A thermal transfer printing apparatus includes a coater to coat an endless belt ribbon with ink on a coating zone, a printhead to print by thermal transfer a substrate with a part of the ink coated on the endless belt ribbon on a printing zone, a conveyor system supporting and transporting the endless ribbon including ink along a first path from the coater to the printhead and along a second path from the printhead to the coater; a pre-printing buffer to control the length of the first path of the ribbon in the coating zone; and a post-printing buffer to control the length of the second path of the ribbon in the printing zone.

Proposed are a thermal transfer ribbon and a sticker printing method using the same, which can form not only full-color images formed by a color ink part but also points, such as pearl, fluorescent, luminous, sparkling, glass, and metal glitters. The thermal transfer ribbon includes: a color ink part having a yellow ink part (Y), a magenta ink part (M), and a cyan ink part (C); an overlay part forming an overlay layer to protect a printed surface; and at least one point ink part provided between the color ink part and the overlay part.

There is provided a printing apparatus including: a thermal head including heating elements arranged in a first direction; a shaft extending in a second direction; a first engaging part; a head holder; an insertion part; a shaft holder holding the shaft; a second engaging part engageable with the first engaging part so that the shaft does not come off from the shaft holder; a guide configured to guide the shaft holder movably between engaging and non-engaging positions; a fixing member; and a fixing member-holder. The fixing member fixes the shaft holder to the head holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the engaging position. The fixing member-holder holds the fixing member so that the fixing member does not come off from the shaft holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the non-engaging position.

There is provided a printing apparatus including: a thermal head including heating elements arranged in a first direction; a shaft extending in a second direction; a first engaging part; a head holder; an insertion part; a shaft holder holding the shaft; a second engaging part engageable with the first engaging part so that the shaft does not come off from the shaft holder; a guide configured to guide the shaft holder movably between engaging and non-engaging positions; a fixing member; and a fixing member-holder. The fixing member fixes the shaft holder to the head holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the engaging position. The fixing member-holder holds the fixing member so that the fixing member does not come off from the shaft holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the non-engaging position.

A printer includes a shaft-shaped member, a movable support portion, paired strain detection units, and a control unit. The shaft-shaped member that sets a path of an ink ribbon from a supplying shaft to a winding shaft is provided at least on a downstream side between an upstream side and the downstream side in a conveying direction at a position where a thermal head and a platen face each other with a recording medium interposed therebetween, and the ink ribbon is hung around the shaft-shaped member. The movable support portion movably supports at least one end portion of the shaft-shaped member in a direction in which a tension of the ink ribbon varies. The paired strain detection units are provided at both end portions of the shaft-shaped member, and an output thereof is varied according to a strain of the shaft-shaped member. The control unit controls movement of the shaft-shaped member in a direction in which a difference in output between the paired strain detection units becomes small.

A printer includes a shaft-shaped member, a movable support portion, paired strain detection units, and a control unit. The shaft-shaped member that sets a path of an ink ribbon from a supplying shaft to a winding shaft is provided at least on a downstream side between an upstream side and the downstream side in a conveying direction at a position where a thermal head and a platen face each other with a recording medium interposed therebetween, and the ink ribbon is hung around the shaft-shaped member. The movable support portion movably supports at least one end portion of the shaft-shaped member in a direction in which a tension of the ink ribbon varies. The paired strain detection units are provided at both end portions of the shaft-shaped member, and an output thereof is varied according to a strain of the shaft-shaped member. The control unit controls movement of the shaft-shaped member in a direction in which a difference in output between the paired strain detection units becomes small.

There is provided a printing apparatus including: a thermal head including heating elements arranged in a first direction; a shaft extending in a second direction; a first engaging part; a head holder; an insertion part; a shaft holder holding the shaft; a second engaging part engageable with the first engaging part so that the shaft does not come off from the shaft holder; a guide configured to guide the shaft holder movably between engaging and non-engaging positions; a fixing member; and a fixing member-holder. The fixing member fixes the shaft holder to the head holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the engaging position. The fixing member-holder holds the fixing member so that the fixing member does not come off from the shaft holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the non-engaging position.

There is provided a printing apparatus including: a thermal head including heating elements arranged in a first direction; a shaft extending in a second direction; a first engaging part; a head holder; an insertion part; a shaft holder holding the shaft; a second engaging part engageable with the first engaging part so that the shaft does not come off from the shaft holder; a guide configured to guide the shaft holder movably between engaging and non-engaging positions; a fixing member; and a fixing member-holder. The fixing member fixes the shaft holder to the head holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the engaging position. The fixing member-holder holds the fixing member so that the fixing member does not come off from the shaft holder in a case that the shaft holder is located at the non-engaging position.

The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods providing a ribbon sensor configured and positioned to ascertain an orientation of a printing ribbon, including devices, systems, and methods configured for detecting an improperly oriented printing ribbon, and for triggering a response in the event of an improperly installed, and/or for confirming proper installation of a printing ribbon.

The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods providing a ribbon sensor configured and positioned to ascertain an orientation of a printing ribbon, including devices, systems, and methods configured for detecting an improperly oriented printing ribbon, and for triggering a response in the event of an improperly installed, and/or for confirming proper installation of a printing ribbon.