Printer having removable handling apparatus for printed roll media

1. A roll media printer comprising:

a printhead for printing on a media web conveyed along a path defined between a loading area and a winding area to produce printed media, the winding area being configured to removably retain a handling apparatus; and

a handling apparatus retained in the winding area, the handling apparatus comprising a core located within a container configured so that printed media produced by the printhead is wound onto the core and packaged in the container as printed roll media.

2. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising spindles for aligning, retaining and removing the handling apparatus so that the core is rotatable.

3. The printer of claim 2 , further comprising couplings arranged to engage each end of the core, at least one of the couplings being a driven coupling which engages the spindle so as to allow rotation of the core.

4. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising an internal dryer located between the printhead and the winding area so as to blow air onto the printed media.

5. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a cutting mechanism located between the printhead and the winding area so as to separate the printed media from the media web.

6. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a slitting mechanism located between the printhead and the winding area so as to longitudinally slit the printed media prior to winding.

7. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the printhead is at least as wide as the media web and is located across the path.

8. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a processor for configuring the printhead to print onto the media to produce the printed media.

9. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to accept operator inputs which are used to configure the printhead.