Patent Publication Number: US-7222572-B2

Title: Printing apparatus, printing method, and program

Description:
This application is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35 USC 371 of International Application PCT/JP03/05444 filed Apr. 28, 2003. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and printing method for printing information such as a title and the like of data recorded on a recording medium on the surface of the recording medium such as an optical disk and the like as a printing object. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   Conventionally, the applicant of the present application has proposed printing apparatuses that print a title of an optical disk such as CD-R (Compact Disk-Recordable) on its surface, and has sold such printing apparatuses in Japan. 
   This type of printing apparatus includes a tray that supports a disk and a printer mechanism that performs printing to the disk supported by the tray. The tray is moved to an external section of a main body of the printing apparatus by an eject operation. The printer mechanism performs thermal transfer printing to an optical disk, which is supported on the tray provided at a predetermined position in the main body of the printing apparatus and which is in a stationary state, using an ink ribbon by a thermal head that moves back and forth. 
   In the aforementioned printer mechanism, printing is performed to the surface of the optical disk in one rectangular range, which corresponds to an effective print width that the thermal head has and a distance where the thermal head moves and scans, by one print operation. 
   Accordingly, in a case where a user desires to provide printing to a plurality of portions of the surface (label surface) of the optical disk by the printer mechanism, the user must carry out the following operations. Namely, the user once pushes the tray out of the printing apparatus by the eject operation after printing one portion. Then, in order that an area, which is opposite to a print area at the first print around a hole of the disk, is made correspond to the position of the printer mechanism, the user rotates the optical disk on the tray at 180° manually to be reset and turns the tray to the main body of the printing apparatus. Then, printing is performed to the different portion by a second print operation of the printer mechanism. 
   This printing apparatus is one that performs printing to a predetermined area on the surface of the optical disk in a state that the optical disk is stood still. Since the area printable by one printing operation is a limited size against the entire surface of the optical disk, there is a case that the user desires to expand the print area to provide printing to a plurality of portions. 
   In this case, according to this type of printing apparatus, the tray must be once ejected to change the placement of optical disk to perform printing, repeatedly. 
   In other words, according to this type of printing apparatus, every time when one print processing ends, the tray must be ejected to the external section of the printing apparatus that can attach/detach the optical disk thereto/therefrom. Moreover, such a complicated task is needed that the positioning is performed on the tray to change the placement of optical disk manually and the tray is turned to the main body of printing apparatus to restart the printing operation. For this reason, efficiency of printing work will be reduced. 
   Further, there conventionally have been proposed another type of printing apparatuses that print a title on the optical disk, such as one disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H5-238005. Specifically, such a printing apparatus is an ink jet printing apparatus that moves a print head thereof in a radial direction of the optical disk while rotating the optical disk thereby to perform printing on the optical disk in a spiral manner, or that drives a print head thereof which is provided to be extended in a radial direction of the optical disk as rotating the optical disk and thereby performs printing. 
   Since this type of printing apparatus performs printing in a spiral manner by rotating an optical disk and moving a print head thereof in the radial direction of the optical disk, the rotation of the optical disk and the movement of the print head need to be controlled together, resulting in a problem that such a control is complicated. 
   Further, this type of printing apparatus is one that performs printing by driving the print head that extends in the radial direction of the optical disk and by once rotating the optical disk. According to this printing apparatus, the rotational speed at a position close to the center of the optical disk is different from the rotation speed at a position away from the center. Since a moving speed to the print head is low at the position close to the center, a print result with high density is obtained. Contrary to this, the moving speed to the print head is high at the position away from the center, so that a print result with low density is obtained. For this reason, it is necessary to perform specific print control to equalize print density at the position in the radial direction of the optical disk, resulting in considerable complicated control. 
   Moreover, since it is necessary to perform the rotational drive of optical disk and the drive of print head at the same time, a drive power supply must be enlarged. 
   DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of performing printing to a plurality of portions on a surface of a printing object efficiently with a simple apparatus configuration. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus manufacturable with a small-sized power supply without need of complicated print control and a printing method. 
   Further another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method applicable to a plurality of kinds of printing objects each having a different size with a simple apparatus configuration. 
   In order to attain the above object, a printing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprising support means, including a rotatable base, for supporting a data recordable recording medium; rotation drive means for driving the rotatable base to be rotated; print means for performing printing to the recording medium supported by the support means; and control means for controlling the operations of the rotation drive means and the print means, wherein the control means selectively operates the rotation drive means and the print means. 
   According to this configuration, the apparatus can be configured simply and at low cost. Moreover, it is possible to perform printing to the plurality of portions on the surface of the printing object with a simple operation as mounting the printing object on the rotatable base. Moreover, since the rotation drive means for driving the rotatable base and the print means for printing to the printing object supported by the support means is selectively operated, the drive source of the printing apparatus is configured in a small scale, so that the printing apparatus can be manufactured at low cost. 
   In the above configuration, the print means may include a print head that moves as pressing against the recording medium supported by the support means through an ink ribbon to perform thermal transfer printing, the support means is movable to a position where the recording medium is attached/detached to/from the rotatable base and a position where printing is performed to the recording medium, which is supported by the rotatable base, by the print means, and the rotatable base may include a cushion member, which abuts against the recording medium, and engaging means, which engages with the recording medium, on a surface where the recording medium is mounted. 
   According to this configuration, since the cushion member is provided on the surface of the rotatable base where the printing object is mounted, the cushion member is equally elastically deformed and the print head comes in contact with the surface of the printing object equally when the print head presses against the printing object. Accordingly, satisfactory printing can be performed. Moreover, since the rotatable base includes engaging means for engaging the printing object, the printing object is engaged with the rotatable base without fail to make it possible to prevent the printing object from being detached even if the printing apparatus is used uprightly. 
   In the above configuration, the cushion member may be provided at a position on the rotatable base subjected to pressure by the print head at the time of printing to the recording medium in a range corresponding to a width of the print head and a length where the print head presses against the recording medium and moves. 
   According to this configuration, the cushion member is provided at the position on the rotatable base subjected to pressure by the print head at the time of printing to the recording medium in the range corresponding to the width of the print head and the length where the print head presses against the recording medium and moves. Accordingly, when the print head presses against the printing object, the cushion member is more equally elastically deformed and the print head comes in contact with the surface of the printing object equally, so that more satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   The print means may include a print head that moves as pressing against the recording medium supported by the support means through an ink ribbon to perform thermal transfer printing. The support means may include a support base, which supports the rotatable base to be rotatable around a rotation shaft and to be rotatable in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, and urging means for urging the rotatable base to the support base. One of opposing surfaces of the support base and the rotatable base may include convex portions, which project from the one opposing surface and which slide in contact with the other opposing surface opposing to the one opposing surface during the rotating operation of the rotatable base by the rotation drive means, around the rotation shaft. The other opposing surface may include concave portions, into which the convex portions are fit at the print operating time by the print means, around the rotation shaft. 
   According to this configuration, when the rotational base rotates at a non-print operating time, the rotatable base contacts the convex portions and rotates smoothly, and the convex portions fit into the concave portions by urging means at the printing time, thereby the rotatable base is stably supported at the position with a predetermined rotation angle. 
   At least one of opposing surfaces of the support base and the rotatable base may include a member having a thickness smaller than a projection height of the convex portion, a cushion property, and a friction property. 
   According to this configuration, when the convex portions fit into the concave portions, the rotatable base is adhered to the support base through the member having the cushion property and the friction property, and the rotatable base is thereby stably supported at the position with the predetermined rotation angle. 
   The print means may include a print head that moves as pressing against the recording medium supported by the support means through an ink ribbon to perform thermal transfer printing. The support means is movable to a position where the recording medium is attached/detached to/from the rotatable base and a position where printing is performed to the recording medium, which is supported by the rotatable base, by the print means. Either one of opposing surfaces of the support base and the rotatable base opposing to each other may include convex portions, which project from the one opposing surface and which abut against other opposing surface opposing to the one opposing surface, at a portion subjected to pressure by the print head. 
   According to this configuration, since either one of opposing surfaces of the support base and the rotatable base opposing to each other may include convex portions, which project from the one opposing surface and which abut against other opposing surface opposing to the one opposing surface, at a portion subjected to pressure by the print head, the rotatable base can receive the pressure of the print head stably and equally. 
   A rotating direction of the rotatable base driven to be rotated by the rotation drive means and a moving direction of the print head may be opposite to each other in the direction at a print portion. 
   According to this configuration, since the rotating direction of the rotatable base driven to be rotated by the rotation drive means and the moving direction of the print head may be opposite to each other in the direction at a print portion, no backlash occurs in the rotation drive means for driving the rotatable base to be rotated. Accordingly, the rotational base is prevented from being slightly rotated at the print operating time, so that satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   The rotation drive means may include a drive motor and a gear train having a worm gear that transmits power of the drive motor to the rotatable base. 
   According to this configuration, the rotation drive means includes the drive motor and the gear train having the worm gear that transmits power of the drive motor to the rotatable base, and this eliminates the accidental rotation of the rotatable base at the print head moving time. Accordingly, the rotatable base is maintained in a fixed state without fail, so that satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   In the above configuration, the printing apparatus may further comprise detecting means for detecting kinds of the data recordable recording media, which are attached to the support means and which have a different size and storing means for storing information, in advance, on print areas which are respectively set to the plurality of recording media each having a different size. The control means may read information on each print area corresponding to the kind of each of the recording media detected by the detecting means from the storing means, and drive the print means based on the information to perform printing to the print area of each of the recording media attached to the support means. 
   In the above configuration, any one of means, which is operated by the control means, for moving the print means to at least the support means to perform printing in the print area and means for moving the support means to the print means, or means for selectively driving a plurality of printing elements included in the print head may be provided. 
   In order to attain the above object, the printing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention is a printing apparatus, which performs printing to a plurality of data recordable recording media each having a different size, comprising detecting means for detecting kinds of the data recordable recording media, which are attached to the printing apparatus; storing means for storing information, in advance, on print areas which are respectively set to the plurality of recording media: and control means for reading information on each print area corresponding to the kind of each of the recording media detected by the detecting means from the storing means to drive the printing apparatus based on the information to perform printing to the print area of each of the recording media attached to the print printing apparatus. 
   In the above configuration, the printing apparatus may further comprise support means for supporting one of the plurality of recording media; and printing means, having a print head, for driving the print head to perform printing to the recording medium supported by the support means. Any one of means, which is operated by the control means, for moving the print means to at least the support means to perform printing in the print area and means for moving the support means to the print means, or means for selectively driving a plurality of printing elements included in the print head may be provided. 
   In the above configuration, the printing apparatus may further comprise detecting means for detecting kinds of predetermined print objects supported by the support means. The support means may support a first print object and a second print object selectively. The control means may selectively operate the rotation drive means and the print means when the detecting means detects the first print object, and may stop operating the rotation drive means and operate only the print means when the detecting means detects the second print object. 
   In the above configuration, the first print object may be a disk-like data-recordable recording medium having a predetermined diameter, and the second print object may be a rectangular paper material whose one side has substantially a same length as the predetermined diameter. 
   In order to attain the above object, a printing method according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of supporting data recordable recording media in a printing apparatus; printing predetermined data to the recording media supported in the supporting step; and rotating the recording medium up to a predetermined angle in the printing apparatus, wherein the printing step and the rotating step are selectively executed to perform printing to a plurality of portions of the recording media. 
   In the above method, the printing method may further comprise the steps of detecting kinds of the data recordable recording media, which are supported by the printing apparatus and which have a different size; storing information, in advance, on print areas which are respectively set to the recording media each having a different size: and reading information on each print area corresponding to the kind of each of the recording media detected in the detecting step from information stored in the storing step, wherein the printing step drives the printing apparatus to perform printing to a predetermined print area of the recording medium based on the information read in the reading step. 
   Moreover, the printing step may include at least any one of the step of moving print means to at least support means for supporting the recording media, the step of moving the support means to the print means, or the step of selectively driving a plurality of printing elements included in a print head. 
