阅读说明：本技术 带盒 (Tape box ) 是由 村山健太郎 于 2020-03-13 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种能够使设有墨带的空间在与上下方向垂直的垂直方向上小的带盒。供给轴(270)的至少一部分和卷取轴(276)的至少一部分与打印带卷(226)在第一方向上重叠。由此,打印带卷(226)、墨带(268)和卷取轴(276)分别设置在打印带壳体(220)和色带壳体(221)中,因此,带盒(210)在与第一方向垂直的垂直方向上能够实现带盒的小型化。(The invention provides a tape cassette which can make the space provided with an ink ribbon small in the vertical direction vertical to the vertical direction. At least a portion of the supply shaft (270) and at least a portion of the take-up shaft (276) overlap the print tape spool (226) in a first direction. Thus, the print tape roll (226), the ink ribbon (268), and the take-up shaft (276) are provided in the print tape housing (220) and the ink ribbon housing (221), respectively, and therefore the tape cassette (210) can be miniaturized in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction.)

1. A tape cartridge, comprising:

a print tape roll around which a print tape as a to-be-printed medium is wound;

a rotatable supply shaft that winds an ink ribbon used for printing on the print tape; and

a take-up shaft that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply shaft,

the supply shaft and the take-up shaft are located on one side of a first direction with respect to the print tape roll, the first direction being a width direction of the ink ribbon wound around the supply shaft, at least a part of the supply shaft and at least a part of the take-up shaft overlapping with the print tape roll in the first direction.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a center of rotation of the take-up shaft overlaps the print tape roll in the first direction.

3. The tape cassette according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rotation center of the supply shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction.

4. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape on a rotatable print tape shaft,

at least a portion of the ink ribbon wound on the winding shaft overlaps the print ribbon shaft in the first direction.

5. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the take-up spool overlaps the print tape spool in the first direction.

6. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape on a rotatable print tape shaft,

in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, a distance between a rotation center of the take-up shaft and a rotation center of the print tape shaft is shorter than a distance between a rotation center of the supply shaft and a rotation center of the print tape shaft.

7. The tape cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a distance between a center position of the tape cassette, which is a center of the second direction and a center of the third direction of the tape cassette, and a rotation center of the print tape roll is smaller than any one of a distance between a rotation center of the take-up shaft and the center position and a distance between a rotation center of the supply shaft and the center position in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

8. The cartridge of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a dimension of a convex envelope defined by the print tape roll, the take-up shaft and the supply shaft is greater than half a dimension of the cartridge in the second direction,

in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, a dimension of the convex envelope is greater than half a dimension of the tape cassette in the third direction.

9. The cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising:

a print tape housing containing the print tape roll; and

a ribbon housing located on one side of the first direction with respect to the print tape housing, accommodating the supply shaft and the take-up shaft,

the ribbon housing includes:

a discharge port through which the print tape fed from the print tape roll and the ink ribbon wound around the feed shaft are discharged from the ribbon housing; and

an input port through which the ink ribbon discharged from the discharge port is input to the ribbon housing,

the take-up shaft winds the ink ribbon fed from the feed port.

10. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein a portion of the ink ribbon between the infeed opening and a position at which the ink ribbon is wound on the take-up shaft overlaps the print ribbon roll in the first direction.

11. The tape cassette according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the tape housing includes an adhesive tape roll wound with an adhesive tape for adhering to the print tape,

at least a portion of the roll of adhesive tape overlaps the roll of print tape in the first direction.

12. The tape cartridge of claim 11, wherein the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape on a rotatable print tape shaft,

at least a portion of the roll of adhesive tape overlaps the print tape spool in the first direction.

13. The tape cassette according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the adhesive tape roll is constituted by winding the adhesive tape around a rotatable adhesive tape shaft,

the center of rotation of the adhesive tape shaft overlaps the print tape roll in the first direction.

14. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape on a rotatable print tape shaft,

at least a portion of the adhesive tape axis overlaps the print tape axis in the first direction.

15. A tape cartridge, comprising:

a print tape roll around which a print tape as a to-be-printed medium is wound;

a rotatable supply shaft that winds an ink ribbon used for printing on the print tape;

a take-up shaft that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply shaft; and

a spacer that abuts against the print tape roll in a first direction that is a width direction of the ink ribbon wound around the supply shaft,

at least a portion of the supply shaft and at least a portion of the take-up shaft overlap the spacer in the first direction.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a tape cassette detachably mounted to a printing apparatus.

Background

Conventionally, there is known a tape cassette including a printing tape and an ink ribbon for printing on the printing tape. For example, the ink ribbon cassette described in patent document 1 includes an ink ribbon cassette and a printing sheet cassette. In the ribbon cartridge, an ink ribbon roll and a take-up shaft for taking up the ink ribbon are housed. A print tape roll is accommodated in the print sheet cassette. A plurality of positioning claws are provided on the outer peripheral wall of the print tape cartridge. The printing tape box is overlapped above the ink tape box and is integrated with the ink tape box through the matching of the plurality of positioning claws and the ink tape box. The ribbon cartridge is provided with a head opening into which a print head of the printer is inserted. A tape opening through which the printing tape passes is provided in the printing tape cassette at a position opposite to the head opening with respect to the printing tape roll. After the print tape is pulled out from the print tape roll, the print tape is pulled out to the outside of the print tape cartridge through the tape opening. The printing tape then passes around the outer peripheral wall of the printing tape cassette and passes through the head opening. The print tape and the ink ribbon are overlapped with each other at the head opening portion, and printing is performed by the print head of the printer. The printed print tape is guided by the fixing claw on the head opening portion side to the sheet door for discharging the print tape. The ink ribbon used for printing is taken up by the take-up shaft.

Patent document 1: japanese Utility model laid-open publication No. 63-156762

Disclosure of Invention

In the ink ribbon cartridge, the ink ribbon and the print ribbon roll are disposed at different positions in the vertical direction, which is the axial direction of the take-up shaft, and the cartridge is downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. However, the tape cassette needs to be further miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a tape cassette that can be miniaturized in a vertical direction perpendicular to a width direction of an ink ribbon.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a tape cassette comprising: a print tape roll around which a print tape as a to-be-printed medium is wound; a rotatable supply shaft that winds an ink ribbon used for printing on the print tape; and a take-up shaft that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply shaft, the supply shaft and the take-up shaft being located on one side of a first direction with respect to the print ribbon roll, the first direction being a width direction of the ink ribbon wound around the supply shaft, at least a part of the supply shaft and at least a part of the take-up shaft overlapping the print ribbon roll in the first direction.

In a second aspect of the present invention, the rotation center of the take-up shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction.

In a third aspect of the present invention, the center of rotation of the supply shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a rotatable print tape shaft, and at least a part of the ink ribbon wound around the winding shaft overlaps the print tape shaft in the first direction.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, at least a portion of the take-up spool overlaps the print tape spool in the first direction.

In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a rotatable print tape shaft, and a distance between a rotation center of the winding shaft and a rotation center of the print tape shaft is shorter than a distance between a rotation center of the supply shaft and a rotation center of the print tape shaft in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, a distance between a center position of the tape cassette, which is a center of the tape cassette in the second direction and a center of the third direction, and a rotation center of the print tape roll is smaller than any of a distance between a rotation center of the take-up shaft and the center position and a distance between a rotation center of the supply shaft and the center position.

In an eighth aspect of the present invention, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a size of a convex envelope defined by the print tape roll, the take-up shaft, and the supply shaft is larger than a half of a size of the tape cassette in the second direction, and in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the size of the convex envelope is larger than a half of a size of the tape cassette in the third direction.

In a ninth aspect of the present invention, the tape cassette comprises: a print tape housing containing the print tape roll; and a ribbon housing located on one side of the first direction with respect to the print tape housing, accommodating the supply shaft and the take-up shaft, the ribbon housing including: a discharge port through which the print tape fed from the print tape roll and the ink ribbon wound around the feed shaft are discharged from the ribbon housing; and an input port through which the ink ribbon discharged from the discharge port is input to the ribbon housing, the take-up shaft winding the ink ribbon input from the input port.

In a tenth aspect of the present invention, a portion of the ink ribbon located between the feed port and a position where the ink ribbon is wound on the take-up shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction.

In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the ribbon housing includes an adhesive tape roll around which an adhesive tape for adhering to the print tape is wound, at least a portion of the adhesive tape roll overlapping with the print tape roll in the first direction.

In a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a rotatable print tape shaft, and at least a part of the adhesive tape roll overlaps the print tape shaft in the first direction.

In a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the adhesive tape roll is configured by winding the adhesive tape around a rotatable adhesive tape shaft, a rotation center of which overlaps the print tape roll in the first direction.

In a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a rotatable print tape shaft, at least a part of the adhesive tape shaft overlapping the print tape shaft in the first direction.

A fifteenth aspect of the present invention provides a tape cassette comprising: a print tape roll around which a print tape as a to-be-printed medium is wound; a rotatable supply shaft that winds an ink ribbon used for printing on the print tape; a take-up shaft that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply shaft; and a spacer that abuts the print tape roll in a first direction that is a width direction of the ink ribbon wound around the feed shaft, at least a part of the feed shaft and at least a part of the take-up shaft overlapping the spacer in the first direction.

