Thermal head and head drive circuit therefor

A thermal head which has a thermal resistance member formed in a straight form, comprising:

• a first lead conductor group having a plurality of first lead conductors which are connected to said thermal resistance member;
• a second lead conductor group having a plurality of second lead conductors which are connected to said thermal resistance member, said first lead conductors and said second lead conductors being alternately arranged at a given interval;
• a third lead conductor group connected to said thermal resistance member between said first and second lead conductor groups;
• and
• selecting means having a first selecting mode for selecting said first lead conductor group and a second selecting mode for selecting said second lead conductor group;
• wherein when said selecting means selects said first selecting mode, a region of said thermal resistance member sandwiched by said first lead conductor group and said third lead conductor group is operated, and when said selecting means selects said second selecting mode, a region of said thermal resistance member sandwiched by said second lead conductor group and said third lead conductor group is operated;
• wherein said selecting means includes a power source for applying a driving potential "E" to said first lead conductor group during the first selecting mode, and for applying a driving potential "E" to said second lead conductor group during the second selecting mode;
• wherein said selecting means includes potential applying means for applying a potential other than 0 to said second lead conductor group during the first selecting mode, and for applying a potential other than 0 to the first lead conductor group during the second selecting mode;
• and
• wherein said potential applying means feeds back said potential given to said second lead conductor group to set said potential to a predetermined value "e" during the first selecting mode, and feeds back said potential given to said first lead conductor group to set said potential to a predetermined value "e" during the second selecting mode.