Tape unit

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to a tape unit used in a tape printing device for producing a tape with characters, and more particularly, to a configuration of a tape unit that can be replaceably attached to a tape cassette that is detachably attached to the tape printing device. Is.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when considering the purpose of use of the tape with characters created by the tape printing device, it is necessary to have printing tapes with multiple types of tape widths, and when the printing tape is used up, the cassette case is re-used. From the viewpoint of resource saving that the applicant desires to use, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-25123, which was previously proposed by the applicant, a tape unit in which a new printing tape is preset is refilled in the cassette case body when the tape is used up. In addition to being possible to configure, multiple types of tape units can be stored in one type of cassette case body corresponding to each printing tape having multiple types of tape widths, and in that case, each tape unit is provided with a tape width determining member. Is disclosed.

【0003】

An adhesive is applied to one side of this type of tape in advance so that the printed tape can be attached to a desired location. Therefore, the adhesive is applied to both end faces of the winding portion of the case. However, there was a problem that this adhesive adhered to the main body of the tape unit or the flange portion (flange portion) of the spool, and the tape could not be pulled out smoothly.

【0004】

Therefore, conventionally, a disk-shaped spacer made of a thin plate made of synthetic resin having low frictional resistance has been arranged so as to face both end faces of the winding portion of this type of tape. Further, in order to prevent the tape of the winding portion from being scattered, an adhesive is applied to one side of the spacer and attached to both end surfaces of the winding portion.

【0005】

By the way, when the tape unit that has used up the tape is discarded, if the material of the spacer is different from the material of the main body of the tape unit or the spool, it is necessary to separate them.

【0006】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, in order to prohibit the user or the like from arbitrarily attaching tapes having different widths to the tape unit, the winding portion of the tape is sandwiched between the spools from the other side with respect to the main body of the tape unit. Since the wound portion of the tape is prevented from coming off, the spacer cannot be easily removed, and the user has to take time and effort to dispose of the spacer by cutting it with scissors.

【0007】

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tape unit capable of easy sorting work.

【0008】

[Means for solving problems]

The tape unit of the invention according to claim 1 for achieving the above object is a tape unit in which a printing tape is wound so as to cover the winding portion of the printing tape and both end faces of the winding portion. The disk-shaped thin plate-shaped spacer made of synthetic resin is sandwiched between the main body of the tape unit and the spool so that it cannot be pulled out, and the spacer has at least one extending over its inner and outer peripheral edges. It is provided with perforated cut lines.

【0009】

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the tape unit according to the first aspect, the cut line is formed in a substantially straight line extending in the radial direction from the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge of the disk-shaped spacer. It is a thing.

【0010】

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, in the tape unit according to claim 1 or 2, the spacer has a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the winding portion of the printing tape, and the cut line is formed on the outer peripheral edge thereof. It is provided with a notch that communicates with the vicinity.

【0011】

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the tape unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tape unit around which the printing tape is wound is a cassette case main body and a detachable cassette. It is configured so that it can be replaced and attached to a tape cassette consisting of a lid.

【0012】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, it will be described in detail with reference to the drawings based on the embodiment embodying the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tape printing device 1 with the storage cover 6 of the cassette storage unit 8 closed, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the tape cassette, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cassette case body with the tape unit set. Is.

【0013】

In FIG. 1, on the upper surface of the main body 1a of the tape printing device 1, a character input key for inputting characters such as characters over a plurality of lines and creating a text consisting of document data (code data), and printing of the text. A keyboard unit 2 and a keyboard unit provided with a print key for instructing, a cursor key for moving the cursor up / down / left / right on the liquid crystal display 3, and a control key for instructing a line feed command, execution of various processes, and selection. A liquid crystal display 3 for displaying characters and the like input in step 2 and a cassette storage unit 8 for storing a tape cassette 5 described later are arranged, and a storage cover 6 for covering the cassette storage unit 8 is a rear end of the main body 1a. It is pivotally supported so that it can be opened and closed. As shown in FIG. 1, a tape cutter 7 for cutting the printed tape at a point where the printed tape is discharged from the discharge port 1b of the main body 1a is arranged on the left side of the cassette storage unit 8, and a push operation button thereof is arranged. 7a is located at the rear part of the left side of the main body 1a.