A tape cassette according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a print tape roll around which a print tape as a to-be-printed medium is wound; a rotatable supply shaft that winds an ink ribbon used for printing on the print tape; and a take-up shaft that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply shaft, the supply shaft and the take-up shaft being located on one side of a first direction with respect to the print ribbon roll, the first direction being a width direction of the ink ribbon wound around the supply shaft, at least a part of the supply shaft and at least a part of the take-up shaft overlapping the print ribbon roll in the first direction. Thus, the print tape roll, the supply shaft, and the take-up shaft are provided separately in the first direction, and at least a part of the supply shaft and at least a part of the take-up shaft overlap with the print tape roll in the first direction, and therefore, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the second aspect of the present invention, the rotation center of the take-up shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where the rotation center of the take-up shaft does not overlap with the print tape roll in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the third aspect of the present invention, the center of rotation of the supply shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where the rotation center of the supply shaft does not overlap with the print tape roll in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape on a rotatable print tape shaft, and at least a part of the ink ribbon wound on the winding shaft overlaps with the print tape shaft in the first direction. Thus, the tape cassette can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the ink ribbon not wound on the winding shaft overlaps the print tape roll in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the fifth aspect of the invention, at least a part of the take-up shaft overlaps with the printing tape shaft in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the winding shaft does not overlap with the printing tape shaft in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the sixth aspect of the invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a print tape shaft that is rotatable, and a distance between a rotation center of the take-up shaft and a rotation center of the print tape shaft is shorter than a distance between a rotation center of the supply shaft and a rotation center of the print tape shaft in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction. Thus, the tape cassette can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where the distance between the rotation center of the take-up shaft and the rotation center of the print tape shaft is longer than the distance between the rotation center of the supply shaft and the rotation center of the print tape shaft.

According to the tape cassette of the seventh aspect of the present invention, in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, a distance between a center position of the tape cassette, which is a center of the tape cassette in the second direction and a center of the third direction, and a rotation center of the print tape roll is smaller than any of a distance between a rotation center of the take-up shaft and the center position and a distance between a rotation center of the supply shaft and the center position. Compared with the case where the distance between the center position and the rotation center of the print tape roll is not smaller than either of the distance between the rotation center and the center position of the take-up shaft and the distance between the rotation center and the center position of the supply shaft, the print tape roll overlaps the supply shaft more largely, and the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the eighth aspect of the present invention, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a size of a convex envelope defined by the print tape roll, the take-up shaft, and the supply shaft is larger than a half of a size of the tape cassette in the second direction, and in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, the size of the convex envelope is larger than a half of a size of the tape cassette in the third direction. Thus, the ratio of the print tape roll, the take-up shaft, and the supply shaft utilizing the space in the tape cassette is high, so that the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the tape cassette comprises: a print tape housing containing the print tape roll; and a ribbon housing located on one side of the first direction with respect to the print tape housing, accommodating the supply shaft and the take-up shaft, the ribbon housing including: a discharge port through which the print tape fed from the print tape roll and the ink ribbon wound around the feed shaft are discharged from the ribbon housing; and an input port through which the ink ribbon discharged from the discharge port is input to the ribbon housing, the take-up shaft winding the ink ribbon input from the input port. Accordingly, the ribbon fed from the inlet while being discharged from the discharge port is wound around the winding shaft, and therefore, compared to a case where the ribbon is wound around the winding shaft through a path formed in the ribbon case, a space for forming the path is not required, and the tape cassette can be downsized in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the tenth aspect of the present invention, a portion of the ink ribbon located between the feed port and a position where the ink ribbon is wound on the take-up shaft overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction. Thus, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, as compared with a case where a portion of the ink ribbon, which is not located between the supply port and the position where the ink ribbon is wound on the take-up shaft, overlaps with the print tape roll in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the eleventh aspect of the invention, the tape casing includes an adhesive tape roll around which an adhesive tape for adhering to the print tape is wound, at least a part of the adhesive tape roll overlapping with the print tape roll in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the adhesive tape does not overlap with the print tape roll in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the twelfth aspect of the invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a rotatable print tape shaft, and at least a part of the adhesive tape roll overlaps with the print tape shaft in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the adhesive tape does not overlap with the print tape axis in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the thirteenth aspect of the invention, the adhesive tape roll is configured by winding the adhesive tape around a rotatable adhesive tape shaft, a rotation center of which overlaps the print tape roll in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared with a case where the rotation center of the adhesive tape shaft does not overlap with the print tape roll in the first direction.

According to the tape cassette of the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the print tape roll is formed by winding the print tape around a rotatable print tape shaft, at least a part of the adhesive tape shaft overlapping with the print tape shaft in the first direction. Thereby, the tape cassette can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the adhesive tape shaft does not overlap with the printing tape shaft in the first direction.

A fifteenth aspect of the present invention provides a tape cassette comprising: a print tape roll around which a print tape as a to-be-printed medium is wound; a rotatable supply shaft that winds an ink ribbon used for printing on the print tape; a take-up shaft that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply shaft; and a spacer that abuts the print tape roll in a first direction that is a width direction of the ink ribbon wound around the feed shaft, at least a part of the feed shaft and at least a part of the take-up shaft overlapping the spacer in the first direction. Thus, the tape cassette can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the first direction, compared to a case where the spacer does not overlap with the supply shaft and the take-up shaft in the first direction.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an upper surface side of a laminated tape cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the tape cassette of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a structure and an internal structure of a case of the tape cassette of fig. 1, separately illustrating a first case member, a second case member, a third case member, and a fourth case member constituting the case.

Fig. 4 is a front view showing an upper surface side of the first case member of fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the first case member of fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front view showing the upper surface side of the second case member of fig. 1 and a print tape roll.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the tape cassette of fig. 1 with the first housing member removed.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view VIII-VIII of fig. 6 showing the print tape being cradled within the ink ribbon housing from the print tape housing.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the second case member of fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an upper surface side of the third housing member of fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the third case member of fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing an upper surface side of the fourth housing member of fig. 1.

Fig. 13 is a bottom view showing a lower surface side of the fourth housing member of fig. 1.

Fig. 14 uses a view showing the lower surface of the third case member of fig. 1 to show the paths of the print tape pulled out from the print tape roll and the adhesive tape pulled out from the adhesive tape roll and the path of the ink ribbon pulled out from the ink ribbon, respectively.

Fig. 15 is a diagram for explaining a laminate of a printing tape and an adhesive tape fed from the tape cassette of fig. 1.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the tape cassette of fig. 1, showing relative positions of a print tape roll, an adhesive tape roll, an ink ribbon, and a take-up shaft.

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of XVII-XVII of fig. 6.

Fig. 18 is a diagram for explaining a cassette mounting section of a printing apparatus for mounting the tape cassette of fig. 1.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of a non-laminated tape cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 20 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the tape cassette of fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing the structure and the internal structure of the case of the tape cassette of fig. 19, with a first case member, a second case member, a third case member, and a fourth case member constituting the case being shown separately.

Fig. 22 is a front view showing an upper surface side of the first case member of fig. 19.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the first case member of fig. 19.

Fig. 24 is a front view showing the upper surface side of the second case member of fig. 19 and a print tape roll.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view showing the tape cassette of fig. 19 with the first housing member removed.

Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view XXVI-XXVI of fig. 24, showing a state in which the print tape is set in the ink ribbon housing from the print tape housing in the tape cassette of fig. 19.

Fig. 27 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the second case member of fig. 19.

Fig. 28 is a perspective view showing an upper surface side of the third case member of fig. 19.

Fig. 29 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the third case member of fig. 19.

Fig. 30 is a perspective view showing an upper surface side of the fourth housing member of fig. 19.

Fig. 31 is a bottom view showing a lower surface side of the fourth housing member of fig. 19.

Fig. 32 is a longitudinal cross section of the tape cassette of fig. 19, which is a sectional view taken along XXXII-XXXII in fig. 24.

Fig. 33 uses a view showing the lower surface of the third case member of fig. 19 to show the path of the print tape pulled out from the print tape roll and the path of the ink ribbon pulled out from the ink ribbon, respectively.

Fig. 34 is a view for explaining a laminate of a printing tape and an adhesive tape fed from the tape cassette of fig. 19.

Fig. 35 is a plan view of the tape cassette of fig. 19, showing the relative positions of the print tape spool, the ink ribbon, and the take-up shaft.

Fig. 36 is a schematic view showing a structure of a tape cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[ first embodiment ] to provide a toner

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a tape cassette 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention from a front side, i.e., an upper surface. In the description of the present embodiment, the upper side in fig. 1 is the front side of the tape cassette 10, the lower side is the rear side of the tape cassette 10, the right side is the left side of the tape cassette 10, the left side is the right side of the tape cassette 10, the left upper side is the upper side of the tape cassette 10, and the right lower side is the lower side of the tape cassette 10. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the tape cassette 10 from the back side, i.e., the lower surface. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the internal structure of the tape cassette 10 by separating the first, second, third and fourth housing members 12, 14, 16 and 18 of the tape cassette 10. The tape cassette 10 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and is detachably mounted to a cassette mounting portion 104 of a printing apparatus 102 shown in fig. 18 described later. The tape cassette 10 includes a first casing, i.e., a print tape casing 20, constituted by a first casing member 12 and a second casing member 14, and a second casing, i.e., a ribbon casing 21, constituted by a third casing member 16 and a fourth casing member 18. The stacking direction of the first case member 12 to the fourth case member 18, i.e., the up-down direction shown in fig. 1, corresponds to the first direction of the present invention. Further, the front-rear direction shown in fig. 1 corresponds to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the left-right direction shown in fig. 1 corresponds to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

The ink ribbon housing 21 is located on one side in the up-down direction with respect to the print ribbon housing 20. In the present embodiment, the ink ribbon housing 21 is located on one side in the vertical direction, i.e., on the lower side, with respect to the print ribbon housing 20. The print tape housing 20 includes the print tape roll 26 in the first space S1 formed inside thereof, the print tape roll 26 winding the print tape 22 as a medium to be printed. The ribbon housing 21 includes the ink ribbon roll 72 and the adhesive tape roll 64 in the second space S2 formed inside thereof.

