Abstract: A printer using a thermal ribbon to print on paper with a thermal head facing a platen with a ribbon supply core and take-up core with the head between the cores wherein a tension member contacts and biases the ribbon in a direction to give tension and is rotated in a retracted direction by a ribbon feed force against a biasing force by the tension member when the ribbon is fed and a plate spring supported on the tension member gives a rotational load to the supply core and a release member separate from the head contacts the ribbon on the platen side of a tangent line of the platen at the printing position whereby a push-up force of the paper in contact with and supported by the release member prevents lowering of print quality as the push-up force is not applied to the thermal head.

Abstract: A line-type thermal printing apparatus includes a thermal head for recording on a sheet whose thickness is even in the feeding direction thereof and uneven in the print line direction. The apparatus also includes a platen having a platen body portion that rotates integrally with a platen shaft and that feeds the sheet by pinching a part of the sheet between the thermal head and the platen body portion, and separate platen portion that face other parts of the sheet which have thicknesses different from that of the part of the sheet pinched between the thermal head and the platen body portion. The separate platen portions have center holes that are dimensioned to loosely fit the platen shaft. Urging mechanisms are provided for urging the separate platen portions so as to press the other parts of the sheet against the thermal head. For example, a part of a sheet is located opposite to the platen body portion and the other parts of the sheet are located opposite to the separate platen portions.

Abstract: A printer, such as a thermal printer, which can print on a paper, etc.