Disclosed herein is a method of managing a printing apparatus including a thermal print head. The method of managing a printing apparatus includes: starting, by the controller of a printing apparatus, the cleaning of a thermal print head when a predetermined condition is satisfied; selecting, by the controller, a cleaning method based on at least one the satisfied condition and previously stored information; and cleaning, by the controller, the thermal print head by driving at least one of heating elements, included in a plurality of recording elements constituting the thermal print head, according to the selected cleaning method.

A modular print drive assembly and platen assembly are provided. The modular print drive assembly is structured for insertion and removal from a printer, the modular print drive assembly and includes a print drive housing defining a plurality of printer mount fasteners, a printhead coupled to and supported by the print drive housing, a platen latch assembly coupled to and supported by the print drive housing. The platen latch assembly is structured to removably receive a platen in position to define a nip between the platen and the printhead The modular print drive also includes a platen drive motor coupled to and supported by the print housing, wherein the platen drive motor is supported by the print housing in position to drive the platen upon receipt within the platen latch assembly.

A printing apparatus includes a transport unit including a roller that transports a recording sheet in a transport direction, a transport motor that rotates the roller, and a driving circuit that drives the transport motor, a head that performs printing on the recording sheet, a cutter that cuts the recording sheet, and a control unit. The control unit puts the transport motor into a hold state by the driving circuit when the recording sheet is cut by the cutter, and puts the transport motor into a short brake state by the driving circuit after the recording sheet is cut by the cutter.

A method for a printer including a transport device including an endless transport belt, supported on a pair of support rollers which between them define a medium support plane, over which medium support plane a print station is provided. The method includes transporting in parallel a plurality of individual print media perpendicular to a scanning direction of the print station on the medium support plane, the print media having different dimensions, determining positions of the individual print media and based on the determined positions, jetting marking material for forming a designated image specific for each print medium on each respective print medium. The above steps are repeated such that print media are printed in a plurality of parallel lanes on the medium support plane perpendicular to the scanning direction. The method further includes enabling or disabling each individual lane of the plurality of parallel lanes in order to respectively facilitate or block jetting of the marking material at the individual lane.

A method for a printer including a transport device including an endless transport belt, supported on a pair of support rollers which between them define a medium support plane, over which medium support plane a print station is provided. The method includes transporting in parallel a plurality of individual print media perpendicular to a scanning direction of the print station on the medium support plane, the print media having different dimensions, determining positions of the individual print media and based on the determined positions, jetting marking material for forming a designated image specific for each print medium on each respective print medium. The above steps are repeated such that print media are printed in a plurality of parallel lanes on the medium support plane perpendicular to the scanning direction. The method further includes enabling or disabling each individual lane of the plurality of parallel lanes in order to respectively facilitate or block jetting of the marking material at the individual lane.

A recording apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyance unit, a housing, and first and second heating units. The recording head performs recording in a recording region by discharging liquid onto a recording medium conveyed in a first direction by the conveyance unit. The housing has an opening in a side surface of the housing. The first heating unit is arranged upstream of the recording head in the first direction in the housing, includes a first heater and a first fan, and blows air in the recording region. The second heating unit is arranged downstream of the recording head in the first direction outside the housing, includes a second heater and a second fan, and blows warm air to the recording medium. The second fan suctions air from an air suction unit that faces the recording medium and is arranged below the side surface opening in a gravitational direction.

A recording apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyance unit, a housing, and first and second heating units. The recording head performs recording in a recording region by discharging liquid onto a recording medium conveyed in a first direction by the conveyance unit. The housing has an opening in a side surface of the housing. The first heating unit is arranged upstream of the recording head in the first direction in the housing, includes a first heater and a first fan, and blows air in the recording region. The second heating unit is arranged downstream of the recording head in the first direction outside the housing, includes a second heater and a second fan, and blows warm air to the recording medium. The second fan suctions air from an air suction unit that faces the recording medium and is arranged below the side surface opening in a gravitational direction.