US 12,233,641 B2
Tape cassette
Koshiro Yamaguchi, Kakamigahara (JP); Tsuyoshi Nagae, Kasugai (JP); Teruo Imamaki, Nissin (JP); Masato Kato, Kasugai (JP); Takashi Horiuchi, Kariya (JP); Akira Sago, Seto (JP); Yasuhiro Iriyama, Mie-ken (JP); and Yasuhiro Shibata, Okazaki (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/943,869.
Application 17/943,869 is a continuation of application No. 16/924,874, filed on Jul. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,479,053.
Application 16/924,874 is a continuation of application No. 15/981,465, filed on May 16, 2018, granted, now 10,744,798, issued on Aug. 18, 2020.
Application 15/981,465 is a continuation of application No. 15/276,474, filed on Sep. 26, 2016, granted, now 10,189,284, issued on Jan. 29, 2019.
Application 15/276,474 is a continuation of application No. 14/226,380, filed on Mar. 26, 2014, granted, now 9,649,861, issued on May 16, 2017.
Application 14/226,380 is a continuation of application No. 12/644,572, filed on Dec. 22, 2009, granted, now 9,493,016, issued on Nov. 15, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 2008-331634 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2008-331635 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2008-331638 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2008-331639 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2008-331641 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2008-331642 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2008-331643 (JP), filed on Dec. 25, 2008; application No. 2009-088440 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088441 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088456 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088460 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; and application No. 2009-088468 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2023/0082472 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41J 15/04 (2006.01); B41J 32/00 (2006.01); B41J 33/14 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 11/009 (2013.01) [B41J 3/4075 (2013.01); B41J 15/044 (2013.01); B41J 32/00 (2013.01); B41J 33/14 (2013.01)] 48 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tape cassette comprising:
a cassette case having a first end portion and a second end portion separated from the first end portion in a first direction, and having a third end portion and a fourth end portion separated from the third end portion in a second direction;
a first spool positioned in the cassette case, the first spool positioned closer to the third end portion of the cassette case than to the fourth end portion in the second direction, the first spool positioned closer to the second end portion than to the first end portion in the first direction;
a ribbon spool positioned in the cassette case, the ribbon spool positioned closer to the fourth end portion than to the third end portion in the second direction; and
a tape drive roller rotatable about an axis extending in a third direction, the tape drive roller configured to allow tape to be discharged from inside of the cassette case, the tape drive roller positioned closer to the first end portion of the cassette case in the first direction than to the second end portion, the tape drive roller positioned closer to the third end portion of the cassette case than the fourth end portion of the cassette in the second direction, wherein
the cassette case includes an arm positioned at the first end portion, the arm extending in the second direction, the arm having a first outer surface facing a portion of the cassette case in the first direction and a second outer surface facing away from the cassette case in the first direction, and the arm has an exit configured to allow ink ribbon to be discharged toward the tape drive roller from inside of the cassette case, wherein
the arm includes a first indicator and a second indicator arranged at the second outer surface in a predetermined pattern, a position of the first indicator is different from a position of the second indicator in the second direction and the third direction.