IP Library Granted Patent US 10,981,395
Granted Patent B2
US 10,981,395 · App. 16/606,825 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Printer

Inventors: Hideyuki Maeda (Tokyo, JP); Takayoshi Jinnouchi (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B41J2/325B41J17/24B41J35/28B41J3/36B41J35/08B41J2202/30B41J2202/31
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,981,395
App. No.
16/606,825
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A printer includes a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the used ink ribbon, wherein the ribbon supply shaft is provided movably between a ribbon supply position where the ink ribbon is supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon replacement position where the ribbon supply shaft is attachable to and detachable from the printer, and rotated in the direction in which the ink ribbon is rolled up in the middle of moving from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position.

Claims (66)

1. A printer, comprising:

a printing portion configured to print on a print medium;

a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion; and

a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon,

wherein the ribbon supply shaft is provided movably between a ribbon supply position where the ink ribbon is supplied to the printing portion and a ribbon replacement position where the ribbon supply shaft is attachable to and detachable from the printer, such that as the ribbon supply shaft moves from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position, the ribbon supply shaft rotates about a longitudinal axis of the ribbon supply shaft in a direction in which the ink ribbon is rolled up on the ribbon supply shaft,

wherein the ribbon supply shaft is movably provided, relative to the ribbon roll up shaft, between the ribbon supply position and the ribbon replacement position.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein

the ribbon supply shaft comprises a gear, and

the printer comprises a rack to mesh with the gear as the ribbon supply shaft moves from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position.

3. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein in a state where the ribbon supply shaft is at the ribbon supply position, the rack does not mesh with the gear.

4. The printer according to claim 1 , comprising:

a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft is attached to the partition member.

5. The printer according to claim 4 , comprising:

a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head that constitutes the printing portion, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft, the ribbon roll up shaft, and the partition member are provided in the printing unit, and

the ribbon roll up shaft is not movable with respect to the printing unit.

6. The printer according to claim 5 , comprising:

a casing; and

a cover configured to cover an opening portion of the casing, wherein

the partition member has an engagement portion to be engaged with an engaged portion provided in the cover, and

when the engagement portion and the engaged portion are engaged with each other, the partition member is maintained at a position where the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the ribbon supply position, and the printing unit and the cover are combined with each other.

7. The printer according to claim 2 , comprising:

a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft is attached to the partition member.

8. The printer according to claim 7 , comprising:

a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head that constitutes the printing portion, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft, the ribbon roll up shaft, and the partition member are provided in the printing unit, and

the ribbon roll up shaft is not movable with respect to the printing unit.

9. The printer according to claim 8 , comprising:

a casing; and

a cover configured to cover an opening portion of the casing, wherein

the partition member has an engagement portion to be engaged with an engaged portion provided in the cover, and

when the engagement portion and the engaged portion are engaged with each other, the partition member is maintained at a position where the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the ribbon supply position, and the printing unit and the cover are combined with each other.

10. The printer according to claim 3 , comprising:

a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft is attached to the partition member.

11. The printer according to claim 10 , comprising:

a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head that constitutes the printing portion, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft, the ribbon roll up shaft, and the partition member are provided in the printing unit, and

the ribbon roll up shaft is not movable with respect to the printing unit.

12. The printer according to claim 11 , comprising:

a casing; and

a cover configured to cover an opening portion of the casing, wherein

the partition member has an engagement portion to be engaged with an engaged portion provided in the cover, and

when the engagement portion and the engaged portion are engaged with each other, the partition member is maintained at a position where the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the ribbon supply position, and the printing unit and the cover are combined with each other.

13. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the ribbon supply shaft is closer to the ribbon roll up shaft in the ribbon supply position than in the ribbon replacement position.

14. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising: a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head, wherein the ribbon supply shaft and the ribbon roll up shaft are provided in the printing unit.

15. A printer, comprising:

a printing portion configured to print on a print medium;

a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion; and

a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon,

wherein the ribbon supply shaft is provided movably between a ribbon supply position where the ink ribbon is supplied to the printing portion and a ribbon replacement position where the ribbon supply shaft is attachable to and detachable from the printer, such that as the ribbon supply shaft moves from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position, the ribbon supply shaft rotates about a longitudinal axis of the ribbon supply shaft in a direction in which the ink ribbon is rolled up on the ribbon supply shaft,

wherein the ribbon supply shaft is closer to the ribbon roll up shaft in the ribbon supply position than in the ribbon replacement position.

16. The printer according to claim 15 , wherein

the ribbon supply shaft comprises a gear, and

the printer comprises a rack to mesh with the gear as the ribbon supply shaft moves from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position.

17. The printer according to claim 16 , wherein in a state where the ribbon supply shaft is at the ribbon supply position, the rack does not mesh with the gear.

18. The printer according to claim 15 , comprising:

a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft is attached to the partition member.

19. The printer according to claim 18 , comprising:

a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head that constitutes the printing portion, wherein

the ribbon supply shaft, the ribbon roll up shaft, and the partition member are provided in the printing unit, and

the ribbon roll up shaft is not movable with respect to the printing unit.

20. The printer according to claim 15 , further comprising: a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head, wherein the ribbon supply shaft and the ribbon roll up shaft are provided in the printing unit.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: SATO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072085/0034 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2019
From: MAEDA, HIDEYUKI; JINNOUCHI, TAKAYOSHI
To: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 050774/0778 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-185378 · Sep 26, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200130365A1 · Apr 30, 2020