| 摘要 |
<p>A printer and method for monitoring consumption of a print ribbon (108) of a thermal printer is provided. A sensor (124) detects an indicator which is indicative of an amount of ribbon initiallly available for printing. The method includes pressing the print ribbon against a medium located on a drawer (102) of the thermal printer using a thermal print head (106) of the thermal printer. The method includes moving the drawer and the print ribbon simultaneously and at substantially the same rate past the thermal print head so as to deposit a transferable coating of the print ribbon on the medium whereby printing an image on the medium. Measuring a distance moved by the drawer while pressing the print ribbon against the medium and equating the distance moved by the drawer to an amount of print ribbon consumed are also included in the method.</p> |