   In order to attain the above object, a printing method according to a third aspect of the present invention controls a computer to selectively execute a step of printing predetermined print data to a data recordable recording medium which is supported in a printing apparatus, and a step of rotating the recording medium up to a predetermined angle in the printing apparatus, thereby to perform printing to a plurality of portions of the recording medium. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be explained as follows with reference to the following drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a state that a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention is used; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing an internal mechanism of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a plane structural view at the time of ejecting a support tray of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a plane structural view at the time of inserting a support tray of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a plane structural view showing a principal part of a drive mechanism of a support tray in the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  are cross-sectional views each showing a support tray and a rotatable base in the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a structural view showing a tray moving position detection switch in the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  are structural views each showing a kind detection switch that detect a kind of a printing object in the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing an optical disk as a printing object and a paper material; 
       FIG. 10  is a block diagram showing the structure of an electronic circuit of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 11A and 11B  are explanatory views each showing a relationship in the position between a thermal head for printing and a cushion sheet on the rotational sheet in the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a plane structural view at the time of ejecting the support tray when printing is performed to the paper material; 
       FIG. 13  is a plane structural view at the time of inserting the support tray when printing is performed to the paper material; 
       FIG. 14  is a flowchart showing print processing of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the support tray and rotatable plate in the printing apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 16A and 16B  are views each showing the structure of a printer mechanism of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 17  is a flowchart showing print processing of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 18  is a perspective view showing the entirety of a printing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 19  is a side view showing the structure of the main parts of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 18 ; 
       FIG. 20  is a front view showing the structure of the main parts of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 18 ; 
       FIGS. 21A and 21B  are views each showing the structure of a printer section of the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 22A ,  22 B and  22 C are views showing print areas of a plurality kinds of optical recording media and each showing a relationship in the position between the print area and the printer section; 
       FIG. 23  is a view showing a relationship between the plurality kinds of optical recording media and medium detection switches; 
       FIG. 24  is a block diagram showing the structure of an electronic circuit of the printing apparatus of  FIG. 18 ; 
       FIG. 25  is an explanatory view of print area position information; 
       FIG. 26  is a flowchart showing print processing of the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 27  is a side view showing the structure of the main parts of a printing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
   (First Embodiment) 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the entirety of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment;  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the main parts of the printing apparatus, and  FIGS. 3 and 4  are views each showing a plane structural view of the main parts. 
   Additionally, the printing apparatus according to this embodiment can be used both horizontally and vertically.  FIGS. 3 and 4  are plane views when the printing apparatus is placed horizontally. When the printing apparatus is placed vertically as shown in  FIG. 1 , a right side surface or a left side surface of a case  1  corresponds to a bottom surface in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
   The printing apparatus of this embodiment includes a tray mechanism that supports an optical disk and a printer mechanism that performs printing (label printing) to a surface (label surface) of the optical disk supported by the tray mechanism. This printing apparatus further includes an eject function of ejecting the tray mechanism to the external section of the apparatus main body, a rotation function of rotating the optical disk supported by the tray mechanism, and a thermal transfer print function of performing printing to the label surface of the optical disk using an ink ribbon. 
   An explanation will be first given of the structure of the main body of the printing apparatus and the structure of the tray mechanism. 
   This printing apparatus includes a rectangular box-shape case  1  and an opening  1   a  is formed on a front surface of this case  1 . Then, an eject switch  2  is formed at a front surface of the case  1 , and a base  3  shown in  FIG. 2  is fixed to an interior of the case  1 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , a pair of guide rails  4 , which extend in parallel to be spaced to each other, is formed on an upper surface of the base  3 , and a support tray  5  as a support base is slidably attached between these guide rails  4 . The support tray  5  passes through the opening  1   a , and slidably moves between the internal section of the case  1  and the external section thereof. Additionally, this support tray  5  is supported to have a fixed space between the base  3  and the support tray  5 . 
   At one side portion of an upper surface of the base  3 , there are provided a drive motor (DC motor)  6  for a tray and a gear train  7  composed of a plurality of first to fourth gears  7   a  to  7   d  driven by the drive motor  6 . A pulley  7   e  is provided coaxially with the first gear  7   a  of the gear train  7 , and the pulley  7   e  is coupled to a pulley  6   a  provided at an output shaft of the drive motor  6  through a belt  8 . Moreover, the second gear  7   b  and the gear  7   c  mesh with the first gear  7   a  and the third gear  7   c , sequentially, so that rotational power of the drive motor  6  is transmitted to the third gear  7   c.    
   The third gear  7   c  and fourth gear  7   d  are coupled to each other through a lug mechanism (intermittent gear mechanism). When the third gear  7   c  rotates by an angle of, for example, 135° in a forward direction, rotational power of the third gear  7   c  is transmitted to the fourth gear  7   d . Moreover, when the third gear  7   c  reversely rotates by an angle of 135° from this state, rotational power of the third gear  7   c  is transmitted to the fourth gear  7   d.    
   A rack  11  is provided in the internal portion of the lower surface side of the support tray  5 . Here, the lower surface side is the back surface side of the support tray, i.e., the surface side opposite to the front surface to which the optical disk is mounted. The fourth gear  7   d  meshes with the rack  11 . By this mesh, the support tray  5  moves in the back and forth directions of the case  1  in accordance with the forward-reversal rotation of the fourth gear  7   d  to be displayed to an eject position ( FIG. 3 ), which projects into the external section of the case  1 , and a print position ( FIG. 4 ), which is placed in the internal portion of the case  1 . 
   In the case  1 , there is provided a tray position detection switch  13  to be opposed to one side portion of the support tray  5 . The detection switch  13  has a lever  13   a . The lever  13   a  is engaged with a concave groove  14  formed on the side surface of the support tray  5  along its longitudinal direction. In accordance with the operation of the support tray  5  in the back and forth directions, the lever  13   a  is displaced to a neutral position N, an open position O, and a close position C as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   Moreover, in the case  1 , there is provided an actuation gear  17  corresponding to the fourth gear  7   d . The actuation gear  17  has a fan shape and rotates with a support shaft  18  as a fulcrum. A first half section of its periphery is a teeth portion  17   a  in which teeth are arranged and a second half section thereof is a tooth omitting portion  17   b  in which teeth are omitted. 
   A small gear  9  is provided to the third gear  7   c  of the gear train  7  in a body, and the teeth portion  17   a  meshes with the small gear  9  in accordance with the rotation of the actuation gear  17 . 
   A pin  19  is attached to a plate surface of the actuation gear  17  to be adjacent to the tooth omitting portion  17   b . On a lower surface of the support tray  5 , there is formed a guide groove  20  that extends along the back and forth direction of the tray  5 . The pin  19  is slidably fit into the guide groove  20 . In accordance with the movement of the support tray  5  in the back and forth directions thereof, the pin  19  relatively moves along the guide groove  20 . 
   At an end portion of the top end side of the guide groove  20 , there is formed a circular path  21  having an outward path  21   a  and a backward path  21   b . In accordance with the backward movement of support tray  5 , the pin  19  enters the backward path  21   b  from the guide groove  20 . 
   At an inner portion of the back side of the case  1 , there is provided a hook lever  24  that rotates with a support shaft  23  as a fulcrum. The hook lever  24  has a hook portion  25 . Moreover, an actuation rod  26  is provided between the end portion of the top end side of the hook lever  24  and one side surface of the actuation gear  17 . 
   The actuation rod  26  is supported to be slidable along the back and forth directions of the case  1  through a plurality of guide pieces  27  provided to the base  3 , and the end portion of one side surface of the actuation rod  26  abuts against one side surface of the actuation gear  17 . Moreover, the hook lever  24  is elastically urged clockwise in the figure by a spring  28 , and the hook lever  24  elastically abuts against the end portion of the other end side of the actuation rod  26  by this urging force. At a lower surface of the back side of the support tray  5 , there is provided a hook receiver  29  which is engageable with the hook portion  25 , to correspond to the hook portion  25 . 
   On the upper surface of the support tray  5 , a disk-like concave portion  31  is formed. The upper surface is the surface to which the optical disk is mounted. In the concave portion  31 , a rotatable base  32  is formed, and the rotatable base  32  and support tray  5  forms support means for supporting a printing object. 
   The rotatable base  32  has a rotating shaft  33  in a body at the central portion of the lower surface as shown in  FIG. 6 . The rotating shaft  33  is rotatably inserted into a fitting hole  34  formed on the support tray  5 . A gear  35  is attached to an end portion outer periphery on the inserting side to be unrotatable and slidable in an axial direction. 
   Moreover, a belleville-spring  36  is attached to the end portion of the rotating shaft  33  at the lower surface side of the gear  35 . The periphery portion of the belleville-spring  36  elastically abuts against the lower surface of the gear  35 . Moreover, the rotatable base  32  is elastically urged to the downward support tray  5  by the belleville-spring  36 . 
   On the lower surface of the rotatable base  32 , a plurality of convex portions  38  is formed to be projected with equal intervals on a circumference around the rotating shaft  33 . On the support tray  5 , there is a plurality of transparent hole-like concave portions  39  corresponding to the respective convex portions  38 . Namely, when the convex portions  38  and the concave portions  39  face each other, respectively, the convex portions  38  fall in the concave portions  39  to be engaged with each other, respectively. 
   A friction sheet  40 , which is made of high cushioning and friction material such as rubber and has a low thickness, that is, lower than the projection height of the convex  38 , is adhered to the lower surface of the rotatable base  31 , which is the portion of the outside area of the convex portion  38 . At the central portion of the upper surface of the rotatable base  32 , there is formed a plurality of elastically deformable projection pieces  41  to be equally positioned on the same circumference to be projected. The projection pieces  41  are used as engaging means for engaging a printing object and are arc-shaped seeing from the plane. 
   At the lower surface of the rotatable base  32 , there are provided a gear  44  and a drive motor  45  for a rotatable base. The gear  44  has a large gear  44   a  and a small gear  44   b  in a body. A worm gear  46  is attached to a rotating shaft  45   a  of the drive motor (DC motor)  45 . The worm gear  46  meshes with the large gear  44   a  of the gear  44 . Moreover, the small gear  44   b  of the gear  44  meshes with the gear  35 , and the rotational power of the drive motor  45  is transmitted to the rotatable base  32  through the worm gear  46 , gear  44 , and gear  35 . Moreover, a disk  47  in which a plurality of slits are formed around its circumference is attached to the rotating shaft  45   a  . An encoder  48  which is formed by disposing a light emitting element and a light receiving element so as to sandwich the disk  47  therebetween is provided to the rotating shaft  45   a.    
   A rotation position detection switch  50  is provided at the outside of a part of the inner periphery of the concave portion  31  formed on the upper surface of the support tray  5 . The rotation position detection switch  50  has an actuator  50   a  that elastically projects. The actuator  50   a  elastically abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the rotatable base  32 . On the outer peripheral surface of the rotatable base  32 , four concave portions  51  are formed at 90 degrees intervals. The concave  51  faces the actuator  50   a  according to the rotation of the rotatable base  32 . The actuator  50   a  falls in the concave portion  51  at the facing position, so that the rotation position of the rotatable base  32  is detected. 
   A cushion sheet  61 , which is formed of elastic material with excellent cushion and adherence, is adhered to the upper surface of the rotatable base  32  to serve as a placing surface for an optical disk  100   a  to correspond to the print position of the printer mechanism that is subjected to pressure from a thermal head  58  at a printing time. In this printing apparatus, after the end of one print operation by the printer mechanism, the rotation base rotates clockwise every 90° or 180° and stops, and printing is performed to the optical disk  100   a  at each stopped position. For this reason, the cushion sheet  61  is formed to be square-frame shaped in such a manner to surround the center of the rotatable base  32  in order to correspond to four print areas to be set on the optical disk  100   a  at the maximum. Then, when the rotatable base  32  rotates clockwise every 90° or 180° and stops, the respective sides, which form the square frame of the cushion sheet  61 , are made to correspond to the print operation range (printable area) of the thermal head  58  of the printer mechanism. When the cushion sheet  61  is placed at the position corresponding to the print operation range of the thermal head  58  of the printer mechanism, the convex portion  38  formed on the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  is fit into the concave portion  39  formed on the support tray  35 . 
