Printer

Abstract

The printer comprises a shell, a thermal transfer ribbon box and a switch button, a mounting cavity is formed in the shell, the shell comprises a first side wall, and a first opening communicated with the mounting cavity is formed in the first side wall; the thermal transfer ribbon box penetrates through the first opening and is partially located in the installation cavity, and the thermal transfer ribbon box is detachably installed on the shell. The switch button is arranged on the portion, connected to the first side wall and close to the first opening, of the shell, so that when the hand of a user acts on the switch button to control the running state of the printer, the hand of the user can act on the thermal transfer ribbon box, and the position of the thermal transfer ribbon box relative to the shell is limited. According to the technical scheme, the hand of a user can act on the thermal transfer ribbon box conveniently, so that the thermal transfer ribbon box is limited in the working state of the printer, and the thermal transfer ribbon box is prevented from falling off in the printing process.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of printing technology, and in particular to a printer. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the field of printing technology, a printer is usually composed of a host and a ribbon cartridge. In order to perform a consumable printing operation, a user needs to correctly place the ribbon cartridge inside the host, and then execute a printing task to meet the basic printing requirements.

[0003] However, in actual application, when the printer is in an unstable environment or is subjected to external impact, the ribbon cartridge may be accidentally ejected from the inside of the host, causing it to fail to normally cooperate with the host to complete the printing job. Once the ribbon cartridge is automatically ejected, not only will the ongoing printing task be interrupted, but also problems such as a decline in printing quality and waste of consumables may occur. In addition, frequent reinstallation of the ribbon cartridge also increases the operation complexity and time cost of the user, and reduces the overall work efficiency. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a printer which can effectively prevent the accidental ejection of a ribbon cartridge.

[0005] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a printer, which comprises: a housing having an installation cavity inside, the housing comprising a first side wall provided with a first opening communicating with the installation cavity; a ribbon cartridge inserted through the first opening and partially located in the installation cavity, and the ribbon cartridge being detachably installed in the housing; and a switch button provided on the housing and connected to a portion of the first side wall close to the first opening, so that when a user's hand acts on the switch button to control the running state of the printer, the user's hand can act on the ribbon cartridge and limit the position of the ribbon cartridge relative to the housing.

[0006] In some embodiments, the housing comprises a top wall arranged at an angle with the first side wall, and an edge portion of the top wall is connected to the first side wall, and the switch button is located on the edge portion of the top wall.

[0007] In some embodiments, the ribbon cartridge is inserted into the first opening along a first direction, and the distance from the switch button to the first side wall along the first direction is L, and 4mm≤L≤40mm.

[0008] In some embodiments, the ribbon cartridge is inserted into the first opening along a first direction, and the pressing direction of the switch button and the first direction are arranged at an angle.

[0009] In some embodiments, the carbon ribbon cartridge includes a first locking structure; the housing includes a second locking structure having a first position and a second position, in the first position, a portion of the carbon ribbon cartridge is disposed in the installation cavity, and the second locking structure is connected with the first locking structure to limit the position of the carbon ribbon cartridge relative to the housing; in the second position, the second locking structure releases the locking of the first locking structure to enable the carbon ribbon cartridge to move relative to the housing.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second locking structure includes: a rotating shaft rotatably installed on the housing; a clamping block connected to the rotating shaft; and a handle connected to the clamping block, the handle being used for a user to hold to rotate the handle around the rotating shaft, thereby switching the second locking structure between the first position and the second position; in the first position, the clamping block is in clamping fit with the first locking structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first locking structure has a clamping groove and has a guide wall inclined from a groove opening to a groove bottom of the clamping groove; in the process of the second locking structure moving from the second position to the first position, the guide wall is in contact with the clamping block to guide the clamping block into the clamping groove, and in the first position, the clamping block is clamped in the clamping groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the printer further includes a support provided in the installation cavity; the support has a guide hole, in the first position, the first locking structure passes through the guide hole, and at least a portion of the first locking structure is in abutment with a wall surface of the guide hole.

[0013] In some embodiments, the housing includes a bottom wall provided at an angle with the first side wall; the bottom wall has a second opening, the second locking structure passes through the second opening, and a portion of the second locking structure is located outside the housing.

[0014] In some embodiments, the carbon ribbon cartridge is inserted into the first opening along a first direction, a distance from the second opening to the first side wall along the first direction is D, and 20mm≤D≤35mm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the printer further includes a support seat, the support seat has a support surface used for contacting an external structure, and the support seat is installed on the bottom wall to support the housing; the portion of the second locking structure located outside the housing has a top end, a distance from the top end to the bottom wall is less than a distance from the support surface to the bottom wall.

[0016] In some embodiments, the portion of the second locking structure used for a user to hold is provided with a plurality of anti-slip protrusions.

