Apparatus and method for printing

摘要

A printer in which an ink ribbon is not wound when a ribbon code ring is read, a dedicated motor for rotating the ribbon code ring is not required, and it is possible to rotate the ribbon code ring with the same motor used for moving a printing head. When an information code of an ink ribbon is to be read, a print head is held in an initial position HO, and a pendulum gear, which can be rotated only when a cam is reversed, is brought into mesh with a ink ribbon code ring which rotates irrespective of a supply spool of a ribbon cassette. The information code on the ribbon code ring is detected by a sensor as the code ring is rotated. A locking system is provided for preventing accidental opening of a ribbon door of the printer during printing operations.