the ribbon core and the bottom inner wall of the housing can be reduced, thereby reducing the frictional force of the housing on the ribbon core, and thus allowing the ribbon core to be smoothly fed out of the tape outlet in the receiving cavity. The printer ribbon of this embodiment ensures smooth output of the ribbon core, making the printing process smoother.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a partition is further provided in the receiving cavity of the housing, and a channel is provided between the partition and the inner wall of the housing. The channel connects the tape inlet and the tape outlet, and the ribbon core passes through the channel and exits through the tape outlet.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of guide posts are provided in the receiving cavity on one side of the partition, and the plurality of guide posts are arranged in sequence, with the ribbon core wound sequentially between the guide posts.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the tape winding assembly includes: a drive gear without a stop fork and a driven gear without a stop fork, the drive gear without a stop fork and the driven gear without a stop fork are located in the receiving cavity, the drive gear without a stop fork and the driven gear without a stop fork mesh with each other, and the colored tape core is wound between the drive gear without a stop fork and the driven gear without a stop fork.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the two ends of the housing are respectively provided with clearance portions, which are located on one side of the inlet and the outlet.

[0014] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this utility model will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a ribbon cartridge in the prior art.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a printer ribbon cartridge according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another perspective of the printer ribbon cartridge;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The diagram shown is an exploded view of the printer ribbon cartridge.

[0020] Figure label:

[0021] 1. Belt fork; 2. Steel plate; 31a. Drive gear; 32b. Driven gear; 3. Baffle;

[0022] 10 housing; 11 receiving cavity; 12 belt inlet; 13 belt outlet; 14 first protrusion; 15 partition; 151 channel; 152 guide post; 17 clearance part;

[0023] Cover 20;

[0024] Belt winding assembly 30; belt forkless drive gear 31; belt forkless driven gear 32. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0026] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. If "first" or "second" is used in the description, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0028] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0029] Reference Figures 2 to 4According to an embodiment of the present invention, the printer ribbon cartridge includes a housing 10, a cover 20, and a tape take-up assembly 30. The housing 10 has a receiving cavity 11 for storing the ribbon core. The housing 10 has a tape inlet 12 and a tape outlet 13 at its two ends, respectively, which communicate with the receiving cavity 11. The bottom of the receiving cavity 11 is provided with a plurality of first protrusions 14, the tops of which abut against one side of the ribbon core. The cover 20 covers the housing 10. The tape take-up assembly 30 is disposed within the housing 10, located at the end of the housing 10 closest to the tape inlet 12. The ribbon core passes through the tape take-up assembly 30 and exits from the end of the housing 10 closest to the tape outlet 13.

[0030] Specifically, the housing 10 is the main structure of the ribbon cartridge and has a receiving cavity 11 for storing the ribbon core. The design of the receiving cavity 11 ensures that the ribbon core can be placed stably inside, preventing shaking or displacement during printer operation. An inlet 12 and an outlet 13 are respectively provided at both ends of the housing 10. Both the inlet 12 and the outlet 13 communicate with the receiving cavity 11, allowing the ribbon core to enter from the inlet 12, pass through the receiving cavity 11, and finally exit from the outlet 13. At the bottom of the receiving cavity 11, several first protrusions 14 are provided. The tops of these first protrusions 14 abut against one side of the ribbon core, reducing the contact area between the ribbon core and the bottom of the housing 10, thereby reducing the friction between them and allowing the ribbon core to be smoothly conveyed out. However, it is important to note that the extension direction of the first protrusion 14 should avoid coinciding with the conveying direction of the ribbon core. That is, the extension direction of the first protrusion 14 should form an angle with the conveying direction of the ribbon core. This ensures that the side of the ribbon core stably abuts against the top of the first protrusion 14, guaranteeing stable conveying of the ribbon core. The cover 20 is placed on the housing 10, forming a closed structure for the ribbon cartridge together with the housing 10. The design of the cover 20 not only protects the ribbon core from external environmental contamination but also increases the overall structural strength of the ribbon cartridge. The take-up assembly 30 is disposed within the housing 10, located at the end of the housing 10 near the inlet 12. The take-up assembly 30 is designed to fix and guide the ribbon core, ensuring that the ribbon core can be smoothly taken into the receiving cavity 11 from the inlet 12. The ribbon core passes through the take-up assembly 30 and exits from the end of the housing 10 near the outlet 13. This design allows the ribbon core to move smoothly during printing, ensuring printing continuity and stability.