The ink ribbon 68 configured in a ribbon shape with the ink ribbon roll 72 is wound by the winding shaft 76 such that the width direction is the up-down direction. The ink ribbon 68 is used for printing on the tape-like print tape 22. The radial direction of the ink ribbon roll 72 is the front-back direction and the left-right direction, and the radial direction is the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. The vertical direction may be any direction parallel to a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction. The adhesive tape roll 64 is configured such that the tape-shaped adhesive tape 60 for adhering to the printed print tape 22 is wound on an adhesion shaft such that the width direction of the adhesive tape 60 is the up-down direction. The first housing member 12, the second housing member 14, the third housing member 16, and the fourth housing member 18 are fixed to each other by engagement of a plurality of engagement claws 27 and fixing claws 28, which are respectively provided between the outer peripheral walls of each other, and positioning of the positioning projections 29 in a state of being overlapped with each other in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the upper surface of each of the housing members 12 to 18 is referred to as an upper surface or a front surface, and the lower surface is referred to as a lower surface or a rear surface.

As shown in fig. 2, a take-up shaft support hole 94 that penetrates in the vertical direction is provided in the lower surface of the fourth housing member 18 of the tape cassette 10. Further, on the front side surfaces of the third and fourth case members 16 and 18, that is, on the front side surface of the ink ribbon case 21, there is formed a concave portion 99 into which a print head 106, described later, provided on the cartridge mounting portion 104 is inserted when the tape cartridge 10 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 104 of the printing apparatus 102.

Fig. 4 is a front view showing the upper surface side of the first case member 12, and fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the first case member 12. Fig. 6 is a front view showing the upper surface side of the second housing member 14. In fig. 6, the print tape 22 pulled out from the print tape roll 26 is omitted. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the second case member 14. Fig. 8 is a sectional view VIII-VIII of fig. 6, showing a state in which the print tape 22 is housed in the ink ribbon housing 21 from the inside of the print tape housing 20. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the second case member 14, fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the third case member 16, and fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the third case member 16. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the fourth housing member 18, and fig. 13 is a bottom view showing the lower surface side of the fourth housing member 18.

Between the first case member 12 and the second case member 14, a first space S1 is formed. In the first space S1, the print tape roll 26 is accommodated so as to be rotatable about a first rotation center line C1 parallel to the up-down direction. The first rotation center line C1 is not only the rotation center of the print tape roll 26 but also the rotation center of the print tape shaft 24. The print tape roll 26 is configured to wind the print tape 22 on a print tape shaft 24 as a cylindrical shaft core member. The first case member 12 and the second case member 14 are rectangular, and the first rotation center line C1 is located slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction as the second direction in the first case member 12 and the second case member 14, and is located in the vicinity of the substantial center in the front-rear direction as the third direction.

Print ribbon 22 is a medium to be printed by print head 106. For example, as shown in fig. 15, the print tape 22 is configured by laminating a release tape 22c on the surface of the print target tape 22a opposite to the print surface via an adhesive 22 b.

As shown in fig. 3 and 5, on the lower surface side of the first case member 12, a cylindrical first support protrusion 30 and a first circumferential wall 34 are provided. The first support projection 30 is inserted into the cylindrical print tape shaft 24, and rotatably supports the print tape roll 26. The first housing member 12 includes an outer peripheral wall 44 having a short side 44a and a long side 44 b. The inner diameter of the first circumferential wall 34 is greater than the outer diameter of the print tape roll 26. The first support projections 30 and the first circumferential wall 34 are provided to project downward from the lower surface side of the first case member 12 in a state of having the same center line as the first rotation center line C1. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, on the upper surface side of the second case member 14, a cylindrical second support protrusion 32 and a second circumferential wall 36 are provided. The second support projection 32 is inserted into the cylindrical print tape shaft 24, and rotatably supports the print tape roll 26. The second circumferential wall 36 has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the print tape roll 26. The second support projections 32 and the second circumferential wall 36 are provided to project upward from the upper surface side of the second housing member 14 in a state of having the same center line as the first rotation center line C1. The print tape roll 26 is disposed between the first case member 12 and the second case member 14 in a state where circular spacers 38 having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of the print tape roll 26 are respectively positioned above and below the print tape roll 26.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, on the lower surface side of the first case member 12 and the upper surface side of the second case member 14, print tape doors 40, 42 for pulling out the print tape 22 from a certain position from the print tape roll 26 are formed by cutting out a part of the first circumferential wall 34 and the second circumferential wall 36. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, on the upper surface side of the second housing member 14, there is formed a guide wall 50 extending leftward from the left end of the print tape door 42 for guiding the print tape 22 drawn out from the print tape roll 26 in a certain direction.

As shown in fig. 6, the guide wall 50 extending leftward from the left end of the print tape door 42 is bent rearward toward the long side portion 46b before reaching the short side portion 46a of the outer peripheral wall 46, extends along the second peripheral wall 36, and is connected to the long side portion 46 b.

As shown in fig. 6, a through hole 52 is formed in the bottom plate 14a of the second case member 14 to extend in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction along the guide wall 50 and the long side portion 46b of the outer peripheral wall 46 and to have a substantially L-shape in front view. In the bottom plate 14a, between the portion of the second circumferential wall 36 opposed to the guide wall 50 and the long side portion 46b and the through hole 52, a plurality of guide ribs 54 are formed. The plurality of guide ribs 54 guide the print tape 22, which is pulled out from the print tape roll 26 and passes through the print tape doors 40, 42, into the through hole 52.

Fig. 7 shows the tape cassette 10 with the first housing member 12 removed. As shown in fig. 7, the print tape 22 pulled out from the print tape roll 26 is guided into the second space S2 between the third case member 16 and the fourth case member 18 through the through hole 52. The print tape 22 is bridged between the print tape housing 20 and the ink ribbon housing 21 through the through hole 52 formed in the bottom plate 14a, the bottom plate 14a serving as a plate material partitioning the first space S1 and the second space S2.

As shown in fig. 8, the print tape 22 is skewed from within the print tape housing 20 into the ink ribbon housing 21 by passing through the through hole 52. More specifically, as shown in fig. 14 described later, the print tape 22 rides in the recess 99 of the ribbon housing 21. Fig. 9 shows the lower surface side of the second case member 14. As shown in fig. 9, the through hole 52 is opened in the rear surface of the bottom plate 14a of the second case member 14, and a guide wall 56 is provided vertically along the through hole 52. Fig. 10 shows the upper surface side of the third case member 16. In the top plate 16e of the third case member 16, there are formed a through hole 58, an adhesive tape roll support hole 66, a ribbon support hole 74, a take-up shaft support hole 78, and a roller support hole 82. A through hole 58 is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 52 of the second case member 14 for passing the print tape 22 pulled out from the print tape roll 26 to the second space S2. That is, a part of the through hole 52 and a part of the through hole 58 overlap each other in the vertical direction.

The bottom plate 14a of the second case member 14 and the top plate 16e of the third case member 16 partition a first space S1 in the print tape case 20 and a second space S2 in the ink ribbon case 21.

The adhesive tape roll support hole 66 is fitted into one end of the adhesive tape shaft 62 around which the adhesive tape 60 is wound, and supports the adhesive tape roll 64 so as to be rotatable about a second rotation center line C2 parallel to the first rotation center line C1. The second rotation center line C2 is not only the rotation center of the adhesive tape roll 64 but also the rotation center of the adhesive tape shaft 62. As shown in fig. 15, the adhesive tape 60 for protecting the printing surface of the print tape 22 is made of a transparent film 60a whose surface in contact with the printing surface is coated with an adhesive 60 b. One end of the supply shaft 70 around which the ink ribbon 68 is wound is fitted into the ribbon support hole 74, so that the ribbon support hole 74 supports the ink ribbon roll 72 in a rotatable manner about a third rotation center line C3 parallel to the first rotation center line C1. The third rotation center line C3 is not only the rotation center of the ink ribbon roll 72 but also the rotation center of the supply shaft 70. One end of the take-up shaft 76 that takes up the ink ribbon 68 pulled out of the ribbon roll 72 is fitted into the take-up shaft support hole 78, so that the take-up shaft support hole 78 supports the take-up shaft 76 rotatably about a fourth rotation center line C4 parallel to the first rotation center line C1. The fourth rotation center line C4 is the rotation center of the take-up shaft 24. In order to press the printing surface of the printing tape 22 and the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape 60 together, the roller 80 presses the printing tape 22 and the adhesive tape 60 between them and the roller of the printing apparatus 102, and one end of the roller 80 is fitted into the roller support hole 82, so that the roller support hole 82 supports the roller 80 in a manner rotatable about a fifth rotation center line C5 parallel to the first rotation center line C1.

As shown in fig. 11, a tape roll holding wall 84, a ribbon roll holding wall 86, a cylindrical protrusion 88, and an arc-shaped wall 92 are formed on the lower surface of the third case member 16. The adhesive tape roll holding wall 84 and the arc-shaped wall 92 are used to determine the arrangement position of the adhesive tape roll 64, and are formed in an arc shape surrounding the adhesive tape roll support hole 66 with the adhesive tape roll support hole 66 as the center. The ink ribbon roll holding wall 86 is formed in an arc shape surrounding the winding shaft support hole 78 with the winding shaft support hole 78 as a center, for determining the arrangement position of the ink ribbon 68 wound on the winding shaft 76. The cylindrical protrusion 88 is formed to protrude downward from the periphery of the ribbon support hole 74 and the head end surface has irregularities arranged in the circumferential direction. The third case member 16 has a short side portion 16a and a long side portion 16b as outer peripheral walls, and a U-shaped recess wall 16c arranged to surround the recess 99. Further, on the lower surface of the third housing member 16, there is provided a support protrusion 93, and the support protrusion 93 rotatably supports the upper end portion of the adhesion preventing roller 91 for preventing the adhesion of the adhesive tape 60. Further, as shown in fig. 12, on the upper surface of the fourth housing member 18, there is provided a support protrusion 95, and the support protrusion 95 supports the lower end portion of the adhesion-preventing roller 91 in such a manner as to be able to be coupled to the lower end portion of the adhesion-preventing roller 91.

As shown in fig. 3, a clutch spring holding portion 90 that accommodates a clutch spring is fitted on the other end of the supply shaft 70 that winds the ink ribbon 68, and the supply shaft 70 applies an appropriate rotational resistance to the ink ribbon roll 72 by the clutch spring located in the clutch spring holding portion 90.