【0014】

Further, in the cassette storage unit 8, a tape feed roller shaft 9 and a ribbon take-up shaft 10 which are rotationally driven from a tape feed motor arranged in the main body 1a via an appropriate drive mechanism (both not shown) stand. It is installed. However, the ribbon winding shaft 10 has a built-in ink ribbon and is for winding the ink ribbon in a conventional tape cassette used when printing characters or the like on a film tape via the ink ribbon. However, in the tape cassette 5 according to the present embodiment, the ink ribbon and its take-up spool are not built-in, and a heat-sensitive color-developing printing tape T capable of printing characters and the like without using the ink ribbon is used. Therefore, the ribbon winding shaft 10 is not involved in the feeding operation of the printing tape T.

【0015】

The tape feed roller shaft 9 located diagonally forward (on the keyboard portion 2 side) of the ink ribbon winding shaft 10 is erected so as to fit into the tape feed roller 11 in the tape cassette 5. Further, in front of the cassette storage unit 8, a thermal head 12 for printing characters and the like is fixedly provided on the printing tape T. Further, a platen roller 13a and a tape feed auxiliary roller 13b for pressing the printing tape T against the thermal head 12 and the tape feed roller 11 are mounted on a roller holder (not shown), and the roller holder is attached to the tape cassette 5. On the other hand, it is arranged so that it can be attached and detached.

【0016】

At the rear of the cassette housing 8 (rear to the right in FIG. 1), there are seven microswitches (not shown), and a tape type detecting means (not shown) for detecting the tape type and the tape width is provided. This tape type detecting means is provided in the tape cassette 5 in cooperation with the tape detected portions 50a and 50b provided in the tape cassette 5 described later and the tape specifying portion 30 in the tape unit 20. It detects the tape width of the printing tape T and the type of tape (tape color, transparent translucent, color of characters that can be colored, tape material, etc.).

【0017】

It should be noted that it detects whether or not the shielding portion 51, which will be described later, is in contact with or pressed against each of the microswitches, and detects the tape type such as the tape width of the printing tape T by combining the on / off signals. is there. The tape type detecting means may use an optical sensor such as a photo sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like instead of the micro switch.

【0018】

The control of the tape printing device 1 configured in this way is executed by an electronic control device such as a microcomputer composed of a CPU, ROM, CGROM, RAM, a bus, and the like. The ROM stores various programs, and stores various programs necessary for controlling the tape printing device 1 such as a print control program. Then, the CPU performs various operations based on various programs stored in the ROM. In addition, in the ROM, for each character such as a large number of characters, contour line data (outline data) that defines the contour line of each character is classified for each typeface (Gothic typeface, Mincho typeface, etc.). It is stored corresponding to the code data. Dot pattern data is expanded on the image buffer based on this outline data.

【0019】

In addition, dot pattern data corresponding to each character input from the keyboard unit 2 is stored in the CGROM, the dot pattern data is read from the CGROM, and the dot pattern is displayed on the liquid crystal display 7 based on the dot pattern data. Is displayed. Further, the RAM is for temporarily storing various calculation results calculated by the CPU, and the RAM is provided with various memories such as a text memory, an image buffer, and a print buffer.

【0020】

The tape type detection unit for detecting the width of the keyboard unit 2 and the print tape T is connected to the control device via the input / output interface, and the liquid crystal display 3 and the display controller are connected to the control device via the input / output interface. When characters or the like are input via the character input keys of the keyboard unit 2, the document data is sequentially stored in the text memory, and the input is performed based on the dot pattern generation control program and the display control program. A dot pattern corresponding to the characters and the like is displayed on the liquid crystal display 3. Further, the thermal head 12 is driven via a drive circuit (not shown) to print the dot pattern data transferred from the image buffer to the print buffer, and in synchronization with this, the tape feed motor prints the print tape T via the drive circuit. It controls the feed of.