[0017] In some embodiments, the printer further includes an ejection assembly provided in the installation cavity, the ejection assembly is connected with at least one of the carbon ribbon cartridge and the housing, and in the second position, the ejection assembly acts on the carbon ribbon cartridge to push at least a portion of the carbon ribbon cartridge out of the housing.

[0018] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the carbon ribbon cartridge is smoothly connected with the outer surface of the first sidewall at the first position.

[0019] In some embodiments, the carbon ribbon cartridge comprises a base, an unwinding roller connected to the base and used for accommodating unused carbon ribbon, and a winding roller connected to the base and used for accommodating used carbon ribbon, the winding roller and the unwinding roller are disposed on the same side of the base and side by side; wherein the printer further comprises a support located in the mounting cavity and mounted to the shell, the support has a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole, when the carbon ribbon cartridge is mounted to the shell, the unwinding roller passes through the first mounting hole and contacts with the wall surface of the first mounting hole defined by the support, and the winding roller passes through the second mounting hole and contacts with the wall surface of the second mounting hole defined by the support.

[0020] In the present application, the switch button is arranged at the region of the shell connected with the first sidewall and close to the first opening, so that the hand of the user must cover the exposed part of the carbon ribbon cartridge when pressing the switch button, and the pressure applied by the hand of the user is directly transmitted to the carbon ribbon cartridge, forming an additional pressing force on the carbon ribbon cartridge, which exists continuously during the whole process of operating the switch button, so as to control the running state of the printer and actively limit the displacement freedom of the carbon ribbon cartridge through physical contact of the hand. Even if the carbon ribbon cartridge tends to be ejected due to vibration of the printer, the contact force of the hand can immediately offset the tendency, thereby solving the problem of accidental ejection caused by passive fixation in the prior art, and reducing the operation steps of the user, which can be completed at the same time by one hand. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0022] Figure 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the printer in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 Fig. 2 is a split view of the perspective view of the printer in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 1

[0024] Figure 3 Fig. 3 is a top view of the printer in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 1

[0025] Figure 4 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the carbon ribbon cartridge in the embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 5 Fig. 5 is a split view of the perspective view of the carbon ribbon cartridge in the embodiment of the present application;​​Figure 4 An enlarged schematic view at A in FIG. 1;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic view of the connection between the ribbon cartridge and the bracket in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 7 A Figure 6 A sectional view at B-B in FIG. 1;

[0029] Figure 8 A perspective schematic view of the second locking structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 9 A Figure 1 A bottom view of the printer in FIG. 1;

[0031] Figure 10 A Figure 1 A side view of the printer in FIG. 1.

[0032] Reference Signs:

[0033] 100, printer;

[0034] 1, housing; 11, first side wall; 11a, first opening; 12, top wall; 13, second locking structure; 131, rotating shaft; 132, clamping block; 133, handle; 134, anti-skid protrusion; 14, bottom wall; 14a, second opening;

[0035] 2, ribbon cartridge; 21, first locking structure; 211, clamping groove; 212, guide wall; 22, base; 23, unwinding drum; 24, winding drum;

[0036] 3, switch key;

[0037] 4, bracket; 41, guide hole; 42, first mounting hole; 43, second mounting hole;

[0038] 5, support seat; 5a, support surface;

[0039] X, first direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, further detailed description will be made to the present application in combination with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, and are not used to limit the present application.

[0041] In the field of printing technology, a printer usually comprises a host and a ribbon cartridge. In order to perform a consumable printing operation, a user needs to correctly place the ribbon cartridge in the host, and then execute a printing task to meet the basic printing requirement.

[0042] However, in actual application process, when the printer is in unstable environment or is subjected to external impact, the ribbon cartridge may be accidentally ejected from the inside of the host, causing it to fail to normally cooperate with the host to complete the printing task. Once the ribbon cartridge is automatically ejected, not only the ongoing printing task will be interrupted, but also problems such as printing quality decline and consumable waste may be caused. In addition, frequent reinstallation of the ribbon cartridge also increases the operation complexity and time cost of the user, and reduces the overall work efficiency.

[0043] Please refer to Figures 1-2 To solve the above technical problems, the embodiment of the present application provides a printer 100, which comprises a shell 1, a ribbon cartridge 2 and a switch button 3.

[0044] The shell 1 has a mounting cavity inside, and comprises a first side wall 11 provided with a first opening 11a communicating with the mounting cavity; the ribbon cartridge 2 passes through the first opening 11a and is partially located in the mounting cavity, and the ribbon cartridge 2 is detachably mounted on the shell 1; the switch button 3 is arranged on the shell 1 and connected to the part of the first side wall 11 close to the first opening 11a, so that when the user's hand acts on the switch button 3 to control the running state of the printer 100, the user's hand can act on the ribbon cartridge 2 and limit the position of the ribbon cartridge 2 relative to the shell 1.