   An explanation will be next given of the structure of the printer mechanism provided with the printing apparatus. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , a gate-like frame  54  is attached onto the base  3  to be stretched over the support tray  5 . A guide shaft  55  is constructed in the inner side of the frame  54 , and a carriage  56  is movably attached to the guide shaft  55 . At the front surface of the carriage  56 , a head cover  57  is formed to be projected. At the lower surface of the head cover  57 , a thermal head  58  as a print head is provided. A ribbon cartridge  56 , which contains an ink ribbon, is provided to be attachable/detachable to/from the front surface of the carriage  56 . In the carriage  56 , a running drive mechanism for the carriage  56 , a head moving mechanism for the thermal head  58  and an ink ribbon winding mechanism and the like are provided. Moreover, a forward-reverse rotational drive motor for the carriage (stepping motor)  60  as a drive source for each mechanism is attached to the back surface of the carriage  60 . 
   An explanation will be further given of the structure of the printer mechanism based on  FIG. 16 . 
   A ribbon cartridge  59 , which contains an ink ribbon  80  as a consumable material, is provided to be attachable/detachable to/from the cartridge attaching surface of the front surface of the cartridge  56 . The ribbon cartridge  59  includes a case  81 . On the case  81 , there is formed a concave portion  82  into which the head cover  57  is fit. 
   In the case  81 , a ribbon supply core  83  and a ribbon winding core  84  are provided and the ink ribbon  80  is wound around the ribbon supply core  83  in the form of roll. The ink ribbon  80  paid out from the ribbon supply core  83  is hooked on the winding core  84  through a plurality of guide pins  85 . The ink ribbon  80  is sequentially wound around the winding core  84  in accordance with the forward rotation of the winding core  84 . The middle of the ink ribbon  80  is exposed to the external section of the case  81  and runs along the lower surface side of the concave portion  82  where the thermal head  58  is positioned. 
   In the carriage  56 , there is provided an output gear  86  attached to an output shaft of the drive motor  60  for a carriage, and a first gear  87   a  meshes with the output gear  86 . Moreover, a second gear  87   b  is provided coaxially with the first gear  87   b . A third gear  87   c  meshes with the second gear  87   b , and a fourth gear  87   d  meshes with the third gear  87   c.    
   Then, a ribbon winding shaft  88  is provided coaxially with a rotating shaft of the fourth gear  87   d  through a one-way clutch (not shown). The ribbon winding shaft  88  projects forward from the cartridge attaching surface of the carriage  56  to engage with the winding core  84  according to the attachment of ribbon cartridge  59  to the cartridge attaching surface. 
   The third gear  87   c  meshes with the rack (not shown) provided to the frame  54  along a running path of the carriage  56  in parallel with the guide shaft  55 . By this mesh, the carriage  56  reciprocates along the guide shaft  55  in accordance with the forward-reversal rotation of the third gear  87   c.    
   Moreover, a cam gear  89  is provided in the carriage  56 . The cam gear  89  is provided with a gear at its circumference. An arc-shape cam groove  90 , which is off-centered against the center of the rotation is formed in the side surface of the cam gear  89 . Then, a swing clutch  91  is formed between the cam gear  89  and the output gear  86 . The swing clutch  91  is composed of a sun gear  92 , which meshes with the output gear  86 , and a pair of planet gears  94   a  and  94   b , which mesh with the sun gear  92  and which are supported to be movable in the circumferential direction of the sun gear  92  through an arm  93 . At the forward rotating time of the sun gear  92  (at the rotation time clockwise), one planet gear  94   a  meshes with the cam gear  89  and the other planet gear  94   b  separates from the cam gear  89 . Meanwhile, at the reverse rotating time of the sun gear  92  (at the rotation time anticlockwise), one planet gear  94   a  separates from the cam gear  89  and the other planet gear  94   b  meshes with the cam gear  89 . 
   In the carriage  56 , there is provided a head arm  96  that rotates up and down around the center of a shaft  95 . The head arm  96  is elastically urged counterclockwise in  FIG. 16  by a spring  97  provided at the end portion of the one end side in a tensioned state. Further, the head arm  96  is provided with a pin  98  close to the one end portion. The pin  98  is slidably inserted to the cam groove  90  of the cam gear  89 . A head holder  99  is attached to the end portion of the other end side of the head arm  96 . The head holder  99  is placed in the head cover  57 , which projects to the front side of the carriage  56 , and extends to the front side of the carriage  56  along the head cover  57 . Moreover, a head base  101  is supported at the lower surface of the head holder  99  through a shaft  100 . The thermal head  58  as the print head is attached to the lower surface of the head base  101 . The thermal head  58  is placed to be opposed to the opening of the lower surface of the head cover  57 . 
   The thermal head  58  is pressed via the ink ribbon paid out from the ribbon cartridge  59 , onto the label surface which is opposite to the signal recording surface of the optical disk  100   a  which is held standstill on the stopped rotatable base  32 . In this state, the thermal head  58  moves from left to right in  FIG. 2  along the guide shaft  56  together with the carriage  59 . During this movement, printing is performed by the thermal transfer method in which a predetermined image is thermally transferred to the surface of the optical disk  100   a  as melting ink of the ink ribbon. Accordingly, a rectangular area, which is fixed by the width of the row of heat elements of the thermal head  58  (width in the main scanning direction) and the moving distance of the thermal head  58  (length in the sub-scanning direction) which is perpendicular to the width of the row, becomes a print range obtained by one print operation. 
   An explanation will be next given of the operation of each component of the printing apparatus. 
   First, an explanation will be given of an operation in which the support tray  5  moves to the internal and external sections of the case  1 . As a preparation before printing, the tray mechanism is ejected to the outside of the apparatus by the ejection operation and the optical disk  100   a  is mounted on the tray and the tray is returned to the printing apparatus, and set to the print position. 
   At a print starting time, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the support tray  5  is inserted into the case  1 , and the hook receiver  29  is engaged with the hook portion  25  of the hook lever  24 . The teeth portion  17   a  of the actuation gear  17  meshes with the small gear of the fourth gear  7   d  of the gear train  7 . At this time, the pin  19  of the actuation gear  17  is positioned at the end top portion of the circular path  21  which coincides with the end portion of the guide groove  20  formed in the lower surface of the support tray  5 , and the lever  13   a  of the tray position detection switch  13  is placed at the close position C. 
   From this state, the eject switch  2  at the front of the case  1  is operated. The drive motor  6  for tray starts in accordance with this operation, the rotational power is transmitted to the gear train  7  through the belt  8 , and the third gear  7   c  rotates clockwise in  FIG. 4 . At this time, since the third gear  7   c  and fourth gear  7   d  are coupled to the lug mechanism, only the third gear  7   c  rotates and the fourth gear  7   d  does not rotates, so that the stop state of the support tray  5  is maintained. 
   When the third gear  7   c  rotates clockwise, the actuation gear  17 , which has been meshed with the small gear  9  of the third gear  7   c , rotates anticlockwise. At this time, the pin  19  of the actuation gear  17  moves to the guide groove  20  through the backward path  21   b  of the circular path  21 . 
   When the actuation gear  17  rotates anticlockwise, the hook lever  24  rotates anticlockwise against the spring  28  through the actuation rod  26  by the actuation gear  17 . By this rotation, the hook portion  25  is detached from the hook receiver  29  and the engagement of the support tray  5  is released. When the actuation gear  17  rotates to a fixed angle, the teeth portion  17   a  of the actuation  17  is detached from the small gear  9  and the actuation gear  17  stops at this position. 
   After that, when the rotational power of the third gear  7   c  is transmitted to the fourth gear  7   d  and the fourth gear  7   d  rotates clockwise together with the third gear  7   c . By this rotation, the support tray  5  moves toward the front of the case  1 . At this time, the pin  19  of the actuation gear  17  relatively moves along the guide groove  20  of the support tray  5 . When the support tray  5  starts to move, the front portion side end wall of the concave groove  14  of the support tray  5  separates from the lever  13   a  of the tray position detection switch  13  and the lever  13   a  moves to the neutral position N from the close position C accordingly. Then, when the support tray  5  moves forward and projects to a predetermined length from the case  1 , the back side end wall of the concave groove  14  abuts against the lever  13   a  of the tray position detection switch  13  and the lever  13   a  moves to the open position O from the neutral position N accordingly. Based on the switch signal at this time, the drive motor  6  for tray is controlled to be stopped and the support tray  5  thereby stops at a predetermined eject position. 
   Here, the user mounts the optical disk  100   a  on the rotatable base  32  of the support tray and fits the disk hole at the center of the optical disk  100   a  into the projection piece  41  elastically, so that the optical disk  100   a  is fixed to the rotation base  32 . 
   Next, in the case where the support tray  5  is moved into the apparatus, the user slightly presses the support tray  5  manually. By the pressing operation, the back side end wall of the concave groove  14  separates from the lever  13   a  of the tray position detection switch  13  and the lever  13   a  moves to the neutral position N from the open position O accordingly. Based on the switch signal at this time, the drive motor  6  for tray is driven and reversely rotated. Additionally, even when the operation is performed by the eject switch  2  in place of pressing the support tray  5  manually, the same operation is performed. 
   The reverse rotational power of the drive motor  6  for tray is transmitted to the gear train  7  through the belt  8 , and the third gear  7   c  rotates anticlockwise in  FIG. 3 . Since the third gear  7   c  is coupled to the fourth gear  7   d  by the lug mechanism, the rotational power of the third gear  7   c  is not initially transmitted to the fourth gear  7   d . However, after the third gear  7   c  rotates to a fixed angle, the power of the third gear  7   c  is transmitted to the fourth gear  7   d  and the fourth gear  7   d  rotates anticlockwise together with the third gear  7   c . Moreover, since the teeth portion  17   a  separates from the small gear  9  of the third gear  7   c , the stop state of the actuation gear  17  is maintained regardless of the rotation of the third gear  7   c . When it rotates in the anticlockwise direction of the fourth gear  7   d , the support tray  5  is drawn into the case  1  accordingly. At this time, the pin  19  of the actuation gear  17  relatively moves along the guide groove  20  of the support tray  5 . 
   When the support tray  5  is drawn into a predetermined position of the case  1 , that is, a print position, the front side end wall of the concave groove  14  abuts against the lever  13   a  of the tray position detection switch  13  and the lever  13   a  moves to the close position C from the neutral position N accordingly. Based on the switch signal at this time, the drive motor  6  for tray is controlled to be stopped and the support tray  5  thereby stops at a predetermined print position. Just before the support tray  5  reaches the print position, the pin of the actuation gear  17  reaches a point A of the guide groove  20  in  FIG. 5 , and further moves to a point B through the outward path  21   a  of the circular path  21  from the point A. Then, in accordance with movement of the pin  19 , the actuation gear  17  rotates clockwise and the teeth portion  17   a  meshes with the small gear  9  of the third gear  7   c . By this mesh, the actuation gear  17  further rotates anticlockwise, and the pin  19  reaches a point C of the end top portion of the circular path  21 . 
   When the actuation gear  17  rotates clockwise, pressure to the actuation rod  26  is released. By this release, the actuation rod  26  is moved to the forward side of the case  1 , and the hook lever  24  is rotated clockwise by the urging force of the spring  28 . The hook portion  25  is placed at an engage standby position to the hook receiver  29 . Thereafter, the support tray  5  moves to the print position and stops. Just before the stop, the hook lever  24  is engaged with the hook portion  25  of the hook lever  24 . By this engagement, the support tray  5  is stably positioned at a predetermined print position. 
   Thus, in the standby state during the start of printing, the support tray  5  is ejected to the outside of the case  1  by the eject operation, and the rotatable base  32  is placed at a predetermined stop position on the support tray  5  at the time of returning to the case  1 . Namely, one side of the square of the cushion sheet  61  formed on the upper surface of the rotatable base  32  is positioned to be opposed to the print operation range (printable range) of the thermal head  58 . Moreover, the respective convex portions  38  of the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  are fit into the respective concave portions  39  of the upper surface of the support tray  5 , so that the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  abuts against the upper surface of the support tray  5 . 
