There is provided a printing apparatus, including: a base; a thermal head including heating elements arranged in a first direction; a head holding member disposed to be slidable on the base in a second direction intersecting with the first direction and a third direction intersecting with the first direction and the second direction; a rolling member; a first pivoting member; a second pivoting member; a first guide rail extending in the second direction; a first sliding member held by the first guide rail to be slidable on the base in the second direction and having a contact surface which is in contact with the rolling member from a first side in the third direction; a first movement mechanism configured to pivotally move the first pivoting member and the second pivoting member; and a second movement mechanism configured to move the head holding member in the second direction.

Provided herein is a printer comprising a printing assembly. The printing assembly comprises a printhead bracket fixedly attached to the printer, a printhead that defines a groove, the printhead aligned at a first alignment, an alignment adjuster fastened between the printhead bracket and the printhead, and a plurality of fasteners operatively engaged with the alignment adjuster. The alignment adjuster comprises a gear rack that is adjacent to the printhead bracket, and a protrusion that is received by the groove of the printhead. The plurality of fasteners comprises at least one selected from a group of a lateral adjustment fastener operatively engaged with the gear rack, and a rotational adjustment fastener operatively engaged with a transverse edge of the printhead. The lateral adjustment fastener is configured to provide lateral movement to the alignment adjuster and the printhead. The rotational adjustment fastener is configured to provide rotational movement to the printhead.

A cover is coupled to a main body casing in manner enabling rotation of the cover. A pop-up mechanism is provided that when locking by a locking mechanism that fixes the cover at a closed position in a releasable manner is released, rotates the cover from the closed position to an open position by a biasing of first contact members in a direction so that the first contact members push second contact members that are respectively disposed at both ends of the cover, the first contact members being connected to each other and respectively disposed at both ends of the main body casing. Thus, the second contact members are pushed while a positional relationship of the first contact members is maintained to be constant.

A thermal printer includes a platen roller, a thermal head, a head support plate, a frame including a platen roller support portion, a turn support portion configured to support the head support plate, and an urging member configured to urge the head support plate in a direction in which the thermal head approaches the platen roller. The thermal head is fixed to an opposed surface of the head support plate, which is in a first region located on one side with respect to the turn support portion, and is opposed to the platen roller in the first direction. The urging member is interposed between the opposed surface of the head support plate in a second region, which is located on another side with respect to the turn support portion and an urging member support portion of the frame.

Printhead carriers and adapters are disclosed. An example disclosed print mechanism includes a printhead carrier including first and second pivot mechanisms; and a toggle assembly to, when in an engaged position, apply a force to the printhead carrier with the printhead carrier in a closed configuration, wherein the closed configuration enables printing operations, when in a disengaged position, allow the printhead carrier to transition to an open configuration via the first pivot mechanism, wherein the open configuration provides access to a printhead carried by the printhead carrier, and when in the disengaged position, allow the printhead carrier to transition to an access configuration via the second pivot mechanism, wherein the access configuration enables removal of the printhead from the printhead carrier.

A printer includes two supporters disposed at a storage section, an adjuster movably supporting at least a specific supporter of the two supporters, a protrusion protruding upward from a second section, the second section being an upper portion of the specific supporter, a locking section locking a first section in a position to which the first section is moved via the adjuster, the first section being a lower portion of the specific supporter, and an engagement section having elastically-deformable engagement pieces arranged at intervals in a particular direction intersecting a vertical direction, the protrusion being configured to, when the cover is closed, engage with at least a specific engagement piece from beneath, the specific engagement piece being maintained elastically deformed upward.

A method for forming an image and a protective layer on a transfer receiving material, by thermal transfer, including supplying a thermal transfer sheet between a thermal head of a thermal printer and a platen roller, wherein the thermal transfer sheet includes color material layers and a transferable protective layer arranged in a face serial manner, and wherein the thermal head includes heat generating portions arranged substantially in parallel with each other; thermally transferring the color material layers to form an image on the transfer receiving material; thermally transferring the transferable protective layer to form a protective layer on the transfer receiving material; and shifting the relative positions of the thermal head and the transfer receiving material with respect to each other, in a direction substantially in parallel with a main scanning direction, after transferring the color material layers at least once.

A thermal head of the disclosure includes a substrate; a heat generating section disposed on the substrate; an electrode disposed on the substrate, the electrode having a connecting portion connected to the heat generating section; and a protective layer which covers the heat generating section and the connecting portion of the electrode, a part of the protective layer which is disposed on the connecting portion having a closed first void therein.

According to an embodiment, a printer apparatus includes a guide member that guides an ink ribbon and a print sheet nipped by a thermal head and a platen roller and guides only the ink ribbon after the printing towards the winding reel. The printer apparatus further includes a sheet-like elastic member attached to a surface of surfaces in contact with the ink ribbon of the guide member, the surface guiding only the ink ribbon after the printing towards the winding reel.

A printer comprising an assembly for adjusting a printhead and a platen roller. The assembly comprises a first bracket for engaging the printhead, and a second bracket for engaging the platen roller. The first bracket slideably engages the second bracket. The assembly further comprises a positioning element attached to the second bracket, and an adjusting element operated by a camshaft to slide the second bracket across the first bracket, thereby optimizing a distance between the printhead and the platen roller to accommodate media of varying thickness and stiffness.