Patent ID: 8363076
Filing Date: 2013-01-29
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printing apparatus for printing an image on a card-shaped printing medium while bringing a thermal head into press-contact with a platen roller with an ink ribbon existing therebetween, comprising: thermal head shifting means for shifting the thermal head between a printing position and a retreat position spaced from the printing position; a ribbon supply reel around which an used portion of the ink ribbon is wound; a ribbon take-up reel in which a used portion of ink ribbon is reeled; take-up reel driving means for providing the ribbon take-up reel with driving; transport means for transporting the printing medium; a peeling member provided on the take-up reel side with respect to the thermal head to peel off the ink ribbon from the printing medium at a point a distance α from the thermal head; control means for controlling the take-up reel driving means, and driving of the transport means and the thermal head shifting means; data receiving means for receiving printing data; and determining means for determining whether or not a printing finish position is within a predetermined distance β from a rear end of the printing medium, from the received printing data, wherein a distance from the printing finish position to the rear end of the printing medium is defined as a distance γ; the distance β is set corresponding to the distance α, and when the determining means determines that the printing finish position is within the distance β from the rear end of the printing medium, the control means reels the ink ribbon by at least a distance obtained by adding the distance α and the distance γ after the printing data is printed, and then, controls the take-up reel driving means and the thermal head shifting means so as to shift the thermal head to the retreat position.