A thermal printer uses an ink ribbon having a function of cleaning a thermal head by heating the ink ribbon. The thermal printer performs cleaning processing for cleaning the thermal head using a used region of the ink ribbon. In the cleaning processing, the thermal head applies to the used region of the ink ribbon the heat of the heat quantity which does not sublime the dye coated on the ink ribbon and which is for performing the cleaning.

A transfer ribbon (120) includes at least one print section (198) and one or more roller cleaning sections (190). Each print section (198) includes a print intermediate. Each of the one or more roller cleaning sections (190) includes an adhesive layer (192). The one or more roller cleaning sections (190) include a roller cleaning section at a trailing end of the transfer ribbon, and/or a roller cleaning section at a leading end of the transfer ribbon.

A cassette includes: a housing; and a medium having a first portion contained in the housing and a second portion protruding to an outside of the housing. The second portion of the medium is a protruding portion having an indicator portion on which information is printed.

A tape roll is housed inside a cassette case. A first rotation body is provided on a first direction side of the tape roll and is positioned on a second direction side of a winding center of the tape roll. A first opening is provided on the second direction side of the first rotation body. An ink ribbon roll is provided on the second direction side of the first opening. A second rotation body is provided on the first direction side and the second direction side of a winding center of the ink ribbon roll. A first regulating part is provided on a fourth direction side of a predetermined path and is positioned on the fourth direction side of a first virtual line.

A tape roll is housed inside a cassette case. A first rotation body is provided on a first direction side of the tape roll and is positioned on a second direction side of a winding center of the tape roll. A first opening is provided on the second direction side of the first rotation body. An ink ribbon roll is provided on the second direction side of the first opening. A second rotation body is provided on the first direction side and the second direction side of a winding center of the ink ribbon roll. A first regulating part is provided on a fourth direction side of a predetermined path and is positioned on the fourth direction side of a first virtual line.

A transfer ribbon (120) includes at least one print section (198) and one or more roller cleaning sections (190). Each print section (198) includes a print intermediate. Each of the one or more roller cleaning sections (190) includes an adhesive layer (192). The one or more roller cleaning sections (190) include a roller cleaning section at a trailing end of the transfer ribbon, and/or a roller cleaning section at a leading end of the transfer ribbon.

A coating module for variable speed ribbon coating, the coating module including a ribbon including an inner face and an outer face; a conveyor system including a support element holding and transporting the ribbon on its inner face; a squeeze ink roller arranged in contact with the outer face of the ribbon; the squeeze ink roller including an outer layer made of elastic material; a reservoir assembly designed to hold ink thereon and to feed the squeeze ink roller with the ink, and a pressure controller including an active element for pressing the ribbon between the squeeze ink roller and the support roller along a coating zone.

A pulse width modulation (PWM) system functions such that while label paper is moving into position, ribbon motors have power applied to maintain tension in the ribbon to avoid any contact with the adhesive. Once the label paper stops and is in position the power to the ribbon motors are cut to allow slack in the ribbon and a printhead solenoid actuates at full power to lift. Once lifted the solenoid cuts back to partial power to hold position and the ribbon motors are powered again. Thus, ribbon motor power is adjusted to allow the solenoid to lift without additional resistance.

A pulse width modulation (PWM) system functions such that while label paper is moving into position, ribbon motors have power applied to maintain tension in the ribbon to avoid any contact with the adhesive. Once the label paper stops and is in position the power to the ribbon motors are cut to allow slack in the ribbon and a printhead solenoid actuates at full power to lift. Once lifted the solenoid cuts back to partial power to hold position and the ribbon motors are powered again. Thus, ribbon motor power is adjusted to allow the solenoid to lift without additional resistance.

A method for introducing a reflective, refractive, and/or diffractive variable and/or non-variable image to a substrate by use of thermal transfer printing includes simultaneously transferring a defined portion of each of a protective coating layer, an image layer, and an adhesive layer from a carrier film of a transfer ribbon to the substrate by applying heat to the transfer ribbon. The defined portions of the image layer and the protective coating layer are adhered to the substrate using the adhesive layer. Subsequent to transferring the protective coating layer, the image layer, and the adhesive layer, durability is provided to the image layer by cross-linking the protective coating layer that is over the image layer by exposing the protective coating layer to a radiation source after the defined portions of the protective coating layer, the image layer, and the adhesive layer are transferred from the carrier film.