Patent ID: 7542061

Claim:
A thermal image forming apparatus, comprising: a platen roller; a thermal printhead including a heating portion on which a plurality of heating elements are arranged along an area where the platen roller and the thermal printhead form a printing nip; a plurality of driving integrated circuits mounted on a substrate disposed on a side of the heating portion and connected to the heating elements of the heating portion; and a block facing the heating portion across the driving integrated circuits to guide a sheet of paper conveyed between the platen roller and the thermal printhead; and a conveying unit that conveys the sheet of paper between the platen roller and the thermal printhead to prevent the sheet of paper from interrupting and contacting the driving integrated circuits, an incline slanting in a conveying direction of the paper being formed on a side of the block facing the driving integrated circuits such that a leading edge of the inclined face of the block abuts an upper surface of the substrate.