Patents by Inventor Norimitsu Sanbongi

Norimitsu Sanbongi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9302495
    Abstract: A thermal head has a support substrate, an upper substrate arranged on the support substrate on one surface side thereof in a laminated state, and an intermediate layer arranged between the upper substrate and the support substrate to bond the upper substrate and the support substrate to each other. The intermediate layer has one of a through hole and a concave portion forming a cavity portion between the upper substrate and the support substrate. A heat generating resistor is formed on a surface of the upper substrate on a side opposite to the support substrate at a position opposed to the cavity portion. The intermediate layer is formed of a glass paste having a melting point lower than a firing temperature of the support substrate and higher than a melting temperature of the upper substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Norimitsu Sanbongi, Keitaro Koroishi, Toshimitsu Morooka
  • Patent number: 8998385
    Abstract: A thermal head including: a laminated substrate including a support substrate and an upper substrate at least one of which has a recess formed in a surface thereof; a heat generating resistor formed on a surface of the upper substrate in the laminated substrate at a position opposed to the recess; and a pair of electrode portions connected to each of both ends of a heat generating resistor, wherein the laminated substrate further includes: an intermediate metal layer sandwiched between the support substrate and the upper substrate and bonded thereto in a laminated state; and a surrounding metal layer formed of a metal material, the surrounding metal layer provided in contact with the intermediate metal layer and formed from a surface of the support substrate extending in a thickness direction thereof to a surface thereof opposite to a portion bonded to the upper substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8850691
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a heating resistor element includes a concave portion forming step, a bonding step and a resistor forming step. The concave portion forming step includes forming a concave portion on at least one of bonded surfaces between an insulating substrate and a heat accumulating layer. The bonding step causes the bonded surfaces between the insulating substrate and the heat accumulating layer to adhere to each other to bond the insulating substrate and the heat accumulating layer. The resistor forming step includes forming a heating resistor at a position on the heat accumulating layer. The position is opposed to the concave portion. The concave portion forming step further includes processing an inner surface of the concave portion on a side of the insulating substrate to have surface roughness Ra of 0.2 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Keitaro Koroishi, Toshimitsu Morooka, Noriyoshi Shoji, Yoshinori Sato, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8769806
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a thermal head, a groove portion is formed in one surface of at least one of a first substrate and a second substrate, and a width dimension of the groove portion is measured. The first and second substrates are bonded to each other in a stacked state so as to close an opening of the groove portion. A heating resistor is formed on a surface of the second substrate in a region opposed to the groove portion. A protective film for covering and protecting the heating resistor is formed on the surface of the second substrate. A thickness dimension of the protective film is set so as to increase with an increase in the measured width dimension of the groove portion and so as to decrease with an increase in a thickness dimension of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Toshimitsu Morooka
  • Patent number: 8749602
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermal head, comprising the steps of: bonding a support substrate and an upper substrate, which have a flat shape, together in a laminated state, the support substrate and the upper substrate having opposed surfaces, at least one of which includes a concave portion; thinning the upper substrate bonded onto the support substrate; a measurement step of measuring a thickness of the thinned upper substrate; determining a target resistance value of a heating resistor from the following expression based on the measured thickness of the upper substrate; and forming the heating resistor having the target resistance value at a position opposed to the concave portion, Rh=R0×(1+(D1+D0)/(D0+K)) where Rh represents the target resistance value; R0, a design resistance value; D1, the thickness of the upper substrate; D0, a design thickness of the upper substrate; and K, a heating efficiency coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Keitaro Koroishi, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Toshimitsu Morooka
  • Patent number: 8730286
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermal head, including: forming a concave being, which is open on one surface of a support-substrate made of an alumina material; forming an intermediate-layer made of a glass paste by printing the glass paste made of a first-glass-material on the one surface of the support-substrate and baking the glass paste; bonding an upper-substrate to the one surface of the support-substrate by arranging the upper-substrate on the intermediate-layer formed on the one surface of the support-substrate in a laminated state and heating the upper-substrate at a temperature of an annealing point thereof or higher and a softening point thereof or lower, the upper-substrate being made of a second-glass-material having a softening point lower than a softening point of the first-glass-material; and forming a heat generating resistor on a surface of the upper-substrate bonded to the support-substrate at a position opposed to the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Keitaro Koroishi, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Toshimitsu Morooka
  • Patent number: 8716179
