Patent US3964479A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3965330A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thermal printer head using resistor heater elements as switching devices
Assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1974-08-05
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Granted: 1976-06-22
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Expires: 1994-08-05
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for a thermal printer head which uses individual heater elements as switching devices is disclosed. The printer head consists of an array of individual resistors each capable of causing a dot to print on thermally sensitive paper. The use of heater elements as switches reduces the total number of lead outs required for the printer head. A system that uses such a thermal printer head is also disclosed. The individual resistor heater elements have a voltage-current switching characteristic which enables them to be used as switching devices in addition to their function as heating elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth S. Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:23
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32; B41J2/345
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A thermal printing system comprising: thermal printer head means; a plurality of voltage-current switching characteristic resistors attached to said printer head means, each of said resistors having a threshold voltage; a plurality of first selector terminals; a plurality of second selector terminals; first means for connecting each of said first terminals through a different path to each of said second terminals, each path having at least one of said plurality of resistors and including only different resistors of said plurality of resistors; and second means for applying voltages greater than said threshold voltage between said first and second terminals for energizing only selected predetermined individual resistors in said plurality of resistors by causing only the voltages across these selected resistors to exceed the threshold voltage of these resistors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
A thermal printing system comprising: thermal printer head means; a plurality of voltage-current switching characteristic resistors attached to said printer head means, each of said resistors having a threshold voltage; a plurality of first selector terminals; a plurality of second selector terminals; first means for connecting each of said first terminals through a different path to each of said second terminals, each path having at least one of said plurality of resistors and including only different resistors of said plurality of resistors; and second means for applying voltages greater than said threshold voltage between said first and second terminals for energizing only selected predetermined individual resistors in said plurality of resistors by causing only the voltages across these selected resistors to exceed the threshold voltage of these resistors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The thermal printer system of claim 1 wherein the thermal printer head means includes: an insulating substrate means; and metalizations, including conductor and resistor metalizations, attached directly to said substrate means and forming said plurality of voltage-current switching characteristic resistors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The thermal printing system of claim 2 wherein all individual resistors in said plurality of resistors are approximately equal in resistance value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The thermal printer system of claim 3 wherein said metalizations attached to said thermal printer head means include a dielectric insulating metalization.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The thermal printer system of claim 4 wherein said conductor metalizations on said printer head means form said plurality of first selector terminals and said plurality of second selector terminals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The thermal printer system of claim 5 wherein the said metalizations on said substrate means are screened on thick film metalizations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The thermal printer system of claim 6 wherein the said substrate means is an alumina substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The thermal printer system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of resistors are arranged in a straight line array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The thermal printer system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of resistors consists of 16 resistors, said plurality of first selector terminals consists of 4 terminals, and said plurality of second selector terminals consists of 4 terminals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
A thermal printer head comprising: base means; a plurality of voltage-current switching characteristic resistors attached to said base means, each of said resistors having a polarity independent threshold voltage; a plurality of first selector terminals attached to said base means; a plurality of second selector terminals attached to said base means; and means for connecting each of said first terminals through a different path to each of said second terminals, each path having at least one of said plurality of resistors and including only different resistors of said plurality of resistors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
A thermal printer head comprising: base means; a plurality of voltage-current switching characteristic resistors attached to said base means, each of said resistors having a polarity independent threshold voltage; a plurality of first selector terminals attached to said base means; a plurality of second selector terminals attached to said base means; and means for connecting each of said first terminals through a different path to each of said second terminals, each path having at least one of said plurality of resistors and including only different resistors of said plurality of resistors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The thermal printer head of claim 10 wherein said base means is an alumina substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The thermal printer head of claim 11 wherein said plurality of resistors are created by metalizations, including conductor and resistor metalizations, attached to said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The thermal printer head of claim 12 wherein said pluralities of first and second selector terminals are formed by said conductor metalizations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The thermal printer head of claim 13 wherein said metalizations include a dielectric metalization layer and each resistor of said plurality of resistors is located in a straight line on said substrate.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for generating heat from selected individual resistor elements including the steps of: interconnecting each of a plurality of first terminals through a different path to each of a plurality of second terminals, each path having at least one of a plurality of resistors and including only different resistors of said plurality of resistors, each of said resistors having a threshold voltage-current switching characteristic; applying, selectively, voltages above the threshold voltage of the individual resistors between one of said first and one of said second terminals to generate heat from only selected individual resistors by causing only the voltages across the selected resistors to exceed the threshold voltage of the selected resistors. of;
Claim 18
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for generating heat from selected individual resistor elements including the steps of: interconnecting each of a plurality of first terminals through a different path to each of a plurality of second terminals, each path having at least one of a plurality of resistors and including only different resistors of said plurality of resistors, each of said resistors having a threshold voltage-current switching characteristic; applying, selectively, voltages above the threshold voltage of the individual resistors between one of said first and one of said second terminals to generate heat from only selected individual resistors by causing only the voltages across the selected resistors to exceed the threshold voltage of the selected resistors. of;
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method described in claim 15 wherein the method includes the step of; coupling thermally sensitive paper to said individual resistors to create marks corresponding to individual resistors that have been selected to generate heat.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 16 wherein voltage is applied between only one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals at any one time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-06-22 | 1979-12-22 | 1980-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-06-22 | 1983-12-22 | 1984-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-06-22 | 1987-12-22 | 1988-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |