A method for monitoring a characteristic of a printed image of a thermal transfer printer. The method comprises providing a ribbon and a substrate at a printing location of the thermal transfer printer. The method further comprises printing an image on the substrate at the printing location by transferring ink from a region of the ribbon in a printing operation, a negative image being formed on the region of ribbon. The method further comprises transporting the region of ribbon, by a ribbon transport system, from the printing location towards an imaging location along a ribbon transport path. The method further comprises when a characteristic of the ribbon transport meets a predetermined criterion, obtaining, by an image capture system, a ribbon image of the negative image. The method further comprises processing said ribbon image to generate data indicative of the characteristic of the printed image.

A tape drive comprising: first and second motors; first and second spool supports, respectively receiving first and second spools of tape, the first spool support being driveable by the first motor and the second spool support being drivable by the second motor; a sensor arranged to provide a signal indicative of linear movement of tape between the tape spools along a predetermined tape path; a controller arranged to control energization of said first and second motors for transport of the tape in at least one direction between the first and second spools of tape along the predetermined tape path; wherein the controller is arranged to generate data indicating the diameter of said first and second spools of tape based upon said signal provided by the sensor and data indicating rotation of each of said first and second spools.

A tape drive comprising: first and second motors; first and second spool supports, respectively receiving first and second spools of tape, the first spool support being driveable by the first motor and the second spool support being drivable by the second motor; a sensor arranged to provide a signal indicative of linear movement of tape between the tape spools along a predetermined tape path; a controller arranged to control energization of said first and second motors for transport of the tape in at least one direction between the first and second spools of tape along the predetermined tape path; wherein the controller is arranged to generate data indicating the diameter of said first and second spools of tape based upon said signal provided by the sensor and data indicating rotation of each of said first and second spools.

A method for monitoring a characteristic of a printed image of a thermal transfer printer. The method comprises providing a ribbon and a substrate at a printing location of the thermal transfer printer. The method further comprises printing an image on the substrate at the printing location by transferring ink from a region of the ribbon in a printing operation, a negative image being formed on the region of ribbon. The method further comprises transporting the region of ribbon, by a ribbon transport system, from the printing location towards an imaging location along a ribbon transport path. The method further comprises when a characteristic of the ribbon transport meets a predetermined criterion, obtaining, by an image capture system, a ribbon image of the negative image. The method further comprises processing said ribbon image to generate data indicative of the characteristic of the printed image.

A cartridge, that can reduce the diameter of a winding core, to be installed in a tape printing device includes: a cartridge case that constitutes an outer shell of the cartridge and accommodates a printing tape, a tape core on which the printing tape is wound, an ink ribbon, and a winding core; a core concave part on the cartridge case and into which a core convex part is inserted from a back side in an installation direction when the cartridge is installed in a cartridge installation part; and a cartridge-side first engagement part and a cartridge-side second engagement part that engage a device-side first engagement part and a device-side second engagement part, respectively, when the core convex part is inserted into the core concave part to change a state of a torque switching mechanism from a second to a first state or from the first to the second state.

Provided is a medicine packaging device. The medicine packaging device includes: a reader-writer that reads information from an IC tag installed at a supply core of an ink ribbon roll detachably installed to an ink ribbon cassette as well as writes information to the IC tag; a motor control unit that controls a winding motor for rotating a winding core, based on a used length of the ink ribbon which is information read from the IC tag, so that the ink ribbon of the ink ribbon roll runs in a winding direction at a higher speed than a feeding speed of a continuous sheet for packaging; and a written information output unit that outputs information showing the used length of the ink ribbon which has been changed due to use of the ink ribbon, to the reader/writer as information written on the IC tag.

Provided is a medicine packaging device. The medicine packaging device includes: a reader-writer that reads information from an IC tag installed at a supply core of an ink ribbon roll detachably installed to an ink ribbon cassette as well as writes information to the IC tag; a motor control unit that controls a winding motor for rotating a winding core, based on a used length of the ink ribbon which is information read from the IC tag, so that the ink ribbon of the ink ribbon roll runs in a winding direction at a higher speed than a feeding speed of a continuous sheet for packaging; and a written information output unit that outputs information showing the used length of the ink ribbon which has been changed due to use of the ink ribbon, to the reader/writer as information written on the IC tag.

A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion; and a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon used in the printing portion, wherein when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at a ribbon replacement position where the ink ribbon is attachable and detachable, rotation of the ribbon supply shaft and rotation of the ribbon roll up shaft are regulated.

A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion; and a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon used in the printing portion, wherein when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at a ribbon replacement position where the ink ribbon is attachable and detachable, rotation of the ribbon supply shaft and rotation of the ribbon roll up shaft are regulated.

A printing cassette that is attached to a printer main body, the printer main body including a print head, a platen roller facing the print head, and a drive source configured to cause the platen roller to rotate, the printing cassette comprising: a first tape on which printing is performed by the print head; an input unit that is rotatable around a rotation axis thereof and is transmitted a driving force from the drive source; and an output unit that is rotatable around a rotation axis thereof and is configured to transmit to the platen roller the driving force that is transmitted to the input unit, wherein the first tape is conveyed by the platen roller in a state where the printing cassette is attached to the printer main body.