Printer system for selective printing on first and second print media located in separate print zones

Claim 3

The printing system of claim 1 further comprising detection means to ascertain movement of said carriage from one of said zones to the other said zones.

Claim 4

The printing system of claim 1 wherein said print head is a thermal print head having a plurality of heating elements to be selectively heated to transfer ink from an ink ribbon position between said print head and one of said printing media by means of melting ink directly onto said one printing media.

Claim 5

The printing system of claim 1 wherein said first printing media is a linear print tape, and a releasably attachable label tape cassette at said first zone for supporting said label tape.

Claim 6

The printing system of claim 4 wherein said label tape cassette comprises said print tape on a roll therein for passage past an aperture in said cartridge to receive printed ink characters thereon from said print head, an adhesive tape also supported on a roll in said label tape cassette, and a means in said label tape cassette to join said print tape to said adhesive tape after printing on said print tape in a manner that said printed ink characters are sealed between said print and adhesive tapes.

Claim 9

The printing system of claim 6 including means to accelerate the movement of said carriage when said carriage transport and positioning means is activated to move said carriage from one print region to the other print region.

Claim 10

The printing system of claim 6 further comprising control means in said selection means responsive to said carriage locating means for parking said carriage at a predetermined position within said second print region.

Claim 13

The printing system of claim 9 further comprising coupling means for engaging said ink ribbon winding means to said tape drive gear assembly to concurrently move said ink ribbon and said print tape when said carriage is in said second print region.

Claim 14

The printing system of claim 9 wherein said ink ribbon winding means comprises a stepper motor.

Claim 15

The printing system of claim 9 wherein said second print region comprises a platen roller, one of said print tapes held between said print head and said platen roller when said carriage is in said second print region, said ink ribbon winding means including power take-off means to cause engagement and disengagement of said print head against said platen roller, said power take-off means also including means to advance both of said print tapes as well as said ink ribbon.

Claim 16

The printing system of claim 9 wherein said carriage further includes head pressure adjusting means for varying the compression force of said print head against said print media.

Claim 17

A print system having a single carriage supporting a print head for selectively printing on a first print media in a first print zone or printing on a second print media in a second print zone wherein said print media are supported in juxtaposed position substantially along a plane parallel to a path of movement for travel of said carriage and comprising: transport means to move said carriage said first print zone and said second print zone and to position said carriage in a predetermined printing position for printing while in said first printing zone and to position said carriage for lateral reciprocal movement within said second print zone, means in said path of travel to determine if said carriage is in said first print zone or is in said second print zone, control means responsive to said carriage determining means to activate said transport means to move said carriage into a selected print zone, a cassette in said first print zone supporting a roll of linear print tape, a first platen along said plane at said predetermined printing position in said first print zone to receive said print tape at a first printing region for printing thereon when said carriage is in said first print zone, a second platen along said plane in said second print zone along an elongated printing path to receive a print sheet at a second printing region for printing thereon when said carriage is in said second print zone, means mounted in said first print zone for feeding said print tape from said roll in said cassette through said first printing region for printing thereon by said print head, and means mounted in said second print zone for feeding said print sheet in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocal movement of said carriage through said second printing region for printing thereon by said print head during the lateral reciprocal movement of said carriage.

Claim 18

A print system having a single carriage supporting a print head for selectively printing on a first print media in a first print zone or printing on a second print media in a second print zone wherein said print media are supported in juxtaposed position substantially along a plane parallel to a path of movement for travel of said carriage and comprising: transport means to move said carriage said first print zone and said second print zone and to position said carriage in a predetermined printing position for printing while in said first printing zone and to position said carriage for lateral reciprocal movement within said second print zone, means in said path of travel to determine if said carriage is in said first print zone or is in said second print zone, control means responsive to said carriage determining means to activate said transport means to move said carriage into a selected print zone, a cassette in said first print zone supporting a roll of linear print tape, a first platen along said plane at said predetermined printing position in said first print zone to receive said print tape at a first printing region for printing thereon when said carriage is in said first print zone, a second platen along said plane in said second print zone along an elongated printing path to receive a print sheet at a second printing region for printing thereon when said carriage is in said second print zone, means mounted in said first print zone for feeding said print tape from said roll in said cassette through said first printing region for printing thereon by said print head, and means mounted in said second print zone for feeding said print sheet in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocal movement of said carriage through said second printing region for printing thereon by said print head during the lateral reciprocal movement of said carriage.

Claim 19

The print system of claim 14 further comprising selection means to provide print data to said print head such that said data is provided to print data either in a normal right-side-up mode or in an inverted/reverse order mode depending on whether said carriage is positioned at said first zone or at said second zone.

Claim 20

The print system of claim 14 further comprising a cartridge on supported on said carriage, an ink ribbon supported in said cartridge for passage over said print head, ink ribbon drive means in said cartridge and said carriage to move said ribbon over said print head, interengaging means in said print head carriage, comprising an extension of said ink ribbon drive means, for engaging said first print zone feeding means when said carriage means is positioned at said predetermined printing position whereby said first platen and said print tape are fed through said first printing region for printing thereon by said print head by means of said ink ribbon drive means.

Claim 21

The printing system of claim 1 further comprising selection means to provide print data to said print head such that said data is provided to print data either in a normal right-side-up mode or in an inverted/reverse order mode depending on whether said carriage is positioned at said first zone or at said second zone.