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 tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a tape feed path, a front wall having a front surface, and a tape feed exit adjacent to the front wall. The tape cassette also includes a tape at least partially included within the housing, an ink ribbon at least partially included within the housing, and a take-up spool included within the housing and configured to take-up the ink ribbon. A first aperture is formed on the front surface of the front wall, wherein a first virtual line orthogonal to the front wall and passing through a most upstream end of the first aperture also passes through the take-up spool, and wherein a second virtual line orthogonal to the front wall and passing through a most downstream end of the first aperture also passes through the take-up spool.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a tape feed path, a front wall, and a tape feed exit adjacent to the front wall configured to expose a tape guided in the housing along the tape feed path. The tape cassette also includes a tape at least partially included within the housing and configured to be fed along the tape feed path to the tape feed exit, a first aperture, formed on the front wall above a first centerline bisecting the front wall into top and bottom halves, and to the right of a second centerline on the front wall bisecting the housing into right and left halves, and a second aperture, formed on the front wall to the left of the second centerline, wherein at least a portion of the second aperture is below the first centerline.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, a tape feed exit on the front wall, and an arm portion formed by the front wall and an arm rear surface behind the front wall. The arm portion partially surrounds an opening, and a tape feed path passes through the arm portion. The tape cassette also includes a tape at least partially included within the housing and configured to be fed along the tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, an ink ribbon at least partially included within the housing, a take-up spool included within the housing and configured to take-up the ink ribbon, and a first aperture formed on a bottom edge of the front wall. A virtual line orthogonal to the front wall intersects the first aperture, the opening, and the take-up spool.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, a tape feed exit located on the front wall, and an arm portion formed by the front wall and an arm rear surface behind the front wall. The arm portion partially surrounds an opening extending from the top surface to the bottom surface behind the front wall, and a tape feed path passes through the arm portion from an upstream portion of the arm portion to a downstream end of the arm portion. The tape cassette also has a tape included at least partially in the housing and configured to be fed along the tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and a first aperture formed on a bottom edge of the front wall and positioned downstream of an upstream end of the opening.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a tape feed path, a front wall, a tape feed exit adjacent to the front wall configured to expose a tape guided in the housing along the tape feed path in a tape feed path direction towards the tape feed exit, and a tape guide downstream, in the tape feed path direction, from the tape feed exit. The tape cassette also includes a tape at least partially included within the housing and configured to be fed along the tape feed path to the tape feed exit, and a first aperture formed in an area of the front wall. The area is positioned upstream, in the tape feed path direction, of the tape feed exit, and a length of the area in the tape feed path direction at the front wall is equal to or less than a distance between the tape feed exit and the tape guide in the tape feed path direction at the front wall.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a front wall and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape at least partially included within the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and tape type indicator apertures formed on the front wall of the housing. A combination of the tape type indicator apertures forms a pattern corresponding to a type of the tape at least partially included within the housing. The tape type indicator apertures include a first tape type indicator aperture and a second tape type indicator aperture, and the tape type indicator apertures are positioned such that the first tape type indicator aperture is not aligned with the second tape type indicator aperture in a direction orthogonal to the tape feed path and parallel to the front wall.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear wall, a front wall, and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape included at least partially within the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and a first indicator aperture positioned on the front wall and a second indicator aperture position on a rear portion of the bottom surface. A position of the first indicator aperture on the front wall indicates a type of the tape included within the housing. A position of the second indicator aperture indicates a color of characters.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a front wall and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape at least partially included within the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path in a tape feed direction toward the tape feed exit, a first aperture formed on the front wall, and a tape type indicator aperture formed on the front wall. At least one of the first aperture and the tape type indicator aperture is located in a trench in the front wall.