Abstract: According to one embodiment, a thermal print head includes a heat sink; a head substrate placed on the heat sink and having a plurality of heat generating elements arranged in a primary scanning direction; a circuit board placed on the heat sink so as to be adjacent to the head substrate in an auxiliary scanning direction and provided with a connection circuit; and a control element electrically connected to the heat generating element via a first bonding wire and electrically connected to the connection circuit via a second bonding wire, in which at least one of the first bonding wire and the second bonding wire includes any of a copper wire, a copper alloy wire, and a wire mainly made of copper and coated with a metal different from copper.

Abstract: A heat-dissipating module having an elastic mounting structure includes a carrier circuit board, a main circuit board, a heat dissipating module, and a plurality of elastic mounting components configured to mount mounting holes of the carrier circuit board and mounting grooves of the heat dissipating module in series, so as to fix the carrier circuit board, the main circuit board and the heat dissipating module. As a result, the plurality of elastic mounting components can provide stress buffer and good bonding effect for the thermally conductive device of the heat dissipating module bonded on an upper surface of the heat source device.

Abstract: A thermal head includes: a head base body including a substrate and a plurality of heat generating sections disposed on the substrate; connection portions which are electrically connected to the head base; a connection member which is electrically connected to the connection portions; and a first cover member which covers the connection portions, the first cover member including a plurality of protruding portions provided on an upper surface of the first cover member at predetermined intervals in a main scanning direction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flexible display apparatus, the method includes bonding a substrate onto a porous carrier substrate; forming a light-emitting display unit on the substrate; forming an encapsulating layer on the light-emitting display unit; and removing the porous carrier substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a flexible substrate wherein a connection portion between the flexible substrate and an electric circuit board meets requirements of narrow wiring pitch and low resistance at the connection portion. An electric circuit structure, which has the flexible substrate and the electric circuit board to which the flexible substrate is connected, is also provided. A wiring pattern (22) is formed on a flexible base film (21), a connection terminal (25) connected electrically to an electrode terminal of another electric circuit board is arranged at an end portion of the wiring pattern (22), and the connection terminal (25) includes wide connection terminals (25b, 25c) having a terminal width extending across plural lines of the wiring pattern (22).

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).

Abstract: A thermal print head includes a heating resistor for forming images on a print target by generating heat, and a driver for controlling power supply to the heating resistor. The thermal print head also includes a storage unit and a controller. The storage unit stores print data inputted from outside. The controller causes a transfer action and a printing action to be repeated alternately, wherein the transfer action includes retrieving print data from the storage unit and transferring the retrieved print data to the driver, and the printing action includes causing the driver to retain the transferred print data and supplying power to portions of the heating resistor selected in accordance with the print data retained by the driver, so as to conduct printing.

Abstract: A thermal head unit includes a head substrate having a heating element serving as a thermal head formed thereon, a flexible substrate, a driver IC disposed on the flexible substrate to drive the thermal head, and a heat sink attached to the head substrate and to the flexible substrate, wherein the driver IC and the flexible substrate are electrically connected to each other, and the driver IC and the head substrate are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a recording head and a compensating resistor. The recording head has a heating element. The compensating resistor is in electrical series with the heating element and is external to the recording head. A method includes applying an alternating current at a first angular frequency to a recording head. A voltage drop across the recording head heating element is measured. A component of the voltage drop is extracted. The component has a frequency that is three times the frequency of the first angular frequency.

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.

