Printing apparatus

Abstract

In a manually sweeping type printing apparatus having a lighter weight than a force in printing, the printing operation is effected without applying any external depression load. The printing apparatus includes a thermal head a piezoelectric actuator which performs movements of expansion and contraction in synchronism with an alternating voltage, and means for coupling the thermal head to the piezoelectric actuator with maintaining vibrations. The piezoelectric acutator is manufactured by stacking a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic sheets, and stretched in an axial direction thereof upon receiving the alternating voltage. This deformation causes another vibration of the thermal head in the axial direction, whereby the force against the recording paper is obtained by the vibration of the thermal head. An average value 'F' of the force 'F' exerted by the thermal head against the recording paper is set not to be more than the weight of the printing apparatus. Also a maximum value of the force is selected to be more than a minimum value of the required force. As a consequence, although the weight of the printing apparatus is less than the force in printing, such a printing apparatus can be realized that more than the force required for thermally-transferring the heat transfer ink to the recording paper can be delivered.