Printer core and printer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a printer core and a printer, the printer core is used for selectively printing pigment on a color tape onto a printing medium through a printing unit, the color tape is driven by a rolling driving part which is rotatably arranged to be rolled, and the printing medium is conveyed by a paper feeding roller; the first driving source used for driving the paper feeding roller to rotate and the second driving source used for driving the winding driving part to rotate are arranged respectively, so that rotation of the winding driving part and rotation of the paper feeding roller do not interfere with each other, and the transmission problem of the winding driving part and the driving part of the winding driving part does not affect the paper feeding roller. Therefore, the possibility that the paper feeding roller shakes is greatly reduced, the phenomenon of horizontal stripes is well improved, and the printing quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of printing equipment, specifically to a printer core and a printer. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, printers generally include a printer core and a consumable unit. The printer core generally includes a frame, a paper feed roller, a print head, and a printing roller opposite to the print head. When the paper feed roller is working, it drives the ribbon and printing media sandwiched between the print head and the printing roller to move towards the printer exit. The print head applies heat to the ribbon and printing media sandwiched between the print head and the printing roller, causing the ink on the ribbon to be transferred to the printing media. The printer core also has a receiving space, and the consumable unit is generally configured to be placed into or removed from the receiving space of the printer core for replacement.

[0003] In existing printer modules, the ribbon take-up drive and the paper feed roller share a single motor. The motor's output, in conjunction with a gear assembly, drives the paper feed roller to rotate. The other end of the paper feed roller, also via a gear assembly, engages with the ribbon take-up drive, thus rotating the take-up drive and rewinding the ribbon. In some printer modules (such as dye-sublimation printer modules), the paper feed roller is used to retract the printing media. Since the ribbon take-up drive and the paper feed roller share a single motor, a swingable switching lever is required. This lever swings to the transmission position as the printing media advances, transmitting the power from the other end of the paper feed roller to the take-up drive via gears on the switching lever. When the printing media retracts, the lever swings to the separation position, disconnecting the power connection between the gears on the switching lever and the take-up drive, preventing the used and wound ribbon from unwinding. However, such printer modules exhibit a phenomenon called "horizontal stripes" in the printed image, where stripes of varying shades appear along the paper feed direction. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to overcome the aforementioned defects or problems existing in the background art or to provide a material basis for overcoming the aforementioned defects or problems existing in the background art, and to provide a printer.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention and its preferred embodiments adopt the following technical solutions, but the embodiments are not limited to the following solutions:

[0006] Option 1: A printer core for selectively printing ink from a ribbon onto a printing medium via a printing unit, wherein the ribbon is driven to be wound by a rotatably disposed winding drive, and the printing medium is conveyed by a paper feed roller; a first drive source for driving the paper feed roller to rotate and a second drive source for driving the winding drive to rotate are respectively disposed.

[0007] Option 2, based on Option 1, the printer core includes a frame, the frame having a second sidewall and a first sidewall arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, the paper feed roller being supported at both ends along the first direction by the second sidewall and the first sidewall respectively; along the first direction, the first drive source and the second drive source are both located between the second sidewall and the first sidewall.

[0008] Option 3, based on Option 2, involves distancing the output terminals of the first driving source and the second driving source from each other.

[0009] Option 4, based on Option 2, involves the projections of the first driving source and the second driving source overlapping at least partially on a projection plane perpendicular to the first direction.

[0010] Option 5, based on Option 2, includes a first positioning part on both the first and second sidewalls suitable for positioning the ribbon cartridge, a receiving space for the printer core, and a second positioning part corresponding to the first positioning part on the ribbon cartridge. The ribbon cartridge is configured to be inserted into the receiving space along a first direction, so that the second positioning part is positioned and engaged with the first positioning part, and the take-up shaft on the ribbon cartridge is anti-rotatedly connected to the take-up drive.

[0011] Option 6, based on Option 1, both the rotation axes of the winding drive unit and the paper feed roller extend along the first direction; the first drive source is driven by the paper feed roller through the first transmission mechanism, and the second drive source is driven by the winding drive unit through the second transmission mechanism; the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are respectively disposed on both sides of the printer core along the first direction.

