Printer

A printer comprising:

• a main body casing having a frontwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion, said main body casing including a main frame extending between said frontwardly extending portion and said rearwardly extending portion, said frontwardly extending portion of the main body casing including a main cover at one side thereof and a recess at the other side thereof, said main cover being mounted on said main frame;
• a printing mechanism unit for printing operation, said printing mechanism unit being mounted on said rearwardly extending portion of the main body casing and including a platen for supporting a printing sheet, a carriage having a print head and movable relatively to the platen, platen drive means, and carriage drive means for moving the carriage, said platen extending substantially over the width of the main frame;
• said main body casing further having a subcover which is removably mounted on said main frame to be located above said printing mechanism unit and to be removable independently of said main cover;
• a control unit for controlling the printing operation of the printing mechanism unit, said control unit being mounted in the frontwardly extending portion of the main body casing and including first switch means which is mounted on said main cover;
• power supply means for supplying electric power to the printing mechanism unit for printing operation;
• and
• a power supply means casing containing the power supply means and removably attached to the main body casing in said recess, so that the power supply means, the control unit and the printing mechanism unit are electrically connected when the power supply means casing is attached to the main body casing,
• said power supply means including a high-voltage input means adapted to be connected to an external power source for high-voltage power input, transforming means for changing a high-voltage input current into a predetermined low-voltage current lower in potential than the input current, low-voltage output means for delivering the low-voltage current transformed by the transforming means to the control unit and the printing mechanism unit, said low-voltage output means having a connector removably connected to the main body casing, and second switch means for switching the electrical connection between the high-voltage input means and the transforming means, said second switch means being located in the power supply means casing to permit external manual operation;
• said first and second switch means being disposed in front of said printing mechanism unit and extending through said main cover and said power supply means casing, respectively;
• said main cover and said power supply means casing having their respective upper surfaces at substantially the same height;
• whereby the respective outer peripheral surfaces of the main body casing and the power supply means casing are flush and continuous with each other, forming substantially rectangular outline of the printer.