Strip printer and used strip rack

本发明提供一种用于将所期望的字符串打印在条带上并将之切割成所需长度的标签的条带打印装置，也提供一种用于该装置的条带架。条带架有可读取贮存在条带上的特种信息如条带宽度的特种元件。条带打印装置根据条带架的类型读取特种元件以控制打印状况。更特别地，该条带打印装置决定包括打印在条带上的字符大小，行数以及左右边界长度在内的各种参数。 The present invention provides a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape and cutting the tape to a label of a desirable length, and also a tape cartridge used in the tape printing device. The tape cartridge has a characteristic element readably storing specific information on the tape such as a width of the tape. The tape printing device reads the characteristic element to control printing conditions according to the type of the tape cartridge. More specifically, the tape printing device determines a variety of parameters including a number of lines and character sizes of the character series printed on the tape as well as lengths of left and right margins. When a tape of a relatively large width is set in the tape cartridge, the device increases a rotation torque of a platen for feeding the tape. When a tape of a relatively small width is set in the tape cartridge, on the contrary, the device drives only specific dot elements in a range of the tape width out of all dot elements arranged on a printing head. The characteristic element of the tape cartridge stores the specific information expressed as depths of a plurality of holes or electric data. This specific information may be updated to identify a user or detect a residual amount of the tape.