A printing tape transport apparatus, a spool, a printing device comprising such and a method of loading a spool onto a printing tape transport apparatus

Abstract

A printing tape transport apparatus comprising a spool support body 120 for receiving and rotating a spool 170. The spool support body comprises a first end 120a configured to receive a spool of tape; and an end member 130 connectable to the first end of the spool support body. The spool support body comprises one or more than one rib 120c to engage with one or more than one groove (170c, Fig.3) on the spool, and one or more than one projection 162 at the first end of the spool support body. The one or more than one projection is displaceable radially inward (direction B) to allow a spool to be received on to the spool support body or removed therefrom when the end member is not connected to the first end of the spool support body. The one or more than one projection is not displaceable radially inward preventing a spool received on the spool support body from being removed therefrom when the end member is connected to the spool support body.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to a printing tape transport apparatus, to a spool useable with the printing tape transport apparatus, to a system comprising the printing tape transport apparatus and spool, printing device comprising the printing tape transport apparatus and to a method of loading a spool onto the printing tape transport apparatus. The present disclosure may relate to a thermal transfer printing tape in particular. BACKGROUND Printing apparatus, including transfer printers, operate by transferring marking medium onto a target substrate, for example paper, labels or other materials. Some printers, such as thermal transfer printers, include a ribbon which carries the marking medium to be transferred to the substrate. The ribbon may also be referred to as printing tape. Such ribbons are typically supplied in the form of a roll of material wound onto a hollow core or bobbin. It is known to provide cores principally constructed of a cardboard material and / or a plastics material. The printing apparatus typically includes a first spool, which carries the roll of unused ribbon, which may also be referred to as a supply spool, and a second spool, which receives ribbon after use, and which may also be referred to as a take up spool. Either or both the supply spool and the take up spool may be driven, for example by one or more motors, and movement of the take up and the supply spool, and hence transport of the ribbon between the spools is typically controlled by a control device. Ribbon roll cores are typically secured to the respective spool to allow torque transmission from the motor or other drive apparatus. It is important that the torque transmission is adequate since any rotary slippage of the ribbon relative to the spool upon which the ribbon is mounted can cause damage to the ribbon or affect the quality of the printing. Printing may stop or print quality may be affected if the tension in the tape is not maintained within a suitable range. Therefore, the ribbon is wound evenly on to the supply spool and the take-up spool. Once all the ribbon has been used and transferred to the takeup spool, the take-up spool and the now-empty supply spool may be removed from a printing apparatus and replaced with a new supply spool and an empty take-up spool. This is a manual procedure done by an operator. Replacement of the spools results in printer downtime as the printing apparatus cannot be operated during replacement. Often the printing apparatus is installed on a production line, and printer downtime may result in production line downtime. The present disclosure aims to provide improvement generally to the art. Such improvements may include one or more of the following, but are not limited thereto: i) Improve reliability. ii) Improve ease of use. ill) Reduce time to operate. iv) Improve ease of manufacture. v) Reduce weight. vi) Reduce costs. SUMMARY In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is a printing tape transport apparatus comprising: a spool support body for receiving and rotating a spool, the spool support body comprising a first end configured to receive a spool of tape; and an end member connectable to the first end of the spool support body; wherein the spool support body comprises one or more than one rib to engage with one or more than one groove on the spool, and one or more than one projection at the first end of the spool support body; wherein the one or more than one projection is displaceable radially inward to allow a spool to be received on to the spool support body or removed therefrom when the end member is not connected to the first end of the spool support body; and wherein the one or more than one projection is not displaceable radially inward preventing a spool received on the spool support body from being removed therefrom when the end member is connected to the spool support body. Aspects of the present disclosure can be made from very few components. Thus, it is low cost and easy to manufacture. Fewer components may also inherently improve the reliability and repairability. Aspects of the present disclosure may not require any complex or high wear-resistant components. Therefore, the parts do not need to be made from high-grade materials. The majority if not all of the comments can be made from lower grade materials, that are cheaper and easier to manufacture, including polyamide, polyacetal, HDPE, PET, PLA amongst other known engineering polymers and engineering materials generally. Lower cost materials and less complicated manufacturing results in lower production costs. Because The parts can be made metal free or with minimal metal, any the interference with an RFID chip in or on the spool can be reduced or controlled more easily. Also, lower eCO2 materials and manufacturing processes can be used, reducing the environmental impact. Such materials can also reduce the weight of components. Aspects of the present disclosure may provide release of the spool from the spindle by pressing in the projections. This is visually intuitive, that is an operator can see how to operate it without having to be shown. In some embodiments, an operator may be able to move the projections with two fingers. Removal of the spool, therefore, does not require a second hand to hold ribbon while twisting. Thus, aspects of the present disclosure may provide improved ease of use and reduced time of use. The spool support body may be generally cylindrical in shape. The spool support body may extend in a length wise direction coaxial with a hypothetical axis running along the centre of the spool support