Tape-shaped label printing device

Abstract

A tape cassette is used in a printing device with a drive shaft. The tape cassette includes a cassette casing which houses a printing tape and defines a feed path through which the tape moves in a feeding direction. The cassette casing includes a head recess adapted to receive a print head of the printing device. The cassette casing forms a generally rectangular shape that is bounded by four corners, but also includes a recess for receiving the drive shaft adjacent a first corner of the four corner of the cassette casing downstream of, and spaced from, the head recess in the feed direction. The cassette casing defines a first positioning hole adjacent the drive shaft and a second positioning hole spaced from the drive shaft, the first and second positioning holes each communicating with a corresponding pin of the printing device to ensure a proper positioning of the cassette casing within the printing device. A detector surface is located on the cassette casing and is adapted to interact with an array of sensors on the printing device to identify at least one characteristic of the tape cassette. The detector surface is positioned at a second corner of the four corners of the cassette casing most distant from the first corner.

1. A tape cassette for use with a printing device that includes a tape drive, pins, a print head, an array of sensors, and a drive shaft, the tape cassette comprising:
 printing tape; and  
 a cassette casing;  
 wherein:  housingthe cassette casing houses the printing tape and definingdefines four corners and a feed path through which the printing tape moves in a feeding direction,;    the cassette casing defining  defines a head recess adapted to receive the print head of the printing device, ;    the cassette casing further defining  defines a recess to receive  for receiving the drive shaft adjacent a first corner of the four corners of the cassette casing downstream of, and spaced from, the head recess in the feeding direction, and adapted to engage the tape drive of the printing device to feed the printing tape in the feeding direction, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a first positioning hole adjacent the drive shaft and a second positioning hole spaced from the drive shaft, the first and second positioning holes communicating with the pins of the printing device to ensure a proper positioning of the cassette casing within the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device;   the cassette casing defining  defines a detector surface adapted to interact with the array of sensors of the printing device to identify at least one characteristic of the tape cassette, the detector surface positioned absolutely at a second corner of the four corners, the second corner positioned diagonally opposite the first corner, ; and    the detector surface defining  defines multiple sensor holes that interact with the array of sensors of the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device.    
 
     
     
       2. A tape cassette for a printing device that includes a printing head support, a tape drive, pins, and an array of sensors, the tape cassette comprising:
 tape; and  
 a cassette casing;  
 wherein:  housingthe cassette casing houses the tape and definingdefines a feed path through which the tape moves in a feeding direction,;    the cassette casing defining  defines a head recess adapted to accommodate the printing head support of the printing device, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a tape exit portion proximate the head recess where the tape exits the cassette casing after being printed, ;    the cassette casing further including  includes a drive roller disposed downstream of, and spaced from, the head recess in the feeding direction and adapted to engage the tape drive of the printing device to feed the tape in the feeding direction, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a first positioning hole adjacent the drive roller and a second positioning hole spaced from the drive roller, the first and second positioning holes communicating with pins of the printing device to ensure proper positioning of the cassette casing within the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device;    the cassette casing including  includes a sensor portion having a surface adapted to interact with the array of sensors of the printing device to identify at least one characteristic of the tape cassette, the sensor portion being located absolutely at a corner position of the cassette casing most distant from the tape exit portion, ; and    the surface of the sensor portion defining  defines multiple sensor holes that interact with the array of sensors of the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device.    
 
     
     
       3. A tape cassette for a printing device that includes a printing head support, a tape drive, pins, and an array of sensors, the tape cassette comprising:
 tape; and  
 a generally rectangular cassette casing that is bounded by four corners, ;  
 wherein:  the cassette casing housing  houses the tape and defining  defines a feed path through which the tape moves in a feeding direction, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a head recess adapted to accommodate the printing head support of the printing device, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a tape exit portion proximate the head recess and adjacent a first corner of the four corners, ;    the cassette casing further including  includes a drive roller disposed downstream of, and spaced from, the head recess in the feeding direction and adapted to engage the tape drive of the printing device to feed the tape in the feeding direction, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a first positioning hole adjacent the drive roller and a second positioning hole spaced from the drive roller, the first and second positioning holes communicating with pins of the printing device to ensure proper positioning of the cassette casing within the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device;    the cassette casing including  includes a sensor portion having a surface adapted to interact with the array of sensors of the printing device to identify at least one characteristic of the tape cassette, the sensor portion being located absolutely at a second corner of the four corners positioned diagonally from the first corner, ; and    the surface of the sensor portion defining  defines multiple sensor holes that interact with the array of sensors of the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device.    
 
