A laminated film is provided which has excellent shape appearance at winding and also excellent processability and is capable of achieving higher glossiness of printed objects, the laminated film containing a substrate layer (layer A) composed of a biaxially oriented polyester film and a coating layer (layer B) on at least one side of the layer A, wherein the crystal size of the (100) plane of the layer A obtained by an X-ray diffraction measurement is 4.5 nm or more and less than 6.0 nm, a higher heat shrinkage ratio of the laminated film at 150 C. for 30 minutes between a heat shrinkage ratio in the longitudinal direction and a heat shrinkage ratio in the width direction at 150 C. for 30 minutes is 0.5 to 2.5%, the layer B is located on at least one outermost surface layer, and a surface opposite to the surface having the layer B has a center line average roughness (SRa) of 5 to 15 nm.

A tape includes a sheet and an elongated label that includes first portions and second portions. A second-side end portion of a first-side second portion is connected to a first-side end portion of one first portion, and a first-side end portion of a second-side second portion is connected to a second-side end portion of the one first portion. The one first portion has a first length in a tape widthwise direction. Each of the first-side second portion and the second-side second portion has a second length in the widthwise direction of the tape and a third length in a tape longitudinal direction. The second length is greater than the first length. The one first portion has a fourth length in the tape longitudinal direction which is greater than or equal to a specific length and less than a sum of the specific length and the third length.

A tape includes a sheet and an elongated label that includes first portions and second portions. A second-side end portion of a first-side second portion is connected to a first-side end portion of one first portion, and a first-side end portion of a second-side second portion is connected to a second-side end portion of the one first portion. The one first portion has a first length in a tape widthwise direction. Each of the first-side second portion and the second-side second portion has a second length in the widthwise direction of the tape and a third length in a tape longitudinal direction. The second length is greater than the first length. The one first portion has a fourth length in the tape longitudinal direction which is greater than or equal to a specific length and less than a sum of the specific length and the third length.

There is provided a ribbon winding mechanism including: a winding rotor; a first winding gear that is provided to be coaxial to the winding rotor and rotates the winding rotor; a second winding gear that is provided to be coaxial to the winding rotor and rotates the winding rotor via the first winding gear; a first torque limiter that limits torque, which is transmitted from the first winding gear to the winding rotor, to first torque; a second torque limiter that limits torque, which is transmitted from the second winding gear to the first winding gear, to second torque lower than the first torque; and a torque clutch that inputs power from a feed motor to the first winding gear when the first cartridge is mounted and inputs the power from the feed motor to the second winding gear when the second cartridge is mounted.

There is provided a ribbon winding mechanism including: a winding rotor; a first winding gear that is provided to be coaxial to the winding rotor and rotates the winding rotor; a second winding gear that is provided to be coaxial to the winding rotor and rotates the winding rotor via the first winding gear; a first torque limiter that limits torque, which is transmitted from the first winding gear to the winding rotor, to first torque; a second torque limiter that limits torque, which is transmitted from the second winding gear to the first winding gear, to second torque lower than the first torque; and a torque clutch that inputs power from a feed motor to the first winding gear when the first cartridge is mounted and inputs the power from the feed motor to the second winding gear when the second cartridge is mounted.

A thermal transfer sheet, which includes a transfer layer, is superposed on a transfer receiving article, and while the transfer layer is continuously transferred onto the article by a printer comprising a sheet supplying device, heating device, sheet winding device, measuring device located between the heating and sheet winding devices to measure the tensile strength of the thermal transfer sheet conveyed along a conveyance path, and release device located between the heating and the measuring devices, under conditions including an applied power for printing: 0.15 W/dot and a conveying speed for the thermal transfer sheet: 84.6 mm/sec., the transfer layer transferred on the article is released from a constituent member in contact with the transfer layer of the thermal transfer sheet, has a tensile strength measured by the measuring device of 0.1 N/cm or less.

A thermal transfer sheet, which includes a transfer layer, is superposed on a transfer receiving article, and while the transfer layer is continuously transferred onto the article by a printer comprising a sheet supplying device, heating device, sheet winding device, measuring device located between the heating and sheet winding devices to measure the tensile strength of the thermal transfer sheet conveyed along a conveyance path, and release device located between the heating and the measuring devices, under conditions including an applied power for printing: 0.15 W/dot and a conveying speed for the thermal transfer sheet: 84.6 mm/sec., the transfer layer transferred on the article is released from a constituent member in contact with the transfer layer of the thermal transfer sheet, has a tensile strength measured by the measuring device of 0.1 N/cm or less.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus including: a band (105) to hold hot melt ink; rollers (110) to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) to heat the ink on the band, and a rigid blade (155) that includes a pressure chamber (240); a pressure sensor (245) associated with the pressure chamber to monitor the meniscus of the melted hot melt ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the pressure sensor (245) and the ink feed device, the controller to cause the ink feed device to add hot melt ink to the band based on data from the pressure sensor.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus (100) including: a band (105) capable of holding hot melt ink thereon; rollers (110) arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) configured to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) configured to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) configured to heat the ink on the band, and a blade (155, 186) proximately located with the heating device and configured to control ink thickness of the ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the blade, wherein the controller is configured to reposition the blade, in accordance with a viscosity of the ink and a speed of the band, to control the thickness of the hot melt ink on the band after the blade.

A thermal transfer ribbon includes a carrier layer, a release layer, and a thermally transferable ink layer. The ink layer includes an active ink having a chemistry that is configured, responsive to the occurrence of an environmental, physical or biological condition, to undergo a chemical or physical state change causing a change in the color state of the active ink.