Printing unit and thermal printer

Abstract

A printing unit includes a head unit; a platen unit separately combined with the head unit; a fixed blade provided to the platen unit; a movable blade, which is provided to the head unit and is relatively movable with respect to the fixed blade; a drive mechanism, which includes a drive rack coupled to the movable blade, and moves the movable blade between a standby position being separated from the fixed blade and a cutting position at which the movable blade rides on the fixed blade; an operation lever being movable between a lock position and a releasing position; and a return mechanism configured to move the movable blade from the cutting position toward the standby position side through intermediation of the drive rack in association with the operation lever. The return mechanism includes a lever returning mechanism, under the state in which movable blade is stopped at the cutting position, transmits motive power generated along with an operation of the operation lever from the lock position toward the releasing position to the drive mechanism to move the movable blade toward the standby position and returns the operated operation lever from the releasing position side to the lock position.