| 摘要 |
A first sensor 102 has a characteristic in that light generated from an associated light-emitting unit penetrates yellow, magenta and clear patches 810, 820, 801-3, 701-3 but does not penetrate cyan and black patches 830, 700a-700c, 600 of an ink ribbon 600, 700, 800. A second sensor 202 installed on a straight line with the first sensor 102 widthwise of the ink ribbon has a characteristic in that light generated from an associated light-emitting unit penetrates the yellow and clear patches of the ink ribbon but does not penetrate magenta, cyan and black patches. A third sensor 204 installed on an opposite side of the first and second sensors 102, 202 widthwise of the ink ribbon, but not on a straight line with the first and second sensors 102, 202, has a characteristic in that light generated from an associated light-emitting unit penetrates the yellow and clear patches but does not penetrate the magenta, cyan and black patches. First and a second reflecting panels 302, 304 reflect the light generated by the light emitting unit of the first, second and third sensors to respective light-receiving units thereof. The apparatus can be used in a method to distinguish between a colour ribbon 800, a black ribbon 700 with clear patches and a black ribbon 600 without clear patches in a sublimating type colour printer. <IMAGE> <IMAGE> |
