JP2014069414A - Thermal print head, method of producing thermal print head and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate installing a thermal print head in a printer.SOLUTION: A thermal print head 11 comprises: a heating element plate 20 comprising a rectangular ceramic substrate 22, a glaze layer 25 including a protrusion 21 protruding from the ceramic substrate 22 and extending in the principal scanning direction and a plurality of heat elements 26 arranged on the surface of the protrusion 21 to form belt-like heating areas; and a heat sink 30 which has a heating element mounting surface, a back surface in parallel with the heat element mounting surface, an end surface perpendicular to the heat element mounting surface and the back surface and a position adjustment surface 71 inclined to the back surface and the end surface and connecting the end surface with the back surface and mounts the heating element plate 20 on the heating element plate mounting surface in such a way that the protrusion 21 lies in the proximity of the end surface.

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal print head, a method for manufacturing a thermal print head, and a printer.

  A thermal print head is an output device that generates heat from a plurality of heating elements arranged in a heat generating portion and forms images such as characters and figures on a medium such as thermal recording paper by the heat. This thermal print head is widely used in recording devices such as barcode printers, digital plate-making machines, video printers, imagers, and seal printers.

  A general thermal print head includes a heat radiating plate, a heat generating plate attached to the heat radiating plate, and a circuit board attached to the heat radiating plate on the same side as the heat generating plate. A plurality of heating resistors are linearly arranged at predetermined intervals in a heating region extending in a band shape on the surface opposite to the surface of the heating plate opposite to the heat sink. The circuit board is mounted with electrical components such as a driving IC that is a part of a driving circuit for driving the heating resistor.

  A printer using such a thermal print head generally includes a platen roller formed in a cylindrical shape with a material having a predetermined elasticity. The platen roller is disposed so that its side surface is in contact with the heat generating area on the support substrate with the main scanning direction in which the heat generating resistors are arranged as an axis, and is provided rotatably about the axis. Due to the rotation of the platen roller, the medium inserted between the platen roller and the heat generating area moves in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. While pressing the medium against the heat generation area by the platen roller, the medium is moved in the sub-scanning direction, and the heat generation pattern of the heat generation resistance is changed with the movement of the medium, thereby forming a desired image on the medium.

  In printing on a hard medium such as a card or a thick medium such as a ticket, it is required to convey the medium linearly. The heat generation area of the thermal print head is generally formed at the ridge line part of the convex part of the glaze, but the position where the heat generation area is offset from the ridge line part to the end side in order to secure a straight conveyance path Some are arranged in

JP 2005-262828 A JP 2008-230178 A

  If the thermal print head has a glaze convex part and the heat generation area is offset from the ridge line to the end, the thermal print head and platen roller shaft position, etc. must be It is necessary to adjust the angle. In addition, when the thermal print head is manufactured, the formation position of the heat generating region may be shifted, so that it is necessary to adjust the angle for each thermal print head. However, in addition to manufacturing a dedicated part for assembling the thermal print head, it is not easy to finely adjust the angle using a screw or the like for each thermal print head.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to facilitate the assembly of a thermal print head to a printer.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a thermal print head, a rectangular substrate, and a protrusion that protrudes from the substrate and extends in a line along the long side in proximity to one long side of the substrate. A heating element plate comprising: a glaze layer including a portion; and a plurality of heating resistors arranged on the surface of the protruding portion to form a belt-like heating region along the line of the protruding portion; A plate mounting surface, a back surface parallel thereto, an end surface perpendicular to them, and a position adjusting surface that is inclined with respect to the back surface and the end surface and connects the end surface and the back surface, and the protrusion on the heating element plate installation surface And a heat radiating plate on which the heat generating plate is placed so that the strip portion is close to the end face.

  The present invention also includes a method for manufacturing a thermal print head, wherein a rectangular substrate includes a protrusion that protrudes from the substrate and extends in a line along the long side in proximity to one long side of the substrate. Forming a heating element plate comprising: a glaze layer; and a plurality of heating resistors arranged on the surface of the protruding portion to form a belt-like heating region along the line of the protruding portion; A position adjusting surface that connects the end surface and the back surface by tilting with respect to the back surface and the end surface by scraping the vicinity of one side of the back surface of the plate having a body plate mounting surface, a back surface parallel to the body plate, and an end surface perpendicular thereto. A heat sink forming step of forming a heat sink, and a step of placing the heat generating plate on the heat generating plate installation surface so that the protrusions are close to the end surface. And

  Further, the present invention provides a printer including a radiator support body having a flat plate portion and a peel bar that rises perpendicularly from the flat plate portion and has a smooth upper end, a rectangular substrate, and a length of one of the substrates protruding from the substrate. A glaze layer including a ridge portion extending in a line along the long side in the vicinity of the side, and a belt-like heat generation region along the line of the ridge portion formed on the surface of the ridge portion. A heating element plate including a plurality of heating resistors, a heating element plate mounting surface, a back surface parallel to the heating element plate, an end surface perpendicular to them, and the end surface and the back surface that are inclined with respect to the back surface and the end surface A heat-adjusting plate, and a heat-dissipating plate for placing the heat-generating member plate so that the protrusions are close to the end surface on the heat-dissipating plate installation surface, Make sure that the position adjustment surface contacts the peel bar A defined thermal print head, first transport means for transporting the print medium, second transport means for transporting the thermal ribbon between the print medium and the thermal print head, the print medium, and A cylindrical platen roller disposed at a predetermined position with respect to the heat-dissipating body support that presses the heat-sensitive ribbon against a region in which the heating resistors of the thermal print head are arranged. .

  According to the present invention, the thermal print head can be easily assembled to the thermal printer.

It is sectional drawing which shows the cross section of one Embodiment of the thermal print head which concerns on this invention. 1 is a partially cutaway top view of an embodiment of a thermal print head according to the present invention. 1 is a side view of a printer using an embodiment of a thermal print head according to the present invention.

  An embodiment of a thermal print head according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of an embodiment of a thermal print head according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially cut-out top view of the thermal print head according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view of a printer using the thermal print head of the present embodiment.

  The thermal print head 11 according to the present embodiment includes a heating element plate 20, a heat radiating plate 30, and a circuit board 40. The heat radiating plate 30 is a rectangular flat plate made of a metal such as aluminum and has a rectangular heat generating plate mounting surface 32 on which the heat generating plate 20 is mounted. A portion 70 including a ridge line on the opposite side of the heat generating plate 20 on the end face closer to the heat generating area 24 of the heat radiating plate 30 is cut away, and a position adjusting surface 71 inclined with respect to the end face is formed.

  The heating element plate 20 has a ceramic substrate 22 and a glaze layer 25. The ceramic substrate 22 is a rectangular flat plate made of an insulating material such as alumina. One surface of the ceramic substrate 22 faces the heat sink 30, and the glaze layer 25 is fused to the other surface. The glaze layer 25 is made of an insulating material such as glass. The glaze layer 25 is formed with ridges 21 protruding from the surface of the ceramic substrate 22. The protruding portion 21 extends substantially linearly in the vicinity of one long side of the ceramic substrate 22.

  On the surface of the glaze layer 25, a resistor layer is formed in a direction (sub-scanning direction) straddling the ridge portion 21 with an interval along the direction in which the ridge portion 21 extends (main scanning direction). A metal wiring layer 28 is formed on the surface of the resistor layer. The metal wiring layer 28 has a notch that extends over a portion of the protrusion 21, and the portion of the resistor layer that does not overlap the metal wiring layer 28 becomes the heating resistor 26. In this way, a plurality of heating resistors 26 are arranged on the surface of the ridge portion 21 at intervals, and a belt-like heat generation region 24 along the line of the ridge portion 21 is formed. The heat generating region 24 is formed at a position offset from the ridge line of the ridge portion 21 toward the end by the heat generating region inclination angle θ. An insulating protective layer 29 is formed on the heating element plate 20 to cover the glaze layer 25, the metal wiring layer 28, and the resistor layer.

  Further, the thermal print head 11 has a drive circuit that generates heat in the heat generating region 24. The drive circuit is formed on a circuit board 40 mounted on the heat dissipation plate 30 on the same surface as the heating element plate 20, for example. A control signal and driving power for forming a predetermined heat generation pattern in the heat generation region 24 are input to the circuit board 40. The drive circuit has electrical components such as a drive IC 42 provided on the circuit board 40, for example. The heat generating plate 20 and the drive circuit are electrically connected by, for example, a bonding wire 44 spanned between the heat generating plate 20 and the circuit board 40. Further, the wiring pattern formed on the surface of the circuit board 40 and the driving IC 42 are also electrically connected by the bonding wire 44. The driving IC 42 and the bonding wire 44 are sealed with a resin 48, for example.

  A printer using the thermal print head 11 has a heat sink support 90. The heat radiating plate support 90 includes a flat plate portion and a peel bar 91 that rises perpendicularly from the flat plate portion and draws a smooth curve at the upper end. The heat radiation plate 30 of the thermal print head 11 is supported by the heat radiation plate support 90 via the angle adjustment jig 92 with the back surface of the heating element plate mounting surface 32 in contact with the angle adjustment jig 92. The angle adjusting jig 92 is a combination of two flat plates.

  The printer also includes a cylindrical platen roller 50 centered on an axis located on the normal line 81 of the surface of the heating resistor 26. Further, this printer has a thermal ribbon 60 which is a thermal recording medium. The thermal ribbon 60 is wound around a shaft 61 parallel to the shaft 52 of the platen roller 50 in a roll shape. The thermal ribbon 60 wound in a roll is wound around an axis 62 parallel to the axis 61 thereof. The winding-side shaft 62 is driven by a motor or the like.

  The thermal ribbon 63 is conveyed so as to pass between the side surface of the platen roller 50 and the thermal print head 11. The print medium 54 is conveyed so as to pass between the thermal ribbon 60 and the platen roller 50.

  The driving IC 42 generates heat by causing a current to flow through the heating resistor 26 at a predetermined position when printing, that is, when each color area of the thermal ribbon 60 is positioned on the heating area 24. As a result, one line of a predetermined image is drawn on the print medium 54. By repeating this while conveying the printing medium 54 and the thermal ribbon 60, a desired image is formed on the printing medium 54.

  In such a printer, the heat generating region 24 of the thermal print head 11 is offset from the ridge line portion of the ridge portion 21 toward the end portion, so that even a hard print medium 54 can be moved linearly. A route can be secured.

  The angle adjusting jig 92 is formed so that the angle between the two flat plates is equal to the heat generation region inclination angle θ. When the thermal print head 11 is mounted on a printer, the angle adjusting jig 92 is used to easily fix the central axis of the platen roller 50 so as to be positioned on the normal line 81 of the surface of the heat generating area 24. be able to. Further, the distance from the heat generating region 24 to the peel bar 91 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the cutting depth δ from the heat radiation plate 30 to the position adjustment surface 71.

  Therefore, even when the heating resistor 26 is formed on a slope other than the top of the ridge 21, the thermal print head 11 is rotated around the main scanning direction in which the heat generation region 24 extends as an attitude of the thermal print head 11. There is no need to adjust. Therefore, the time required for assembling the printer is shortened and the cost is reduced. Further, since the distance from the heat generating region 24 to the peel bar 91 can also be adjusted by the shaving depth δ of the heat radiating plate 30, the time required for assembling the printer can be shortened.

  The polishing angle when forming the position adjustment surface 71 of the heat sink 30 and the angle of the angle adjustment jig 92 are the normal direction 81 of the heat generating region 24 and the normal direction of the bottom surface of the ceramic substrate 22 after the heat generating plate 20 is manufactured. The angle with respect to 82 is measured and adjusted to be the angle. If the assembly accuracy of the angle is allowed within a certain allowable range, a plurality of angle adjusting jigs 92 having different angles are prepared according to the size of the allowable range, and an angle corresponding to the measured angle is prepared. An adjusting jig may be used. Even in this case, the distance from the heat generating region 24 to the peel bar 91 can be accurately controlled by adjusting the cutting depth δ from the heat radiating plate 30 to the position adjusting surface 71.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the thermal print head can be easily assembled to the thermal printer.

