A heat transfer system is provided with a first heating element that transfers ink in an ink layer to a transfer-receiving body in a first pattern, a winding part that winds an ink ribbon having ink transferred therein on the downstream side of the first heating element in such a manner that a back surface layer is positioned outside the ink layer, a second heating element that transfers ink in the ink layer to the back surface layer inside the ink layer in a second pattern near the winding part, and a controller that controls the heating elements, and the controller controls the first heating element to transfer ink corresponding to the first pattern by transferring a portion of the ink layer, and controls the second heating element to transfer ink corresponding to the second pattern by transferring the ink layer as a whole.

A heat transfer system is provided with a first heating element that transfers ink in an ink layer to a transfer-receiving body in a first pattern, a winding part that winds an ink ribbon having ink transferred therein on the downstream side of the first heating element in such a manner that a back surface layer is positioned outside the ink layer, a second heating element that transfers ink in the ink layer to the back surface layer inside the ink layer in a second pattern near the winding part, and a controller that controls the heating elements, and the controller controls the first heating element to transfer ink corresponding to the first pattern by transferring a portion of the ink layer, and controls the second heating element to transfer ink corresponding to the second pattern by transferring the ink layer as a whole.

A heat transfer system is provided with a first heating element that transfers ink in an ink layer to a transfer-receiving body in a first pattern, a winding part that winds an ink ribbon having ink transferred therein on the downstream side of the first heating element in such a manner that a back surface layer is positioned outside the ink layer, a second heating element that transfers ink in the ink layer to the back surface layer inside the ink layer in a second pattern near the winding part, and a controller that controls the heating elements, and the controller controls the first heating element to transfer ink corresponding to the first pattern by transferring a portion of the ink layer, and controls the second heating element to transfer ink corresponding to the second pattern by transferring the ink layer as a whole.

A tape cassette includes a cassette case, a tape roll, an ink ribbon, an arm portion, a long hole, and a ribbon take-up spool. A first distance, which is a length of the long hole in a left-right direction, is larger than a second distance, which is a length from a right side surface of the cassette case to a right side end portion of the long hole. A center of gravity of the tape cassette is located in a specific area, which is an area whose both end positions in the left-right direction are the same as both left and right side end portions of the long hole, and which extends in a front-rear direction of the cassette case. The right side end portion of the long hole is located further to the right than a center of the ribbon take-up spool.

A printing apparatus includes: a ribbon supply roll; a thermal head that heats an ink ribbon fed out from the ribbon supply roll and thereby transfers an ink onto an image receiving body; a ribbon take-up roll that takes up the ink ribbon after transfer of the ink; a supply side guide member disposed to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, so as to changeably apply tension to the ink ribbon by biasing force of a supply side spring member; and a take-up side guide member disposed to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, so as to changeably apply tension to the ink ribbon by biasing force of a take-up side spring member. A spring constant of the supply side spring member is different from a spring constant of the take-up side spring member.

A printing apparatus includes: a ribbon supply roll; a thermal head that heats an ink ribbon fed out from the ribbon supply roll and thereby transfers an ink onto an image receiving body; a ribbon take-up roll that takes up the ink ribbon after transfer of the ink; a supply side guide member disposed to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, so as to changeably apply tension to the ink ribbon by biasing force of a supply side spring member; and a take-up side guide member disposed to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, so as to changeably apply tension to the ink ribbon by biasing force of a take-up side spring member. A spring constant of the supply side spring member is different from a spring constant of the take-up side spring member.

According to one embodiment, a thermal heat transfer printer (printer device) includes a printing data look-ahead unit configured to look ahead a data printing position if printing is performed; a head position control unit configured to cause a thermal head, an ink ribbon, and printing paper to be in a contact state or a non-contact state based on a look-ahead result of the printing data look-ahead unit; an ink ribbon saved amount calculation unit configured to calculate a saved amount of the ink ribbon based on a conveyed amount of the printing paper in the non-contact state; and an ink ribbon saved amount display unit configured to display the saved amount calculated by the ink ribbon saved amount calculation unit.

Techniques are described for printing on front and back surfaces of security document substrates in a manner that conserves use of print ribbon, thereby extending the life of the print ribbon. In general, the printer controller knows the content, as well as locations and colors, of what has been printed on the front or first surface of the security document substrate. The printer control also knows the content, as well as locations and colors, of what is to be printed on the back or second surface of the security document substrate. When the back surface of the substrate is to be printed, the printer controller determines, for a particular color, whether any of the printing on the back surface would overlap with the printing on the front surface. For locations where there would be no overlap, the printer can reuse the section of print ribbon that was used to print on the front surface to print on the back surface.

Techniques are described for printing on front and back surfaces of security document substrates in a manner that conserves use of print ribbon, thereby extending the life of the print ribbon. In general, the printer controller knows the content, as well as locations and colors, of what has been printed on the front or first surface of the security document substrate. The printer control also knows the content, as well as locations and colors, of what is to be printed on the back or second surface of the security document substrate. When the back surface of the substrate is to be printed, the printer controller determines, for a particular color, whether any of the printing on the back surface would overlap with the printing on the front surface. For locations where there would be no overlap, the printer can reuse the section of print ribbon that was used to print on the front surface to print on the back surface.

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.