     
     
       4. A tape cassette for a printing device that includes a print head, a tape drive, pins, and an array of sensors, the tape cassette comprising:
 printing tape; and  
 a cassette casing;  
 wherein:  definingthe cassette casing defines upper and lower surfaces and a lateral surface extending between the upper and lower surfaces,;    the cassette casing housing  houses the printing tape and defining  defines a feed path through which the printing tape moves in a feeding direction, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a head recess adapted to receive the print head of the printing device, ;    the cassette casing forming  forms a generally rectangular shape that is bounded by four corners, ;    the cassette casing further including  includes a drive roller adjacent a first corner of the four corners of the cassette casing downstream of, and spaced from, the head recess in the feeding direction and adapted to engage the tape drive of the printing device to feed the tape in the feeding direction, ;    the cassette casing defining  defines a first positioning hole adjacent the drive roller and a second positioning hole spaced from the drive roller, the first and second positioning holes communicating with pins of the printing device to ensure proper positioning of the cassette casing within the printing device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device;    the cassette casing including  includes a flanged portion extending outwardly from the cassette casing substantially perpendicular to the lateral surface and adapted to interact with the array of sensors on the printing device to identify at least one characteristic of the tape cassette, ;    the flanged portion defining  defines an outer edge and multiple sensor holes spaced from the outer edge that interact with the array of sensors of the printing device to facilitate identification of the at least one characteristic device, when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device;    the flanged portion being  is positioned absolutely at a second corner of the four corners of the cassette casing most distant from the first corner.    
 
     
     
       5. A printing system, comprising:
 a tape cassette;  
 tape; and  
 a printing device that includes a thermal head, a tape cassette mounting area having a first surface, a printing head support extending from the first surface and supporting the thermal head, a tape exit area proximate the thermal head to allow the tape to exit the tape cassette mounting area, a step portion elevated relative to the first surface, a plurality of sensors arranged on the step portion, the plurality of sensors constituting a complete set of sensors to identify a size of the tape cassette attached in the tape cassette mounting area, a tape drive and positioning pins;  
 the tape cassette being adapted to be mounted in the tape cassette mounting area, the tape cassette housing the tape and defining a feed path through which the tape moves in a feeding direction, the tape cassette having a head recess formed therein to accommodate the printing head support and a bottom surface facing toward the first surface of the tape cassette mounting area when the tape cassette is mounted in the tape cassette mounting area, the tape cassette further including a detection area elevated relative to the bottom surface, the detection area defining a detector surface facing the plurality of sensors when the tape cassette is mounted in the tape cassette mounting area, the detector surface defining multiple sensor holes and being configured to interact with selected ones of the plurality of sensors to identify the size of the tape cassette, detector surface being located absolutely at a corner position diagonally opposite the tape exit area, the tape cassette further including a drive roller disposed downstream of, and spaced from, the head recess in the feeding direction and adapted to engage the tape drive of the printing device to feed the tape in the feeding direction, the tape cassette defining a first positioning hole adjacent the drive roller and a second positioning hole spaced from the drive roller, the first and second positioning holes communicating with the positioning pins of the printing device to ensure proper positioning of the tape cassette within the printing device.  
 
     
     
       6. A tape cassette for use with a printing device that includes a print head, a drive roller, and an array of sensors, the tape cassette comprising:
   printing tape; and        a cassette casing housing the printing tape, the cassette casing having first and second corners and defining:      a feed path through which the printing tape moves in a feeding direction;        a head recess adapted to receive the print head of the printing device;        a recess disposed adjacent the first corner of the cassette casing and downstream of the head recess in the feeding direction, the drive roller of the printing device being receivable within the recess so as to be able to contact the printing tape on the feed path without contacting the cassette casing; and        a detector surface adapted to interact with the array of sensors of the printing device to identify at least one characteristic of at least one of the tape cassette and printing tape when the tape cassette is installed in the printing device, the detector surface being disposed absolutely at the second corner of the cassette casing;          wherein the second corner is diagonally opposite the first corner.