body. The radial direction extends perpendicular to the axis. The circumferential direction extends around the axis. The spool support body may be hollow, the spool support body may also comprise an internal bore. Tape transport apparatus may refer to an apparatus or part thereof used for winding and unwinding tape from a spool. Tape transport apparatus may be useable to transport or transfer tape from one spool to another spool. Printing tape transport apparatus may be comprised as part of a printer, in particular a printer wherein the ink is provided on a tape such as in thermal transfer overprinting (TTO). The term "engage" in the context of the rib and the groove, may refer to the two structures cooperating to be capable transferring or receiving loads and / or to restrict relative motion in the circumferential direction. As used herein, "receiving" may refer to the spool support body being sized and shaped accordingly so an operator can place the spool on it. Similarly, "received" may refer to a spool having been placed on to a spool support body. When a spool is placed onto the spool support body, the spool may initially contact spool support body at the first end. The first end may therefore be referred to as the receiving end. As used herein, "connectable" may refer to the end member being capable of detachably connecting to the spool support body. In some embodiments, connection and detachment may be performed by an operator without the use of tools. As explained herein, the end member and spool support body may comprise cooperating structures to enable a detachable connection. The cooperating structures may comprise one or more recesses and projections on the end member and spool support body, or the end member may comprise a central projection, insertable into interior of the spool support body, or a combination of both. Other cooperating structures are also envisioned within the scope of the disclosure. As used herein "displaceable" may refer to the projection being capable of being moved, for example, by the hand of an operator. As used herein, "radially inwards" may refer to movement towards the central axis, and optionally generally in the radial direction. In some embodiments, when the end member is connected to the spool support body the inward displacement of the projections may be prevented by end member providing a physical impediment. For example, part of the end member may physically block the projection from moving. In some embodiments, the end member may be connectable to the spool support body so that rotary drive of the end member is transferred to the spool support body. As used herein "rotary drive" may refer to torque. Thus, when an end member is connected to the spool support body, rotation of the spool support body may cause rotation of the end member and vice versa. In some embodiments, the end member may be arranged to be rotated by a motor. In this configuration, the spool support body would also be rotated when connected to the spool support body. In some embodiments, the end member may comprise one or more than one recess to locate the one or more than one projection therein. The one or more than one projection may engage with the one or more than one recess so that rotary drive of the end member is transferred to the spool support body. The recess may be any structure or form that can accommodate the projections. In some embodiments the recess may take a form that permits the transference of rotary drive from the end member to the spool support body. For example, the recess may comprise walls aligned approximately in the radial direction. These walls may correspond to a shape of the projection, so that rotation of the end member rotates the walls of the recess to push on the projection causing corresponding rotation of the spool support body. The recesses may comprise teeth, splines, walls, grooves, or any other shape that can cooperate with the projections. The recesses may be located at a radially outer position on the end member. This may facilitate the transference of drive to the spool support body. In some embodiments, when the end member is connected to the spool support body, projections of the spool support body may be located in the recesses and the shape of the recesses may prevent the radially inward displacement of the projections. For example, a radially inward surface of the recess may prevent radially inward movement of a projection. In some embodiments, the one or more than one projection may be configured so the radially inward displacement of the projections can be achieved by the fingers of an operator. For example, the projection may extend beyond the spool support body in the axial direction. The projections may be suitably sized and / or shaped and / or located for ergonomic access. In some embodiments, the projections may comprise a chamfer at a radially outermost part of the projections. The chamfer may be tapered so that when a spool is pushed onto the chamfer, the angle of the chamfer allows the projections to be pushed radially inwards by the movement of the spool. Thus, a spool can be received onto a spool support body without the operator having to push the projections together beforehand. In some embodiments, the spool support body may extend along an axial direction and the one or more than one rib may be aligned in the axial direction. For example, the ribs may extend from the fist end to a second end at the opposing end of the spool support body. This may permit the spool to slide onto and off the spool support body in the axial direction. In some embodiments, the ribs of the spool support body may be arranged to prevent radial rotation of a spool and permit axial movement of the spool, when the spool is received on the spool support body. In some embodiments, the spool may slide in an axial direction on the spool support body but cannot rotate in the circumferential direction relative to the spool support body, when received on the spool support body. Sliding may be permitted by the ribs to an extent that may otherwise be limited by other structures, e.g., the projections or end member. In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise two or more than two projections. In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise two opposing projections that are inwardly displaceable toward each other. Opposing in this context may refer to two projections being opposite a central axis of the spool support body. Optionally the projections may be displaceable toward each other by a thumb and forefinger of an operator. Accordingly, the spool support body may be constructed to have an appropriate force required to displace the projections by thumb and forefinger. This may be