PURPOSE: To prevent extension of a circumferential length at the time of bringing a thermal head into pressure contact, and to prevent degrading in quality of a picture, particularly generation of color deviation, by forming a thin layer made of at least resin having a high elastic modulus on a peripheral surface of an elastic layer of a platen roller.

CONSTITUTION: A platen roller 10 comprises a shaft 10a made of metal, etc., an elastic layer 10b applied coaxially on the outer periphery of the shaft 10a, a thin layer (a high elastic modulus resin layer) 10c made of resin having a high longitudinal elastic modulus and covering the outer periphery of the layer 10b, and a thin layer (a high frictional layer) 10d made of a material having a high frictional coefficient such as rubber, etc., and applied on the outer periphery of the layer 10c. The layer 10c is formed by laminating resin having a high longitudinal elastic modulus. The higher the modulus is, the higher an effect of preventing an elongation of a circumferential length of the layer 10b becomes, but the layer 10b is scarcely deformed, and hence its thickness is reduced thereby making a pressure uniform at the time of bringing into pressure contact. Since the elastic material such as rubber, etc., of the layer 10d is sufficiently reduced in thickness the deformation at the time of bringing into pressure contact does not become a problem and can be ignored.