[0012] Option 7, based on Option 6, the printer core includes a frame, the frame having a second sidewall and a first sidewall arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, the paper feed roller being supported at both ends along the first direction by the second sidewall and the first sidewall respectively, and the second transmission mechanism being located between the second sidewall and the first sidewall.

[0013] Option 8, based on Option 1, involves both the first driving source and the second driving source being motors.

[0014] Option 9, based on Option 8, has the second drive source being a variable speed DC motor.

[0015] Option 10, a printer, comprising a ribbon cartridge and a printer core as described in any one of Options 1 to 9.

[0016] As can be seen from the above description of the present invention and its preferred embodiments, compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention and its preferred embodiments have the following beneficial effects due to the adoption of the following technical means:

[0017] Through continuous observation, experimentation, and research, the inventor of this utility model has discovered that the technical problem of "horizontal stripes appearing on printed images" in existing technical solutions is due to the following reasons: Existing technologies make the printer core small enough to meet compact requirements (especially for portable photo printers). The gears in the ribbon-side gear assembly are thinner (weaker) due to space constraints, making it difficult to match the torque required by the ribbon winding assembly. Alternatively, low gear manufacturing precision or space constraints, such as a small switching lever size leading to insufficient strength, can cause poor fit between gears or between gears and the paper feed roller, resulting in unstable transmission. This ultimately causes vibration of the paper feed roller, affecting the printing medium and causing the "horizontal stripes" phenomenon.

[0018] 1. In Scheme 1 and its preferred embodiments, a printer core is used to selectively print ink from a ribbon onto a printing medium via a printing unit. The ribbon is driven to be wound by a rotatably configured winding drive unit, and the printing medium is conveyed by a paper feed roller. A first drive source for driving the paper feed roller to rotate and a second drive source for driving the winding drive unit to rotate are respectively configured, which enables the rotation of the winding drive unit and the rotation of the paper feed roller to not interfere with each other. The transmission problems of the winding drive unit and its drive part will not affect the paper feed roller, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of vibration of the paper feed roller, effectively improving the "horizontal stripe" phenomenon, and improving print quality.

[0019] 2. In Scheme 2 and its preferred embodiments, the printer core includes a frame, the frame having a second sidewall and a first sidewall arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, the paper feed roller being supported at both ends along the first direction by the second sidewall and the first sidewall respectively, thereby facilitating stable transmission of the paper feed roller. Along the first direction, the first drive source and the second drive source are both located between the second sidewall and the first sidewall. By incorporating the first drive source and the second drive source, the size of the printer core along the first direction can be reduced compared to using external first drive sources and second drive sources.

[0020] 3. In Scheme 3 and its preferred embodiments, the output ends of the first driving source and the second driving source are opposite to each other to prevent the layout space from increasing due to interference when the output ends of the two are in the same direction, thus increasing the size of the printer core.

[0021] 4. In Scheme 4 and its preferred embodiments, on the projection plane perpendicular to the first direction, the projection of the first driving source and the projection of the second driving source at least partially overlap, thereby reducing the size of the printer core in the paper feeding direction or height direction, so that the printer core can effectively improve the "horizontal stripe" phenomenon while meeting the need for compact space.

[0022] 5. In Scheme 5 and its preferred embodiments, a first positioning part suitable for positioning the ribbon cartridge is provided on both the first and second side walls. The printer core has an accommodating space. The ribbon cartridge is provided with a second positioning part corresponding to the first positioning part. The ribbon cartridge is configured to be inserted into the accommodating space along the first direction so that the second positioning part and the first positioning part are positioned and engaged, and the winding shaft on the ribbon cartridge is connected to the winding drive part to prevent rotation. This facilitates the positioning and installation of the ribbon cartridge and realizes reliable positioning of the ribbon cartridge and transmission connection between the winding drive part and the winding shaft.

[0023] 6. In Scheme Six and its preferred embodiments, the rotation axes of both the winding drive unit and the paper feed roller extend along the first direction; the first drive source is driven by the paper feed roller through a first transmission mechanism, and the second drive source is driven by the winding drive unit through a second transmission mechanism. The first and second transmission mechanisms are respectively disposed on both sides of the printer core along the first direction. Their separate arrangement prevents the printer core from becoming too large due to increased space requirements when disposed on the same side. Furthermore, the transmission mechanism eliminates the need for the drive source and the corresponding driven element to be coaxial, reducing the size along the first direction. In some schemes, the transmission mechanism also allows for speed reduction to control the rotational speed of the corresponding driven element, adapting to printing requirements.