【0021】

Next, the configuration of the tape cassette 5 stored in the cassette storage unit 8 of the tape printing device 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the tape cassette 5, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tape cassette 5 in which the tape unit 20 is housed with the cassette lid 33 removed. The tape cassette 5 basically includes a cassette case main body 32, a cassette lid 33 that can be attached to and detached from the cassette case main body 32, and a tape drawer 36 and a tape that are not covered by the cassette lid 33 of the cassette case main body 32. It is composed of an auxiliary cover body 31 that covers the upper part of the tape feed portion or the like on which the feed roller 11 or the like is arranged. These are injection-molded products made of synthetic resin. In FIGS. 2 and 4B, the tape feed roller 11 and the auxiliary cover 31 are removed in order to clarify the shape of the front portion of the cassette case main body 32 such as the locking slot 39 described later.

【0022】

The cassette case main body 32 is composed of a substantially rectangular case with an open upper side, and a pair of locking holes 34, 34 as first locking holes are provided at both side positions of the rear wall 32a of the cassette case main body 32. It has been drilled. Each of these locking holes 34 is locked with each locking claw 35 projecting downward from the trailing edge of the cassette lid 33, which will be described later.

【0023】

Further, a tape pull-out portion 36 is integrally provided from the right side position to the left side of the front wall 32b of the cassette case main body 32, and a thermal head guide portion 37 is integrally provided behind the tape pull-out portion 36. It is provided in. The thermal head guide portion 37 is formed in a "U" shape in a plan view, and the thermal head 12 is arranged in the "U" shaped concave space 38. A locking elongated hole 39 as a second locking hole is formed in the intermediate wall 29 behind the concave space 38 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). An elastic locking hook body 40 (see FIGS. 2 and 4A) formed on the cassette lid 33, which will be described later, is locked in the locking elongated hole 39.

【0024】

Further, between the thermal head guide portion 37 and the left wall of the cassette case main body 32, a tape that can be engaged with the tape feed roller shaft 9 erected from the bottom wall of the cassette storage portion 8 in the tape printing device 1. The feed roller 11 is arranged (see FIGS. 1 and 4 (b)).

【0025】

In the cassette case main body 32, a tape unit storage portion 41 (see FIGS. 2 and 4 (b)) for accommodating the tape unit 20 is provided at the left rear position thereof, and the winding portion T0 of the tape unit 20 is provided. Is rotatably stored in the tape unit storage unit 41.

【0026】

In order to smoothly guide the printing tape T wound around the tape unit 20 to the thermal head guide portion 37, arc-shaped tape guide walls 42 and 43 in a plan view are projected from the bottom wall of the cassette case main body 32. (See Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 (b)). Further, although not shown, the pair of square holes 44 and 45 formed across the tape guide walls 42 and 43 is a photo composed of a light emitter and a light receiver erected in the cassette storage portion 8. The sensor is fitted to detect the presence or absence of the printing tape T passing immediately in front of the tape guide walls 42 and 43.

【0027】

Further, on the right rear portion of the cassette case main body 32 and the cassette lid 33, tape-detected portions 50a and 50b are provided in which the shielding portion 51 of the tape specific portion 30 of the tape unit 20 described later is fitted and set. In the embodiment of the tape-detected portions 50a and 50b, the tape-detected portions 50a and 50b are composed of seven round holes, and a protruding shielding portion 51 such as a round bar is selectively fitted. Further, a set protrusion 52 such as a round bar for determining the setting position of the tape unit 20 is projected upward from the tape-detected portion 50a on the cassette case body 32 side (FIGS. 2 and 4 (b). )reference).

