Cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11958287-B2
Application number	US-201917419117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2018
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A cartridge that makes it possible to simultaneously set a printing tape and a cartridge in a tape printing device. A cartridge to be installed in a tape printing device includes: a cartridge case; a cartridge-side tape introduction port that introduces a printing tape introduced from a device-side tape introduction port into the cartridge case and a cartridge-side tape ejection port that ejects the printing tape to an outside of the cartridge case toward a device-side tape ejection port in a state in which the cartridge is installed in a cartridge installation part; and a tape retention part that retains the printing tape that is introduced in advance into a tape path between the cartridge-side tape introduction port and the cartridge-side tape ejection port before the cartridge is installed in the cartridge installation part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cartridge to be installed in a tape printing device including a cartridge installation part, a printing head that is provided in the cartridge installation part and performs printing on a printing tape, and a device case, the device case having a device-side tape introduction port that introduces the printing tape from an outside to an inside of the device case and a device-side tape ejection port that ejects the printing tape to the outside of the device case, the cartridge comprising:
a cartridge case, the cartridge case having a cartridge-side tape introduction port that introduces the printing tape introduced from the device-side tape introduction port into the cartridge case and a cartridge-side tape ejection port that ejects the printing tape to the outside of the cartridge case toward the device-side tape ejection port in a state in which the cartridge is installed in the cartridge installation part,
the cartridge case including a front-side case and a back-side case, the front-side case having a ribbon-part front-side case and a tape-retention-part front-side case,
the cartridge including a tape retention part that retains the printing tape that is introduced in advance into a tape path between the cartridge-side tape introduction port and the cartridge-side tape ejection port before the cartridge is installed in the cartridge installation part,
the tape path being provided between the ribbon-part front-side case and the tape-retention-part front-side case.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the tape retention part has a retention tip end.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2 ,
comprising:
an ink ribbon accommodation part that accommodates an ink ribbon; and
a tape-retention-mechanism accommodation part that accommodates a tape retention mechanism including the retention tip end, wherein
the tape path is provided between the ink ribbon accommodation part and the tape-retention-mechanism accommodation part.

4. The cartridge according to claim 3 ,
wherein
the cartridge case includes a first case that constitutes a front side of the ink ribbon accommodation part in an installation direction of the cartridge, a second case that constitutes a front side of the tape-retention-mechanism accommodation part in the installation direction, and a third case that constitutes back sides of the ink ribbon accommodation part and the tape-retention-mechanism accommodation part in the installation direction.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,
comprising:
a platen roller that feeds the printing tape, wherein
the platen roller has a platen shaft insertion hole into which a platen shaft provided in the cartridge installation part is inserted when the cartridge is installed in the cartridge installation part, and
the cartridge case has a head insertion hole into which the printing head is inserted when the cartridge is installed in the cartridge installation part.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein
the cartridge-side tape introduction port and the cartridge-side tape ejection port are formed into a slit shape along the installation direction of the cartridge.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ishimoto Akio
• Sasaki Taishi

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

• B41J15/00 Primary

  Devices or arrangements {of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers,} specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in continuous form, e.g. webs · CPC title

• B41J2/325 Primary

  by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet · CPC title

• B41J17/32 Primary

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