Abstract: A thermal printer includes a control unit that performs control to perform: an option operation, whereby upon completion of printing on a label provided on a continuous label body, the printed label is conveyed to a particular position and then conveyance of the continuous label body is stopped; and a retraction operation, whereby when a preset permitted stop time period has elapsed since the stop of conveyance of the continuous label body without performing next printing during the permitted stop time period, an unprinted label retracts to a retraction position where at least a printing region of the unprinted label is not sandwiched between a platen roller and a thermal head. The control unit can change the permitted stop time period for each type and/or each width of a label to be printed.

Abstract: Printing control apparatus includes structure for selectively preventing the operation of a thermal head comprising part of a label printer for thermosensitive labels. The thermal head can be moved away from and into contact with a label to limit its operational printing period. Alternately, thermal elements comprising a portion of the thermal head can be deactivated when a label detector fails to detect the presence of a label at a predetermined position, when the contact between the thermal head and a label is inadequate, or when the transportation or feeding of the label over a predetermined path within the printer is abnormal.