Label peeling mechanism and label printer

A label peeling mechanism for use in a label printer having a printing head and platen roller comprising:

• a web-bending guide having a guide surface portion and a convex curved surface for bending a continuous web having labels affixed to the front surface thereof to an angle of less than or equal to 90 degrees with respect to the back side of said web;
• an upstream web pressure guide disposed downstream of the printing head and platen roller at a location upstream in a web transportation direction from said convex curved surface opposite said guide surface portion for contacting the surface of the web with the labels affixed thereto before the web is curved around said curved surface of said web-bending guide and including a substantially flat guide surface of a given length extending from one end of the curved surface of the web bending guide toward the downstream side in the web transportation direction;
• and
• a downstream web pressure guide disposed downstream in the web transportation direction from said contact surface opposite a downstream guide surface portion of said web-bending guide;
• wherein said upstream web pressure guide has a plurality of contact parts aligned with respect to said web-bending guide for contacting the surface of said web before said labels are peeled from said web;
• such that said web is conveyed between said upstream guide surface portion of said web-bending guide and said plurality of contact parts in said upstream web pressure guide, curves 90 degrees or less around said convex curved surface, and is then conveyed between said downstream guide surface portion and said downstream web pressure guide, and
• said labels are peeled from said web as said web is conveyed curved around said convex curved surface.