Tape cassette used in tape printing apparatus

• US 5,645,360 A
• Filed: 12/21/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mori, Masahiko, Iwane, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghatt, Dave A.
• Application Number:
  US08/576,360
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 400/613.1, 400/120.16, 400/120.17, 400/120 HE, 400/248.2, 400/615.2, 400/208, 400/208.1, 400/613
• US Class Current: 400/613
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/044 Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/315 characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material B41J2/385, B41J2/435 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 32/00 Ink-ribbon cartridges

Abstract

Disclosed is a tape cassette which requires a small operating space for the attachment and detachment thereof and suitable for use in a thin-type printing apparatus suitable for an integral association with various types of apparatuses. The tape cassette is mounted in a tape printing apparatus equipped with a printing head and a head driving mechanism for driving this printing head and includes a tape-type recording medium accommodated in a cassette body, wherein a cam surface is provided on the surface of the cassette body, the cam surface being adapted to drive the head driving mechanism of the tape printing apparatus when the tape cassette is attached to the tape printing apparatus.

Claims

1. A tape cassette for loading and use in a tape printing apparatus, the tape apparatus being equipped with a printing head, a head positioning mechanism for positioning said printing head, a driving motor and a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force of said driving motor, said tape cassette comprising:

a cassette case;

a tape-type recording medium accommodated in the cassette case and having an end portion extending through an opening formed in the cassette case;

a platen roller rotatably mounted in the cassette case adjacent the opening; and

a cam surface formed on a surface of said cassette case, the cam surface being shaped to cooperatively engage said head positioning mechanism such that when the tape cassette is loaded into the tape printing apparatus, the printing head is press-contacted against said platen roller with the end portion of the tape-type recording medium located therebetween.

2. The tape cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a platen driving gear connected to said platen roller, the platen driving gear being positioned on an external portion of the cassette case in a location such that when the rear portion of the cassette case is inserted through the insertion slot of the tape printing apparatus and the cassette case is pushed into the tape printing apparatus, the platen driving gear meshes with the driving force transmission mechanism.

3. A tape cassette for use with a tape printing apparatus, the tape printing apparatus having an insertion slot, a printing head mounted adjacent the insertion slot, a head positioning mechanism for adjusting a position of the printing head, said tape cassette comprising:

a cassette case including a front portion, a rear portion and a side portion extending from the front portion to the rear portion;

a tape-type recording medium accommodated in the cassette case and including an end portion which extends through an opening formed in the side portion adjacent the front portion;

a platen roller rotatably mounted adjacent the opening; and

a cam surface formed on the side portion of the cassette case adjacent the rear portion;

wherein the cam surface is shaped to cooperatively actuate the head positioning mechanism such that when the rear portion of the cassette case is inserted through the insertion slot of the tape printing apparatus, the head positioning mechanism pushes the printing head against the platen roller with the end portion of the tape-type recording medium pinched therebetween.

4. The tape cassette according to claim 3,

wherein the tape printing apparatus further includes a driving motor and a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force of said driving motor, and

wherein said tape cassette further comprises a platen driving gear connected to said platen roller, the platen driving gear being positioned on an external portion of the cassette case in a location such that when the rear portion of the cassette case is inserted through the insertion slot of the tape printing apparatus and the cassette case is pushed into the tape printing apparatus, the platen driving gear meshes with the driving force transmission mechanism.