Patent ID: 6271872
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A head cleaning method of cleaning a thermal head of a thermal printer, said thermal printer being capable of a precutting operation in which, when a recording sheet roll is set, a front edge portion of a continuous recording sheet is fed from said recording sheet roll to a cutter, and said cutter cuts away said recording sheet front edge portion, said head cleaning method comprising the steps of:setting one of said recording sheet roll and a cleaning sheet roll in said thermal printer, said cleaning sheet roll including a continuous cleaning sheet wound in a roll form;determining which of said recording sheet roll and said cleaning sheet roll is set in said thermal printer by reading discernment information;if said cleaning sheet roll is determined, feeding a front edge portion of said continuous cleaning sheet with said thermal head pressed on said cleaning sheet front edge portion, to clean said thermal head;precutting away said recording sheet front edge portion or said cleaning sheet front edge portion with said cutter.