Patent ID: 11772386

Abstract:
There is provided a thermal transfer printer 1, which comprises: a printhead 5; a tape drive configured to cause an inked ribbon 7 to be advanced past the printhead 5 so as to allow ink to be removed from the inked ribbon by the printhead and transferred to a substrate during a printing operation; and a printhead carriage 11 on which the printhead 5 is mounted, wherein the printhead carriage 11 is supported by a rail 34 coupled to a body 2 of the printer, and the rail 34 extends along a direction parallel to a direction of travel of the inked ribbon 7; wherein the printhead carriage 11 further comprises a first structure 40 which is arranged to engage with a second structure 50 coupled to the body 2 of the printer, and wherein the first and second structures 40, 50 are configured such that the printhead carriage 11 is rotatable around the rail 34 but a rotation of the printhead carriage around the rail remains within a predetermined range.