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.

The present invention embraces printers such as hand-held printers and mobile/portable printer. One exemplary embodiment includes print as you glide (PAYG) devices. Such printers may comprise a modular print engine that is removable from the printer and may allow a user to easily access and load the ribbon in the mobile print engine. The modular print engine may comprise a modular print head and an encoder that may determine the movement of the print head relative to a stationary media. When a printer is pressed against the media, the print head's burn line may be resting on the media. When the printer is stationary relative to the media, the encoder may not trigger the printing. Once PAYG is being slid or glided across the media, the encoder may start to rotate and then send a signal to a processor, causing the printer to start printing.

The present invention embraces printers such as hand-held printers and mobile/portable printer. One exemplary embodiment includes print as you glide (PAYG) devices. Such printers may comprise a modular print engine that is removable from the printer and may allow a user to easily access and load the ribbon in the mobile print engine. The modular print engine may comprise a modular print head and an encoder that may determine the movement of the print head relative to a stationary media. When a printer is pressed against the media, the print head's burn line may be resting on the media. When the printer is stationary relative to the media, the encoder may not trigger the printing. Once PAYG is being slid or glided across the media, the encoder may start to rotate and then send a signal to a processor, causing the printer to start printing.

A tape printing device includes a cartridge mounting portion on which a tape cartridge is mounted, a detection unit that has a first detection member configured to be protruded from and retracted into a first detection opening provided on a bottom surface of the cartridge mounting portion, and detects a type of a printing tape accommodated in the tape cartridge, and a thermal head that performs printing on the printing tape. A portion of the first detection member, exposed from the first detection opening, is located outside the tape accommodating area and is provided at a position on a side of the tape accommodating area different from a side of a first area in a plan view when the tape cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion.

A cassette tape includes: a cassette case; a first tape roll and a second tape roll accommodated in the cassette case and rotatably supported thereby; and an RFID tag disposed at one of an upper wall and a lower wall of the cassette case. The first tape roll includes a first tape wound about a first winding axis extending in an axial direction. The second tape roll includes a second tape wound about an axis different from the first winding axis and extending in the axial direction. The second tape roll has a smaller diameter than the first tape roll. The RFID tag includes an antenna and a storage element for radiocommunication to read and write data. A part of the RFID tag is positioned to overlap with a part of the first tape roll in a predetermined direction parallel to the axial direction.

A cassette tape includes: a cassette case; a first tape roll and a second tape roll accommodated in the cassette case and rotatably supported thereby; and an RFID tag disposed at one of an upper wall and a lower wall of the cassette case. The first tape roll includes a first tape wound about a first winding axis extending in an axial direction. The second tape roll includes a second tape wound about an axis different from the first winding axis and extending in the axial direction. The second tape roll has a smaller diameter than the first tape roll. The RFID tag includes an antenna and a storage element for radiocommunication to read and write data. A part of the RFID tag is positioned to overlap with a part of the first tape roll in a predetermined direction parallel to the axial direction.

The present invention embraces printers such as hand-held printers and mobile/portable printer. One exemplary embodiment includes print as you glide (PAYG) devices. Such printers may comprise a modular print engine that is removable from the printer and may allow a user to easily access and load the ribbon in the mobile print engine. The modular print engine may comprise a modular print head and an encoder that may determine the movement of the print head relative to a stationary media. When a printer is pressed against the media, the print head's burn line may be resting on the media. When the printer is stationary relative to the media, the encoder may not trigger the printing. Once PAYG is being slid or glided across the media, the encoder may start to rotate and then send a signal to a processor, causing the printer to start printing.

The present invention embraces printers such as hand-held printers and mobile/portable printer. One exemplary embodiment includes print as you glide (PAYG) devices. Such printers may comprise a modular print engine that is removable from the printer and may allow a user to easily access and load the ribbon in the mobile print engine. The modular print engine may comprise a modular print head and an encoder that may determine the movement of the print head relative to a stationary media. When a printer is pressed against the media, the print head's burn line may be resting on the media. When the printer is stationary relative to the media, the encoder may not trigger the printing. Once PAYG is being slid or glided across the media, the encoder may start to rotate and then send a signal to a processor, causing the printer to start printing.

A tape cassette includes: a cassette casing; and a tape roll that is a roll of a tape extending in a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction. The tape includes: a subject surface exposed in a thickness direction; and a first image provided on the subject surface and indicating first information. The tape roll has: a first end portion located at an inner portion of the tape roll in a radial direction of the tape roll; and a second end portion located at an outer portion of the tape roll in the radial direction. The first information relates to an amount of a portion of the tape which is located on a first-end-portion-side of a reference position in the lengthwise direction. The reference position is located on the first-end-portion-side of the first image in the lengthwise direction on the tape at a particular distance from the first image.

A tape cassette includes: a cassette casing; and a tape roll that is a roll of a tape extending in a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction. The tape includes: a subject surface exposed in a thickness direction; and a first image provided on the subject surface and indicating first information. The tape roll has: a first end portion located at an inner portion of the tape roll in a radial direction of the tape roll; and a second end portion located at an outer portion of the tape roll in the radial direction. The first information relates to an amount of a portion of the tape which is located on a first-end-portion-side of a reference position in the lengthwise direction. The reference position is located on the first-end-portion-side of the first image in the lengthwise direction on the tape at a particular distance from the first image.