Provided is a printing device capable of performing data communication with a wireless tag provided on a holder that holds a medium used for printing. The printing device can include a shaft, an antenna, a reader, and a controller. The shaft rotatably supports a medium roll configured to have the medium wound around a cylindrical body provided with the wireless tag. The antenna wirelessly communicates with the wireless tag. The reader reads data recorded in the wireless tag by wireless communication via the antenna. The controller causes the reader to perform a second read of the data in the wireless tag after the cylindrical body has been rotated around the shaft for a first rotation time and then has been stopped in response to the reader being unable to read the data recorded in the wireless tag.

A cassette includes: a lower case having a box-like shape; a ribbon roll which is a roll of an ink ribbon; a take-up spool configured to take up the ink ribbon from the ribbon roll; and a protrusion provided in the lower case. The lower case includes: a front wall; a rear wall; a left wall; a right wall; a first inner wall; a second inner wall; a third inner wall; and a fourth inner wall. The protrusion protrudes rightward from a portion of the fourth inner wall other than a front edge and a rear edge of the fourth inner wall. The protrusion is configured to contact a widthwise center portion of the ink ribbon to cause the ink ribbon to be curved along a width of the ink ribbon so that the widthwise center portion of the ink ribbon protrudes rightward.

A cassette includes: a lower case having a box-like shape; a ribbon roll which is a roll of an ink ribbon; a take-up spool configured to take up the ink ribbon from the ribbon roll; and a protrusion provided in the lower case. The lower case includes: a front wall; a rear wall; a left wall; a right wall; a first inner wall; a second inner wall; a third inner wall; and a fourth inner wall. The protrusion protrudes rightward from a portion of the fourth inner wall other than a front edge and a rear edge of the fourth inner wall. The protrusion is configured to contact a widthwise center portion of the ink ribbon to cause the ink ribbon to be curved along a width of the ink ribbon so that the widthwise center portion of the ink ribbon protrudes rightward.

A cassette includes: a lower case; a ribbon roll which is a roll of an ink ribbon; and a take-up spool configured to take up the ink ribbon from the ribbon roll. The lower case includes: a first wall and a second wall arranged in an up-down direction; and a peripheral wall extending between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall includes a lower support portion supporting a lower end of the take-up spool. The lower support portion and the lower end of the take-up spool form a first gap therebetween in a radial direction of the take-up spool. The second wall includes an upper support portion supporting an upper end of the take-up spool. The upper support portion and the upper end of the take-up spool form a second gap therebetween in the radial direction. The first gap is different in size from the second gap.

A cassette includes: a lower case; a ribbon roll which is a roll of an ink ribbon; and a take-up spool configured to take up the ink ribbon from the ribbon roll. The lower case includes: a first wall and a second wall arranged in an up-down direction; and a peripheral wall extending between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall includes a lower support portion supporting a lower end of the take-up spool. The lower support portion and the lower end of the take-up spool form a first gap therebetween in a radial direction of the take-up spool. The second wall includes an upper support portion supporting an upper end of the take-up spool. The upper support portion and the upper end of the take-up spool form a second gap therebetween in the radial direction. The first gap is different in size from the second gap.

A printing apparatus is proposed. The apparatus may include a housing, an application unit configured to apply a binder onto a print area of a print medium by using a thermal transfer method, wherein the print medium moves in a direction with respect to the housing, and a processor electrically connected to the application unit and configured to control an operation of the application unit. The application unit may include a binder ribbon including a binder, a first roll around which an end of the binder ribbon is wound, a second roll around which another end of the binder ribbon is wound, and a thermal transfer unit configured to thermally transfer the binder from the binder ribbon to the printing area.

A printing apparatus is proposed. The apparatus may include a housing, an application unit configured to apply a binder onto a print area of a print medium by using a thermal transfer method, wherein the print medium moves in a direction with respect to the housing, and a processor electrically connected to the application unit and configured to control an operation of the application unit. The application unit may include a binder ribbon including a binder, a first roll around which an end of the binder ribbon is wound, a second roll around which another end of the binder ribbon is wound, and a thermal transfer unit configured to thermally transfer the binder from the binder ribbon to the printing area.

A tape transfer apparatus (10, 110, 210) including a body (11, 111, 211) and two spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216) each of which is suitable for supporting a spool of tape (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220) and a tape drive apparatus which is operable to transfer tape between spools (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220) supported on the spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216), characterised in that a position of at least one of the spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216) relative to the body (11, 111, 211) is adjustable; and a method of operating such a tape transfer apparatus (10, 110, 210), including controlling the rotation of each of the spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216) to enable tape to be transferred from one spool (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220), mounted on a respective spool support (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216), to another spool (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220), mounted on the other spool support (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216), and controlling a drive mechanism that is operable to adjust the position of at least one of the spool supports relative to the body.

A tape transfer apparatus (10, 110, 210) including a body (11, 111, 211) and two spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216) each of which is suitable for supporting a spool of tape (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220) and a tape drive apparatus which is operable to transfer tape between spools (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220) supported on the spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216), characterised in that a position of at least one of the spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216) relative to the body (11, 111, 211) is adjustable; and a method of operating such a tape transfer apparatus (10, 110, 210), including controlling the rotation of each of the spool supports (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216) to enable tape to be transferred from one spool (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220), mounted on a respective spool support (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216), to another spool (18, 20, 118, 120, 218, 220), mounted on the other spool support (14, 16, 114, 116, 214, 216), and controlling a drive mechanism that is operable to adjust the position of at least one of the spool supports relative to the body.

A printer includes a first holder for an ink ribbon, a first pair of rollers configured to convey the ink ribbon along a conveyance path, a print head configured to press the ink ribbon against a print medium to print an image on the print medium, and a second pair of rollers disposed on a downstream side of the first pair of rollers in the conveyance path and capable of crosscutting the ink ribbon.