Airborne thermal printer.

摘要

A mobile printer (10) having features particularly suited for use in a mobile conveyance such as an airplane. The printer stores a first data set in a memory that is accessed under control of a programmable controller. The printer then receives a second data set via a communications transceiver. Data from the first and second data sets are combined to form a composite bit mapped image which is printed by means of a thermal printhead controlled by the programmable controller. The thermal printhead (40) uses rolls of thermally sensitive paper (30) which are supported by means of a mandrel roll (50). The thermal paper is positioned adjacent the print head (40) by means of a platen roll (90). A biasing force is provided to bias the platen roll away from the print head when a door (22) in the printer housing is opened to provide a space into which the free end of the roll of paper can enter. A cam (220) is provided on the underside of the door to close the gap between the platen roll (90) and the print head (40) when the housing door is closed so that the platen roll (90) presses the paper against the print head while the printing operation takes place. A back pressure acts on the paper upstream of the platen and idler rolls to straighten the paper with respect to the print head. <IMAGE>