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EP0159642A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thermal head

Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1985-04-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-04-15
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Abstract

Abstract A thermal head for use in a dot-matrix printer is disclosed in which a plurality of heating elements (51, 54) for printing dots on recording paper (8) are arranged in a line oblique with respect to the moving direction of the thermal head, the dimension (W) of the heating surface of each heating element in a direction (A) parallel to the moving direction of the thermal head is made smaller than the dimension (H) of the heating surface in a direction (B) perpendicular to the above moving direction, each of wiring conductor pairs (52, 53; 55, 56) for supplying a current to the heating elements is extended from both ends of the heating surface in the lengthwise direction thereof, in a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head, one wiring conductor of each wiring conductor pair is connected to a common wiring conductor (62), and the other wiring conductor of each wiring conductor pair is connected directly to the drive circuit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akiyoshi Hakoyama
  • 👤 Shouji Saitoh
  • 👤 Akira Sasaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 05:56
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32; B41J2/345

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
A thermal head used in a dot-matrix printer and comprising: an insulating substrate (62); a plurality of heating elements (51, 54) each formed on said insulating substrate and having a heating surface capable of forming a dot on a recording medium when a current flows through the heating element; and wiring means (52, 53, 55, 56) for supplying electric power to said heating elements; wherein said heating elements are arranged oblique with respect to the moving direction of the thermal head, and the dimension (W) of the heating surface of each heating element in a direction (A) parallel to the moving direction of the thermal head is smaller than the dimension (H) of said heating surface in a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 129 words
A thermal head used in a dot-matrix printer and comprising: an insulating substrate (62); a plurality of heating elements (51, 54) each formed on said insulating substrate and having a heating surface capable of forming a dot on a recording medium when a current flows through the heating element; and wiring means (52, 53, 55, 56) for supplying electric power to said heating elements; wherein said heating elements are arranged oblique with respect to the moving direction of the thermal head, and the dimension (W) of the heating surface of each heating element in a direction (A) parallel to the moving direction of the thermal head is smaller than the dimension (H) of said heating surface in a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 78 words
A thermal head according to Claim 1, wherein said wiring means includes a plurality of wiring conductor pairs which are arranged in parallel with each other along a direction intersecting with the moving direction of the thermal head, with a gap (G) between adjacent wiring conductor pairs, and each of said wiring conductor pairs is connected to both ends of the heating surface of a corresponding heating element which exist in the lengthwise direction of said heating surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 63 words
A thermal head according to Claim 2, wherein said wiring means further includes a common wiring conductor (57) extended along the moving direction of the thermal head, one wiring conductor of each of said wiring conductor pairs is connected to said common wiring conductor, and the other wiring conductor of each wiring conductor pair is extended to be connected to a drive circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 55 words
A thermal head according to Claim 1, wherein the dimension (W) of the heating surface of each heating element in a direction (A) parallel to the moving direction of the thermal head is smaller than an interval (P'), at which said heating elements are arranged when viewed along the moving direction of the thermal head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 60 words
A thermal head according to Claim 1, wherein the dimension (H) of the heating surface of each heating element in a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head is greater than an interval (P), at which said heating elements are arranged when viewed along a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
A thermal head according to Claim 1, wherein said heating elements are arranged in a plurality of oblique lines.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 92 words
A thermal head according to Claim 4, wherein said interval (P) observed along the moving direction of the thermal head is equal to an interval (P), at which said heating elements are arranged when viewed along a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head, and the dimension (H) of the heating surface of each heating element in a direction (B) perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head is greater than said interval (P) observed along said direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermal head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
A thermal head according to Claim 1, further comprising a drive circuit provided on said insulating substrate for selectively supplying said heating elements with a current through said wiring means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 49 words
A thermal head according to Claim 3, further comprising a drive circuit (59, 60) provided on said insulating substrate (62) on that side of said heating elements which is remote from said common wiring conductor (57), for selectively supplying said heating elements with a current through said wiring means.

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