Patent ID: 8537189

Claim:
A thermal printer for printing information on thermal paper having a thermosensitive layer formed on both sides thereof, while feeding the thermal paper, comprising: first and second thermal heads installed at positions spaced apart from each other along a feeding direction of the thermal paper, the first thermal head printing on one side of the thermal paper and the second thermal head printing on the other side of the thermal paper; a first platen installed at a position opposite the first thermal head with a feeding path of the thermal paper interposed therebetween, and configured to move for closing so as to approach the first thermal head and move for opening so as to be distanced from the first thermal head, the thermal paper being interposed between the first platen and the first thermal head according to the closing movement of the first platen; a second platen installed at a position opposite the second thermal head with the feeding path of the thermal paper interposed therebetween, and configured to move for closing so as to approach the second thermal head and move for opening so as to be distanced from the second thermal head, the thermal paper being interposed between the second platen and the second thermal head according to the closing movement of the second platen; and a control unit configured to initiate feeding of the thermal paper in a state in which the first and second platens have moved for opening, execute printing in a state in which the first and second platens have moved for closing when a front end of the thermal paper reaches the first and second thermal heads, respectively, and control the first and second platens to move for opening when the front end of the thermal paper passes through the first and second thermal heads, respectively, while returning the thermal paper, which has been cut after being printed, in an opposite direction of the feeding direction after the cutting operation.