Patent ID: 8284223
Filing Date: 2012-10-09
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A thermal printing mechanism comprising: a head unit having a heating element; an energizing unit that energizes the heating element; and an energizing control unit that controls the energizing unit to energize the heating element for a total energization time that is set according to a color density of a pixel to be recorded on a recoding medium so that the higher the color density is, the longer the total energization time becomes in a total time period required for recording one pixel, wherein the energizing control unit divides the total time period into a plurality of energization time units of arbitrary lengths, based on printing speed, and from among the divided energization time units, specifies energization time units for energization so that a sum of the energization time units for energization is equivalent to the total energization time, and the energizing control unit further controls the energizing unit so that the energization time units for energization appear continuous, if the printing speed is lower than a first printing speed, and controls the energizing unit so that the energization time units for energization do not appear continuous, if the printing speed is equal to or higher than the first printing speed.