    Abstract: An adhesive label has a support, an adhesive layer placed on the support, and a stretched non-adhesive porous layer placed on the adhesive layer and being openable by heating to expose the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Tani, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Yoshinori Sato
  • Patent number: 8629892
    Abstract: A thermal printer has a support substrate with a concave portion in a surface thereof, and an upper substrate bonded to the surface of the support substrate and including a convex portion at a position corresponding to the concave portion. A heating resistor is provided on a surface of the upper substrate at a position straddling the convex portion. A pair of electrodes is provided on both sides of the heating resistor, with each of the electrodes being formed in a region outside of the convex portion. The convex portion extends at a height greater than each of the electrodes. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a thin portion connected to the heating resistor in a region corresponding to the concave portion, and a thick portion connected to the heating resistor and having a thickness greater than that of the thin portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8624946
    Abstract: A thermal head has a support substrate including a concave portion formed in a front surface thereof. An upper substrate is bonded in a stacked state to the front surface of the support substrate and includes a convex portion formed within a region corresponding to the concave portion. A heating resistor is provided on a front surface of the upper substrate at a position straddling the convex portion. A pair of electrodes is provided on both sides of the heating resistor. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a thin portion and a thick portion. The thin portion is connected to the heating resistor at one of a side surface and a top surface of the convex portion in the region corresponding to the concave portion. The thick portion is connected to the heating resistor and is formed thicker than the thin portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Karoishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8621888
    Abstract: In manufacturing method for a thermal head, concave portions, including a reference concave portion, are formed on a surface of a substrate so that a length of each of the concave portions other than the reference concave portion increases as a distance from the reference concave portion in a length direction increases and so that a width of each of the concave portions other than the reference concave portion increases as a distance from the reference concave portion in a width direction increases. A mark identifying the reference concave portion is formed on the surface of the substrate. An insulating film is thermally fusion bonded to the surface of the substrate including the concave portions formed thereon. Heating resistors are formed on the insulating film using a photo mask by aligning the photo mask with the substrate in accordance with the reference concave portion to form the heating resistors so as to be opposed to the plurality of concave portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Yoshinori Sato, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8616878
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive label manufacturing device has a thermal head for heating and thermally activating the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, and a platen roller for conveying the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet between the platen roller and the thermal head to transport the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in a transport direction. At least one discharge roller is disposed on a downstream side of the thermal activation section and is configured to undergo rotation at a peripheral speed different from a peripheral speed of the platen roller to convey the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in the transport direction. A guide member is disposed opposite and spaced apart from the at least one discharge roller to provide a space therebetween along which the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet is conveyed by the at least one discharge roller without being sandwiched between the at least one discharge roller and the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sato, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Minoru Hoshino, Shuji Tozaki
  • Publication number: 20130335499
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermal head, including: forming a concave being, which is open on one surface of a support-substrate made of an alumina material; forming an intermediate-layer made of a glass paste by printing the glass paste made of a first-glass-material on the one surface of the support-substrate and baking the glass paste; bonding an upper-substrate to the one surface of the support-substrate by arranging the upper-substrate on the intermediate-layer formed on the one surface of the support-substrate in a laminated state and heating the upper-substrate at a temperature of an annealing point thereof or higher and a softening point thereof or lower, the upper-substrate being made of a second-glass-material having a softening point lower than a softening point of the first-glass-material; and forming a heat generating resistor on a surface of the upper-substrate bonded to the support-substrate at a position opposed to the concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Keitaro KOROISHI, Norimitsu SANBONGI, Toshimitsu MOROOKA
  • Publication number: 20130335500
    Abstract: A thermal head comprises: a support substrate; an upper substrate arranged on the support substrate on one surface side thereof in a laminated state; an intermediate layer which is arranged between the upper substrate and the support substrate to bond the upper substrate and the support substrate to each other, and which has one of a through hole and a concave portion to form a cavity portion between the upper substrate and the support substrate; and a heat generating resistor formed on a surface of the upper substrate on a side opposite to the support substrate at a position opposed to the cavity portion, wherein the upper substrate has a melting point lower than a melting point of the intermediate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Norimitsu SANBONGI, Keitaro KOROISHI, Toshimitsu MOROOKA
