A printer in one example includes a thermal printhead with resistive heating elements. A motor is provided in the printer for conveying paper to the thermal printhead. A power supply is provided to supply power to the thermal printhead and the motor. A processor is configured to cause the supply of power to the motor to be paused after the supply of power to the thermal printhead exceeds a power threshold value and then to resume the supply of power to the motor after a predetermined period of time elapses after the pause of the supply of power to the motor.

A printing device includes a head holding part configured to hold a thermal head, a first roller configured to rotate while nipping the printing medium with the thermal head and thereby convey the printing medium, a second roller arranged on the downstream side with respect to the first roller convey the printing medium toward the downstream side, a first driving part configured to rotate the first roller in the first forward rotational direction, a second driving part configured to rotate the second roller in the second forward rotational direction, and a torque limiter provided to the second driving part. The torque limiter is configured to control transmission of a rotational driving force to the second roller.

A printing device includes a head holding part configured to hold a thermal head, a first roller configured to rotate while nipping the printing medium with the thermal head and thereby convey the printing medium, a second roller arranged on the downstream side with respect to the first roller convey the printing medium toward the downstream side, a first driving part configured to rotate the first roller in the first forward rotational direction, a second driving part configured to rotate the second roller in the second forward rotational direction, and a torque limiter provided to the second driving part. The torque limiter is configured to control transmission of a rotational driving force to the second roller.

In order to prevent degradation in print quality which can come from matter generated from an ink ribbon and adhering to a thermal head, the thermal transfer printer transports an ink ribbon which has characteristics such that the amount of matter generated from the ink ribbon by transfer and adhering to the thermal head has a peak at predetermined transfer energy and reduces in an energy range higher than the predetermined transfer energy with increase in transfer energy, transfers ink and protective material onto paper in this order from the ink ribbon on which the ink and the protective material are repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof, and adjusts transfer energy for the protective material to a value within a predetermined range. The lower limit of the predetermined range is higher than the predetermined transfer energy and minimum energy at which the protective material can be transferred, and is a value sufficient for transfer of the protective material to reduce matter having adhered to the thermal head since transfer of the ink. The upper limit of the predetermined range is lower than an energy value at which the protective material becomes mat and thereby glossiness of a protective layer on the paper formed from the protective material is lost.

In order to prevent degradation in print quality which can come from matter generated from an ink ribbon and adhering to a thermal head, the thermal transfer printer transports an ink ribbon which has characteristics such that the amount of matter generated from the ink ribbon by transfer and adhering to the thermal head has a peak at predetermined transfer energy and reduces in an energy range higher than the predetermined transfer energy with increase in transfer energy, transfers ink and protective material onto paper in this order from the ink ribbon on which the ink and the protective material are repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof, and adjusts transfer energy for the protective material to a value within a predetermined range. The lower limit of the predetermined range is higher than the predetermined transfer energy and minimum energy at which the protective material can be transferred, and is a value sufficient for transfer of the protective material to reduce matter having adhered to the thermal head since transfer of the ink. The upper limit of the predetermined range is lower than an energy value at which the protective material becomes mat and thereby glossiness of a protective layer on the paper formed from the protective material is lost.

An embodiment of the present invention is a printer that includes a platen roller to feed a print medium, a print head to print on the print medium fed by the platen roller, a connector that is attachable and detachable with respect to the print head the print head, and a controller to stop power supply to the print head via the connector when the platen roller and the print head are separated.

A power source circuit includes a first converter, a second converter, a switch and a controller. The switch is configured to switch between a first state and a second state, in which in the first state, a first voltage is not supplied to the second converter whereas in the second state, the first voltage is supplied to the second converter. The controller controls the switch to change the first state to the second state in response to detection of the change in a first current flowing in a first load. The second converter is configured to convert a battery voltage of a battery to a second voltage lower than the battery voltage when the switch switches to the first state and convert the first voltage to the second voltage lower than the first voltage when the switch switches to the second state.

A power source circuit includes a first converter, a second converter, a switch and a controller. The switch is configured to switch between a first state and a second state, in which in the first state, a first voltage is not supplied to the second converter whereas in the second state, the first voltage is supplied to the second converter. The controller controls the switch to change the first state to the second state in response to detection of the change in a first current flowing in a first load. The second converter is configured to convert a battery voltage of a battery to a second voltage lower than the battery voltage when the switch switches to the first state and convert the first voltage to the second voltage lower than the first voltage when the switch switches to the second state.

Temperature sensing circuitry for an Implantable Medical Device (IMD) is disclosed that can be integrated into integrated circuitry in the IMD and draws very little power, thus enabling continuous temperature monitoring without undue battery depletion. Temperature sensor and threshold setting circuitry produces analog voltage signals indicative of a sensed temperature and at least one temperature threshold. Such circuitry employs a Ptat current reference stage and additional stages, which stages contains resistances that are set based on the desired temperature threshold(s) and to set the voltage range of the sensed temperature. These analog voltages are received at temperature threshold detection circuitry, which produces digital signal(s) indicating whether the sensed temperature has passed the temperature threshold(s). The digital signal(s) are then provided to digital circuitry in the IMD, where they can be stored as a function of time for later review, or used to immediately to control IMD operation.

A method for managing printing of data by a thermal printer. The thermal printer includes a thermal print head. The thermal print head has a plurality of points, each point having an effective resistance r.sub.d, and is powered by a power source. The method includes the following actions: measuring a voltage U given by the power source of the thermal printer; measuring an internal resistance r.sub.u of the power source; and computing a duration t for heating a number n of points as a function of the voltage U of the power source, the internal resistance r.sub.u of the power source, at least one effective resistance r.sub.d of at least one point corresponding to a dot to be printed for the printing of the data and as a function of at least one value of parasitic resistance r.sub.p of at least one element of the thermal printer.