  In the present embodiment, the angle adjustment jig 92 is used to adjust the assembly angle of the thermal print head to the thermal printer, but it can also be adjusted by other methods. For example, the ridge line portion on the bottom surface side of the heat radiating plate 30 on the side opposite to the position adjustment surface 71 in contact with the peel bar 91 may be cut according to the assembly angle. At this time, a screw hole may be formed in the contact surface with the heat sink support 90 that has been shaved, and a screw may be screwed into the screw hole to be fixed to the heat sink support 90.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Thermal print head, 20 ... Heat generating body board, 21 ... Projection part, 22 ... Ceramic substrate, 24 ... Heat generating area, 25 ... Glaze layer, 26 ... Heat generating resistor, 28 ... Metal wiring layer, 29 ... Insulating protective layer , 30 ... Radiating plate, 32 ... Heating element plate mounting surface, 40 ... Circuit board, 42 ... Driving IC, 44 ... Bonding wire, 48 ... Resin, 50 ... Platen roller, 52 ... Shaft, 54 ... Printing medium, 60 ... thermal ribbon, 61 ... shaft, 62 ... shaft, 71 ... position adjustment surface, 90 ... heat sink support, 91 ... peel bar, 92 ... angle adjustment jig

Claims (6)

A rectangular substrate, a glaze layer including a protrusion protruding from the substrate and extending in a line along the long side adjacent to one long side of the substrate, and arranged on the surface of the protrusion A plurality of heating resistors that form a belt-like heating region along the line of the ridge, and a heating element plate comprising:
A heating element plate mounting surface, a rear surface parallel to the heating element plate, an end surface perpendicular to them, and a position adjusting surface that is inclined with respect to the rear surface and the end surface and connects the end surface and the rear surface, A heat radiating plate on which the heating element plate is placed so that the protruding portion is close to the end face;
A thermal print head comprising:   2. The thermal print head according to claim 1, wherein the heat generating area is offset from the top of the ridge to the long side.   3. The thermal print head according to claim 2, wherein an angle formed between a normal line at a top portion of the protrusion and a normal line in the heat generation region is equal to an angle formed between the end surface and the position adjustment surface. A glaze layer including a ridge that protrudes from the substrate and extends in a line along the long side of the rectangular substrate, and is arranged on the surface of the ridge. A step of forming a heating element plate comprising a plurality of heating resistors that form a belt-like heating region along the line of the protrusion, and
A position adjusting surface that scrapes the vicinity of one side of a back surface of a plate having a heating element plate mounting surface, a back surface parallel to the heat generating plate, and an end surface perpendicular to them, and connects the end surface and the back surface with inclination to the back surface and the end surface. Forming a heat sink and forming a heat sink;
Placing the heating element plate on the heating element plate installation surface so that the protrusions are close to the end surface;
A method of manufacturing a thermal print head, comprising: Further comprising the step of measuring an offset angle formed between a normal line at the top of the ridge and a normal line in the heat generation region,
5. The thermal print according to claim 4, wherein the heat radiation plate forming step forms the position adjustment surface so that an angle formed by the end surface and the position adjustment surface is equal to the offset angle. Manufacturing method of the head. A radiator support body having a flat plate portion and a peel bar that rises perpendicularly from the flat plate portion and has a smooth upper end,
A rectangular substrate, a glaze layer including a protrusion protruding from the substrate and extending in a line along the long side adjacent to one long side of the substrate, and arranged on the surface of the protrusion A plurality of heat generating resistors that form a belt-like heat generating region along the line of the protruding portion, a heat generating plate, a heat generating plate mounting surface, a back surface parallel thereto, an end surface perpendicular to them, and There is a position adjustment surface that is inclined with respect to the back surface and the end surface, and connects the end surface and the back surface, and the heating element plate is placed on the heating element plate installation surface so that the protrusions are close to the end surface A thermal print head, and a thermal print head fixed to the heat sink support so that the position adjustment surface contacts the peel bar;
First conveying means for conveying a printing medium;
Second conveying means for conveying the thermal ribbon between the printing medium and the thermal print head;
A cylindrical platen roller disposed at a predetermined position with respect to the heat-dissipating body support that presses the print medium and the heat-sensitive ribbon against a region where the heat-generating resistors of the thermal print head are arranged;
A printer comprising:

Images