The present invention relates to a ribbon identifier that detects a color coded bank comprising multiple colored zones positioned on a ribbon core that fits in a printer. Each type of ribbon is associated with a specific and unique color coded band. The band may also be partly visible to the operator when loading the ribbon. When the color coded band is detected, the control program of the printer sets the parameters associated with that color coded band, ensuring proper printing.

A ribbon mechanism mounted in the lid of a printer includes a ribbon carriage pivotally coupled to the lid for folding out of the lid by virtue of its mass when the lid is open and for folding in the lid as the lid is closed. A gear train is mounted on the ribbon carriage for driving the ribbon take up core. A thermal printhead is resiliently mounted in the ribbon carriage and automatically aligned against the platen with alignment tabs. The ribbon carriage is movably linked to a printer hinge by way of a linkage having an elongated slot at one end for slidably engaging an integral ribbon carriage post and with an aperture at the other end for pivotally mating with a lever arm provided on the printer hinge. The ribbon carriage post slides linearly inside the linkage slot between maximum "down"/maximum "up" positions at each end of the linkage slot, respectively.

A device adapted to recognize a color dye frame from a color ribbon (for use in a thermal printer) comprises a LED (light emitting diode) capable of producing white light, positioned so that the ribbon passes between the LED and a photo-transistor. The photo-transistor collects the light emitted by the LED as it passes through the color dye frame and generate a specific exit voltage associated with the color of the dye frame. An analog to digital converter transforms the voltage into a digital signal which is fed into a micro-computer. The micro-computer processes the digital signal by comparing the digital signal to a stored set of values associated with each color dye frame.