The present invention embraces a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a user on the status of media or ribbon of a printer. The feedback may be provided by incorporating a feedback mechanism in a hanger of a printer. The printer may be a thermal printer, but may be another type of printer. The feedback mechanism of the printer may be designed to work with one or more sensors to provide a feedback loop so that without an input from a user, the printer is able to detect the presence/absence of media or ribbon, as well as determine the width of the loaded media or ribbon. In another embodiment, the feedback mechanism is able to determine the weight of the roll of media or ribbon and hence determine the quantity of media or ribbon available on the hanger.

The present invention embraces a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a user on the status of media or ribbon of a printer. The feedback may be provided by incorporating a feedback mechanism in a hanger of a printer. The printer may be a thermal printer, but may be another type of printer. The feedback mechanism of the printer may be designed to work with one or more sensors to provide a feedback loop so that without an input from a user, the printer is able to detect the presence/absence of media or ribbon, as well as determine the width of the loaded media or ribbon. In another embodiment, the feedback mechanism is able to determine the weight of the roll of media or ribbon and hence determine the quantity of media or ribbon available on the hanger.

To provide a spindle supporting a roll body on which a sheet-shaped medium is wound and rotationally driving the roll body. The spindle includes a shaft member to be inserted into the roll body, a gear fixed on a tip side of the shaft member in an axial direction, a spacer member contacting both of the shaft member and the gear, and a coupling member coupling the shaft member to the gear. In the axial direction of the shaft member, a contact area of the spacer member and the gear is larger than a contact area of the shaft member and the spacer member. The gear is coupled to the coupling member in the axial direction and the shaft member is coupled to the coupling member in an intersecting direction intersecting the axial direction.

To provide a spindle supporting a roll body on which a sheet-shaped medium is wound and rotationally driving the roll body. The spindle includes a shaft member to be inserted into the roll body, a gear fixed on a tip side of the shaft member in an axial direction, a spacer member contacting both of the shaft member and the gear, and a coupling member coupling the shaft member to the gear. In the axial direction of the shaft member, a contact area of the spacer member and the gear is larger than a contact area of the shaft member and the spacer member. The gear is coupled to the coupling member in the axial direction and the shaft member is coupled to the coupling member in an intersecting direction intersecting the axial direction.

A printer includes a mainframe including a front face part that has an opening through which a recording medium passes; a guide unit connected to the mainframe on a first side of the front face part; a printer mechanism unit configured to perform printing on the recording medium, and connected to the mainframe on a second side of the front face part opposite to the first side thereof; an arm unit having a first end connected to the mainframe; and a shaft unit configured to hold a roll of the recording medium, and connected to a second end of the arm unit, wherein the guide unit is configured to guide the recording medium so as to feed the recording medium to the printer mechanism unit through the opening of the front face part of the mainframe.

A printer includes a mainframe including a front face part that has an opening through which a recording medium passes; a guide unit connected to the mainframe on a first side of the front face part; a printer mechanism unit configured to perform printing on the recording medium, and connected to the mainframe on a second side of the front face part opposite to the first side thereof; an arm unit having a first end connected to the mainframe; and a shaft unit configured to hold a roll of the recording medium, and connected to a second end of the arm unit, wherein the guide unit is configured to guide the recording medium so as to feed the recording medium to the printer mechanism unit through the opening of the front face part of the mainframe.

A printing apparatus that prints on a sheet supplied from a rolled sheet and takes up the sheet in a roll shape, includes: a splice detection unit configured to detect a splice portion of the sheet, a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet, a meandering correction unit including a sensor unit configured to detect a sheet end portion of the sheet in a width direction of the sheet on a downstream side of the splice detection unit and configured to correct meandering of the sheet based on detection of the sheet end portion by the sensor unit, and a control unit configured to control the meandering correction unit based on a relationship between a position of the splice portion and a detection area of the sensor unit.

A printing apparatus that prints on a sheet supplied from a rolled sheet and takes up the sheet in a roll shape, includes: a splice detection unit configured to detect a splice portion of the sheet, a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet, a meandering correction unit including a sensor unit configured to detect a sheet end portion of the sheet in a width direction of the sheet on a downstream side of the splice detection unit and configured to correct meandering of the sheet based on detection of the sheet end portion by the sensor unit, and a control unit configured to control the meandering correction unit based on a relationship between a position of the splice portion and a detection area of the sensor unit.

To provide a printing apparatus capable of reducing the production of waste paper, a method for controlling the printing apparatus, and a storage medium, whether to detach a deliverable after completion of a job is determined, and in a case where the deliverable is to be detached after completion of the job, a part or all of the next job is printed in an additional print area subsequently to the previous job.

To provide a printing apparatus capable of reducing the production of waste paper, a method for controlling the printing apparatus, and a storage medium, whether to detach a deliverable after completion of a job is determined, and in a case where the deliverable is to be detached after completion of the job, a part or all of the next job is printed in an additional print area subsequently to the previous job.