   Moreover, according to this printing apparatus, when printing to one portion on the optical disk  100   a  is ended by one print operation of the printer mechanism, the rotation base  32  is rotated to a next stop position by a predetermined angle in order that printing should be performed to the next print portion on the optical disk  100   a  in the state that the operation of the printer mechanism is stopped. The following will explain the operation of the rotation mechanism. 
   As explained above, on the upper surface of the support tray  5 , the cushion sheet  61  is formed to be square-frame shaped, and the position where each size of the square corresponds to the print operation range of the thermal head  58  becomes a stop possible position, and one to four print areas at the maximum on the optical disk  100   a  can be arbitrarily set. 
   When the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base is driven, the rotational power due to this drive is transmitted to the rotatable base  32  through the worm gear  46 , the large gear  44   a  of the gear  44 , the small gear  44   b  of the gear  44 , and the gear  35 , and the rotatable base  32  rotates clockwise. When the rotatable base  32  rotates, the respective convex portions  38  of the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  slide on the upper surface of the support tray  5 , and the friction is thereby reduced and the rotatable base  32  rotates smoothly. 
   In the case where printing is performed to two portions on the optical disk  100   a , the rotatable base  32  is rotated 180° after the first printing, so that the second printing is performed. Meanwhile, in the case where printing is performed to four portions on the optical disk  100   a , the rotatable base  32  is rotated 90° after the first printing, so that the second printing is performed. Then, the rotatable base  32  is rotated every 90° in a like manner, so that the third and fourth printing is performed. 
   A predetermined rotation angle at which the rotatable base  32  should be rotated is detected by the rotation position detection switch  50  and an output signal from the encoder  48 . For example, in the case where a predetermined rotation angle is 90°, this angle is detected with reference to the point that the number of output pulses from the encoder  48  reaches a predetermined number after the rotation position detection switch  50  detects the concave portion  51 . In the case where a predetermined rotation angle is 180°, this angle is detected with reference to the point that the number of output pulses from the encoder  48  reaches a predetermined number after the rotation position detection switch  50  detects the second concave portion  51 . When the predetermined rotation angle is detected, the drive of the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base is stopped, so that the rotatable base  32  stops. When rotation of the rotatable base  32  stops, the cushion sheet  61  is always provided at the position corresponding to the print operation area of the thermal head  58 . 
   When the rotatable base  32  rotates to the predetermined angle and the cushion sheet  61  is provided at the position corresponding to the print operation area of the thermal head  58 , the respective convex portions  38  fall in the respective concave portions  39  of the support tray  5  and fit thereto by the urging force of belleville-spring  36  as shown in  FIG. 6B . In other words, the rotatable base  32  is moved downward. By this movement, the rotatable base  32  is adhered to the support tray  5  through the friction sheet  40 , so that the rotatable base  32  is stably supported at the position with a predetermined rotation angle. 
   According to the above-structured printing apparatus, on the upper surface of the rotatable base  32  that supports the optical disk  100   a , the cushion sheet  61  is adhered to the area corresponding to the moving area of the thermal head  38  at the print operation time. The cushion sheet  61  has the size corresponding to the width of the row of heat elements of the thermal head  58  and the length of the movement thereof. For this reason, when the thermal head  58  presses against the surface of the optical disk  100   a , the cushion sheet  61  is equally elastically deformed in the direction of the heat element row of the thermal head  58 , so that the heat element row of the thermal head  58  comes in contact with the surface of the optical disk  100   a  uniformly as shown in  FIG. 11A . As a result, satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   In the case where the cushion sheet  61  is adhered to the entire area of the upper surface of the support tray  5  as shown in  FIG. 11B , the cushion sheet  61  is not equally elastically deformed because the optical disk  100   a  made of plastic plate material is bent as shown in  FIG. 11B  by the pressure of the thermal head  58 . For this reason, there occurs imbalance that pressing force at the central portion of the heat element row of the thermal head  58  is insufficient as compared with pressing force at both end portions thereof, exerting an unfavorable influence upon printing. 
   However, according to this embodiment, since the cushion sheet  61  has the size corresponding to the moving range of the thermal head  58 , pressing force becomes equal as each portion, so that satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 6B , the respective convex portions  38  of the rotatable base  32  are fit into the respective concave portions of the support tray  5 , and the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  is adhered to the upper surface of the support tray  5  through the friction sheet  40 . The rotatable base  32  is structured such that the convex portions  38  formed on the lower surface to reduce a resistance load at the time of rotating operation slide on the upper surface of the support tray  5 . However, at the predetermined rotation stop position of the rotatable base  32 , a space formed between the upper surface of the support tray  5  and the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  is eliminated, so that the optical disk  100   a  is stably supported against the pressing from the thermal head  58 . Moreover, this prevents accidental rotation of the rotatable base  32  when the thermal head  58  moves. 
   Furthermore, when the rotatable base  32  is driven to be rotated by the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base, the power is transmitted to the rotatable base  32  through the gear train including the worm gear  46 , that is, the worm gear  46 , the large gear  44   a  of the gear  44 , the small gear  44   b  of the gear  44 , and the gear  35 , so that the rotatable base  32  rotates clockwise as shown by an arrow in  FIG. 3 . Though this will be described later, the rotational operation of the rotatable base  32  and the moving operation of the thermal head  58  are performed not simultaneously but alternatively. The thermal head  58  performs printing as moving from the home position, which is the left end side of the frame  54  shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , to the right direction at the time of the print operation. In this way, at the printing portion on the rotatable base  32 , which is positioned at the front side of the support tray  5 , where the thermal head  58  moves to perform printing, such a relationship is established that the rotational directional of the rotatable base  32  and the moving direction of the thermal head  58  at the print operation time are opposite to each other. 
   When the thermal head  58  and the rotatable base  32  are alternatively driven, at the printing portion of the rotatable base  3 , for example, the thermal head  58  moves from the left to the right at the print operation time  2 . On the contrary to this, when the rotational direction of the rotatable base  32  and the moving direction of the thermal head  58  at the print operation time are the same as in the case that the rotation of the rotatable base  32  is anticlockwise, there is a fear that the rotatable base  32  will rotate slightly at the time when the thermal head  58  is started to move by backlash caused by play of mesh of the teeth in the gear train. However, according to this embodiment, since the rotational directional of the rotatable base  32  and the moving direction of the thermal head  58  at the print operation time are opposite to each other, no backlash occurs and slight rotation of the rotatable base  32  can be prevented, so that satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   As further explanation is given, friction between the thermal head  58  and the back surface of the ink ribbon is extremely small. While, large friction is generated between a surface, which is opposite to the back surface of the ink ribbon, where ink is coated and the surface of the optical disk  100   a  where the ink-coated surface abuts. Since the friction between the thermal head  58  and the back surface of the ink ribbon is extremely small and sliding occurs therebetween, no force is applied onto the optical disk  100   a  in accordance with the movement of the thermal head  58  even if the thermal head  58  moves on the optical disk  100   a . However, when slight friction is generated between the thermal head  58  and the back surface of the ink ribbon for some reason, this becomes power that allows the optical disk  100   a  to be moved in the direction corresponding to the moving direction of the thermal head  58  and acts on the support tray  5  through the optical disk  100   a , so that rotation is performed by the amount corresponding to the backlash of the gears which form the rotation drive mechanism of the support tray  5 . For this reason, according to this embodiment, the support tray  5  is stopped during the print operation and printing is performed in a state that the optical disk  100   a  as the printing object to be mounted standstill, and this prevents the printing object from moving during the print operation and an unfavorable influence from being exerted upon the printing result. 
   Moreover, the gear train includes the worm gear  46  having a merit that it has efficient control over a force applied from the side of the load opposite to the side of the drive source. This eliminates the accidental rotation of the rotatable base  32  and the rotatable base  32  is maintained in a fixed state without fail, so that satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   An explanation will be next given of the operation of the printer mechanism. 
   In the printer mechanism at a print standby time, the head arm  96  on the carriage  56  is held substantially horizontally and the thermal head  58  is placed at a print standby position spaced from the surface of the optical disk  100   a  by a fixed distance. Moreover, the carriage  56  stops at the home position set in the vicinity of the left end proton of the moving range. 
   Next, when printing is started, the drive motor  60  for a carriage is driven forward and the output gear  86  rotates anticlockwise. The rotational power of the output gear  86  is transmitted to the first, second, third and fourth gears  87   a ,  87   b ,  87   c , and  87   d . Then, the third gear  87   c , which meshes with the rack, rotates anticlockwise and thereby the carriage  56  is moved along the guide shaft  55  in the right direction. Moreover, the fourth gear  87   d  rotates and thereby the ribbon winding shaft  88  rotates in the ribbon winding direction together with the fourth gear  87   d . Accordingly, the winding core  84  in the ribbon cartridge  59 , which engages with the ribbon winding shaft  88 , rotates and thereby the ink ribbon  80  is sequentially wound and runs. 
   In parallel with this operation, the sun gear  92  of the swing clutch  91  is driven to be rotated by the rotation of the output gear  86 . In accordance with the rotation of the sun gear  92 , one planet gear  94   a  comes close to the cam gear  89  to mesh with the cam gear  89 . By this mesh, the rotational power of the sun gear  92  is transmitted to the cam gear  89 , so that the cam gear  89  rotates clockwise. 
   The cam gear  89  rotates clockwise in the forward direction and thereby the pin  98  in the cam groove  90  moves upward together with the head arm  96 . The head arm  96 , which moves with the pin  96 , rotates anticlockwise around the shaft  95 . By this rotation, the thermal head  58  moves downward and inclines with respect to the horizontal direction as shown in  FIG. 16B . 
   The tooth omitting portion (not shown) is formed on a part of the periphery of the cam gear  89 . When the cam gear  89  rotates by a fixed angle, the planet gear  94   a  falls in the omitting portion and runs idle. As a result, the thermal head  58  is held at the print position,  which maintains a predetermined inclination angle and which contacts the surface of the optical disk  100   a  to sandwich the ink ribbon  80  therebetween. In this case, the thermal head  58  comes in contact with the surface of the optical disk  100   a  at a predetermined pressure by elastic force due to the spring  97 . When the motor is further driven forward, since the planet gear  94   a  is positioned in the tooth omitting portion, the ink ribbon  80  is driven to be wound while the carriage  56  is moved in the right direction in a state that the thermal head  58  is maintained at the print position. 
   Then, at the same time with the movement of carriage  56  and the winding of ink ribbon  80 , the heating material of thermal head  58  is driven to be heated based on print data and ink of the rink ribbon  80  is sequentially melted, thermally transferred on the surface of the optical disk  100   a , so that a character such as predetermined letter, mark, and the like is printed on a predetermined print area corresponding to the moving range of the carriage  56  (thermal head  58 ). 
   When the thermal head  59  ends the printing, the motor  60  is driven reservedly and the output gear  86  rotates in a reverse direction (clockwise). By the reverse rotation of the output gear  86 , the third gear  87   c  also rotates reversely clockwise. In accordance with the reverse rotation of the third gear  87   c , the carriage  56  moves in the reverse direction (left direction) along the guide shaft  55 , and returns to the home position. 
   At this point, since the fourth gear  87   d  is coupled to the ribbon winding shaft  88  through the one-way clutch, the reverse rotating operation of the fourth gear  87   d  is not transmitted to the ribbon winding shaft  88  and the ribbon  80  is not wound. 
   At the same time, by the reverse rotation of the output gear  86 , the sun gear  92  of the swing clutch  91  rotates reversely. By the reverse rotation of the sun gear  92 , one planet gear  94  separates from the cam gear  89  and other planet gear  94   b  comes close to the cam gear  89 , and meshes therewith. By this mesh, the rotational power of the sun gear  92  is transmitted to the cam gear  89 , and the cam gear  89  rotates reversely anticlockwise. 
