A transport device includes a first driving roller configured to contact an outer circumferential surface of a roll body on which a medium is wound, and apply rotational torque to the roll body, a second driving roller configured to unwind the medium from the roll body, a first drive unit configured to drive the first driving roller, a second drive unit configured to drive the second driving roller, and a control unit configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit. The control unit controls the first drive unit, based on a magnitude of a load current flowing in the second drive unit.

An auxiliary member is an auxiliary member that assists in mounting a roll body, which is formed by winding a sheet into a roll shape on a core tube, onto a shaft of a printing apparatus. The auxiliary member includes a cylindrical main body insertable into the core tube, a laser irradiation unit that irradiates laser light from a leading end surface of the main body, and a switch that switches between irradiation and stopping of the laser light from the laser irradiation unit.

A spindle assembly capable of accommodating paper rolls of varying sizes is provided. The spindle assembly comprises a spindle arm adapted to be connected to a printer mechanism. The spindle arm comprises a first flange surrounding an opening. A spindle is provided for accepting a first paper roll. A first end of the spindle is fixed in the opening of the spindle arm. The spindle comprises a second flange arranged at a second end of the spindle. A sleeve is provided which is adapted to slide over the spindle and attach to the spindle arm for accepting a second paper roll. The second paper roll has a different size than the first paper roll. A printer having such a spindle assembly is provided, as is a method for accommodating different sized paper rolls in a printer.

A spindle assembly capable of accommodating paper rolls of varying sizes is provided. The spindle assembly comprises a spindle arm adapted to be connected to a printer mechanism. The spindle arm comprises a first flange surrounding an opening. A spindle is provided for accepting a first paper roll. A first end of the spindle is fixed in the opening of the spindle arm. The spindle comprises a second flange arranged at a second end of the spindle. A sleeve is provided which is adapted to slide over the spindle and attach to the spindle arm for accepting a second paper roll. The second paper roll has a different size than the first paper roll. A printer having such a spindle assembly is provided, as is a method for accommodating different sized paper rolls in a printer.

A print apparatus includes a holding unit to hold a roll sheet obtained by winding a sheet, a driving unit, a separation flapper, a pressure contact roller, a print unit, a displacement sensor, and a control unit. The driving unit rotates the held roll sheet. The separation flapper follows a roll sheet surface to separate the sheet from the roll sheet. The pressure contact roller comes into pressure contact with the roll sheet surface. The print unit prints an image on the sheet supplied by rotating the roll sheet in pressure contact with the pressure contact roller in a forward direction. The displacement sensor detects a separation flapper displacement amount according to separation flapper rotation when the sheet is supplied to the print unit after a roll sheet front end is detected. The control unit stops the roll sheet rotation when the amount of displacement exceeds a threshold.

Methods and apparatus for supporting a paper roll in a paper bucket of a printer are provided. The paper bucket may comprise a curved base portion for accepting paper rolls of varying widths, two oppositely disposed side walls movably mounted to the curved base portion, and a two-part spring-loaded spindle assembly extending through each of the side walls and adapted to support a paper roll therebetween. Each spindle assembly may comprise a first spring loaded spindle part and a second spring loaded spindle part movably connected to one another.

Methods and apparatus for supporting a paper roll in a paper bucket of a printer are provided. The paper bucket may comprise a curved base portion for accepting paper rolls of varying widths, two oppositely disposed side walls movably mounted to the curved base portion, and a two-part spring-loaded spindle assembly extending through each of the side walls and adapted to support a paper roll therebetween. Each spindle assembly may comprise a first spring loaded spindle part and a second spring loaded spindle part movably connected to one another.

An embodiment of the present invention is a printer including: a feed roller configured to feed a print medium; a print head configured to pinch the print medium with the feed roller and to print on the print medium; and a biasing member configured to bias the print head in a first direction toward the feed roller. The print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position. The first position is a position at which the print head can be removed when moved in a second direction. The second position being a position at which the print head cannot be removed when moved in the second direction.

An embodiment of the present invention is a printer including: a feed roller configured to feed a print medium; a print head configured to pinch the print medium with the feed roller and to print on the print medium; and a biasing member configured to bias the print head in a first direction toward the feed roller. The print head is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position. The first position is a position at which the print head can be removed when moved in a second direction. The second position being a position at which the print head cannot be removed when moved in the second direction.

A roll body supporting device that rotatably supports a roll body includes a shaft member inserted into a core of the roll body, a shaft outer circumference member fixed to an outer circumference of the shaft member, a core support member that is inwardly in contact with and fits on the core, and a rotation support section that connects the shaft outer circumference member to the core support member and supports the core support member in a manner to be rotatable about the shaft member relative to the shaft outer circumference member.