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a tape feed path, a front wall, and a tape feed exit adjacent to the front wall. The tape cassette also includes a tape configured to be fed along the tape feed path to the tape feed exit, an ink ribbon, and a take-up spool configured to take-up the ink ribbon and having an axis of rotation. A first aperture is formed on a bottom edge of the front wall, wherein a portion of the first aperture is downstream of a location at which a virtual line orthogonal to the front wall and passing through the axis of rotation of the take-up spool passes through the front wall and upstream of a virtual centerline that is orthogonal to the bottom surface and divides the front wall into left and right portions.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a front wall and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape included at least partially in the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and tape type indicator portions on the front wall. A combination of the tape type indicator portions forms a pattern corresponding to a type of the tape included at least partially in the housing. The tape type indicator portions are positioned to oppose corresponding ones of tape type detecting switches, with a first subset of the tape type indicator portions having a first elevation and a second subset of the tape type indicator portions having a second elevation. At least two portions from the second subset of the tape type indicator portions are located in a common trench in the front wall.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a front wall and a tape feed exit located on the front wall; a tape included at least partially within the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit; and tape type indicator apertures formed on the front wall, wherein a combination of the tape type indicator apertures forms a pattern corresponding to a type of the tape included at least partially within the housing. The tape type indicator apertures may be positioned proximate to the tape feed exit, and may comprise a first hole and a second hole, the first hole is formed at a bottom edge of the front wall, and the second hole is disposed on a downstream side of the first hole in a feed direction of the tape.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a front wall and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape included at least partially within the housing, and a pressing portion and a first non-pressing portion on the front wall. The pressing portion and the first non-pressing portion are positioned to oppose tape type detecting switches of the label printer when the cassette is in the label printer. The pressing portion is configured to change a state of an opposing one of the tape type detecting switches, and the first non-pressing portion is configured to avoid changing a state of an opposing one of the tape type detecting switches. The first non-pressing portion is a planar area of the front wall extending in a tape width direction from a top surface of the housing to a bottom surface of the housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reusable and collapsible take-up core for a printer. The core is generally a hollow member having an interior bored mated to fit over a spindle. The core comprises a wall having an interior and exterior surface, at least one axially extending ridge formed on the interior surface of the wall of the core, and an axially extending relief groove formed on the exterior surface of the wall of the core. The take-up core of the present invention provides a more efficient, less time consuming, less messy method and device for unrolling the used or spent material off the core. A method for discarding spent material (i.e. release liner) from a core of a take-up assembly of a printer is also provided.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a generally rectangular box-like housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall defining a periphery of the housing, a first and second cavities extending from the bottom wall and disposed between a tape containing area and the periphery at opposite ends of a diagonal of the generally rectangular box-like housing, at least one tape wound and mounted within the housing in the tape containing area, the at least one tape including a first tape disposed in a first area, the first tape having a hole at a center of winding, and the first area being one of two areas formed by dividing the housing with respect to a line connecting the first and second cavities, and a third cavity that extends in the hole of the first tape from the bottom wall.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing, at least one tape, and a color indicator portion disposed between the tape housing area and the periphery, and in a specified area adjacent to the tape housing area on a rear edge side of the bottom wall, the color indicator portion indicating color information relating to the at least one tape and including a plurality of lateral information sections that are a plurality of strip-shaped sections extending along the left-and-right direction of the housing and aligned in a front-rear direction of the housing, wherein, of the plurality of lateral information sections, whether a protrusion is formed in a first lateral information section indicates a base material color of the at least one tape, and whether a protrusion is formed in a second lateral information section indicates a print color of the at least one tape.

Abstract: A roll paper supply mechanism reliably prevents roll paper from rising from a desired position. The roll paper supply mechanism 3 of a roll paper printer 1 has an urging member 41 that urges the round end surface of the roll paper 2 to the roll paper guide 33 defining one side of the roll paper storage unit 31. The urging surface 41a of the urging member 41 is inclined to the inside in the pulling direction A of the recording paper 2a that is pulled from the roll paper 2. When seen from the side of the width of the roll paper storage unit 31, the urging surface 41a is disposed between a vertical line V through the center of gravity G of the roll paper and the recording paper pulling position D, and urges an outside edge part 2d of the roll paper 2 at a position above the recording paper pulling position D.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a generally rectangular box-like housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall defining a periphery of the housing, at least one tape wound and mounted within the housing in a tape containing area defined within the periphery, and a pair of cavities extending from the bottom wall and disposed between the tape containing area and the periphery at opposite ends of a diagonal of the generally rectangular box-like housing, the diagonal connecting a first corner portion and a second corner portion of the generally rectangular box-like housing.

Abstract: This is disclosed a portable printer that is easy to load with an ink ribbon cartridge and record members web supplies, that is simple, has relatively few parts, is lightweight and has a small footprint.

Abstract: A tape cassette includes a cassette case, a tape roll housed in the cassette case, an arm portion that guides a tape, and a long hole extending in a left-right direction of the cassette case and formed straddling a center position of the cassette case in the left-right direction, wherein a first distance (a length of the tong hole in the left-right direction) is larger than a second distance (a length from an end portion of the tape cassette in an opposite direction to a feed direction of the tape fed in the arm portion, to an end portion of the long hole in the opposite direction), and a center of gravity of the tape cassette is located in a specific area whose both end positions in the left-right direction are the same as those of the long hole, and which extends in a front-rear direction.

Abstract: A core holding structure includes a shaft portion in which a core for winding thereon a strip-shaped material is inserted and by which the core is rotationally driven. A roller is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion. The roller is configured to make contact with an inner circumferential surface of the core inserted in the shaft portion and rotate in a direction in which the core is attached to or detached from the shaft portion. The core holding structure further includes an elastic member configured to hold the roller and bias the roller radially outwards from the shaft portion when pressed toward the surface of the shaft portion.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface and a pair of side surfaces, a tape that is a print medium housed in the housing, a tape exit that discharges, from the housing, the tape guided in the housing along a predetermined feed path, at least a part of the feed path extending parallel to the front surface, and a type indicator portion provided adjacent to the tape exit and in a specified area of the front surface on an upstream side of the tape exit in a feed direction of the tape, the type indicator portion indicating a type of the tape and including vertical information sections and a protrusion formed in at least one of the vertical information sections, the vertical information sections being strip-shaped sections extending along a direction orthogonal to the feed direction.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for a portable printer are provided. Personnel utilize features of the printer to manage products, store information on labels, and aid in shipping. A low battery shut-off feature shuts down the printer at a set battery power percentage; a battery charge control feature controls battery charging to stay within a set range of state of charge values to ensure longer battery life; a ribbon cartridge insertion feature allows for easy replacement of the ribbon cartridge; ribbon cartridge locating features lock the ribbon cartridge into place for printing; a ribbon guiding feature adjusts the ribbon during printing to reduce wrinkles; an RFID coupler mounting feature mounts and shields an RFID coupler inside the printer; a media guide locking feature fixes the media position to prevent misalignment; and a media alignment feature allows the user to properly align the media with the printhead during installation.

Abstract: A tape printer includes a tape cassette including a housing, a cassette housing portion, a feeding device, a printing device, a plurality of detecting switches that protrude toward a side surface of the housing of the tape cassette installed in the cassette housing portion, a first determining device that, if a part of the detecting switches is pressed, determines that the tape cassette is installed, and a second determining device that, if a specific detecting switch among the detecting switches is pressed, determines that the tape cassette is not installed at a proper position. The tape cassette includes a first pressing portion that, if the tape cassette is installed at the proper position, presses a part of the detecting switches, and a second pressing portion that, if the tape cassette is not installed at the proper position, presses the specific detecting switch.

Abstract: A core holding structure includes a shaft portion in which a core for winding thereon a strip-shaped material is inserted and by which the core is rotationally driven. A roller is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion. The roller is configured to make contact with an inner circumferential surface of the core inserted in the shaft portion and rotate in a direction in which the core is attached to or detached from the shaft portion. The core holding structure further includes an elastic member configured to hold the roller and bias the roller radially outwards from the shaft portion when pressed toward the surface of the shaft portion.

Abstract: A printer that includes a cassette mounting portion into which a tape cassette is mounted and from which is removed a tape cassette in an up-down direction, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that faces the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a sensor that detects the type of the tape, a sensor holder that holds the sensor, and a protective portion that is provided on the roller holder and is provided above the sensor.

