# US 12,179,479 B2 · Medium cassette

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- Number: US 12,179,479 B2
- Document ID: US12179479B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/351,522
- Filed: 2023-07-13
- Published: 2024-01-11
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-27
- Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Masatomo Yamaguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179479B2

## CPC

- B41J 15/044: {Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices}
- B65H 16/08: parallel rollers type
- B65H 2301/41374: arranged in a stationary manner
- B65H 2511/20: Location in space
- B65H 2801/12: Single-function printing machines, typically table-top machines
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A roll medium is accommodated in a medium cassette. The roll medium has a configuration where a continuous medium is rolled in a roll shape. The roll medium rotates in a direction that the roll medium is unrolled as the continuous medium unrolled from the roll medium is conveyed in a conveying direction away from the roll medium. The medium case includes a supporter which rotatably supports the roll medium in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a lower part of the roll medium in at least one support position on each of both sides between which a lower end of the roll medium is sandwiched, and a passage through which the continuous medium unrolled from the roll medium passes. The passage is formed below at least the support position located on a most downstream side with respect to the conveying direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A medium cassette, in which a roll medium having a configuration where a continuous medium is rolled in a roll shape is accommodated, and the continuous medium unrolled from the roll medium is conveyed in a conveying direction, the medium cassette comprising:
a supporter configured to rotatably support the roll medium in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the roll medium in a first support position and a second support position located apart from the first support position in the conveying direction; and
a passage through which the continuous medium unrolled from the roll medium passes,
wherein the passage is formed below the second support position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The medium cassette according to claim 1,
wherein the passage extends in a horizontal direction to pass below the second support position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The medium cassette according to claim 1,
wherein an entry of the passage is formed below the first support position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The medium cassette according to claim 1,
wherein the passage is formed between the first support position and the second support position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The medium cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a tray that accommodates the roll medium,
wherein the supporter includes a support base arranged on a bottom surface of the tray and configured to support the roll medium, and
a lower surface of the support base is provided with a groove which extends in the conveying direction and is configured to define the passage between the lower surface of the support base and the bottom surface of the tray.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The medium cassette according to claim 1,
wherein the supporter includes a plurality of support rollers that rotate around rotation axes parallel to a rotation axis of the roll medium in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a lower part of the roll medium in the first support position and the second support position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The medium cassette according to claim 6, further comprising a transmission mechanism coupled to at least one support roller of the plurality of support rollers to transmit power from a drive source.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The medium cassette according to claim 7,
wherein the transmission mechanism is coupled to the plurality of support rollers to transmit the power from the drive source.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The medium cassette according to claim 6,
wherein each of the support rollers includes a shaft member, and a cylindrical member in which the shaft member is inserted, and
a surface of the cylindrical member has a higher friction coefficient than a surface of the shaft member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The medium cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a restraint member arranged to be close to an outer peripheral surface of the roll medium having a maximum size which enables to be supported on the supporter, and configured to restrain an outer diameter of the roll medium from increasing as rolling of the continuous medium of the roll medium is loosened.