Image Generating Apparatus

Abstract

An image generating apparatus capable of inhibiting a take-up member from falling without separately providing a stop member is obtained. This image generating apparatus includes a take-up member for taking up an ink sheet, including a spring mount portion, a rotary shaft rotatably inserted into the take-up member, a spring member for regulating the take-up member to rotate only in a take-up direction, mounted on the spring mount portion of the take-up member, and a spring engaging portion engaged with a first end of the spring member. The spring mount portion of the take-up member is integrally provided with a stop portion for inhibiting the spring member from falling.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall structure of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view showing motors and each gear of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a second side surface of a chassis;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a take-up reel and a motor bracket of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the take-up reel, the motor bracket and an ink sheet cartridge of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the take-up reel and the motor bracket of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the take-up reel and the motor bracket of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the take-up reel of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the take-up reel and the motor bracket of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a state in which the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is mounted with the ink sheet cartridge; and

FIGS. 11 to 14 are views illustrating a method of mounting the take-up reel of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment of the present invention to the motor bracket.

Claims

1. An image generating apparatus comprising: a take-up member for taking up an ink sheet, including a spring mount portion;a rotary shaft rotatably inserted into said take-up member;a spring member for regulating said take-up member to rotate only in a take-up direction, mounted on said spring mount portion of said take-up member; anda spring engaging portion engaged with a first end of said spring member, whereinsaid spring mount portion of said take-up member is integrally provided with a stop portion for inhibiting said spring member from falling.

2. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first end of said rotary shaft is mounted on a shaft fixing portion; andsaid stop portion of said spring mount portion includes a circumferential rib provided on an outer circumference of said spring mount portion of said take-up member closer to said shaft fixing portion.

3. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first end of said spring member is formed in a U-shape, andsaid U-shaped first end of said spring member is engaged so as to be hooked onto said spring engaging portion.

4. The image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said spring engaging portion includes a concave notch,an open end of said concave notch is provided with a guide portion having a notch width larger than a notch width of a bottom portion of said notch, andsaid spring member is engaged with said spring engaging portion through said guide portion of said spring engaging portion.

5. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a motor driving said take-up member; anda motor bracket mounted with said motor and including said spring engaging portion and a shaft fixing portion, whereina first end of said rotary shaft is mounted on said shaft fixing portion.

6. The image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said spring engaging portion includes an edge portion of said motor bracket,said first end of said spring member is formed in a U-shape, andsaid U-shaped first end of said spring member is inserted into a notch of said spring engaging portion provided in said motor bracket, while a forward end is engaged so as to be hooked onto said edge portion of said motor bracket.

7. The image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first end of said spring member is bent at two points of a first bent portion and a second bent portion closer to a forward end than said first bent portion to be formed in a U-shape, andan interval between said first bent portion and said second bent portion is formed to be substantially equal to an interval between a notch of said motor bracket and said edge portion.

8. The image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first end of said spring member is formed in a U-shape,said U-shaped first end of said spring member is engaged so as to be hooked onto said spring engaging portion,said motor bracket includes a wall surface portion extending in a direction intersecting with a direction in which said first end of said spring member protrudes from said take-up member, andsaid spring engaging portion is provided in said wall surface portion.

9. The image generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said guide portion is so formed that a notch width is gradually increased from said bottom portion of said notch toward said open end of said notch.

10. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said take-up member further includes:a gear member rotated by driving force of said motor;a rotating member for taking up said ink sheet by rotation following rotation of said gear member; andan intervening member arranged between said gear member and said rotating member in order to interrupt transmission of rotation of said gear member to said rotating member in a case where a prescribed load torque or more is applied to said rotating member,said gear member, said rotating member and said intervening member constitute a torque limiter, andsaid spring mount portion is so formed as to integrally rotate with said gear member.

11. An image generating apparatus comprising: a take-up member for taking up an ink sheet, including a spring mount portion;a rotary shaft rotatably inserted into said take-up member;a spring member for regulating said take-up member to rotate only in a take-up direction, mounted on said spring mount portion of said take-up member;a spring engaging portion engaged with a first end of said spring member;a motor driving said take-up member; anda motor bracket mounted with said motor, whereinsaid spring mount portion of said take-up member is integrally provided with a stop portion for inhibiting said spring member from falling,a first end of said rotary shaft is mounted on a shaft fixing portion,said stop portion of said spring mount portion includes a circumferential rib provided on an outer circumference of said spring mount portion of said take-up member closer to said shaft fixing portion,said motor bracket includes said spring engaging portion and said shaft fixing portion,said first end of said spring member is formed in a U-shape,said U-shaped first end of said spring member is engaged so as to be hooked onto said spring engaging portion of said motor bracket,said spring engaging portion of said motor bracket includes a concave notch, andan open end of said concave notch is provided with a guide portion having a notch width larger than a notch width of a bottom portion of said notch, and said U-shaped first end of said spring member is engaged with said concave notch through said guide portion of said concave notch of said motor bracket.

12. The image generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said spring engaging portion includes an edge portion of said motor bracket, andsaid U-shaped first end of said spring member is inserted into said notch of said spring engaging portion provided in said motor bracket, while a forward end is engaged so as to be hooked onto said edge portion of said motor bracket.

13. The image generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first end of said spring member is bent at two points of a first bent portion and a second bent portion closer to a forward end than said first bent portion to be formed in a U-shape, andan interval between said first bent portion and said second bent portion is formed to be substantially equal to an interval between said notch of said motor bracket and said edge portion.

14. The image generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said motor bracket includes a wall surface portion extending in a direction intersecting with a direction in which said first end of said spring member protrudes from said take-up member, andsaid spring engaging portion is provided in said wall surface portion.

15. The image generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said guide portion is so formed that a notch width is gradually increased from said bottom portion of said notch toward said open end of said notch.

16. The image generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said take-up member further includes:a gear member rotated by driving force of said motor;a rotating member for taking up said ink sheet by rotation following rotation of said gear member; andan intervening member arranged between said gear member and said rotating member in order to interrupt transmission of the rotation of said gear member to said rotating member in a case where a prescribed load torque or more is applied to said rotating member,said gear member, said rotating member and said intervening member constitute a torque limiter, andsaid spring mount portion is so formed as to integrally rotate with said gear member.