Abstract: A printer that includes a cassette housing portion into which a tape cassette is detachably installed in a vertical direction, a feeding device that feeds the tape mounted in the tape cassette, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that is located facing the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a mechanical sensor having a switch terminal that is capable of protruding and retracting, a sensor holder that holds the mechanical sensor between the shaft of the roller holder and the platen roller and that is capable of moving independently of the roller holder between a third position and a fourth position, and a determination device that determines the type of the tape based on protrusion and retraction of the switch terminal.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably attached to a printer apparatus includes a casing, an ink ribbon provided in the casing, a supply spool provided in the casing for supplying the ink ribbon, and a take-up spool provided in the casing for retrieving the ink ribbon. The printer apparatus includes a locking member rotatably supported on the printer apparatus and locking the cartridge to the printer apparatus, a detection device for detecting an installation of the cartridge by detecting a locked state of the locking member, a locking portion for locking the locking member when the cartridge is installed in the printer apparatus, and a guide forcefully and rotatingly displacing the locking member from a locking position when the cartridge is pulled out from the printer apparatus.

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: An interlocked roll type apparatus comprises: a first spool, two first flanges, a second spool, and two second flanges. The first flange has a first surface, a second surface, and a first periphery surface. The first surface has a first round protruding part. The first periphery surface has at least a first arc part, and the first arc part has a first arc protruding part protruding from the first surface. The second flange has a third surface, a fourth surface, and a second periphery surface. The second periphery surface has at least a second arc part having a second arc protruding part protruding from the third surface. The second arc part and the second arc protruding part are fastened with the first round protruding part of the first flange. The fourth surface has a second arc trench part for fastened with the first arc protruding part of the first flange.

Abstract: A rewinding reel for rewinding a carbon ribbon or a label carrier in a label printer is provided, including a shaft, a gear, at least two sliding bases, at least two outer casing members, a resilient element, and a knob. The gear is mounted to the shaft to mate a transmission of the label printer for driving rotation of the shaft. The sliding bases are mounted to the shaft and are rotatable by the shaft. The sliding bases include movable portions that form camming projections and follower projections respectively in camming engagement with follower projections and camming faces formed on the outer casing members to radially move the outer casing members away from and toward the sliding bases for expanding and contracting the outer casing members in order to selectively loosen the carbon ribbon or the label carrier wound around the outer casing members. The knob is fixed to the movable portions and is manually depressible to move the movable portions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a ribbon cassette includes two rows of spherical bumps extending between sidewalls of the cassette on both a floor and ceiling of the cassette and a pair of concentric arched retaining walls on both the floor and ceiling between an exit gate and the rows of bumps. In another embodiment, there is only one row of bumps and one retaining wall on the floor and ceiling. In another embodiment, the retaining walls are straight. The two rows and retaining walls, along with cassette sidewalls, form three distinct zones for densely packing the ribbon, unpacking the ribbon, and isolating the ribbon, resulting in less jamming with longer lengths of ribbon.

Abstract: A thermal printer in which an upper lid portion and a printing unit can be opened off a main body of the printer by a single operation and the upper lid portion is not closed even when a closing direction force is exerted on the printing unit during ink ribbon replacement. The upper lid portion has a stopper 34 that supports an upper lid portion 30 in a predetermined rotative position relative to a main body 20 and releases support of the upper lid portion 30 when the upper lid portion 30 is closed. A unit stopper 44 supports a printing unit 40 relative to the main body 20 at a smaller rotation angle than the upper lid portion 30 and releases support of the printing unit 40 when the printing unit 40 is closed. A connecting member 35 connects the upper lid portion 30 and the printing unit 40 in a fitted state where the printing unit 40 is fitted to the upper lid portion 30.

Abstract: A thermal printer allows ink ribbon replacement without interference of a hook positioned in the opened state particularly in an ink ribbon replacement operation. A thermal printer includes a head lock lever 40 which includes a hook 41 at the tip of the lever. The hook is mounted such that it can be moved in the longitudinal direction relative to a turn shaft 26 during turning of the turn shaft 26, allowing the distance between the turn shaft 26 and the hook 41 to be changed. A movement control moves the head lock lever 40 such that the distance between the turn shaft 26 and the hook 41 in the opened state in which the thermal head 12 is separated from the platen roller 11 is smaller than that in the pressed state in which the thermal head 12 is pressed into contact with the platen roller 11.