achieved by using a spring or other biasing means, adjusting material thickness and properties or using slots in the spool support body, depending on embodiment. In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise a plurality of ribs, and optionally the ribs may have a linear width of from 0.4 to 4 mm measured at the base of the rib. The ribs may have a height measured in the radial direction from 0.2 from to 2 mm. The width of the ribs may be greater than 0.2mm, 0.4mm, or 0.6mm, or 0.8mm, or 1mm, or 1.2mm, or 1.4mm, or 1.6mm, or 1.8mm, or 2mm. The width of the ribs may not exceed 1mm, or 2mm, or 3mm, or 4mm, or 5mm, or 6mm, or 7mm, or 8mm, or 9mm, or 10mm. The height of the ribs may be greater than 0.2mm, 0.4mm, or 0.6mm, or 0.8mm, or 1mm, or 1.2mm, or 1.4mm, or 1.6mm, or 1.8mm, or 2mm. The height of the ribs may not exceed 1mm, or 2mm, or 3mm, or 4mm, or 5mm, or 6mm, or 7mm, or 8mm, or 9mm, or 10mm. The grooves of a spool may have the same shape as the ribs and thus may have any dimension as stated for the ribs and vice versa. The width of a groove mat be measured at the radially outermost part, the height of a groove may be the same as depth. The shape of the ribs may be triangular, square or rectangular when viewed in cross-section (perpendicular to the length of the ribs). In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise a plurality of ribs, arranged in one or more regions on the circumference of the spool support body. The one or more regions may occupy between 15 degrees and 345 degrees, or between 30 degrees and 330 degrees, or between 45 degrees and 315 degrees, or between 60 degrees and 300 degrees of the total circumference. In some embodiments the spool body may comprise two regions wherein each region occupies 45 degrees + / -10 degrees. The two regions may be located on two different sides of the spool support body. In some embodiments, the spool support body may be formed from a polymer. A polymer may be any known engineering polymer. This may include, amongst others, PA, HDPE, POM, PET, PMMA and PEEK. The term "formed from the polymer" may refer to all of the spool support body being formed from a polymer, or all the spool support body excluding springs / biasing means and / or pivots, or at least 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% or 50% of the mass of the spool support body being formed of a polymer. In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise two or more sides. The two or more sides may be separated by two or more slots. The two or more slots may begin at the first end of the spool support body and extend at least partially toward the opposing end of the spool support body. In some embodiments, the two or more sides may each comprise one or more than one projection thereon, optionally wherein the projections are integrally formed with the sides. Integrally formed may refer to a one-piece component, i.e., there are no joints or connections between the projections and the spool support body. In some embodiments, the two or more sides may be displaceable radially inwards at the first end so that the projections are also displaced radially inwards. In some embodiments, the displacement inwards of the sides are by deformation of the sides. Deformation may be elastic deformation from the resilience of the material the sides are made from. This is different to articulation around a pivot or hinge. A spool support body utilizing deformation of the sides may further reduce complexity by avoiding more complex parts. Displacement of the sides and / or the ribs radially inward may release any unintended interference pressure between the spool and ribs. For example, a take-up spool may undergo "core crush" during take-up of the ribbon under excess tension conditions. This may cause the internal diameter of the spool to reduce causing unwanted interference pressure between the spool and spool support body. Where the sides are displaceable by deformation and the projections are integrally formed at the first end of the sides, then the entire spool support body can be formed from a single component. This can further reduce complexity and cost. In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise a spring within the spool support body to resist radially inwards displacement of the two or more sides. The spring may optionally be a leaf spring, coil spring or any other spring form, or any other biasing means. The spring may alternatively assist with radially inwards displacement of the two or more sides. In some embodiments, the two or more sides may each comprise one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten ribs. In some embodiments, the spool support body may comprise one or more members extending along the axial direction to the first end of the spool support body. The one or more members may comprise the one or more projections at the first end thereof. The one or more members may be displaceable radially inwards at the first end. In such embodiments, the projections may not be connected to the spool support body. Thus, displacement of the projections may not involve displacement the spool support body or any sides thereof, but instead the members displace. In some embodiments, the one or more members may resiliently deform to displace radially inwardly. Two or more members may be integrally formed on the same piece of material. The members may connect to the spool support body at the second end. Connection may be by adhesive, or mechanical fastening means amongst others. In some embodiments, the one or more members may connect to the spool support body via an articulating connection to displace radially inwards. An articulating connection may comprise a hinge, pivot or other rotating joint. The connection may be between the spool support body and the member. The connection may be at the second end. In some embodiments, the one or more members may be biased radially outwards or inwards by a biasing means located within the spool support body. The biasing means may comprise a spring. In some embodiments, the one or more members may be entirely internally located within the spool support body, except for the projections. The projections may extend beyond the length of the spool support body in the axial direction. In some embodiments, the one or more members may be located in openings in the spool support body, and the one or more members comprise one or more of the ribs to engage with grooves of the spool. The term "located in" may refer to part or all of the one or more members being located in the opening. The ribs may be solely located on the members. Movement of the members may move the ribs away from contact with the spool. This may relieve unintended interference