Abstract: A printer system for transferring print from a ribbon onto a substrate. The system including an unwind reel rotatable to supply tensioned ribbon from a ribbon supply roll disposed thereon, and a pivotal dancer arm biased in a first direction. The ribbon is supplied from the unwind reel to a dancer guide roller of the dancer arm, which is pivotal against the bias of a spring member by drawing tension on the ribbon. A pivotal brake member having a brake portion is biased into engagement with the unwind reel to brake rotation thereof, thereby stemming the supply of ribbon, and a brake engagement member on the dancer arm is engageable with the brake member to pivot the brake member away from the unwind reel to supply ribbon therefrom.

Abstract: A printer system and method for sealing a printer system within a housing by moving a back-up plate toward a print head access opening of the housing and into engagement with a first perimeter thereof to sealingly close the housing, whereby the printer system is sealingly enclosable within the housing when not printing. The printer system includes a main plate assembly supporting a print head removably mountable in an opening of the housing, and matably engageable with at least a portion thereof to form a seal therebetween, and a cassette assembly mountable onto the main plate assembly and matably engagable with a cassette access opening of the housing to form a seal therebetween. A back-up plate is adjustably alignable relative to a print head by moving it into engagement with a print head access opening of a housing, fixing the alignment thereof, and then moving the aligned back-up plate away from the housing for printing operations.