Abstract: A roll paper supply mechanism reliably prevents roll paper from rising from a desired position. The roll paper supply mechanism 3 of a roll paper printer 1 has an urging member 41 that urges the round end surface of the roll paper 2 to the roll paper guide 33 defining one side of the roll paper storage unit 31. The urging surface 41a of the urging member 41 is inclined to the inside in the pulling direction A of the recording paper 2a that is pulled from the roll paper 2. When seen from the side of the width of the roll paper storage unit 31, the urging surface 41a is disposed between a vertical line V through the center of gravity G of the roll paper and the recording paper pulling position D, and urges an outside edge part 2d of the roll paper 2 at a position above the recording paper pulling position D.

Abstract: An interlocked roll type apparatus comprises: a first spool, two first flanges, a second spool, and two second flanges. The first flange has a first surface, a second surface, and a first periphery surface. The first surface has a first round protruding part. The first periphery surface has at least a first arc part, and the first arc part has a first arc protruding part protruding from the first surface. The second flange has a third surface, a fourth surface, and a second periphery surface. The second periphery surface has at least a second arc part having a second arc protruding part protruding from the third surface. The second arc part and the second arc protruding part are fastened with the first round protruding part of the first flange. The fourth surface has a second arc trench part for fastened with the first arc protruding part of the first flange.

Abstract: A paper roll feed mechanism rotates a paper roll including recording paper wound in a cylindrical shape to unwind the paper. The paper roll feed mechanism includes the following components. A supporting mechanism rotatably supports the paper roll. At least one paper feed roller unwinds the paper, serving as the outer surface of the paper roll supported by the supporting mechanism, in the lengthwise direction of the paper. A skew correcting member presses a side surface of the paper roll, supported by the supporting mechanism, in the widthwise direction of the paper. The skew correcting member presses outer part of the side surface of the paper roll in a paper unwinding region.

Abstract: An adapter is provided for use with a supply spool having first and second spool ends the spool having web media thereon. The adapter has a body having first and second body ends with each of the first and second body ends having shaped linkages to join to one of the first and second supply ends and with each body end further shaped to join to a printer receptacle when not joined to a spool end; and a data source. The body shaped to position the data source relative to the first body end so that when the first body end is joined to a first spool end, the data source is positioned to provide the machine readable data so that the machine readable data can be read by a reader in a printer that is adapted to accept a supply spool having web media that is axially located asymmetrically.

Abstract: A barcode label retention device is provided for a barcode printer. The barcode label retention device includes s at least one pair of label roll retainers, at least one pair of resilient elements, and at least one pair of fixing plates. The label roll retainers are mounted inside a housing of a barcode printer and spaced from each other to receive and retain a label roll therebetween. The resilient elements are arranged inside each label roll retainer, and the fixing plates are arranged inside each label roll retainer. The fixing plate is connected to the resilient element to provide the fixing plate with resiliency for inward depressibility or outward biasing so that a front portion of the fixing plate projects inwards beyond the label roll retainer to abut against opposite ends of the label roll, whereby the label roll can be securely held by the two fixing plates engaging the opposite ends thereof and the path of a winding/unwinding operation can be stabilized.

Abstract: This is disclosed a portable printer that is easy to load with an ink ribbon cartridge and record members web supplies, that is simple, has relatively few parts, is lightweight and has a small footprint.

Abstract: An adapter for a spool includes a body having a first body portion and a second body portion that are slidably joined together. The first and second body portions are slidably adjustable to each other. The first body portion includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface comprising at least one projection adaptable for joining to the spool.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transfer tool in which a transfer tape supplied from a supply reel rotatable around a spindle is wound around a winding reel through a transfer head, comprising a transfer tool body which holds at least the supply reel and the winding reel, the transfer head provided on the transfer tool body, a head cap which is pivotally mounted on the transfer tool body or the transfer head through a pivot shaft portion and which can turn between a close position where the transfer head is covered and an open position where the transfer head is exposed, and an urging mechanism provided near the pivot shaft portion, the urging mechanism elastically capable of urging the head cap, toward the close position when the head cap is located closer to the close position than a dead point provided at only one location near an intermediate portion between the close position and the open position, and toward the open position when the head cap is located closer to the open position than the dead point.