pressure between the spool and the ribs. The openings may be through-holes or slots which extend from the interior of the spool support body to the exterior in the radial direction. In a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is a spool for a printing tape comprising one or more grooves on an internal surface of the spool. The one or more than one groove is configured to engage with a spool support body of the first aspect. As used herein the term "spool" may refer to a generally cylindrical structure for accommodating the printing tape (ribbon). The spool may also be referred to as a core. In some embodiments, width of the grooves may be greater than 0.4mm, or 0.6mm, or 0.8mm, or 1mm, or 1.2mm, or 1.4mm, or 1.6mm, or 1.8mm, or 2mm. The width of the grooves may not exceed 1mm, or 2mm, or 3mm, or 4mm, or 5mm, or 6mm, or 7mm, or 8mm, or 9mm, or 10mm. The depth of the grooves may be greater than 0.2mm, 0.4mm, or 0.6mm, or 0.8mm, or 1mm, or 1.2mm, or 1.4mm, or 1.6mm, or 1.8mm, or 2mm. Width of the grooves may be measured at the radially outermost part of the grooves. The depth of the grooves may not exceed 1mm, or 2mm, or 3mm, or 4mm, or 5mm, or 6mm, or 7mm, or 8mm, or 9mm, or 10mm. In some embodiments the grooves have a width from 0.4 mm to 4 mm and a depth of from 0.2 mm to 2 mm. In some embodiments, the spool may comprise at least 20, or 30, or 40, or 50, or 60, or 70, or 80, or 90, or 100 grooves. In some embodiments, the spool may comprise no more than 30, or 40, or 50, or 60, or 70, or 80, or 90, or 100, or 110 grooves. In particular, the spool may comprise between 60 and 80 grooves. In some embodiments, the grooves may have a triangular, rectangular or square shape. Shape may be the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the length in the axial direction of the grooves. The shape may match the shape of the ribs. In some embodiments, a plurality of grooves may be evenly spaced around the circumference of the inner surface of a spool. The shape may refer to the cross section of the groove. The grooves may extend in the axial direction. The grooves may extend along the entire length of the spool, or for a length greater than 30%, 50%, 70% or 90% of the total length of the spool. A groove may be discontinuous along its length. A groove may be formed from the space between two adjacent ribs projecting from the inner surface of the spool. The two adjacent ribs may be square, rectangular or triangular. The groove may have a cross-sectional profile shaped to receive the cross-sectional profile of any one of the two adjacent ribs. In some embodiments, the spool may comprise ribs and the spool support body may comprise grooves changing mutatis mutandis one for the other. Thus, the terms "ribs" and "grooves" as used herein may be interchangeable. In a third aspect there is a system comprising a printing tape transport apparatus of the first aspect and a spool of the second aspect wherein the spool support body is configured to receive the spool, and one or more than one rib is configured to engage with the one or more than one groove on the spool. In some embodiments, the spool support body comprises fewer ribs than the spool has grooves; or the spool support body comprises more ribs than the spool has grooves. Reducing the number of ribs relative to the number of grooves may further improve the ease of manufacturing. In some embodiments, the spool support body comprises a plurality of ribs spaced around at least a portion of the circumference of the spool support body, wherein the spacing is arranged so that the ribs correspond to a plurality of grooves on the spool, and wherein the angular spacing of the ribs in the radial direction is equal to or is an integer multiple of the angular spacing of the grooves; optionally wherein the integer is from 2 to 10, optionally wherein the integer is 3. For example, when the integer is 1 the angular spacing is identical between the ribs and grooves, and there is one rib for every groove. When the integer is two, the angular spacing of the ribs is double the grooves and there are two grooves for every rib. In this case, every other groove would be occupied by ribs. In a fourth aspect there is a printing device comprising a printing tape transport apparatus of the first aspect, further comprising a housing, a motor in the housing and a cassette. Wherein the cassette is insertable into and removable from the housing. And wherein one or more than one spool support body is rotatably mounted to the cassette and one or more than one end member is mounted to the housing and configured to be rotated by the motor; and wherein removal of the cassette from the housing separates the one or more than one end member from the one or more than one spool support body. And wherein insertion of the cassette into the housing connects the one or more than one end member to the one or more than one spool support body or arranges the one or more end member to connect with the one or more spool support body upon rotation of the end member by the motor. In some embodiments, the one or more than one end member may be biased against the one or more than one spool support body when the cassette is inserted into the housing. In some embodiments, the printing device may further comprise a spool according to the second aspect. In some embodiments, the printing device comprises two spool support bodies and two end members. In some embodiments, each end member may be connected to a separate motor. In some embodiments, the end member may only be connected and disconnected from the spool support body by moving the cassette from the housing. For example, the housing and / or cassette may have a shape that prevents an operator from accessing the end member or spool support body directly and connecting or disconnecting directly by hand. In a fifth aspect there is a method of loading a spool onto a printing tape transport apparatus comprising the steps of: i) providing a printing tape transport apparatus according to the first aspect and a spool according to the second aspect; ii) displacing the one or more than one projection radially inwards; ill) placing the spool over the spool support body; and iv) connecting the end member to the spool support body. In some embodiments, the method may comprise the subsequent steps of: v) disconnecting the end member from the spool support body; vi) displacing the one or more than one projection radially inwards; and vii) sliding the spool from spool support body. The method may be performed by an operator on a printing machine according to the fourth aspect. In some embodiments, step v) may be performed after a ribbon of printing tape has been removed from the spool or a ribbon of used printing tape has been added to the spool. The present disclosure provides a print tape transport apparatus, a spool, a system, a printing device and a method. Each of these aspects may implement any feature of any preceding aspect or any other embodiment or variant, from any aspect disclosed herein. The preceding summary is provided for the purposes of summarizing some embodiments to provide a basic understanding of aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Moreover, the above and / or proceeding embodiments may be combined in any suitable combination to provide further embodiments. Features described in one aspect of the disclosure are to be construed as applicable to other aspects of the disclosure. For example, the apparatus described herein is to be construed as applicable for performing the function of the apparatus in the method, and vice versa. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures and Claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Aspects, features and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments in reference to the appended drawings in which like numerals denote like elements. Figure 1 is an illustrative side view of a print tape transport apparatus according to the present disclosure and a spool according to the present disclosure received on the print tape apparatus. Figure 2 is an illustrative perspective view of the print tape transport apparatus of Figure 1 and the spool of Figure 1. The spool is shown in cross-section. Figure 3 is an illustrative perspective view of the spool support body of the print tape transport apparatus of Figure 1 and the spool of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a printing device of the present disclosure. Figure 5 is an illustrative cross-sectional side view of an alternative spool support body. Figure 6 is an illustrative cross-sectional side view of an alternative spool support body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before describing several embodiments of the apparatus, it is to be understood that the apparatus is not limited to the details of construction or process steps set forth in the following description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure that the embodied apparatuses are capable of being practised or being carried out in various ways, in particular, the below embodiments may be combined with any other disclosure described herein. Figures 1 and 2 show a print tape transport apparatus according to the present disclosure and a spool 170 according to the present disclosure. The print tape transport apparatus comprises a spool support body 120 and an end member 130. The spool support body 120 can receive a spool 170 thereon and rotate the spool 170. In Figure 1 and Figure 2, the spool 170 is shown as received on the spool support body 120. The spool support body 120 comprises a first end 120a, which is the end over which the spool 170 is first received when applying the spool 170 to the spool support body 120. At the opposite end of the spool support body 120 is the second end 120b. At the first end 120a of the spool support body 120 are two projections 162. These are shown more clearly in Figure 3 which shows the spool support body 120 and spool 170 only. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the spool 170 is fitted, i.e., received fully, over the spool support body 120 the projections 162 may extend in the axial direction beyond the length of the spool 170. This means the projections 162 may be more accessible to the fingers of an operator when the end member 130 is not connected. As used throughout, the term axial direction, central axis and axis refers to a hypothetical axis that the runs along the centre of the spool support body 120. The spool support body 120 is generally cylindrical in shape. Thus, the centre of the spool support body 120 in the length direction (as shown by arrow C) is the same as the central axis of the spool support body 120. The projections 162 may optionally also extend radially outwards from the outer surface of the spool support body 120. This assists in retaining the spool 170 on the spool support body 120 when the end member 130 is not connected to the spool support body 120. As used throughout, the radial direction is perpendicular to the axis and extends opposite to arrows B. The spool support body 120 comprises a plurality of ribs on the outer surface of the spool support body 120. These ribs 120c engage with corresponding grooves 170c on the spool 170 (shown in Figure 3). These ribs 120c engage the grooves 170c to prevent rotation between the spool 170 and the spool support body 120, but this engagement permits axial motion of the spool 170 along the spool support body 120. The spool support body 120 is divided into two sides 121 and 123, separated by slot 160. When the pair of projections 162 are displaced radially inwards in the direction of arrows B, the two sides 121,123 of the spool support body 120 deform inwards. When this occurs, the projections no longer extend radially beyond the spool 170 and the spool can slide over of the spool support body 120, and over the projections 162. The projections 162 can comprise a chamfer 162a, so that the action of pushing a spool 170 into the chamfer 162a will cause the projections 162 to displace inwards. This may allow an operator to load the spool 170 onto a spool support body 120 without having to touch the spool support body 120. The end member 130 is shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a configuration where it is not connected to the spool support body 120. The end member 130 is connectable to the spool support body 120 and thus also detachable from a connected state. The end member comprises a central projection 132 which extends into the first end 120a of the spool support body 120 when the end member 130 is connected to the spool support body 120. This central projection 132 may block the inward movement of the projections 162 thus preventing the spool 170 from being removed. The central projection 132 may also form an interference fit with the interior of the spool support body 120 to form the connection between the end member 130 and the spool support body 120. The connection may also be performed by other features or in combination with the central projection 132. The end of the central projection 132 is tapered so that it can be easily located into the interior of the spool support body 120. The end member 130 comprises two recesses 182a in a base portion 182 which are sized and shaped to receive the projections 162 when the end member 130 is connected to the spool support body 120. The two recesses 182a may alternatively, or in combination with the central projection 132, may block the inward movement of the projections 162, thus preventing the spool 170 from being removed. The recesses 182a and projections 162 may permit rotary drive, i.e., torque, to be transferred from the end member 130 to the spool support body 120. The projections 162 may also form an interference fit with the recesses 182a to form the connection between the end member 130 and the spool support body 120. The connection may also be performed by other features or in combination with the recesses 182a and the projections 162. The end member additionally comprises a shaft 180 to slide within the base portion 182 and spring 184 to bias the base portion 182. This arrangement accommodates movement of the base portion 182 in the axial direction C when the spool support body 120 is pushed against it. This is particularly relevant when the projections 162 do not initially engage with the recesses 182a. The axial movement of the base portion 182 can accommodate the increased axial length in this configuration. A motor (not shown in figures 1-3) connected to the shaft 180 will rotate the end portion 170 so that the recesses 182a align with the projections 162 causing them to engage via the spring 184 biasing the base portion 162 towards the spool support body 120. Figure 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a printing device 110 according to the present disclosure. Figure 4 also illustrates the cassette 110a and the housing 110b of the printing device 110. The cassette 110a is insertable into the housing 110b. The housing 110b may extend beyond that shown in figure 4 to provide an enclosure (not shown) around the printing device 110 with an opening for the cassette 110a. The printing device 110 also comprises two motors 150 mounted to the housing 110b. The printing device 110 comprises two spool support bodies 120 and two end members 130, shown in cross-section through the central axis of each spool support body 120. The spool support bodies 120 are rotatably mounted to the cassette 110a and the end members 130 are rotatably mounted to the housing 110b via the motors 150. In Figure 4, the two spool support bodies 120 are shown in different orientations, rotated 90 degrees to each other, the right-hand spool support body 120 is where the cross section passes through its slot, the left-hand spool support body 120 has its slot orthogonal to the cross section. The spool bodies 120 are also shown absent of spools in Figure 4. The two spool support bodies 120 are shown with the two end members 130 connected to the first ends of the spool support bodies 120. The central projections 132 are inserted into the interior of the support bodies 120. In this configuration the projections 162 at the first ends 162 of the spool bodies 120 cannot be displaced inwards. In the right-hand spool support body 120 of figure 4 the projections 162 inserted into recesses 182a. In the left-hand spool support body 120, the projections are abutting against the base portion 182 of the end member 130 but are not accommodated in the recesses. To accommodate this increased length, the base portion 182 has been displaced towards the motor 150 over shaft 180, and against spring 184. Rotation of the end member by the motor 150 will align the recesses of the end portion 130 with the projections of the spool support body 120 and the base portion 182 will displace towards the spool support body 120 via spring 184, engaging the projections 162 into the recesses 182a. In this configuration, rotation of the end member 130 by motor 150 will rotate the spool support body 120. Any spool 170 mounted on the spool support body will also be rotated via the interaction of the grooves and ribs. Thus, in this configuration a tape can be unwound from a spool or taken up by a spool from operation of motors 150. Removal of the cassette 110a from the housing 110b will cause the spool support bodies 120 to be pulled away from the end members 130. In this configuration the projections and sides of the spool support body 120 can be displaced inward to receive a spool or remove a spool. Thus, this the state in which tape is loaded or unloaded by an operator. A spring 190 is located inside the spool support body 120. The spring can be configured to resist the inward deformation of the sides of the spool support body 120 or can be configured to assist the inward deformation depending on the stiffness of the sides 121, 123 of the spool support body 120. Figure 5 shows an alternative spool support body 220 useable with the end member shown in figures 1, 2 and 4 to form a print tape transport apparatus of the present disclosure. The spool support body 220 comprises a hollow cylinder with an open end at the first end 220a. The second end 220b is a closed end. The outermost surface of the spool support body 220 comprises ribs 220c configured to engage with grooves of a cooperating spool. The spool support body 220 comprises two members 231 which extend along the interior of the spool support body 220, from the second end 220b to the first end 220a. At the first end, the members 231 comprise projections 262 which protrude axially beyond the first end 220a and radially beyond the outermost surface of the spool support body 220. The members 231 are fixed at the second end 220b to the spool support body 220, this may be by mechanical means, adhesive or an interference fit for example, or may be integrally formed. The members 231 resiliently deform inwardly at the first end in response to force applied to the projections in the direction shown by arrows B to allow a spool to be fitted to or removed from the spool support body 220. Alternatively, the members 231 may comprise an articulated connection, e.g., a hinge or pivot point. The members may also be biased outwards or inwards by a biasing means, such as a spring. Figure 6 shows an alternative spool support body 320 useable with the end member of figures 1, 2 and 4 to form a print tape transport apparatus of the present disclosure. The spool support body 320 comprises a hollow cylinder with an open end at the first end 320a. The second end 320b is a closed end. The spool support body 320 comprises two members 331 which extend along the interior of the spool support body 320, from the second end 320b to the first end 320a. At the first end 320a, the members 331 comprise projections 362 which protrude axially beyond the first end 320a and radially beyond the outermost surface of the spool support body 320. The spool support body 320 comprises two holes or openings which extend from the interior of the spool support body 320 to the outer surface. The holes are sized to accommodate a portion of the members 331. The two members 331 have an articulated connection to the spool support body via pivots 341. The members are biased outwards by spring 390 so that a portion of the members 331 occupy the holes in the spool support body 320. The portions of the members 331 which occupy the holes in the spool support body 320 comprise ribs 320c to engage with corresponding grooves of a spool. The members 331 move inwardly at the first end, pivoting around pivots 341, and against spring 390 in response to force applied to the projections in the direction shown by arrows B. This moves the projections to allow a spool to be fitted to or removed from the spool support body 320. This also moves the ribs 320c on the members 331 away from a spool, which may assist with removal of a spool after core crush. The angular displacement of the members 331 around the pivots 341 is very small. Additionally, torque between the spool and the members is resisted by the walls of the openings. This means that the pivots 341 bear minimal load when the spool is rotated via the spool support body 320. Consequently, the pivots 341 can be low specification, further lowering the cost of production. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the spool support body 120 and / or an inner surface of the spool 170 may be altered to improve the gripping effect between them. One or more of the surfaces may be or may include one or more of the following: 1) a high friction material such as rubber (or similar), 2) a self-adhesive, 3) an anti-slip material, or 4) blades or pins. As can be seen in figure 3, ribs 120c are provided on the spool support body 120. In some embodiments, a corresponding groove pattern 170c may be provided on an inner surface of the spool 170. The ribs 120c and corresponding grooves 170c are chosen to be relatively small (in this example, the width and height are less than 1mm). The grooves also extend 360 degrees around the inner circumference of spool 170. By making the groves small (e.g., less than 1.5mm, or less than 1mm or less than 0.5mm) and adjacent the rotation needed by an operator to align the ribs 120c with the grooves 170c is reduced leading to a further improved speed of fitting. Each rib and / or groove may include a leading chamfer to further improve the ease of fitting a spool to the spool support body 120. Referring to figure 1-3 the spool support body 120 comprises approximately eight ribs confined to two regions on the two sides of the spool support body 120. In some embodiments, the ribs may be spaced around the entire circumference or part of the circumference. The ribs may also be spaced with greater spacing than the grooves. For example, a pair of adjacent ribs may be spaced apart to that they both occupy two non-adjacent grooves, with 1, 2, 3 or any number of unoccupied grooves between. However, confining the ribs to only cover part of the circumference, and / or increasing the spacing to leave some grooves unoccupied may further improve ease of manufacturing. The spool support body, 120, 220, 320 may optionally comprise ferrite to modify an RFID signal from an RFID chip on the core. Rods of ferrite may be inserted into holes of the spool support body. The holes may extend in the axial direction. Similarly, the spool 170 may comprise an RFID chip. As used in this specification, any formulation used of the style "at least one of A, B or C", and the formulation "at least one of A, B and C" use a disjunctive "or" and a disjunctive "and" such that those formulations comprise any and all joint and several permutations of A, B, C, that is, A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B in any order, A and C in any order, B and C in any order and A, B, C in any order. There may be more or less than three features used in such formulations. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word 'comprising' does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the terms "a" or "an," as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. Also, the use of introductory phrases such as "at least one" and "one or more" in the claims should not be construed to imply that the introduction of another claim element by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to inventions containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an." The same holds true for the use of definite articles. Unless stated otherwise, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Unless otherwise explicitly stated as incompatible, or the physics or otherwise of the embodiments, example or claims prevent such a combination, the features of the foregoing embodiments and examples, and of the following claims may be integrated together in any suitable arrangement, especially ones where there is a beneficial effect in doing so. This is not limited to only any specified benefit and instead may arise from an "ex post facto" benefit. This is to say that the combination of features is not limited by the described forms, particularly the form (e.g., numbering) of the example(s), embodiment(s), or dependency of the claim(s). Moreover, this also applies to the phrases "in one embodiment", "according to an embodiment" and the like, which are merely a stylistic form of wording and are not to be construed as limiting the following features to a separate embodiment to all other instances of the same or similar wording. This is to say, a reference to 'an', 'one' or 'some' embodiment(s) may be a reference to any one or more, and / or all embodiments, or combination(s) thereof, disclosed. Similarly, the reference to "the" embodiment may not be limited to the immediately preceding embodiment. The preceding description of one or more implementations provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from the practice of various implementations of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A printing tape transport apparatus comprising:a spool support body for receiving and rotating a spool, the spool support body comprising a first end configured to receive a spool of tape; andan end member connectable to the first end of the spool support body;wherein the spool support body comprises one or more than one rib to engage with one or more than one groove on the spool, and one or more than one projection at the first end of the spool support body;wherein the one or more than one projection is displaceable radially inward to allow a spool to be received on to the spool support body or removed therefrom when the end member is not connected to the first end of the spool support body; andwherein the one or more than one projection is not displaceable radially inward preventing a spool received on the spool support body from being removed therefrom when the end member is connected to the spool support body.

2. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end member is connectable to the spool support body so that rotary drive of the end member is transferred to the spool support body.

3. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the end member comprises one or more than one recess to locate the one or more than one projection therein, and wherein the one or more than one projection may engage with the one or more than one recess so that rotary drive of the end member is transferred to the spool support body.

4. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more than one projection is configured so the radially inward displacement of the projections can be achieved by the fingers of an operator.

5. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the spool support body extends along an axial direction and the one or more than one rib extends in the axial direction.

6. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the spool support body comprises two or more than two projections.

7. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the spool support body comprises two opposing projections that are displaceable radially inward toward each other by a thumb and forefinger of an operator.

8. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the ribs of the spool support body are arranged to prevent radial rotation of a spool and permit axial movement of the spool, when the spool is received on the spool support body.

9. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the spool can slide in an axial direction on the spool support body but cannot rotate in the circumferential direction relative to the spool support body, when received on the spool support body.

10. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the spool support body comprises a plurality of ribs, and optionally the ribs having a width in the circumferential direction of from 0.4 to 4 mm measured at the base and a height measured in the radial direction of from 0.2 to 2mm.

11. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the spool support body comprises a plurality of ribs, arranged in one or more regions on the circumference of the spool support body and the one more regions occupy between 45 degrees and 315 degrees of the total circumference.

12. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the spool support body is formed from a polymer.

13. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein spool support body comprises two or more sides, wherein the two or more sides are separated by two or more slots, wherein the two or more slots begin at the first end of the spool support body and extend partially toward the opposing end of the spool support body.

14. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the two or more sides each comprise one or more than one projection thereon, optionally wherein the projections are integrally formed with the sides.

15. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the two or more sides are displaceable radially inwards at the first end so that the projections are displaceable radially inwards; and / or optionally wherein the displacement inwards of the sides is by deformation of the sides.

16. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the spool support body comprises a spring within the spool support body to resist radially inwards displacement of the two or more sides.

17. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 14, wherein the two or more sides each comprises one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten ribs.

18. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any of claim 1 to claim 12, wherein the spool support body comprises one or more members extending along the axial direction to the firstend of the spool support body, and the one or more members comprise the one or more projections at the first end thereof and are displaceable radially inwards at the first end.

19. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the one or more members resiliently deform to displace radially inwards.

20. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the one or more members connect to the spool support body via an articulating connection to displace radially inwards.

21. A printing tape transport apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the one or more members are biased radially outwards by a biasing means located within the spool support body.

22. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any of claims 18 to 21, wherein the one or more members are internally located within the spool support body, except for the projections.

23. A printing tape transport apparatus according to any of claims 18 to 21, wherein the one or more members are located in openings in the spool support body, and the one or more members comprise the one or more of the ribs to engage with the one or more grooves of the spool.

24. A spool for a printing tape comprising one or more grooves on an internal surface, the one or more grooves are configured to engage with one or more than one ribs of a spool support body as defined in any of the preceding claims.

25. A spool according to claim 24, wherein the one or more than one groove has a width from 0.4 to 4 mm and a depth of from 0.2 to 2 mm.

26. A spool according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the spool comprises between 60 and 80 grooves.

27. A spool according to any of claims 24 to 26, wherein the shape of the one or more grooves are triangular.

28. A spool according to claims 24 to 26, comprising a plurality of grooves that are evenly spaced around the circumference of the inner surface of a spool.

29. A system comprising a printing tape transport apparatus system of any of claims 1 to 23 and a spool of any of claims 24 to 28 wherein the spool support body is configured to receive the spool, and the one or more than one rib is configured to engage with the one or more than one groove on the spool.

30. A system according to claim 29 wherein spool support body comprises fewer ribs than the spool has grooves; or wherein spool support body comprises more ribs than the spool has grooves.

31. A system according to claim 29 or 30 wherein the spool support body comprises a plurality of ribs spaced around at least a portion of circumference of the spool support body, wherein the spacing is arranged so that the ribs correspond to a plurality of grooves on a spool, and wherein the angular spacing of the ribs in the radial direction is equal to or is an integer multiple of the angular spacing of the grooves; optionally wherein the integer is 2-10, optionally wherein the integer is 3.

32. A printing device comprising a printing tape transport apparatus of any of claims 1 to 23, and further comprising a housing, a motor in the housing and a cassette;wherein the cassette is insertable into and removable from the housing;wherein one or more than one spool support body is rotatably mounted to the cassette and one or more than one end member is mounted to the housing and configured to be rotated by the motor; andwherein removal of the cassette from the housing separates the one or more than one end member from the one or more than one spool support body; andwherein insertion of the cassette into the housing connects the one or more than one end member to the one or more than one spool support body or arranges the one or more end member to connect with the one or more spool support body upon rotation of the end member by the motor.

33. A printing device according to claim 32, wherein the one or more than one end member is biased against the one or more than one spool support body when the cassette is inserted into the housing.

34. A printing device according to claim 32 or 33, further comprising a spool according to any of claims 24 to 28.

35. A method of loading a spool onto a printing tape transport apparatus comprising the steps of viii) providing a printing tape transport apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 23 and a spool according to any of claims 24 to 28;ix) displacing the one or more than one projection radially inwards;x) placing the spool over the spool support body; and xi) connecting the end member to the spool support body.

36. A method according to claim 31 comprising the subsequent steps of:xii) disconnecting the end member from the spool support body;xiii) displacing the one or more than one projection radially inwards; andxiv) sliding the spool from spool support body.18

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