Direct thermal printer, direct thermal printing method and conveyor for recording material

摘要

A color thermal printer a conveyor (37) for conveying a color thermosensitive recording sheet (24) along a conveying path (226). A thermal head (41) thermally records a full-color image to the recording sheet being conveyed. A fixer lamp (39, 40, 80, 81) applies ultraviolet rays of a predetermined range of wavelength to the recording sheet being conveyed, for optically fixing the recording sheet. In the thermal printer, a printer casing (11) has a small height, and includes a front panel (16) oriented vertically. An insertion opening (25) in the front panel is adapted to insertion of the recording sheet before the recording, and ejection of the recording sheet after the recording. An air inlet (26) and an air outlet (27) are formed in the front panel. The insertion opening is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet. An air passageway (64) is disposed in the printer casing, and communicates from the air inlet to the air outlet via at least a portion of the conveying path. A fan unit (65) is disposed in the air passageway, and causes air from the air inlet to flow along the air passageway, to cause heat generated in the printer casing to exit from the air outlet.