[0024] 7. In Scheme 7 and its preferred embodiments, the printer core includes a frame, the frame having a second sidewall and a first sidewall arranged along a first direction, the paper feed rollers being supported at both ends along the first direction by the second sidewall and the first sidewall respectively, and a second transmission mechanism being located between the second sidewall and the first sidewall. Compared to the outside, the built-in second transmission mechanism can make the size of the printer core along the first direction smaller.

[0025] 8. In Scheme 8 and its preferred embodiments, both the first driving source and the second driving source are motors. The motors are small in size, have a long lifespan, and are easy to use.

[0026] 9. In Scheme 9 and its preferred embodiments, the second driving source is a variable speed DC motor. The DC motor will automatically change its speed to adapt to the current load, preventing the linear speed of the ribbon from changing and causing a mismatch between the linear speed of the ribbon and the speed of the photographic paper. It requires fewer parts and has a greater cost advantage.

[0027] 10. In Scheme 10 and its preferred embodiments, a printer includes a ribbon cartridge and the aforementioned printer core, and has the beneficial effects brought about by the aforementioned printer core. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a partial perspective view of the printer cartridge in Example 1;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the printer cartridge structure in Example 1;

[0031] Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the ribbon box;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the first driving source in Embodiment 1;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the first transmission mechanism in Embodiment 1;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the paper feed roller in Example 1;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the second driving source in Embodiment 1;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the second transmission mechanism in Embodiment 1;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the second transmission mechanism in Embodiment 1 from another angle;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the winding drive unit in Embodiment 1;

[0039] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the friction transmission assembly in Embodiment 1;

[0040] Explanation of key figure labels:

[0041] Frame 1; First sidewall 11; Accommodation space 111; Second sidewall 12; First positioning part 121; Bottom wall 13; Paper feed roller 2; Rewind drive part 3; Anti-rotation protrusion 31; Printing unit 4; Print head 41; Printing roller 42; First drive source 51; First transmission mechanism 52; First gear 521; Second gear 522; Third gear 523; Fourth gear 524; Fifth gear 525; First bracket 53; First support shaft 54; Second support shaft 55; Second drive source 6 1; Second transmission mechanism 62; Sixth gear 621; Seventh gear 622; Eighth gear 623; Ninth gear 624; Tenth gear 625; Eleventh gear 626; Second bracket 63; Third support shaft 64; Fourth support shaft 65; Fifth support shaft 66; Sixth support shaft 67; Ribbon box 7; Rewind shaft 71; Anti-rotation groove 711; Feed shaft 72; Second positioning part 74; Second friction plate 81; Biasing component 82; First friction plate 83; Friction disc 84; First direction 9; Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present utility model and should not be considered as excluding other embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0043] Unless otherwise expressly defined, the use of terms such as "first," "second," or "third" in the claims, description, and drawings of this utility model is for distinguishing different objects and not for describing a specific order.

[0044] Unless otherwise expressly defined, in the claims, description, and accompanying drawings of this utility model, the use of directional terms such as "center," "lateral," "longitudinal," "horizontal," "vertical," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise" to indicate orientation or positional relationships is based on the orientation and positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. It does 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, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the specific protection scope of this utility model.

[0045] Unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "fixed connection" or "fixed connection" used in the claims, description and drawings of this utility model shall be interpreted broadly to refer to any connection in which there is no displacement or relative rotation relationship between the two parties, including non-removable fixed connection, detachable fixed connection, integral connection and fixed connection through other devices or components.

[0046] In the claims, description and accompanying drawings of this utility model, the terms "comprising", "having", and variations thereof are used to mean "including but not limited to".

[0047] Example 1

[0048] refer to Figures 1-10 A printer includes a printer core and a ribbon cartridge, the printer core being used to selectively print pigment from the ribbon onto a printing medium via a printing unit 4.

