Capstan bodies in printer rollers

The printing mechanism of 5 further comprising:

• at least one contact roller located substantially parallel to the cylindrical printing surface so as to maintain the print medium in contact with the printing surface of the platen between printing time periods, each contact roller having a length which approximates the predetermined longitudinal length of the platen;
• and
• the coupling means is formed of a rigid material and includes a circumference which provides a cylindrical surface for contacting end areas of the at least one contact roller contacting the platen when the print medium is not disposed between the platen and the at least one contact roller.

A thermal printing mechanism for reproducing an image on a print medium comprising:

• a cylindrical rotatable platen for contacting and supporting the print medium on which the image is to be reproduced, the platen comprising (a) a circumference which is smaller than a printing length of the image to be reproduced, (b) a predetermined longitudinal length which is wider than a width of a print medium, (c) a central longitudinal section including a cylindrical elastomer printing surface with a predetermined compliancy in a radial direction, and (d) a first and a second end section, each end section extending from an opposite end of the cylindrical elastomer printing surface, and comprises (1) means for providing a significantly higher torsional rigidity than that of the cylindrical elastomer printing surface, (2) a compliancy in a radial direction which approximates the predetermined compliancy in a radial direction of the cylindrical elastomer printing surface, and (3) a length which extends under a nearest edge of the print medium when the print medium is placed on the platen;
• and
• a thermal print head comprising a plurality of heating elements disposed in a predetermined pattern, the plurality of heating elements being arranged to selectively contact the print medium on the platen during a printing process.