【0028】

Next, the configuration of the tape unit 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 5 (a), 5 (b) to 10 and the like. As shown in the figure, the tape unit 20 is a winding tube. The printing tape T wound around the printing tape T, the support 21 as the main body supporting the upper side of the printing tape T, and the winding portion T0 of the printing tape T are inserted from the lower side of the winding tube 53 and pulled out. It consists of a lower spool 22 that disables it. Both the support 21 and the lower spool 22 are made of the same type of synthetic resin such as ABS resin. The support 21 is formed with a plate-shaped rotary support portion 21a that faces and supports the upper side surface of the winding portion T0 of the printing tape T. Then, at the tip of the rotation support portion 21a, a continuous portion 55 bent toward the lower edge in the width direction of the printing tape T, and the continuous portion 55 followed by the tape specific portion 30 are integrally formed. It is molded.

【0029】

In the continuous portion 55, a guide groove having a substantially U-shaped cross section for guiding the lower edge in the width direction of the printing tape T unwound from the winding portion T0 toward the pair of tape guide walls 42 and 43. 55a is formed (see Figures 2 and 3).

【0030】

By the way, seven ribs 41a are radially formed on the bottom surface of the tape unit storage portion 41 of the cassette case main body 32, and when the tape unit 20 is stored in the tape unit storage portion 41, the printing tape T is wound. The rotation part T0 is placed on the rib 41a. Then, in order for the printing tape T pulled out from the winding portion T0 to travel without moving up and down in the width direction thereof, the bottom surface of the guide groove 55a and the top surface of the rib 41a are at substantially the same height. , The portion forming the bottom surface of the guide groove 55a is thinned. Therefore, in order to reinforce the portion forming the bottom surface of the guide groove 55a, a protruding portion 55b protruding downward is formed on the back side of the guide groove 55a, and the thickness of the portion forming the bottom surface of the guide groove 55a is formed. Is increasing.

【0031】

When the tape unit 20 is stored in the tape unit storage portion 41, an escape hole 46 into which the protrusion 55b is inserted is formed at a position facing the protrusion 55b. In the state where the protruding portion 55b is fitted into the relief hole 46, the upper surface of the rib 41a of the tape unit storage portion 41 and the bottom surface of the guide groove 55a are at substantially the same height, and the printing is drawn out from the winding portion T0. The tape T travels toward the guide groove 55a without moving up and down in its width direction. Further, the lower surface of the cassette case main body 32 and the lower surface of the protruding portion 55b form the same surface, and the protruding portion 55b does not protrude from the lower surface of the cassette case main body 32.

【0032】

On the lower surface side of the rotation support portion 21a, a convex seat portion 56 fitted to the inner circumference of the winding tube 53 is projected downward, and on the outer circumference of the convex seat portion 56, a locking claw in the lower spool 22 described later is provided. A plurality of locking holes 57 (four in the embodiment) for locking the 24a are formed (see FIGS. 7, 8 and 9). On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 10, a plurality of (four in the embodiment) locking claws 24a are formed on the inner wall surface of the tubular portion 24 protruding upward from the flange portion 23 of the lower spool 22. Is projected inward, the tubular portion 24 is inserted into the winding tube 53 of the winding portion T0, and each locking claw 24a is locked in each of the locking holes 57, so that the two cannot be separated from each other. In this state, the winding portion T0 of the printing tape T is rotatably supported with respect to the tubular portion 24 and cannot be detached. By drilling a plurality of open grooves 25 upward in the upper end of the tubular portion 24, the upper end of the tubular portion 24 is elastically narrowed when the locking claw 24a is locked in each of the locking holes 57. Will be.

【0033】

Further, among the supports 21 of the tape unit 20, the plate-shaped rotary support portion 21a is provided with an observation window 59 extending in the winding radial direction of the winding portion T0 of the printing tape T. In the embodiment, one end (inward radius end) of the observation window 59 is extended to a portion close to the outer peripheral edge of the convex seat portion 56 so that the end of the printing tape T wound around the winding tube 53 can be visually recognized. The winding portion T0 extends in the direction of the continuous portion 55 so that it can be observed even when the winding radius is maximum (when not in use).

