Specific Conductor Means (e.g., Electrode, Conducting Pattern, Etc.) Patents (Class 347/208)
  • Patent number: 11633959
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thermal print head for achieving fine printing. A thermal print head of the disclosure includes: a substrate, having a substrate main surface and a substrate back surface facing opposite sides in a z direction; a resistor layer, disposed on a side of the substrate main surface and including a plurality of heat generating portions arranged in a main scan direction to generate heat by energization; a wiring layer, disposed on the side of the substrate main surface and including a conduction path for electrically conducting the plurality of heat generating portions; a metal layer, interposed between the substrate and the wiring layer with the resistor layer; and an insulating layer, interposed between the metal layer and the wiring layer with the resistor layer. The conduction path includes the metal layer. The metal layer includes tantalum (Ta).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Goro Nakatani, Akira Fujita
  • Patent number: 11276711
    Abstract: A level shifter including a transistor that can be formed through the same process as a display portion is provided. A semiconductor device serves as a level shifter including transistors having the same conductivity type. The semiconductor device includes a so-called MIS capacitor in which metal, an insulator, and a semiconductor are stacked as a capacitor for boosting an input signal. Since the MIS capacitor is used, the gate-source voltage of a transistor for generating an output signal can be increased. Thus, boosting operation to generate the output signal can be performed more surely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Inoue, Fumika Akasawa
  • Patent number: 11225086
    Abstract: A thermal contact device may include a thermal contact die embedded in a moldable material. The thermal contact die may include a number of resistors integrated into the thermal contact die, and a number of heater drivers integrated into the thermal contact die and electronically coupled to the resistors. The moldable material is coplanar with a thermal contact side of the thermal contact device. Further, the moldable material includes at least one gradient edge along a medium feed path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael W Cumbie, Reynaldo V Villavelez, Chien-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 10766256
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejection head substrate having a base, a heat generating resistor layer formed on or above the base and including an electrothermal conversion portion, a wiring electrically connected to the heat generating resistor layer and defining the electrothermal conversion portion and a protecting film covering at least the electrothermal conversion portion and the wiring of the heat generating resistor layer. In the liquid ejection head substrate, the wiring is made of an alloy containing Al as a main component and Cu and having an average crystal grain size of 300 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soichiro Nagamochi, Yuzuru Ishida
  • Patent number: 10543696
    Abstract: A thermal print head includes: a substrate having an obverse surface; a plurality of heat generators arranged on the substrate in a main scanning direction; and a wiring layer provided on the substrate and constituting an energization path to the heat generators. The substrate has a protrusion protruding from the obverse surface and extending in the main scanning direction. The protrusion has a top portion having the largest distance from the obverse surface, and an inclined portion connected to the top portion in a sub-scanning direction. The inclined portion is inclined relative to the obverse surface at a predetermined angle. Each of the plurality of heat generators extends across a boundary between the top portion and the inclined portion. Each of the heat generators is formed on at least a part of the top portion and at least a part of the inclined portion in the sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Aoki, Tadashi Yamamoto, Masatoshi Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 10507655
    Abstract: There are provided a conductive base; a plurality of head main bodies which are held by the base and each have a switching element and a pressure generating element for discharging a liquid in a pressure generating chamber; a plurality of covers which are separated from the base, at least one of the pressure generating element and the switching element being sandwiched between the base and each of the covers; and a plurality of conduction portions which each conduct the base and the cover to each other at a plurality of locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okui, Taiki Hanagami
  • Patent number: 10406824
    Abstract: Provided herein is a printing apparatus including a printhead movable between a first position and a second position. The printhead includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate define at least a first burn line and a second burn line, respectively, of heating elements disposed adjacent to a first edge and a second edge, respectively of the printhead. A printhead bracket receives the printhead in one of the first position or the second position. In the first position, the heating elements of the first burn line perform a printing operation and the printhead bracket is configured to preclude operation of the heating elements of the second burn line. In the second position, the heating elements of the second burn line perform a printing operation, and the printhead bracket is configured to preclude operation of the heating elements of the first burn line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yong Chiap Cheng, Chin Young Wong, Dionne Lim
