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US4296309A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thermal head

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1978-05-15
•
Granted: 1981-10-20
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Expires: 1998-05-15
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Abstract

Abstract A thermal head of the present invention is composed of a substrate, a resistive heater element formed on the substrate, and electrically conductive members to supply electric power to the resistive heater element, wherein the resistive heater element contains a metal boride as the principal constituent. The thermal head of this construction is capable of selecting its resistivity to a high value and causing a large electric current to flow in the form of short pulses for the purpose of high speed printing, hence it is stable against repetitive pulse applications over a long period of time.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akira Shinmi
  • 👤 Masahisa Fukui
  • 👤 Toshitami Hara
  • 👤 Yoshiaki Shirato
  • 👤 Yoshioki Hajimoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 05:41
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/10; H05B3/12; H01; H01C; H01C7/00; H01C7/006; H10; H10N; H10N97/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim 61 words
A thermal head comprising means for producing a pattern on a recording medium in accordance with information to be recorded, said means including a substrate, a thin film resistive heater element overlying the substrate, and electrically conductive members overlying the resistive heater element for supplying the resistive heater element with electric power, wherein the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 61 words
A thermal head comprising means for producing a pattern on a recording medium in accordance with information to be recorded, said means including a substrate, a thin film resistive heater element overlying the substrate, and electrically conductive members overlying the resistive heater element for supplying the resistive heater element with electric power, wherein the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the metal boride is selected from the group consisting of hafnium boride, zirconium boride, lanthanum boride, tantalum boride, vanadium boride, niobium boride, tungsten boride, chromium boride, titanium boride, molybdenum boride and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride and oxygen in an atomic form.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A thermal head according to claim 3 in which the atomic ratio of oxygen to the metal of the metal boride except boron in the resistive heater element is at least 0.005.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
A thermal head according to claim 3 in which the atomic ratio of oxygen to the metal of the metal boride except boron in the resistive heater element is in the range of from 0.01 to 1.0.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 71 words
A thermal head comprising means for producing a pattern on a recording medium in accordance with information to be recorded, said means including a substrate, a thin film resistive heater element overlying the substrate, and electrically conductive members overlying the resistive heater element for supplying the resistive heater element with electric power, wherein the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride and a metal other than that constituting the metal boride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 71 words
A thermal head comprising means for producing a pattern on a recording medium in accordance with information to be recorded, said means including a substrate, a thin film resistive heater element overlying the substrate, and electrically conductive members overlying the resistive heater element for supplying the resistive heater element with electric power, wherein the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride and a metal other than that constituting the metal boride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 47 words
A thermal head according to claim 6 in which the metal is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Cu, Ag, Au, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Pt, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Ru, and lanthanide series.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the resistive heater element is covered with a film containing silicon dioxide as the main component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 20 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which a protecting film of tantalum oxide covers the resistive heater element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which a protecting film of aluminum oxide covers the resistive heater element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which a protecting film of magnesium oxide covers the resistive heater element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which a protecting film of zirconium oxide covers the resistive heater element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 8 in which a protecting film of tantalum oxide covers the film of silicon dioxide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 8 in which a protecting film of aluminum oxide covers the film of silicon dioxide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 8 in which a protecting film of magnesium oxide covers the film of silicon dioxide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 8 in which a protecting film of zirconium oxide covers the film of silicon dioxide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which a titanium-containing layer is present between the resistive heater element and at least one electrically conductive member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 17 in which the titanium-containing layer is between 5 A and 1000 A in thickness.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which a vanadium-containing layer is present between the resistive heater element and at least one electrically conductive member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 19 in which the vanadium-containing layer is between 5 A and 1000 A in thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 20 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the substrate is a ceramic layer of 0.2-0.5 mm. in thickness.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 70 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the substrate is composed of a glazed substrate and a low alkali glass layer interposed between the glazed substrate and the resistive heater element and essentially consisting of a low alkali glass having a softening point of at least 745° C. and containing not more than 1.0% by weight of sodium oxide and potassium oxide based on the low alkali glass.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 19 words
A thermal head according to claim 22 in which the low alkali glass layer is 0.2-50 μm in thickness.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 31 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the substrate is composed of a glazed substrate and a quartz layer interposed between the glazed substrate and the resistive heater element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 17 words
A thermal head according to claim 24 in which the quartz layer is 0.2-50 μm in thickness.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 47 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the substrate is composed of a layer composed of a material having a good thermal conductivity and a quartz layer interposed between the layer composed of a material having a good thermal conductivity and the resistive heater element.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 17 words
A thermal head according to claim 26 in which the quartz layer is 1-90 μm in thickness.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 54 words
A thermal head comprising a substrate, a thin film resistive heater element overlying the substrate, and electrically conductive members overlying the resistive heater element for supplying the resistive heater element with electric power, wherein the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride, and a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of Si and Ge.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 54 words
A thermal head comprising a substrate, a thin film resistive heater element overlying the substrate, and electrically conductive members overlying the resistive heater element for supplying the resistive heater element with electric power, wherein the resistive heater element comprises a metal boride, and a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of Si and Ge.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 34 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the substrate is composed of a glazed substrate essentially consisting of a material of a good thermal conductivity, and a glass layer covering the material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 75 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the substrate is composed of a material having a good thermal conductivity and a low alkali glass layer overlying the layer composed of a material having a good thermal conductivity and essentially consisting of a low alkali glass having a softening point of at least 745° C. and containing not more than 1.0% by weight sodium oxide and potassium oxide based on the low alkali glass.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 19 words
A thermal head according to claim 30 in which the low alkali glass layer is 1-90 μm in thickness.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 19 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the thin film resistive heater element is formed by sputtering.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermal head according to claim 1 in which the thin film resistive heater element is formed by electron beam deposition.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 27 words
A thermal head according to claim 32 or 33 in which oxygen is present in the atmosphere used in formation of the thin film resistive heater element.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 19 words
A thermal head according to claim 28, wherein said resistive heater element further comprises oxygen in an atomic form.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 24 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said means includes a plurality of resistive heater elements each provided with corresponding electrically conductive members.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-10-19 1985-04-20 1985-10-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-10-19 1989-04-20 1989-10-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-10-19 1993-04-20 1993-10-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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