Tape printing apparatus

• US 5,921,688 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: King JIM Company Limited, Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kenji, Kameda, Takanobu, Furuya, Yoshikiyo, Shimmura, Tomoyuki, Aida, Chieko, Ohshima, Chie
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US08/833,218
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 400/207, 400/208, 400/242, 400/613.1, 400/692, 400/246, 101/288, 347/108
• US Class Current: 400/207
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 17/32 Detachable carriers or holders for impression-transfer material mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 35/22 Mechanisms permitting the selective use of a plurality of ink ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 35/28 Detachable carriers or holders for ink-ribbon mechanisms

Abstract

A tape printing apparatus includes a body, and a lid arranged on the body in a hinged-door form, the body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading a cartridge containing a tape-like member as a printing object material. An ejecting mechanism elevates the cartridge when the cartridge is in a state loaded in the pocket. The cartridge is classified into at least a small-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a small width and a large-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a large width. The body has a first support member arranged in the pocket for receiving a seating portion of the small-height cartridge in a shallow position in the pocket and a second support member arranged in the pocket for receiving a seating portion of the large-height cartridge in a deep position in the pocket. The first support member is arranged in a position away from the seating portion of the large-height cartridge when the large-height cartridge is loaded in the pocket. The second support member is arranged in a position away from the seating portion of the small-height cartridge loaded when the small-height cartridge is loaded in the pocket.

Claims

1. A tape printing apparatus comprising:

a cartridge containing a tape-like member as a printing object material;

a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading said cartridge;

a lid arranged on said body for opening and closing the pocket in a hinged-door form, the lid defining at least a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes said pocket, a fully-open position in which the lid opens to a generally upright position so as to prevent the lid from obstructing the cartridge when the cartridge is loaded in the pocket, and a half-open position therebetween; and

an ejecting mechanism for elevating said cartridge when said cartridge is in a state loaded in said pocket, wherein the ejecting mechanism includes opening means for opening the lid from the fully-closed position to the half-open position without elevating the cartridge and interlocking means for elevating the cartridge only in association with a manual opening operation to open the lid from the half-open position to the fully-open position.

2. A tape printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pocket has a bottom surface, and the ejecting mechanism transfers said cartridge upwardly and in parallel with the bottom surface of the pocket.

3. A tape printing apparatus comprising:

a cartridge containing a tape-like member as a printing object material;

a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading said cartridge;

a lid arranged on said body for opening and closing the pocket in a hinged-door form, the lid defining at least a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes said pocket, a fully-open position in which the lid opens to a generally upright position so as to prevent the lid from obstructing the cartridge when the cartridge is loaded in the pocket, and a half-open position therebetween;

an ejecting mechanism for elevating said cartridge when said cartridge is in a state loaded in said pocket, wherein the ejecting mechanism includes interlocking means for elevating the cartridge only in association with a manual opening operation to open the lid from the half-open position to the fully-open position; and

a spring member for causing said lid to be pivotally moved from the fully-closed position to the half-open position; and

release operation means for holding said lid in a hooked state, and releasing said lid from said hooked state.

4. A tape printing apparatus comprising:

a cartridge containing a tape-like member as a printing object material;

a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading said cartridge;

a lid arranged on said body for opening and closing the pocket in a hinged-door form, the lid defining at least a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes said pocket, a fully-open position in which the lid opens to a generally upright position, and a half-open position therebetween; and

an ejecting mechanism for elevating said cartridge when said cartridge is in a state loaded in said pocket, wherein said ejecting mechanism comprises a base plate arranged vertically movable for receiving said cartridge thereon, urging means for urging said base plate in an elevating direction, and plate-locking means for locking said base plate in a lowermost position and unlocking said base plate in a fashion interlocked to an opening operation of said lid.

5. A tape printing apparatus comprising:

a cartridge containing a tape-like member as a printing object material;

a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading said cartridge;

a lid arranged on said body for opening and closing the pocket in a hinged-door form, the lid defining at least a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes said pocket, a fully-open position in which the lid opens to a generally upright position so as to prevent the lid from obstructing the cartridge when the cartridge is loaded in the pocket, and a half-open position therebetween; and

an ejecting mechanism for elevating said cartridge when said cartridge is in a state loaded in said pocket, wherein the ejecting mechanism includes interlocking means for elevating the cartridge only in association with a manual opening operation to open the lid from the half-open position to the fully-open position;

wherein said ejecting mechanism comprises a base plate arranged vertically movable for receiving said cartridge thereon, urging means for urging said base plate in an elevating direction, and plate-locking means for locking said base plate in a lowermost position and unlocking said base plate in a fashion interlocked to a opening operation of said lid.

6. A tape printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said pocket receives one of a large-height cartridge and a small-height cartridge, said base plate comprising a base plate body for receiving said large-height cartridge thereon, and projections extending upward from said base plate body for receiving said small-height cartridge thereon.

7. A tape printing apparatus comprising:

a cartridge containing a tape-like member as a printing object material;

a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading said cartridge;

a lid arranged on said body for opening and closing the pocket in a hinged-door form, the lid defining at least a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes said pocket, a fully-open position in which the lid opens to a generally upright position so as to prevent the lid from obstructing the cartridge when the cartridge is loaded in the pocket, and a half-open position therebetween; and

an ejecting mechanism for elevating said cartridge when said cartridge is in a state loaded in said pocket, wherein the ejecting mechanism includes interlocking means for elevating the cartridge only in association with a manual opening operation to open the lid from the half-open position to the fully-open position;

wherein said lid has a hinge portion via which said lid is pivotally and detachably mounted on said body, said tape printing apparatus including closing obstruction means for obstructing a closing operation of said lid when said cartridge is in an elevated position in said pocket.

8. A tape printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said closing obstruction means has an obstruction member for being brought into a position for obstructing said closing operation of said lid in a manner interlocked to elevation of said cartridge in said pocket, said obstructing member being held in said position for obstructing said closing operation of said lid through abutment on said cartridge in said elevated position.

9. In a tape printing apparatus comprising a cartridge containing a tape-like member for use in printing, a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading the cartridge, said pocket defining an opening, a shallow position and a deep position deeper than said shallow position with respect to the opening, said cartridge comprising at least one of a small-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a small width, said small-height cartridge having a seating portion, and a large-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a large width, said large-height cartridge having a seating portion, and a base plate being arranged on the pocket for receiving the cartridge, the base plate including a support projection formed by cutting a peripheral portion of the base plate and upwardly bending the cut peripheral portion;

the improvement wherein the upper surface of the base plate receives the seating portion of the large-height cartridge in the deep position in the pocket, and the support projection receives the seating portion of the small-height cartridge in the shallow position in the pocket,

said support projection being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said large-height cartridge when said large-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket;

said upper surface of the base plate being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said small-height cartridge when said small-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket.

13. A tape printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the base plate rises and falls in accordance with ejection of and loading of the tape cartridge, respectively.

10. In a tape printing apparatus comprising a cartridge containing a tape-like member for use in printing, a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading the cartridge, said pocket defining an opening, a shallow position and a deep position deeper than said shallow position with respect to the opening, said cartridge comprising at least one of a small-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a small width, said small-height cartridge having a seating portion, and a large-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a large width, said large-height cartridge having a seating portion,

the improvement wherein said body has first support means arranged in said pocket for receiving said seating portion of said small-height cartridge in said shallow position in said pocket and second support means arranged in said pocket for receiving said seating portion of said large-height cartridge in said deep position in said pocket;

said first support means being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said large-height cartridge when said large-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket;

said second support means being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said small-height cartridge when said small-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket;

wherein said cartridge has a tape reel, said tape-like member being contained within said cartridge in a state wound around said tape reel, said small-height cartridge having a first detent member for inhibiting said tape reel from rotation, and said large-height cartridge having a second detent member for inhibiting said tape reel from rotation,

said body having a first release member for releasing said tape reel from said first detent member, and a second release member for releasing said tape reel from said second detent member, said first release member being capable of retracting from said pocket,

said second release member being arranged at a location in which said second release member is away from said small-height cartridge when said small-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket,

said large-height cartridge being formed with an urging portion for causing said first release member to be retracted from said pocket as said large-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket.

