Spool structure

Details Spool structure Spool structure

2001-07-31

2003-07-08

Matecki, Kathy (Department: 3654)

Winding, tensioning, or guiding

Coil holder or support

Spool or core

C242S118610, C242S118700, C242S610600

Reexamination Certificate

active

06588697

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a spool structure around which a belt-shaped object, such as an image-receiving sheet used for sublimation printing, is wound.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of a conventional spool structure.
The conventional spool structure
20
has a core
21
, a first flange
22
and a second flange
23
.
An image-receiving sheet, which is used for sublimation printing, is adapted to be wound around the core
21
. The core
21
has a positioning groove
21
a
at a first end portion
21
-
1
on the side of the first flange
22
, and a positioning groove
21
d
at a second end portion
21
-
2
on the side of the second flange
23
. The core
21
also has through holes
21
e
and
21
f
appearing at an outside surface thereof, on which the image-receiving sheet is wound.
The first flange
22
has: a jaw part
22
c
that can protect and guide the image-receiving sheet wound around the core
21
; a gear part
22
b
that can transmit a driving force from a printing apparatus not shown; a shaft part
22
a
; and a fitting part
22
d
that can be fitted with the core
21
. The jaw part
22
c
, the gear part
22
b
, the shaft part
22
a
and the fitting part
22
d
are integrally formed.
The second flange
23
has: a jaw part
23
c
that can protect and guide the image-receiving sheet wound around the core
21
, similarly to the jaw part
22
c
; a shaft part
23
a
; and a fitting part
23
d
that can be fitted with the core
21
. The jaw part
23
c
, the shaft part
23
a
and the fitting part
23
d
are integrally formed.
The fitting part
22
d
has an outside diameter suitable for fitting with the inside diameter of the core
21
. A positioning projection (not shown) is formed at a location corresponding to the positioning groove
21
a.
Similarly, the fitting part
23
d
has an outside diameter suitable for fitting with the inside diameter of the core
21
. A positioning projection
23
f
is formed at a location corresponding to the positioning groove
21
d.
The first and second flanges
22
and
23
have nail parts
22
g
and
23
g
, respectively. The nail parts
22
g
and
23
g
are adapted to engage with the holes
21
e
and
21
f
provided in the core
21
by using their own elasticity, respectively. Thus, the first and second flanges
22
and
23
are adapted to be surely fixed to the core
21
not to come off the core
21
.
In the conventional spool structure
20
, the through holes
21
e
and
21
f
appear on the surface of the core
21
on which the image-receiving sheet is wound. Thus, there is a problem that the shapes of the holes
21
e
and
21
f
may be transferred to the image-receiving sheet and may remain therein.
As the image-receiving sheet, a polypropylene foam film or a polyethylene terephthalate foam film, which are superior in cushioning performance and thermal-insulating performance, are used in order to uniformly and efficiently transfer dye to a receiving layer by means of a pressing contact with a thermal head. In the case, the shapes of the holes
21
e
and
21
f
may be transferred more easily, for example the shapes of the holes
21
e
and
21
f
may be transferred even to (and may remain in) an outermost part of the wound image-receiving sheet.
In addition, a surface for sublimation printing is a glossy surface. Thus, if the shapes of the through holes
21
e
and
21
f
remain in the image-receiving sheet, the shapes (traces) are very conspicuous, so that quality as printed matter may be deteriorated.
When the first and second flanges
22
and
23
are removed from the core
21
, the nail parts
22
g
and
23
g
have to be pressed via the through holes
21
e
and
21
f
. Thus, it is necessary for the through holes
21
e
and
21
f
to pass through the surface of the core
21
for winding the image-receiving sheet. In other words, if the through holes
21
e
and
21
f
are buried, the first and second flanges
22
and
23
can not be removed from the core
21
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a spool structure wherein it is unnecessary to provide an unevenness pattern or a hole appearing on an outside surface of a core, on which an image-receiving sheet or the like is wound, and wherein a flange can be surely combined normally and easily removed if necessary.
The invention is a spool structure including: a cylindrical core having a smooth outer surface, and an inner surface with a engaging part; and a flange having a jaw part that can be arranged at a side end of the core, and a nail part that can engage with the engaging part of the inner surface of the core.
According to the invention, since the engaging part is provided on the inner surface of the core, the outer surface of the core can be completely smooth.
For example, the engaging part consists of a concavity having a bottom surface.
In addition, for example, the nail part consists of an elastic member that is urged toward the engaging part of the inner surface of the core so as to engage with the engaging part, and the nail part is adapted to be released from the engaging part when a predetermined releasing force is acted so as to move the nail part away from the engaging part.
In the case, preferably, the jaw part has a through hole that allows an access from an area opposite to the core with respect to the jaw part to a surface of the nail part on a side of the engaging part. Thus, by using a jig such as a bar or a stick, the predetermined releasing force may be given to the nail part more easily so as to move the nail part away from the engaging part.
In addition, in the case, preferably, the nail part extends from a side end of the core to the engaging part along the inner surface of the core, the nail part has a tip part that can engage with the engaging part, the core has a groove at an area in the inner surface facing the surface of the nail part on the side of the engaging part, and the groove of the core can communicate with the through hole of the jaw part. Thus, the predetermined releasing force may be given to the nail part further more easily so as to move the nail part away from the engaging part.
More preferably, the nail part has a inclined surface rising toward the tip part at a root-side-adjacent portion adjacent to the tip part, and the inclined surface can be contained in the groove of the core. Thus, by causing an external force in a direction of the rotation axis of the core to act on the inclined surface by using a jig such as a bar or a stick, the predetermined releasing force may be given to the nail part more easily to move the nail part away from the engaging part.
Alternatively, this invention is a spool structure including: a cylindrical core having a smooth outer surface, and an inner surface with a first engaging part and a second engaging part; and a flange having a jaw part that can be arranged at a side end of the core, a first nail part that can engage with the first engaging part of the inner surface of the core, and a second nail part that can engage with the second engaging part of the inner surface of the core.
According to the invention, since the plurality of engaging parts are provided on the inner surface of the core, the outer surface of the core can be completely smooth, and the core and the flange can be connected more surely.
For example, each of the first and second engaging parts consists of a concavity having a bottom surface.
In addition, for example, the first nail part consists of an elastic member that is urged toward the first engaging part of the inner surface of the core so as to engage with the first engaging part, the first nail part is adapted to be released from the first engaging part when a first predetermined releasing force is acted so as to move the first nail part away from the first engaging part, the second nail part consists of an elastic member that is urged toward the second engaging part of the inner surface of the core so as to engage with the second engaging part, and the second

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