Printing apparatus, printing method, and non-transitory recording medium

1. A printing apparatus, comprising:

a storage portion configured to store printing format data in which one or more first regions that illustrate items to be printed and a printing position on a sheet is set in advance for every size of the sheet;

an operating portion configured to receive a set size of the sheet and fixed-position-related information indicating a range that is illustrated by one or more second regions selected by a user from the one or more first regions;

an obtaining portion configured to obtain the fixed-position-related information and the set size of the sheet received by the operating portion, and to associate the obtained fixed-position-related information and the set size of the sheet, the sheet having at least a specific area and a non-specific area, the non-specific area being free of the image being printed, the specific area having a fixed position relative to the sheet, the fixed-position-related information defining a boundary of an area, the boundary encompassing the image of the specific area, wherein an image is printed in the specific area, and the image is subject to a deterioration of visibility, and to obtain from the storage portion the printing format data which corresponds to the set size of the sheet received by the operating portion;

a display portion configured to display the printing format data obtained by the obtaining portion, and to display the one or more first regions for selection by the user;

a sensor configured to detect the presence of the sheet;

a detecting portion configured to detect a size of the sheet based on a detection result obtained from the sensor; and

a printing portion configured to print, when the size of the sheet detected by the detecting portion matches the set size of the sheet received from the operating portion, a pattern image to be darker compared to that by a general printing on only the area having the boundary defined by the fixed-position-related information obtained by the obtaining portion to selectively superimpose the pattern over the image and on only the area by an ink ribbon based on the information of the specific area.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: the display portion which displays for setting the information, wherein the printing portion overwrites the image having the printing surface pattern on the sheet based on the set information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the display portion displays for setting a range of printing the image having the printing surface pattern, and

wherein the printing portion overwrites the image having the printing surface pattern on the sheet within the set range.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the displaying is display used in setting the range in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction with respect to a transporting direction of the sheet, and

wherein the printing portion overwrites the image having the printing surface pattern on the sheet within the set range in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the printing portion overwrites the image having a special printing surface pattern in each of the predetermined regions which include the image illustrated by the set information when a plurality of pieces of information are set.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the printing portion does not overwrite the image having the printing surface pattern on the sheet when the size of the sheet detected by the detecting portion is not the set size of the sheet received by the operating portion.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image having the printing surface pattern is configured of a plurality of symbols arranged therein.

8. A printing method, comprising:

storing printing format data in which one or more first regions that illustrate items to be printed and a printing position on a sheet is set in advance for every size of the sheet;

receiving a set size of the sheet and fixed-position-related information which indicates a range illustrated by one or more second regions selected by a user from the one or more first regions;

obtaining the received fixed-position-related information and the set size of the sheet, and associating the obtained fixed-position-related information and the set size of the sheet, the sheet having at least a specific area with an image and a non-specific area, the non-specific area being free of the image being printed, the specific area having a fixed position relative to the sheet, the fixed-position-related information defining a boundary of an area, the boundary encompassing the image of the specific area, wherein an image is printed in the specific area, and the image is subject to a deterioration of visibility, and obtaining from the storage portion the printing format data which corresponds to the set size of the sheet received by the operating portion;

displaying the printing format data obtained by the obtaining portion, and displaying the one or more first regions for selection by the user;

detecting the presence of the sheet;

detecting a size of the sheet based on a detection result obtained from a sensor; and

printing, when the detected size of the sheet matches the received set size of the sheet, a pattern image to be darker compared to that by a general printing on only the area having the boundary defined by the fixed-position-related information obtained by the obtaining portion to selectively superimpose the pattern image over the image and on only the area by an ink ribbon based on the information of the specific area.

9. A non-transitory recording medium which records a computer program for executing a method in a computer, the method, comprising:

storing printing format data in which one or more first regions that illustrate items to be printed and a printing position on a sheet is set in advance for every size of the sheet;

receiving a set size of the sheet and fixed-position-related information which indicates a range illustrated by one or more second regions selected by a user from the one or more first regions;

obtaining the received fixed-position-related information and the set size of the sheet, and associating the obtained fixed-position-related information and the set size of the sheet, the sheet having at least a specific area with an image and a non-specific area, the non-specific area being free of the image being printed, the specific area having a fixed position relative to the sheet, the fixed-position-related information defining a boundary of an area, the boundary encompassing the image of the specific area, wherein an image is printed in the specific area, and the image is subject to a deterioration of visibility, and obtaining from the storage portion the printing format data which corresponds to the set size of the sheet received by the operating portion;

displaying the printing format data obtained by the obtaining portion, and displaying the one or more first regions for selection by the user;

detecting the presence of the sheet;

detecting a size of the sheet based on a detection result obtained from a sensor; and

printing, when the detected size of the sheet matches the received set size of the sheet, a pattern image to be darker compared to that by a general printing on only the area having the boundary defined by the fixed-position-related information obtained by the obtaining portion to selectively superimpose the pattern image over the image and on only the area by an ink ribbon based on the information of the specific area.