Abstract: A thermal printhead includes a substrate, a heating resistor formed on the substrate, a drive IC for controlling power application to the heating resistor, and a thermistor mounted on the substrate and including first and second terminals. The drive IC includes a print execution signal terminal for activation of the heating resistor upon application of a voltage higher than a threshold value. The first terminal of the thermistor is connected with the print execution signal terminal.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a head containing a glass layer. The glass layer has a projecting portion on one surface and a concave groove on the other surface at a position opposed to the projecting portion. The head further contains a heating resistor disposed on the projecting portion, and a pair of electrodes disposed on both sides of the heating resistor. The thermal head further includes a rigid substrate on which a control circuit for the head is provided, and a flexible substrate for electrically connecting the head and the rigid substrate.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a reliable thermal head designed to prevent electrostatic discharge damage from occurring in the bonding pad portion due to the protective layer being electrostatically charged; a method for manufacture of the thermal head; and a printing head for the thermal head. The present invention relates to the thermal head including: the heat elements 24 provided on the substrate 25; the wiring patterns 27 and 47 for applying electric power to the heat elements; and the bonding pad portion 52; wherein the heat elements 24 being covered by the protective layer 5; wherein the substrate 25 is secured on the metallic mount 21; and wherein the protective layer 51 is electrically connected to the mount 21.

Abstract: A thermal head in a thermal printer has heating elements, a glaze layer and a ceramic board. Equations are used for correcting heat accumulation. Eg1(M+1,N)=(1?k1).E(M,N)+(1?k2).Eg1(M,N) Eg2(M+1,N)=k2(1?k3)(1?k4).Eg1(M,N) Ec1(M+1,N)=k2(1?k3).k4.Eg1(M,N)+(1?k5).Ec1(M,N) E(M,N): heat data of an Nth pixel of an Mth line after heat accumulation correction; Eg1(M,N): accumulated heat data of the glaze layer at point Pg1 and obtained in the correction of an (M?1)th line; Eg2(M,N): accumulated heat data of the glaze layer at point Pg2 and obtained in the correction of the (M?1)th line; Ec1(M,N): accumulated heat data of the ceramic board at point Pc1 and obtained in the correction of the (M?1)th line.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes an improved cable for connecting a main board and a recording head and that forms an image on a print medium by heating both surfaces of the print medium. The thermal printer includes a rotating unit rotatably installed within a frame and having a recording head and a support member. A main board is installed on the frame and supplies power to and provides image data to the recording head. A flexible cable is disposed on one side or both sides of the print medium to connect the main board and the recording head. The recording head forms an image on a print medium by heating a surface or an opposite surface of the print medium according to a location to which the recording head is rotated. The support member is installed opposite to the recording head and supports the print medium. The flexible cable is disposed to not interfere with a transfer of the print medium and a reciprocating rotation of the recording head.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a head containing a glass layer. The glass layer has a projecting portion on one surface and a concave groove on the other surface at a position opposed to the projecting portion. The head further contains a heating resistor disposed on the projecting portion, and a pair of electrodes disposed on both sides of the heating resistor. The thermal head further includes a rigid substrate on which a control circuit for the head is provided, and a flexible substrate for electrically connecting the head and the rigid substrate.

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.

Abstract: When driving an ink-jet printhead equipped with a matrix-type circuit having a substrate, a plurality of scanning signal lines and a plurality of information signal lines on the substrate and heating elements provided on the substrate at points of intersection between the scanning and information signal lines, scanning signals (Vy1 to Vy3) having a first potential (½·V0) are supplied sequentially to the scanning signal lines by a first driving circuit, select signals (Vx1 to Vx4) having a second potential (−½·V0) are supplied to the information signal lines by a second driving circuit in accordance with print data, and each of the scanning and select signals is provided with a first interval (t1) having first and second potentials and with a second interval (t2) over which the potential difference is zero, whereby accumulation of heat at unselected points is prevented to suppress crosstalk.

Abstract: A thermal head has a base having a main surface, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side. At least one heating element is disposed on a portion of the main surface of the base with which a recording medium is brought into contact during a printing operation when the recording medium is transported from the first side to the second side of the base. At least one driver integrated circuit for driving the heating element during a printing operation is disposed in the vicinity of the heating element. An encapsulating resin covers the driver integrated circuit and protrudes from the main surface of the base at the second side thereof.

Abstract: A thermal printhead includes a plurality of heating elements (6) heated by a head voltage for printing on a recording paper, and a plurality of drive IC's (3) powered by a logic voltage for driving the heating elements (6). The printing is performed at whatever value of the head voltage within a range from 2.7 volts through 8.5 volts. Further, the drive IC's (3) operate at whatever value of the logic voltage within a range from 2.7 volts through 5.5 volts.

Abstract: Apparatus herein provides for a chosen level of power dissipation of a resistor, for example, the heating element of a thermal head assembly. The resistance of the resistor changes upon a change in temperature thereof, for example, due to increased flow of current therethrough. The apparatus includes a resistive shunt in series with the resistor, a first differential amplifier, with voltage drop across the resistor being provided to first and second input terminals of the first differential amplifier, and a second differential amplifier, voltage drop across the shunt being provided to first and second input terminals of the second differential amplifier. The output signals from the first and second differential amplifiers are provided to a voltage multiplier. The output signal from the voltage multiplier is provided to an input terminal of a power operational amplifier, and a programming sequence voltage is supplied to another input terminal of the power operational amplifier.

Abstract: An wear-resistant layer 50 constituting a printing surface which is brought into contact with a thermal record medium is formed on a provisional substrate 70 having a groove formed in its surface, said groove having a substantially semicircular cross section, and a heat generating layer 51, electrically conductive layers 52a and 52b electrically connected to the heat generating layer, a protection layer 54a and a heat storage layer 58 are stacked in turn to form a printing section. Next, a driving IC 55 for controlling a heating electric power to be supplied to the printing section is connected to the electrically conductive layer and a wiring section 53 for connecting the driving IC to an external circuit is provided. Thereafter, the printing section is secured to a heat dissipating member 59 by means of a resin 62, and a common electrode 84 and wires 56 are secured to the heat dissipating member by means of both-sided adhesive tapes 82 and 83.

Abstract: The object is to provide a thermal print head that can absorb an expansion due to difference of thermal expansion coefficients of a ceramic substrate and a glass-epoxy based printed circuit board to enable to obtain excellent printing quality, to be high in reliability, and to be capable of downsizing.

Abstract: A thermal printhead according to the present invention includes a substrate, a plurality of heating elements formed on the substrate, at least one drive IC for driving the heating elements, and a sealing portion for sealing the drive IC. The sealing portion contains a resin material and a granular filler having an average grain size not greater than 10 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A line thermal printer in which, even when a thick or hard printing sheet is used, the sheet and a thermal head is parallel to each other at heating elements, and which can therefore perform printing normally. The line thermal printer includes a thermal head having printing heating elements arranged in a row, driver circuits for driving the heating elements, the driver circuits being disposed in the vicinity of the heating elements, and an embedding portion in which the driver circuits are embedded protruding beyond a surface on which the heating elements are arranged. In this printer, the direction of transport of a printing sheet at the time of printing is set such that the printing sheet is passed through a place above the heating elements from the side where the embedding portion does not exist to the side where the embedding portion exists.

Abstract: A thermal head has an insulating substrate having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite the first main surface, and an end surface. Heater resistors are arranged in a line on the first surface of the insulating substrate. Driving elements are disposed on the second main surface of the insulating substrate for driving the heater resistors. The heater resistors are electrically connected to the driving elements by turnup connection terminals.

Abstract: A protective cover (9) is provided which is used for a thermal printhead including a heat sink plate (1) formed with a plurality of fixing holes (10), a head substrate (2), and a circuit board (3). The heat sink plate (1) is formed with a groove (1a) which divides the upper surface of the heat sink plate (1) into a first region (1b) and a second region (1c). The head substrate (2) is provided with a heating resistor (4) and drive ICs (5). The drive ICs (5) are covered with a coating resin layer (6). The circuit board (3) is formed with through-holes (11). The protective cover (9) includes a main body (9a) having an obverse surface and a reverse surface, and a plurality of pins (12) extending from the reverse surface. Each of the pins (12) is formed with a slit (12a), which facilitates press-fitting of the pin (12) into a respective one of the fixing holes (10).

