The compact thermal printing mechanism according to the invention is applicable for handheld payment terminals. The invention provides a printer chassis (1) with reinforced flat area (20) by at least one reinforcing element comprising a fold of the printer chassis (1). This folded portion of the printer chassis strengthens the chassis and provides a very strong resistance to bending forces of the lateral pressure means (18) of the platen roller (6). The stable and uniform pressure distribution across the paper width ensures uniform print quality.

According to an embodiment, a printer includes a thermal head with a plurality of heaters. A memory device stores utilization information indicating a status or cumulative usage amount of the thermal head. A processor is configured to acquire a measured resistance value for each of the heaters in the plurality of heaters and detect whether the thermal head has been changed since a previous use based on differences in the measured resistance values from reference resistance values. If it is detected that the thermal head has been changed, the processor updates the utilization information in the memory device to indicate the thermal head has been replaced.

A printer includes a body including a label sheet storage location and a cover rotatably attached to the body and covering the storage location when closed. The cover includes a roller having a shaft that is used for conveying the label sheet when the cover is closed and a peeling bar extending above the roller. The body includes a pressing member extending along the direction and pressing the sheet against the bar for peeling a label from the label sheet and a release lever arranged at an end of the pressing member. The release lever has a recess and rotates between a first position at which the shaft fits into the recess and a second position at which the shaft is released. The release lever rotates from the first to second positions to open the cover when a release button is pressed.

A printing unit includes a platen lock mechanism for switching between a locked state and an unlock state of the platen roller; and an urging member for urging the lock arm. The head unit has receiving grooves receiving the platen bearings through an opening. A lock arm presses the platen bearings when the operation lever is at the lock position, and is configured to allow disengagement of the platen bearings from the receiving groove through the opening by being swung from the lock position toward the unlock position side. The lock arm includes a pushing-up arm configured to push the platen bearings from the receiving groove toward the opening side along with movement of the operation lever from the lock position toward the unlock position. An urging member urges the lock arm toward the platen unit side.

A thermal printer includes: a platen having a rotatable columnar shape and configured to convey a print medium having various widths by bringing the print medium into contact with an outer peripheral portion of the platen, a central portion of the platen in a direction of a rotary shaft of the platen being taken as a reference; and a print head facing the platen, pressed by the outer peripheral portion, and configured to print by applying heat to the print medium sandwiched between the print head and the outer peripheral portion. In the outer peripheral portion of the platen, a first groove is formed in a direction intersecting the direction of the rotary shaft in each of second outer peripheral portions on both outer sides in the direction of the rotary shaft with respect to a first outer peripheral portion in contact with the print medium having a smallest width that can be conveyed.

An opening/closing mechanism for an opening/closing cover includes the opening/closing cover, a cover protrusion, a protrusion engagement lever, an elastic member, and a cover opening section having an operation section, the cover opening section being configured to rotate the opening/closing cover in the closed position to a second position. The cover protrusion includes a second engaging portion configured to be pushed by the protrusion engagement member when the opening/closing cover is in the second position such that the opening/closing cover remains in the second position and includes a third engaging portion configured to be pushed by the protrusion engagement member when the opening/closing cover is in a third position between the second position and the open position such that the opening/closing cover rotates from the third position to the open position.

A vertical column printing device may include a print engine formed within a base housing of the vertical column printing device; a door biased by a spring away from the print engine to be selectively opened to expose the print engine; and a geared platen formed on the door to interface with the print engine to drive a roll of paper past the print engine when the door is engaged with the based housing.

Provided herein is a printing apparatus including a printhead movable between a first position and a second position. The printhead includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate define at least a first burn line and a second burn line, respectively, of heating elements disposed adjacent to a first edge and a second edge, respectively of the printhead. A printhead bracket receives the printhead in one of the first position or the second position. In the first position, the heating elements of the first burn line perform a printing operation and the printhead bracket is configured to preclude operation of the heating elements of the second burn line. In the second position, the heating elements of the second burn line perform a printing operation, and the printhead bracket is configured to preclude operation of the heating elements of the first burn line.

A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon used in the printing portion, a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium; and a ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism configured to regulate rotation of the ribbon supply shaft, wherein the ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism is switched between a lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated and a non-lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted in conjunction with swing actions of the partition member.

A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon used in the printing portion, a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium; and a ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism configured to regulate rotation of the ribbon supply shaft, wherein the ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism is switched between a lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated and a non-lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted in conjunction with swing actions of the partition member.