Printing device and roll paper

A method for printing comprising:

• a. placing a roll of paper into a printing device, with said roll having a flange of dimension corresponding to light transmission characteristics of said paper;
• b. sensing said flange dimension to determine whether said paper is light transmissive;
• c. providing a signal indicative of whether said paper is light transmissive to control means;
• d. sensing light, if any, as reflected by said paper and transmitting a signal indicative thereof to said control means;
• e. noting paper as being present for printing if said flange dimension determines said paper to be light transmissive and said signal indicates that light is sensed, or if said flange dimension determines said paper to light opaque and said signal indicates no light being sensed;
• f. advancing said paper noted to be present and printing thereon;
• g. cutting said portion of paper to which printing was applied from the remaining unprinted portion of the roll;
• and
• h. rewinding unprinted paper on to said roll sufficiently that the leading edge of the unwound unprinted paper is in position for printing thereon.

Apparatus for printing paper from a pre-wound roll having an end flange of selectable diameter defining presence of an optical characteristic of the paper, comprising:

• a. a frame for holding the roll and defining a path for paper transport;
• b. a table slidably movable along said frame;
• c. means for sensing said flange dimension to determine whether said paper is light transmissive, including:
• i. means for contacting said flange and movably positioning said table respecting said frame according to the contacted diameter of said flange;
• ii. a plurality of light transmitting and blocking members fixedly connected to said table and moving along said frame unitarily with said table;
• iii. a plurality of light sensitive cells fixedly connected to said frame and being individually positioned to receive light through or be blocked from receiving light by said blocking members according to position of said table along said frame, each combination of the number of cells receiving light and the number of cells blocked from receiving light being correlated to a position of said table relative to said frame and hence whether said paper is light transmissive;
• and
• iv. means for sensing light, if any, as reflected by paper and transmitting a signal indicative thereof to said control means;
• d. said control means noting paper as being present for printing if said flange dimension determines said paper to be light transmissive and said signal light opaque and said signal indicates no light being sensed;
• e. means for advancing said paper noted to be present and printing thereon;
• f. means for cutting said portion of paper to which printing was applied from the remaining unprinted portion of the roll;
• and
• g. means for rewinding unprinted paper on to said roll sufficiently that the leading edge of the unwound unprinted paper is in position for printing thereon.