[0045] In the present application, the reason why the ribbon cartridge 2 is easily ejected is that, on the one hand, there is an elastic member between the ribbon cartridge 2 and the inside of the shell 1, which is used to exert an ejection force on the ribbon cartridge 2 to solve the problem that the ribbon cartridge 2 is difficult to detach; on the other hand, there is a lack of active constraint between the ribbon cartridge 2 and the shell 1, which is easy to be detached under the condition of vibration or inclination of the printer 100.

[0046] In the present application, the switch button 3 is arranged on the region of the shell 1 connected to the first side wall 11 and close to the first opening 11a, so that when the user presses the switch button 3, the hand must cover the exposed part of the ribbon cartridge 2, and the pressure applied by the user's hand is directly transmitted to the ribbon cartridge 2, forming an additional pressing force on the ribbon cartridge 2. This pressure exists throughout the process of the user operating the switch button 3, so that while controlling the running state of the printer 100, the displacement degree of freedom of the ribbon cartridge 2 is actively limited by the physical contact of the hand. Even if the ribbon cartridge 2 tends to be detached due to vibration of the printer 100, the contact force of the hand can immediately offset this tendency, thereby solving the problem of accidental ejection caused by passive fixation in the prior art, and reducing the operation steps of the user. The state control and the ribbon cartridge 2 limiting can be completed at the same time by one hand.

[0047] In the embodiments of the present application, the shell 1 provides a mounting space for the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 and other components, so that the operation of the printer 100 is not affected by the external environment. The shell 1 has a first side wall 11 and other side walls adjacent to the first side wall 11. The first opening 11a is located at the first side wall 11. The switch button 3 is arranged at the other side wall adjacent to the first side wall 11 and close to the first opening 11a, so as to facilitate the user to fix the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 while operating the switch button 3.

[0048] The switch button 3 is used to control the operation state of the printer 100. The printer 100 includes a start state and a shutdown state. The user can switch the start state and the shutdown state of the printer 100 by pressing the switch button 3. In the start state, the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 is installed in the mounting cavity and cooperates with other components to complete the printing task. In the shutdown state, the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 can be separated from the mounting cavity, so as to maintain or replace other carbon ribbon cartridges 2.

[0049] Further, in order to ensure that the user's hand can synchronize the operation of the switch button 3 and the fixation of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2, the shell 1 includes a top wall 12. The top wall 12 is arranged at an angle with the first side wall 11, and the edge portion of the top wall 12 is connected to the first side wall 11. The switch button 3 is located at the edge portion of the top wall 12. A natural operation area is formed by the angle between the top wall 12 and the first side wall 11. When the user presses the edge of the top wall 12, the user's finger root or index finger naturally abuts against the side edge of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2. The horizontal contact of the hand to the side edge of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 forms a rigid block to the horizontal movement of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2. This not only facilitates the user's operation, but also effectively limits the position of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2, prevents it from being ejected due to external interference, and thus improves the stability and reliability of the printing process.

[0050] Specifically, the top wall 12 is arranged at an angle with the first side wall 11. In some embodiments, the angle is 90°. At this time, the top wall 12 is perpendicular to the first side wall 11, so that when the user holds the printer 100, the thumb presses the switch button 3, and the index finger naturally covers or abuts against the carbon ribbon cartridge 2, thereby effectively limiting the position of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2. Moreover, the top wall 12 is perpendicular to the side wall, and the shell 1 is more regular in shape, which is helpful for the utilization of the internal space of the printer 100 and improves the compactness of the overall structure. In other embodiments, the angle is not equal to 90°. At this time, the top wall 12 is arranged at an angle with the first side wall 11. This non-right-angle arrangement can optimize the structure and functional layout of the shell 1 according to actual needs, and the non-90° angle can conform to the natural pressing posture of the human body (such as the inclined pressing of the thumb), thereby reducing the fatigue of the operation.

[0051] Further, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3, the carbon tape cartridge 2 is inserted into the first opening 11a along the first direction X, and the distance between the switch button 3 and the first side wall 11 along the first direction X is L, 4mm≤L≤40mm. It should be noted that the distance L between the switch button 3 and the first side wall 11 directly affects the range of action of the hand on the carbon tape cartridge 2. When L<4mm, the switch button 3 is too close to the first side wall 11, and when L is too large, i.e., L>40mm, the switch button 3 is far away from the installation area of the carbon tape cartridge 2.

