PURPOSE: To simplify and reduce the cost of a mechanism of a thermal ink printer by providing an ink container provided immediately before thermal elements with the same number of ink flow-out holes as the thermal elements between the thermal head and a sheet to be printed, thereby eliminating an ink tape and the like.

CONSTITUTION: An ink container 3 is provided between a thermal head 1 and a sheet 5 to be printed, and thermally fusible ink 4 is filled in the container. Ink flow- out holes 3' are formed at the position immediately before the thermal elements 2 interposed between the thermal elements 2 and the sheet 5 in the container 3. Thermally fusibe ink 4 is fused by the thermal pattern formed by the thermal head 1, and is thus adhered to the sheet 5 through the holes 3' to be printed. The ink from the other part is again filled in the vacant holes 3' thus becoming air gap by capillay phenomenon, an is solidified for subsequent printing.