A tape drive comprising: first and second motors; first and second spool supports, respectively receiving first and second spools of tape, the first spool support being driveable by the first motor and the second spool support being drivable by the second motor; a sensor arranged to provide a signal indicative of linear movement of tape between the tape spools along a predetermined tape path; a controller arranged to control energization of said first and second motors for transport of the tape in at least one direction between the first and second spools of tape along the predetermined tape path; wherein the controller is arranged to generate data indicating the diameter of said first and second spools of tape based upon said signal provided by the sensor and data indicating rotation of each of said first and second spools.

A method for monitoring a characteristic of a printed image of a thermal transfer printer. The method comprises providing a ribbon and a substrate at a printing location of the thermal transfer printer. The method further comprises printing an image on the substrate at the printing location by transferring ink from a region of the ribbon in a printing operation, a negative image being formed on the region of ribbon. The method further comprises transporting the region of ribbon, by a ribbon transport system, from the printing location towards an imaging location along a ribbon transport path. The method further comprises when a characteristic of the ribbon transport meets a predetermined criterion, obtaining, by an image capture system, a ribbon image of the negative image. The method further comprises processing said ribbon image to generate data indicative of the characteristic of the printed image.

An ink ribbon feeding mechanism includes a cartridge mounting section, a first paying out rotor which is inserted into a first paying out core when a cartridge is being mounted in the cartridge mounting section, and a plurality of rotor side engaging portions which are provided on the first paying out rotor and which engage with a plurality of core side engaging portions when the first paying out rotor rotates. The rotor side engaging portion has an butting portion. When the cartridge is being mounted in the cartridge mounting section, the core side engaging portion butts against the butting portion, one or the other of the first paying out core and the first paying out rotor rotates, the rotor side engaging portion is inserted into the core side insertion recessed portion. A plurality of the butting portions are provided in positions different from each other in a cartridge mounting direction.

A printer includes, a casing, a cover provided swingably, the cover covering an opening portion of the casing, 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 printing unit provided swingably, in a state where the printing unit is accommodated in the cover, rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted, and when the open end side of the printing unit is separated from the cover and the ribbon supply shaft is placed at a ribbon replacement position where the ink ribbon is attachable and detachable, the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated.

A printer includes, a casing, a cover provided swingably, the cover covering an opening portion of the casing, 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 printing unit provided swingably, in a state where the printing unit is accommodated in the cover, rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted, and when the open end side of the printing unit is separated from the cover and the ribbon supply shaft is placed at a ribbon replacement position where the ink ribbon is attachable and detachable, the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated.

A method of operating a thermal transfer printer, the thermal transfer printer comprising first and second spool supports each being configured to support a spool of ribbon; a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path; and a printhead. The printhead is moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, is configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed. The method comprising causing relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed. A relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate during printing is controlled based upon a force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during a printing operation, and/or a parameter indicative of an area of contact between a portion of the printhead and a portion of the printing surface.

A method of operating a thermal transfer printer, the thermal transfer printer comprising first and second spool supports each being configured to support a spool of ribbon; a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path; and a printhead. The printhead is moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, is configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed. The method comprising causing relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed. A relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate during printing is controlled based upon a force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during a printing operation, and/or a parameter indicative of an area of contact between a portion of the printhead and a portion of the printing surface.

A printing system includes: a control unit; and a printing device including: a supply unit configured to be attached with a supply roll configured by an ink ribbon; a winding unit configured to be attached with a winding roll for winding the ink ribbon fed out from the supply roll; a ribbon motor configured to rotationally drive at least one of the supply unit and the winding unit; a thermal head configured to perform printing by heating the ink ribbon transported from the supply roll toward the winding roll by driving the ribbon motor; and a head drive source configured to move the thermal head. The control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to decrease tension of the ink ribbon when the thermal head is moved in a first direction, in which the tension of the ink ribbon increases, with the head drive source.

A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up an ink ribbon used in the printing portion, a ribbon supply shaft provided movably between a first position and a second position with respect to the ribbon roll up shaft, the ribbon supply shaft configured to hold the ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism to be brought into a lock state where rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the first position, and into a non-lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the second position.

A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up an ink ribbon used in the printing portion, a ribbon supply shaft provided movably between a first position and a second position with respect to the ribbon roll up shaft, the ribbon supply shaft configured to hold the ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism to be brought into a lock state where rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the first position, and into a non-lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the second position.