Printer and printing method for tickets

A ticket printer, comprising:

• a first support having a first outlet for a print support and a second outlet for the print support, said first support being configured for mounting in a first configuration in which said first outlet faces a reception area external to said first support in which a user receive a ticket that exits from said first outlet;
• a printing device arranged in said first support and comprising a printing head and a printing roller cooperating with each other;
• a cutting device arranged in said first support and configured to form a ticket with the print support;
• a feeding device provided with a reversible rotary motion with the possibility of rotating in a first direction to feed the print support towards said first outlet and to rotate in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, to feed the print support towards said second outlet;
• a second support configured to receive said first support both in said first configuration and in a second configuration in which said second outlet faces the reception area in which a user can receive the ticket that exits from said second outlet, said first support being selectively mountable in said first configuration or in said second configuration;
• said second support comprising at least one delivery outlet which faces the first outlet when said second support receives said first support in the first configuration and which faces the second outlet when said second support receives said first support in the second configuration;
• said second support comprising a housing that includes a delivery side which has said at least one delivery outlet;
• said second support comprising at least one collection outlet which faces the first outlet when said second support receives said first support in the second configuration, said housing including a lower base which has said at least one collection outlet;
• and
• a control unit configured to perform a first operating mode when said first support is mounted in said first configuration, and a second operating mode when said first support is mounted in said second configuration;
• said first operating mode including the following steps:
• a) driving the printing roller and rotating the feeding device in the first direction to feed the print support towards the first outlet,
• b) after step a), stopping the feeding device when the print support has engaged with the feed device and continuing to drive the printing roller, so that a first end of the print support is blocked by the feeding device and the print support is moved by the printing roller forming an accumulation loop that comes out of the second outlet,
• c) after step b), stopping the printing roller and driving the cutting device to cut the print support and form the ticket, and
• d) after step c), rotating the feeding device in the first direction to dispense the ticket through said first outlet facing the reception area;
• said second operating mode comprising the following steps:
• e) driving the printing roller and rotating the feeding device in the first direction to feed the print support towards the first outlet,
• f) after step e), stopping the printing roller and stopping the feeding device,
• g) after step f), driving the cutting device to cut the print support and form the ticket which has a first end distant from the cutting device and a second end close to the cutting device,
• h) after step g), rotating the feeding device in the first direction to feed the ticket towards the first outlet until the second end of the ticket is arranged in a path portion of the print support comprised between the first outlet and the second outlet,
• i) after step h), rotating the feeding device in the second direction to dispense the ticket towards the second outlet facing the reception area,
• j) after step i), stopping the feeding device when the second end of the ticket has passed e second outlet to expose at least a portion of the ticket to the user, at least another portion of the ticket being arranged in the path portion of the print support comprised between the first outlet and the second outlet, and
• k) after step i), rotating the feeding device in the first direction if the ticket is not collected by the user within a predetermined time, to retract the ticket and evacuate the ticket towards the first outlet which faces a collection area for uncollected tickets.