Ink ribbon assembly, and thermal transfer printer using the same
AssigneesAlps Electric Co., Ltd., Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd., Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
InventorsYoshiyuki Asabe, Hiroshi Sato, Eihin Setsu, Iwao Nozaki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ink ribbon assembly for use in a thermal transfer printer includes a plurality of ink ribbons 17a, 17b and 17c which has at least one ink ribbon 17c less influence on an outcome the printing accuracy is shorter in length than the other ink ribbons 17a and 17b. The shorter ink ribbon has a terminal end mark 60 formed at its terminal end. At the time point when the end of the shorter ink ribbon is detected in the middle of the printing of one printing area, the other ink ribbons have finished the printing of such printing area, because they are longer than the ink ribbon 17c, and thus, joints cannot be produced in the printing with the longer ink ribbons.
Claims11
An ink ribbon assembly for use in a thermal transfer printer, which comprises a plurality of ink ribbons, so that lap-printings are carried out using the ink ribbons in a predetermined order, wherein at least one ink ribbon which has less influence on an outcome of the printing accuracy is shorter in length than the other ink ribbons, said shorter ink ribbon having a terminal end mark formed at its terminal end.
A thermal transfer printer using a plurality of ink ribbons and designed to print a foundation or undercoat with an ink ribbon having a clear ink or a white ink, then print an image on the undercoat with an ink ribbon having an ink of a predetermined color, and further lap-print an overcoat on the image-formed area with an ink ribbon having a clear ink, at least one ink ribbon which has less influence on an outcome of the printing accuracy being shorter in length than the other ink ribbons, said thermal transfer printer comprising a terminal end mark formed at a terminal end of said shorter ink ribbon, a detecting section for detecting said terminal end mark of said shorter ink ribbon, and a control section adapted to judge a ribbon end by said terminal end mark of the ink ribbon detected by said detecting section and to inform a user of said ribbon end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.