Tape printing apparatus and tape printing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414611-B2
Application number	US-201615552696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Feb 23, 2015
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A tape printing apparatus to which a tape cartridge is detachably attachable includes: a cartridge attachment portion into which the tape cartridge is attachable; and a base convex portion that is provided on the cartridge attachment portion, a core concave portion of the tape cartridge coming into fit-in engagement with the base convex portion when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus. The base convex portion includes: a pedestal portion with which a recessed portion of the tape cartridge comes into fit-in engagement when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, and an identification convex portion that is provided as a protrusion on the pedestal portion, an identification concave portion of the tape cartridge coming into fit-in engagement with the identification convex portion when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tape printing apparatus to which a tape cartridge is detachably attachable, the tape cartridge comprising a core shaft portion, a roll of printing tape on an outer circumferential portion of the core shaft portion, a core concave portion formed as an inner circumferential portion of the core shaft portion, the core concave portion including a recessed portion and an identification concave portion for identification of a cartridge type, the identification concave portion being provided as a recess from the recessed portion, the apparatus comprising:
a cartridge attachment portion into which the tape cartridge is attachable; and
a base convex portion that is provided on the cartridge attachment portion, the core concave portion coming into fit-in engagement with the base convex portion when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, the base convex portion comprising:
a pedestal portion with which the recessed portion comes into fit-in engagement when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, and
an identification convex portion that is provided as a protrusion on the pedestal portion, the identification concave portion coming into fit-in engagement with the identification convex portion when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus.

2. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the identification concave portion comprises a first concave portion that extends in a radial direction; and
wherein the identification convex portion comprises a first convex portion with which the first concave portion comes into fit-in engagement when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus.

3. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the tape cartridge comprises a second convex portion that is provided on the recessed portion and extends in a radial direction; and
wherein the pedestal comprises a second concave portion that is provided in the pedestal portion and with which the second convex portion comes into fit-in engagement when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus.

4. A tape printing apparatus to which a tape cartridge is detachably attachable, the tape cartridge comprising a core shaft portion, a roll of printing tape on an outer circumferential portion of the core shaft portion, a core concave portion formed as an inner circumferential portion of the core shaft portion, the core concave portion including a recessed portion and an operating portion for identification of a cartridge type, the apparatus comprising:
a cartridge attachment portion into which the tape cartridge is attachable; and
a base convex portion that is provided on the cartridge attachment portion, the core concave portion coming into fit-in engagement with the base convex portion when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, the base convex portion comprising:
a pedestal portion with which the recessed portion comes into fit-in engagement when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, and
a detection portion with which the operating portion comes into fit-in engagement when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, wherein the detection portion is configured to be operated by the operating portion to perform detection.

5. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the base convex portion comprises an identification concave portion that is provided as a recess from the recessed portion;
wherein the operating portion comprises a first operating portion that is provided in the identification concave portion and extends in a radial direction;
wherein the base convex portion comprises an identification convex portion that is provided as a protrusion on the pedestal portion; and
wherein the detection portion comprises:
a first to-be-operated portion that is provided on the identification convex portion for fit-in engagement with the first operating portion when the tape cartridge is attached to the tape printing apparatus, the first to-be-operated portion being configured to be operated by the first operating portion, and
a first detection portion body that is configured to be activated by the first to-be-operated portion for detection.

6. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first to-be-operated portion is freely slidable in a direction of attachment and detachment of the tape cartridge on an inner circumferential surface of the identification convex portion.

7. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the operating portion includes a second operating portion that is provided on the recessed portion and extends in a radial direction; and
wherein the detection portion comprises:
a second to-be-operated portion that is provided in the pedestal portion for fit-in engagement with the second operating portion and is operated by the second operating portion, and
a second detection portion body that is configured to be activated by the second to-be-operated portion for detection.

8. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the second to-be-operated portion is freely slidable in a direction of attachment and detachment of the tape cartridge on an inner circumferential surface of the pedestal portion.

9. A tape printing system, comprising:
the tape printing apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
the tape cartridge that is detachably attached into the cartridge attachment portion.

10. A tape printing system, comprising:
the tape printing apparatus according to claim 4 ; and
the tape cartridge that is detachably attached into the cartridge attachment portion.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Sakano Hideki

Classifications

• B41J3/4075 Primary

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title

• B65H19/12 Primary

  Lifting, transporting, or inserting the web roll; Removing empty core · CPC title

• B65H43/02

  detecting, or responding to, absence of articles (B65H43/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J3/36 Primary

  for portability {, i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers (B41J3/4075 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B41J17/32

  Detachable carriers or holders for impression-transfer material mechanism · CPC title