METHOD FOR RESTRICTING REUSE OF INK RIBBON AND PRINTER HAVING FUNCTION FOR RESTRICTING REUSE OF THE RIBBON

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maintain print image quality by restricting reuse of a used ink ribbon by making a discrimination between a virgin ink ribbon and a used ink ribbon. ;SOLUTION: An optical quantity of a light passing through an ink ribbon and the change of the optical quantity due to the use of the ink ribbon is detected, then it is judged whether the ink ribbon is a virgin one or a used one, thereby restricting the reuse of the used ink ribbon. This printer having a function of restricting the reuse of the ink ribbon comprises an ink ribbon cartridge rotatably containing a pair of spool shafts 14, 15 that an ink ribbon 13 is wound around, a printing means to which the ink ribbon cartridge 13 is to be loaded, a detecting means for detecting the optical quantity of the light passing through the ink ribbon or the change of the optical quantity due to the use of the ink ribbon and a ribbon reuse restricting means that restricts the reuse of the used ink ribbon by judging whether the ink ribbon is a used one or a virgin one based on the condition of the optical quantity of the pass- through light.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2000,JPO