Patent ID: 8734035

Claim:
A printer assembly comprising: a printer having a print head and a platen roller located therein and a cartridge receptacle including a wall; and a media cartridge loaded into the cartridge receptacle of the printer, the media cartridge including a cartridge housing having an exit opening and a front guide, a length of media supported by the cartridge housing and having a portion that extends from the exit opening to the front guide along a media path, an ink ribbon supported by the cartridge housing and having a portion that runs parallel to the length of media along the media path, and at least one shifting rib formed on the cartridge housing; wherein the at least one shifting rib centers a length of media and an ink ribbon between the print head and the platen roller in the cartridge receptacle at a position of initial insertion of the media cartridge into the cartridge receptacle and, when loaded into the cartridge receptacle, shifts the length of media and the ink ribbon toward one of the print head and the platen roller by interacting with the wall of the cartridge receptacle of the printer to cause a rotation of the cartridge about an axis parallel to a direction of loading.