Printing device configured to accommodate cassette with portion of the cassette protruding out of housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084303-B2
Application number	US-202016734321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 26, 2019
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A printing device includes: a housing; a cassette receiving portion provided in the housing; and a print head provided at the cassette receiving portion. The cassette receiving portion is configured to detachably receive a cassette including a case in which an ink ribbon and a tape are provided. The print head extends in a first direction and is configured to be inserted in a head opening of the case upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion. The print head is configured to perform printing to the tape via the ink ribbon. The cassette receiving portion is open in the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion, a portion of the cassette protrudes out of the housing in the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing device comprising:
a housing;
a cassette receiving portion provided in the housing and configured to detachably receive a cassette including a case in which an ink ribbon and a tape are provided, the case being formed with a head opening; and
a print head provided at the cassette receiving portion and configured to perform printing to the tape via the ink ribbon, the print head extending in a first direction and being configured to be inserted in the head opening upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion,
wherein the cassette receiving portion is open in the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,
wherein, upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion, a portion of the cassette protrudes out of the housing in the second direction, and
wherein the cassette receiving portion is further open in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

2. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed with a discharge opening through which the tape printed by the print head is configured to be discharged, and
wherein the second direction is opposite to a direction in which the tape is configured to be discharged through the discharge opening.

3. The printing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a platen roller positioned to oppose the print head and configured to convey the tape printed by the print head,
wherein the second direction is opposite to a direction in which the tape is configured to be conveyed between the print head and the platen roller.

4. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed with a discharge opening through which the tape printed by the print head is configured to be discharged, and
wherein the discharge opening is positioned offset from a center of the housing in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

5. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the print head is positioned offset from a center of the housing in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

6. The printing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a platen roller configured to convey the tape printed by the print head, the platen roller being positioned to oppose the print head in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

7. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the tape in the cassette is wound around a tape spool defining a center, and
wherein the print head is positioned offset from the center of the tape spool of the cassette received in the cassette receiving portion.

8. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed with an insertion hole through which an external electrical wiring is insertable, the insertion hole being open in the second direction and being positioned offset from the print head in the third direction.

9. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein, upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion, the portion of the cassette also protrudes out of the housing in the third direction.

10. The printing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a movable cover configured to cover the cassette receiving portion in the second direction.

11. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the cassette receiving portion comprises a bottom wall configured to face the cassette received in the cassette receiving portion in the first direction.

12. The printing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing cover movably connected to the housing and configured to cover the cassette receiving portion in the first direction.

13. The printing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a discharge unit disposed inside the housing and comprises a discharge roller configured to discharge the tape after printing is performed to the tape by the print head; and
a cutter unit disposed inside the housing and comprises a cutter configured to cut the tape discharged by the discharge unit.

14. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first direction is an upward direction, and the second direction is a rearward direction.

15. A printing device comprising:
a housing;
a cassette receiving portion provided in the housing and configured to detachably receive a cassette including a case in which an ink ribbon and a tape are provided, the case being formed with a head opening; and
a print head provided at the cassette receiving portion and configured to perform printing to the tape via the ink ribbon, the print head extending in a first direction and being configured to be inserted in the head opening upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion,
wherein the cassette receiving portion is open in the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and
wherein, upon attachment of the cassette to the cassette receiving portion, a portion of the cassette protrudes out of the cassette receiving portion and is exposed to an outside of the housing in the second direction.

16. The printing device according to claim 15 , further comprising a platen roller positioned to oppose the print head and configured to convey the tape printed by the print head,
wherein the portion of the cassette is exposed in the second direction in a state where the tape is conveyed between the print head and the platen roller.

17. The printing device according to claim 16 , wherein the portion of the cassette is exposed in the second direction in a state where the ink ribbon is conveyed between the print head and the platen roller.

18. The printing device according to claim 16 , further comprising a movable cover configured to cover the cassette receiving portion in the second direction,
wherein the cover is configured to be opened outward relative to the housing to expose the cassette receiving portion in the second direction.

19. The printing device according to claim 18 , wherein the cover has a part configured to face the cassette received in the cassette receiving portion in a state where the cover is opened relative to the housing in the second direction.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Iijima Shota
• Izumi Takanori

Classifications

• B41J3/4075

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title

• B41J29/02 Primary

  Framework · CPC title

• B41J11/70

  cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed · CPC title

• B41J11/703

  Cutting of tape · CPC title

• B41J32/00 Primary

  Ink-ribbon cartridges · CPC title