Abstract: An integrated ink-and-paper cassette (1) mountable to a thermal transfer printer (40) includes an ink-sheet supply unit housing (20) between an opening (30) for ejecting the recording sheet (13) and an ink-sheet take-up unit housing (21). Also, an upper case (10) mainly defining a recording sheet housing (22) is welded to a lower case (11) defining ink-sheet housings when assembled with the upper case (10), in the vicinity of a conveyance path of the ink sheet (12) at which a load is likely applied.

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: An ink ribbon cassette is inserted into and removed from a thermal transfer printer in the longitudinal direction of the thermal head. The thermal head is provided with a lifting member, while the ink ribbon cassette is provided with a contact element. The lifting member and the contact element of the ink ribbon cassette are configured to be in contact with each other during insertion and removal of the ink ribbon cassette, and thereby lift the thermal head to widen the space for the ink sheet to pass through.

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: An ink sheet cartridge and method of assembly for an ink sheet cartridge including a cartridge body rotatably supporting four spools. The spool includes a first rotation member having a transmission gear and a shaft member having a flange. The first rotation member is undetachably engaged with the shaft member within a support hole formed to the cartridge body while interposing a side plate between the transmission gear and the flange. An intermediate connector includes resilient pawls and projections for engaging respective mating groves and locking grooves formed to a takeup-side core tube, and is engaged with the flange of the shaft member 48.

Abstract: An ink ribbon is formed from a belt shaped sheet body, and is wound around a pair of tubes. Spools are detachably mounted at each end of the tube bodies. An ink ribbon cartridge includes side plates formed with supporting openings for supporting corresponding spools. When the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted in a printing device, the spools are freely rotatable within the supporting openings. A protrusion is formed in an upper surface of the takeup-side of the cartridge. The protrusion provides a handle and an opening is formed in the takeup-side upper surface beneath the protrusion.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge includes a frame having a first side, a second side, a third side, and fourth side. The first side and the second side extend in a widthwise direction and have supporting portions. The third side and the fourth side extend between the first side and the second side in a lengthwise direction perpendicular to the widthwise direction. The third side is formed with a protrusion protruding upward from an upper surface of the third side. A pair of tubes extend in the lengthwise direction and are supported by the supporting portions. An ink ribbon is wound around the pair of tubes.

Abstract: An inked ribbon assembly for use with a printing apparatus such as a thermal facsimile machine includes a generally cylindrical supply spool, a generally cylindrical take-up spool, and a sheet-like inked ribbon extending therebetween, with the inked ribbon rolled upon the supply spool and connected to the take-up spool for advancement through the printing apparatus to the take-up spool. The spools of the inked ribbon assembly are rotatably supported in the printing apparatus by support spindles, which effect driven rotation of the supply and take-up spools. The support spindles each include one or more drive lugs which engage the spools of the ribbon assembly for effecting advancement of the inked ribbon.

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.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer including a chassis having opposing side frame members. A pair of cones are each rotatably mounted to one of the opposing side frame members. At least one of the cones has a convex surface with one or more teeth formed thereon. A spool is supported between the pair of cones, wherein the cone teeth engage an end of the spool for rotatably driving the spool. The spool has an elongated body with outwardly extending crush ribs which hold labeling media or ink ribbon thereon.

Abstract: An ink ribbon is formed form a belt shaped sheet body, and is wound around a pair of tubes. Spools are detachably mounted at each end of the tube bodies. An ink ribbon cartridge includes side plates formed with supporting openings for supporting corresponding spools. Each supporting opening is formed with a cutout portion defined by edges. When the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted in a facsimile machine, the spools are freely rotatable within the supporting openings. On the other hand, when the ink ribbon cartridge is dismounted from the facsimile machine, engagement protrusions formed to the spools catch on the edges defining the cutout portions, thereby preventing the spools form rotating. As a result, the ink ribbon will not unintentionally greatly loosen.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.

Abstract: In conventional cartridges, the image receiving tape is formed as a roll of long tape, which is taken up by a tape supply roll and accommodated in a case, so that the image receiving tape after printing becomes curly; when or after separating the separation tape of the image receiving tape, it tends to, for example, become inclined when glued to a predetermined place, thus making it difficult to handle.In view of this, in the cartridge K of the present invention, the recording member 16 is formed as a strip and accommodated in a second case 12 in a flat state, whereby the recording member after recording does not become curly, thereby making it easier to handle.