   Then, by the reverse rotation of the cam gear  89 , the pin  98  in the cam groove  90  moves downward together with the head arm  96 . Then, the head arm  96  rotates around the shaft  95  clockwise. By this rotation, the thermal head  58  moves upward and separates from the surface of the optical disk  100   a , and the head arm  96  returns to the initial horizontal state. In addition, the tooth omitting portion (not shown) is formed on a part of the periphery of the cam gear  89 . When the cam gear  89  rotates by a fixed angle and the thermal head  58  returns to the print standby position, the planet gear  94   b  falls in the omitting portion and runs idle. After the planet gear  94   b  falls in the omitting portion, only the carriage  56  moves in the reverse direction (left direction) by the rotation of the motor  60  in a state that the thermal head  58  is maintained at the print standby position. 
     FIG. 10  shows the structure of an electrical circuit of the printing apparatus according to this embodiment. The printing apparatus includes a control section  80 . A personal computer  68  is connected to the control section  70  by an USB cable  67  via an interface (I/F)  71 . 
   The control section  70  includes a ROM  72  and a RAM  73 . In the ROM  72 , program data such as a system program that controls the operation of each component of the printing apparatus in accordance with a print control signal from the personal computer  68  is stored. Moreover, in the RAM  73 , a memory that sores print data transmitted from the personal computer is included. 
   Further, the ink jet switch  2 , tray position detection switch  13  that detects the moving position of the support tray  5 , rotatable base&#39;s rotation position detection switch  50  that detects the rotation position of the rotatable base  32  on the support tray  5 , printing material kind detection switches  64  and  65  that detect the kind of printing object (to be explained in a second embodiment), and encoder  48  are connected to the control section  70 , respectively. Output signals of these components are supplied to the control section  70 . 
   Then, the motor  6  for a tray, drive motor  45  for a rotatable base, thermal head  58 , and drive motor  60  for a carriage are connected to the control section  70  via a drive circuit  70 , a drive circuit  76 , a drive circuit  77 , and a drive circuit  78 , respectively. 
   An explanation will be next given of print processing of the printing apparatus with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 14 . This print processing shows a case in which printing is performed to two areas P 1  and P 2  on the optical disk  100   a  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   The support tray  5  is drawn to the outside of the printing apparatus by the eject operation, and the optical disk  100   a  is set and moved into the apparatus. Also, a character string to be printed to two positions on the optical disk  100   a  is input from the keyboard of the personal computer  68 . Then, when printing is instructed from the personal computer  68 , print data corresponding to the input character string is generated by the personal computer  68  (step S 1 ), and print data for performing printing onto the area P 1 , i.e., the first portion on the optical disk  100   a  is transferred to the printing apparatus (step S 2 ). Moreover, a print start command is transferred to the printing apparatus from the personal computer  68  (step S 3 ). 
   The printing apparatus stores the print data for the area P 1 , i.e., the first portion received from the personal computer  68  to the RAM  73  (step S 4 ), and performs print processing to the area P 1 , the first portion on the optical disk  100   a  upon reception of the print start command (step  5 ). 
   More specifically, the control section  70  of the printing apparatus drives the motor  60  for a carriage forward, so that the thermal head  58  is moved to the print position that abuts against the label surface of the optical disk  100   a . The control section  70  transfers print data stored in the RAM  73  to the thermal head  58  one line by one as moving the carriage  56  from the home position along the moving path. The control section  70  performs thermal printing for a first portion to the label surface of the optical disk through the ink ribbon by driving the thermal head  58 . At the print time, on the upper surface of the support tray  5 , the cushion sheet  61  having the size corresponding to the moving range is provided on the area corresponding to the moving range of the thermal head  58 . For this reason, when the heat element row of the thermal head  58  presses against the label surface of the optical disk  100   a , the thermal head  58  comes in contact with the surface of the optical disk  100   a  uniformly because the cushion sheet  61  is equally elastically deformed in the aligning direction of the heat element row. Thereby, satisfactory printing is performed. When the thermal head  58  ends printing of all print data onto the first portion, the control section  70  stops the drive of the thermal head  58  and drives the drive motor  60  for a carriage reversely, so that the thermal head  58  is moved from the label surface of the optical disk  100   a  to a non-print position and the carriage  56  is moved to the home position. 
   Then, when the carriage returns to the home position, the drive motor  60  for a carriage is stopped, so that the first print operation is ended. When the printing ends, the printing apparatus sends a print end command to the personal computer  68  (step S 6 ). 
   The personal computer  68  that has received the print end command sends a rotation instruction command of support tray  5  to the printing apparatus (step S 7 ). Next, the printing apparatus drives the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base to rotate the rotatable base  32  clockwise. Then, when the rotatable base  32  rotates by a predetermined angle, the drive of the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base is stopped (step S 8 ). Here, the predetermined angle is 180°. Namely, as mentioned above, on the outer peripheral surface of the rotatable base  32 , the concave portions  51  are formed at 90 degrees intervals, and after the rotatable base&#39;s rotation position detection switch  50  detects the second concave portion  51 , the rotation angle at which the number of output pulses from the encoder  48  reaches a predetermined number is set to 180°. The drive of the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base is stopped when the rotation angle of 180° is detected based on the signals of the rotatable base&#39;s rotation position detection switch  50  and encoder  48 . 
   The rotatable base  32  rotates 180° and thereby the cushion sheet  61 , which is positioned at the opposite side of the cushion sheet  61 , is placed at the position corresponding to the print operation area of the thermal head  58 . This state becomes a predetermined stop position for the rotatable base  32  where the cushion sheet  61  is positioned to be opposite to the print operation area of the thermal head  58 . As mentioned above, at this position, the lower surface of the rotatable base  32 , which floats from the support tray  5  by contacting only the convex portion  38  during rotation, abuts against the upper surface of the support frame  5 . 
   When the rotation operation of the rotatable base  32  is ended, the printing apparatus sends a rotation end command to the personal computer  68  (step S 9 ). 
   Upon reception of the rotation end command from the printing apparatus, the personal computer  68  sends print data for the second area P 2 , i.e., a second portion on the optical disk  100   a  to the printing apparatus (step S 10 ), and sends a print start command (step S 11 ). 
   The printing apparatus stores print data for a second portion that has received from the personal computer  68  to the RAM  73  (step S 12 ), and performs print processing of print data for a second portion upon reception of the print start command (step S 13 ). In connection with this print processing, similar to step S 6 , the print operation of the printer mechanism is performed to the optical disk  100   a  that is held on the rotatable base  32  in a stationary manner. At this time, regarding the optical disk  100   a , the print area for a second portion on the optical disk  100   a  is positioned with respect to the printer mechanism by the rotation processing of step S 8 . When printing for a second portion on the optical disk  100   a  ends, the printing apparatus sends a print end command to the personal computer  68  (step S 14 ). 
   After that, the personal computer  68  sends an eject command for ejecting the support tray  5  (step S 15 ). Then, the printing apparatus that has received the command drives the drive motor  6  for a tray to eject the support tray  5  to the outside of the case  1  (step S 16 ). This makes it possible to take up the optical disk  100   a  having a desired character string on upper and lower areas P 1  and P 2  that sandwich a circular hole as a center. 
   Here, the direction in which the character strings to be printed on the areas P 1  and P 2  face may be arbitrarily controlled by a setting operation. For example, let a case be considered where the first print operation is performed to the first print area P 1  of the optical disk  100   a  shown in  FIG. 2  in a manner that the upper side of a character string “ABC” comes to the side of the circular hole of the optical disk  100   a , and a character string “EFG” is printed on the second print area P 2  of the optical disk  100   a  with the character string&#39;s lower side coming to the side of the circular hole of the optical disk  100   a . In the printing operation to be performed to the first area P 1 , print pattern data in which the characters in the character string “ABC” are expanded normally in the order of the characters is transferred to the thermal head  58  line by line in that order of the characters when the carriage  56  moves from left to right of  FIG. 2  (from upper side to lower side of  FIG. 1 ), thereby printing is performed. In the printing operation to be performed to the second area P 2 , printing is performed by transferring a print pattern in which the character string “EFG” is expanded in a manner that it is turned upside down and left-side right, to the thermal head  58  line by line. Or, print pattern data in which the characters are laid in the normal order may be expanded, and may be read out reversely and turned upside down when it is transferred to the thermal head  58 . Additionally, in the case where the character strings to be printed to the areas P 1  and P 2  should be both laid out with their upper sides coming to the side of the circular hole, print pattern data in which the characters are laid in the normal order may be generated and transferred to the thermal head  58  in the order of the characters in each printing operation. 
   In addition, the printing apparatus sent the end command to the personal computer  68  every time when print processing and rotation processing ended, and received the start command for next processing from the personal computer  68 . However, the printing apparatus may, at first, receive print data for two portions and the print start command from the personal computer  68 , and all of a series of processing thereafter may be controlled to be performed by only the printing apparatus. Moreover, a keyboard, a display section, memory of character fonts may be provided to the printing apparatus to have the function of accepting data input, the function of editing input data, and the function of generating printed data, and thereby all processing and control may be singly performed by the printing apparatus without the need of connecting to the personal computer  68 . 
   As explained above, according to the first embodiment, after printing for a first portion is performed to the label surface of the optical disk  100   a , the rotatable base  32  on which the optical disk  100   a  is mounted is automatically rotated by a predetermined angle to perform printing for a second portion. Accordingly, such a complicated task is not needed that the support tray  5  is ejected to change the direction of the optical disk  100   a  every time when printing is performed to the other portion subsequent to performing printing to one portion of the label surface of the optical disk  100   a . This makes it possible to provide printing to a plurality of portions of the surface of the optical disk  100   a  easily and efficiently. 
   Moreover, in this printing apparatus, at the time of performing print processing to the first and second portions in steps S 5  and S 13 , the thermal head  58  and the drive motor  60  for a carriage are driven to perform a print operation. During the print operation, the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base that drives the support tray  5  stops driving, and the support tray  5  is in a stationary state. Further, in step S 8 , when the support tray  5  is driven to be rotated, the print operation is in a stop state. In this way, printing means and rotation driving means are selectively driven and both are not simultaneously driven and this provides advantages in which peak consumption power of the driving apparatus can be reduced, the scale of the driving power supply to be mounted on the printing apparatus can be decreased, and the driving power circuit can be made compact at low cost. 
   (Second Embodiment) 
   An explanation will be next given of the printing apparatus of the second embodiment. 
   The printing apparatus of the first embodiment was used to perform printing to the label of the optical disk  100   a . The printing apparatus of the second embodiment has the function capable of performing printing to both the label of the optical disk  100   a  and paper material. 
   Generally, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the optical disk  100   a  such as CD-R and the like is contained in a transparent case  100   b , and paper material  100   c  such as a cover, jacket, and the like is further contained in the case  100   b . The paper material  100   c  has a rectangular shape whose one side, which is substantially the same length as the diameter of the disk-like optical disk  100   c.    
   In the printing apparatus of this embodiment, such the optical disk  100   a  and paper material  100   c  are used as printing objects. The rotatable base  32  has a circular shape corresponding to the disk-like optical disk  100   a , and the support tray  5  has a rectangular shape corresponding to the paper material  100   c.    
   Then, at the time of printing the title and the like to the optical disk  100   a , the optical disk  100   a  is mounted on the rotatable base  32 , and at the time of printing the title and the like to the paper material  100   c , the paper material  100   c  is mounted on the support tray  5  including the rotatable base  32 .  FIG. 12  shows a state where the paper material  100   c  is mounted on the support tray  5  which is drawn out of the apparatus, and  FIG. 13  shows a state where the support tray on which the paper material  100   c  is mounted is moved to a predetermined print position in the apparatus. 
   Then, since the printing apparatus of the embodiment makes it possible to perform printing to a different printing object, the kinds of printing objects are detected to allow print processing to be executed accordingly. 
   Namely, a gate-like frame  63 , which is positioned at the back side of the frame  54 , is attached onto the base  3  of the case  1 . A pair of first and second detection switches  64  and  65  as kind detection means for detecting the kind of printing object is attached to the lower surface of the frame  63 . The first and second detection switches  64  and  65  are spaced from each other to have a predetermined distance in a width direction of the case  1 . The first detection switch  64  is attached to substantially the intermediate portion of the frame  63 , and the second detection switch  65  is attached to the position biased to one end of the frame  63 . 
