Tape drive and printing apparatus

A method of maintaining tension in a tape of a tape drive for transfer printing apparatus at an acceptable tension level, the transfer printing apparatus using two tape spools with tape extending between the spools past a print head positioned between the tape spools and with the tape drive including two motors, both of which are stepper motors, two tape spool supports, on which the tape spools are mounted, with each tape spool being rotatable by a respective one of said motors, and a controller controlling the energization of the motors to selectively rotate the respective spools, the method comprising:

• monitoring a parameter indicative of tension induced in tape extending between the spools;
• determining a correction amount of tape to be added to or subtracted from the tape extending between the tape spools to maintain tension in the tape extending between the tape spools at the acceptable level, with said determining being based at least in part on the monitored parameter indicative of tension in the tape;
• energizing the motors to rotate the spools to advance the tape in a tape transport direction past the print head;
• and
• energizing at least one of the motors to rotate its respective spool to add the correction amount of tape to the tape extending between said spools to decrease tension in the tape extending between the spools or to subtract the correction amount of tape from the tape extending between said spools to increase tension in the tape extending between the spools, so as to maintain tension in the tape extending between the tape spools at the acceptable level.

A tape drive for transfer printing apparatus comprising:

• two motors, both of which are stepper motors;
• two tape spool supports on which spools of tape are to be mounted, each tape spool being rotatable by a respective one of said motors;
• a controller controlling energization of each of said two motors to selectively rotate the respective tape spool supports and tape spools positioned on the tape spool supports;
• a monitor monitoring a parameter indicative of tension induced in tape extending between the spools;
• the controller further determining a correction amount of tape to be added to or subtracted from tape extending between the tape spools in order to maintain tension in the tape extending between the tape spools at an acceptable level, said determining being based at least in part on the monitored parameter indicative of tension in the tape;
• wherein with tape spools mounted on the tape spool supports and with tape extending between the tape spools past a print head positioned between the tape spools, the controller energizes said motors to rotate the spools to advance the tape in a tape transport direction past the print head, and wherein said controller energizes only one of said motors to rotate its respective spool to add the correction amount of tape to the tape extending between said spools to decrease tension in the tape between the spools or to subtract the correction amount of tape from the tape extending between said spools to increase tension in the tape extending between the spools, so as to maintain tension in the tape extending between the spools at the acceptable level.