Patent ID: 8405697

Claim:
A printer, comprising: a thermal head configured to print on a printing medium; a platen roller configured to interpose the printing medium between the thermal head and the platen roller; an urging mechanism configured to urge the thermal head against the platen roller; a first separation mechanism configured to move the thermal head from a proximal position where the thermal head is placed adjacent to the platen roller to a first separation position where the thermal head is placed farther away from the platen roller than the proximal position; a second separation mechanism configured to move the thermal head from the proximal position to a second separation position where the thermal head is placed farther away from the platen roller than the proximal position and placed closer to the platen roller than the first separation position; and an electric-powered actuator having a movable member configured to reciprocate along a lengthwise direction of the printing medium, wherein the second separation mechanism includes: a first movement conversion mechanism configured to convert a linear movement of the movable member in one direction into a rotational movement of a first shaft in one rotational direction, the first shaft extending along a widthwise direction of the printing medium; and a second movement conversion mechanism configured to convert the rotational movement of the first shaft in one rotational direction into a movement of the thermal head from the proximal position to the second separation position.