[0049] Among them, reference Figure 2 , Figure 3 The ribbon is typically mounted on a ribbon cartridge 7 for easy replacement. The ribbon cartridge 7 has a take-up spool 71 and a feed spool 72 adapted to rotate about an axis extending along a first direction 9. Unused ribbon is wound on the feed spool 72, and used ribbon is wound on the take-up spool 71. The bottom wall of the ribbon cartridge 7, located between the take-up spool 71 and the feed spool 72, has a through hole for the ribbon to be exposed and in contact with the printing media.

[0050] refer to Figures 1-10 The printer core includes a frame 1, a paper feed roller 2, a rewind drive unit 3, a printing unit 4, a first drive source 51, a second drive source 61, a first transmission mechanism 52 and a second transmission mechanism 62, a first bracket 53, a second bracket 63, a first support shaft 54, a second support shaft 55, a third support shaft 64, a fourth support shaft 65, a fifth support shaft 66, and a sixth support shaft 67.

[0051] refer to Figure 7 The frame 1 includes a second sidewall 12 and a first sidewall 11 arranged opposite to each other along a first direction 9, and a bottom wall 13 connecting the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11.

[0052] The first sidewall 11 and the second sidewall 12 are each provided with a first positioning part 121 suitable for supporting and positioning the ribbon cartridge 7. The printer core has a receiving space 111 for accommodating the ribbon cartridge 7. The ribbon cartridge 7 is provided with a second positioning part 74 corresponding to the first positioning part 121. The ribbon cartridge 7 is configured to be inserted into the receiving space 111 along the first direction 9 so that the second positioning part 74 is positioned and engaged with the first positioning part 121, and the ribbon take-up shaft 71 is connected to the take-up drive part 3 to prevent rotation.

[0053] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 7 In this embodiment, one of the first positioning part 121 and the second positioning part 74 is a insertion shaft extending along the first direction 9, and the other is a insertion hole that engages with the insertion shaft. Specifically, in this embodiment, multiple first positioning parts 121 and multiple second positioning parts 74 are provided respectively, with the first positioning part 121 being the insertion shaft and the second positioning part 74 being the insertion hole. Of course, in other embodiments, when multiple first positioning parts 121 and multiple second positioning parts 74 are provided respectively, the first positioning part 121 may include both the insertion shaft and the insertion hole, and correspondingly, the second positioning part 74 is configured to include both the insertion hole and the insertion shaft that engage with the first positioning part 121.

[0054] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 9 The anti-rotation connection between the take-up shaft 71 and the take-up drive unit 3 is achieved by one of the take-up shaft 71 and the take-up drive unit 3 having an anti-rotation protrusion 31 extending along the first direction 9, and the other having an anti-rotation groove 711 that is inserted into the anti-rotation protrusion 31.

[0055] When the ribbon cartridge 7 is installed, the take-up shaft 71 and the take-up drive unit 3 are connected to prevent rotation, so that the ribbon can be driven by the take-up drive unit 3 to rotate the take-up shaft 71 to achieve take-up.

[0056] refer to Figure 2 The printing unit 4 includes a print head 41 and a printing roller 42 mounted on the frame 1. The print head 41 and the printing roller 42 are arranged opposite each other and are located on the upper and lower sides of the ribbon, respectively. The two ends of the printing roller 42 along the first direction 9 are supported by the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11, respectively. When the printing medium passes through, the print head 41, the ribbon, the printing medium, and the printing roller 42 are arranged from top to bottom. The print head 41 applies heat to the ribbon and the printing medium sandwiched between the print head 41 and the printing roller 42 to selectively print the pigment on the ribbon to the printing medium.

[0057] In this embodiment, the printer cartridge is a thermal sublimation printer cartridge, meaning that the solid pigment on the ribbon is sublimated and transferred to the printing medium by heating the print head 41 to achieve printing. In other embodiments, the printer cartridge can also be a thermomelt transfer printer cartridge, meaning that the pigment on the ribbon is melted by heating the print head 41 and transferred to the printing medium under pressure to achieve printing.

[0058] refer to Figure 2 The paper feed roller 2 is suitable for conveying printing media. In this embodiment, the paper feed roller 2 is located downstream of the printing roller 42 along the paper output direction. The two ends of the paper feed roller 2 along the first direction 9 are supported by the second side wall 12 and the first side wall 11, respectively. The rotation axis of the paper feed roller 2 extends along the first direction 9.

