Thermal ribbon cartridge or roll with slack ribbon retraction

A ribbon cartridge for a thermal transfer printer configured to provide a retractable feed for a donor ribbon, the cartridge comprising:

• a housing;
• a roll of donor ribbon wound on a multidiametral core within the housing;
• a clutch coupled to the core;
• and
• a resilient structure coupled to the clutch and to the cartridge housing such that the release of energy stored in the resilient structure by advance of the donor ribbon produces retraction of ribbon slack into the cartridge housing if the donor ribbon is released or backfed.

A ribbon roll with self-contained clutching and slack take-up capability, comprising:

• a hollow core configured to receive a roll of ribbon;
• a clutch having a friction component configured to induce frictional engagement with said core, at least one end of the clutch adapted to be externally constrained;
• and
• a resilient component located between said friction component and said at least one end of the clutch.

A thermal transfer ribbon cartridge with self-contained clutching and slack take-up capability, comprising:

• a cartridge housing;
• a hollow core located within said housing and configured to receive a roll of ribbon;
• a clutch located within said core and having a friction component configured to induce frictional engagement with said core, at least one end of the clutch adapted to be externally constrained;
• a resilient component located between said frictional component and said at least one end of the clutch;
• and
• a restraining structure external to said core, configured to receive and constrain said at least one end of the clutch.

A printer assembly comprising:

• a thermal transfer printer having a print head, a print platen, a ribbon cartridge locator, defining a feed path for ribbon from said ribbon cartridge locator to said print head;
• a ribbon cartridge adapted to be received by said ribbon cartridge locator and having self-contained clutching and slack take-up capability, the ribbon cartridge further including:
• a hollow core configured to receive a roll of ribbon;
• a clutch having a friction component configured to induce frictional engagement with said core, at least one end of the clutch being adapted to be externally constrained;
• a resilient component located between said friction component and said at least one end of the clutch;
• and
• a restraining structure external to said core configured to receive and constrain said at least one end of said clutch.