  • Patent number: 10357964
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to a microfluidic assembly that includes an interconnect substrate coupled to a microfluidic die. In one embodiment, the microfluidic die includes a ledge with a plurality of bond pads. The microfluidic assembly further includes an interconnect substrate having an end resting on the ledge proximate the bond pads. In another embodiment, the interconnect substrate abuts a side surface of the ledge or is located proximate the ledge. Conductive elements couple the microfluidic die to contacts of the interconnect substrate. Encapsulant is located over the conductive elements, the bond pads, the contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics, Inc., STMicroelectronics (Malta) Ltd
    Inventors: Simon Dodd, Ivan Ellul, Christopher Brincat
  • Patent number: 9911642
    Abstract: According to this disclosure, a method of manufacturing an electronic device is provided, which includes exposing a top surface of a first electrode of a first electronic component to organic acid, irradiating the top surface of the first electrode exposed to the organic acid with ultraviolet light, and bonding the first electrode and a second electrode of a second electronic component by heating and pressing the first electrode and the second electrode each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Taiji Sakai, Nobuhiro Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 9844950
    Abstract: A thermal head includes a substrate, a heat-generating portion disposed on the substrate, electrodes disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the heat-generating portion, a driver IC disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the electrodes, and a covering member covering the driver IC. In plan view, a center line of the driver IC extending in a main scanning direction and a highest position of the covering member are located farther form the heat-generating portion than a center line of the covering member extending in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kondo, Shoji Hirose, Yoichi Moto
  • Patent number: 9579930
    Abstract: This printing device includes a first supply roller and a second supply roller that supply the pair of ink ribbons; a first winding roller and a second winding roller that are pulled out from the first supply roller and the second supply roller and wind the pair of ink ribbons passing through a printing position; and a roller driving unit that rotates the first winding roller and the second winding roller. The roller driving unit includes one rotational driving device in which a rotating shaft is rotatable in a normal direction and a reverse direction, a first transmission mechanism that transmits only the rotation of the rotating shaft in the normal direction to the first winding roller, and a second transmission mechanism that transmits only the rotation of the rotating shaft in the reverse direction to the second winding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Seimoto, Tatsuya Ueda, Hiroaki Yoneda, Kunio Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 9007410
    Abstract: A heating head with not so long heating elements to be connected, being adaptable to long and two-dimensional media. On one surface of a rectangular head substrate having long and short sides, a strip-like heating element is provided continuously from end to end of the substrate along the long side thereof. A pair of electrode connecting portions including the same material as that of the heating element and extending along the short sides of the substrate is provided at both ends of the heating element. A pair of electrodes is formed on one surface of the substrate between the heating element and a side edge of the long side at the electrode connecting portion side, so as to be partially overlapping with the electrode connecting portions, respectively, thereby effecting electrical connection, and a substrate temperature control means is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Hideo Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8953006
    Abstract: A thermal head and a printer head are disclosed. The thermal head includes heat generating members, a drive IC disposed, pads and interconnection lines which are all disposed on a substrate. The heat generating members are arranged in a first direction. The drive IC is operable to control driving of the heat generating members. The pads are operable to being electrically connected to terminals of the drive IC. The interconnection lines electrically connect each of the heat generating members to one of the pads. The pads are arranged in a first direction and constitute first pad groups and second pad groups constituted by the pads that constitute the first pad groups. The second pad groups are arranged in the first direction so as to be shifted from each other in a second direction that differs from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Miyamura, Tadashi Hamayumiba
  • Patent number: 8922610
    Abstract: A thermal head and a thermal printer are disclosed. The head includes a substrate, heat generating members, an edge portion, and first and second reinforcing members. The substrate includes: first and second surfaces opposing to each other; and an end face connecting the first and second surfaces. The heat generating members are parallel to the end face and located on the substrate. The edge portion is located on the substrate, crosses an array direction of the heating generating members, and includes first, second and third edge portions on the first main surface, the second main surface and the first end face, respectively. The first reinforcing member is located on the first, second and third edge portions. The second reinforcing member is located on the first edge portion, and separated from the first reinforcing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Youichi Moto, Hidekazu Akamatsu, Daisaku Kato, Naoto Matsukubo, Akihiro Fukami, Kouhei Nakada