[0059] refer to Figures 4-6The first driving source 51 is used to drive the paper feed roller 2 to rotate. The first driving source 51 is a stepper motor, located along the first direction 9. The first driving source 51 is located between the second side wall 12 and the first side wall 11, and the first driving source 51 is mounted on the first side wall 11.

[0060] In this embodiment, the printing roller 42 does not require a drive source, and rotates as the printing medium moves forward or backward during printing. Of course, in other embodiments, the paper feed roller 2 and the printing roller 42 can also be the same roller, that is, the roller used to transport the printing medium and be connected to the first drive source 51 and the roller used to hold the printing medium in conjunction with the print head 41 are the same roller.

[0061] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 The first bracket 53 is fixedly connected to the first sidewall 11, such as by fasteners. The first drive source 51 is mounted on the first sidewall 11 via the first bracket 53. The first bracket 53 is located between the first sidewall 11 and the second sidewall 12. The first support shaft 54 ​​and the second support shaft 55 both extend along the first direction 9, and both ends are supported by the first sidewall 11 and the first bracket 53, respectively. The first support shaft 54 ​​and the second support shaft 55 can be assembled by inserting them into the first sidewall 11 and the first bracket 53, or they can be integrally formed with one of the first sidewall 11 and the first bracket 53 and then inserted into the other for assembly. In other embodiments, the first bracket 53 can also be mounted on the bottom wall 13.

[0062] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 The first transmission mechanism 52 connects the first drive source 51 and the paper feed roller 2 for transmission. The first transmission mechanism 52 includes at least two transmission gears whose rotation axes extend along a first direction 9. Specifically, the first transmission mechanism 52 includes a first gear 521, a second gear 522, a third gear 523, a fourth gear 524, and a fifth gear 525 that mesh sequentially. The first gear 521 meshes with the output shaft of the first drive source 51. The first gear 521 and the third gear 523 are sleeved on the first support shaft 54, and the second gear 522 and the fourth gear 524 are sleeved on the second support shaft 55. The fourth gear 524 extends through the first sidewall 11 and meshes with the fifth gear 525 located outside the first sidewall 11. The fifth gear 525 is connected to one end of the paper feed roller 2 for anti-rotation. The first gear 521, the second gear 522, the third gear 523, and the fourth gear 524 are all gears with two teeth arranged along the first direction 9, while the fifth gear 525 has only one tooth. At least a portion of the gears in the first transmission mechanism 52 reduce speed through gear reduction.

[0063] refer to Figures 7-10The winding drive unit 3 is rotatably mounted on the second side wall 12 of the frame 1, and the rotation axis of the winding drive unit 3 extends along the first direction 9.

[0064] refer to Figure 8 The second drive source 61 is used to drive the winding drive unit 3 to rotate. The first drive source 51, which drives the paper feed roller 2 to rotate, and the second drive source 61, which drives the winding drive unit 3 to rotate, are respectively provided, that is, the winding drive unit 3 and the paper feed roller 2 do not share the same drive source. The second drive source 61 is a motor, specifically, in this embodiment, the second drive source 61 is a stepper motor.

[0065] refer to Figure 7 Along the first direction 9, the second driving source 61 is located between the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11, and the output end of the second driving source 61 and the output end of the first driving source 51 are opposite to each other. Preferably, on the projection plane perpendicular to the first direction 9, the projections of the second driving source 61 and the first driving source 51 at least partially overlap; in this embodiment, their projections partially overlap. Of course, in other embodiments, it can also be configured that the projections of the second driving source 61 and the first driving source 51 completely overlap on the projection plane perpendicular to the first direction 9.

[0066] The second bracket 63 is fixedly connected to the second sidewall 12 and / or the bottom wall 13, such as by fasteners. The second bracket 63 is located between the first sidewall 11 and the second sidewall 12. The third support shaft 64, the fourth support shaft 65, and the fifth support shaft 66 all extend along the first direction 9, and both ends are supported by the second sidewall 12 and the second bracket 63 respectively. Similarly, the third support shaft 64, the fourth support shaft 65, and the fifth support shaft 66 can be assembled by inserting them into the second sidewall 12 and the second bracket 63, or they can be integrally formed with one of the second sidewall 12 and the second bracket 63 and then inserted into the other. One end of the sixth support shaft 67 is fixedly mounted on the second sidewall 12.

