An example thermal printhead apparatus includes a top end; a bottom end located opposite the top end; an electrical interface positioned proximate to the bottom end; a first distal end; a second distal end located opposite the first distal end; a printing face defined by the top end, the bottom end, the first distal end and the second distal end, the printing face includes a thermal element; a mounting face that is opposite the printing face, the mounting face defined by the top end, the bottom end, the first distal end and the second distal end, the mounting face including at least two mounting components, comprising: one or more holes configured to mount the printhead apparatus to a printer; and one or more grooves configured to mount the printhead apparatus to a printer, the one or more grooves extending substantially parallel to the top end and the bottom end.

A thermal transfer printer includes a label feeding roller driving unit, a ribbon roll-up driving unit, a ribbon feeding roller, a ribbon feeding roller driving unit, and a controller. The ribbon feeding roller has an adhesive layer on its surface and is rotated to feed the ink ribbon while holding the ink ribbon on the adhesive layer.

The present printing apparatus includes a printing section including a thermal head and a film transfer motor for transferring a transfer film, a memory for storing printing data of different component colors and a control section for controlling the printing section. The control section adjusts the image length at the time of forming an image of each of the component colors on the transfer film by means of the thermal head and printing data of the component color according to the gradation values of the pixels of the pixel group corresponding to a line running in the main scanning direction of the thermal head and the image forming ratio representing the ratio of the number of pixels having the component color relative to the number of the pixels of the pixel group corresponding to the line in the printing data for the component color stored in the memory.

The present printing apparatus includes a printing section including a thermal head and a film transfer motor for transferring a transfer film, a memory for storing printing data of different component colors and a control section for controlling the printing section. The control section adjusts the image length at the time of forming an image of each of the component colors on the transfer film by means of the thermal head and printing data of the component color according to the gradation values of the pixels of the pixel group corresponding to a line running in the main scanning direction of the thermal head and the image forming ratio representing the ratio of the number of pixels having the component color relative to the number of the pixels of the pixel group corresponding to the line in the printing data for the component color stored in the memory.

When a roughened pattern is formed on an image protection layer, a thermal transfer sheet is protected from being damaged or broken. A thermal head 18 is driven and controlled such that an image protection layer 15e of a thermal transfer sheet 15 is thermally transferred to a printing medium 14, and that a roughened pattern 40 is formed on the image protection layer 15e. The roughened pattern 40 is made based on a corrected pattern 40B that is obtained by correcting a basic pattern 40A that is a pattern including an island portion formed of a mass of a plurality of high-energy pixels 40a, such that the high-energy pixel 40a surrounded by the high-energy pixels 40a forming an edge area of the island portion is converted to a low-energy pixel 40b.

When a roughened pattern is formed on an image protection layer, a thermal transfer sheet is protected from being damaged or broken. A thermal head 18 is driven and controlled such that an image protection layer 15e of a thermal transfer sheet 15 is thermally transferred to a printing medium 14, and that a roughened pattern 40 is formed on the image protection layer 15e. The roughened pattern 40 is made based on a corrected pattern 40B that is obtained by correcting a basic pattern 40A that is a pattern including an island portion formed of a mass of a plurality of high-energy pixels 40a, such that the high-energy pixel 40a surrounded by the high-energy pixels 40a forming an edge area of the island portion is converted to a low-energy pixel 40b.

An example disclosed printer configured to peel media from a backing includes a peeler assembly that is engageable between a peeling position, wherein the printer is configured to peel the media from the backing, and a non-peeling position, wherein the printer is not configured to peel the media from the backing; a sensor configured to send a signal corresponding to a position of the peeler assembly; and a printer controller configured to receive the position of the peeler assembly from the sensor and configured to adjust at least one print setting in response to receiving the signal corresponding to the position of the peeler assembly.

An example disclosed printer configured to peel media from a backing includes a peeler assembly that is engageable between a peeling position, wherein the printer is configured to peel the media from the backing, and a non-peeling position, wherein the printer is not configured to peel the media from the backing; a sensor configured to send a signal corresponding to a position of the peeler assembly; and a printer controller configured to receive the position of the peeler assembly from the sensor and configured to adjust at least one print setting in response to receiving the signal corresponding to the position of the peeler assembly.

A thermal transfer printer includes a label feeding roller driving unit, a ribbon roll-up driving unit, a ribbon feeding roller, a ribbon feeding roller driving unit, and a controller. The ribbon feeding roller has an adhesive layer on its surface and is rotated to feed the ink ribbon while holding the ink ribbon on the adhesive layer.

There is provided a bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet which can reduce the number of parts and can have a smooth surface. The bobbin includes a cylindrical bobbin body 11. A gear 12 including a number of teeth 13 is formed in one end surface of the bobbin body 11. The teeth 13 of the gear 12 each have the shape of a trapezoid when viewed from the side. One lateral side 13b of the trapezoid extends in the axial direction of the bobbin body 11.