Fig. 12 and 13 show the upper and lower surfaces of the fourth housing member 18. The fourth housing member 18 is formed with a winding shaft support hole 94 that penetrates in the vertical direction, the other end of the winding shaft 76 is fitted into the winding shaft support hole 94, and the winding shaft support hole 94 rotatably supports the winding shaft 76. A coupling hole 96 formed on the end surface of the other end side of the take-up shaft 76 is exposed to the lower surface of the fourth housing member 18 through the take-up shaft support hole 94, as shown in fig. 2. When the tape cassette 10 is mounted on the printing apparatus 102, a winding shaft drive shaft 108 of the printing apparatus 102 described later is inserted into the coupling hole 96 and coupled to the winding shaft 76, and the winding shaft 76 is driven to rotate by the winding shaft drive shaft 108. The fourth housing member 18 is formed with a cylindrical support projection 97, the other end of the supply shaft 70 is fitted into the support projection 97, and the support projection 97 rotatably supports the supply shaft 70.

The fourth housing member 18 is provided with a roller exposure hole 98 at a position corresponding to the roller support hole 82 formed in the third housing member 16, and the roller exposure hole 98 exposes the shaft end of the roller 80. The coupling portion 80a of the roller 80 formed at the end portion on the fourth housing member 18 side is exposed to the lower surface of the fourth housing member 18 through the roller exposure hole 98, as shown in fig. 2. When the tape cassette 10 is mounted on the printing apparatus 102, a roller drive shaft 110 of the printing apparatus 102 described later is coupled to the coupling portion 80a, and the roller 80 is rotationally driven by the roller drive shaft 110. As shown in fig. 12 and 13, the fourth housing member 18 is formed with a U-shaped cutout 18a corresponding to the recess wall 16 c. The recess wall 16c and the cutout 18a form a recess 99.

Fig. 14 shows a lower surface of the third housing member 16 when the tape cassette 10 is mounted in the cassette mounting section 104 of the printing apparatus 102. As described above, the print tape 22 is pulled out from the print tape roll 26, and is tilted from the first space S1 in the print tape housing 20 to the second space S2 in the ink ribbon housing 21 through the through hole 52 and the through hole 58. Thus, in fig. 14 showing the third housing member 16, the print tape 22 is shown from the through hole 58 at the rear of the third housing member 16. As shown in fig. 14, the print tape 22 and the adhesive tape 60 are nipped with pressure by the roller 80 and the pressure roller 118 of the printing apparatus 102, and are pulled out from the print tape roll 26 and the adhesive tape roll 64, respectively, by the driving of the roller 80. The ink ribbon 68 is pulled out from the ribbon roll 72 by driving the take-up shaft 76, and is taken up on the take-up shaft 76. The print tape 22 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, the adhesive tape 60 is indicated by a broken line, and the ink ribbon 68 is indicated by a one-dot chain line.

As shown in fig. 14, the ink ribbon 68 is discharged from the ink ribbon housing 21 of the tape cassette 10 toward the printing position P from the discharge port 130 formed in the ink ribbon housing 21, i.e., the third housing member 16, together with the print tape 22. At a printing position P between the print head 106 and the platen roller 116, the print tape 22 is pressed against the print head 106 via the ink ribbon 68. In this state, the plurality of heat generating elements arranged on the surface of the print head 106 are selectively driven to generate heat locally, whereby a part of the ink 68a provided on one surface of the ink ribbon 68 is transferred to the print tape 22, and characters, symbols, and the like are printed on the print tape 22. The used ink ribbon 68 that has passed through the printing position P is fed from the inlet 132 into the ribbon housing 21 and wound up on the winding shaft 76. The roller 80 and the pressure roller 118 of the printing apparatus 102 press and attach the transparent adhesive tape 60 on the print surface of the print tape 22 that has passed the print position P. Thereby, the printing surface of the print tape 22 is protected by the adhesive tape 60.

Fig. 15 schematically illustrates a laminated body of the print tape 22 and the adhesive tape 60 fed out from the tape cassette 10. The adhesive tape 60, which is composed of a transparent film 60a coated with an adhesive 60b on one surface, is adhered to the print tape 22 on the print tape 22a side, i.e., the print surface side. Thereby, the ink 68a transferred to the print surface of the print tape 22 is protected. The sizes and size ratios and the like of the respective constituent parts 22a to 22c, 60a, 60b, 68a of the laminated body in fig. 15 are merely illustrative, and are not accurate.

Fig. 16 is a view showing a lower surface of the third case member 16. In the second space S2 between the third case member 16 and the fourth case member 18, that is, in the ink ribbon case 21, the adhesive tape roll 64, the ink ribbon roll 72, the take-up shaft 76, and the roller 80 are arranged. As described above, the ribbon housing 21 is arranged to overlap below with respect to the print ribbon housing 20. When the print tape roll 26 and the spacer 38 accommodated in the print tape housing 20 are projected in the up-down direction onto the projection surface extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction within the second space S2, the projected positions of the print tape roll 26 and the spacer 38 are indicated by the one-dot chain lines in fig. 16. Since the spacer 38 has substantially the same diameter as the print tape roll 26, only the one-dot chain line showing the print tape roll 26 is shown in fig. 16. As shown in fig. 16, the adhesive tape roll 64, the ribbon roll 72, and the take-up shaft 76 are arranged at positions overlapping the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction. At least a portion of the adhesive tape roll 64 and at least a portion of the adhesive tape shaft 62 overlap the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction. More specifically, a part of the adhesive tape roll 64 and a part of the adhesive tape shaft 62 overlap the print tape shaft 24 and the print tape 22 wound on the print tape shaft 24, respectively, in the up-down direction.

In fig. 16, the print tape roll 26 overlaps in the up-down direction with the second rotation center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64, the third rotation center line C3 of the ribbon roll 72, and the fourth rotation center line C4 of the take-up shaft 76. In other words, the second rotational center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64, the third rotational center line C3 of the ribbon roll 72, and the fourth rotational center line C4 of the take-up shaft 76 are located within the projection plane of the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction. The third rotation center line C3 is also the rotation center of the supply shaft 70, and the fourth rotation center line C4 is also the rotation center of the take-up shaft 24. Further, a part of the adhesive tape roll 64 and the adhesive tape shaft 62 overlap the print tape roll 26 and the spacer 38 in the up-down direction. At least a part of the supply shaft 70, at least a part of the ink ribbon roll 72, at least a part of the take-up shaft 76, at least a part of the ink ribbon 68 taken up on the take-up shaft 76, and at least a part of the used ink ribbon 68 that has passed the printing position P overlap the print ribbon roll 26 and the spacer 38 in the up-down direction. That is, at least a part of each of the adhesive tape roll 64, the adhesive tape shaft 62, the supply shaft 70, and the ribbon roll 72 is located within a projection plane of the print tape roll 26 and the spacer 38 in the up-down direction.

Further, in fig. 16, the distance between the second rotation center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64 and the third rotation center line C3 of the ribbon roll 72 is larger than the distance between the second rotation center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64 and the fourth rotation center line C4 of the winding shaft 76 and the distance between the third rotation center line C3 of the ink tape roll 72 and the fourth rotation center line C4 of the winding shaft 76. The distance between the second rotational center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64 and the fourth rotational center line C4 of the take-up shaft 76 is greater than the distance between the third rotational center line C3 of the ribbon roll 72 and the fourth rotational center line C4 of the take-up shaft 76.

Further, in fig. 16, the first rotational center line C1 of the print tape roll 26 is located near the midpoint of a straight line connecting the second rotational center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64 and the third rotational center line C3 of the ink tape roll 72. The first rotation center line C1 overlaps with the adhesive tape roll 64 in the front-rear direction and the right-left direction. That is, the center of rotation of the print tape roll 26, in other words, the center of rotation of the print tape shaft 24, overlaps the adhesive tape roll 64 in the up-down direction. The fourth rotation center line C4 of the winding shaft 76 is located on the opposite side of the straight line from the recessed portion 99. The distance between the fourth rotation centerline C4 and the first rotation centerline C1 is smaller than the distance between the third rotation centerline C3 and the first rotation centerline C1, and is smaller than the distance between the second rotation centerline C2 and the first rotation centerline C1.

Further, at least a part of the ink ribbon 68 wound around the winding shaft 76 and at least a part of the ink ribbon 68 located at a position between positions passing through the printing position P and wound around the winding shaft 76 from the feeding port 132 are overlapped with the print tape roll 26, the print tape shaft 24, and the spacer 38 in the up-down direction.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the outer peripheral wall of the third housing member 16 constitutes a part of the outer peripheral wall of the tape cassette 10. The dimension of the third housing member 16 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is substantially equal to the dimension of the tape cassette 10 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Therefore, the center position of the third housing member 16 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction substantially coincides with the center position of the tape cassette 10 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. As shown in fig. 16, in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction (vertical direction), the distance between the center position M, which is the front-rear direction center and the left-right direction center of the tape cassette 10, and the first rotation center line C1 of the print tape roll 26 is shorter than the distance between the center position M and the second rotation center line C2 of the adhesive tape roll 64, the distance between the center position M and the third rotation center line C3 of the ribbon roll 72, and the distance between the center position M and the fourth rotation center line C4 of the take-up shaft 76. That is, the first rotation center line C1 is disposed closer to the center of the tape cassette 10 than any one of the second rotation center line C2 to the fourth rotation center line C4 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction.

Further, the print tape roll 26 has a diameter larger than that of the adhesive tape roll 64, and the print tape roll 26 has a dimension (diameter d) larger than half of the dimension of the tape cassette 10 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, for example, half of the long side L, in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and in the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction.