  • Publication number: 20140285607
    Abstract: A heating head with not so long heating elements to be connected, being adaptable to long and two-dimensional media. On one surface of a rectangular head substrate having long and short sides, a strip-like heating element is provided continuously from end to end of the substrate along the long side thereof. A pair of electrode connecting portions including the same material as that of the heating element and extending along the short sides of the substrate is provided at both ends of the heating element. A pair of electrodes is formed on one surface of the substrate between the heating element and a side edge of the long side at the electrode connecting portion side, so as to be partially overlapping with the electrode connecting portions, respectively, thereby effecting electrical connection, and a substrate temperature control means is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventor: Hideo TANIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8736897
    Abstract: Printing methods and systems that provide both a secure value label printing mode of operation and a non-secure mode of operation that allows generic printing of non-value items without compromising the security feature of the secure printing mode are described. If the printing system determines the image is a non-secure image such as an address label or other non-value graphic, the printing system utilizes the non-secure mode and disables the use certain printhead elements. In such a system, the enforced print disabled white bands are enforced in non-secure mode such as by actually disabling the print drive mechanism that allows a row to be printed or by populating certain regions of the print buffer with zero values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Pierce, Steven J. Pauly, Steven M. Kaye
  • Patent number: 8708926
    Abstract: A double temperature sensor is provided for determining the body temperature. The sensor includes at least a first temperature sensor element for measuring a near-surface temperature of the ambient air and a second temperature sensor element for measuring a temperature of the skin surface. The first and the second temperature sensor elements are arranged in a sensor block. A holding element surrounds the sensor block at least partially. An adhesive element fixes the holding element on the skin surface. A spring element acts on the sensor block and provides a spring force directed in the direction of the skin surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Thomas Grassl, Marco Ventur, Jochim Koch, Frank Sattler
  • 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: 8562111
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including segments, a power supply pad and conductive patterns is provided. Each segment includes driving units for discharging a liquid. Each driving unit includes a driving circuit and an element driven by the driving circuit to apply discharging energy to the liquid. The conductive pattern includes a first conductive portion connected to the power supply pad, a second rectangular conductive portion, a third conductive portion connected to the driving units, and a connection portion which connects the second and third conductive portions. These conductive portions are elongated in a first direction. In a second direction, a length of the second conductive portion is greater than a length of the first conductive portion. The second conductive portion is connected to the first conductive portion at a first corner and to the connection portion at a second corner diagonal to the first corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunari Fujii
  • Patent number: 8493423
    Abstract: [Problem] There are provided a thermal recording head capable of making proper operation of a converter, and a thermal recording apparatus including the same. [Solution] A thermal recording head (10) of the invention is driven on a basis of a first control signal and includes a head substrate (20) including heat generating elements (23a), a wiring substrate (30) including, on its surface, a wiring pattern (312) for transmission of the first control signal, and a mount substrate (40) disposed facing a back surface of the head substrate (20) and a back surface of the wiring substrate (30) and configured to mount the head substrate (20) and the wiring substrate (30). On the surface of the head substrate (20) is placed a control element (27) electrically connected to the heat generating elements (23a) and configured to control driving of the heat generating elements (23a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Aso, Makoto Miyamoto
  • 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: 8411121
    Abstract: A thermal printhead having an optimal resistor element shape which is capable of high speed and high quality printing is provided. The thermal printhead for progressively printing a pattern of dots on a thermosensitive paper moving in one direction, includes a substrate, and a plurality of resister elements on the substrate arranged in a substantially straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the thermosensitive paper, the plurality of resistor elements each corresponding to respective one of the dots constituting the pattern to be printed onto the thermosensitive paper, each of the resistor elements having a heat transfer area that will be in contact with the thermosensitive paper upon printing the dot, wherein at least one of two sides of the heat transfer area that are substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermosensitive paper has a sag in a substantially middle portion thereof to adjust a shape of the dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Semiconductor USA, LLC