   Then, the optical disk  100   a  is mounted on the rotatable base  32 , and when the support tray  5  is drawn into the case  1  and inserted thereto in this state, the peripheral portion of the optical disk  100   a  comes in contact with an actuator  64   a  of the first detection switch  64  as shown in  FIG. 8A , so that the first detection switch  64  is turned on. At this time, the optical disk  100   a  does not come in contact with the second detection switch  65 , and the second detection switch  65  therefore remains being turned off. Also, the paper material  100   c  is mounted on the support tray  5  as shown in  FIG. 12 , and when the support tray  5  is drawn into the case  1  and inserted thereto as shown in  FIG. 13  in this state, the peripheral portion of the paper material  100   c  comes in contact with an actuator  64   a  of the first detection switch  64 , so that the first detection switch  64  is turned on. At the same time, as shown in  FIG. 8B , the peripheral portion of the paper material  100   c  comes in contact with an actuator  65   a  of the second detection switch  65 , so that the second detection switch  65  is turned on. The kind of printing object can be judged by the operational combination of such two detection switches. 
     FIG. 17  is a flowchart showing print processing of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment. 
   In this print processing, either the optical disk  100   a  or paper material  100   c  as a printing object is set on the support tray  5 . Two portions are preset as printing portions. 
   First, the printing apparatus receives print data for two portions transferred from the personal computer  68  (step S 101 ), and stores the print data to the RAM  73  (step S 102 ). Sequentially, the printing apparatus receives a print start command from the personal computer  68  (step S 103 ). 
   The control section  70  of the printing apparatus drives the drive motor  60  for a carriage forward to move the thermal head  58  to the print position abutting against the label surface of the optical disk  100   a . The control section  70  transfers print data for the first portion stored in the RAM  73  to the thermal head  58  one line by one as moving the carriage  56  from the home position along the moving path. The control section  70  performs thermal printing to the printing object through the ink ribbon by driving the thermal head  58 . After printing, the control section  70  drives the drive motor  60  for a carriage reversely to return the thermal head  58  to the home position (step S 104 ). 
   At the print time, on the upper surface of the support tray  5 , the cushion sheet  61  having the size corresponding to the moving range is provided on the area corresponding to the moving range of the thermal head  58 . For this reason, when the thermal head  58  presses against the label surface of the paper material  100   c  equally, so that satisfactory printing can be performed. 
   Next, the control section  70  determines the kind of printing object based on the operation states of the first and second detection switches  64  and  65  (step S 105 ). The control section  70  determines that the printing object is the optical disk  100   a  when the first detection switch  64  is ON and the second detection switch  65  is OFF. While, the control section  70  determines that the printing object is the paper material  100   c  when both the first detection switch  64  and the second detection switch  65  are ON. 
   When the printing object is determined as the optical disk  100   a  in step S 105 , the control section  70  drives the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base to rotate the rotatable base  32  clockwise in order to perform printing for a second portion to the label surface of the optical disk  100   a . After that, when rotating the rotatable base  32  180°, the control section  70  stops the drive of the motor  45  based on signals from the rotation position detection switch  50  and the encoder  48  (step S 106 ). 
   Then, the control section  70  performs printing for a second portion to the label surface of the optical disk  100   a  (step S 107 ). When the print processing for a second portion is ended, the control section  70  drives the drive motor  6  for a tray to eject the support  5  to the outside of the case  1 , and ends the processing (step S 108 , END). 
   When determining that the printing object is the paper material  100   c  after the end of the printing for a first portion, the control section  70  drives the drive motor  45  for a rotatable base to drive the drive motor  6  for a tray without rotating the support tray  5  180°, and ejects the support tray  5  to the outside of the apparatus (step S 109 ). 
   The user extracts the paper material  100   c  from the ejected support tray  5 , and rotates the paper material 100 c  180° manually in the horizontal plane to change the direction. In this state, the user mounts the paper material  100   c  on the support tray  5  again to make preparations for printing for a second portion. 
   After that, a standby state for print restart instruction is set. For example, when judging that that the print restart is instructed by the eject switch operation done by the user (step S 110 ), the control section  70  drives the drive motor  6  for a tray to pull the support tray  5  to the print position of the apparatus (step S 111 ). After the support tray  5  moves to a predetermined position of the apparatus, the control section  70  performs print processing for a second portion in the same way as the print processing for a first portion (step S 112 ). When the print processing for a second portion is ended, the control section  70  ejects the support tray  5  to the outside of the apparatus and ends the processing (step S 113 , END). 
   In the printing apparatus of the second embodiment, since the printing area is set to a plurality of portions of the label surface of the optical disk  100   a , the optical disk  100   a  is driven to be rotated in the apparatus. Moreover, in terms of the structure in which printing means and rotation driving means are selectively driven, the same effect as the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment can be obtained. 
   It is assumed that when the size of one size of the paper material  100   c  is substantially the same as the diameter of the optical disk a, the rotatable base  32  is rotated in the case  1  to change the direction of the paper material  100   c  automatically to deal with the printing to a plurality of portions after the printing to one portion is ended. In this case, a rotation diameter of the rectangular paper material  100   c  is equal to the length of a diagonal line, and the length becomes larger than the diameter of the disk-like optical disk  100   a . For this reason, there is a need to increase the size of the support tray  5  that supports these two printing objects and the size of the case  1  that contains in consideration of the rotation of the square paper material  100   c , with the result that the entirety of the printing apparatus will be enlarged. 
   However, in the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment, the rotatable base  32  is rotated in the case  1  to change the direction automatically on only the case of the disk-like optical disk  100   a . In the case of the rectangular paper material  100   c , the support tray  5  is ejected to change the direction manually every time when one printing ends. For this reason, the width of the support tray  5  is made a little larger than the diameter of the optical disk  100   a , thereby eliminating the need for increasing the size up to the length of the diagonal line of the paper material  100   c , so that the entirety of the printing apparatus can be miniaturized. 
   Additionally, before the printing is started, the support tray  5  is ejected to the outside of the apparatus by the eject operation to set the printing object on the support tray  5 . At this time, the rotatable base  32  is rotated in the apparatus in advance and placed at a predetermined stop position based on the signals from the rotation position detection switch  50  and the encoder  48 , thereafter being moved to the outside of the apparatus. 
   As a result, even if the rotatable base  32  is rotated by some external forces and detached from the predetermined stop position, it is possible to place the rotatable base  32  at the predetermined stop position by this positioning process at the time when the printing object is set. 
   (Third Embodiment) 
   An explanation will be next given of the printing apparatus having the apparatus structure which is appropriate to perform printing to a plurality of printing objects each having a different size. 
     FIG. 18  is a perspective view showing the entirety of a printing apparatus according to this embodiment.  FIGS. 19 and 20  are a side view and a front view, each showing the structure of the main parts of the printing apparatus. 
   This printing apparatus includes a box-shape case  101  with the shorter side at the top as an apparatus main body. On both outer side surfaces of the bottom of the case  101 , there is formed a leg portion  102  to stabilize placement to an installing surface. The case  101  is installed uprightly on the installing surface with the leg portion  102  at the bottom. 
   A base  103  is provided in the case  101 , and a tray  121 , which supports an optical recording medium as a printing object such as CD-R and the like, is formed on the base  103 . Moreover, in the case  101 , there is provided a printer section  135  that performs printing of title and the like on data recorded on the optical recording medium to the surface (label surface) of the optical recording medium supported by the tray  121 . 
   This printing apparatus is structured such that printing can be performed to a plurality of optical recording media each having a different outer shape and a size. The respective recording media including a CR-R  170   a  with a diameter of 12 cm (hereinafter simply referred to as optical recording medium or large disk), a CR-R  170   b  with a diameter of 8 cm (hereinafter simply referred to as optical recording medium or small disk), and a card-shape CD-R  170   c  (hereinafter simply referred to as optical recording medium or card type) can be attached to the tray  121  and printing can be performed to the respective optical recording media by the printer section  135 . 
   The tray  121  has a rectangular plate-like tray main body  122 . At one side surface of the tray main body  122  to be used as a disk support surface  123  that supports the optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c , there is provided a rotatable base  125 , which is rotatable around a rotating shaft  124  and which supports the optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c.    
   A cushion sheet  126  is adhered to the surface of the rotatable base  125 . At the central portion thereof, a plurality of engaging claws  127 , which engages with the inner periphery of a circular hole  171  of each of the optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c , is formed to be projected from the surface of the rotatable base  125 . The engaging claws  127  have a projection height to such a degree that they do not project through the label surface of each of the optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c . The optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c  are held by the rotatable base  125 . 
   The tray  121  is placed in the case  101  in a state that the disk support surface  123  is directed substantially vertically. The tray  121  is guided along guide rails  104   a  and  104   b  provided on the base  103  at upper and lower positions in the case  101  to be movable to the inside and outside of the apparatus. 
   A rack  128  is provided at the side edge of the lower side of the tray main body  122 . In the case  101 , there is provided a stepping motor (tray driving motor)  107  that rotates a drive gear  105  forward and reversely through the drive gear  105 , which meshes with a rack  128 , and a gear train  106 . Then, the motor  107  is driven forward by the operation of an eject button  109  provided on a front panel  108  of the case  101 , so that the tray  121  placed at a containing position in the apparatus is ejected to the outside of the apparatus from an opening portion  110  formed at the front surface of the case  101 . Moreover, the motor  107  is driven reversely by the operation of the eject button  109 , so that the tray  121  placed at the outside of the apparatus is moved to the containing position in the apparatus. Furthermore, as explained later, this printing apparatus is structured such that the tray drive motor  107  is driven to move the tray  121  to a predetermined position in the apparatus by control of the control section at a print operating time in order that the position of the print area set to each optical recording medium is made correspond to the printer section  135  in accordance with the kind of the optical recording medium. 
   Additionally, in the case  101 , there is provided a position detection switch  111  that detects that the tray  121  is moved to the containing position in the apparatus. Further, there is provided a position detection switch  112  that detects that the tray  121  is moved to an eject position, which is the outside of the apparatus, where the optical recording medium is attachable and detachable. Based on the signals from these position detection switches  111  and  112 , the drive of the motor  107  is controlled, so that the tray  121  is controlled to be stopped at a predetermined stop position in the inside and outside of the case  101 . These position detection switches  111  and  112  are actuated by projections for a switch operation (not shown) provided on the tray main body  122 . 
   Moreover, in the case  101 , at three portions, there are provided three medium detection switches  114 ,  115 , and  116  that detect the presence or absence of the attachment of the optical recording medium to the tray  121  and the kind of the attached optical recording medium. Each of these switches  114 ,  115 ,  116  has an actuator that projects to the rotatable base  125  of the tray  121 . When the optical recording medium is placed at the position on the rotatable base  125  corresponding to the position of the relevant switch, the actuator operates by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the optical recording medium to turn on the switch. 
     FIG. 23  shows the relationship in the position between three kinds of optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c  supported by the rotatable base  125  and three medium detection switches  113 ,  114 ,  115 , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 23 , when the large disk  170   a  is attached to the tray  121 , all switches are turned ON since the positions of three switches  114 ,  115 ,  116  correspond to the large disk  170   a . When the small disk  170   b  is attached to the tray  121 , only one switch  115 , which corresponds to the small disk  170   b , is turned ON. When the card type  170   c  is attached thereto, two switches  115  and  116  are turned ON. When there is no recording medium on the tray  121 , all switches are turned OFF. 
   The rotatable base  125  provided on the tray  121  has the rotating shaft  124  at its center, and the rotating shaft  124  is rotatably supported by the tray main body  122  to be rotatable to the tray main body  122 . A stepping motor (rotatable base drive motor)  129 , which is provided at the back surface side of the disk support surface  123  of the tray main body  122 , is used as a drive source and driving force of the motor  129  is transmitted to the rotating shaft  124 , so that the rotatable base  125  is driven to be rotated clockwise. 
   In addition, the tray main body  122  is provided with a rotation position detection switch  131 , which detects a rotation angle of the rotatable base  125  to control the drive of the motor  129 . The detection switch  131  is actuated by projections for a switch operation (not shown) provided on two portions of the outer periphery of the rotatable base  125  to be opposed 180°. The stop position of the rotatable base  125  can be detected by the actuation of the switch  131 . 
