Abstract: A heater for a fixing device heats an object to be heated, the object traveling in a first direction. The heater includes a substrate facing the object and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a heating body extending on the substrate in the second direction; a first conductor and a second conductor disposed on the substrate to supply power to the heating body; a plurality of first electrodes each connected to the first conductor and configured to supply power to the heating body; and a plurality of second electrodes having a polarity different from that of the first electrodes, each connected to the second conductor, and configured to supply power to the heating body. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are configured to intersect the heating body, alternately arranged in the second direction, and inclined with respect to the first direction.

Abstract: A heater for fixing devices includes a glass substrate, a heating element, electrode patterns connected to the heating element, a first protective layer, and a second protective layer. The glass substrate is made of an alkali-free glass. The first protective layer is formed by firing a mixture of a first glass powder and a first filler. The first glass powder contains no alkali metal oxide and has a lower softening point than the glass substrate. The first filler has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the alkali-free glass for the glass substrate. The second protective layer is made of a material that does not contain the first filler contained in the first protective layer.

Abstract: A heater for a fixing device heats an object to be heated, the object traveling in a first direction. The heater includes a substrate facing the object and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a heating body extending on the substrate in the second direction; a first conductor and a second conductor disposed on the substrate to supply power to the heating body; a plurality of first electrodes each connected to the first conductor and configured to supply power to the heating body; and a plurality of second electrodes having a polarity different from that of the first electrodes, each connected to the second conductor, and configured to supply power to the heating body. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are configured to intersect the heating body, alternately arranged in the second direction, and inclined with respect to the first direction.

Abstract: A heater for fixing devices includes a glass substrate, a heating element, electrode patterns connected to the heating element, a first protective layer, and a second protective layer. The glass substrate is made of an alkali-free glass. The first protective layer is formed by firing a mixture of a first glass powder and a first filler. The first glass powder contains no alkali metal oxide and has a lower softening point than the glass substrate. The first filler has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the alkali-free glass for the glass substrate. The second protective layer is made of a material that does not contain the first filler contained in the first protective layer.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a substrate; a plurality of driver ICs configured to be arranged in a main scanning direction; a heater element configured to include a heat storage layer, a heating resistor layer which is made of a plurality of pairs of effective heating portions, and an electrode layer which is patterned to supply electricity to the heating resistor layer; and a protective layer configured to cover a surface of the heater element, wherein the folded electrode is formed by adjusting an area thereof such that a heat distribution of each heating resistor becomes uniform. In such a thermal head, the number of manufacturing processes or the cost does not increase and a heat distribution becomes uniform, so that a good printing result having good a degree of gloss and image can be obtained.

Abstract: A line thermal printer includes a platen roller and a line thermal head including a plurality of heating elements. The heating elements are disposed to face the entire area of a recording sheet in a width direction of the recording sheet and selectively generate heat. The recording sheet is interposed between the platen roller and the line thermal head. The line thermal printer performs printing at the interposed position on the recording sheet by the selective generation of heat of the heating elements while the recording sheet is moved. The line thermal printer includes a foreign material blocking member. The foreign material blocking member is disposed upstream of the interposed position to come in contact with an upper surface of the recording sheet, and prevents foreign materials, which are placed on the upper surface of the recording sheet, from being moved toward the interposed position.

Abstract: A thermal head includes: a head substrate including a plurality of heating elements arranged in a row; and a heat dissipation member supporting the head substrate, wherein heat from the heating elements is transferred to the heat dissipation member through the head substrate, a surface of the heat dissipation member opposing the head substrate is provided with a heat accumulation adjusting groove which has a recessed shape along the arrangement direction of the row of the heating elements, and both edge portions of the surface of the heat dissipation member in a width direction of the heat accumulation adjusting groove come in contact with a rear surface of the head substrate opposing the heat dissipation member, the width direction being perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the heating elements.

Abstract: A print sheet which is transported by transporting means and inserted between a thermal head and a platen which are disposed to oppose to each other in a printing unit of a printer, which is to be used for printing, includes: a chamfered portion to decrease the sheet thickness of at least one surface of the front and rear surfaces and which is formed at the end portion in the supply direction of the printing unit.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a substrate; a plurality of driver ICs configured to be arranged in a main scanning direction; a heater element configured to include a heat storage layer, a heating resistor layer which is made of a plurality of pairs of effective heating portions, and an electrode layer which is patterned to supply electricity to the heating resistor layer; and a protective layer configured to cover a surface of the heater element, wherein the folded electrode is formed by adjusting an area thereof such that a heat distribution of each heating resistor becomes uniform. In such a thermal head, the number of manufacturing processes or the cost does not increase and a heat distribution becomes uniform, so that a good printing result having good a degree of gloss and image can be obtained.

Abstract: A thermal head has three-layer structure that includes a heat insulating layer on which heating elements are formed, a heat radiating layer that is provided under the heat insulating layer, and a heat storing layer that is provided under the heat radiating layer.

Abstract: A line thermal printer includes a platen roller and a line thermal head including a plurality of heating elements. The heating elements are disposed to face the entire area of a recording sheet in a width direction of the recording sheet and selectively generate heat. The recording sheet is interposed between the platen roller and the line thermal head. The line thermal printer performs printing at the interposed position on the recording sheet by the selective generation of heat of the heating elements while the recording sheet is moved. The line thermal printer includes a foreign material blocking member. The foreign material blocking member is disposed upstream of the interposed position to come in contact with an upper surface of the recording sheet, and prevents foreign materials, which are placed on the upper surface of the recording sheet, from being moved toward the interposed position.

Abstract: A heat-dissipating member includes a heat-dissipating section which is plate-shaped and which is attachable to a heat source directly or indirectly and also includes a plurality of heat-dissipating projections extending from the heat-dissipating section. The heat-dissipating projections are formed by louvering the heat-dissipating section so as to have predetermined heights. The heat-dissipating projections are arranged in increasing order of height in the direction from one end of the heat-dissipating section to an end of the heat-dissipating section that is opposed to the one end. A thermal head includes a plurality of heating elements arranged thereon and a head mount attached to the above heat-dissipating member directly or indirectly.

Abstract: Both ends of a head substrate in a longitudinal direction warp in a direction away from a cross section of a print substrate (in the convex shape) when a sealing resin is cured. A central portion of the head substrate in a longitudinal direction warps in a direction away from the cross section of the print substrate (in the concave shape) when heating elements emit heat. A curing condition when curing the sealing resin is changed corresponding to the concave-shaped warpage occurring when the heating elements emit heat, such that the convex-shaped warpage of the head substrate occurring when the sealing resin is cured is offset by the concave-shaped warpage of the head substrate and thus the heating elements are arranged in a straight line when the heating elements emit heat at the time of printing.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes: a thermal head that has heating elements arranged on a head substrate in a longitudinal direction thereof. A head supporting member has a head supporting portion, which is a rectangular plate, for supporting the thermal head at a leading end, and pivots on a rotating axis that is provided at a rear end to contact or separate the thermal head with or from a platen. A plurality of rectangular opening portions are provided in a surface of the head supporting portion in the longitudinal direction so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. In the thermal printer, the thermal head is directly fixed to the head supporting portion.

Abstract: There is provided a platen and a printer pressed to printing elements with a uniform pressure, decreasing in size, reducing a force for transporting a printing medium, and smoothly transporting the printing medium. The platen includes a plurality of printing elements disposed parallel to a thermal head and a fixed platen disposed to be opposed to the printing elements. A convex portion that has a semicircular section is disposed in the portion of the platen pressed to printing elements so as to be opposed to the pressed portion in a linear shape.

Abstract: A thermal head and a manufacturing method are provided. The thermal head includes an insulating head substrate, a heat insulating layer formed in the shape of a circular arc with a desired height and base dimension on a surface of the head substrate, heat radiating parts composed of resistive elements formed at an apex of the heat insulating layer. The surface of the head substrate is formed with a heat insulating layer forming part whose width is equal to the base dimension of the heat insulating layer. The heat insulating layer is formed with a predetermined height T on the heat insulating layer forming part. The curvature radius of the circular arc-shaped heat insulating layer in the vicinity of the heat radiating parts is set to a desired dimension.

Abstract: Both ends of a head substrate in a longitudinal direction warp in a direction away from a cross section of a print substrate (in the convex shape) when a sealing resin is cured. A central portion of the head substrate in a longitudinal direction warps in a direction away from the cross section of the print substrate (in the concave shape) when heating elements emit heat. A curing condition when curing the sealing resin is changed corresponding to the concave-shaped warpage occurring when the heating elements emit heat, such that the convex-shaped warpage of the head substrate occurring when the sealing resin is cured is offset by the concave-shaped warpage of the head substrate and thus the heating elements are arranged in a straight line when the heating elements emit heat at the time of printing.

Abstract: In a thermal head provided with a resistance layer having a plurality of heating element portions which generate heat by energization, an insulating barrier layer which determines the two-dimensional size of each heating element portion by covering each heating element portion, and electrode layers electrically connected to two end portions of each of the plural heating element portions, in the length direction of the resistance, a heat transfer layer is disposed on at least the insulating barrier layer to determine the two-dimensional surface exposure area of the insulating barrier layer by covering part of the insulating barrier layer and to dissipate the heat generated from the plural heating element portions, and surface exposure regions of the insulating barrier layer are specified as effective heating regions of the plural heating element portions by adjusting the two-dimensional size of the heat transfer layer.

Abstract: A printer having a thermal head disposed such that when heater elements are in contact with a platen, the following formulas are satisfied: H1?H?Hmax; Hmax=(H1+H2)=L tan(?1+?3); and ??=(?2??1)=(3°±1°). Length L is between a first line perpendicular to a top-substrate-surface and extending through a contact point between the heater elements and the platen, and a second line perpendicular to the top-substrate-surface and extending through a peak of a sealing member; height H is from the top-substrate-surface to the peak; height H1 is from the top-substrate-surface to a tangent between the platen and the heater elements; height H2 is from the tangent to a conveying path of a recording medium; angle ?1 is between the tangent and the top-substrate-surface; ?2 denotes a slope angle of a projection from the tangent; angle ?3 is between the tangent and the conveying path; and ?? denotes a head-returning angle.

Abstract: A heat-dissipating member includes a heat-dissipating section which is plate-shaped and which is attachable to a heat source directly or indirectly and also includes a plurality of heat-dissipating projections extending from the heat-dissipating section. The heat-dissipating projections are formed by louvering the heat-dissipating section so as to have predetermined heights. The heat-dissipating projections are arranged in increasing order of height in the direction from one end of the heat-dissipating section to an end of the heat-dissipating section that is opposed to the one end. A thermal head includes a plurality of heating elements arranged thereon and a head mount attached to the above heat-dissipating member directly or indirectly.