Bobbin for thermal transfer sheet or image-receiving sheet, assembly of bobbin and sheet, and thermal transfer printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840094-B2
Application number	US-201515308515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

There is provided a bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet which can reduce the number of parts and can have a smooth surface. The bobbin includes a cylindrical bobbin body 11 . A gear 12 including a number of teeth 13 is formed in one end surface of the bobbin body 11 . The teeth 13 of the gear 12 each have the shape of a trapezoid when viewed from the side. One lateral side 13 b of the trapezoid extends in the axial direction of the bobbin body 11.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet, comprising a cylindrical bobbin body,
wherein a gear including a number of teeth is formed in one end surface of the bobbin body,
wherein when the bobbin body is viewed from the side, the teeth each have the shape of a trapezoid composed of an upper base, a lower base, and a pair of lateral sides, one of the lateral sides extending parallel to the axis of the bobbin body, and
wherein a sum of circumferential lengths of tooth tops of the teeth is 20% to 70% of a circumferential length of the bobbin body.

2. The bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet according to claim 1 ,
wherein the bobbin body is provided with a circumferential groove or a circumferential projection which performs positioning of the bobbin body when setting it in a case.

3. The bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet according to claim 2 ,
wherein the bobbin body is provided, in the other end surface, with an engagement groove which performs positioning of a flange when mounting it to the bobbin body.

4. The bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet according to claim 1 ,
wherein the bobbin body is provided, in the other end surface, with an engagement groove which performs positioning of a flange when mounting it to the bobbin body.

5. An assembly of a bobbin and a sheet, comprising: the bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet according to claim 1 ; and a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet wound on the bobbin.

6. The assembly of a bobbin and a sheet according to claim 5 , further comprising a case for housing the bobbin and the thermal transfer sheet or the image-receiving sheet.

7. A thermal transfer printer incorporating the assembly of a bobbin and a sheet according to claim 5 , comprising: a mounting section in which the assembly of a bobbin and a sheet is to be set; and a drive section including a drive shaft extending coaxially with the bobbin body,
wherein a drive gear that engages the gear of the bobbin body is provided in an end surface of the drive shaft.

Assignees

• Dainippon Printing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Shigeta
• Ieshige Munenori
• Takahashi Akira
• Taguchi Yuichi

Classifications

• B41J17/32

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• B65H75/18

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• B41J17/02 Primary

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• B41J33/003

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• B41J17/24

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