【0034】

The upper plate portion 33a of the cassette lid 33 is provided with a support portion 60 into which the plate-shaped rotary support portion 21a is immovably fitted, so that the entire observation window 59 can be seen from the support portion 60. In the embodiment, the rotation support portion 21a is formed in a non-circular shape, and a hole-shaped support portion 60 into which a part or all of the rotation support portion 21a fits tightly is bored. In another embodiment of the support portion 60, only a part of the rotary support portion 21a is projected upward, and the support portion 60 recessed above the upper plate portion 33a of the cassette lid 33 so as to fit the protruding portion is provided. It may be formed and the support portion 60 thereof may be molded in two colors with a transparent material. Further, an engaging hole (not shown) is bored in the rotation support portion 21a, and an engaging projection that engages with the engaging hole is provided on the lower surface of the upper plate portion 33a, and is the same as the observation window 59. A watermark hole (not shown) having the same shape may be provided at the position. In any case, it is important that the entire observation window 59 can be seen from the outside of the cassette lid 33.

【0035】

Then, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 8 and 11, a thin disk-shaped spacer 54 made of synthetic resin (for example, a material having a small coefficient of friction such as polyethylene terephthalate) is placed above and below the winding portion T0. It is arranged so as to face both end faces. In the embodiment, an adhesive is applied to one side of the spacer 54 (the side facing the side end surface of the winding portion T0) so that the spacer 54 does not separate from the upper and lower side end surfaces of the winding portion T0. ing. Further, since the upper and lower spacers 54 are sandwiched between the rotation support portion 21a and the lower spool 22 together with the winding portion T0 of the tape, the inner peripheral edge 54a slightly larger than the outer diameter of the winding tube 53 and the winding portion It has an outer peripheral edge 54b with a diameter slightly larger than the maximum diameter of T0, and as shown in FIG. 11, at least one perforated cut line 63 that is substantially linear from the outer peripheral edge 54b toward the inner peripheral edge 54a. Preferably, two lines are formed in the radial direction.

【0036】

With this configuration, after the tape T is used up in the tape unit 20, the outer peripheral edge 54b of the spacer 54 is separated in order to separate the support 21 and the lower spool 22 which are the main body of the tape unit 20 by material. The spacer 54 can be easily removed from the support 21 (lower spool 22) by cutting open from the side along the cut line 63 to the inner peripheral edge 54a. Further, preferably, if a V-shaped notch portion 64 is formed in the vicinity of the cut line 63 on the outer peripheral edge 54b side, it is extremely easy to start cutting the cut line 63 with a finger.

【0037】

In the above configuration, when the tape cassette 5 is stored in the tape storage portion 8 with the cassette lid 33 closed to the cassette case main body 32, it hangs down on the lower surface of the tape specific portion 30 in the support 21 of the tape unit 20. The rod-shaped shielding portion 51 provided selectively presses the tape type detecting means. That is, the tape width and tape of the printing tape T mounted on the tape unit 20 are based on the on / off signals output from the detecting means for detecting the combination of the number and the position of the plurality of shielding portions 51. It is possible to detect the type of.

【0038】

In addition, the support in the tape unit 20 is supported by projecting the same number and the same number of shielding portions 51 on the upper surface of the tape specifying portion 30 and fitting the shielding portions 51 to the tape detected portion 50b in the cassette lid 33. It is possible to prevent 21 from tilting or shifting. Since a combination in which the shielding portion 51 does not exist is also conceivable, a positioning hole 61 is formed in the tape specific portion 30, and when the tape unit 20 is set in the tape unit storage portion 41, the positioning hole 61 is formed. The tape unit 20 can be set in the proper position without rattling by engaging with the set protrusion 52 protruding upward in the tape detected portion 50a on the cassette case main body 32 side. (See Figures 2 and 4 (b)).

【0039】

When the tape cassette 5 configured as described above is stored in the cassette storage portion 8 of the tape printing device 1, the thermal head 12 fixed to the cassette storage portion 8 is placed in the concave guide portion 38 of the thermal head guide portion 37. Be placed. Here, the thermal head 12 is arranged inside the tape cassette 5, and in each of the plurality of heat generating elements provided in the thermal head 12, the printing tape T is placed around the lower spool 22 as described above. Since the heat-sensitive color-developing layer is wound inward, it is in contact with the heat-sensitive color-developing layer of the printing tape T.

