US 5,466,076 AGranted

Ink ribbon cassette for use in transfer printer

AssigneeAlps Electric Co., Ltd.

InventorsHiroshi Kobayashi, Ikuo Hibino, Takahito Maruyama, Fumihisa Hori, Tadashi Nakamura, Takanobu Matsuura, Chikashi Ohsakama

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Abstract

A ribbon cassette of which the type of ink ribbon accommodated in the ribbon cassette may be identified by detection switches arranged on the carriage of a thermal transfer printer, without using a plurality of types of ribbon cassette case which are different in shape. A ribbon cassette in which a simple construction is used to prevent sticking to each other of the ink ribbon and the guide roller immediately after printing. A ribbon cassette by which a stain on the recording sheet due to contact between the sheet and the ink ribbon at the time of printing operation may be prevented and the stability of running of the ink ribbon is improved. A thermal transfer printer in which: the stability of running of the ink ribbon may be improved; both hot peeling printing and cold peeling printing are possible in an excellent condition; and the consumption of the ink ribbon may be reduced.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A ribbon cassette detachably mountable onto a carriage of a thermal transfer printer, the thermal transfer printer including a platen located adjacent to the carriage, the thermal printer also including a thermal head movably mounted on the carriage between a printing position adjacent the platen and a retracted position away from the platen, the ribbon cassette comprising:

a case having a front portion including first and second arms fixedly connected to and extending from the case, each of the first and second arms having a tip, the front portion also defining a concave portion formed between the first and second arms;
first and second guide rollers rotatably mounted on the respective tips of the first and second arms;
and
an ink ribbon disposed in the case and having an exposed portion extending across the concave portion such that, when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the carriage and the thermal head is in the retracted position, the first and second guide rollers are positioned between the platen and the exposed portion of the ink ribbon;
wherein the first and second guide rollers are mounted on the first and second arms such that, when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the carriage, outer peripheral portions of the first and second guide rollers are located between the platen and portions of the tips closest to the platen.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.