Printer and method

A thermal transfer printer controller comprising circuitry arranged to control a thermal transfer printer comprising:

• first and second spool supports each being configured to support a spool of ribbon;
• a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path;
• and a printhead, the printhead being moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, being configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed, the thermal transfer printer controller being configured to:
• control the printer to cause relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed;
• and
• transmit a signal to the ribbon drive to control, during printing, a relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate based upon:
• a force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during a printing operation;
• and/or
• a parameter indicative of an area of contact between a portion of the printhead and a portion of the printing surface;
• wherein the thermal transfer printer controller is configured to determine a magnitude of the force based on the parameter indicative of the area of contact.

A thermal transfer printer, comprising:

• first and second spool supports each being configured to support a spool of ribbon;
• a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path;
• a printhead, the printhead being moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, being configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed;
• a controller configured to:
• control the printer to cause relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed;
• and
• control, during printing, a relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate based upon:
• data indicative of a force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during a printing operation;
• a parameter indicative of an area of contact between a portion of the printhead and a portion of the printing surface;
• wherein the thermal transfer printer controller is further configured to determine the data indicative of a magnitude of the force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead and further configured to determine a magnitude of the relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate based on the determined magnitude of the force;
• and
• wherein the thermal transfer printer controller is configured to determine the magnitude of the force based on a value of the parameter indicative of the area of contact.

A thermal transfer printer controller comprising circuitry arranged to control a thermal transfer printer comprising:

• first and second spool supports each being configured to support a spool of ribbon;
• a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path;
• and a printhead, the printhead being moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, being configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed, the thermal transfer printer controller being configured to:
• control the printer to cause relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed;
• and
• transmit a signal to the ribbon drive to control, during printing, a relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate based upon:
• a force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during a printing operation;
• and/or
• a parameter indicative of an area of contact between a portion of the printhead and a portion of the printing surface;
• wherein the thermal transfer printer controller is further configured to determine the magnitude of the print speed and further configured to control a magnitude of the relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate based on the determined magnitude of the print speed.

A thermal transfer printer controller comprising circuitry arranged to control a thermal transfer printer comprising:

• first and second spool supports each being configured to support a spool of ribbon;
• a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path;
• and a printhead, the printhead being moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, being configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed, the thermal transfer printer controller being configured to:
• control the printer to cause relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed;
• and
• transmit a signal to the ribbon drive to control, during printing, a relative speed of movement between the ribbon and the substrate based upon:
• a force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during a printing operation;
• and/or
• a parameter indicative of an area of contact between a portion of the printhead and a portion of the printing surface;
• wherein the thermal transfer printer controller is configured to transmit the signal to the ribbon drive to control the relative speed of movement based on a magnitude of the force exerted upon the ribbon by the printhead during the printing operation;
• and
• wherein the thermal transfer printer controller is configured to determine the magnitude of the print speed and further configured to determine the magnitude of the force based on the determined magnitude of the print speed.