【0040】

Then, when the tape printing device 1 is operated, the platen roller 13a is brought into contact with the thermal head 12, and the tape feeding auxiliary roller 13b is brought into contact with the tape feeding roller 11. As a result, the printing tape T pulled out from the tape unit 20 housed in the tape unit storage unit 41 of the cassette case main body 32 is formed by the tape feed roller 11 and the tape feed auxiliary roller 13b in cooperation with each tape guide wall 42. , 43 is smoothly guided to the tape pull-out portion 36 and pulled out, and the concave guide portion 38 of the thermal head guide portion 37 cooperates with the thermal head 12 and the platen roller 13a to develop a heat-sensitive color layer of the printing tape T. Characters and the like are printed on the top. After that, the printing tape T on which characters and the like are printed is discharged from the tape discharging unit 1b to the outside of the tape printing device 1 in cooperation with the tape feeding roller 11 and the tape feeding auxiliary roller 13b.

【0041】

As described above, characters and the like are printed on the heat-sensitive color-developing layer of the printing tape T to create a tape with characters, so that the remaining amount of the printing tape T wound around the winding tube 53 has decreased or has disappeared. Can be easily visually recognized by simply observing the radius of the winding portion T0 from the upper side of the cassette lid 33 at the observation window 59. When the printing tape T is exhausted, it is replaced with a tape unit 20 formed by winding a new unused printing tape T.

【0042】

In this case, first, the tape cassette 5 is taken out from the cassette storage unit 8. Next, the picked piece of the elastic locking hook body 40 on the cassette lid 33 is pushed in the inner diameter direction of the cassette case main body 32 to disengage from the locking elongated hole 39 in the cassette case main body 32, and the rear wall surface of the cassette case main body 32 is disengaged. The cassette lid 33 is rotated upward around the locking hole 34 on the 32a side to remove the locking claw 35, and the cassette lid 33 is removed from the cassette case main body 32. After that, the support 21 from which the print tape T has been used up is taken out from the tape unit storage section 41 together with the lower spool 22, and a new replacement tape unit 20 formed by winding the unused print tape T is taken out from the tape unit storage section 41. Store in.

【0043】

Since the upper surface of the cassette case body 32 is open from the removal of the cassette lid 33, the user grasps the upper end of the printing tape T in the width direction and pulls out the printing tape T from the winding portion T0. Then, the printing tape T is fed to the tape pull-out portion 36 via the guide groove 55a of the tape unit 20 and the tape guide walls 42 and 43, and further fed to the position where the tip of the printing tape T faces the tape feed roller 11. ..

【0044】

At this time, the winding tube 53 and the winding portion T0 of the printing tape T are integrally rotatably and immovably attached to the support 21 by the support 21 and the lower spool 22. Since the tape specific portion 30 is integrally formed, the tape unit 20 is replaced, the tip of the printing tape T is fed to a position facing the tape feed roller 11, and then the tape cassette 5 is moved to the original position (tape printing). If it is returned to the cassette storage unit 8) of the device 1, the tape printing device 1 can automatically determine the type of tape and the like.

【0045】

As described in detail above, in the tape cassette 5 according to the present embodiment, the cassette case main body 32 and the cassette lid 33 can be reused when the tape unit 20 is replaced, and the running cost can be reduced.

【0046】

The printing tape T in the embodiment has a configuration in which a heat-sensitive color-developing layer is formed on one surface of the base tape, and a release paper is attached to the other surface via an adhesive layer. Further, the printing tape T is wound around the winding tube 53 with the heat-sensitive color-developing layer inside. As a result, discoloration of the heat-sensitive color-developing layer can be prevented. Then, the adhesive exudes from both end faces in the winding portion T0 tape width direction and is attached to the lower surface of the rotary support portion 21a of the support 21 and the upper surface of the flange portion 23 of the lower spool 22 to pull out the printing tape T. At this time, it is possible to prevent the smooth rotation from being impossible by arranging the spacer 54 such as the PET (polyethylene terephthalate resin film).