Abstract: A thermal printhead includes plural groups of drive ICs (DrIC1-14), a plurality of main conductor wirings (31-34) for transmitting signals to the drive ICs in the respective groups, and a plurality of auxiliary conductor wirings (41-43) respectively provided to accompany the main conductor wirings for providing conduction between the drive ICs in adjacent groups. The main conductor wirings and the auxiliary conductor wirings respectively include severable sites (a-f) for severing electrical conduction of the main conductor wirings and the auxiliary conductor wirings. A plurality of recovery wiring portions (32a-34a and 41a-43a) are provided to the respective severable sites in parallel thereto. Each of the recovery wiring portions includes a pair of pads spaced from each other.

Abstract: An electrocoagulation printing apparatus has a printing head with an array of electrodes in contact with an electrically conductive electrocoagulation printing ink, and a driver circuit for impressing electric signals to individual electrodes of the array. The driver circuit includes a current limiter for limiting the magnitude of electric current passing through individual electrodes and the electrocoagulation printing ink to a predetermined value. The current limiter corrects a density of adjacent ink film pixels of a printed line to compensate for a cross-influence of impedance between adjacent ink film pixels.

Abstract: A thermal head comprises a substrate having a main surface bounded by a peripheral edge, an electrode formed on the surface of the substrate, and a heater disposed on the surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the electrode. A driver IC is disposed on the surface of the substrate and is electrically connected to the electrode for providing a drive signal to drive the heater. An encapsulation element is disposed over the IC for protecting the IC. The encapsulation element has a surface portion which extends to the peripheral edge of the substrate.

Abstract: An electric circuit board has a plurality of conductive pads on a base plate for connection with conductive pins of an electric device such as a thermal head of a facsimile machine. Protective parts are formed on the base plate at the right side of the rightmost conductive pad and at the left side of the leftmost conductive pad. The conductive pads and the conductive pins are soldered by solders heated and melted by a light beam. The protective parts protect the base plate from being burnt by the light beam even when the light beam is projected transversely across the pads from the right side of the rightmost pad to the left side of the leftmost pad.

Abstract: The occupied area of a heater drive circuit of a recording head is reduced, and the number of manufacturing steps is decreased. As a circuitry of the heater drive unit, the final stage of the drive unit is constituted of a pnp or npn bipolar transistor, the heater, which is a load, is connected to the emitter side, and the collectors of each transistor are connected commonly to the base itself and grounded. The prestage of the drive unit is formed of the prestage of a MOS type element whose polarities are reversed to those of the final stage, i.e., an n-type MOS transistor with respect to the final stage of a pnp bipolar transistor and a p-type MOS transistor with respect to the final stage of a npn bipolar transistor, and the source of the prestage is grounded.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal head which comprises: a plurality of heating elements arranged at regular intervals on the top surface of an electrically insulating substrate; a common electrode connected to one ends of the respective heating elements; a plurality of discrete lead wires connected to the other ends of the respective heating elements and led out in directions at predetermined angles with respect to the direction of arrangement of the heating elements; and driving IC including a plurality of connecting pads arranged nearly parallel with the direction of arrangement of the heating elements and with intervals smaller than the intervals of arrangement of the heating elements, the connecting pads connected to lead-out sections of the discrete lead wires, wherein the connecting pads of the driving IC are arranged with intervals between the neighboring connecting pads which vary depending on the sine values of angles between the direction of arrangement of the heating elements and the lead-out dire

Abstract: According to the present invention, a plurality of drive ICs (7) are mounted on a thermal printhead (1) which has a predetermined number of heating dots (3). The number of output bits of each drive IC (7) is set to be a divisor of 1/4 of the predetermined number of the heating dots (3) and a multiple of 8 which is no less than 48. Thus, it is possible to divide the plurality of drive ICs (7) into 2 or 4 groups and to control the groups of drive ICs by time division. Further, when the number of output bits of each drive IC (7) is set to be a common divisor of 1/4 and 1/3 of the predetermined number of the heating dots (3), it is possible to drive the thermal printhead (1) by 3-divisional control in addition to 2- and 4-divisional control. Specifically, the number of output bits of each drive IC (7) is preferably any one of 72, 144 or 216, in particular 144.

Abstract: A thermal printhead formed on a substrate. The plurality of thermal print elements in the thermal printhead are formed in a linear array. Each of the plurality of thermal print elements is respectively connected to a plurality of common electrode traces and a plurality of ground electrode traces. The common electrode traces are switchably connected to a single common electrode and the ground electrode traces are connected to a single ground electrode. The common electrode is held at a common voltage and the ground electrode is held at a ground voltage. The electrical circuit includes at least one common remote sense electrode connected to the single common electrode and, optionally, at least one ground remote sense electrode connected to the single ground electrode.

Abstract: A recording head has a substrate on which a plurality of heat generating elements as recording elements are arranged and a plurality of driving integrated circuits (driving ICs) to drive the plurality of heat generating elements are supported. The recording head comprises wirings which are extended from the heat generating elements and pass through a region on the substrate on which the driving ICs are supported and are connected to the driving ICs; signal series wirings which are arranged on the heat generating element side of the substrate, are closer to the heat generating elements than terminals for the wiring connection, and serially connect the driving ICs; and conductors which are formed in a region on the substrate between the adjacent driving ICs and connect recording current to the ground.

Abstract: A printer drive IC (5) of the present invention is generally rectangular as viewed from above, and includes a first longitudinal edge (5a) closer to a recording element of the printer and a second longitudinal edge (5b) opposite to the first longitudinal edge. The drive IC (5) includes a plurality of output pads (11), a drive section (12) which includes drive circuits connected to the output pads (11) for driving the recording element of the printer, and a signal processing section (15) including a logic circuit section in which logic circuits are provided for processing input signals and controlling the drive section (14). The output pads, the drive section and the signal processing section are disposed generally in parallel to the first longitudinal edge (5a) and in the mentioned order from the first longitudinal edge (5a) toward the second longitudinal edge (5b).

Abstract: A drive IC for a printing head is rectangular with first and second longer sides, and first and second shorter sides. The drive IC has a multiplicity of drive output pads arranged adjacent to and along the first longer side. The drive IC also has control signal pads which include at least a data-in pad, a data-out pad, a strobe pad, a logic power supply pad, and a clock pad. The control signal pads are arranged adjacent to the respective shorter sides.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has transistors, each transistor having a first conduction type of a first semiconductor region including a first main electrode region, a second conduction type of second semiconductor region including a channel region which is provided in the first semiconductor region, a second main electrode region provided in the second semiconductor region, a gate electrode on the channel region extending through a gate insulating film between the first and second main electrode regions. A portion of the first main electrode region which contacts the channel region is a high-resistance region. The semiconductor device also has buried-type element isolation regions which prevent the occurrence of latch up and bird's beaks in the device.

Abstract: An area gradation control device and method for a thermal printing thermosensitive recorder, such as a color video printer or a facsimile, performs a printing operation by converting color-corrected and gamma-corrected data into area gradation signals. One bit among 8-bit data is sequentially selected according to gradations and transmitted to a thermal printing head, and strobe pulses whose number corresponds to the weight value of each bit are provided to the thermal printing head for each time a selected significant bit is provided to the thermal printing head, so that dye deposition is uniformly performed over the overall area of a pixel with a high data processing speed.

Abstract: The present invention is a high-density circuit, wherein the circuit conductors, and the spaces between conductors, are preferably less than about 0.005 inches wide, and wherein the lines are disposed over a relatively large area. The circuit is defined by a pattern of grooves in a dielectric substrate, and a conductive material is deposited in the grooves, and heated so as to form a tight bond with the substrate. The resulting circuit is stable, rugged, and capable of withstanding a wide range of adverse environmental conditions. The invention includes the circuit itself, as well as processes used in its manufacture. The invention also includes a high-density print head, for a thermal or electrostatic printer, made from the circuit described. The rugged, high-density circuit of the present invention can generate a set of very closely-spaced conductors which are then used to produce a high-density image.