Thermal ink transfer printing apparatus

Abstract

A thermal ink transfer printing apparatus comprising a carriage moved along the rotating shaft of a platen roller, and a thermal head provided with a row of heating elements. A fixture which is urged backward by a spring is rotatably attached to the carriage and to the front side of which is attached the thermal head. A solenoid is fixed on the carriage with its core rod contacted with the backside of the fixture. An ink ribbon fed from an ink ribbon feeding reel and wound around an ink ribbon reel after passing through the thermal head. The ink ribbon feeding and winding reels are arranged on the carriage. When current is applied to the solenoid, the thermal head is pressed against the platen roller to closely contact the ink ribbon with a recording sheet on the circumference of the platen roller, while when current supply is stopped to the solenoid, the thermal head is retreated to peel off the ink ribbon from the recording sheet. When blanks corresponding to two serial characters are applied to the thermal head, both of current supply to the solenoid and the winding of the ink ribbon are stopped, to thereby avoid the winding of the ink ribbon unused.