[0067] The second transmission mechanism 62 connects the second drive source 61 and the take-up drive unit 3. The second transmission mechanism 62 and the first transmission mechanism 52 are respectively disposed on both sides of the printer along the first direction 9. The second transmission mechanism 62 includes at least two transmission gears whose rotation axes extend along the first direction 9. Specifically, refer to... Figure 8The second transmission mechanism 62 includes a sixth gear 621, a seventh gear 622, an eighth gear 623, a ninth gear 624, a tenth gear 625, and an eleventh gear 626 that mesh sequentially. The sixth gear 621 meshes with the output shaft of the second drive source 61. The sixth gear 621 and the eighth gear 623 are mounted on the third support shaft 64, the seventh gear 622 and the ninth gear 624 are mounted on the fourth support shaft 65, and the tenth gear 625 is mounted on the fifth support shaft 66. The eleventh gear 626 is mounted on the sixth support shaft 67 and is adapted to drive the winding drive unit 3 to rotate.

[0068] In this embodiment, the eleventh gear 626 is connected to the winding drive unit 3 via a friction transmission assembly to drive the winding drive unit 3 to rotate. Specifically, refer to... Figure 10 , Figure 11 The friction transmission assembly includes a first friction plate 83, a friction disk 84, and a second friction plate. The first friction plate 83 is sandwiched between the eleventh gear 626 and the friction disk 84. The friction disk 84 is connected to the winding drive unit 3 for anti-rotation. The second friction plate 81 is sandwiched between the eleventh gear 626 and the winding drive unit 3. The two ends of the biasing member 82 act on the anti-detachment pad on the sixth support shaft 67 and the winding drive unit 3, so that the winding drive unit 3 presses against the second friction plate 81, thereby clamping the second friction plate 81 between the eleventh gear 626 and the winding drive unit 3, and clamping the first friction plate 83 between the eleventh gear 626 and the friction disk 84, so that the eleventh gear 626 can drive the winding drive unit 3 to rotate through the friction force of the first friction plate 83 and the friction disk 84, and at the same time drive the winding drive unit 3 to rotate through the friction force of the second friction plate 81. In this embodiment, when the radius of the ribbon on the ribbon take-up shaft 71 gradually increases as the ribbon is wound up, resulting in an increase in the linear speed of the ribbon, slippage will occur between the friction plate and other components, thereby limiting the angular velocity of the ribbon take-up shaft 71. This prevents the linear speed of the ribbon from continuously increasing, which could lead to a mismatch between the linear speed of the ribbon and the speed of the photographic paper, resulting in problems such as ribbon breakage or slippage between the photographic paper and the ribbon.

[0069] The sixth gear 621, the seventh gear 622, the eighth gear 623, and the ninth gear 624 are all gears with two teeth arranged along the first direction 9, while the tenth gear 625 and the eleventh gear 626 each have only one tooth. At least a portion of the gears in the second transmission mechanism 62 perform speed reduction transmission. Furthermore, the thickness of the transmission gears of at least a portion of the second transmission mechanism 62 along the first direction 9 is less than the thickness of the transmission gears of at least one first transmission mechanism 52 along the first direction 9. For example, in this embodiment, the gear thickness of the sixth gear 621, the seventh gear 622, the eighth gear 623, and the ninth gear 624 is less than the gear thickness of the first gear 521, the second gear 522, the third gear 523, and the fourth gear 524.

[0070] In use, since the first drive source 51 for driving the paper feed roller 2 to rotate and the second drive source 61 for driving the winding drive unit 3 to rotate are respectively provided, the transmission problem at the winding drive unit 3 will not affect the paper feed roller 2, thereby reducing the possibility of the paper feed roller 2 jumping, thereby reducing the generation of "horizontal stripes" and improving the printing quality.