[0052] In the present application, the range of L is limited to 4mm-40mm, which is helpful for the user to operate with one hand and ensures that at least part of the user's thumb, index finger or middle finger covers the end region of the carbon tape cartridge 2 exposed to the first opening 11a when the user presses the switch button 3, which can effectively prevent the carbon tape cartridge 2 from being pulled out.

[0053] Moreover, when L is within the above range, the contact area between the hand and the carbon tape cartridge 2 can be maximized, and the resistance required to pull out the carbon tape cartridge 2 is much greater than the ejection force of the elastic member, thereby precisely optimizing the human-computer interaction relationship at the structural parameter level, improving the user's operation experience and effectively achieving the anti-pulling-out function.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the carbon tape cartridge 2 is inserted into the first opening 11a along the first direction X, and the pressing direction of the switch button 3 is arranged at an angle with the first direction X. Specifically, the pressing direction of the switch button 3 is the second direction, and the second direction is arranged at an angle with the first direction X. The user's thumb presses the switch button 3 along the second direction. Since the thumb and other parts of the hand can be arranged to move within a certain angle range, other parts of the user's hand can easily contact the end region of the carbon tape cartridge 2 exposed to the first opening 11a, thereby facilitating the user to achieve the limiting effect of the carbon tape cartridge 2 while driving the switch button 3. On the other hand, since the pressing direction of the switch button 3 is arranged at an angle with the first direction X, the user's hand can limit the printer 100 from at least two directions, which is convenient for the user to hold the printer 100. During the printing process of the printer 100, the user can quickly control the related functions of the printer 100 by holding the printer 100.

[0055] Please continue to refer to Figures 2-4, the carbon tape box 2 comprises a first locking structure 21; the shell 1 comprises a second locking structure 13, the second locking structure 13 has a first position and a second position, in the first position, part of the carbon tape box 2 is arranged in the installation cavity, and the second locking structure 13 is connected with the first locking structure 21 to limit the position of the carbon tape box 2 relative to the shell 1; in the second position, the second locking structure 13 releases the locking of the first locking structure 21, so that the carbon tape box 2 can move relative to the shell 1. It can be understood that the first locking structure 21 of the carbon tape box 2 and the second locking structure 13 of the shell 1 limit the degree of freedom of the carbon tape box 2 through mechanical interlocking, thereby realizing the locking of the carbon tape box 2 and preventing the ejection of the carbon tape box 2.

[0056] Specifically, when the second locking structure 13 is in the first position, it is rigidly connected with the first locking structure 21, and the freedom of the carbon tape box 2 moving in the first direction X is limited, that is, even if the shell 1 is subjected to strong vibration, the carbon tape box 2 cannot produce any displacement due to mechanical locking, and can stably perform the corresponding work; when it is necessary to disassemble the carbon tape box 2, the second locking structure 13 is switched to the second position, the first locking structure 21 and the second locking structure 13 are separated, thereby releasing the locking of the carbon tape box 2, and the carbon tape box 2 returns to the movable state, thereby facilitating the maintenance or replacement of the carbon tape box 2. In the above embodiment, the fixing mode of the carbon tape box 2 is active fixing, which can effectively solve the risk of ejection of the carbon tape box 2, and the locking state does not need to be continuously dependent on the user operation.

[0057] In actual operation, the user presses the switch button 3 while pressing the carbon tape box 2 into the installation cavity, and at the same time, the second locking structure 13 is switched from the second position to the first position, and the locking of the carbon tape box 2 is realized through the connection of the second locking structure 13 and the first locking structure 21, which can reduce the probability of human error.

[0058] In some embodiments, the second locking structure 13 is a linear sliding buckle, and the first locking structure 21 is a groove, the linear sliding buckle slides between the first position and the second position to connect or unlock with the groove, so as to realize the fixing of the carbon tape box 2; in some other embodiments, the second locking structure 13 is an electromagnet, and the first locking structure 21 is a magnetic piece, the power supply of the electromagnet is manually turned on or off to provide or release the suction force, so as to realize the fixing and release of the carbon tape box 2. The setting mode of the first locking structure 21 and the second locking structure 13 is various, which is not limited herein.

[0059] Please refer to Figures 6-8In some embodiments, the second locking structure 13 comprises a rotating shaft 131, a clamping block 132 and a handle 133. The rotating shaft 131 is rotatably installed on the shell 1, the clamping block 132 is connected to the rotating shaft 131, and the handle 133 is connected to the clamping block 132. The handle 133 is used for the user to hold and rotate the handle 133 around the rotating shaft 131, so as to switch the second locking structure 13 between the first position and the second position. In the first position, the clamping block 132 is in clamping engagement with the first locking structure 21.

