A printing system includes: a printing device including a thermal head, a supplier, a winder, and a ribbon transport mechanism; and a controller configured to: transport an ink ribbon in a first direction from the supplier to the winder and heat the ink ribbon to perform printing; rewind the ink ribbon subjected to the printing in a second direction opposite to the first direction; after again receiving a print command, rewind the ink ribbon in the second direction by a first length corresponding to a length required to reach a printable speed; after the rewindings, store a second length corresponding to a length of the ink ribbon subjected to the printing upstream of the thermal head in the first direction; and feed the ink ribbon in the first direction by the stored second length.

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.

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.

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 printing system includes: a printing device including a thermal head, a supplier, a winder, and a ribbon transport mechanism; and a controller configured to: transport an ink ribbon in a first direction from the supplier to the winder and heat the ink ribbon to perform printing; rewind the ink ribbon subjected to the printing in a second direction opposite to the first direction; after again receiving a print command, rewind the ink ribbon in the second direction by a first length corresponding to a length required to reach a printable speed; after the rewindings, store a second length corresponding to a length of the ink ribbon subjected to the printing upstream of the thermal head in the first direction; and feed the ink ribbon in the first direction by the stored second length.

A printing system includes a platen roller, a storage unit, a controller, and a printing device including a thermal head, a head drive source that is configured to move the thermal head in a first direction along which the thermal head approaches or separates from the platen roller, and at least a sensor that is configured to detect a position of the thermal head. In the printing system, the controller is configured to determine whether setting information of a print position is stored in the storage unit, detect the print position with the head drive source and the sensor when the setting information is not stored in the storage unit, and cause the head drive source to move the thermal head from a first position to a second position, when the setting information is stored in the storage unit.

A printing system includes a platen roller, a storage unit, a controller, and a printing device including a thermal head, a head drive source that is configured to move the thermal head in a first direction along which the thermal head approaches or separates from the platen roller, and at least a sensor that is configured to detect a position of the thermal head. In the printing system, the controller is configured to determine whether setting information of a print position is stored in the storage unit, detect the print position with the head drive source and the sensor when the setting information is not stored in the storage unit, and cause the head drive source to move the thermal head from a first position to a second position, when the setting information is stored in the storage unit.

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 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.

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.