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of XVII-XVII of fig. 6. In the up-down direction, a distance D between one side (lower side) end of the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction and the other side (upper side) end of the adhesive tape roll 64 in the up-down direction is smaller than the width dimension W1 of the adhesive tape 60. Since the print tape 22 and the adhesive tape 60 have the same width dimension, the distance D is smaller than the width dimension of the print tape roll 26.

In the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, the distance from the center position M as the center in the front-rear direction of the tape cassette and the center in the left-right direction to the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape roll 26 is smaller than the distance from the center position M to the second rotation center line C2 as the rotation center of the adhesive tape roll 64. The diameter of the print tape roll 26 is larger than the diameter of the adhesive tape roll 64. The dimension of the convex envelope H formed by connecting the print tape roll 26, the take-up shaft 76, and the outer circumference of the supply shaft 70 on which the ink ribbon 68 is wound with a tangent in the front-rear direction is larger than half the dimension of the third case member 16 in the front-rear direction. The dimension of the convex hull H in the left-right direction is larger than half of the dimension of the third case member 16 in the left-right direction. As shown in fig. 2, the outer peripheral wall of the third housing member 16 constitutes a part of the outer peripheral wall of the tape cassette 10. Therefore, it can also be said that the dimensions of the convex hull line H in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction are larger than half the dimensions of the tape cassette 10 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, respectively.

Fig. 18 illustrates a cartridge mounting section 104 provided in a part of the printing apparatus 102 included in the printing system 122. The cartridge mounting section 104 is provided with a rectangular positioning hole 112 for positioning the inserted cartridge 10, and a take-up shaft drive shaft 108 and a roller drive shaft 110 provided upright on the bottom surface of the positioning hole 112. The positioning hole 112 serves as a housing portion that houses a part of the ink ribbon housing 21 as a lower housing of the tape cartridge 10. The take-up shaft drive shaft 108 and the roller drive shaft 110 are rotationally driven in the same direction by a stepping motor, not shown, via a gear mechanism. A head holding plate 114 to which a thermal head (thermal head) 106 is fixed is provided upright on the bottom surface of the positioning hole 112 of the cartridge mounting section 104, a platen roller holding member 120 is provided so as to be rotatable around a base end portion, and a platen roller 116 and a pressure roller 118 are provided rotatably at a head end portion of the platen roller holding member 120. The head holding plate 114 is, for example, a metal plate made of aluminum, and also serves as a heat sink for the print head.

When the tape cassette 10 is mounted to the cassette mounting section 104 of the printing apparatus 102, the take-up shaft drive shaft 108 and the roller drive shaft 110 provided upright on the cassette mounting section 104 are coupled to the take-up shaft 76 and the roller 80. Next, when a cover, not shown, of the printing apparatus 102 is closed in a state where the tape cassette 10 is mounted in the cassette mounting section 104, the platen roller holding member 120 rotates around its base end portion, and the platen roller 116 and the pressure roller 118 are pressed toward the print head 106 and the roller 80 of the tape cassette 10. The printing device 102 and the tape cassette 10 constitute a printing system 122.

The tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment includes: a print tape roll 26 around which the print tape 22 as a print medium is wound; a rotatable supply shaft 70 around which an ink ribbon 68 used when printing on the print tape 22 supplied from the print tape roll 26 is wound; and a take-up shaft 76 that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon 68 supplied from the supply shaft 70, the supply shaft 70 and the take-up shaft 76 being located on a lower side of the print tape roll 26 in a vertical direction that is a width direction of the ink ribbon 68 taken up by the supply shaft 70, at least a part of the supply shaft 70 and at least a part of the take-up shaft 76 overlapping the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the print tape roll 26, the supply shaft 70, and the take-up shaft 76 are provided separately in the vertical direction, and at least a part of the supply shaft 70 and at least a part of the take-up shaft 76 overlap the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction, so that the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 76 overlaps with the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the fourth rotation center line C4 of the take-up shaft 76 does not overlap with the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 70 overlaps with the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction. Thus, the tape cartridge 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the third rotation center line C3 of the supply shaft 70 does not overlap with the print tape roll in the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, in the print tape roll 26, the print tape 22 is wound around the rotatable print tape shaft 24, and at least a part of the ink ribbon 68 wound around the winding shaft 76 is vertically overlapped with the print tape roll 26. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the ink ribbon 68 not wound around the winding shaft 76 overlaps the print ribbon roll 26 in the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, at least a part of the take-up shaft 76 overlaps the printing tape shaft 24 in the up-down direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the take-up shaft 76 does not vertically overlap with the printing tape shaft 24.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the print tape roll 26 is formed by winding the print tape around the rotatable print tape shaft 24, and the distance between the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 76 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 24 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is shorter than the distance between the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 70 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 24. Thereby, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where the distance between the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 76 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 24 is longer than the distance between the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 70 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 24.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, the distance between the center position M as the front-rear direction center and the left-right direction center of the tape cassette 10 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape roll 26 is smaller than any of the distance between the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 76 and the center position M and the distance between the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 70 and the center position. Since the diameter of the print tape roll 26 is larger than the diameter of the adhesive tape roll 64, the print tape roll 26 overlaps the supply shaft 70 more than in the case where the distance between the center position M and the rotation center of the print tape roll 26 is not smaller than either of the distance between the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276 and the center position M and the distance between the rotation center of the supply shaft 270 and the center position M, and the tape cassette 10 can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the dimension of the convex hull H formed by connecting the outer circumference of the print tape roll 26, the take-up shaft 76, and the ink tape roll 72 or the supply shaft 70 with a tangent line in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is larger than half the dimension of the tape cassette 10 in the front-rear direction. Further, the dimension of the convex hull H in the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-back direction is larger than half of the dimension of the tape cassette 10 in the left-right direction. Thus, the ratio of the print tape roll 26, the take-up shaft 76, and the supply shaft 70 using the space in the tape cassette 10 is high, and the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

Further, the tape cassette 10 according to the present embodiment includes: a print tape housing 20 accommodating a print tape roll 62; and a ribbon housing 21 located below the print tape housing 20 in the up-down direction and accommodating the supply shaft 70 and the take-up shaft 76. The ribbon casing 21 includes: a discharge port 130 through which the print tape 22 fed from the print tape roll 62 and the ink ribbon 68 wound around the feed shaft 70 are discharged from the ribbon housing 21; and an input port 132 through which the ink ribbon 68 discharged from the discharge port 130 is input to the ribbon housing 21. The take-up shaft 76 winds the ink ribbon 68 fed from the feed port 132. Accordingly, since the ink ribbon 68 fed from the inlet 132 while being discharged from the discharge port 130 is wound around the winding shaft 76, a space for forming a return path of the ink ribbon 68 in the ink ribbon housing 221 is not required, as compared with a case where the ink ribbon 68 is wound around the winding shaft 76 through a path formed in the ink ribbon housing 21, and the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in a vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, a part of the ink ribbon 68 located between the supply port 132 and the position where the ink ribbon 68 is wound on the take-up shaft 76 overlaps the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where a part of the ink ribbon, which is not located between the inlet 132 and the position where the ink ribbon 68 is wound on the take-up shaft 76, overlaps the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the tape casing 21 includes the adhesive tape roll 64 for winding the adhesive tape 60 adhered to the print tape 22, and at least a part of the adhesive tape 60 overlaps the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction. Thereby, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the adhesive tape 60 does not overlap with the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the print tape roll 26 is formed by winding the print tape 22 around the rotatable print tape shaft 24, and at least a part of the adhesive tape roll 64 overlaps the print tape shaft 24 in the vertical direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the adhesive tape roll 64 does not vertically overlap the printing tape shaft 24.

According to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the adhesive tape roll 64 is configured by winding the adhesive tape 60 around the rotatable adhesive tape shaft 62, and the rotational center of the adhesive tape shaft 62 overlaps the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the rotation center of the adhesive tape shaft 62 does not overlap with the print tape roll 26 in the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 10 of the present embodiment, the print tape roll 26 is formed by winding the print tape 22 around the rotatable print tape shaft 24, and at least a part of the adhesive tape shaft 62 overlaps the print tape shaft 24 in the vertical direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the adhesive tape shaft 62 does not vertically overlap the printing tape shaft 24.

Further, the tape cassette 10 according to the present embodiment includes: a print tape roll 26 around which the print tape 22 as a medium to be printed is wound; an ink ribbon 68 for printing on the print tape 22 and a rotatable supply shaft 70; a rotatable take-up shaft 76 that takes up the ink ribbon 68 supplied from the supply shaft 70; and a spacer 38 that abuts against the print tape roll 26 in the width direction, i.e., the vertical direction, of the ink ribbon 68 wound around the supply shaft 70, and at least a part of the supply shaft 70 and at least a part of the take-up shaft 76 overlap with the spacer 38 in the vertical direction. Thus, the tape cassette 10 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the spacer 38 and the ink ribbon 68 do not overlap in the vertical direction.

[ second embodiment ] to provide a medicine for treating diabetes

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be explained. In the following description, portions common to each other in the respective embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing a tape cassette 210 according to another embodiment of the present invention from the front side, i.e., the upper surface. In the description of the present embodiment, the upper side in fig. 19 is the front side of the tape cassette 210, the lower side is the rear side of the tape cassette 210, the right side is the left side of the tape cassette 210, the left side is the right side of the tape cassette 210, the left upper side is the upper side of the tape cassette 210, and the right lower side is the lower side of the tape cassette 210. Fig. 20 is a perspective view showing the tape cassette 210 from the back side, i.e., the lower surface. The tape cassette 210 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole and is detachably mounted to a printer having the same structure as that of fig. 18 except for a slightly different size and excluding the roller drive shaft 110. This printer will be described below using the printing apparatus 102 of fig. 18. The tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment is a non-lamination type tape cassette that does not include the adhesive tape roll 64 and the roller 80, and is therefore smaller than the tape cassette 10 of the lamination type. Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the tape cassette 210, with the first, second, third, and fourth housing members 212, 214, 216, and 218 of the tape cassette 210 shown separated.

