Printing device and cassette

A cassette for a recording medium, comprising an upper casing and a lower casing, a spool for holding a roll of recording medium and disposed between the upper and lower casings, and a side casing for enclosing the spool and joining the upper and lower casings, wherein the side casing is fitted to at least one of the upper and lower casings by press-fit or snap-fit connections.

A cassette according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower casings comprise grooves and/or protrusions and the side casing comprises corresponding protrusions and/or grooves for effecting the press-fit or snap-fit connections.

A cassette according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower casings and the side casing have a generally circular configuration, and comprise an exit area through which a recording medium disposed on the spool can exit.

A cassette for a recording medium comprising an exit region for recording medium, and first and second flanges disposed at the exit region, each flange comprising one or more grooves adapted to receive an edge of a recording medium and allow the said edge to pass along the grooves.

A cassette for a recording medium comprising a casing, wherein one region of the casing has a rib on its exterior surface, which rib is adapted to slide in a groove of a device in which the cassette can be inserted, the rib comprising a projection adapted to latch into a detent of a device in which the cassette can be inserted.

A printing device comprising a recording medium receiving bay adapted to receive a recording medium cassette, wherein the receiving bay comprises a groove along which a rib of a recording medium cassette can be slid during insertion of the cassette into the recording medium receiving bay, the groove comprising a detent into which a projection of a rib of a recording medium cassette can be latched.

A printing device comprising a recording medium receiving bay adapted to receive a recording medium cassette, the receiving bay comprising first and second supports mounted in a moveably resiliently manner, the printing device further comprising a mechanism which is operable to allow separation of the supports for insertion of a recording medium cassette therebetween and is further operable to allow movement of the supports towards one another to retain an inserted recording medium cassette in a substantially fixed position with respect to the recording medium receiving bay.

A printing device adapted to receive a cassette therein, the printing device comprising one of a ramp and a resiliently moveable portion capable of interacting with the other of a ramp and a resiliently moveable portion of a cassette, such that during insertion of the cassette the ramp causes movement of the resiliently moveable portion from a position in which it would otherwise prevent insertion of the cassette into a position allowing insertion of the cassette.

A printing device according to claim 1 18, wherein the printing device comprises the ramp and further comprises a detent into which the resiliently moveable portion can latch following insertion of the cassette.

A cassette adapted to be received in a printing device, the cassette comprising one of a ramp and a resiliently moveable portion capable of interacting with the other of a ramp and a resiliently moveable portion of a printing device, such that during insertion of the cassette the ramp causes movement of the resiliently moveable portion from a position in which it would otherwise prevent insertion of the cassette into a position allowing insertion of the cassette.

In combination a printing device and a cassette adapted to be received in the printing device, the printing device comprising a resiliently moveable portion capable of interacting with a ramp of a cassette, such that during insertion of the cassette the ramp causes movement of the resiliently moveable portion from a position in which it would otherwise prevent insertion of the cassette into a position allowing insertion of the cassette.

A cassette comprising a hollow spool for holding a recording medium, and a sprocket disposed inside at least a part of the spool and driveable to rotate the spool for unwinding recording medium therefrom, wherein a surface of the sprocket in contact with an interior surface of the spool comprises a plurality of protrusions which bear on the inside surface of the spool.

A printer comprising a cassette receiving bay for receiving a cassette holding recording medium, the cassette receiving bay comprising a sprung portion which is openable to allow insertion of a cassette in the receiving bay and which is arranged to, following insertion of a cassette, close under a spring force, thereby locking an inserted cassette in the receiving bay.

A cassette for use with a printer, the cassette comprising one or more ribs on an outside surface of the cassette, at least one of the ribs being substantially channel-shaped, wherein at least one of the legs of the channel-shape is disposed at an angle of greater than 90° to the base of the channel-shape.

In combination a printer and a cassette, the printer comprising a cassette receiving bay for receiving the cassette, the cassette receiving bay comprising a fixed portion and a sprung portion which is openable to allow insertion of the cassette in the receiving bay and which is arranged to, following insertion of the cassette, close under a spring force, thereby locking the inserted cassette in the receiving bay, wherein when the sprung portion is open, the sprung portion and the fixed portion together form one or more grooves through which a corresponding one or more ribs of the cassette can slide during insertion, thereby retaining the sprung portion in an open position during insertion.

A recording medium cassette comprising a casing and having a wound roll of recording medium disposed in the casing which roll can unwind such that an end of the recording medium can exit the casing, wherein the cassette further comprises a leaf spring disposed on the casing and oriented to act on the recording medium to exert a force in a direction towards the center of the roll of recording medium.

A set of cassettes for holding a recording medium, each cassette comprising an upper portion and a lower portion disposed apart a distance and joined together by attachment to a side portion having a width corresponding to the distance, thereby enabling a roll of recording medium to be held between the upper and lower portions with the width of the recording medium being oriented substantially parallel to the width of the side portion, wherein each cassette has a side portion of a different width.

A printer for use with a cassette holding recording medium, the printer comprising:

• a driver operable to drive in a forward direction to unwind recording medium of a cassette inserted in the printer and to drive in a reverse direction for rewinding recording medium;
• a detector operable to detect that an inserted cassette is to be removed from the printer and, when such a detection is made, generating a signal indicating that a cassette is to be removed,
• wherein the driver is arranged to receive the generated signal and in response thereto, drive in the reverse direction for rewinding a length of recording medium of an inserted cassette.