[0071] Compared with the prior art, this embodiment has the following beneficial effects:

[0072] In one exemplary embodiment, a printer core is used to selectively print ink from a ribbon onto a printing medium via a printing unit 4. The ribbon is driven to be wound by a rotatably configured take-up drive 3, and the printing medium is conveyed by a paper feed roller 2. A first drive source 51 for driving the paper feed roller 2 to rotate and a second drive source 61 for driving the take-up drive 3 to rotate are respectively configured, which enables the rotation of the take-up drive 3 and the rotation of the paper feed roller 2 to not interfere with each other. The transmission problems of the take-up drive 3 and its drive part will not affect the paper feed roller 2, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of the paper feed roller 2 shaking, effectively improving the "horizontal stripe" phenomenon and improving print quality.

[0073] In one exemplary embodiment, the printer core includes a frame 1, which has a second sidewall 12 and a first sidewall 11 arranged opposite to each other along a first direction 9. The paper feed roller 2 is supported at both ends along the first direction 9 by the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11, respectively, thereby facilitating stable transmission of the paper feed roller 2. Along the first direction 9, the first drive source 51 and the second drive source 61 are both located between the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11. By incorporating the first drive source 51 and the second drive source 61, the size of the printer core along the first direction 9 can be reduced compared to using external first drive sources 51 and the second drive source 61.

[0074] In one exemplary embodiment, the output terminals of the first driving source 51 and the second driving source 61 are opposite to each other to prevent the layout space from increasing due to interference when the output terminals are in the same direction, thus preventing an increase in the size of the printer core.

[0075] In one exemplary embodiment, on a projection plane perpendicular to the first direction 9, the projection of the first driving source 51 and the projection of the second driving source 61 at least partially overlap, thereby reducing the size of the print core in the paper feeding direction or height direction, so that the print core can effectively improve the "horizontal stripe" phenomenon while meeting the need for compact space.

[0076] In one exemplary embodiment, a first positioning part 121 suitable for positioning the ribbon cartridge 7 is provided on both the first sidewall 11 and the second sidewall 12. The printer core has an accommodating space 111. The ribbon cartridge 7 is provided with a second positioning part 74 corresponding to the first positioning part 121. The ribbon cartridge 7 is configured to be inserted into the accommodating space 111 along the first direction 9 so that the second positioning part 74 is positioned and engaged with the first positioning part 121, and the take-up shaft 71 on the ribbon cartridge 7 is connected to the take-up drive part 3 to prevent rotation. This facilitates the positioning and installation of the ribbon cartridge 7, and realizes the reliable positioning of the ribbon cartridge 7 and the transmission connection between the take-up drive part 3 and the take-up shaft 71.

[0077] In one exemplary embodiment, the rotation axes of both the take-up drive unit 3 and the paper feed roller 2 extend along the first direction 9. The first drive source 51 is driven by the paper feed roller 2 through the first transmission mechanism 52, and the second drive source 61 is driven by the take-up drive unit 3 through the second transmission mechanism 62. The first transmission mechanism 52 and the second transmission mechanism 62 are respectively disposed on both sides of the printer core along the first direction 9. The separate arrangement of the two mechanisms prevents the printer core from becoming larger due to the need to increase space when they are disposed on the same side, which would otherwise be necessary for the already compact printer core. Furthermore, the transmission mechanism allows the drive source and the corresponding driven element to be driven without being coaxial, reducing the size of the printer along the first direction 9. In some embodiments, the transmission mechanism can also be used to reduce speed to control the rotational speed of the corresponding driven element to adapt to printing.

[0078] In one exemplary embodiment, the first transmission mechanism 52 includes at least two transmission gears with rotation axes extending along the first direction 9, and the second transmission mechanism 62 includes at least two transmission gears with rotation axes extending along the first direction 9. The thickness of at least a portion of the transmission gears of the second transmission mechanism 62 along the first direction 9 is less than the thickness of at least one transmission gear of the first transmission mechanism 52 along the first direction 9, thereby reducing the space occupied by the second transmission mechanism 62 along the first direction 9, making the printer smaller or facilitating the placement of other parts.

[0079] In one exemplary embodiment, the printer includes a frame 1 having a second sidewall 12 and a first sidewall 11 arranged opposite to each other along a first direction 9. The paper feed roller 2 is supported at both ends along the first direction 9 by the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11, respectively. A second transmission mechanism 62 is located between the second sidewall 12 and the first sidewall 11. Compared to the outside, the built-in second transmission mechanism 62 can make the size of the printer core along the first direction 9 smaller.