Abstract: An ink ribbon assembly is disclosed which includes an ink ribbon, a support for the ink ribbon and data retention means associated with the support. The support, for example, may be a supply spool, a take-up spool, and a rotatable ring. The data retention means may be a nonvolatile memory. Data indicating the ink ribbon characteristics is stored in the memory. Such data may relate to data correcting production variations of ink, the type of ink on the ribbon, and the amount of ribbon left. The ink ribbon assembly is used with a printer device which reads the data from the data retention means, corrects the image printing information in accordance with the read correction data and performs the printing in accordance with the corrected image printing information.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette is easily loaded without allowing a torsion force to be acted when the cassette is loaded into a printing apparatus and/or a facsimile apparatus each using the ribbon cassette. A ribbon cassette has a ribbon supplying part for supplying an ink ribbon, a ribbon take-up part for taking up the ink ribbon which is led from the ribbon supplying part and passed between a print head and a platen roller, and connecting parts for connecting the supplying and take-up parts. The connecting parts are provided with projecting holding parts for attachment or detachment, and the holding parts are positioned near the ribbon take-up part positioning on the side remote from a hinge member.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of printing quality likely to be caused by ink ribbon creases. The recording apparatus uses a replaceable ink ribbon cartridge which has an ink ribbon wound on a take-up spindle and a feed spindle. A take-up spindle support section rotatably supports the take-up spindle when the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted in a specific position. The recording apparatus is further provided with a displaceable retaining member displaceable between a first position, for holding the take-up spindle between the take-up spindle support section and the retaining member to restrict the displacement of the take-up spindle, and a second position, for permitting movement of the take-up spindle into the take-up spindle support section.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium comprises a loading section for loading rockably an ink sheet cartridge having an ink sheet containing ink, a first winding member for winding said ink sheet, a second winding member for winding said ink sheet, and a frame body for holding the first winding member and the second winding member rockably, with the loading section loading the ink sheet cartridge detachably, a positioning device for positioning the first winding member and the second winding member, and a recording head for recording onto the recording medium by acting on the ink sheet.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes conveying means for conveying a recording medium, a platen for conveying and supporting the recording medium and an ink sheet, recording means for pressing the recording medium and ink sheet to the platen and heating the ink sheet to record images the recording medium. This ink sheet has a first guiding member and a second guiding member which are bonded, respectively, to both ends of the ink sheet. The first and second guiding member bonded to both ends of the ink sheet substitute for a winding reel and supply reel. Therefore, these reels are no longer needed to make it possible to reduce the parts numbers, and implement the use of inexpensive materials.

Abstract: A cassette which can be molted in a recording apparatus includes a first winding member for winding one side of a strip member, a second winding member for winding the other side of the strip member, and a frame for rotatively housing the first and second winding members. A first regulating member regulates the rotation of the first winding member when the cassette is removed from the recording apparatus, and a second regulating member regulates the rotation of the second winding member when the cassette is removed from the recording apparatus. With the simple structure enabling the cassette to be easily assembled, it is possible to prevent the idle run of the winding members as well as the slacking of the strip member.

Abstract: An ink film cassette which is detachably attached to a thermal transfer recording device, the ink film cassette having a supply reel winding an ink film therearound, a take-up reel which rolls up the ink film fed out from the supply reel and a torque limiter which is provided between the supply reel and a frame of the body of the thermal transfer recording device so as to apply torque to the supply reel.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette for accommodating a length of inked ribbon for use with a thermal wax transfer printer. The cassette includes a generally cylindrical supply casing having a supply slot defined therein so as to extend parallel to a first longitudinal of the supply casing and rotatably accommodating therein a supply spool, a generally cylindrical take-up casing having a take-up slot defined therein so as to extend parallel to a second longitudinal axis of the take-up casing and also to the supply slot and rotatably accommodating therein a take-up spool, a length of inked ribbon having opposite ends engaged with the supply and take-up spools within the supply and take-up casings, respectively.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a dye donor supply spool with a body and first and second end portions extending from the body. First and second receptacles are positioned for matingly receiving the first and second end portions of the dye donor supply spool. The supply spool is correctly loaded only when the first and second end portions of the supply spool matingly engage the first and second receptacles, respectively. A mechanical stop prevents incorrect end for end loading of a supply spool that has an off center web wound thereon by engaging the web and preventing the end of the spool from engaging the receptacle.

Abstract: An improved package for supply and take-up spools of dye ribbon for use with the cassette of a thermal printer in which the ribbon spools include a part, e.g. a flange, shaped for engagement with a correspondingly shaped socket in the carton holding the spools during transport etc. to thereby prevent relative rotation of the spools while within the carton.