   Moreover, in the case  101 , there is provided the printer section  135 , which is placed at the disk support surface  123  of the tray  121  to be opposite to the rotatable base  125  and which is composed of a thermal transfer printer. 
   The printer section  135  includes a bridge-shape printer frame  136 . Leg portions  137   a  and  137   b , which are provided at both end portions of the printer frame  136 , are fixed to the base  103  of the case  101 . A vertical frame portion  137 , which is vertically stretched between the leg portions  137   a  and  137   b , is placed to be biased to the front side of the case  101  from the rotation center portion of the rotatable base  125 . 
   The printer frame  136  supports a carriage  141  equipped with a thermal head  142  and forms a running path where the carriage  141  is moved back and forth vertically along the rotatable base  125 . A guide shaft  138 , which guides the carriage  141  slidably, is provided in parallel with a vertical frame portion  137   c . Moreover, a rack  139  and a guide rail  140  are provided along an opposite face side to the rotatable base  125  of the vertical frame portion  137   c . The rack  139  meshes with a drive gear  144  provided at the carriage  141  when the carriage  141  runs. The guide rail  140  guides the carriage  141 . The carriage  141  is structured in a self-propelling system in which the drive gear  144  is driven by the equipped stepping motor (carriage drive motor)  143  to move back and forth along the rack  139 . 
   A ribbon cartridge  161 , which contains an ink ribbon  162  for thermal transfer printing, is attached to the front side of the carriage  141 . The ribbon cartridge  161  is replaceable by opening a printer cover  118  provided at the front of the case  101 . 
   Next, the printer section  135  will be further explained based on  FIGS. 21A  and  FIG. 21B .  FIGS. 21A and 21B  correspond to  FIGS. 16A and 16B  explained in the first embodiment, and the printer section  135  of this embodiment has substantially the same structure as the structure of the printer mechanism of the first embodiment. For the convenience of the explanation, different reference numerals are added to the components common to the printer mechanism of the first embodiment. However, the functions and operations are the same. In the explanation set forth below, though some are duplicated, the structure of the printer section  135  is briefly described and the functions and operations of the respective components will be omitted. 
   The thermal head  142  is provided at the front of the carriage  141 . In the carriage  141 , there are provided a running drive mechanism of the carriage  141 , a head moving mechanism of the thermal head  142 , and a winding mechanism of the ink ribbon  162 . The stepping motor  143 , which is a starting source for these mechanisms and which rotatable forward and reversely, is attached to the back surface of the carriage  141 . 
   The ribbon cartridge  161  includes a case  163 . On the case  163 , a concave portion  164  to which the thermal head  142  is inserted. In the case  163 , a ribbon supply core  165  and a ribbon winding core  166  are provided. The ink ribbon  162  paid out from the ribbon supply core  165  is guided by a plurality of guide pins  167 , and is wound around the wind core  166  through the concave portion  164  where the thermal head  142  is positioned. 
   In the carriage  141 , there is provided an output gear  145  attached to an output shaft of the stepping motor  143 , and a large-diameter gear  146   a  meshes with the output gear  145 . Moreover, a small-diameter gear  146   b  provided coaxially with the large-diameter gear  146   a  meshes with the drive gear  144  that meshes with the rack  139 . The drive gear  144  meshes with the ribbon winding gear  147 . Moreover, a ribbon winding shaft  148  is provided coaxially with a rotating shaft of the ribbon winding gear  147  through a one-way clutch (not shown). The ribbon winding shaft  148  projects to the front of the carriage  141  to engage with the winding core  166  of the ribbon cartridge  161 . In addition, one engaging portion is provided at the opposing surface of each of the large-diameter gear  146   a  and small-diameter gear  146   b  with an equal distance in the radial direction from the shaft. When the motor  143  rotates reversely, there is provided a drive delay mechanism in which when the motor  143  rotates reversely, the large-diameter  146   a  rotates by a predetermined angle and the rotation drive to the small-diameter gear  146   b  from the large-diameter gear  146   a  is not transmitted during the time before the engaging portion of the large-diameter gear  146   a  engages with that of the small-diameter gear  146   b.    
   Moreover, a cam gear  149  is provided in the carriage  141 . The cam gear  149  is provided with an arc-shape cam groove  150 , which is off-centered against the center of the rotation. Then, a swing clutch  151  is formed between the cam gear  149  and the output gear  145 . 
   The swing clutch  151  is composed of a sun gear  152 , which meshes with the output gear  145 , and a pair of planet gears  154   a  and  154   b , which mesh with the sun gear  152  and which are supported to be movable in the circumferential direction of the sun gear  152  through an arm  153 . 
   In the carriage  141 , there is provided a head arm  155  to which the thermal head  142  is attached to be rotatable around the center of a shaft  156 . The head arm  155  is urged anticlockwise by a spring  157  provided at one end side in a tensioned state. Further, the head arm  155  is provided with a pin  158  close to the one end. The pin  158  is slidably inserted to the cam groove  150  of the cam gear  149 . 
   Referring back to  FIG. 18 , an area P on the rotatable base  125  shown by a broken line indicates a range where when the tray  121  is contained at a predetermined containing position in the case  101 , the thermal head  142  moves along the rotatable base  125 . The strip range P becomes a print area to the optical recording medium. A width W of the strip range P corresponds to a width of a heating element column of the thermal head  142 , and a length L is a distance where the thermal head  142  is movable. 
   Moreover, in  FIG. 18 , A 1 ,A 2 , B 1 , B 2 , C 1 , and C 2  show print areas of the optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b ,  170   c  where printing is performed by the printer section  135 . The printing apparatus performs title printing by one or twice print operations. For example, in connection with the large disk  170   a , title printing is performed to the print area A 1  by one print operation, or title printing is performed to two portions of the print areas A 1  and A 2  by twice print operations. The print areas A 1  and A 2  are symmetrically positioned with a circular hole therebetween. In a case where printing is performed to these two areas, after performing printing to the first area A 1 , the rotatable base drive motor  129  is driven to rotate the rotatable base  125  180° to make the area A 2  correspond to the printer section  135 . The rotation drive mechanism of the rotatable base  125  using the rotatable base drive motor  129  as a drive source that places the print position for a second portion to the printer section  135 . The relevant rotation drive mechanism is driven before the second printing is started after the end of the first printing, and the operation stops to hold the optical recording medium stationary on the rotatable base  125  during the execution of printing of the printer section  135 . 
   Each of  FIGS. 22A ,  22 B, and  22 C shows a relationship in the position between the position of each print area and the printer section  135  when each of the plurality kinds of optical recording media  170   a ,  170   b , and  170   c  is attached to the tray  121 .  FIG. 22  show the positions of optical recoding media on the tray  121 , respectively when the tray  121  is drawn to the containing position of the innermost side of the apparatus. This position of the tray  121  is the initial position of the tray  121  at the time the printing operation is started by the printing apparatus, and this position can be detected by the position detection switch  111 . 
   As mentioned above, the tray  121  is provided to be movable to the case  101 . However, the printer section  135  is provided to be fixed to a predetermined position in the apparatus and the movable range of the thermal head  142  is also fixed to a predetermined position. In  FIG. 23 , the print area A 1  of the large disk  170   a  has a width W and a length L 1 , the print area B 1  of the small disk  170   b  has a width W and a length L 2 , and the print area C 1  of the card type  170   c  has a width Wand a length L 3 . Each width W of the print areas A 1 , B 1 , and C 1  is equal to the effective print width W corresponding to the width of the heating element column of the thermal head  142 . Regarding the lengths of the respective print areas, L 1  is the longest, and L 3  and L 2  follow in order. The movable distance L of the thermal head  142  is larger than L 1 . Moreover, in  FIG. 22 , reference numeral  171  denotes a center line of the tray  121  and a central line of each of the respective optical recording media  170   a  to  170   c  attached to the tray  121  in the moving direction to the case  101 . The center line  171  is also a center line of each of the print areas A 1 , B 1  and C 1  of the respective optical recording media  170   a  to  170   c  in the length direction. Each of  172   a ,  172   b , and  172   c  is a center line of each of the respective optical recording media  170   a  to  170   c  in the axial direction, and this center line and the center line  171  of the tray  121  in the moving direction intersect each other at right angles.  172   a  is also a center line of the width (effective print width) of the heat element row of the thermal head  142  moving on the tray  121  in accordance with movement of the carriage  141  at the printing time. Symbols a and b show a distance between the center line  172   a  and the center line  172   b  and a distance between the center line  172   a  and the center line  172   c , respectively. Here, a is smaller than b. 
   As shown in  FIG. 22 , the center line of the print area A 1  of the large disk  170   a  in the axial direction coincides with the center line of the heat element row of the thermal head  142  in the axial direction. The printing to the large disk  170   a  is performed when the tray  121  is placed at the predetermined containing position where it is drawn to the innermost side in the apparatus. The center of the small disk  170   b  in the axial direction of the print area B 1  is placed at the position, which is separated by distance a to the outside of the apparatus from the center line  172   a , which is the center of the width of the heat element row of the thermal head  142 . Accordingly, the printing is performed at the position where the tray  121  is moved by the corresponding amount to the outside of the apparatus from the containing position. Moreover, the center of the card type  170   c  in the axial direction of the print area C 1  is placed at the position, which is separated by distance b to the outside of the apparatus from the center line  172   a  , which is the center of the width of the thermal head  142 . Accordingly, the printing is performed at the position where the tray  121  is moved by the corresponding amount to the outside of the apparatus from the containing position. 
   Furthermore, in  FIG. 22 , the position where the center line  171  and center line  172   a  intersect each other becomes the home position of the thermal head  142  of the printer section  135 . The printer section  135  drives the thermal head  142  to perform printing when the carriage  141  moves from the upper to the lower. Accordingly, the print area A 1  has the print start position which is placed upward by L 1 /2 from the home position, and the print end position, which is placed downward by L 1  therefrom. Similarly, the print area B 1  has the print start position which is placed upward by L 2 /2 from the home position, and the print end position, which is placed downward by L 2  therefrom. The print area C 1  has the print start position which is placed upward by L 3 /2 from the home position, and the print end position, which is placed downward by L 3  therefrom. 
   Additionally, the print areas A 2 , B 2 , and C 2  where printing is performed to the respective optical recording media  170   a  to  170   c  by the second print operation are symmetrically positioned with respect to the first print areas A 1 , B 1 , C 1  and the circular hole  171 . 
     FIG. 24  shows the structure of an electronic circuit of the printing apparatus according to this embodiment. This printing apparatus includes a control section  180 . A personal computer  183  is connected to the control section  180  by an USB cable  182  via an interface (I/F)  180 . 
   The control section  180  includes a ROM  184  and a RAM  185 . In the ROM  184 , program data such as a system program that controls the operation of each component of the printing apparatus in accordance with a print control signal from the external personal computer  68  is stored. Moreover, in the ROM  184 , there is provided a print area position information storing area  184   a  that stores data of the position on the print area set according to the kind of the optical medium.  FIG. 25  shows one example of the relevant position data. As shown in the figure, position data is composed of data  1  (data on an amount of tray movement), data  2  (data on an amount of carriage movement from the home position to the print start position) and data  3  (data on an amount of carriage movement from the print start position to the print end position) which correspond to the optical recording media. Moreover, the RAM  185  includes a memory that stores print data sent from the personal computer  183 , a counter that counts the number of times of printing, and the like. 
   Further, the inkjet switch  109 , tray position detection switches  111 ,  112 , tray rotation position detection switch  131 , medium detection switches  114 ,  115 ,  116 , and a switch  119  that detects the home position of the carriage  141  are connected to the control section  180 , respectively. Output signals of these components are supplied to the control section  180 . 
   Then, the tray drive motor  107 , rotatable base drive motor  129 , carriage drive motor  143 , and thermal head  142  are connected to the control section  180  via a drive circuit  186 , a drive circuit  187 , a drive circuit  188 , and a drive circuit  189 , respectively. 
     FIG. 26  is a flowchart showing print processing of the printing apparatus. 
