Thermal printer having an elastic print head support

A printer, comprising:

• a housing;
• a platen mounted on a shaft, the shaft defining a first axis and having first and second opposite ends rotatably supported by the housing;
• a print head supported by the housing and mounted for rotation about a second axis, parallel to the first axis, between a first position displaced from the platen and a second position contacting the platen;
• an elastic element;
• and
• a link mechanism coupled to the shaft of the platen and supporting a bar, the link mechanism affording selective movement of the bar between a retracted position remote from the platen and an active position adjacent the platen and, in the active position of the bar, the resilient force of the elastic element being exerted between the bar and the print head and correspondingly between the link mechanism and the shaft, substantially independently of the housing.

A thermal printer, comprising:

• a housing;
• a platen mounted on a shaft, the shaft supported by the housing and defining a first axis about which the platen is rotatable;
• a print head supported by the housing and mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to and spaced by a fixed distance from the first axis;
• a print head actuator comprising a link mechanism having a first end coupled to the shaft and a second end displaced from the surface of the platen and defining a corresponding space therebetween through which the print head extends and is rotatable, and a resilient element interconnecting the second end of the actuator and the print head, the actuator imposing a resilient force through the resilient element against the print head for resiliently engaging the print head against the platen, the resilient force of the elastic element being exerted between the bar and the print head and correspondingly between the link mechanism and the shaft, substantially independently of the housing.