Ink ribbon cartridge
An ink ribbon cartridge, having a frame, a pair of supply shaft connecting members for connecting ends of a supply shaft to the frame, a first take-up shaft connecting member for connecting an end of a take-up shaft to the frame, the first take-up shaft connecting member including a gear member, and a second take-up shaft connecting member for connecting another end of the take-up shaft to the frame is provided. The first take-up shaft connecting member includes a gear portion and a spool portion which is substantially housed inside the take-up shaft. The gear portion includes at least one flexible member with at least one of a projecting portion and an angled end, the flexible member including two surfaces which become closer to each other when the flexible member is being inserted into a receiving portion of the spool portion.
1. An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising:
a frame;
supply shaft connecting members, the supply shaft connecting members connecting a supply shaft to the frame;
a first take-up shaft connecting member and a second take-up shaft connecting member, the first and second take-up shaft connecting members connecting a take-up shaft to the frame, and the first take-up shaft connecting member including a first portion and a second portion; wherein:
one of the first portion and the second portion includes a gear portion,
the first portion includes a receiving portion and at least one opening along an outer surface thereof;
the second portion includes an insert portion, the insert portion having a first side and second side, the first and second sides being flexibly connected such that facing surfaces of the first and second sides have a first space therebetween when the first portion is separate from the second portion and having a smaller space therebetween when the second portion is being inserted into the first portion such that when the insert portion with at least one of a projecting portion and an angled end of one of the first side and the second side is inserted into the receiving portion, the insert portion with the at least one of the projecting portion and the angled end of one of the first side and the second side may pass through the receiving portion so that the at least one of the projecting portion and the angled end of the at least one of the first side and the second side may project into the at least one opening of the first portion such that the first portion and the second portion are undetachably connected.
2. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the second portion includes an arm portion, the arm portion including at least one projection on an outer surface thereof.
3. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the first portion further includes a spool portion, the spool portion having at least one opening on an outer surface thereof.
4. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 3 , wherein the second portion includes a shaft portion, the shaft portion projecting outward from substantially a center portion of the gear portion.
5. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the shaft portion has a substantially cylindrical shape and a substantially cylindrically shaped cavity therein.
6. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 3 , wherein the at least one projection of the arm portion of the second portion projects into the at least one opening in the spool portion.
7. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the at least one projection is at an inner end of the arm portion when the arm portion is inserted into the spool portion.
8. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the arm portion projects outward from the second portion along in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the take-up shaft.
9. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 6 , wherein when the first take-up shaft connecting member is inserted into an end of the take-up shaft, the projection, projecting through the opening in the spool portion, engages with a corresponding inner portion of the take-up shaft.
10. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 9 , wherein when the first take-up shaft connecting member is being inserted into an end of the take-up shaft, the projection is urged into the second spool portion such that the second portion may pass through an opening in the inner portion of the take-up shaft and when the projection has passed through the opening, the projection projects outward again to engage with an inner portion of the take-up shaft.
11. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the projection has at least one tapered surface.
12. An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising:
a frame;
a pair of supply shaft connecting members for connecting ends of a supply shaft to the frame;
a first take-up shaft connecting member for connecting an end of a take-up shaft to the frame, the first take-up shaft connecting member including a gear member; and
a second take-up shaft connecting member for connecting another end of the take-up shaft to the frame, wherein:
the first take-up shaft connecting member includes a gear portion and a spool portion which is substantially housed inside the take-up shaft,
the spool portion includes a receiving portion having at least one hole along an outer surface thereof,
the gear portion includes an insert portion having at least one bent-back portion and the at least one bent-back portion having at least one of an angled end portion at an open end thereof and a projecting portion along an outer surface thereof such that when the gear portion is connected with the spool portion, the angled portion or the projecting portion of the at least one bent-back portion projects into the at least one hole of the spool portion.
13. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 12 , the gear portion and the spool portion include a same number of bent-back portions and holes, respectively.
14. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the receiving portion has a cavity for receiving a closed end of each of the at least one bent-back portion.
15. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 14 , wherein the bent-back portions have an inner side portion and an outer side portion, the inner side portion and the outer side portion extending along an insertion direction into which the bent-back portions are inserted into the cavity of the receiving portion.
16. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 15 , wherein an outer surface of the outer side portion has a shape which corresponds to at least a portion of the inner surface of the receiving portion.
17. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 16 , wherein the outer surface of the outer side portion is substantially in contact with the portion of the inner surface of the receiving portion when the gear portion is connected with the spool portion.
18. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 15 , wherein at least one of a spring and a flexible material is provided in a space between the inner side portion and the outer side portion.
19. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the receiving portion has a substantially cylindrical inner surface.
20. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 19 , wherein an outer surface of the insert portion, includes an outer surface of each of the at least one bent back portions and the outer surface of the insert portion has a substantially cylindrical shape.
21. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 20 , wherein the gear portion has an arm portion which extends along the insertion direction, the arm portion being inserted into the cavity of the receiving portion when the gear portion and the spool portion are connected.
22. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 21 , wherein the arm portion includes a projecting portion at substantially an end thereof, the projecting portion being on the end of the arm portion which is inserted further into the cavity.
23. An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising:
a frame;
a pair of supply shaft connecting members for connecting ends of a supply shaft to the frame;
a first take-up shaft connecting member for connecting an end of a take-up shaft to the frame, the first take-up shaft connecting member including a gear member; and
a second take-up shaft connecting member for connecting another end of the take-up shaft to the frame, wherein:
the first take-up shaft connecting member includes a gear portion and a spool portion which is substantially housed inside the take-up shaft,
the gear portion including at least one flexible member with at least one of a projecting portion and an angled end, the at least one flexible member including two surfaces which become closer to each other when the at least one flexible member is being inserted into a receiving portion of the spool portion.
24. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 23 , wherein the spool portion includes at least one opening on an outer surface thereof, the at least one of the projecting portion and the angled end projecting through the at least one opening when the gear portion is connected to the spool portion.
25. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 24 , wherein a diameter of the spool portion at an outermost portion thereof which is inserted into the end of the take-up shaft is larger than a diameter of the spool portion at an innermost portion thereof which is inserted into the end of the take-up shaft.
26. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 25 , wherein a flange projects from an outer circumference at the outermost portion of the spool portion.
27. The ink ribbon cartridge of claim 25 , wherein the receiving portion has at least one tapered end for guiding the at least one flexible member.
28. The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 23 , wherein the gear portion includes a gear from which the at least one flexible member extends toward the spool portion, the at least one flexible member including a bend-back portion having a substantially u-like shape which connects the two surfaces.
29. The ink ribbon cartridge according to claim 28 , wherein the bend-back portion includes a tapered surface.