[0031] In use, the ribbon cartridge is installed in the dot matrix printer. The ribbon core enters the receiving cavity 11 of the housing 10 through the inlet 12, passes through the take-up assembly 30, and finally exits through the outlet 13. When the printer is working, the ribbon core moves under the drive of the print head, printing ink onto the paper through the needles. The design of the first protrusion 14 reduces the contact area between the ribbon core and the bottom of the housing 10, thereby reducing the friction between them and allowing the ribbon core to be smoothly conveyed out. Therefore, it can be understood that the printer ribbon cartridge of this embodiment has the advantages of simple structure, easy manufacturing and replacement. Through the ingenious design of the housing 10, the cover 20 and the take-up assembly 30, the stability and continuity of the ribbon core during the printing process are ensured, thereby improving print quality and efficiency. At the same time, the design of the first protrusion 14 further enhances the smoothness of ribbon core conveying.

[0032] It should be emphasized that the printer ribbon cartridge according to this embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By placing the ribbon core in the receiving cavity 11 and abutting it with the first protrusion 14, the contact area between the ribbon core and the bottom inner wall of the housing 10 can be reduced, thereby reducing the frictional force of the housing 10 on the ribbon core, and thus allowing the ribbon core to be smoothly fed out of the tape outlet 13 in the receiving cavity 11. The printer ribbon of this embodiment ensures smooth output of the ribbon core, making the printing process smoother.

[0033] Reference Figure 4 In some embodiments of this utility model, the tape take-up assembly 30 includes: a drive gear 31 without a stop fork and a driven gear 32 without a stop fork. The drive gear 31 without a stop fork and the driven gear 32 without a stop fork are located in the receiving cavity 11. The drive gear 31 without a stop fork and the driven gear 32 without a stop fork mesh with each other, and the colored tape core is wound between the drive gear 31 without a stop fork and the driven gear 32 without a stop fork.

[0034] Specifically, the tape take-up assembly 30 mainly includes a forkless drive gear 31 and a forkless driven gear 32. Both gears are located within the receiving cavity 11 of the housing 10 and mesh with each other. This design ensures that when the forkless drive gear 31 rotates, the forkless driven gear 32 also rotates at a corresponding speed and direction. The ribbon core is wound between the forkless drive gear 31 and the forkless driven gear 32. Specifically, the ribbon core is wound between the meshing points of the forkless drive gear 31 and the forkless driven gear 32. Thus, when the forkless drive gear 31 is driven to rotate by an external power source (such as the printer's drive mechanism), the ribbon core moves accordingly between the meshing points of the forkless drive gear 31 and the forkless driven gear 32, achieving the purpose of conveying the ribbon core from the outside to the inside. The meshing transmission of the gears allows for smooth conveying of the ribbon core.

[0035] Therefore, during printer operation, the stopless belt fork drive gear 31 is typically connected to the printer's drive mechanism, which provides power to it. When the drive mechanism starts, it drives the stopless belt fork drive gear 31 to rotate, which in turn drives the stopless belt fork driven gear 32 to rotate through the meshing action between the gears. Since the ribbon core is wound between the two gears, as the gears rotate, the ribbon core is smoothly wound into the receiving cavity 11. Because the ribbon core is ring-shaped, and the ribbon core outside the housing 10 is in a taut state, the ribbon core at the other end of the housing 10 can be pulled out from the tape exit 13, thereby ensuring a continuous and stable supply of ribbon core during printing.

