Bidirectional printer ribbon supply system

A printer, comprising:

• a printhead;
• a frame;
• a ribbon supply spool;
• a take-up roller configured to be driven in a first direction;
• a shaft supported by the frame and carrying the ribbon supply spool, the shaft is operatively coupled to the take-up roller and is configured to rotate about an axis;
• a pulley affixed to the shaft, the pulley and the shaft rotate in the first direction when the take-up roller is driven in the first direction according to a first print configuration in which the ribbon supply spool dispenses inside-coated ribbon or outside-coated ribbon towards the printhead and rotate in a second direction when the take-up roller is driven in the first direction according to a second print configuration in which the ribbon supply spool dispenses the other of the inside-coated ribbon or the outside coated ribbon towards the printhead;
• and
• a bias member coupled between the frame and the pulley to apply a force to the pulley in either of the first direction or the second direction responsive to rotation of the pulley in the other of the first or second direction.

A method in a printer, the method comprising:

• supporting a shaft on a frame of the printer to rotate about an axis, wherein a pulley is affixed to the shaft;
• driving a take-up roller in a first direction;
• causing rotation of a ribbon supply spool carried by a spindle supported on the shaft in the first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of the take-up roller in the first direction, wherein rotation of the ribbon supply spool in the first direction dispenses inside-coated ribbon or outside-coated ribbon from the ribbon supply spool toward a printhead, and wherein rotation of the ribbon supply spool in the second direction dispenses the other of the inside-coated ribbon or the outside-coated ribbon toward the printhead;
• at a bias member operatively coupled to the pulley, responsive to rotation of the ribbon supply spool in either of the first or second direction, applying a force to the pulley in the other of the first or second direction.