Provided are an image forming apparatus for outputting a plurality of images having different sizes according to a method pre-set by a user without interrupting a current printing operation when the plurality of images having different sizes are obtained and a method of operating the image forming apparatus.

In one example, an apparatus includes a first switch array including a first plurality of switches. A first resistor array includes a first plurality of resistor pairs, where each resistor pair in the first plurality of resistors is coupled to one switch of the first plurality of switches. The apparatus also includes a second switch array including a second plurality of switches. A second resistor array includes a second plurality of resistor pairs, where each resistor pair in the second plurality of resistors is coupled to one switch of the second plurality of switches. The apparatus further includes a plurality of output nodes configured to transmit an analog voltage, where each output node of the plurality of output nodes is connected to one resistor pair of the first resistor array and one resistor pair of the second resistor array.

A printing apparatus has a sheet holding unit having a detection unit for detecting a size of a sheet which is held and a storage unit configured to store sheet information including at least a size of a sheet as information representing a sheet. The apparatus sets first sheet information selected by a user in association with the sheet holding unit from a plurality of items of sheet information stored in the storage unit and notifies the user of a mismatch in a case where a size of a sheet that the first sheet information set in the setting indicates, and a size of a sheet detected by the detection unit are mismatched.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a printing apparatus with usability prevented from being lowered. An embodiment of the present disclosure is a printing apparatus including: a storage unit configured to store size information of a print medium; a plurality of rollers arranged in a conveyance path of a print medium and configured to convey the print medium; a first sensor configured to detect an edge of the print medium being conveyed by the rollers; and a control unit configured to execute processing for identifying an error occurring in the conveyance of the print medium. The control unit issues a first error concerning an orientation of the print medium based on a detection result of the first sensor and the size information stored in the storage unit.

An edge detection unit is arranged in a conveying portion conveying a sheet and detects the edge of the sheet in the width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. A light source unit is arranged opposite the sheet. A detecting portion holder holds the edge detection unit and the light source unit. A conveying roller pair positions the sheet conveyed toward the edge detection unit. A unit housing houses the detecting portion holder and the conveying roller pair. The edge detection unit has a contact glass making contact with the sheet. The light source unit has a facing glass facing the contact glass. One glass out of the contact glass and the facing glass is inclined downward at a first angle with respect to the tangent line, which passes through the nip portion between the conveying roller pair, toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction.

In a sheet supply apparatus, a type of sheet to be used can be specified using a sensor that detects a sheet separated from a roll at the time of automatic sheet feeding. The sheet supplying apparatus includes a driving unit configured to cause a roll including a wound consecutive sheet to rotate in a first direction for feeding the sheet or a second direction opposite to the first direction, a sensor that detects the sheet separated from an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and a specifying unit. In a case in which the sensor detects a leading end portion of the sheet while the roll is being rotated in the second direction, the driving unit changes a rotation direction of the roll from the second direction to the first direction and feeds the sheet, and the specifying unit is configured to specify a type of the sheet on the basis of an output of the sensor while the roll is being rotated in the second direction.

A printing device 1 includes a platen roller 7 which feeds a thermal tape 42, a thermal head 8 which performs printing on the thermal tape 42, and a control circuit 12. The control circuit 12 rotates the platen roller 7 backward to feed the thermal tape 42 backward in order to make a printing start area PT of the thermal tape 42 reach a backward feed position more away from an outlet 2b than a normal position NP of the thermal head 8. After that, the control circuit 12 rotates the platen roller 7 forward to perform printing using the thermal head 8.

A printing apparatus has a sheet holding unit having a detection unit for detecting a size of a sheet which is held and a storage unit configured to store sheet information including at least a size of a sheet as information representing a sheet. The apparatus sets first sheet information selected by a user in association with the sheet holding unit from a plurality of items of sheet information stored in the storage unit and notifies the user of a mismatch in a case where a size of a sheet that the first sheet information set in the setting indicates, and a size of a sheet detected by the detection unit are mismatched.

A printer includes a processor and a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements to print an image having a plurality of print lines on a printing medium on the basis of printing data, wherein in an initial control period, for any printing data, the processor causes the thermal head to perform a division printing for each of the print lines that are to be printed in the control period, the division printing being such that for each print line to be printed, the plurality of heating elements are divided into a plurality of subgroups and the respective subgroups of the heating elements are activated in a time-divided manner, and wherein in a normal period after the control period, the processor causes the thermal head performs a non-division printing for at least some of the print lines that are to be printed in the normal period.

The present invention embraces a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a user on the status of media or ribbon of a printer. The feedback may be provided by incorporating a feedback mechanism in a hanger of a printer. The printer may be a thermal printer, but may be another type of printer. The feedback mechanism of the printer may be designed to work with one or more sensors to provide a feedback loop so that without an input from a user, the printer is able to detect the presence/absence of media or ribbon, as well as determine the width of the loaded media or ribbon. In another embodiment, the feedback mechanism is able to determine the weight of the roll of media or ribbon and hence determine the quantity of media or ribbon available on the hanger.