[0036] It should be noted that, referring to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a conventional ribbon cartridge structure in the prior art. As can be seen from the figure, the tape take-up assembly 30 in the ribbon cartridge includes a tape-stopping fork 1, which is a fork-shaped component located in the drive gear 31a and driven gear 32b, used to fix or guide the ribbon path. In this embodiment, the drive gear 31a and driven gear 32 without the tape-stopping fork 1 are omitted. This elimination of the tape-stopping fork 1 in this embodiment reduces the need for manual assembly, thereby improving production efficiency and avoiding errors or omissions during manual assembly.

[0037] In the existing ribbon cassette's take-up assembly 30, the drive gear 31a and driven gear 32b mesh with each other, and a guide fork 1 is provided between them. This guide fork 1 is located in the middle of the drive gear 31a and driven gear 32b and is stationary relative to the housing 10. Therefore, it is conceivable that the guide fork 1 can be used to guide the ribbon core into the receiving cavity 11. However, it should be noted that a portion of the guide fork 1 is located in the receiving cavity 11, which reduces the space of the receiving cavity 11. In this embodiment, the take-up assembly 30 does not have the guide fork 1, thereby freeing up space in the receiving cavity 11, making the receiving cavity 11 larger in capacity, and able to accommodate more ribbon cores (for example, a traditional ribbon cassette can only hold a 5-meter ribbon core, but after removing the guide fork 1 and freeing up space, it can hold a 6-meter ribbon core), thereby extending the service life of the ribbon core. Of course, the volume of the shell 10 can be increased, thereby increasing the volume of the receiving cavity 11. Alternatively, a traditional ribbon box that can only hold 5-meter-long ribbon cores can be increased to a receiving cavity 11 that can hold 6-meter-long ribbon cores.

[0038] Reference Figure 4In some embodiments of this utility model, a partition 15 is also provided in the receiving cavity 11 of the housing 10. A channel 151 is provided between the partition 15 and the inner wall of the housing 10. The channel 151 connects the tape inlet 12 and the tape outlet 13. The ribbon core passes through the channel 151 and exits through the tape outlet 13.

[0039] First, the printer ribbon cartridge housing 10 is designed with a receiving cavity 11, which is large enough to house the ribbon core and other necessary mechanical components. The material selection for housing 10 must balance durability and lightweight, typically using high-strength plastic or metal. A partition 15 is installed within the receiving cavity 11 of housing 10. The partition 15 does not completely enclose the two chambers; instead, a channel 151 is left between the partition 15 and the inner wall of housing 10. Channel 151 allows the ribbon to smoothly transition from the cavity on the inlet side 12 to the cavity on the outlet side 13, ensuring continuous and unobstructed ribbon flow between the two chambers. The size and shape of channel 151 must be optimized according to the width and thickness of the ribbon to prevent jamming or excessive wear during ribbon passage.

[0040] It should be noted that, referring to Figure 1 In the ribbon cartridge, a steel sheet 2 is also provided in the flipping cavity 112. One end of the steel sheet 2 is pressed against the tape outlet 13, so that the steel sheet 2 presses down on the ribbon core at the tape outlet 13, which can keep the ribbon strip in a taut state. However, in this embodiment, the ribbon cartridge provided in this embodiment does not have a steel sheet. After multiple printing tests, the ribbon core is still fed smoothly, thereby reducing the cost of the steel sheet.

