A ribbon transport mechanism includes an input gear that receives rotational power from a transport motor. An intermediate gear, which engages with the input gear, receives the rotational power from the transport motor via the input gear and transmits the rotational power to a first paying out rotor. When the cartridge is attached, a paying-out-side one-way clutch suppresses the input gear from rotating in a first input direction and the intermediate gear from rotating in a first intermediate direction and permits the input gear to rotate in a second input direction and the intermediate gear to rotate in a second intermediate direction. An elastic member applies force to the intermediate gear in the second intermediate direction to reserve a clearance between the input gear and the intermediate gear and next to a front end of the intermediate gear in the first intermediate direction.

A ribbon cartridge capable of preventing a ribbon cartridge made by another company from being installed by mistake. A ribbon cartridge includes: a paying-out core; a winding core that winds an ink ribbon fed from the paying-out core; and a cartridge case having a ribbon core accommodation part in which the paying-out core and the winding core are rotatably accommodated. In the cartridge case, a first, second and third peripheral wall recessed part are at a peripheral edge part of the ribbon core accommodation part when seen from a front side of the ribbon cartridge in an installation direction, the first, second and third peripheral wall recessed part at a position corresponding to a first, second and third pressing protrusion, respectively, when the ribbon cartridge is installed in a cartridge installation part and an installation-part cover is closed.

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 tape cassette that includes a tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear wall, a front wall, and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape included at least partially within the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and a first indicator aperture positioned on the front wall and a second indicator aperture position on a rear portion of the bottom surface. A position of the first indicator aperture on the front wall indicates a type of the tape included within the housing. A position of the second indicator aperture indicates a color of characters.

A tape cassette that includes a tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear wall, a front wall, and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape included at least partially within the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and a first indicator aperture positioned on the front wall and a second indicator aperture position on a rear portion of the bottom surface. A position of the first indicator aperture on the front wall indicates a type of the tape included within the housing. A position of the second indicator aperture indicates a color of characters.

An inner ribbon mounting opening is provided at a lower side of a cover member (202) that is rotatably connected with a housing (201), the cover member (202) housing a ribbon unit that holds an ink ribbon (302) held so as to be freely fed and freely taken up. An outer ribbon mounting opening (301) is further provided at an upper side. Thus, work can be performed from both directions above and below the cover member (202). As a result, work can be performed selectively using the outer ribbon mounting opening (301) or the inner ribbon mounting opening, and the workability for mounting and removing the ink ribbon can be enhanced.

An inner ribbon mounting opening is provided at a lower side of a cover member (202) that is rotatably connected with a housing (201), the cover member (202) housing a ribbon unit that holds an ink ribbon (302) held so as to be freely fed and freely taken up. An outer ribbon mounting opening (301) is further provided at an upper side. Thus, work can be performed from both directions above and below the cover member (202). As a result, work can be performed selectively using the outer ribbon mounting opening (301) or the inner ribbon mounting opening, and the workability for mounting and removing the ink ribbon can be enhanced.

Disclosed is a tape supplying body including: a tape roll on which a tape to be fed to a tape printing apparatus is wound; a first member provided on a bottom surface of the tape roll; and a second member, wherein the second member has a running-onto prevention part that is provided at an upper surface of the tape roll and prevents the tape from running onto the tape roll, a tape receiving part that is provided at a bottom surface of the first member and receives the tape dropping from the first member, and a connection part that is provided on a radially outer side of the tape roll and connects the running-onto prevention part and the tape receiving part to each other.

A thermal transfer printing machine with stationary support elements for supporting an article and a thermal transfer assembly vertically movable above the support elements, between a raised rest position and a lowered working position is disclosed. The machine has a surface heated transfer pad, supply and guide devices, a flexible printing ribbon which carries thermally transferable ink images, a position sensor providing electrical signals indicative of the vertical position of the transfer pad and a control unit with a learning phase, said control unit causes a descent run of the thermal transfer assembly, until the transfer pad engages with an article of a predetermined type. The position sensor detects and stores reference data characterizing descent run and the control unit initiates a subsequent descent run towards an article of the same type, comparing the reference data to the current descent run data, and stopping printing when an anomaly is discovered.