Thermal line printer having a rotatable head holding member

A thermal line printer comprising a frame;

• a platen rotatably mounted on said frame;
• a thermal head;
• head holding means pivotably mounted on said frame for holding said thermal head and pivotably displaces said thermal head between a first position, a second position and a third position;
• first lever means for cooperating with said head holding means for moving the thermal head between said first position and second position;
• a pivotable auxiliary member contacting with said head holding means, said auxiliary member being integrally formed with a lever, said auxiliary member being pivotable between a first auxiliary member position and a second auxiliary member position and said frame and auxiliary member being formed with cooperating restricting means for defining the location of said first and second auxiliary member positions and for normally holding said auxiliary member at each of said first and second auxiliary member positions;
• and
• biasing means for biasing said thermal head toward said platen and said auxiliary member away from said head holding means.

A thermal line printer comprising a frame;

• a platen pivotably mounted on said frame;
• a thermal head;
• head holding means pivotably mounted on said frame for holding said thermal head and rotating said thermal head between a first position, a second position and a third position;
• first lever means for cooperating with said head holding means for moving the thermal head between said first position and second position;
• an auxiliary member pivotably mounted and contacting with said head holding means;
• biasing means for biasing said thermal head toward said platen and said auxiliary member away from said head holding means;
• second lever means coupled to said rotating auxiliary member for locking said auxiliary member in a predetermined position;
• said second lever being operatively coupled to the auxiliary member so that movement of said second lever unlocks said auxiliary member and causes said thermal head to move from said second position to said third position;
• said first position being a closed position, said second position being an up position and said third position being an open position, and when said thermal head is in said third position, said thermal head being farther away from said platen then when said thermal head is in said first position;
• and
• said platen being separated from said thermal head by an angle greater than 30.degree. when said thermal head is in said open position.

A thermal line printer comprising a frame;

• a platen rotatably mounted on said frame;
• a thermal head;
• head holding me mounted on said frame for holding said thermal head and rotating said thermal head between a first position and a second position;
• and
• first lever means for cooperating with said head holding means for moving the thermal head between said first position and said second position, said first position being a closed position and said second position being an open position, wherein said thermal head is farther away from said platen when said thermal head is in said second position than when in said first position, said thermal head having a first end and a second end, first positioning engaging portion coupled to said thermal head at said first end and a second positioning engaging portion coupled to said thermal head at said second end, and wherein said frame is formed with first and second grooves therein respectively in registration with said first and second positioning engaging portions, said positioning engaging portions being movable within said grooves and bearing on the surfaces of said groove when said thermal head is in an optimal printing position.