Thermal recording apparatus

Claim 2

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a thermal head for image recording on said recording medium; discrimination means for discriminating the species of said recording medium; and pressure varying means for varying the force for maintaining the pressing condition by said thermal head on said recording medium according to the species thereof discriminated by said discrimination means.

Claim 3

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head comprises a heat generating element.

Claim 4

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head is adapted to press said recording medium across an ink sheet bearing ink thereon.

Claim 5

A thermal recording according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium is thermosensitive paper.

Claim 6

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head comprises an electrode from which an electric current is supplied to a conductive layer of an ink sheet thereby generating heat in said ink sheet itself and transferring the ink thereof to said recording medium, thus achieving image recording.

Claim 7

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means is given information on the species of said recording medium by a manual operation of the operator.

Claim 8

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means is given information on the species of said recording medium by the detection of a sensor.

Claim 9

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a head for image recording on said recording medium; discrimination means for discriminating the species of said recording medium; and pressure varying means for varying the pressure of said head on said recording medium according to the species thereof discriminated by said discrimination means; wherein said pressure varying means comprises an elastic member between a head arm bearing said head and a driving mechanism, and is adapted to compress said elastic member in response to a movement of a driving point with respect to said elastic member.

Claim 10

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a head for image recording on said recording medium; discrimination means for discriminating the species of said recording medium; and pressure varying means for varying the pressure of said head on said recording medium according to the species thereof discriminated by said discrimination means; wherein said pressure varying means comprises an elastic member between a head arm bearing said head and a driving mechanism, and is adapted to compress said elastic member in response to a movement of a driving point with respect to said elastic member.

Claim 11

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a head for image recording on said recording medium; head pressure regulation means for regulating the pressure of said head on said recording medium; energy regulation means for regulating the electric energy to be supplied to said head; instruction means for instructing the density of the image to be recorded on said recording medium; and control means for controlling said head pressure regulation means and said energy regulation means in response to the instruction by said instruction means.

Claim 12

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a head for image recording on said recording medium; head pressure regulation means for regulating the pressure of said head on said recording medium; energy regulation means for regulating the electric energy to be supplied to said head; instruction means for instructing the density of the image to be recorded on said recording medium; and control means for controlling said head pressure regulation means and said energy regulation means in response to the instruction by said instruction means.

Claim 13

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising correlation means for correlating the image density instructed by said instruction means with the set values of said pressure and said electric energy, wherein said head pressure regulation means and said energy regulation means are controlled in response to said set values.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said head presses a platen through an ink sheet containing ink thereon and said recording medium.

Claim 15

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a head for image recording on said recording medium; head pressure regulation means for regulating the pressure of said head on said recording medium; head pressure instruction means for instructing said pressure; energy regulation means for regulating electric energy to be supplied to said head; energy instruction means for instructing the electric energy to be supplied to said head; memory means for storing plural sets of a predetermined value instructed by said head pressure instruction means and a predetermined value instructed by said energy instruction means; and control means for designating one of said plural sets of instruction values stored in said memory means and controlling said head pressure regulation means and said energy regulation means in response to thus read instruction values.

Claim 16

A thermal recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium, comprising: a head for image recording on said recording medium; head pressure regulation means for regulating the pressure of said head on said recording medium; head pressure instruction means for instructing said pressure; energy regulation means for regulating electric energy to be supplied to said head; energy instruction means for instructing the electric energy to be supplied to said head; memory means for storing plural sets of a predetermined value instructed by said head pressure instruction means and a predetermined value instructed by said energy instruction means; and control means for designating one of said plural sets of instruction values stored in said memory means and controlling said head pressure regulation means and said energy regulation means in response to thus read instruction values.

Claim 17

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said control means is also adapted to control said head pressure regulation means and said energy regulation means in response to a value instructed by said head pressure instruction means and a value instructed by said energy instruction means.

Claim 18

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising renewal means for renewing one of plural sets stored in said memory means, according instructions of said head pressure instruction means and said energy instruction means.

Claim 19

A thermal recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said head is a thermal head provided with a heat generating element.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said head presses a platen though an ink sheet containing ink thereon and said recording medium.

Claim 21

A thermal recording apparatus for transferring ink from an ink sheet containing ink-thereon to a medium to be recorded so as to record onto said recording medium, comprising: a platen; a thermal head for recording onto said recording medium; said head having a heat generating section; discriminating means for discriminating species of said recording medium, and pressure control means for controlling the force for maintaining the pressing condition by said thermal head through said ink sheet and said recording medium on said platen in accordance with the species of said recording medium discriminated by said discriminating means.

Claim 22

A thermal recording apparatus for transferring ink from an ink sheet containing ink-thereon to a medium to be recorded so as to record onto said recording medium, comprising: a platen; a thermal head for recording onto said recording medium; said head having a heat generating section; discriminating means for discriminating species of said recording medium, and pressure control means for controlling the force for maintaining the pressing condition by said thermal head through said ink sheet and said recording medium on said platen in accordance with the species of said recording medium discriminated by said discriminating means.