A printing apparatus includes a first roller pair configured to convey a continuous medium, a printing head that is located downstream of the first roller pair and that performs printing on the continuous medium, a cutting unit that is located downstream of the printing head and that is configured to cut the continuous medium, a second roller pair that is located downstream of the cutting unit and that is configured to convey the continuous medium, a common driving source configured to apply driving force to the first roller pair and the second roller pair, and a clutch mechanism configured to cut power from the driving source to the second roller pair, wherein the clutch mechanism is a one-way mechanism that transmits the power when the continuous medium is conveyed in a forward direction and does not transmit the power when the continuous medium is conveyed in a reverse direction.

A printing apparatus includes: a first conveyor that unspools a rolled-up medium for transport; a print head that prints on the medium; a cutter that cuts off, from the medium, a printed portion on which printing has been performed by the print head; a second conveyor that transports, in a sandwiching manner, the printed portion cut off by the cutter; a drive that drives at least the first conveyor; and a processor that controls the drive, wherein after the printed portion is cut off by the cutter and before printing is started by the print head, the processor controls the drive such that the first conveyor transports the medium in an ejection direction to a position where the medium is sandwiched by the second conveyor.

A printing apparatus includes a platen roller that transports a medium, a print head that is disposed to face the platen roller and prints on the medium, a cutter that cuts off, from the medium, a printed portion on which printing has been performed by the print head, a drive that drives the platen roller, and a processor that controls the drive. After the printed portion is cut off by the cutter, the processor controls the drive such that the platen roller transports the medium in an ejection direction and holds the medium still. After an instruction to start next printing by the print head is received, the processor controls the drive such that the platen roller transports the medium in a reverse direction opposite to the ejection direction.

A device, system and method for making custom printed products. In one embodiment of the method, input selecting one or more vector graphics is received from a user device along with a size of for the printed product. Pixel edge detection is performed on the image to generate a plurality of polygons corresponding to all shapes in the image. Polygons below a size threshold are removed. An offset is applied to each polygon. The polygons are combined. A smoothing algorithm is applied to the combined polygon. A set of curves that define the smoothed polygon is determined. A cut path is dynamically generating for the printed product in real-time in dependence on the modified vector graphic cut path and the received size so that the cut path has a shape dependent on the modified vector graphic cut path and a size dependent on the received size. The image is printed on a substrate for the image product in dependence on the received size and the offset so that the printed image has a printed size equal to the received size less the offset. The substrate is cut in dependence on the cut path.

A printer including a printing part which prints on a recording paper; a cutter part which cuts the recording paper; and a conveying part which includes a conveying route having a curving shape and through which the recording paper conveyed through the cutter part is conveyed; a conveying route cover which is attached to the conveying part and covers a portion of the conveying route; and a flapper which is provided at a curved portion of the conveying route, has a curved shape, and is rotatably attached to the conveying route cover so as to rotatably open or close relative to a main body of the printer, wherein the conveying route cover and the flapper are movable together so as to separate from or contact the main body.

A printer including a printing part which prints on a recording paper; a cutter part which cuts the recording paper; and a conveying part which includes a conveying route having a curving shape and through which the recording paper conveyed through the cutter part is conveyed; a conveying route cover which is attached to the conveying part and covers a portion of the conveying route; and a flapper which is provided at a curved portion of the conveying route, has a curved shape, and is rotatably attached to the conveying route cover so as to rotatably open or close relative to a main body of the printer, wherein the conveying route cover and the flapper are movable together so as to separate from or contact the main body.

Systems for providing on-demand cup printing and dispensing for food service are provided herein. A cup dispenser includes a cup source configured to hold a stack of cups and one or more cup-moving elements configured to cause a cup from the stack of cups to move through the cup dispenser. The cup dispenser includes a motor configured to operate the one or more cup-moving elements to cause the cup to move through the cup dispenser along a path. The cup dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the cup that is based on the food service order associated with the cup. The cup dispenser further includes a dispensing slot that provides the cup, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Systems for providing on-demand cup printing and dispensing for food service are provided herein. A cup dispenser includes a cup source configured to hold a stack of cups and one or more cup-moving elements configured to cause a cup from the stack of cups to move through the cup dispenser. The cup dispenser includes a motor configured to operate the one or more cup-moving elements to cause the cup to move through the cup dispenser along a path. The cup dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the cup that is based on the food service order associated with the cup. The cup dispenser further includes a dispensing slot that provides the cup, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Provided is a tape cutter including a full-receiving portion, a full-movable portion that comes into contact with or separates from the full-receiving portion, a full-pressing portion that presses the full-movable portion, and a full second lever portion to which the full-pressing portion is fixed. The full-pressing portion has a full first pressing portion that presses a full first pressing target portion of the full-movable portion toward the full-receiving portion so that the full-movable portion approaches the full-receiving portion, and a full second pressing portion that engages with a full second pressing target portion of the full-movable portion and pulls the full second pressing target portion toward a side opposite to the full-receiving portion so that the full-movable portion separates from the full-receiving portion, and the full first pressing portion and the full second pressing portion are overlapping with the full second lever portion in a feed direction of the tape.

A medium placement device includes a placement unit configured to have cut single paper thereon, a cover member configured to have single paper supplied to or discharged from an opening portion thereon, and a movement unit configured to move the cover member between a first position and a second position that is lower than the first position.