   At the time of starting this print processing, the tray  121  on which a print-object optical recording medium is mounted is drawn to the containing position of the innermost side of the apparatus. 
   Print data to be printed on the label surface of the optical recording medium generated and edited by the personal computer  183 , data on the number of print portions, and a print start command are transferred to the printing apparatus, and transferred data is stored to the RAM  185  (step S 201 ). 
   First, the control section  180  detects the operation states of the medium detection switches  114 ,  115 , and  116 , and determines the kind of the optical recording medium attached to the tray  121  based on the detection (steps S 202 , S 203 ). 
   When determining that the large disk  170   a  with a diameter of 12 cm is attached to the tray  121 , the control section  180  reads data corresponding to the large disk  170   a  from the print area position information storing area  184   a  (step S 204 ). Sequentially, the control section  180  drives the carriage drive motor  143  reversely to move the carriage  141 , which has stopped at the home position, to the upper print start position upward by L 1 /2 (step S 205 ). 
   After that, when the carriage drive motor  143  is driven forward, the thermal head  142  first moves down and abuts against the label surface of the large disk  170   a , and movement of the carriage  141  and ink ribbon winding are started later. The control section  180  drives the thermal head  142  in accordance with these operations, and performs printing based on first print data during distance L 1  of the downward movement of carriage  141  (steps S 206  and S 207 ). When the thermal head  142  moves to the print end position where it has moved by L 1  from the print start position and the first printing ends, the control section  180  drives the carriage drive motor  143  reversely. Thereby, the thermal head  142  first moves up from the print operation position. Sequentially, the carriage  141  starts to move upward (steps S 207  and S 208 ). 
   When it is determined that the carriage  142  has returned to the home position (step S 209 ), a counter K, which shows the number of times of printing to be set in the RAM  185 , is incremented (step S 210 ). The control section  180  determines a counter value (step S 211 ) and data N of the number of printing portions to be set (step S 212 ). When K is 1 and N is 2, the rotatable base drive motor  129  is driven and the rotatable base  125  rotates  180  (step S 213 ). As a result, an area where second printing should be performed is placed to correspond to the printer section  135 . 
   When the second printing is performed by repeating processing in steps S 204  to S 209  in the same way as the first printing, the counter K is incremented and the value becomes 2 (steps S 210  and S 211 ). Accordingly, the control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  forward to eject the tray  121  to the outside of the apparatus, and ends processing (step S 214 , END). 
   When it is determined that the value of K is 2 in step S 211 , all printing to two print portions is ended. When it is determined that the value of K is 1 in step S 211 , the number of set print portions is one and printing is not yet ended. For this reason, in either case, the control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  to eject the tray  212  to the outside of the apparatus and ends processing (step S 214 , END). 
   Next, it is determined that the optical recording medium attached to the tray  121  is the small disk  170   b  with a diameter of 8 cm in step S 203 , the control section  180  reads data, which corresponds to the small disk  170   b , from the storing area  184   a  the ROM  184  (step S 215 ). The control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  forward to move the tray  121  toward the outside of the apparatus by a. The amount of movement of the tray  121  is controlled by the number of drive steps of the tray drive motor  107  (step S 216 ). 
   Next, the control section  180  drives the carriage drive motor  143  reversely to move the carriage  141 , which has stopped at the home position, to the print start position upward by L 2 /2 (step S 217 ). After that, when the carriage drive motor  143  is driven forward, the thermal head  142  first moves down and abuts against the label surface of the small disk  170   b , and movement of the carriage  141  and winding of the ink ribbon  161  are started later. The control section  180  drives the thermal head  142  in accordance with these operations, and performs printing based on first print data during distance L 2  of the movement of carriage  141  (step S 218 ). 
   When the thermal head  142  moves to the print end position where it has moved by L 2  from the print start position and the first printing ends (step S 219 ), the control section  180  drives the carriage drive motor  143  reversely to return the carriage  141  to the home position (steps S 208  and S 209 ). At the same time, the control section  180  counts the number of times of printing using the printing number counter K and checks the number of set print portions (steps S 210 , S 211 , and S 212 ). When the second printing is not yet finished, the control section  180  rotates the rotatable base  125  by 180° to position the second print area to the printer section  135  (step S 213 ), and returns to step S 203  to perform the second print processing in the same way as the first print processing. 
   Then, when the second printing is performed by repeating processes of steps S 215  to S 219  and steps S 208  to S 209 , the counter K is incremented and the value shown by the counter K becomes 2 (steps S 210 , and S 211 ). Then, the control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  to eject the tray  121  to the outside of the apparatus and finishes the process (step S 214 , END). 
   In the case where it is determined in step S 211  that the value of K is 2, it means that the printing operations to all of the two print positions have been finished. Further, in the case where it is determined in step S 212  that the value of N is 1, this means that the set number of print positions is 1, and the printing operation to the one print position has been finished. Therefore, in both of the cases, the control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  to eject the tray  121  to the outside of the apparatus, and ends the process (step S 214 , END). 
   Next, it is determined that the optical recording medium attached to the tray  121  is the card type  170   c  in step S 203 , the control section  180  reads data, which corresponds to the card type  170   c , from the storing area  184   a  of the ROM  184  (step S 220 ). The control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  forward to move the tray  121  toward the outside of the apparatus by b (step S 221 ). 
   Next, the control section  180  drives the carriage drive motor  143  reversely to move the carriage  141 , which has stopped at the home position, to the print start position upward by L 3 /2 (step S 222 ). After that, when the carriage drive motor  143  is driven forward, the thermal head  142  first moves down and abuts against the label surface of the card type  170   c , and movement of the carriage  141  and winding of the ink ribbon  162  are started later. The control section  180  drives the thermal head  142  in accordance with these operations, and performs printing based on first print data during distance L 3  of the downward movement of carriage  141  (step S 223 ). 
   When the thermal head  142  moves to the print end position where it has moved by L 3  from the print start position and the first printing ends (step S 224 ), the control section  180  drives the carriage drive motor  143  reversely to return the carriage  141  to the home position (steps S 208  and S 209 ). At the same time, the control section  180  counts the number of times of printing using the printing number counter K and checks the number of set print portions (steps S 210 , S 211 , and S 212 ). When the second printing is not yet finished, the control section  180  rotates the rotatable base  125  by 180° to position the second print area to the printer section  135  (step S 213 ), and returns to step S 203  to perform the second print processing in the same way as the first print processing. 
   Then, when the second printing is performed by repeating processes of steps S 215  to S 219  and steps S 208  to S 209 , the counter K is incremented and the value shown by the counter K becomes 2 (steps S 210 , and S 211 ). Then, the control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  to eject the tray  121  to the outside of the apparatus and finishes the process (step S 214 , END). 
   In the case where it is determined in step S 211  that the value of K is 2, it means that the printing operations to all of the two print positions have been finished. Further, in the case where it is determined in step S 212  that the value of N is 1, this means that the set number of print positions is 1, and the printing operation to the one print position has been finished. Therefore, in both of the cases, the control section  180  drives the tray drive motor  107  to eject the tray  121  to the outside of the apparatus, and ends the process (step S 214 , END). 
   As explained above, according to the printing apparatus of this embodiment, the print area can be set to be appropriate to each of the large disk  170   a , small disk  170   b , and card type  170   c  each having a different size to perform printing in the print area, so that title printing with good balance can be performed. 
   (Fourth Embodiment) 
   In the aforementioned printing apparatus according to the third embodiment, in accordance with the position of the print area set to the plurality of kinds of recording media, the tray  121  was moved against the printer section  135  having the thermal heat at the predetermined position of the case  101  to be movable back and forth, so that printing was performed to each print area. However, the tray  121  is fixed to a predetermined containing position in the apparatus, and the printer section  135  is moved against the tray  121  by the same distance as the case of the third embodiment according to the kind of the optical recording medium, thereby the printer  135  may be positioned to the print area of each optical recording medium. 
     FIG. 27  shows the printing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. In this printing apparatus, the leg portion, which forms the frame  136  of the printer section  135 , can run on running rails  190   a  and  190   b  provided on the base  103 . In the case  101 , a rack  191  is provided along the running rails  190   a  and  190   b . Moreover, in the printer section  135 , there is provided a moving mechanism including a printer section moving motor  194 , a gear train  195 , which transmits rotation of the moving motor  194  to the drive gear, and a drive gear  192 , which engages with the rack  191 , in order that the frame  136  is movable in the case  101 . Moreover, a position detection switch  135  for the printer section  135  is provided to detect the position of the printer section  135  when it is placed at the same position as the case of third embodiment. 
   In this printing apparatus, information on the position of the print area shown in  FIG. 25  is held, and the control section  180  performs control of moving the position of the printer section  135  based on the information and the output from the position detection switch  193 . Additionally, in  FIG. 27 , moving mechanism of the tray  121  is omitted, and the same reference numerals as those of the third embodiment are added to the same components as those of the third embodiment. 
   The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and applications and modifications may be arbitrarily possible. 
   For example, the first embodiment explained the example in which the recording medium as the printing object was the optical disk. However, the recording medium as a printing object is not limited to the optical disk, and any recording medium may be possible. For example, it is possible to use a magnetic disk such as a flexible disk, and the like, an optical magnetic disk such as an MO disk, and the like, and optical recording media such as MD, CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and the like in addition to CD-R shown as an example of the optical disk. 
   In the aforementioned embodiments, it has been explained that the program for executing each operation is stored in the ROMs  72  and  184  of the printing apparatus. However, a recording medium for the program is not limited to these but is arbitrary. For example, other recording media such as an IC card and a memory card may be used. Further, the program may be stored in the hard disk of the personal computers  68  and  183  or in a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, etc. which are recording media for external storage devices, so that the printing apparatus may be controlled via the personal computers  68  and  183 . Or, the program may be carried on a carrier wave which can be run on a computer, to be provided to the personal computers  68  and  183 , so that the printing apparatus may be controlled. 
   In the aforementioned embodiments, the plurality of convex portions  38  are formed on the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  and the concave portions  39 , which correspond to the convex portions  38 , are formed on the support tray  5 . However, the structure may be made the other way around. Namely, the plurality of concave portions may be formed on the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  and the convex portions, which correspond to the concave portions, may be formed on the support tray  5 . 
   In the aforementioned embodiments, the friction sheet  40  is adhered to the lower surface of the rotatable base  32 . However, the friction sheet  40  may be adhered to the upper surface of the support tray  5 . 
   In the aforementioned embodiments, the plurality of convex portion  38  may be formed on the portion, which is the lower surface of the rotatable base  32  and which is subjected to pressure by the thermal head  58  as shown in  FIG. 15 . Moreover, a case in which the convex portions  38  are formed on the upper surface of the support tray  5  may be possible. 
   In the aforementioned embodiments, the printer section was explained as the thermal transfer printer. However, the type of the printer is not limited to this. For example, this may be configured by the ink jet printer. 
   The aforementioned embodiments explained the tray  121  or thermal head  142  was moved. However, the print area may be covered by another apparatus configuration. For example, the print head, which has numerous heating elements in the range that covers all print areas A 1 , B 1 , and C 1  shown in  FIG. 22 , is provided to be fixed to the case  101 . Then, at the printing time, the print elements of the print head may be driven to perform printing in the range corresponding to the print area of the optical recording medium on the tray  121  based on the medium kind detection information from the medium detection switches  14 ,  15 , and  16  in a state that the positions of the printing head and the tray  121  are maintained fixed regardless of the kind of the optical recording medium. 
   Various embodiments and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the present invention, not to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is shown by the attached claims rather than the embodiments. Various modifications made within the meaning of an equivalent of the claims of the invention and within the claims are to be regarded to be in the scope of the present invention. 
   This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-127123 filed on Apr. 26, 2002 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-189724 filed on Jun. 28, 2002 and including specification, claims, drawings and summary. The disclosure of the above Japanese Patent Applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of performing printing to a plurality of portions on a surface of a printing object efficiently with a simple apparatus configuration. 
   Moreover, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus manufacturable with a small-sized power supply without need of complicated print control and a printing method. 
   Still moreover, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method applicable to a plurality of kinds of printing objects each having a different size with a simple apparatus configuration.