PURPOSE: To enable to clearly record irrespectively of the surface roughness of a thermal recording medium, by providing a shape memory alloy which transmits heat from a heating element to a recording paper or an ink ribbon, and is thermally deformed to press the paper or the ribbon.

CONSTITUTION: A coil form heat and pressure transmitting member 7 is fixed to a protective layer 5 provided on the upper side of a heating resistor 3, the member 7 being formed of a shape memory alloy. The member 7 is subjected to a shape-storing treatment either previously in a stretched state or after being fitted to the thermal head. When predetermined heating pulses are selectively impressed on the heating resistors 3, the heat generated by the resistors 3 is transmitted to a base 11 of the ink ribbon 9 in contact with the head through the member 7. The heat generated by the resistor 3 causes the member 7 to restore its shape, whereby the closeness of contact of the member 7 and the ribbon 9 is enhanced, the heat from the selected heating resistors 3 is securely transmitted to the ribbon 9, and an ink 12 provided on the ribbon 9 is accurately transferred to the recording paper 8.