Patent ID: 8031216

Claim:
A printer, comprising: a main cover configured to be rotated between an open position and a closed position; a roller that is rotatably supported on the main cover and is configured to transport and apply pressure to thermal paper; a heating element positioned and configured to selectively heat the thermal paper; and a guide unit configured to guide the roller upon contact of the guide unit by the roller when the main cover is being moved from its open position to its closed position, the guide unit including a plurality of separate contacts, each of which is configured to contact a corresponding segment of the roller at least when the main cover approaches the closed position; wherein one of the plurality of contacts is formed at one side of the guide unit and another is formed at the opposite side of the guide unit relative to a direction of travel of the roller along the guide unit; the printer is configured to print by selectively fusing color layers of thermal paper, the thermal paper having an adhesive side formed on one surface thereof, the adhesive side having a non-adhesive area formed along first and second edge portions thereof and an adhesive area formed between the first and second edge portions, the thermal paper further having a color layer side on which color layers are formed, the thermal paper being wound sequentially into a roll such that the color layer side is to the outside of the roll without a liner protecting the adhesive area on the adhesive side; and the guide unit guides the thermal paper in a prescribed direction by only contacting areas of the color layer side that oppose the non-adhesive area of the adhesive side.