Abstract: A printing system comprising: a printing device having first and second similar printing mechanisms; first and second similar holding means for holding respective first and second rolls of label stock in a position to pass the first and second printing mechanisms respectively; and a local processor connected to supply print data to a selected one of said first and second printing mechanisms and comprising means for receiving print data and a command for supplying said print data to the selected one of said first and second printing mechanisms to print an image on a label of the respective associated one of said first and second rolls of label stock, based on said command; and a host computer connected to the printing system and arranged to execute a common printer driver for supplying said print data and command to the printing device, regardless of which printing mechanism is selected.

Abstract: A printer for printing on both sides of a document includes first printing document guides, through which a document is driven for printing on a first side of the document, second printing document guides, through which the document is driven for printing on a second side of the document, and transfer document guides, into which the document is driven between motions within the first and second printing document guides, with a deflector determining the printing document guide into which a document is driven from the transfer document guides. A print head is pivotally mounted between the printing document guides, being pivoted between a position adjacent the first printing document guides and a position adjacent the second printing document guides.

Abstract: A printer for printing on both sides of a document includes first printing document guides, through which a document is driven for printing on a first side of the document, second printing document guides, through which the document is driven for printing on a second side of the document, and transfer document guides, into which the document is driven between motions within the first and second printing document guides, with a deflector determining the printing document guide into which a document is driven from the transfer document guides. A print head is pivotally mounted between the printing document guides, being pivoted between a position adjacent the first printing document guides and a position adjacent the second printing document guides.

Abstract: A hybrid printer has mounted thereon a plurality of printing mechanisms and error processing appropriate to the respective printing mechanisms with differing functions and appropriate to the printing paper can be performed. Thermal printer state detector 65 and wire dot printer state detector 66 are provided which have the capability of detecting the respective states of thermal printing mechanism 10 and wire dot printing mechanism 20 mounted on hybrid printer 1. Further, printing mechanism selector 71 is capable of determining the printing mechanism selected from command data indicating the type paper. This makes it possible for state determination member 72 to know the error status of each printing mechanism and to determined which printing mechanism is in operation, and therefore it is possible to quickly perform error processing appropriate to the printing mechanism.

Abstract: A printing head (106) as a first functional unit and at least one further functional unit (107) of the same kind or of a different kind are attached to a common carrier (105) and mounted by means of a carriage for displacement in each case in parallel in the direction of the print lines and are arranged so as to swivel between the individual working areas of the printing device by means of a common swivel drive. The arrangement of the individual functional units (106, 107) on the carrier (105) and the alignment of the swivel axis (104) are selected such that the functional units can be swiveled in each case in the direction of the print lines and perpendicularly to the feed direction out of and into the respective printing station (101, 102).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image recording apparatus which comprises first and second recording heads each used to record a visible image on a recording medium, and a drive mechanism capable of moving the first and second recording heads in the direction which intersects the direction in which the recording medium is fed and in the directions in which they are spaced from each other while respective processes for recording the visible image on the recording medium by the first and second recording heads are being carried out simultaneously.

Abstract: Printer having swingable printing rings which are selectively swung against a platen to print a line of selected characters on a paper by selecting a desired character from a plurality of characters provided on the periphery of each printing ring during the rotation thereof about its axis. Each printing ring is rotatably supported on a swingable printing ring supporting lever which is in turn swingably supported on a driving shaft. A plurality of driving gears are secured to the driving shaft and each of the driving gears meshes with a gear integral with the respective printing ring so as to rotate the same about its axis for selection of a desired character during the rotation thereof. Each printing ring supporting lever is urged by a spring so as to move the printing ring thereon apart from the platen. A plurality of driving levers are swingably supported on the driving shaft and each driving lever is engaged with the respective printing ring supporting lever.