    Inventor: Tadashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8384751
    Abstract: A thermal head includes an insulating head substrate, one or a plurality of driver ICs, a plurality of heat generating elements that is arranged on the head substrate in a main scanning direction, a plurality of individual electrodes that is provided on the head substrate at one ends of the respective heat generating elements and connects the respective heat generating elements to the driver ICs, and a common electrode that is provided on the head substrate at the other ends of the respective heat generating elements so as to be common to the heat generating elements. Capacitance adjustment portions, which adjust capacitance difference between the respective individual electrodes so that the capacitance difference is reduced, are formed at a wiring pattern of the individual electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Arauchi
  • Publication number: 20120320139
    Abstract: A thermal printhead having an optimal resistor element shape which is capable of high speed and high quality printing is provided. The thermal printhead for progressively printing a pattern of dots on a thermosensitive paper moving in one direction, includes a substrate, and a plurality of resister elements on the substrate arranged in a substantially straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the thermosensitive paper, the plurality of resistor elements each corresponding to respective one of the dots constituting the pattern to be printed onto the thermosensitive paper, each of the resistor elements having a heat transfer area that will be in contact with the thermosensitive paper upon printing the dot, wherein at least one of two sides of the heat transfer area that are substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the thermosensitive paper has a sag in a substantially middle portion thereof to adjust a shape of the dot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: ROHM SEMICONDUCTOR USA, LLC
    Inventor: Tadashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8330781
    Abstract: A thermal head avoids a drop in print quality caused by adhesion of printing chaff. A thermal head 39 that presses against thermal paper that moves from one side to the other side and prints by melting dye contained in the thermal paper has a glazed layer 150 that is formed in an area on one part of a ceramic substrate 43 and stores in-flowing heat, and a heating resistor 140 that is located offset to one side from the center of the glazed layer 150, selectively heats the thermal paper S pressed in contact therewith, and melts a dye material contained in the thermal paper. A smooth surface P against which the thermal paper S heated by the heating resistor 140 slides is formed to the other side of the glazed layer 150 from the heating resistor 140.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Osawa, Satoshi Nakajima, Akira Koyabu
  • Patent number: 8319809
    Abstract: A recording head applicable to a recording device is disclosed. The recording head comprises a substrate, a conductive pattern layer, and an electric resistor layer. The conductive pattern layer is formed on the substrate and comprises a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and an insulating portion. The second conductive portion is paired with the first conductive portion. The insulating portion insulates the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion. The electrical resistance layer: is formed on the conductive pattern layer; is connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion; and comprises a heat-generating region between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenobu Nakagawa, Yoichi Moto, Sunao Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8314822
    Abstract: Provided is a thermal head capable of making good contact to a thermal recording medium or the like to increase heat transfer efficiency while maintaining the number of manufacturing steps and manufacturing cost. Provided is a thermal head (1) including: a flat plate-shaped substrate main body (13); a heating resistor (15) of a substantially rectangular shape formed on a surface of the flat plate-shaped substrate main body (13); and a pair of electrodes (17A, 17B) connected to both ends of the heating resistor (15), for supplying power to the heating resistor (15), in which the pair of electrodes (17A, 17B) respectively include connecting portions (27A, 27B) having a width dimension smaller than a width dimension of the heating resistor (15), and the connecting portions (27A, 27B) are connected to the heating resistor (15) at positions shifted from each other in a width direction of the heating resistor (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi
  • Patent number: 8284446
    Abstract: Consumable reduction is achieved for a printing device by utilizing a processor (32), memory (34) and software for receiving input information representative of an image to be printed and generating output information representative of a reduced consumable image in response to consumable smear, spatial relationship between adjacent dots and an image quality degradation. Factors such as print medium characteristics, heat or humidity and composure of the consumable are considered in performing the consumable reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Pretone Ltd.
    Inventors: Ori Eizenberg, Yishai Brafman, Boaz Katz, Raphael Salamon
  • Publication number: 20120212558
    Abstract: Adopted is a thermal head, including: a support substrate including a concave portion formed in a front surface thereof; an upper substrate, which is bonded in a stacked state to the front surface of the support substrate and includes a convex portion formed at a position corresponding to the concave portion; a heating resistor provided on a front surface of the upper substrate at a position straddling the convex portion; and a pair of electrodes provided on both sides of the heating resistor, in which at least one of the pair of electrodes include: a thin portion, which is connected to the heating resistor in a region corresponding to the concave portion; and a thick portion, which is connected to the heating resistor and is formed thicker than the thin portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8243112
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording head for a photographic printing device. The recording head of the present invention includes on a substrate two heating elements arranged adjacently and parallel to each other on a substrate. Each of the heating elements has connected to its ends a connection section, the connection sections and the heating element lying in a straight line. First and second connection sections are connected to the first heating element and third and fourth connection sections are connected to the second heating element. The heat capacities of the first and fourth connection sections are different from that of the second and of the third connection sections. The heat capacities of the first and fourth connection sections are substantially the same, as are the heat capacities of the second and third connection sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetaka Shintani, Takashi Aso
  • Patent number: 8233019
    Abstract: To provide a thermal head which provides an excellent adhesion between the common electrode and the heat element, and in which the content of Pb is sufficiently reduced. A thermal head 5, comprising a substrate 7, a glaze layer 3 provided on the substrate 7, a common electrode 4 provided on the glaze layer 3, a heat element 1 provided on the common electrode 4 and the glaze layer 3, and lead electrodes 2a and 2b provided on the heat element 1, wherein the common electrode 4 includes an electrically conductive material composed of metal and a glass frit, and the glass frit contains 15 to 35% by mass of ZnO, 14 to 34% by mass of SiO2, 2 to 25% by mass of Al2O3, 2 to 15% by mass of TiO2, 5 to 25% by mass of CaO, and 7 to 27% by mass of BaO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Emi Ninomiya, Hiroshi Yamada, Katsuhiko Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8031217
    Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and apparatuses for the separations of IC fabrication and assembling of separated IC components to form complete IC structures. In an embodiment, the present fabrication separation of an IC structure into multiple discrete components can take advantages of dedicated IC fabrication facilities and achieve more cost effective products. In another embodiment, the present chip assembling provides high density interconnect wires between bond pads, enabling cost-effective assembling of small chip components. In an aspect, the present process forms interconnect wires on a thermal decomposable adhesive, and after positioning the wires at proper bond pad locations, releases the interconnect wires onto the bond pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Inventor: Jayna Sheats
  • Patent number: 7965307
    Abstract: A thermal head is disclosed. The thermal head includes a heat generating element row in which plural heat generating elements are arrayed in a main scanning direction and a glaze that stores heat generated from the respective heat generating elements. The thermal head records an image on a recording medium by causing the respective heat generating elements to generate heat while conveying the recording medium in a sub-scanning direction. A plurality of the heat generating element rows are arrayed in the sub-scanning direction. The glaze includes plural convex portions arranged in the sub-scanning direction in association with the number of arrays of the heat generating element rows. The heat generating elements are arranged on upper sides of the convex portions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Murakami, Yasushi Hirumi
  • Patent number: 7907158
    Abstract: A thermal head includes a glass layer having a protruding section formed on one surface and a concave groove section formed on the other surface facing the protruding section, a heat generation resistor provided on the protruding section, and a pair of electrodes provided to both sides of the heat generation resistor, and a part of the heat generation resistor exposed between the pair of electrodes is defined as a heat generation section, the protruding section has a smaller curvature radius in both sides than a curvature radius in a central portion, and a width of the groove section is one of equal to and larger than a length of the heat generation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Koyama, Izumi Kariya, Mitsuo Yanase, Toru Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7889219
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneyuki Sasaki, Hirotoshi Terao, Yukiko Yasuda, Tomoko Wauke
  • Patent number: 7697020
    Abstract: A thermal printhead (A1) includes a substrate (1), a glaze layer (2), a heating resistor (3), an electrode (4) for energizing the heating resistor (3), the electrode being mainly composed of Au, and a protective film (6) covering the heating resistor (3) and the electrode (4). The electrode (4) has a surface formed with a plurality of recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takumi Yamade
  • Patent number: 7692677
    Abstract: A thermal printhead (A) includes an insulating substrate (1), a glaze layer (2), a resistor layer (3), an electrode layer (4) and a protective layer (5). The electrode layer (4) has a two-layer structure made up of a lower first electrode layer (4a) and an upper second electrode layer (4b). The resistor layer (3) includes a heating portion (7). The heating portion (7) is exposed from both the first electrode layer (4a) and the second electrode layer (4b) and is positioned on a bulging portion (2c) of the glaze layer (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takumi Yamade
  • Patent number: 7692676
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal head capable of reliably preventing occurrence of connection failure or insulation failure in each of the layers in a multilayered wiring structure, enabling easy manufacture even in the real edging constitution, capable of maintaining reliability and, further, with no trouble in the terminal connection of a common electrode even if three or more thermal head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shirakawa, Masakazu Kato
  • Patent number: 7629990
    Abstract: A thermal printhead (A1) includes a substrate (1), and a plurality of heating portions (2) aligned on the substrate in a primary scanning direction (X) . A plurality of electrodes (31, 32, 33) are connected to the heating portions (2). Each of the heating portions (2) has a width in the primary scanning direction (X) which is smaller than that of each of the electrodes (31, 32, 33). Each of the electrodes (31, 32, 33) includes a tapered portion (31C, 32C, 33C) having a width which reduces as progressing toward a corresponding one of the heating portions 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Nishi
  • Publication number: 20090195632
    Abstract: A thermal head which forms an image on a recording medium by pressing a protruding portion on which heating elements are arranged on the recording medium while driving the heating elements to be heated includes a head body portion in which the protruding portion and a concave gap portion facing the protruding portion are formed and a heat conductive layer provided on the side of the protruding portion of the head body portion, in which the heat conductive layer includes an electric insulating layer securing electric insulation to the heating elements and a heat diffusion layer diffusing heat generated from the heating elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Koyama, Mitsuo Yanase, Toru Morikawa, Kei Sato
  • Patent number: 7372477
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermal head is provided which includes the steps of forming a resistor layer and an insulating barrier layer, patterning the above two layers to form aligned heating resistors, forming a solid electrode layer over the heating resistors and the like, and partly removing the solid electrode layer to form opening portions and electrode layers for supplying electricity to the heating resistors. In the patterning step, part of the resistor layer and part of the insulating barrier layer, which are outside a heat generating area, are simultaneously removed to form the heating resistors having a planar U shape composed of a pair of effective heating portions and a connection portion connecting the above pair, the effective heating portions and the connection portion each having a predetermined length and width. The length of the connection portion is set to 5 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20080100686
    Abstract: A thermal printhead (A1) includes a substrate (1), and a plurality of heating portions (2) aligned on the substrate in a primary scanning direction (X) . A plurality of electrodes (31, 32, 33) are connected to the heating portions (2). Each of the heating portions (2) has a width in the primary scanning direction (X) which is smaller than that of each of the electrodes (31, 32, 33). Each of the electrodes (31, 32, 33) includes a tapered portion (31C, 32C, 33C) having a width which reduces as progressing toward a corresponding one of the heating portions 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Nishi
  • Patent number: 7365762
    Abstract: A thermal printing head comprises a guide member made in a single-piece and designed as a jumper comprising two superimposed walls, covering, at least partly, respectively and jointly both surfaces of a flexible printed circuit board and providing between them a space for the passage of the support guide wing, enclosed by the flexible printed circuit board, such that the guide member can be elastically nested on the guide wing of the support and provides protection for the flexible printed circuit board in the zone of its junction with the support, and such that, one of the walls of the guide member comprising fingers producing localized elastic pressure on the flexible printed circuit board, an electric contact is provided between the flexible printed circuit board and the support for grounding the printing head via the flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: APS Engineering
    Inventor: Denis Montagutelli
  • Publication number: 20070216749
    Abstract: A thermal head includes a glass layer having a protruding section formed on one surface and a concave groove section formed on the other surface facing the protruding section, a plurality of heat generation resisters disposed substantially linearly on the protruding section, and a pair of electrodes provided to both sides of each of the heat generation resistors, wherein a part of each of the heat generation resistors exposed between the pair of electrodes is defined as a heat generation section, the glass layer is provided with the groove section so as to face a line of the heat generation sections, and reinforcement sections are provided on both sides of the line of the heat generation sections of the groove sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Koyama, Izumi Kariya, Mitsuo Yanase, Toru Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7248275
    Abstract: A thermal head includes a heat storage layer disposed on a substrate surface by lamination, a plurality of heating elements disposed on the heat storage layer, a plurality of individual electrodes, each connected individually to one end-portion of a heating element in the length direction of the resistance, and a common electrode electrically connected to the other end-portions of all heating elements in the length direction of the resistance, wherein the above-described substrate is a Si substrate having a resistivity of 20 m?·cm or less, the Si substrate is provided with an exposure region including no heat storage layer, and a contact portion is disposed on the exposure region, so as to keep the common electrode and the Si substrate surface in ohmic contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sunao Okitsu
  • Patent number: 7190386
    Abstract: A thermal print head includes an insulating board (2), a glaze layer (21) formed on the board (2), a wiring pattern (22) formed on the glaze layer (21), and an electrode (6) connected to the wiring pattern (22). The electrode (6) includes a pad (61) provided on the wiring pattern (22), and an upper layer (62) formed on the pad (61). The upper layer (62) has a higher solderability than the pad (61) while also having a smaller surface area than the pad (61).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Yamamoto, Shinobu Obata
  • Patent number: 7142228
    Abstract: A thermal head includes a head substrate having a common electrode and individual electrodes connected to exothermic bodies and a driving IC substrate having driving ICs controlling electrification of the individual electrodes and IC electrode pads arranged substantially in parallel with and at a smaller pitch (at most 60 ?m) than the exothermic bodies. The individual electrodes and the corresponding IC electrode pads are bonded together with connection wire having a diameter of at most 23 ?m. The connection wire includes a connection portion with a width larger than the wire diameter that is connected to the individual electrodes or the IC electrode pads and an upstanding portion raised from the connection portion at a predetermined angle. The surface area of the connection portion is not less than 0.0015 mm2 and the sectional area of the upstanding portion is not less than 0.00025 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetomi Majima, Michiaki Moroe
  • Patent number: 6879333
    Abstract: An electro-thermosensitive transfer printer is provided with a gravure endless ribbon including a conductive thin film belt having a large number of gravure cells on its right side and an electric resistor layer laminated on its back side; and a resistive ribbon thermal print head including an electric insulating plate body coming into contact with the surface of the electric resistor layer, a heat-radiating plate embedded in the plate body, sliding along the surface of the electric resistor layer, and a large number of signal electrodes embedded in the plate body, sliding along the surface of the electric resistor layer. The signal electrodes are arrayed so that each of them is opposite to each of the gravure cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Shinichi Furuyama
  • Patent number: 6812944
    Abstract: A thermal head has an insulating substrate, heat resistors formed over a surface of the insulating substrate, an individual electrode formed over the surface of the insulating substrate for supplying electric power to the heat resistors, and a common electrode connected to the individual electrode. A buildup electrode is disposed on the surface of the insulating substrate and is covered by the common electrode for reducing a wiring resistance of the common electrode. The buildup electrode has opposite main surfaces and a tapered side surface having a preselected taper angle relative to the surface of the insulating substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: SII P & S Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Nakamura