  • Patent number: 8537186
    Abstract: An adhesive label includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive agent layer formed on one surface of a support. A non-adhesive heat-reactive layer is positioned above the adhesive agent layer and in which openings are formed by heating at a predetermined temperature or higher. An intermediate layer is positioned between the heat-reactive layer and the adhesive agent layer. The intermediate layer and the heat-reactive layer are each formed thinner than the adhesive agent layer. The intermediate layer facilitates the formation of the openings in the heat-reactive layer with good heat energy efficiency and allows the intermediate layer or the adhesive agent layer to be exposed through the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Tani, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Yoshinori Sato
  • Patent number: 8502847
    Abstract: A printer includes: a cutter unit for cutting a label sheet to obtain an adhesive label with a desired length by allowing the label sheet to pass through the cutter unit; an adhesive strength exhibiting unit for allowing the adhesive label to exhibit adhesive strength by heating the adhesive label; a sheet loosening unit placed on a downstream side of the cutter unit and an upstream side of the adhesive strength exhibiting unit in a sheet transporting direction; and a sheet-passage direction changing unit for changing the sheet-passage direction in the upstream sheet-passage part by changing a direction of the upstream sheet-passage part from a reference position at which a sheet-passage direction in the upstream sheet-passage part is placed on the same line as a sheet-passage direction in the downstream sheet-passage part to an inclined position at which the direction is inclined from the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sato, Kazuo Tani, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8477166
    Abstract: A thermal head comprises a first substrate having a concave portion, a second substrate mounted on the first substrate and covering the concave portion to form with the first substrate a cavity portion, a heating resistor provided on a surface of the second substrate, and a pair of electrodes connected to the heating resistor for supplying power to the heating resistor. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a low thermal conductivity portion in a region opposed to the cavity portion. The low thermal conductivity portion is made of a material having a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity in other regions of the pair of electrodes and having an electrical resistance lower than an electrical resistance of the heating resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8456498
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing unit for performing printing by pressing a thermal head onto heat sensitive paper to heat the heat sensitive paper. A battery supplies a voltage to the thermal head, and a battery voltage detecting unit detects the voltage. A printing control unit changes, according to the detected voltage, a power-off time in which power supply from the battery to the thermal head is stopped. The printing control unit calculates the power-off time based on the detected voltage and the resistance of the thermal head and shortens the power-off time as the detected voltage becomes lower thereby shortening the overall printing time without shortening the life of the heating resistance elements of the thermal head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Shoji, Tomoki Ogura, Kouhei Miyawaki, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8451305
    Abstract: In order to secure printing quality, a head unit includes a thermal head having a heating body formed on one surface of a glass substrate made of a transparent glass material, the heating body being configured to generate heat when supplied with external power, and a support body is laminated onto the glass substrate in a stacked state. The glass substrate and the support body include a plurality of lamination reference marks and a plurality of head positioning reference marks, respectively, which are disposed so as to be mutually aligned in a direction along the one surface of the glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Shoji, Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8440943
    Abstract: A heating resistor element component has a substrate and an adhesive layer provided on the substrate and including an adhesive and gap members arranged substantially uniformly in the adhesive. A heat storage layer is laminated on the substrate through intermediation of the adhesive layer so that the gap members maintain a distance between surfaces of the substrate and the heat storage layer constant. At least one heating resistor formed on the heat storage layer has a heating portion that generates heat. A cavity is provided in a region of the adhesive layer and interposed between the surfaces of the substrate and the heat storage layer. The cavity functions as a heat insulating layer for regulating an inflow of heat from the heat storage layer to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Norimitsu Sanbongi, Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Yoshinori Sato
  • Patent number: 8415589
    Abstract: A heating resistance element component has a supporting substrate, an insulating film laminated on the supporting substrate, heating resistors arranged at intervals on the insulating film, a common wire connected to one end of each of the heating resistors, and individual wires each connected to another end of the each of the of heating resistors. A surface of the supporting substrate is formed with a first concave portion and a second concave portion. The first concave portion is arranged in a region opposed to heating portions of the heating resistors. The second concave portion is arranged at an interval in a vicinity of the first concave portion so that heat generated by the heating portions of the plurality of heating resistors is prevented from flowing into the supporting substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Yoshinori Sato, Noriyoshi Shoji, Keitaro Koroishi