[0060] Specifically, when the user needs to lock the ribbon cartridge 2, the handle 133 is rotated to the first position, and at this time, the clamping block 132 is in clamping engagement with the first locking structure 21, and the ribbon cartridge 2 is firmly defined in the mounting cavity in the shell 1. When the user needs to unlock the ribbon cartridge 2, the handle 133 is rotated to the second position, and the clamping block 132 is disengaged from the first locking structure 21, and the locking state is released, and the ribbon cartridge 2 can move relative to the shell 1, which is convenient for installation or disassembly.

[0061] In the above embodiment, through the linkage design of the rotating shaft 131, the clamping block 132 and the handle 133, the locking action is simplified to the rotation of the handle 133 around the rotating shaft 131. When the user rotates the handle 133, the clamping block 132 can be synchronously rotated around the rotating shaft 131, and the end thereof moves along an arc trajectory and is clamped into the first locking structure 21. It can be understood that the rotation action has a natural position self-locking characteristic, which can ensure that the handle 133 will not be accidentally unlocked even if it is subjected to slight external force after being locked. At the same time, the rotation angle of the handle 133 and the displacement amount of the clamping block 132 are in a nonlinear relationship, and the user only needs to rotate the handle 133 by a small angle to achieve complete locking. The operation is intuitive and labor-saving, and is suitable for scenarios where the ribbon cartridge 2 needs to be frequently replaced.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 In order to further simplify the difficulty of locking the ribbon cartridge 2 by the second locking structure, the first locking structure 21 has a clamping groove 211 and a guide wall 212, and the guide wall 212 is inclined from the groove opening to the groove bottom of the clamping groove 211. During the movement of the second locking structure 13 from the second position to the first position, the guide wall 212 is in contact with the clamping block 132 to guide the clamping block 132 into the clamping groove 211, and in the first position, the clamping block 132 is clamped in the clamping groove 211.

[0063] Specifically, when the user operates the handle 133 to move from the second position to the first position, the clamping block 132 gradually approaches the guide wall 212 of the first locking structure 21, and first contacts the guide wall 212. Since the inclined surface of the guide wall 212 is inclined from the groove opening to the groove bottom, the clamping block 132 can be guided to slide along the inclined surface. As the handle 133 continues to rotate, the clamping block 132 is gradually guided into the clamping groove 211 by the guide wall 212, and the clamping engagement is achieved.

[0064] It can be understood that during the installation of the card block 132 and the card slot 211, the positions of the card block 132 and the card slot 211 do not need to be accurately aligned, and even if there is a slight deviation, the guide wall 212 can be used to automatically correct the position of the card block 132, thereby effectively reducing the operation difficulty and ensuring the smoothness of the locking and unlocking process. In addition, the guiding effect of the guide wall 212 can reduce the impact force between the card block 132 and the card slot 211, reduce wear in actual use, thereby improving the durability of the overall structure.

[0065] At the same time, since the sliding contact between the card block 132 and the guide wall 212 can generate a certain vibration feedback, and the card block 132 can also generate a vibration feedback when it is separated from the guide wall 212, the user can be prompted about the relevant locking process, enhancing the operation experience.

[0066] Specifically, please refer to Figure 2 The printer 100 further comprises a bracket 4 provided in the mounting cavity, and the bracket 4 has a guide hole 41. In the first position, the first locking structure 21 penetrates the guide hole 41, and at least part of the first locking structure 21 abuts against the wall surface of the guide hole 41. It can be understood that the bracket 4 is provided in the mounting cavity of the shell 1, and is used to assist the positioning and fixing of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2. The bracket 4 is provided with the guide hole 41, which can provide accurate path guidance for the first locking structure 21. When the second locking structure 13 is in the first position, the part of the first locking structure 21 that penetrates the guide hole 41 is connected with the second locking structure 13. In addition, at least part of the first locking structure 21 abuts against the hole wall of the guide hole 41, thereby forming a hard guide for the movement of the first locking structure 21, limiting the swing of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, and ensuring that the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 can always move along the preset path.

[0067] In addition, during the installation of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2, the user pushes the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 to make the first locking structure 21 extend into the inside of the mounting cavity along the guide hole 41. At this time, the second locking structure 13 is moved again to switch the second locking structure 13 from the second position to the first position, thereby completing the fixing of the first locking structure 21.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the provision of the guide hole 41 can limit the swing of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 in the mounting cavity, thereby improving the stability of the overall structure. In addition, the bracket 4 can provide certain support for the carbon ribbon cartridge 2, thereby reducing the friction between the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 and other components, ensuring the stability of the printing process, and improving the printing quality.

