Ribbon feeding apparatus, and tape printing apparatus equipped with the same

A tape printing apparatus that has a drive motor, a platen drive shaft which is in engagement with a platen roller and feeds a printing tape, a delivering-side drive shaft which is in engagement with a ribbon delivering core, an winding-side drive shaft which is in engagement with a ribbon winding core, and a power transmission mechanism which transmits a rotational power of the drive motor to the platen drive shaft, the delivering-side drive shaft, and the winding-side drive shaft:

• wherein
• the power transmission mechanism has a first clutch mechanism into which motive power is inputted from the drive motor, an intermediate gear which is in meshing engagement with a sun gear of the first clutch mechanism, and a second clutch mechanism into which motive power is inputted from the intermediate gear, an winding-side gear train which transmits the inputted motive power to the winding-side drive shaft, a delivering-side gear train which transmits the inputted motive power to the delivering-side drive shaft, and a platen-side gear train which transmits the inputted motive power to the platen drive shaft;
• the platen-side gear train is always connected to the drive motor via the second clutch mechanism;
• when the drive motor rotates in the forward direction, a driving of the platen drive shaft for rotation in the forward direction and a drive of the winding-side drive shaft in an winding direction are performed at the same time in synchronization with each other;
• and
• when the drive motor rotates in the reverse direction, the driving of the platen drive shaft for rotation in the reverse direction and a drive of the delivering-side drive shaft in an delivering direction are performed at the same time in synchronization with each other.