Ribbon printer

Abstract

A ribbon printer assembly and method which allows for margin-less printing is disclosed. The ribbon printer assembly includes a printer media having a first and second side, first side comprises a printable portion and the second side includes an adhesive. The ribbon printer also includes a backing, wider than the printer media that is temporarily affixed to the adhesive on the printer media. The printer assembly may also include a printer engine which is configured to print along the entire width of the printer media and a spooling mechanism which is configured to secure the backing that supplies the printer engine with the backing and printer media.

1 . A consumer directed ribbon printer assembly comprising:
 a printer media having printable portion and an affixed portion, where said affixed portion is affixed to a carrier;   a backing temporarily fixed to said affixed portion of said printer media; and   a print engine configured to print across substantially the entire width of the printer media.   
   
   
       2 . A consumer directed ribbon printer assembly product comprising:
 a printer media having a first and second side, said first side comprising a printable portion and said second side including a bonding agent;   a backing at least as wide as said printer media, said backing being adapted to temporarily affix to said bonding agent on said printer media;   a printer engine configured to print substantially along the entire width of said printer media; and   a supply mechanism configured to secure said backing and printer media and equip said printer engine with said backing and printer media.   
   
   
       3 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , further comprising an outer shell enclosing said printer engine. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said bonding agent is configured to remain on said printer media when separated from said backing, enabling said printer media to affix to other associated surfaces. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , further comprising a software program configured to interact with a user interface allowing a user to create designs to print on said printer media. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said printing engine is configured to print in one or more colors. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said printing engine is configured to print in said printer media's negative space. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said printing engine is configured to print on said printable portion while potentially overlapping ink onto said backing over the edge of said printer media. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , where said printing engine is configured to print on said printable portion while stopping short of printing on the edge of said printable portion. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , where said printing engine is configured to print on said printable portion while printing up to the edge of said printable portion. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , further comprising an ink cartridge configured to supply said print engine with ink for printing. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said ink cartridge is a multiple color ink cartridge. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said ink cartridge is a single color ink cartridge. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said assembly receives information from an associated computer via a digital input. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said supply mechanism is a spool. 
   
   
       16 . The printing substrate for printing a substantially continuous design on ribbon comprising:
 a ribbon having a first side and a second side, said first side being a printing face and said second side being an adhesive face;   a backing with a width wider than said ribbon; and   a bonding agent joining said second side of said ribbon and said backing.   
   
   
       17 . The printing substrate according to  claim 16 , wherein said backing is made of paper coated with a parting agent. 
   
   
       18 . The printing substrate according to  claim 16 , wherein said ribbon is made, at least in part, of acetate. 
   
   
       19 . The printing substrate according to  claim 16 , wherein said ribbon is made, at least in part, of cotton. 
   
   
       20 . The method of margin-less printing on a printable ribbon comprising:
 supplying a print engine with printable substrate, said printable substrate comprising a ribbon, a backing and a adhesive binding said ribbon and said backing, where the lateral edges of said backing are spaced further apart than the lateral edges of said ribbon; and   printing on said substrate via said print engine where a design is printed substantially overlapping the lateral edges of said ribbon allowing for ink to be printed on said backing.   
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein supplying said print engine is done via a spooling mechanism which is configured to center the ribbon for printing. 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said design is printed on the part of said ribbon that is not the subject. 
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising using compatible software in order to create said design. 
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said design is communicated to said print engine via a digital input.