A system for removably retaining a print head assembly includes a bracket holding a print head assembly and a shaft for receiving the bracket on the shaft. The shaft includes a retaining assembly, a first shaft section having a profile geometry to allow the bracket to be received onto the shaft, a second shaft section having a profile geometry preventing removal of the bracket from the shaft, and a positioning assembly configured to resiliently engage the bracket. When the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section, the positioning assembly can engage and releasably reposition the bracket onto the second shaft section and against the retaining assembly.

A thermal printer according to an embodiment includes: a platen that has a rotatable columnar shape and that is configured to convey a print medium having various widths, with a central portion in a direction of a rotary shaft as a reference, in a manner of being in contact with an outer peripheral portion; and a print head that is oppositely disposed along the platen, that is pressed by the outer peripheral portion, and that is configured to perform printing by applying heat to the print medium. The platen includes a shaft constituting the rotary shaft and a rubber including the outer peripheral portion provided on an outer periphery of the shaft, and has a first region centered on the central portion and second regions on both outer sides in the direction of a rotary shaft with respect to the first region. A diameter of the platen in the first region and diameters of the platen in the second regions are the same, and a thickness of the rubber in the first region is smaller than thicknesses of the rubber in the second regions.

A thermal head includes a substrate, an electrode, a bonding material, an electrically conductive member, and a sealing material. The electrode is located on the substrate. The bonding material is located on the substrate or the electrode. The electrically conductive member is located on the bonding material and is electrically connected to the electrode via the bonding material. The sealing material is located on the substrate and covers the bonding material and the electrically conductive member. The bonding material includes a protruding portion located at an outer circumferential edge of the electrically conductive member away from the substrate and the electrically conductive member.

A tape includes: a sheet; first and second media arranged adjacent to each other in a longitudinal direction of the sheet, spaced from each other, and peelably stuck to the sheet; a first separating line extending between first and second ends of the sheet in a widthwise direction between the first and second media; and a second separating line formed at a portion of the sheet which is located between a center position of the second medium in the widthwise direction and a first end of the second medium in the widthwise direction. The second separating line is formed at at least a portion of the sheet which is located between first and second ends of the second medium in the longitudinal direction. Each of the first and second separating lines includes a portion formed through or cut in the sheet in a thickness direction.

A printhead mounting system includes one or more pins attached to a printhead, and configured to be inserted through one or more slots in a support frame coupled to a printer, and one or more fasteners configured to engage with the pins inserted through the support frame slots. The fasteners can be detachable, operably coupled to the support frame, or coupled to each other. Additionally, the system can have locating pins for aligning the printhead with the support frame. A method for attaching a printhead includes inserting posts located at a top of a printhead through openings in a printhead support frame, and engaging one or more quick-release fasteners with the posts above the support frame.

A thermal printer includes a frame, a platen roller supported on the frame so as to be rotatable about a first direction, a head support plate supported on the frame, and a thermal head fixed to the head support plate. The head nips paper between the roller in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The frame includes a swing support portion supporting the plate so that the plate is swingable about the first direction and a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The head is fixed to a portion of the plate located on a first side in the third direction with respect to the swing support portion. Between a portion of the plate located on a second side and the frame, an urging member configured to urge the plate in a direction of causing the head to approach the roller is interposed.

Provided is a photo printer including: a base adapted to accommodate paper therein; a pickup roller protruding from the bottom of the base to feed the paper accommodated in the base forwardly; a platen roller disposed in front of the base to discharge the paper fed by the pickup roller forwardly; a head located above the platen roller to apply given heat to the paper; a swing bracket having a mounting portion formed at the front side thereof in such a manner as to be coupled to the head and coupling portions formed at the rear side thereof in such a manner as to be rotatably coupled to the base to allow the head to swing; and pressurizing means adapted to pressurize the head downwardly to allow the head to come into close contact with the paper advancing into the space between the head and the platen roller.

A printer including thermal head, a platen including a shaft, a pair of bushing, a bracket, a pair of frames, and a pair of supports. The bushings are positioned proximate opposing ends of the shaft. The bracket is configured to support the thermal head. The bracket defines a groove at opposing ends thereof. The frames are positioned proximate the opposing ends of the bracket. Each of the frames defines an aperture that cooperates with the groove to define a passage through which a portion of the shaft extends. Each of the supports is positioned to engage with the aperture of a respective one of the frames. The supports are rotatable within the apertures about an axis of rotation. The supports are positioned to support the opposing ends of the shaft such that the shaft is eccentric from the axis of rotation.

A thermal head includes a substrate, a bonding material, an electrically conductive member, and a gold electrode. The bonding material is located on the substrate and contains gold and tin. The electrically conductive member is located on the bonding material. The gold electrode is located on the substrate and electrically connected to the bonding material.

It is an object to improve image quality of panoramic printing performed by a thermal printer. The thermal printer includes a joint position calculator and a controller. The joint position calculator specifies, in accordance with a less likelihood index of human visual recognition, a joint position between a plurality of images in panoramic printing including dividing a panoramic image longer than a print size of an ink ribbon into a plurality of images of a size equal to or less than the print size and printing in a plurality of times to join the plurality of images. The controller controls a print medium, the ink ribbon, and a thermal head to cause the plurality of images divided at the joint position to be joined by being heat transferred to a plurality of continuous areas of the print medium by a plurality of unit print areas of the ink ribbon, respectively.