Abstract: An ink sheet cartridge mountable onto a recording apparatus comprises a supply reel around which an ink sheet is wound, a take-up reel for winding the ink sheet supplied from the supply reel, and a frame body for holding the supply reel and the take-up reel, wherein the strength of the take-up reel is made greater than that of the supply reel.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to offer tape units having a plurality of kinds of tapes and to be reloaded to corresponding tape cassettes, and when the tape unit is to be reloaded, the kind of tape unit to be reloaded can be discriminated at a single glance and the tape unit can be reloaded in a proper state to the corresponding tape cassette without fail. A cap is fitted in a spool hole disposed on the upper end part of a tape spool of each tape unit, and there is a display for displaying the ground color of a tape, a color which can be colored in printing, the use of the tape and the width of the tape provided on the upper surface of the cap. Thus, the characteristic of each tape can be recognized at a single glance, and reloading can be performed properly in selecting a desired tape unit.

Abstract: A high resolution thermal printer capable of printing both directly on a thermally responsive media and indirectly through a thermally responsive donor media is disclosed. The printer has a printing media guide mounted as an intermediate clamshell structure to accurately position the printing media immediately adjacent the print head and platen. The printing media guide includes a nip roller and guide bar independently suspended on a spring biased, pivot plate arrangement. The printing media is centered on the supply spool, and the printer includes a read/write circuit to communicate with a profiler chip centrally mounted in the printing media roll. The printer may also include a read/write circuit to communicate with a donor profiler chip centrally mounted in the donor media roll. A constant pressure brake with a friction belt is used directly against the printing media. A spring arm latch/channel block arrangement is used to secure the printing media supply spool.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a dye donor supply spool with a body and first and second end portions extending from the body. First and second receptacles are positioned for matingly receiving the first and second end portions of the dye donor supply spool. The supply spool is correctly loaded only when the first and second end portions of the supply spool matingly engage the first and second receptacles, respectively. A mechanical stop prevents incorrect end for end loading of a supply spool that has an off center web wound thereon by engaging the web and preventing the end of the spool from engaging the receptacle.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge including a cartridge housing having a first side wall and a second side wall opposed to each other. The cartridge housing has a pair of first engaging portions on an inside surface of the first side wall. A supply spool and a take-up spool are rotatably disposed between the first and second side walls in spaced relation and carry an ink ribbon wound thereon. The spools have first end portions formed with flanges and second end portions opposed to the first end portions. The flanges have second engaging portions engageable with the first engaging portions. U-shaped leaf springs are disposed between the second side wall and the second end portions of the spools and bias the first end portions of the spools against the first side wall. The U-shaped leaf springs include base portions and annular portions extending from the base portions, respectively. The base portions have openings receiving the second end portions of the spools, respectively.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge includes two hubs, each hub having two sets of longitudinally extending splines. The two sets are offset from each other circumferentially and longitudinally and form a detent between the sets. A latch mechanism includes a retaining member fixed to a mandrel assembly, the retaining member including first and second pairs of elastic locking members having raised surfaces. The raised surfaces of one of the pairs of locking members engage the detent formed between the first and second sets of hub splines, and the raised surfaces of the other pair of locking members engage a spindle of the mandrel assembly, effectively securing the ribbon cartridge to the mandrel assembly.

Abstract: A dye ribbon package for use with a thermal printer and containing for that purpose in spaced parallel relation therein a supply spool wound with dye ribbon and a take up spool for rewinding the dye ribbon as it is unwound from the supply package, a leading end of the dye ribbon on the supply spool being attached to the take up spool, each spool having a winding core with a free end portion, in which the package has a bottom wall and at each of the opposite sides of the bottom wall normal to the spool axes upstanding lateral wall integral with the bottom wall. Each lateral wall has two laterally spaced apart panels, both cut out downwardly from their edges opposite the bottom wall to removably receive the free end portions of the spool cores and permit free access to the end faces of the spool cores.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a thermal transfer printing ink-sheet in a cartridge case and for indicating a characteristic of the ink-sheet, comprises an ink-sheet including an ink which is transferred from the ink-sheet by a heat energy, a shaft on which the ink-sheet is wound and which is mounted detachably and in a rotatable manner on the cartridge case, and an indicating member which is discrete in relation to the cartridge case, indicates the characteristic of the ink-sheet, is rotatable in relation to the shaft, and is connected to the shaft so that an integral combination of the indicating member and the shaft is kept on a replacement of the ink-sheet, and the indicating member and the shaft are separated simultaneously from the cartridge case on the replacement of the ink-sheet.

Abstract: A multi-color ribbon cassette position adjusting apparatus comprises a carrier having a print head, a cassette mounting member rockably supported on the carrier, and a fine adjustment mechanism attached to the cassette mounting member, for finely rocking the mounting member. The fine adjustment mechanism includes a guide member fixed to the cassette mounting member, a follower piece guided by the guide member to engage a helical cam for shifting the position of the cassette mounting member, and a position adjusting member for relatively moving the guide member and the follower piece.