[0069] Please refer to Figures 9-10The shell 1 comprises a bottom wall 14 which is arranged at an angle with the first side wall 11. The bottom wall 14 has a second opening 14a through which the second locking structure 13 passes, and part of the second locking structure 13 is located outside the shell 1. Specifically, the second opening 14a of the bottom wall 14 is used for the second locking structure 13 to pass through, thereby providing an operation space for the second locking structure 13. Part (such as the handle 133) of the second locking structure 13 passes through the second opening 14a and extends to the outside of the shell 1, so that the user can operate the second locking structure 13 from the outside of the shell 1, thereby facilitating the locking or unlocking of the carbon ribbon cartridge 2. In addition, the second opening 14a can also ensure that the second locking structure 13 can move along the extension direction of the second opening 14a, thereby guiding and positioning the movement of the second locking structure 13 and reducing the complexity of operation.

[0070] In some embodiments, the switch button 3 is located on the top wall 12 of the shell 1, and the bottom wall 14 is arranged opposite to the top wall 12. In actual operation, the user presses the switch button 3 with the thumb, presses the carbon ribbon cartridge 2 into the mounting cavity with the index finger, and the ring finger and other fingers can naturally support the printer 100, and the ring finger can operate the second locking structure 13 to lock and unlock the carbon ribbon cartridge 2. The whole operation process can be completed with one hand, thereby improving the user experience.

[0071] Further, referring to Figure 9 The carbon ribbon cartridge 2 is inserted into the first opening 11a along the first direction X, and the distance D between the second opening 14a and the first side wall 11 along the first direction X is 20mm≤D≤35mm.

[0072] Specifically, when D=20mm, that is, the second opening 14a is close to the first side wall 11, the user can more intuitively find the operation component (such as the handle 133) and operate it conveniently. When D=35mm, that is, the second opening 14a is slightly far from the first side wall 11, the user has more operation space, and the hand movement is more natural, thereby reducing the possibility of operation limitation. Within the range of 20mm≤D≤35mm, the position of the second opening 14a will neither be too close to the first side wall 11 to cause inconvenience in operation, nor be too far away to increase the size of the shell 1. On the premise of ensuring functionality, the comfort of operation and the compactness of the equipment are ensured.

[0073] It can be understood that, within the above parameter range, the user can naturally stretch and exert force when operating the second locking structure 13, without excessive bending or stretching, thereby reducing the feeling of fatigue in operation and conforming to the principle of ergonomics.

[0074] Referring to Figure 10, the printer 100 further comprises a support seat 5, the support seat 5 has a support surface 5a for contacting an external structure, and the support seat 5 is installed on the bottom wall 14 to support the casing 1; the second locking structure 13 has a top end, and the distance from the top end to the bottom wall 14 is less than the distance from the support surface 5a to the bottom wall 14. It should be noted that the height of the top end of the second locking structure 13 is set to be lower than the height of the support surface 5a, so that when the printer 100 is placed on a plane, the support seat 5 bears the entire weight, and the second locking structure 13 still has a protection gap with the plane, which can effectively reduce the risk of accidental touch on the second locking structure 13.

[0075] Specifically, the support seat 5 is installed on the bottom wall 14 of the casing 1 to support the entire casing 1, and the support seat 5 has a support surface 5a for contacting an external structure (such as a table top or other support plane) to ensure the stability of the printer 100 when placed, and the support seat 5 provides a stable support point to prevent the printer 100 from tipping due to the shift of the center of gravity. The distance from the top end of the second locking structure 13 (i.e., the highest point of the exposed part) to the bottom wall 14 is less than the distance from the support surface 5a to the bottom wall 14, and the top end of the second locking structure 13 is limited in height and will not contact or interfere with the external structure, nor will it affect the stability of the placement of the printer 100. At the same time, such arrangement also reduces the risk of accidental touch and improves the safety of use.

[0076] To further improve the convenience of operating the second locking structure 13, the part of the second locking structure 13 for the user to hold is provided with a plurality of anti-slip protrusions 134. For details, please refer to Figure 8 Specifically, the second locking structure 13 includes a part (such as a handle 133) for the user to hold, which is used to control the locking and unlocking of the ribbon cartridge 2, and the plurality of anti-slip protrusions 134 are arranged on the holding part of the second locking structure 13 to increase the friction between the hand and the second locking structure 13. When the user operates the holding part of the second locking structure 13, it can prevent the operation from being difficult due to slippery hands or improper force, and ensure that the user can hold the holding part more firmly and easily complete the operation of rotating or pressing.

[0077] The anti-slip protrusions 134 are distributed on the surface of the holding part, and the shape, size and arrangement can be designed according to actual needs (such as circular, strip-shaped or other geometric shapes), which are not limited in the present application.

[0078] In addition, the printer 100 further comprises a pop-up assembly arranged in the installation cavity, and the pop-up assembly is connected with at least one of the ribbon cartridge 2 and the casing 1. In the second position, the pop-up assembly acts on the ribbon cartridge 2 to push at least part of the ribbon cartridge 2 out of the casing 1.

