US5352049A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Means for holding thermal transfer printing ink-sheet in cartridge
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1992-09-08
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Granted: 1994-10-04
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Expires: 2012-09-08
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for holding a thermal transfer printing ink-sheet in a cartridge case and for indicating a characteristic of the ink-sheet, comprises an ink-sheet including an ink which is transferred from the ink-sheet by a heat energy, a shaft on which the ink-sheet is wound and which is mounted detachably and in a rotatable manner on the cartridge case, and an indicating member which is discrete in relation to the cartridge case, indicates the characteristic of the ink-sheet, is rotatable in relation to the shaft, and is connected to the shaft so that an integral combination of the indicating member and the shaft is kept on a replacement of the ink-sheet, and the indicating member and the shaft are separated simultaneously from the cartridge case on the replacement of the ink-sheet.
Inventors
- 👤 Mikio Shiraishi
- 👤 Toshihiko Gotoh
- 👤 Seiji Okunomiya
- 👤 Hiroshi Shimizu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:17
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J35/00; B41J35/02; B41J17/00; B41J17/36; B41J17/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
Means for holding a thermal transfer printing ink-sheet in a cartridge case and for indicating a characteristic of the ink-sheet, comprising: an ink-sheet including an ink which is transferred from the ink-sheet by heat energy, a shaft on which the ink-sheet is wound, said shaft being detachably and rotatably mounted in the cartridge case, and an indicating member separate from the cartridge case, indicates the characteristic of the ink-sheet, the indicating member being rotatably mounted with respect to the shaft to substantially prevent said indicating member from being rotated by said shaft, and said indicating member being connected to the shaft so that the indicating member and shaft are maintained as a unit on the cartridge case, and wherein the indicating member and the shaft are separable from the cartridge case upon the replacement of the ink-sheet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
Means for holding a thermal transfer printing ink-sheet in a cartridge case and for indicating a characteristic of the ink-sheet, comprising: an ink-sheet including an ink which is transferred from the ink-sheet by heat energy, a shaft on which the ink-sheet is wound, said shaft being detachably and rotatably mounted in the cartridge case, and an indicating member separate from the cartridge case, indicates the characteristic of the ink-sheet, the indicating member being rotatably mounted with respect to the shaft to substantially prevent said indicating member from being rotated by said shaft, and said indicating member being connected to the shaft so that the indicating member and shaft are maintained as a unit on the cartridge case, and wherein the indicating member and the shaft are separable from the cartridge case upon the replacement of the ink-sheet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the indicating member is mounted on the cartridge case through the shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is mounted on the cartridge case through the indicating member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the means further comprises a support member which is detachably mounted on the cartridge case and is rotatable relative to the shaft so that the shaft is mounted on the cartridge case through the support member, and the indicating member is mounted on the cartridge case through the shaft and the support member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the indicating member is removably connected to the cartridge case.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is mounted on the cartridge case through the indicating member which is detachably mounted on the cartridge case.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the shaft includes a flange extending in a radial direction of the shaft, and the indicating member is received between the flange and the ink sheet wound on the shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the indicating member extends radially outwardly of an outer periphery of the ink-sheet wound on the shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein the indicating member has a shaft receiving hole through which the indicating member is mounted on the shaft, and an inner diameter of the shaft receiving hole is smaller than a diameter of an outer periphery of the ink-sheet wound on the shaft so that the ink-sheet wound on the shaft restrains a movement of the indicating member on the shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein a part of the indicating member is received in the cartridge case.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Means according to claim 1, further comprising a take-up shaft for taking up the ink-sheet from the shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
Means according to claim 1, further comprising a take-up shaft for taking up the ink-sheet from the shaft, and wherein the indicator member holds the take-up shaft when the take-up shaft is not mounted in the cartridge case.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein an end of the shaft is mounted on the cartridge case through the indicating member, and another end of the shaft is directly mounted on the cartridge case.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
Means according to claim 1, further comprising a support member detachably mounted on the cartridge case and rotatable relative to the shaft so that an end of the shaft is mounted on the cartridge case to the support member, another end of the shaft is directly mounted on the cartridge case, and the indicator is mounted on the cartridge case through the shaft end of the support member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the shaft are mounted on the cartridge case through the indicating member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
Means according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the shaft are mounted directly on the cartridge case.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
Means according to claim 1, further comprising a support member detachably mounted on the cartridge case and rotatable with respect to the shaft so that the shaft is mounted in the cartridge case through the support member, and the indicating member is mounted on the cartridge case through the shaft member and the ink-sheet wound on the shaft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
135 words
Means for holding a thermal transfer printing ink-sheet and for indicating a characteristic of the ink-sheet, comprising: a cartridge case, an ink-sheet including an ink which is transferred from the ink-sheet by heat energy, a shaft on which the ink-sheet is wound, said shaft being detachably and rotatably mounted on the cartridge case, and an indicating member, separate from the cartridge case, for indicating the characteristic of the ink-sheet, said indicating member being rotatable with respect to the shaft to substantially prevent said indicating member from being rotated by said shaft, and said indicating member being connected to the shaft so that the indicating member and the shaft are maintained as a unit on the cartridge case, and wherein the indicating member and shaft are separable from the cartridge case upon replacement of the ink-sheet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
135 words
Means for holding a thermal transfer printing ink-sheet and for indicating a characteristic of the ink-sheet, comprising: a cartridge case, an ink-sheet including an ink which is transferred from the ink-sheet by heat energy, a shaft on which the ink-sheet is wound, said shaft being detachably and rotatably mounted on the cartridge case, and an indicating member, separate from the cartridge case, for indicating the characteristic of the ink-sheet, said indicating member being rotatable with respect to the shaft to substantially prevent said indicating member from being rotated by said shaft, and said indicating member being connected to the shaft so that the indicating member and the shaft are maintained as a unit on the cartridge case, and wherein the indicating member and shaft are separable from the cartridge case upon replacement of the ink-sheet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-03 | 1998-04-04 | 1998-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-03 | 2002-04-04 | 2002-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-03 | 2006-04-04 | 2006-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |