# US 9,751,345 B2 · Tape cartridge

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- Number: US 9,751,345 B2
- Document ID: US9751345B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/380,852
- Filed: 2016-12-15
- Published: 2017-04-06
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-16
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Hideki Sakano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751345B2

## CPC

- B41J 15/044: {Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices}
- B41J 3/4075: {Tape printers; Label printers}
- B41J 32/00: Ink-ribbon cartridges
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A tape cartridge is mounted on a mounting section of a tape printer. The tape printer has an identification portion configured to identify a type of cartridge containing a tape-shaped printing medium. The tape cartridge includes a tape roll around which the printing medium is wound, a core shaft portion that rotatably supports the tape roll, and a fitting portion that is disposed at an inner circumferential side of the core shaft portion and is fitted to the identification portion when the tape cartridge is mounted on the mounting section of the tape printer. The fitting portion is disposed in a depressed portion that is configured to accommodate the identification portion when the tape cartridge is mounted on the mounting section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tape cartridge which is mounted on a mounting section of a tape printer, the tape printer having an identification portion configured to identify a type of a cartridge containing a tape-shaped printing medium, the tape cartridge comprising:
a tape roll around which the printing medium is wound;
a core shaft portion that rotatably supports the tape roll; and
a fitting portion that is disposed at an inner circumferential side of the core shaft portion and is fitted to the identification portion when the tape cartridge is mounted on the mounting section of the tape printer,
wherein the fitting portion is disposed in a depressed portion that is configured to accommodate the identification portion when the tape cartridge is mounted on the mounting section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the identification portion of the tape printer includes an actuated portion, and
the fitting portion includes an actuating portion actuating the actuated portion of the identification portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The tape cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the actuating portion is a protruding portion which is convex in a mounting direction in which the tape cartridge is mounted.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The tape cartridge according to claim 2, wherein a position or a shape of the actuating portion varies depending on the type of the cartridge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a cross sectional area of the depressed portion taken on a plane orthogonal to an axis of the tape roll is larger than a cross sectional area of the fitting portion taken on a plane orthogonal to an axis of the tape roll.