Tape printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10759186-B2
Application number	US-201815911984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A tape printer that includes: a cartridge loading portion to which a tape cartridge is loaded, the tape cartridge including a cartridge case and a platen roller accommodated in the cartridge case, the cartridge case having a positioning recess and a first detection target portion of which shape is varied depending on various types of tape cartridge; a platen shaft provided in the cartridge loading portion and inserted into the platen roller; a first detection unit provided in the cartridge loading portion, of which output changes depending on the shape of the first detection target portion; and a positioning projection provided at a position farther than the first detection unit with respect to the platen shaft in the cartridge loading portion when seen from a near side in a loading direction of the tape cartridge, and engaging with the positioning recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tape printer, comprising:
a cartridge loading portion to which a tape cartridge is loaded, the tape cartridge including a cartridge case and a platen roller accommodated in the cartridge case, the cartridge case having a positioning recess and a head inserting portion;
a print head provided in the cartridge loading portion and configured to print on a tape pinched between the print head and the platen roller;
a substantially rectangular head cover provided in the cartridge loading portion so as to cover the print head, wherein the head cover is configured to be inserted into the head inserting portion; and
a positioning projection provided in a peripheral portion of the head cover in the cartridge loading portion when seen from a near side in a loading direction of the tape cartridge, wherein the positioning projection is configured to engage with the positioning recess, wherein
the cartridge case includes a first case that includes a fitting pin, and a second case that has a fitting hole into which the fitting pin is to be inserted and that is assembled separable from the first case, and
the positioning projection engages with the fitting hole which functions as the positioning recess.

2. The tape printer according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning projection is provided at each of mutually diagonal positions of the head cover when seen from the near side in the loading direction of the tape cartridge.

3. The tape printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the cartridge case includes a second detection target portion of which shape is varied depending on various types of the tape cartridge,
the tape printer further includes a second detection unit provided at one of a plurality of corners of the cartridge loading portion when seen from the near side in the loading direction of the tape cartridge and of which output changes depending on the shape of the second detection target portion, and
the positioning projection is provided in the cartridge loading portion at a corner at which the second detection unit is provided.

4. The tape printer according to claim 1 , wherein
a winding support portion that rotatably supports a ribbon winding core is provided in the cartridge case,
the tape printer further includes a winding shaft provided in the cartridge loading portion and is inserted into the ribbon winding core, and
the positioning projection is provided in a peripheral portion of a side closest to the winding shaft when seen from the near side in the loading direction of the tape cartridge, among a plurality of sides which constitute a contour of the head cover.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kubota Tomoyuki

Classifications

• B41J15/044 Primary

  Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices · CPC title

• B41J3/4075

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title

• B41J3/407 Primary

  for marking on special material · CPC title

• B65H16/02

  Supporting web roll · CPC title

• B41J15/02

  Web rolls or spindles; Attaching webs to cores or spindles · CPC title