Abstract: A thermal-transfer printer, including a first case, a second case, an ink ribbon supporting member, a cover, and a head holder, is provided. The first case has a first opening on an upper side thereof. The second case is located on the upper side of the first case and attached movably to the first case to open and close the first opening. The second case includes a second opening on an upper side thereof and a third opening on a lower side thereof. The ink ribbon supporting member is attached to one of the first case and the second case. The cover is attached movably to the second case to open and close the second opening. The head holder is attached to the inner face of the cover and holds a printing head.

Abstract: A printer may include a printhead assembly a clutch assembly, and/or a printer ribbon transport assembly. The printhead assembly may include a printhead biasing assembly defining a biasing ramp which may be configured to apply a biasing force to a printhead support bracket so as to at least partially counteract a ribbon force. The clutch assembly may be configured to supply or take-up a printer ribbon with first and second spool engagement members of different diameters that frictionally engage first and second friction members. The printer ribbon transport assembly may include a rotation lock mechanism configured to prevent rotation of a ribbon take-up core when the take-up core is disengaged from a drive assembly so as to prevent a loss in ribbon tension.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus, which has a detachable ink film cassette with an ink film, transfers an ink applied to the ink film to a recording paper by means of a thermal head and forms an image on the recording paper. The ink film cassette holds a supply reel wound around the shaft with the ink film and a take-up reel for taking up the ink film of the supply reel around the shaft. The thermal transfer recording apparatus has a detecting unit for detecting the supply reel mounted in the cassette, and a control unit for detecting the ink film based on a signal from the detecting unit. The detecting unit has a lever, which advances through an opening formed in the cassette from the direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of the supply reel and comes in contact with the supply reel, and a photosensor for detecting the supply reel through of the lever. This thermal transfer recording apparatus can detect missing of the ink film in advance of the start of a printing operation.

Abstract: An ink ribbon adapted to be used for a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, said ink ribbon comprises a ribbon-shaped substrate, ink layers formed on a surface of said substrate and containing dyes, sensor marks formed on said surface of said substrate and a back coat layer formed on the other surface of said substrate, said sensor marks containing first carbon black with an average particle diameter of 30 nm or less and second carbon black with an average particle diameter of 270 nm or more. Such an ink ribbon significantly improve the reliability of detecting sensor marks and the shelf life.

Abstract: A hollow drum-type recording apparatus includes: a hollow drum which has an opening and whose hollow circular arc-shaped main body rotates; a recording sheet which is wound around the surface of the circular arc-shaped main body of the hollow drum from a recording sheet roll; an internal holder for a feed roll and an internal holder for a take-up roll for respectively accommodating and disposing inside the hollow drum a feed roll for feeding a toner sheet and a take-up roll for taking up the toner sheet through the opening; and an external holder for a feed roll and an external holder for a take-up roll for respectively accommodating and disposing outside the hollow drum the feed roll for feeding the toner sheet and the take-up roll for taking up the toner sheet through the opening, wherein the winding, releasing, and discharging of the toner sheet are effected by appropriately moving the feed roll and the take-up roll between the internal holders and the external holders and by rotating the hollow drum.