[0080] In one exemplary embodiment, both the first drive source 51 and the second drive source 61 are motors, which are small in size, have a long lifespan, and are easy to use.

[0081] In one exemplary embodiment, a printer includes a ribbon cartridge and the aforementioned printer core, and has the beneficial effects brought about by the aforementioned printer core.

[0082] Example 2

[0083] The only difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the second drive source 61 is a DC motor, and the eleventh gear 626 engages with the take-up drive unit 3 to prevent rotation, thus enabling the eleventh gear 626 to drive the take-up drive unit 3 to rotate. In this embodiment, due to the inherent characteristics of the DC motor, it automatically changes its speed to adapt to changes in load. When the radius of the ribbon on the ribbon take-up shaft 71 increases, resulting in an increase in the ribbon linear speed, the load on the DC motor increases. The DC motor will automatically reduce its speed to adapt to the current load, thereby preventing the ribbon linear speed from continuously increasing and causing a mismatch between the ribbon linear speed and the photographic paper speed, resulting in problems such as ribbon breakage or slippage between the photographic paper and the ribbon.

[0084] In this embodiment, the friction transmission component as in Embodiment 1 is not required, resulting in fewer parts and a greater cost advantage.

[0085] The foregoing description of the specifications and embodiments is intended to explain the scope of protection of this utility model, but does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. Modifications, equivalent substitutions, or other improvements to the embodiments of this utility model or a portion thereof that can be obtained by those skilled in the art through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation, based on the teachings of this utility model or the foregoing embodiments, should all be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A printer cartridge for selectively printing ink from a ribbon onto a printing medium via a printing unit (4), the ribbon being wound by a rotatably disposed winding drive (3), the printing medium being conveyed by a paper feed roller (2); characterized in that, A first drive source (51) for driving the paper feed roller (2) to rotate and a second drive source (61) for driving the winding drive unit (3) to rotate are respectively provided.

2. A printer cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The printer core includes a frame (1), which has a second sidewall (12) and a first sidewall (11) arranged opposite to each other along a first direction (9). The paper feed roller (2) is supported at both ends along the first direction (9) by the second sidewall (12) and the first sidewall (11), respectively. Along the first direction (9), the first drive source (51) and the second drive source (61) are both located between the second sidewall (12) and the first sidewall (11).

3. A printer cartridge as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The output terminals of the first driving source (51) and the second driving source (61) are opposite to each other.

4. A printer cartridge as described in claim 2, characterized in that, On the projection plane perpendicular to the first direction (9), the projection of the first driving source (51) and the projection of the second driving source (61) overlap at least partially.

5. A printer cartridge as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first sidewall (11) and the second sidewall (12) are each provided with a first positioning part (121) suitable for positioning the ribbon cartridge (7). The printer core has an accommodating space (111). The ribbon cartridge (7) is provided with a second positioning part (74) corresponding to the first positioning part (121). The ribbon cartridge (7) is configured to be inserted into the accommodating space (111) along the first direction (9) so that the second positioning part (74) is positioned and engaged with the first positioning part (121), and the take-up shaft (71) on the ribbon cartridge (7) is connected to the take-up drive part (3) to prevent rotation.

6. A printer cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation axes of the winding drive unit (3) and the paper feed roller (2) both extend along the first direction (9); the first drive source (51) and the paper feed roller (2) are driven by the first transmission mechanism (52), and the second drive source (61) and the winding drive unit (3) are driven by the second transmission mechanism (62). The first transmission mechanism (52) and the second transmission mechanism (62) are respectively disposed on both sides of the printer core along the first direction (9).

7. A printer cartridge as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The printer core includes a frame (1) having a second sidewall (12) and a first sidewall (11) arranged opposite to each other along a first direction (9). The paper feed roller (2) is supported at both ends along the first direction (9) by the second sidewall (12) and the first sidewall (11), respectively. The second transmission mechanism (62) is located between the second sidewall (12) and the first sidewall (11).

8. A printer cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first drive source (51) and the second drive source (61) are motors.

9. A printer cartridge as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The second drive source (61) is a variable speed DC motor.

10. A printer, characterized in that, It includes a ribbon cartridge and a printer core as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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