Abstract: A recording apparatus in which a comparatively small spacing is required for automatic loading of transfer paper of a transfer paper and record paper cartridge. The recording apparatus comprises a spool feeding mechanism for feeding a supply spool from a transfer paper and record paper cartridge mounted in position in the recording apparatus to an opposite position with respect to a platen roller to effect loading of the transfer paper, a paper supplying mechanism for supplying a record paper sheet from within the cartridge to the platen roller, and a print head which is pressed against the platen roller with the record paper sheet and the transfer paper interposed therebetween.

Abstract: An ink sheet cassette mountable on a recording apparatus includes a frame member, an ink sheet having ink thereon, a first winding member capable of winding the ink sheet, and a second winding member also capable of winding the ink sheet. A first support member supports the first winding member on the frame member, and is capable of contacting a member provided on the recording apparatus when the ink sheet cassette is mounted thereto. A second support member is provided for supporting the first winding member on the frame member, and is capable of contacting another member provided on the recording apparatus when the ink sheet cassette is mounted thereto.

Abstract: A cartridge for a printer system for storing a paper and an ink film comprises an ink film storing part provided at a front side of the cartridge for holding a first roll of ink film and a second roll of ink film immediately behind the first roll so that the ink film is wound between the first and second rolls continuously and a paper storing part behind the ink film storing part for storing the paper therein as a form of a paper stack. The ink film storing part has a first opening on a first side of the cartridge so as to allow taking out of the first roll of ink film from the cartridge through the first opening, and the paper storing part has a second opening on a second side of the cartridge relative to the direction of insertion of the cartridge into the printer which is opposite to the first side so as to allow feeding of the paper from the cartridge through the second opening.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printer with an improved arrangement to facilitate changing of inking ribbons. A slide assembly is placed in a load position and loaded with an inking ribbon supply roll. Thereafter, the inking ribbon is threaded about guides. With the print head and the platen of the printer separated, the slide assembly is slid to a printing position where the inking ribbon is disposed in space between the print head and the platen. Thereafter, the print head and platen are moved relatively together so that the printer is now able to print on a record medium.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge for a printing apparatus, in which two reels for the supply and take-up of a ink ribbon are rotatably mounted, incorporates a cartridge body and cover in which support sections for retaining the ends of the reels are provided. At an end of the cartridge, leaf springs are included which apply a constant frictional force to the reel hubs to prevent unwanted rotation of the reels. Therefore unwanted slackening of the ribbon is prevented, whether or not the printing apparatus is engaged in a printing operation.

Abstract: The supply spindle for the carbon ribbon in a thermal printer is supported cantileverly at one end thereof by a pair of axially spaced bearings. The axis of the second bearing is slightly off center relative to the axis of the first bearing, the precise location of the second bearing being adjustable in a manner that tilts and thus orients the spindle axis relative to the frame of the thermal printer. This enables the supply spindle to be aligned to the other parts in the printer so as to prevent twisting and wrinkling of the carbon ribbon. The invention compensates for manufacturing and assembly tolerances in the thermal printer and results in a consistently reliable printing quality.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording image information on a recording sheet is provided comprising a line-shaped recording head arranged in a housing of said apparatus, comprising a pressure member lying opposite said recording head, and comprising a ribbon cartridge connectable to said housing that contains a pressure member and an inked ribbon that can be conducted past the recording head in sections transversely relative to the line direction upon interposition of the recording sheet lying against the pressure member, thereby to enable an automatic conveying of the recording sheet. It is further provided that a sheet feeder device and a sheet deposit device are arranged in the housing and that the ribbon cartridge contains a sheet guide device extending between the pressure member and the sheet feeder device on the one hand and the sheet deposit device on the other hand for transferring the recording sheet coming from the sheet feeder device to the pressure member and from the latter to the sheet deposit device.

Abstract: A transfer type thermal printer includes a heat sensitive ink ribbon which is fed along an ink ribbon feeding path, a part of which is defined as a recording section, a thermal printhead and a platen roller, both located at the recording section in pressure contact with the ink ribbon sandwiched therebetween. A paper transporting path is defined in the printer for transporting a sheet of recording paper through the recording section where the recording paper is passed between the printhead and the platen roller in surface contact with the ink ribbon. A main feature of the present printer includes a housing which is generally divided into two: upper housing half and lower housing half, and the upper housing half is pivotted to the lower housing half at one end so that the upper housing half may be pivotted open or closed with respect to the lower housing half with the printhead being mounted in the upper housing half and the platen roller being disposed in the lower housing half.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.