Abstract: A ribbon spool is detachably attached to a printing apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by using an ink ribbon. The printing apparatus has an engaging member including an engaging convex portion for engaging the ribbon spool. The ribbon spool includes a ribbon retaining portion for retaining the ink ribbon, and an engaging portion provided at one lateral side end of the ribbon spool for engaging the engaging convex portion and having a plurality of inclined grooves. The grooves have a different inclination angle from that of a lateral side face of the engaging convex portion. At least one of the grooves of the engaging portion has a point contact with the engaging convex portion at two points to engage the engaging convex portion.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably attached to a printer apparatus includes a casing, an ink ribbon provided in the casing, a supply spool provided in the casing for supplying the ink ribbon, and a take-up spool provided in the casing for retrieving the ink ribbon. The printer apparatus includes a locking member rotatably supported on the printer apparatus and locking the cartridge to the printer apparatus, a detection device for detecting an installation of the cartridge by detecting a locked state of the locking member, a locking portion for locking the locking member when the cartridge is installed in the printer apparatus, and a guide forcefully and rotatingly displacing the locking member from a locking position when the cartridge is pulled out from the printer apparatus.

Abstract: An inked ribbon core is formed with interference structure, providing an internal cylindrical contact surface, and a longitudinal rib, the interference structure and rib frictionally engaging corresponding spindle structures to secure the core on the spindle.

Abstract: A tape cassette includes an ink ribbon provided with a base film coated with an ink layer thereon and a film tape provided with a transparent film with an adhesive layer formed on one surface thereof. When an adhesive layer of the film tape and the ink layer of the ink ribbon of the tape cassette into contact at a print position, the ink layer is adhered onto the adhesive layer on condition that the adhesive layer is heated to exhibit self-adhesive properties, and characters and the like are printed on the film tape. At a tape printing apparatus with the tape cassette mounted thereon, by arranging a cutter unit immediately downstream the thermal head, a post-printing tape is cut promptly after printing.

Abstract: In a method for controlling a print head with a number of printing elements operating according to the thermotransfer principle, an energy quantity is fed to a printing element in a feed step in order to transfer ink from an ink carrier device associated with the print head to a substrate associated with the ink carrier device to generate an image point of a barcode, with the energy quantity being adjusted dependent on the position of the image point in the barcode.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge including a cartridge frame, take-up shaft connecting members, and supply shaft connecting members is provided. The take-up shaft connecting members support and rotatably connect ends of a take-up shaft to the cartridge frame and the supply shaft connecting members support and rotatably connect ends of a supply shaft to the cartridge frame. At least one of the supply shaft connecting members includes a rotation member, an intermediate body, an urging member, and a spool portion, the spool portion is arranged substantially inside the supply shaft. The intermediate body is arranged between a portion of an inner surface of the rotation member and a portion of an outer surface of the cartridge frame, and the urging member is arranged substantially inside at least one of the spool portion and the rotation member and urges the inner surface of the rotation member closer to the outer surface of the cartridge frame.

Abstract: An ink sheet cartridge includes a cartridge body. The cartridge body has a pair of side plates, a partitioning plate, and a cover segment together defining a frame shape with an central open space. When the ink sheet cartridge is accommodated to a facsimile device, a thermal head and a platen are positioned at the central open space. Also, the partitioning plate serves as a lower transport chute defining a transport path with an upper chute members, so that a recording sheet is transported along the transport path.

Abstract: A ribbon printer assembly and method which allows for margin-less printing is disclosed. The ribbon printer assembly includes a printer media having a first and second side, first side comprises a printable portion and the second side includes an adhesive. The ribbon printer also includes a backing, wider than the printer media that is temporarily affixed to the adhesive on the printer media. The printer assembly may also include a printer engine which is configured to print along the entire width of the printer media and a spooling mechanism which is configured to secure the backing that supplies the printer engine with the backing and printer media.