[0041] Furthermore, referring to Figure 4In some embodiments of this utility model, a plurality of guide posts 152 are provided in the receiving cavity 11 on one side of the partition 15. The guide posts 152 are arranged sequentially, and the ribbon core is wound sequentially between the guide posts 152. Guide posts 152 are provided at the ends of the partition 15. The guide posts 152 are cylindrical or conical in shape, etc., and are located in the cavity on the side of the partition 15 and the tape outlet 13, serving to guide the ribbon core through the channel 151. The material and surface treatment of the guide posts 152 must ensure that wear on the ribbon core is minimized, while maintaining sufficient hardness to support and guide the ribbon. Normally, the guide posts 152 are arranged along the moving path of the ribbon core to ensure that the ribbon core is evenly stressed when passing through the channel 151, avoiding deviation or jamming. The peripheral side of the guide posts 152 is smooth and slightly inclined, or a guide plate (not shown in the figure) is added so that the ribbon core can slide smoothly while reducing friction and wear. After the ribbon cartridge is assembled, the surface of the ribbon core fits snugly against the peripheral side of the guide post 152. This design not only helps maintain the stability of the ribbon core in the channel 151, but also ensures that the ribbon core always moves along a predetermined path during its movement, avoiding print quality problems caused by path deviation. By introducing the guide post 152, this embodiment of the invention not only further optimizes the ribbon's transmission path in the channel 151, but also improves the stability and accuracy of ribbon transmission. This helps reduce ribbon wear and deviation during transmission, extends the ribbon's lifespan, and improves print quality and efficiency.

[0042] Furthermore, it is understandable that by introducing the guide column 152, the traditional steel sheet 2 can be eliminated, thereby eliminating the need for manual assembly of the steel sheet 2. This reduces labor costs and also avoids situations where the steel sheet 2 is missed or incorrectly assembled manually.

[0043] Reference Figures 1 to 4 In some embodiments of this utility model, the two ends of the housing 10 are respectively provided with clearance portions 17, which are located on one side of the tape inlet 12 and the tape outlet 13. In traditional ribbon boxes, the tape inlet 12 and the tape outlet 13 at both ends of the ribbon box are provided with baffles 3 for limiting the ribbon core, which makes the assembly of existing ribbon boxes require manual assembly, resulting in reduced production efficiency. In this embodiment, the traditional baffles 3 are eliminated on one side of the tape inlet 12 and the tape outlet 13 on the housing 10, and clearance portions 17 are provided. The clearance portions 17 can cooperate with the robot arm on the production equipment of the ribbon box, providing the necessary space for the robot arm to rotate, thereby adapting to the automatic production of the equipment and improving the production efficiency of the ribbon box.

[0044] The embodiments of the present utility model have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A printer ribbon cartridge, characterized in that, include: Cover; The housing has a receiving cavity, and a cover is provided on the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is used to store ribbon cores. The two ends of the housing are respectively provided with a ribbon inlet and a ribbon outlet, which are respectively connected to the receiving cavity. The bottom of the receiving cavity is provided with a plurality of first protrusions, and the top of the first protrusions is used to abut against one side of the ribbon core. A tape take-up assembly is disposed in the housing and located at one end of the housing near the tape inlet. The ribbon core is inserted into the tape take-up assembly and exits from one end of the housing near the tape outlet.

2. The printer ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing cavity is further provided with a partition, and there is a channel between the partition and the inner wall of the housing. The channel connects the tape inlet and the tape outlet, and the ribbon core passes through the channel and exits through the tape outlet.

3. The printer ribbon cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that, A plurality of guide posts are provided in the receiving cavity on one side of the partition, and the plurality of guide posts are arranged in sequence, with the ribbon core wound sequentially between the guide posts.

4. The printer ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tape take-up assembly includes: a drive gear without a stop fork and a driven gear without a stop fork, the drive gear without a stop fork and the driven gear without a stop fork are located in the receiving cavity, the drive gear without a stop fork and the driven gear without a stop fork mesh with each other, and the colored tape core is wound between the drive gear without a stop fork and the driven gear without a stop fork.

5. The printer ribbon cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that, The housing is also provided with clearance portions at both ends, which are located on one side of the tape inlet and the tape outlet.

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