The invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing an information carrier on a carrier tape, comprising a printing head, a first transport device by means of which the carrier tape is guidable past the printing head, and a second transport device by means of which a transfer tape is guidable past the printing head and which upon activation by the printing head causes an information carrier to be printed, with the contact pressure of the printing head on the transfer tape and on the carrier tape and the transfer tape feed by the second transport device being controllable in such a manner that the carrier tape is guidable past the printing head with a difference in speed relative to the transfer tape.
Such printing apparatus are known, for example, from DE 35 10 260 C2 or DE 43 32 562 A1.
Once activated, a transfer tape area of a transfer tape which may, for example, be a thermal transfer tape, may no longer be used for printing. When the transfer tape is guided past the printing head synchronously with the carrier tape, even though no surfaces are to be printed, there is an unnecessary consumption of transfer tape as the transfer tape was not activated but nevertheless is wound up with the used transfer tape. Transfer tape consumption can be minimized by corresponding control of the transfer tape feed in such a manner that during a non-printing mode a difference in speed occurs relative to the carrier tape that is transported further, and, in particular, the transfer tape is stopped relative to the printing head.