11. In a tape printing apparatus comprising a cartridge containing a tape-like member for use in printing, a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading the cartridge, said pocket defining an opening a shallow position and a deep position deeper than said shallow position with respect to the opening, said cartridge comprising at least one of a small-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a small width, said small-height cartridge having a seating portion, and a large-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a large width, said large-height cartridge having a seating portion,

the improvement wherein said body has first support means arranged in said pocket for receiving said seating portion of said small-height cartridge in said shallow position in said pocket and second support means arranged in said pocket for receiving said seating portion of said large-height cartridge in said deep position in said pocket;

said first support means being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said large-height cartridge when said large-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket;

said second support means being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said small-height cartridge when said small-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket; and

a drive source;

wherein said cartridge contains a rotating member for feeding said tape-like member, said rotating member having a shaft hole formed therein, said body having a drive shaft for being engaged in said shaft hole of said rotating member,

said drive shaft having a drive shaft body for engagement with said shaft hole, said drive shaft body being connected to said drive source, a center pin for supporting said drive shaft body in a rotatable and axially movable fashion, and a spring for urging said drive shaft body toward said cartridge.

12. In a tape printing apparatus cartridge containing a tape-like member for use in printing, a body having a pocket formed therein for removably loading the cartridge, said pocket defining an opening, a shallow position and a deep position deeper than said shallow position with respect to the opening, said cartridge comprising at least one of a small-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a small width, said small-height cartridge having a seating portion, and a large-height cartridge containing a tape-like member having a large width, said large-height cartridge having a seating portion,

the improvement wherein said body has first support means arranged in said pocket for receiving said seating portion of said small-height cartridge in said shallow position in said pocket and second support means arranged in said pocket for receiving said seating portion of said large-height cartridge in said deep position in said pocket;

said first support means being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said large-height cartridge when said large-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket;

said second support means being arranged in a position away from said seating portion of said small-height cartridge when said small-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket;

wherein said cartridge includes a tape reel around which said tape-like member is wound, and a detent member for restricting rotation of said tape reel, said body having a release projection which extends into said pocket for urging said detent member into a release position,

said release projection having a first urging member for urging said detent member of said small-height cartridge and a second urging member for urging said detent member of said large-height cartridge,

said first urging member being arranged at a location in which said first urging member is away from said detent member of said large-height cartridge when said large-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket,

said second urging member being arranged at a location in which said second urging member is away from said detent member of said small-height cartridge when said small-height cartridge is loaded in said pocket.

14. An ejecting mechanism for ejecting a tape cartridge comprising:

a tape cartridge;

a main body having a pocket for removably receiving the tape cartridge and a lid for opening and closing the pocket, the lid being movable in a hinged-fashion between a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes the pocket and a fully-open position in which the lid opens to fully expose the pocket, wherein a half-open position is defined between the fully-closed position and the fully-open position; and

release button means for opening the lid covering the pocket of the main body, wherein the lid is opened up to the half-open position by pushing the release button means, and wherein the tape cartridge loaded in the pocket is elevated by opening up the lid from the half-open position to the fully-open position so that the tape cartridge can be removed from the pocket when the lid is opened up to the fully-open position.

15. The ejecting mechanism according to claim 14, including elevating means for moving the tape cartridge between a highermost position at the fully-open position of the lid and a lowermost position at the fully-closed position of the lid, wherein the elevating means automatically lowers the tape cartridge to the lowermost position by loading the tape cartridge in the pocket.

16. A method of ejecting a tape cartridge from a tape printing apparatus, the tape printing apparatus including a tape cartridge, a main body having a pocket for removably receiving the tape cartridge and a lid for opening and closing the pocket, the lid being movable between a fully-closed position in which the lid fully closes the pocket and a fully-open position in which the lid opens to fully expose the pocket, wherein a half-open position is defined between the fully-closed position and the fully-open position, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) opening the lid covering the pocket in which the tape cartridge is loaded to the halfopen position by pushing a release button;

(b) opening the lid up to the fully-open position;

(c) elevating the tape cartridge in association with the step of (b); and

(d) ejecting the tape cartridge thus elevated.

17. A tape printing apparatus comprising:

a body having a pocket formed therein;

a cartridge loading section disposed in said pocket;

a lid arranged on said body in a hinged-door form, wherein said lid defines at least a fully-closed position in which said lid fully closes said pocket, a fully-open position in which said lid opens with respect to said pocket, and a half-open position therebetween;

ejecting mechanism means for allowing the lid to open from the filly-closed position to the half-closed position without elevating the cartridge loading section and for elevating the cartridge loading section in association with an opening operation to open the lid from the halfopen position to the fully-open position.

18. A tape printing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the lid is in a generally upright position when the lid opens to the fully-open position.

19. A tape printing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pocket has a bottom surface, and the ejecting mechanism means transfers said cartridge upwardly and in parallel with the bottom surface of the pocket.