The tape cartridge 210 includes a first housing, i.e., a print tape housing 220, formed of a first housing member 212 and a second housing member 214, and a second housing, i.e., a tape housing 221, formed of a third housing member 216 and a fourth housing member 218. The stacking direction of the first housing member 212 to the fourth housing member 218, i.e., the up-down direction shown in fig. 19, corresponds to the first direction of the present invention. Further, the front-rear direction shown in fig. 19 corresponds to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the left-right direction shown in fig. 19 corresponds to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

The ribbon housing 221 is located on one side in the up-down direction with respect to the print ribbon housing 220. In the present embodiment, the ink ribbon housing 221 is located on one side in the vertical direction, i.e., on the lower side, with respect to the print ribbon housing 220. The print tape housing 220 includes a print tape roll 226 in a first space S1 formed inside thereof, the print tape roll 226 winding a print tape 222 as a medium to be printed. The ribbon housing 221 includes the ink ribbon roll 272 in a second space S2 formed inside thereof.

The ink ribbon 268, which is configured in a ribbon shape, of the ink ribbon roll 272 is wound by the winding shaft 76 such that the width direction is the up-down direction. The ink ribbon 268 is used for printing on the ribbon-like print tape 222. The radial direction of the ink ribbon roll 272 is the front-back direction and the left-right direction, and the radial direction is the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. The vertical direction may be any direction parallel to a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction.

The first housing member 212, the second housing member 214, the third housing member 216, and the fourth housing member 218 are fixed to each other by engagement of a plurality of engagement claws 227 and fixing claws 228, and positioning of positioning projections 229, which are respectively provided between the outer peripheral walls of each other, in a state of being overlapped with each other in the vertical direction, thereby constituting the tape cassette 210. In the second embodiment, the upper surface of each of the housing members 212 to 218 is referred to as an upper surface or a front surface, and the lower surface is referred to as a lower surface or a rear surface.

As shown in fig. 20, a take-up shaft support hole 294 penetrating in the vertical direction is provided in the lower surface of the fourth housing member 218 of the tape cassette 210. Further, on the front side surfaces of the third and fourth case members 216 and 218, that is, on the front side surface of the ink ribbon case 221, there is formed a recess 299 into which a print head 106, described later, provided at the cartridge mounting portion 104 is inserted when the cartridge 210 is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 104 of the printing apparatus 102.

Fig. 22 is a front view showing an upper surface side of the first case member 212, and fig. 23 is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of the first case member 212. Fig. 24 is a front view showing the upper surface side of the second case member 214. In fig. 24, the print tape 222 pulled out from the print tape roll 226 is omitted. Fig. 25 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the second case member 214. Fig. 26 is a sectional view from XXVI to XXVI in fig. 24, showing a state in which the print tape 222 is housed in the tape case 221 from inside the print tape case 220. Fig. 27 is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the second case member 214, fig. 28 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the third case member 216, and fig. 29 is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the third case member 216. Fig. 30 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the fourth housing member 218, and fig. 31 is a bottom view showing the lower surface side of the fourth housing member 218.

Between the first case member 212 and the second case member 214, a first space S1 is formed. In the first space S1, the print tape roll 226 is accommodated so as to be rotatable about a first rotation center line C1 parallel to the up-down direction. The print tape roll 226 is configured to wind the print tape 222 around a print tape shaft 224 as a cylindrical shaft core member. The first and second case members 212, 214 are rectangular, and the first rotation center line C1 is located slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction as the second direction in the first and second case members 212, 214 and is located in the vicinity of the substantial center in the front-rear direction as the third direction.

Print swath 222 is the media to be printed by printhead 106. For example, as shown in fig. 34, the print tape 222 is configured by laminating a release tape 222c on the surface of the print target tape 222a opposite to the print surface via an adhesive 222 b.

As shown in fig. 21 and 23, on the lower surface side of the first housing member 212, a cylindrical first support protrusion 230 and a first circumferential wall 234 are provided. The first support protrusion 230 is inserted into the cylindrical print tape spool 224, and rotatably supports the print tape roll 226. The first housing member 212 includes an outer peripheral wall 244 having a short side 244a and a long side 244 b. The inner diameter of the first circumferential wall 234 is larger than the outer diameter of the print tape roll 226. The first support protrusions 230 and the first circumferential wall 234 are provided to protrude downward from the lower surface side of the first case member 212 in a state of having the same center line as the first rotation center line C1. As shown in fig. 25 and 25, on the upper surface side of the second case member 214, a cylindrical second support protrusion 232 and a second circumferential wall 236 are provided. The second support protrusion 232 is inserted into the cylindrical print tape spool 224, and rotatably supports the print tape roll 226. The second circumferential wall 236 has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the print tape roll 226. The second support protrusion 232 and the second circumferential wall 236 are provided to protrude upward from the upper surface side of the second case member 214 in a state of having the same center line as the first rotation center line C1. The print tape roll 226 is disposed between the first case member 212 and the second case member 214 in a state where circular spacers 238 having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of the print tape roll 226 are respectively positioned above and below the print tape roll 226.

As shown in fig. 23 and 24, on the lower surface side of the first case member 212 and the upper surface side of the second case member 214, print tape doors 240, 242 for pulling out the print tape 222 from a certain position from the print tape roll 226 are formed by cutting out a part of the first circumferential wall 234 and the second circumferential wall 236. As shown in fig. 24 and 25, on the upper surface side of the second housing member 214, a guide wall 250 extending leftward from the left end of the print tape door 242 is formed for guiding the print tape 222 pulled out from the print tape 226 in a certain direction. In the present embodiment, the guide wall 248 is constituted by a part of the second circumferential wall 236.

As shown in fig. 23, the guide wall 248 of the first housing member 212 extends leftward from the ribbon door 240, and is connected to the short side portion 244a of the outer peripheral wall 244. As shown in fig. 24, the guide wall 250 of the second housing member 214 extends leftward from the print tape door 240, and is connected to the short side portion 246a of the peripheral wall 246.

As shown in fig. 24, a through hole 252 extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction along the second circumferential wall 236 and between the short side portion 246a and the long side portion 246b of the outer circumferential wall 246 and having a substantially L-shape in front view is formed in the bottom plate 214a of the second housing member 214, and the through hole 252 is a third opening. A plurality of guide ribs 254 are formed between the through hole 252 and portions of the second circumferential wall 236 that are opposed to the corners of the short side portion 246a and the long side portion 246b, at the bottom plate 214 a. The plurality of guide ribs 254 guide the print tape 222 pulled out from the print tape spool 226 and passing through the print tape doors 240, 242 into the through hole 252.

Fig. 25 shows the tape cassette 210 with the first housing member 212 removed. As shown in fig. 25, the print tape 222 pulled out from the print tape roll 226 is guided into the second space S2 between the third case member 216 and the fourth case member 218 through the through hole 252. Thus, the print tape 222 bridges between the print tape housing 220 and the ribbon housing 221 through the through hole 252 formed in the bottom plate 214a, and the bottom plate 214a serves as a plate material partitioning the first space S1 and the second space S2.

As shown in fig. 26, the print ribbon 222 is skewed from within the print ribbon housing 220 into the ribbon housing 221 by passing through the through hole 252. More specifically, as shown in fig. 33 described later, the print tape 222 rides in a recess 299 of the ribbon housing 221. Fig. 27 shows the lower surface side of the bottom plate 214a of the second case member 214. As shown in fig. 27, the through hole 252 is opened in the rear surface of the bottom plate 214a of the second housing member 214, and a guide wall 256 is provided vertically along the through hole 252. Fig. 28 shows the upper surface side of the third case member 216. A through hole 258, a ribbon support hole 274, and a take-up shaft support hole 278 are formed in the top plate 216e of the third case member 216. A through hole 258 is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 252 of the second housing member 214 for passing the print tape 222 to the second space S2. That is, a part of the through-hole 252 and a part of the through-hole 258 overlap each other in the vertical direction.

The bottom plate 214a of the second case member 214 and the top plate 216e of the third case member 216 partition a first space S1 in the print tape case 220 and a second space S2 in the ribbon case 221.

One end of the supply shaft 270 around which the ink ribbon 268 is wound is fitted into the ribbon support hole 274, so that the ribbon support hole 274 supports the ink ribbon roll 272 rotatably about a third rotation center line C3 parallel to the first rotation center line C1. One end of a take-up shaft 276 that takes up the ink ribbon 268 pulled out from the ribbon roll 272 is fitted into the take-up shaft support hole 278, so that the take-up shaft support hole 278 supports the take-up shaft 276 in a manner rotatable about a fourth rotation center line C4 parallel to the first rotation center line C1.

As shown in fig. 29, a ribbon roll holding wall 286 and a cylindrical projection 288 are formed on the lower surface of the third case member 216. The ink ribbon roll holding wall 286 determines the arrangement position of the ink ribbon 268 wound around the winding shaft 276, and is formed in an arc shape surrounding the winding shaft support hole 278 around the winding shaft support hole 278. The cylindrical protrusion 288 is formed to protrude downward from the periphery of the ribbon support hole 274 and the head end surface has irregularities arranged in the circumferential direction. The third case member 216 has a short side portion 216a and a long side portion 216b as outer peripheral walls, and a U-shaped recess wall 216c arranged to surround the recess 299.

As shown in fig. 21, a clutch spring holding portion 290 containing a clutch spring is fitted between one end of the supply shaft 270 on which the ink ribbon 268 is wound and the head end surface of the cylindrical projection 288, and the supply shaft 270 applies an appropriate rotational resistance to the ink ribbon roll 272 by the clutch spring located in the clutch spring holding portion 290.

