METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING CODED MEDIA

A method and apparatus for printing at least first and second indicia on a record medium. The apparatus includes a print station to which the medium is incrementally fed. The print station uses a thermally operated print head having a plurality of separately energizable resistive elements which heat up, when energized, to print a "colored" bar code on the medium, which may be a label. A shiftable carriage member supplies first and second heat-activatable "color ribbons" to the print station. When the first ribbon is at the print station, the print head and the medium are pressured together with the first ribbon therebetween, and selected ones of the resistive elements are energized to transfer the first color to the medium. The medium is then held stationary while the first ribbon is removed and the second color ribbon is shifted by the carriage member to the print station. The print head and the medium are then pressured together with the second ribbon therebetween, and selected ones of the resistive elements are energized to transfer the second color to the medium.