Patent ID: 7513706

Claim:
A printing apparatus comprising: a main body into which a print target is inserted; a printing section, provided in the main body, which thermally transfers ink of an ink ribbon onto the print target; a feeder, provided in the main body, which feeds the printing section with the ink ribbon; wherein the main body has an insertion port which aligns a print surface of the print target with an ink surface of the ink ribbon from outside the main body toward the printing section therein, and into which the print target is insertable only in a direction parallel to a feed direction of the ink ribbon by the feeder; wherein a guide section is provided in the main body, and the guide section aligns the print surface of the print target inserted into the main body via the insertion port with the ink surface of the ink ribbon, holds the print target in the direction parallel to the feed direction, and guides the print target to a position at which the printing section is provided; and wherein the main body is provided with: an ejection port from which the print target inserted into the main body is ejectable out of the main body in a direction orthogonal to the feed direction; and an insertion-prevention section which prevents insertion of the print target from outside the main body into the main body through the ejection port.