[0079] Specifically, the printer 100 is additionally provided with an ejecting assembly, when the second locking structure 13 is switched to the second position, the ejecting assembly automatically releases the elastic potential energy (such as spring extension), applies a transient pushing force to the ribbon cartridge 2, makes it partially eject from the shell 1, the pushing force can overcome the static friction between the ribbon cartridge 2 and the shell 1, ensures that the user can easily pull out the ribbon cartridge 2, avoids the damage of the ribbon cartridge 2 or the shell 1 caused by excessive force or improper operation of the user, prolongs the service life of the equipment, and the user only needs to complete the unlocking action, the ribbon cartridge 2 can be automatically partially ejected without additional force, and the operation is more convenient and easy.

[0080] In some embodiments, in the first position, the outer surface of the ribbon cartridge 2 is smoothly connected with the outer surface of the first side wall 11. It can be understood that when the ribbon cartridge 2 is in the locked state and installed in the mounting cavity, the outer surface of the ribbon cartridge 2 is flush with the outer surface of the first side wall 11 and smoothly connected, which makes the overall appearance of the printer 100 more simple and unified, and the smooth transition design reduces the gap between the ribbon cartridge 2 and the first side wall 11, reduces the risk of external dust or foreign matter entering the mounting cavity, thereby improving the reliability of the printer 100, at the same time, the smooth transition avoids the edge of the ribbon cartridge 2 scratching the user's hand, the user has a better feeling when touching or moving the printer 100, which meets the requirements of ergonomics.

[0081] In addition, in some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the ribbon cartridge 2 comprises a base 22, a supply spool 23 and a take-up spool 24; the supply spool 23 is connected to the base 22 and is used to store unused ribbon, and the take-up spool 24 is also connected to the base 22 and is used to store used ribbon, the take-up spool 24 and the supply spool 23 are located on the same side of the base 22 and are arranged side by side; wherein the printer 100 further comprises a bracket 4, the bracket 4 is located in the mounting cavity and is installed on the shell 1, the bracket 4 has a first mounting hole 42 and a second mounting hole 43, when the ribbon cartridge 2 is installed on the shell 1, the supply spool 23 passes through the first mounting hole 42 and is in contact with the wall surface of the first mounting hole 42 defined by the bracket 4, and the take-up spool 24 passes through the second mounting hole 43 and is in contact with the wall surface of the second mounting hole 43 defined by the bracket 4.

[0082] Specifically, during the installation of the ribbon cartridge 2, the supply spool 23 and the take-up spool 24 are respectively aligned with the first mounting hole 42 and the second mounting hole 43 on the bracket 4, as the ribbon cartridge 2 is gradually inserted into the mounting cavity, the supply spool 23 and the take-up spool 24 respectively enter the first mounting hole 42 and the second mounting hole 43, after installation is completed, the supply spool 23 and the take-up spool 24 are respectively in close contact with the wall surface of the first mounting hole 42 and the second mounting hole 43, forming a stable limiting relationship.

[0083] During printing, the support 4 supports and restricts the unwinding drum 23 and the winding drum 24 through the first mounting hole 42 and the wall surface of the second mounting hole, so that the carbon tape can be stably transmitted, and the shaking or deviation of the unwinding drum 23 and the winding drum 24 during operation is reduced, and the printing quality is improved.

[0084] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements indicated must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0085] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically limited.

[0086] In the present application, unless otherwise specifically defined and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection", "fixing" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or it can be integrated; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship of two elements, unless otherwise specifically limited. For ordinary skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0087] In the present application, unless otherwise specifically defined and limited, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature can be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature "above", "above" and "above" the second feature can be that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature "below", "below" and "below" the second feature can be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0088] In the description of the present specification, the description referring to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "an example", "a specific example", or "some examples" and the like means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the illustrative description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the person skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in the present specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present application, and the person skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, replacements and modifications to the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A printer (100), characterized by, The printer (100) comprises: a housing (1) having an installation cavity inside, the housing (1) comprising a first side wall (11) provided with a first opening (11a) communicating with the installation cavity; a ribbon cartridge (2) penetrating the first opening (11a) and partially located in the installation cavity, and the ribbon cartridge (2) being detachably installed in the housing (1); and a switch button (3) provided on the housing (1) and connected to the first side wall (11) and close to the first opening (11a), so that when a user's hand acts on the switch button (3) to control the running state of the printer (100), the user's hand can act on the ribbon cartridge (2) and limit the position of the ribbon cartridge (2) relative to the housing (1).

