Patent US4841120A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4841120A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermal head
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1987-09-11
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Granted: 1989-06-20
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Expires: 2007-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A thermal head which is reduced in restriction in dimension of a substrate to allow reduction in size thereof and wherein the contacting characteristic of the substrate with a platen is improved to assure a high quality of printing. The thermal head has a heat generating resistor element and a driving circuit therefor both formed on a substrate, and a suppporting heat radiating member joined to one face of the substrate on which the resistor element is located. The substrate is ground at least at a portion of the opposite face thereof corresponding to a heat generating portion of the resistor element to make the thickness smaller than the other portion of the substrate. Thermal recording is effected by the ground portion of the substrate. The substrate may be made of a transparent or translucent inexpensive material such as quartz or glass. Various forms of supporting heat radiating plate to be incorporated in the thermal printers are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Masamori Yagino
- 👤 Masato Taniguchi
- 👤 Yoshitomo Ito
- 👤 Toshimitsu Takano
- 👤 Wataru Ishikawa
- 👤 Sadatoshi Kikuchi
- 👤 Tetsuo Endo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:32
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32; B41J2/345; B41J2/335; B41J2/33555; B41J2/3357
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A thermal head for recording on a recording medium comprising; a substrate having a thick portion and a thin portion, said thin portion having a first flat surface and a second surface formed on an opposite side of said substrate from said first flat surface, said second surface being adapted to contact said recording medium, a plurality of heat resistor elements formed on said first flat surface of said thin portion of said substrate, wiring circuit means for said heat resistor elements formed on said first flat surface of said substrate and driving means for driving said heat resistor elements formed by said first flat surface of said substrate, said thin portion being made by grinding said second surface of said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A thermal head for recording on a recording medium comprising; a substrate having a thick portion and a thin portion, said thin portion having a first flat surface and a second surface formed on an opposite side of said substrate from said first flat surface, said second surface being adapted to contact said recording medium, a plurality of heat resistor elements formed on said first flat surface of said thin portion of said substrate, wiring circuit means for said heat resistor elements formed on said first flat surface of said substrate and driving means for driving said heat resistor elements formed by said first flat surface of said substrate, said thin portion being made by grinding said second surface of said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said ground portion of said substrate is located adjacent an edge or end of said substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A thermal head according to claim 2, wherein said ground portion of said substrate presents an inclined face formed by obliquely grinding the opposite face of an edge or end portion of said substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A thermal head according to claim 3, wherein said inclined face is inclined at an angle from 5 to 45 degrees.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said ground portion of said substrate presents a surface substantially parallel to the opposite face of said substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is ground over an entire face thereof opposite to said one face such that said substrate may have a predetermined thickness over the entire area thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said supporting heat radiating member has a recess formed at a central portion thereof, and said driving circuit means is accommodated in said recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A thermal head according to claim 7, wherein said driving circuit means accommodated in said recess is located on said heat generating resistor element on said substrate via a conductor layer and an oxidation resisting layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A thermal head according to claim 8, wherein said ground portion of said substrate is formed at an intermediate location of said substrate and presents a surface substantially parallel to the opposite face of said substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A thermal head according to claim 7, wherein said driving circuit means accommodated in said recess is enclosed in an encapsulating agent together with wiring means for interconnecting said heat generating resistor element and said driving circuit means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A thermal head according to claim 7, further comprising a conductor layer formed on said one face of said substrate, means for electrically connecting said driving circuit means to said conductor layer, and a connecting pin for external connection connected to said conductor layer and extending through and outwardly from said supporting heat radiating member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
A thermal head according to claim 7, further comprising a conductor layer formed on said one face of said substrate, means for electrically connecting said driving circuit means to said conductor layer, and a lead conductor for external connection connected to said conductor layer and extending along a side face of said supporting heat radiating member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
A thermal head according to claim 7, further comprising a conductor layer formed on said one face of said substrate, means for electrically connecting said driving circuit means to said conductor layer, and a flexible printed circuit plate for external connection connected to said conductor layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal head according to claim 13, wherein said flexible printed circuit plate is connected to said conductor layer via an anisotropic film on said conductor layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit means includes a thin film transistor formed on said substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is formed from a transparent or translucent wear resisting material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A thermal head according to claim 16, wherein the transparent or translucent wear resisting material of said substrate is either quartz or glass which contains no alkali component therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A thermal head according to claim 16, wherein the transparent or translucent wear resisting material of said substrate is boro-silicate glass, and said substrate has a thickness of 5 to 100 microns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, wherein said supporting heat radiating member has a through-hole formed to extend in a direction of the thickness therein and is mounted on said substrate such that said driving circuit means may be accommodated in said through-hole.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, comprising wiring circuit means for interconnecting said heat generating resistor element and said driving circuit means, and said supporting heat radiating member having a through-hole formed to extend in a direction of the thickness therein and mounted on said substrate such that said driving circuit means may be accommodated in said through-hole.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
A thermal head according to claim 20, wherein said supporting heat radiating member has a plurality of through-holes each formed to extend in a direction of the thickness therein for accommodating said driving circuit means therein.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
95 words
A thermal head according to claim 1, comprising a flexible base plate located on said substrate for transmitting an external signal to said driving circuit means, wiring circuit means for electrically interconnecting said heat generating resistor element, said driving circuit means and said flexible base plate, and a wiring circuit having an external lead circuit, and being formed on one of opposite faces of said flexible base plate on which said driving circuit means is mounted, said flexible base plate being connected at the other face thereof in a closely contacting relationship to said substrate.
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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) | 1992-06-19 | 1992-12-19 | 1993-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-06-19 | 1996-12-19 | 1997-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-06-19 | 2000-12-19 | 2001-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |