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 used ink ribbon, wherein the ribbon supply shaft is provided movably between a ribbon supply position where the ink ribbon is supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon replacement position where the ribbon supply shaft is attachable to and detachable from the printer, and rotated in the direction in which the ink ribbon is rolled up in the middle of moving from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position.

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 used ink ribbon, wherein the ribbon supply shaft is provided movably between a ribbon supply position where the ink ribbon is supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon replacement position where the ribbon supply shaft is attachable to and detachable from the printer, and rotated in the direction in which the ink ribbon is rolled up in the middle of moving from the ribbon replacement position to the ribbon supply position.

A described example includes a ribbon cartridge having a first spool housing configured to receive a first spool. The ribbon cartridge having a second spool housing that is configured to receive a second spool. The ribbon cartridge having a first frame member that extends between the first spool housing and the second spool housing. The ribbon cartridge having a first locking feature defining a locked position and an unlocked position, the first locking feature adapted to lock the ribbon cartridge within a ribbon positioning assembly.

A described example includes a ribbon cartridge having a first spool housing configured to receive a first spool. The ribbon cartridge having a second spool housing that is configured to receive a second spool. The ribbon cartridge having a first frame member that extends between the first spool housing and the second spool housing. The ribbon cartridge having a first locking feature defining a locked position and an unlocked position, the first locking feature adapted to lock the ribbon cartridge within a ribbon positioning assembly.

A printer includes a printing unit configured to print on the print medium, a ribbon shaft configured to hold the ink ribbon, a partition member provided swingably between a close position where gears that transmit drive force to the ribbon shaft mesh with each other and an open position where meshing between the gears is released, and a lock mechanism configured to hold the partition member with respect to the printing unit when the partition member is placed at the close position.

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, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the used ink ribbon, a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head that constitutes the printing portion, and a partition member swingably provided in the printing unit, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium, and the ribbon supply shaft is provided in the partition member.

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, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the used ink ribbon, a printing unit provided swingably, the printing unit having a thermal head that constitutes the printing portion, and a partition member swingably provided in the printing unit, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium, and the ribbon supply shaft is provided in the partition member.

A tape cartridge mounted to a tape printer includes a ribbon feeding core on which an ink ribbon is wound so as to be capable of being fed and a ribbon winding core that winds the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon feeding core. In the tape cartridge, the ribbon feeding core includes a core body that winds the ink ribbon and a shaft engaging part formed at an end portion of the core body and engaged with a feeding-side driving shaft of the tape printer. The shaft engaging part protrudes in an axial direction of the core body from an end surface of the core body and is formed in a crown shape in which a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions are alternately arranged side by side in a circumferential direction.

A tape cartridge mounted to a tape printer includes a ribbon feeding core on which an ink ribbon is wound so as to be capable of being fed and a ribbon winding core that winds the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon feeding core. In the tape cartridge, the ribbon feeding core includes a core body that winds the ink ribbon and a shaft engaging part formed at an end portion of the core body and engaged with a feeding-side driving shaft of the tape printer. The shaft engaging part protrudes in an axial direction of the core body from an end surface of the core body and is formed in a crown shape in which a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions are alternately arranged side by side in a circumferential direction.

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.