2. The printer (100) of claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (1) comprises a top wall (12) arranged at an angle with the first side wall (11), and the edge portion of the top wall (12) is connected to the first side wall (11), and the switch button (3) is located on the edge portion of the top wall (12).

3. The printer (100) of claim 1, characterized in that, The ribbon cartridge (2) is inserted into the first opening (11a) along a first direction (X), and the distance from the switch button (3) to the first side wall (11) along the first direction (X) is L, 4mm≤L≤40mm.

4. The printer (100) of claim 1, wherein, The ribbon cartridge (2) is inserted into the first opening (11a) along a first direction (X), and the pressing direction of the switch button (3) and the first direction (X) are arranged at an angle.

5. The printer (100) of claim 1, wherein The ribbon cartridge (2) comprises a first locking structure (21); The housing (1) comprises a second locking structure (13) having a first position and a second position, in the first position, part of the ribbon cartridge (2) is arranged in the installation cavity, and the second locking structure (13) is connected with the first locking structure (21) to limit the position of the ribbon cartridge (2) relative to the housing (1); in the second position, the second locking structure (13) releases the locking of the first locking structure (21) to enable the ribbon cartridge (2) to move relative to the housing (1).

6. The printer (100) of claim 5, characterized in that, The second locking structure (13) comprises: a rotating shaft (131) rotatably installed in the housing (1); a clamping block (132) connected to the rotating shaft (131); and a handle (133) connected to the clamping block (132), the handle (133) is used for a user to hold to make the handle (133) rotate around the rotating shaft (131), thereby making the second locking structure (13) switch between the first position and the second position; In the first position, the clamping block (132) is in clamping cooperation with the first locking structure (21).

7. The printer (100) of claim 6, characterized in that, The first locking structure (21) has a clamping groove (211) and a guide wall (212) inclined from the groove opening to the groove bottom of the clamping groove (211); During movement of the second locking structure (13) from the second position to the first position, the guide wall (212) is in contact with the clamping block (132) to guide the clamping block (132) into the clamping groove (211), and in the first position, the clamping block (132) is clamped in the clamping groove (211).

8. The printer (100) of claim 5, characterized in that, The printer (100) further comprises a support (4) arranged in the mounting cavity; The support (4) has a guide hole (41), in the first position, the first locking structure (21) passes through the guide hole (41), and at least part of the first locking structure (21) is in contact with the wall surface of the guide hole (41).

9. The printer (100) of claim 5, wherein, The shell (1) comprises a bottom wall (14) arranged at an angle with the first side wall (11); The bottom wall (14) has a second opening (14a), the second locking structure (13) passes through the second opening (14a), and part of the second locking structure (13) is located outside the shell (1).

10. The printer (100) of claim 9, characterized in that, The ribbon cartridge (2) is inserted into the first opening (11a) along a first direction (X), the distance from the second opening (14a) to the first side wall (11) along the first direction (X) is D, and 20mm≤D≤35mm.

11. The printer (100) of claim 9, characterized in that, The printer (100) further comprises a support seat (5) having a support surface (5a) for contacting an external structure, the support seat (5) is mounted on the bottom wall (14) to support the shell (1); The part of the second locking structure (13) located outside the shell (1) has a top end, the distance from the top end to the bottom wall (14) is less than the distance from the support surface (5a) to the bottom wall (14).

12. The printer (100) of claim 5, characterized in that, The part of the second locking structure (13) for the user to hold is provided with a plurality of anti-slip protrusions (134).

13. The printer (100) of claim 5, wherein, The printer (100) further comprises an ejection assembly arranged in the mounting cavity, the ejection assembly is connected with at least one of the ribbon cartridge (2) and the shell (1), in the second position, the ejection assembly acts on the ribbon cartridge (2) to push at least part of the ribbon cartridge (2) to pop out of the shell (1).

14. The printer (100) of claim 5, wherein, In the first position, the outer surface of the ribbon cartridge (2) and the outer surface of the first side wall (11) are smoothly connected.

15. The printer (100) of claim 1, wherein, The ribbon cartridge (2) comprises: a base (22); an unwinding roller (23) connected to the base (22) and used for accommodating unused ribbon; and a winding roller (24) connected to the base (22) and used for accommodating used ribbon, the winding roller (24) is located on the same side of the base (22) as the unwinding roller (23) and is arranged side by side with the unwinding roller (23). The printer (100) further comprises a support (4) located in the installation cavity and mounted on the shell (1), the support (4) having a first installation hole (42) and a second installation hole (43), when the carbon ribbon cartridge (2) is mounted on the shell (1), the unwinding roller (23) passes through the first installation hole (42) and contacts with the wall surface of the support (4) defining the first installation hole (42), and the winding roller (24) passes through the second installation hole (43) and contacts with the wall surface of the support (4) defining the second installation hole (43).

Images