【0047】

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

【0048】

For example, in the present embodiment, the cassette lid 33 is provided, but the cassette lid 33 is not always necessary, and may be composed of only the cassette case main body 32 and the tape unit 20, and the rotation support of the tape unit 20 may be provided. The structure may be such that the portion 21a and the cassette lid 33 are integrated.

【0049】

Further, in the present embodiment, the cassette lid 33 is separated from the cassette case main body 32, but the cassette lid 33 is connected to the cassette case main body 32 by using a well-known hinge mechanism and opens and closes with respect to the cassette case main body 32. However, the configuration may not be separated from the cassette case main body 32.

【0050】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, the tape unit of the invention according to claim 1 is a tape unit in which a printing tape is wound so as to cover the winding portion of the printing tape and both end surfaces of the winding portion. The disk-shaped thin plate-shaped spacer made of synthetic resin is sandwiched between the main body of the tape unit and the spool so that it cannot be pulled out, and the spacer has at least one sewing machine extending from the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge thereof. It is provided with a mesh-shaped cut line.

【0051】

Therefore, after the tape is used up, the spacer can be easily removed from the support (lower spool) by cutting open from the outer peripheral edge side of the spacer to the inner peripheral edge along the cut line. As a result, even if the materials of the spacer, the main body of the tape unit, and the lower spool are of different types, it is extremely easy to separate the materials by material when discarding.

【0052】

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the tape unit according to the first aspect, the cut line is formed in a substantially straight line extending in the radial direction from the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge of the disk-shaped spacer. Since it is a thing, it has the effect that the spacer can be separated by tearing the shortest distance.

【0053】

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, in the tape unit according to claim 1 or 2, the spacer has a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the winding portion of the printing tape, and the cut line is formed on the outer peripheral edge thereof. Since the notch portion communicating with each other is provided in the vicinity, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 1 or 2, it is extremely easy to start cutting from the notch portion to the notch line on the outer peripheral edge side. It has the effect of becoming.

【0054】

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the tape unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tape unit around which the printing tape is wound is a cassette case main body and a detachable cassette. It is configured so that it can be replaced and attached to a tape cassette consisting of a lid.

【0055】

Therefore, the tape unit is discarded when the tape wound around it is used up, but the cassette case body and the cassette lid can be reused, which has the effect of contributing to resource saving.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is a top view of the tape printing apparatus which shows by closing the cover body of the tape cassette storage part.

[Figure 2]

It is an exploded perspective view of a tape cassette.

[Fig. 3]

It is a perspective view of the tape cassette with the cassette lid removed.

[Fig. 4]

(a) is a plan view of the cassette lid, and (b) is a plan view of the cassette case body.

[Fig. 5]

(a) is a plan view of the tape unit, and (b) is a bottom view of the tape unit.

[Fig. 6]

It is a side view of the tape unit with the lower spool removed.

[Fig. 7]

It is each cross-sectional view of the rotation support part, the tape winding part, and the lower spool in a tape unit.

[Fig. 8]

It is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2 in a state where the tape unit is covered with a cassette lid.

[Fig. 9]

It is a bottom view of the rotation support part.

[Fig. 10]

It is a plan view of the lower spool shown by the arrow of XX line of FIG.

[Fig. 11]

It is a plan view of a spacer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tape printing device 5 tape cassette 20 tape unit 21 Support 21a Rotation support 22 Lower spool 32 Cassette case body 33 Cassette lid 34 Locking hole 35 locking claw 39 Locking slot 39a Locking piece 40 Elastic locking hook body 40a Bending plate 40b elastic piece 40c picked piece 40d locking groove 53 winding tube 54 spacer 54a Inner rim 54b outer margin 63 Cut line 64 Notch T printing tape T0 winding part