Fig. 30 and 31 show the upper and lower surfaces of the fourth housing member 218. The fourth housing member 218 is formed with a winding shaft support hole 294 penetrating the fourth housing member 218 in the vertical direction, the other end of the winding shaft 276 is fitted into the winding shaft support hole 294, and the winding shaft 276 is rotatably supported by the winding shaft support hole 294. Further, a cylindrical support protrusion 297 is formed in the fourth housing member 218, and the support protrusion 297 is fitted into the other end of the supply shaft 270 to rotatably support the supply shaft 270. The coupling hole 296 formed on the end surface of the other end side of the take-up shaft 276 is exposed to the lower surface of the fourth housing member 218 through the take-up shaft support hole 294, as shown in fig. 20. When the tape cassette 210 is mounted on the printing apparatus 102, the take-up shaft drive shaft 108 of the printing apparatus 102 is inserted into the coupling hole 296 and coupled to the take-up shaft 76, and the take-up shaft 276 is driven to rotate by the take-up shaft drive shaft 108. As shown in fig. 30 and 31, the fourth housing member 218 is formed with a U-shaped notch 218a corresponding to the recess wall 16 c. Recess wall 216c and cutout 218a form recess 299.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of XXXII-XXXII of FIG. 24. Between the print tape housing 220 and the ink ribbon housing 221, that is, between the bottom plate 214a of the second housing member 214 and the top plate 216e of the third housing member 216, a third space S3 of a predetermined volume is formed.

Fig. 33 is a view showing the lower surface of the third case member 216. Fig. 33 shows the paths of the print tape 222 drawn from the print tape roll 226 and the ink ribbon 268 drawn from the ink ribbon roll 272, respectively, when the tape cassette 210 is mounted on the cassette mounting section 104 on which the take-up shaft drive shaft 108 stands. As described above, the print tape 222 is pulled out from the print tape spool 226, and is tilted from the first space S1 in the print tape housing 220 to the second space S2 in the ribbon housing 221 through the through hole 252 and the through hole 258. Thus, in fig. 33 showing the third housing member 216, the print tape 222 is shown from the through hole 258 at the rear of the third housing member 216. The take-up shaft 276, which is rotationally driven by the take-up shaft drive shaft 108, takes up the ink ribbon 268, so that the print tape 222, which is sandwiched with the ink ribbon 268 under pressure between the print head 106 and the platen roller 116, is pulled out from the print tape roll 226. In fig. 33, the path of the print tape 222 and the path of the ink ribbon 268 drawn out from the ribbon roll 272 by driving the take-up shaft 276 are shown by a two-dot chain line and a broken line, respectively.

At the print position P between the print head 106 and the platen roller 116, the print tape 222 is pressed against the print head 106 via the ink ribbon 268. In this state, the plurality of heat generating elements arranged on the surface of the print head 106 are selectively driven to generate heat locally, whereby a part of the ink 68a provided on one surface of the ink ribbon 268 is transferred to the print tape 222, and characters, symbols, and the like are printed on the print tape 222. The ink ribbon 268 is discharged together with the print tape 222 from the discharge port 300 formed in the third housing member 216, which is the ribbon housing 221 of the tape cassette 210, to the print position P. The used ink ribbon 268 that has passed through the printing position P is fed from the inlet 302 into the ribbon case 221 and wound around the winding shaft 276. The discharge port 300 is provided in the ink ribbon housing 221, and the ink ribbon housing 221 is located on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the print ribbon roll 226 in the tape cassette 210. Further, the inlet 302 is provided in the ink ribbon housing 221, and the ink ribbon housing 221 is located on the lower direction side in the up-down direction with respect to the print ribbon roll 226 in the tape cassette 210.

Fig. 34 schematically illustrates a stacked body of the print tape 222 fed out from the tape cassette 210. The printing tape 222 is a laminate of a tape 222a to be printed and a release tape 222c adhered to the non-printing surface side of the tape 222a by an adhesive 222 b. The printing surface of the print target tape 222a is transferred with the ink 268a from the print tape 222. The dimensions, the dimensional ratios, and the like of the respective constituent portions 222a to 222c, 268a of the laminated body in fig. 34 are merely schematic, and are not accurate.

Fig. 35 is a view showing the lower surface of the third case member 216. In the second space S2 between the third case member 216 and the fourth case member 218, i.e., in the ink ribbon case 221, the ribbon roll 272 and the take-up shaft 276 are accommodated. As described above, the ribbon housing 221 is configured to overlap below with respect to the print ribbon housing 220. When the print tape roll 226 and the spacer 238 accommodated in the print tape housing 220 are projected in the up-down direction onto a projection plane extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction within the second space S2, the projected positions of the print tape roll 226 and the spacer 238 are indicated by a one-dot chain line in fig. 35. Since the spacer 238 has substantially the same diameter as the print tape roll 226, only a one-dot chain line showing the print tape roll 226 is shown in fig. 35. As shown in fig. 35, the ribbon roll 272 and the take-up shaft 276 are disposed at positions overlapping the print tape roll 226 in the vertical direction. As shown in fig. 35, the print tape roll 226 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the ink tape roll 272, and the ink tape roll 272 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the take-up shaft 276.

In fig. 35, the print tape roll 226 overlaps in the up-down direction with the third rotation center line C3 of the ribbon roll 272 and the fourth rotation center line C4 of the take-up shaft 276. In other words, the third rotational center line C3 of the ribbon roll 272 and the fourth rotational center line C4 of the take-up shaft 276 are located within the plane of projection of the print tape roll 226 in the up-down direction. The third rotation center line C3 is also the rotation center of the supply shaft 270. Further, at least a part of the supply shaft 270, at least a part of the ink ribbon roll 272, at least a part of the ink ribbon 268 wound around the take-up shaft 276, and at least a part of the used ink ribbon 268 that has passed the printing position P overlap the print ribbon roll 226 and the spacer 238 in the up-down direction, i.e., the first direction.

Further, the distance between the fourth center of rotation C4 of the take-up shaft 276 and the third center of rotation C3 of the ribbon roll 272 is longer than the distance between the first center of rotation C1 of the print tape roll 226 and the third center of rotation C3 of the ribbon roll 272. The distance between the first rotational center line C1 of the print tape roll 226 and the fourth rotational center line C4 of the take-up shaft 276 is 1/3 or less shorter than the distance between the first rotational center line C1 of the print tape roll 226 and the third rotational center line C3 of the ribbon roll 272. The first rotation center line C1 of the print tape roll 226 is located at a position closer to the printing position P side than a straight line connecting the fourth rotation center line C4 of the take-up shaft 276 and the third rotation center line C3 of the ribbon roll 272.

In fig. 35, in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction of the tape cassette 210 and in the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, the distance between the center position M of the tape cassette 210, which is the center of the depth direction L1 and the center of the left-right direction, which is the center of the left-right direction L2, and the first rotation center line C1, which is the rotation center of the print tape roll 226, is smaller than either the distance between the center position M and the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276, which is the fourth rotation center line C4, or the distance between the center position M and the rotation center of the supply shaft 270, which winds up the ink ribbon 268, which is the third rotation center line C3. Further, the dimension of the convex envelope H in the front-rear direction formed by connecting the outer circumference of the print tape roll 226, the take-up shaft 276, and the ink tape roll 272 or the supply shaft 270 with a tangent is larger than half the dimension of the third case member 216 in the front-rear direction. The dimension of the convex hull line H in the left-right direction is larger than half of the dimension of the third case member 216 in the left-right direction. As shown in fig. 19, the outer peripheral wall of the third housing member 216 constitutes a part of the outer peripheral wall of the tape cassette 210. Therefore, it can also be said that the dimensions of the convex hull line H in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction are larger than half the dimensions of the tape cassette 210 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, respectively. In the present embodiment, since the entire take-up shaft 276 overlaps the print tape spool 226 in the up-down direction, the convex envelope H is formed by connecting the print tape spool 226 and the outer circumference of the supply shaft 270 with a tangent line.

The tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment includes: a print tape roll 226 around which the print tape 222 as a print medium is wound; a rotatable supply shaft 270 around which an ink ribbon 268 used when printing is wound on the print tape 222 supplied from the print tape roll 226 is wound; and a take-up shaft 276 that is rotatable to take up the ink ribbon 268 supplied from the supply shaft 270, the supply shaft 270 and the take-up shaft 276 being located on a lower side of the print tape roll 226 in the vertical direction that is the width direction of the ink ribbon 268 wound by the supply shaft 270, and at least a part of the supply shaft 270 and at least a part of the take-up shaft 276 vertically overlapping the print tape roll 226. Accordingly, the print tape roll 226, the supply shaft 270, and the take-up shaft 276 are provided separately in the vertical direction, and at least a part of the supply shaft 270 and at least a part of the take-up shaft 276 vertically overlap with the print tape roll 226, and therefore, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276 vertically overlaps with the print tape roll 226. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the fourth rotation center line C4 of the take-up shaft 276 does not overlap with the print tape roll 226 in the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 270 overlaps with the print tape roll 226 in the up-down direction. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the third rotation center line C3 of the supply shaft 270 does not overlap with the print tape roll 226 in the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, the print tape 222 is wound around the rotatable print tape spool 224 in the print tape spool 226, and at least a part of the ink ribbon 268 wound around the winding spool 276 vertically overlaps with the print tape spool 226. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the ink ribbon 268 not wound around the winding shaft 276 overlaps the print tape roll 226 in the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, at least a part of the take-up shaft 276 vertically overlaps the printing tape shaft 224. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where at least a part of the winding shaft 276 does not overlap with the printing tape shaft 224 in the vertical direction.

According to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, the print tape roll 226 is formed by winding the print tape 222 around the rotatable print tape shaft 224, and the distance between the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 224 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is shorter than the distance between the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 270 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 224. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where the distance between the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 224 is longer than the distance between the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 270 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape shaft 224.

