Label peeling mechanism and label printer

A label peeling mechanism comprising:

• a web-bending guide having a convex curved surface for bending a continuous web having labels affixed to the front surface thereof to an angle of less than or equal to 90 degrees or less with respect to the back side of said web;
• an upstream web pressure guide disposed upstream in the web transportation direction from said convex curved surface opposite a guide surface portion of said web-bending guide;
• and
• a downstream web pressure guide disposed downstream in the web transportation direction from said contact surface opposite a guide surface portion of said web-bending guide;
• a plurality of recessed parts which do not contact the surface of said web are disposed to at least one of said upstream web pressure guide and downstream web pressure guide across the web width with a gap therebetween perpendicular to the web transportation direction,
• said web is conveyed between said upstream guide surface portion and said upstream web pressure guide, curves less than or equal to 90 degrees or less around said convex curved surface, and is then conveyed between said downstream guide surface portion and said downstream web pressure guide, and
• said labels are peeled from said web as said web is conveyed curved around said convex curved surface.