Thermal activating device of thermal activation sheet and printer using the thermal activating device

A thermal activating device comprising:

• activation heating means for heating and activating a thermal activator layer of a thermal activation sheet;
• pressing means for pressing the thermal activation sheet into pressure contact with the activation heating means to heat and activate the thermal activator layer of the thermal activation sheet;
• detecting means for detecting the presence of the thermal activation sheet at a predetermined position;
• and
• pressure releasing means for releasing the pressure contact between the thermal activation sheet and the activation heating means when the detecting means does not detect the presence of the thermal activation sheet at the predetermined position, the pressure releasing means including means for releasing the pressure contact between the thermal activation sheet and the activation heating means by moving the activation heating means apart from the pressing means in a horizontal direction.

A thermal activating device comprising:

• activation heating means for heating and activating a heat sensitive adhesive on a thermal activator layer of a thermal activation sheet;
• a rotational member mounted to undergo rotation to feed the thermal activation sheet in a first direction along a movement path and to undergo movement in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction to bring the thermal activation sheet into pressure contact with the activation heating means for heating and activating the heat sensitive adhesive layer on the thermal activator layer of the thermal activation sheet;
• at least one detector for detecting the presence of the thermal activation sheet at a preselected position along the movement path;
• and
• pressure releasing means for releasing the pressure contact between the thermal activation sheet and the activation heating means when the detector does not detect the presence of the thermal activation sheet at the preselected position along the movement path.