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.

To provide a printing apparatus of high printing quality for decreasing a transport amount of a film-shaped medium used in the printing apparatus, and suppressing skew of the film-shaped medium, a control section 100 that controls a transport section 49 for transporting a film-shaped medium 46 controls a transport amount of the film-shaped medium 46, corresponding to information on whether or not to print on only one side of a recording medium in detecting a type and/or Empty of the film-shaped medium 46, based on a mark detection result in initializing operation of the film-shaped medium 46.

To provide a printing apparatus of high printing quality for decreasing a transport amount of a film-shaped medium used in the printing apparatus, and suppressing skew of the film-shaped medium, a control section 100 that controls a transport section 49 for transporting a film-shaped medium 46 controls a transport amount of the film-shaped medium 46, corresponding to information on whether or not to print on only one side of a recording medium in detecting a type and/or Empty of the film-shaped medium 46, based on a mark detection result in initializing operation of the film-shaped medium 46.

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 method of operating a transfer printer configured to transfer ink from a printer ribbon to a substrate which is transported along a predetermined substrate path adjacent to the printer. The printer comprises a tape drive comprising two tape drive motors, two tape spool supports on which said spools of ribbon may be mounted, each spool being drivable by a respective one of said motors. The printer further comprises a printhead being displaceable towards and away from the predetermined substrate path and being arranged to, during printing, contact one side of the ribbon to press an opposite side of the ribbon into contact with a substrate on the predetermined substrate path, and a printing surface. The printer further comprises a controller configured to control the tape drive to transport ribbon between the first and second ribbon spools. The method comprises controlling the tape drive to perform a ribbon movement in which ribbon is transported between first and second ribbon spools along a ribbon path, the ribbon path having a first length during a first part of said ribbon movement, and a second length during a second part of said ribbon movement, a transition from the first length to the second length being caused by a displacement of the printhead with respect to the printing surface, wherein control of at least one of the tape drive motors is based upon data indicative of the first and second lengths.

A method of operating a transfer printer configured to transfer ink from a printer ribbon to a substrate which is transported along a predetermined substrate path adjacent to the printer. The printer comprises a tape drive comprising two tape drive motors, two tape spool supports on which said spools of ribbon may be mounted, each spool being drivable by a respective one of said motors. The printer further comprises a printhead being displaceable towards and away from the predetermined substrate path and being arranged to, during printing, contact one side of the ribbon to press an opposite side of the ribbon into contact with a substrate on the predetermined substrate path, and a printing surface. The printer further comprises a controller configured to control the tape drive to transport ribbon between the first and second ribbon spools. The method comprises controlling the tape drive to perform a ribbon movement in which ribbon is transported between first and second ribbon spools along a ribbon path, the ribbon path having a first length during a first part of said ribbon movement, and a second length during a second part of said ribbon movement, a transition from the first length to the second length being caused by a displacement of the printhead with respect to the printing surface, wherein control of at least one of the tape drive motors is based upon data indicative of the first and second lengths.

A coating module for variable speed ribbon coating, the coating module including a ribbon including an inner face and an outer face; a conveyor system including a support element holding and transporting the ribbon on its inner face; a squeeze ink roller arranged in contact with the outer face of the ribbon; the squeeze ink roller including an outer layer made of elastic material; a reservoir assembly designed to hold ink thereon and to feed the squeeze ink roller with the ink, and a pressure controller including an active element for pressing the ribbon between the squeeze ink roller and the support roller along a coating zone.

A coating module for variable speed ribbon coating, the coating module including a ribbon including an inner face and an outer face; a conveyor system including a support element holding and transporting the ribbon on its inner face; a squeeze ink roller arranged in contact with the outer face of the ribbon; the squeeze ink roller including an outer layer made of elastic material; a reservoir assembly designed to hold ink thereon and to feed the squeeze ink roller with the ink, and a pressure controller including an active element for pressing the ribbon between the squeeze ink roller and the support roller along a coating zone.

Disclosed is a label printer, having a printhead and a counter-element to the printhead, wherein a carrier tape is led between the printhead and the counter-element; a drive mechanism for the carrier tape having a driven carrier tape drawing roller; and at least one non-driven carrier tape pressure roller that is associated with the carrier tape drawing roller, wherein, the carrier tape drawing roller and the respective carrier tape pressure roller are arranged after the printhead and the counter-element, wherein the drive mechanism for the carrier tape comprises a further driven carrier tape drawing roller and a further non-driven carrier tape pressure roller associated with the further carrier tape drawing roller is provided, with the further carrier tape drawing roller and the further carrier tape pressure roller, arranged in front of the printhead and the counter-element.

An object is to provide a thermal transfer printer having an inexpensive configuration and capable of making a tension given to an ink ribbon as constant as possible, even when a secular change and an environmental change occur in a DC motor used as a supply motor and a winding motor. A supply motor control unit controls a supply motor of an ink ribbon supply unit. A winding motor control unit controls a winding motor of an ink ribbon winding unit. A remaining amount detection unit detects a remaining amount of an ink ribbon. A variable calculation unit acquires parameters for an armature current, an applied voltage, and a rotational speed of each of the supply motor and the winding motor, and calculates variables to be used for controlling the supply motor and the winding motor on the basis of the acquired parameters.