Further, according to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, the distance between the center position M as the front-rear direction center and the left-right direction center of the tape cassette 210 and the first rotation center line C1 as the rotation center of the print tape roll 226 is smaller than any of the distance between the fourth rotation center line C4 as the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276 and the center position M and the distance between the third rotation center line C3 as the rotation center of the supply shaft 270 and the center position. Since the diameter of the print tape roll 226 is larger than the diameters of the ink tape roll 272 and the take-up shaft 276, the print tape roll 226 overlaps the supply shaft 270 and the take-up shaft 276 more greatly than in the case where the distance between the center position M and the rotation center of the print tape roll 226 is not smaller than either of the distance between the rotation center of the take-up shaft 276 and the center position M and the distance between the rotation center of the supply shaft 270 and the center position M, and the tape cassette 210 can be miniaturized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction.

Further, according to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, the dimension of the convex envelope H formed by connecting the outer circumference of the print tape roll 226, the take-up shaft 276, and the ink tape roll 272 or the supply shaft 270 with a tangent line in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is larger than half the dimension of the tape cassette 210 in the front-rear direction. Further, the dimension of the convex hull H in the left-right direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-back direction is larger than half the dimension of the tape cassette 210 in the left-right direction. Thus, the ratio of the print tape roll 226, the take-up shaft 276, and the supply shaft 270 using the space in the tape cassette 210 is high, and the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The tape cassette 210 according to the present embodiment includes: a print tape housing 220 accommodating a print tape roll 226; and a tape housing 221 positioned in a first direction relative to the print tape housing 220 and accommodating the supply shaft 270 and the take-up shaft 276. The ribbon housing 221 includes: a discharge port 300 through which the print tape 222 fed from the print tape roll 226 and the ink ribbon 268 wound around the feed shaft 270 are discharged from the ribbon housing 221; and an input port 302 through which the ink ribbon 268 discharged from the discharge port 300 is input to the ribbon housing 221. The take-up shaft 276 winds the ink ribbon 268 fed from the feed port 302. Accordingly, since the ink ribbon 268 fed from the inlet 302 while being discharged from the discharge port 300 is wound around the winding shaft 276, a space for forming a return path of the ink ribbon 268 in the ink ribbon housing 221 is not required, and the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, as compared with a case where the ink ribbon 268 is wound around the winding shaft 276 through a path formed in the ink ribbon housing 221.

According to the tape cassette 210 of the present embodiment, a part of the ink ribbon 268 located between the inlet port 302 and the position where the ink ribbon 268 is wound on the take-up shaft 276 overlaps the print tape roll 226 in the up-down direction. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to a case where a part of the ink ribbon 268, which is not located between the inlet port 302 and the position where the ink ribbon 268 is wound on the take-up shaft 276, overlaps the print tape roll 226 in the vertical direction.

The tape cassette 210 according to the present embodiment includes: a print tape roll 226 around which a print tape 222 as a medium to be printed is wound; an ink ribbon 268 wound around the print tape 222 and a rotatable supply shaft 270; a rotatable take-up shaft 276 for taking up the ink ribbon 268 supplied from the supply shaft 270; and a spacer 238 that abuts against the print tape roll 226 in the width direction, i.e., the vertical direction, of the ink ribbon 268 wound around the supply shaft 270, and at least a part of the supply shaft 270 and at least a part of the take-up shaft 276 overlap with the spacer 238 in the vertical direction. Thus, the tape cassette 210 can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, compared to the case where the spacer 238 and the ink ribbon 268 do not overlap in the vertical direction.

The above is only an embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the tape cassette 10 of the first embodiment includes the roller 80, but the roller 80 may not be included. Further, the print tape rolls 26 and 226, the adhesive tape roll 64, the ribbon rolls 72 and 272, and the take-up shafts 76 and 276 of the above-described embodiment are disposed horizontally with respect to the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, but may not be disposed horizontally. For example, in the case where the ribbon rolls 72 and 272 are not horizontally arranged with respect to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, the first direction as the width direction of the ink ribbons 68 and 268 is different from the up-down direction of the above-described embodiment. In this case, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, which is the width direction of the ink ribbons 68 and 268, and the third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction are directions different from the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the above-described embodiments. Further, the conveyance paths of the print tape 22, the adhesive tape 60, and the ink ribbon 68 are not limited to those shown in fig. 14, and various paths may be adopted as appropriate. For example, the ink ribbon 68 may be fed from the supply port 132 to the ink ribbon housing 21, and then wound around the winding shaft 76 through the left and rear sides of the adhesive tape roll 64. Even in this case, if at least a part of the ink ribbon 68 fed from the feeding port 132 overlaps the print tape roll 26 in the up-down direction, the tape cassette can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. Similarly, the conveyance paths of the print tape 222 and the ink ribbon 268 are not limited to the paths shown in fig. 33, and various paths may be appropriately employed. Further, the arrangement of the adhesive tape roll 64, the ribbon rolls 72 and 272, and the take-up shafts 76 and 276 is not limited to the positions shown in the above-described embodiments. For example, the adhesive tape roll 64 may be disposed on the right side of the winding shaft 76, and the winding shaft 276 may be disposed on the right side of the ribbon roll 272. In the first embodiment, all of the adhesive tape roll 64, the supply shaft 70, and the take-up shaft 76 are disposed at positions vertically overlapping the print tape roll 26, but only the supply shaft 70 and the take-up shaft 76 may be disposed at positions vertically overlapping the print tape roll 26.

Further, the tape cassettes 10 and 210 of the above-described embodiment are configured by overlapping four housing members of the first housing member 12 and 212, the second housing member 14 and 214, the third housing member 16 and 216, and the fourth housing member 18 and 218 in the up-down direction, but the tape cassette 10 is not limited to this structure. For example, as shown in fig. 36, the tape cassette 10 may also be configured by stacking three housing members, that is, the first housing members 12 and 212, the fifth housing member 501, and the fourth housing members 18 and 218 in the up-down direction. The fifth housing member 501 has a through hole 502 that penetrates vertically, corresponding to the through holes 52, 58, 252, 258 of the above-described embodiment, and partitions the first space S1 and the second space S2. The fifth housing member 501 may have the same configuration on the upper surface side as the upper surface side of the second housing members 14, 214 and the same configuration on the lower surface side as the lower surface side of the third housing members 16, 216. In the case of this modification, the first case member 12, 212 and the fifth case member 501 constitute the print tape case 20, 220 having the first space S1 therein, and the fifth case member 501 and the fourth case member 18, 218 constitute the ink ribbon case 21, 221 having the second space S2 therein.

Further, although the print tape roll 26, 226 of the above embodiment is configured such that the print tape 22, 222 is wound around the print tape shaft 24, 224 as a cylindrical shaft core member, the print tape 22, 222 may be formed by winding around the first support protrusion 30, 230 and the second support protrusion 32, 232 without being wound around the print tape shaft 24, 224. Similarly, the adhesive tape 60 may not be wound on the adhesive tape shaft 62, but the outer periphery of the adhesive tape 60 is defined by the adhesive tape roll holding wall 84 and the arc-shaped wall 92.

Further, the print tape roll 26, 226 is not limited to the size shown in fig. 16 or fig. 35 relative to the size of the third case member 16, 216 of the above-described embodiment. For example, the print tape roll 26, 226 may be increased in diameter so as to contact the inside of the side walls of the print tape housing 20, 220. In this case, when the print tape 22, 222 is pulled out from the print tape housing 20, 220 to the print position P through the discharge port 130, 300, the print tape roll 26, 226 overlaps with the print tape 22, 222 discharged from the discharge port 130, 300 in the up-down direction. Further, in this case, the print tape 22, 222 conveyed in the tape casing 21, 221 vertically overlaps with the print tape roll 26, 226 before being discharged from the discharge port 130, 300. Even with this configuration, the tape cassette can be downsized in the vertical direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The above is only an embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[ description of reference ]

10. 210: tape box

12. 212, and (3): first housing member

14. 214: second housing member

16. 216: third housing member

18. 218: fourth housing member

20. 220, and (2) a step of: printing tape casing (first casing, upper casing)

21. 221: ribbon case (second case, lower case)

22. 222: printing tape (to be printed medium)

22a, 222 a: printed tape

22b, 222 b: adhesive agent

22c, 222 c: stripping belt

24. 224: printing tape spool

26. 226: printing tape roll

27. 227: matching claw

28. 228: fixed claw

29. 229: positioning projection

30. 230: first supporting protrusion

32. 232: second supporting protrusion

34. 234: first circumferential wall

36. 236: second circumferential wall

38. 238: spacer

40. 240: printing tape door

42. 242: printing tape door

44. 244: outer peripheral wall of the first housing member

44a, 244 a: short edge part

46: 246: outer peripheral wall of second housing member

46a, 246 a: short edge part

46b, 246 b: long edge part

48. 248: guide wall

50. 250: guide wall

52. 252: through hole

54. 254: guide rib

56. 256: guide wall

58. 258: through hole

60: adhesive tape

60 a: transparent film

60 b: adhesive agent

62: adhesive tape shaft

64: adhesive tape roll

66. 266: adhesive tape roll support hole

68. 268: ink ribbon

68a, 268 a: ink(s)

70. 270: supply shaft

72. 272: ink ribbon roll

74. 274: ink ribbon support hole

76. 276: winding shaft

78. 278: support hole of winding shaft

80. 280: roller

80a, 280 a: connecting part

82: roller support hole

84: adhesive tape roll holding wall

86. 286: ribbon roll holding wall

88. 288: cylindrical protrusion

90. 290: clutch spring holding part

91: anti-sticking roller

92: arc wall

93: support protrusion

94. 294: support hole of winding shaft

96. 296: connecting hole

98: roller exposure hole

99. 299: concave part

102: printing apparatus

104: cassette mounting part

106: printing head

108: driving shaft of winding shaft

110: roller drive shaft

112: locating hole

114: print head holding plate

116: paper pressing roller

118: pressure applying roller

120: platen roller holding member

122: printing system

130. 300, and (2) 300: discharge port

132. 302: input port

S1: the first space

S2: second space

C1: first center line of rotation

C2: second center line of rotation

C3: third center line of rotation

C4: the fourth rotation center line

C5: fifth center axis of rotation