Abstract: A thermal print head includes an auxiliary print head guard disposed in close relationship to the primary print head guard so as to protect from damage by a foreign object the material encapsulating the electrical components and connectors contained on an integrated circuit board.

Abstract: A portable printer is responsive to a terminal which provides to the printer control commands and data representative of information to be printed. The portable printer includes a spindle for receiving and holding a roll of stock and a direct thermal print mechanism which receives and prints information on the stock. The direct thermal print mechanism can receive and print, at various activation temperatures, on stock having a thickness up to about 0.015 inches or more and a width up to about 8.5 inches. The portable printer also includes a removable cutting mechanism for cutting the stock after the direct thermal print mechanism has printed information thereon. A programmable electronic controller included in the portable printer is responsive to the commands and data provided by the terminal for operating the direct thermal print mechanism. The electronic controller includes a microprocessor and memory, and it can detect and convey to the terminal an operating state of the printer.

Abstract: An intelligent, portable printer having a microprocessor controller, a printing mechanism and a web feed mechanism is integrated into an assembly which, together with a battery pack, may weigh about 2 pounds and be about 80 cubic inches in volume. The web has removable, adhesively attached labels which may be printed with bar codes, graphics, text or lines. Because the printer is so small and light in weight, it may be used at any site where labels are required. By labels is meant any tickets, stickers, or other patches of the type which are removably attachable to a carrier (so-called "label-stock"). The controller includes a microprocessor which communicates interactively with a terminal, which may contain a host computer, and which supplies data representing the material to be printed. The controller in the printer converts such data into the bar codes, graphics, text (in various fonts) or lines for operating the printing mechanism.