Typewriting machines – Sheet or web – For feeding web record-medium
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-07
2003-08-05
Colilla, Daniel J. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Sheet or web
For feeding web record-medium
C400S088000, C101S093070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06602009
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape cutting mechanism for a tape printing apparatus, which is capable of cutting off a printed portion of a tape-shaped member sent out via a tape exit in response to a manual lever operation.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a tape cutting mechanism of this kind for a tape printing apparatus was proposed e.g. in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 2-36450. This tape cutting mechanism includes a cutter holder having a hollow cylindrical shape and rotatably disposed for supporting a cutter blade, and a manual operation lever pivotally supported at a location close to a rotational axis of the cutter holder, for pivotal motion about a pivotal axis thereof. The cutter holder and the manual operation lever are arranged in the vicinity of a tape exit in a state mated with each other at a location close to their respective rotational and pivotal axes. Further, the cutter blade is supported in a state directed in the direction of a tangential line to the cutter holder, and constructed such that the cutter blade can cut through a tape-shaped member being sent out from the tape exit, from an orthogonal direction thereto. The manual operation lever largely protrudes outward from the apparatus, and when operated manually, the cutter holder is rotated via the mated portion to cause the cutter blade to perform a circular motion, whereby the tape-shaped member is cut through by force-cutting from the orthogonal direction.
In the conventional tape cutting mechanism constructed as above, since the tape-shaped member is cut through by a circular motion of the cutter blade, a component force is applied in a direction of rotation thereof as will entangle the tape-shaped member during cutting. As a result, a force from the manual operation lever is relieved although in a small amount. Therefore, a cutting force larger than necessary is required, and load is applied to the cutter blade as well, as reaction to the component force, so that the cutter blade is liable to be damaged as it is used over a longer time period. Further, although the manual operation lever, which largely protrudes out of the apparatus, can be easily operated by a small stroke, the apparatus is increase in size as a whole. If the manual operation lever is reduced in the amount of projection to decrease the size of the apparatus, however, sufficient stroke cannot be secured, so that the operation of the manual operation lever requires an increased force, thereby degrading the operability of the manual operation lever.
Recently, there is a demand for a tape printing apparatus of a small-sized handy type which allows the user to perform manual key operations, and a manual lever operation for cutting tape-shaped members while holding the apparatus with his hands. In this case, in view of the conventional construction of the tape cutting mechanism, it is considered very difficult to arrange both of an input portion of a cutter to which a force is applied for cutting operation of the cutter and a pivot of the manual operation lever in the vicinity of the tape exit, while ensuring the operability of the manual operation lever and reducing the size of the apparatus, and what is more, preventing a component force from being applied to the tape-shaped member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to a tape cutting mechanism for a tape printing apparatus, which allows a user to operate a manual operation lever while holding the apparatus casing in his hands, with an excellent operability, thereby enabling a tape-shaped member to be cut efficiently.
To attain the above object, the present invention provides a tape cutting mechanism for a tape printing apparatus including a casing having a rear side surface, a rear corner portion, and a tape exit formed through the rear side surface, the tape cutting mechanism cutting off a printed portion of a tape-shaped member sent out via the tape exit, in response to a lever operation carried out in a state of the casing being held by hand.
The tape cutting mechanism according to the invention is characterized by comprising:
a cutter disposed to face the tape exit, for cutting the tape-shaped member from a direction orthogonal thereto, the cutter having an input portion for receiving a force applied thereto;
a manual operation lever pivotally supported in the rear corner portion of the casing, for causing the cutter to perform cutting operation, the manual operation lever having a rear end serving as a center of pivotal motion thereof, a front end serving as a force point to which a force is manually applied by the lever operation, and an intermediate portion located between the rear end and the front end, and extending along the casing from the rear end to the front end in a manner bent frontward; and
a pivot arm having one end for being engaged with the input portion of the cutter, another end serving as a center of pivotal motion thereof, and an intermediate portion located between the one end and the another end, and extending from the one end to the another end in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction of cutting operation of the cutter, and
wherein the manual operation lever has an urging portion formed at the intermediate portion thereof, for abutting on the intermediate portion of the pivot arm and serving as a point of action for pivotally moving the pivot arm.
According to this tape cutting mechanism, when the manual operation lever is manually operated for pivotal motion by the front end portion thereof, the urging portion of the intermediate portion thereof abuts against the pivot arm to urge the same, whereby the pivot arm is pivotally moved about the other end thereof in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the pivotal motion of the manual operation lever. This causes the one end of the pivot arm to be engaged with the input portion of the cutter to transmit a force to the cutter for causing the same to perform a cutting operation. The cutter cuts through the tape-shaped member from a direction orthogonal to the tape-shaped member. The pivotal arm which serves as a driving force-transmitting system is interposed between the manual operation lever and the cutter, and hence even if a pivot of the manual operation lever and the input portion of the cutter are arranged close to the tape exit, it is possible to cut through the tape-shaped member from a truly orthogonal direction, thereby preventing a component force from being applied to the tape-shape member during cutting thereof. As a result, load applied to the cutter as a reaction can be reduced, thereby making it possible to enhance the durability of a blade of the cutter as well as to cut a printed tape to form a neat cut end face.
Further, since the intermediate portion of the pivot arm is pressed on by the intermediate portion of the manual operation lever by making use of the principles of the lever and fulcrum, it is possible to transmit the operating force applied to the manual operation lever to the input portion of the cutter with least reduction of the force, thereby directly applying the force to the cutter for the cutting operation thereof. Further, since the manual operation lever extends along the casing, it is possible to effectively arrange the manual operation lever to improve operability thereof and make the whole tape printing apparatus compact in size.
Preferably, the manual operation lever is bent such that the manual lever can be pivotally moved inwardly toward the casing by the force manually applied to the front end thereof.
According to this preferred embodiment, the lever operation of the manual operation lever can be ergonomically facilitated. More specifically, the manual operation lever may be configured such that the lever can be moved inwardly toward the casing, for a clockwise pivotal motion when it is designed to be operated by a finger of a user's right hand, or for a counterclockwise pivotal motion when it is designed to be operated by a finger of a u
Colilla Daniel J.
Ghatt Dave A.
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Seiko Epson Corporation
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