JP2023162585A - Thermal print head, manufacturing method of the same, and thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a thermal print head which enables improvement of printing efficiency and a manufacturing method of the thermal print head, and to provide a thermal printer.SOLUTION: A thermal print head A1 includes: a heating substrate 1 having a major surface 11 directed to a first side z1 in a thickness direction z; a glaze layer 15 disposed on the first side z1 of the heating substrate 1; and a resistor layer 4 including multiple heating parts 41 arranged along a main scanning direction x at the first side z1 of the heating substrate 1. The glaze layer 15 includes: a top surface 151 extending in the main scanning direction x; and a first recessed part 152 recessed from the top surface 151 in the thickness direction z and extending in the main scanning direction x. Each heating part 41 includes a first area 41a disposed on the top surface 151.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present disclosure relates to a thermal print head, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thermal printer including the thermal print head.

Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional thermal print head. The thermal print head disclosed in this document includes a head substrate having a main surface integrally formed with a convex portion extending in the main scanning direction. A plurality of heat generating parts are arranged on the convex part. A heat storage layer made of glaze is interposed between the convex portion and the plurality of heat generating portions. On the surface of the heat storage layer, round portions are formed at both ends in the sub-scanning direction so as to be smoothly continuous over the pair of inclined outer surfaces of the convex portion. Since the heat generating part is arranged on the convex part, the print medium is reliably pressed against the heat generating part via the platen roller. In thermal print heads, it is desired to improve printing efficiency.

JP 2021-11021 Publication

The present disclosure was conceived under the above circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a thermal print head that can improve printing efficiency.

A thermal print head provided by a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a heat generating substrate having a main surface facing a first side in the thickness direction; a glaze layer disposed on the first side of the heat generating substrate; a resistor layer including a plurality of heat generating parts arranged along the main scanning direction on the first side of the heat generating substrate, the glaze layer facing the first side in the thickness direction; a top surface extending in the main scanning direction; and a first recessed portion recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction and extending in the main scanning direction, and the heat generating portion is provided in a first region disposed on the top surface. Contains.

A method for manufacturing a thermal print head provided by a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a base material preparation step of preparing a base material having a main surface facing a first side in the thickness direction; a glaze forming step of forming a glaze layer on a side; a top surface of the glaze layer facing the first side in the thickness direction and extending in the main scanning direction; and a recess from the top surface in the thickness direction; and a recess forming step of forming a first recess extending in the main scanning direction.

The thermal print head according to the present disclosure can improve printing efficiency.

Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a thermal print head according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a plan view of essential parts of the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of essential parts of the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of essential parts of the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of main parts showing a thermal print head according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of main parts showing a thermal print head according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of main parts showing a thermal print head according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of main parts showing a thermal print head according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of main parts showing a thermal print head according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of main parts showing a thermal print head according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>
1 to 6 show a thermal print head A1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermal print head A1 of this embodiment includes a heat generating board 1, a protective layer 2, a conductive layer 3, a resistor layer 4, a glaze layer 15, an insulating layer 18, a first board 5, a driver IC 55, a second board 6, and a connector 69. , a third substrate 7, and a heat dissipation member 8. The thermal print head A1 is incorporated into a thermal printer B1 as shown in FIG. 4, and prints on a print medium 92 that is conveyed while being sandwiched between a platen roller 91. The platen roller 91 is arranged to face the heat generating section 41, which will be described later, and presses the print medium 92 against the heat generating section 41 while conveying the print medium 92. Examples of such print media 92 include thermal paper for creating barcode sheets or date code sheets.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the thermal print head A1. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the thermal print head A1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the main parts of the thermal print head A1. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the protective layer 2 is omitted for convenience of understanding. In FIG. 2, for convenience of understanding, a protective resin 57 and a wire 561, which will be described later, are omitted. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the main parts of the thermal print head A1. Further, in these figures, description will be made assuming that the longitudinal direction of the heat generating substrate 1 is the main scanning direction x, the lateral direction is the sub-scanning direction y, and the thickness direction is the thickness direction z. Regarding the sub-scanning direction y, the lower side of FIGS. 1 to 3 (the right side of FIGS. 4 and 5) is the upstream side y1 where the print medium 92 is sent, and the upper side of FIGS. 1 to 3 (the right side of FIGS. and the left side of FIG. 5) is defined as the downstream side y2 where the print medium 92 is discharged. Further, regarding the thickness direction z, the upper side in FIGS. 4 and 5 is defined as a first side z1, and the lower side in FIGS. 4 and 5 is defined as a second side z2. Regarding the main scanning direction x, the left side in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a first side x1, and the right side in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a second side x2. The same applies to the following figures.

The heat generating substrate 1 is mounted on the heat dissipating member 8 and supports the conductive layer 3 and the resistor layer 4. The heat generating substrate 1 has an elongated rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is in the main scanning direction x and whose width direction is in the sub-scanning direction y. Although the size of the heat generating substrate 1 is not particularly limited, as an example, the thickness of the heat generating substrate 1 is, for example, about 0.5 to 1 mm. Further, the dimension of the heat generating substrate 1 in the main scanning direction x is, for example, about 50 to 150 mm, and the dimension in the sub scanning direction y is, for example, about 1 to 5 mm.

In this embodiment, the heat generating substrate 1 is made of a single crystal semiconductor, for example, Si. Note that the constituent material of the heat generating substrate 1 is not limited. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the heat generating substrate 1 has a main surface 11 and a back surface 12. The main surface 11 and the back surface 12 face opposite to each other in the thickness direction z and are parallel to each other. The main surface 11 is a surface facing the first side z1 in the thickness direction z. A conductive layer 3 and a resistor layer 4 are arranged on the main surface 11 . The back surface 12 is a surface facing the second side z2 in the thickness direction z. The back surface 12 is bonded to the heat dissipation member 8 (first support surface 81 to be described later) via an adhesive member (not shown).

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the heat generating substrate 1 has a convex portion 13. The convex portion 13 protrudes from the main surface 11 toward the first side z1 in the thickness direction z, and extends in the main scanning direction x. Further, the convex portion 13 is formed closer to the downstream side y2 in the sub-scanning direction y. The convex portion 13 has a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the main scanning direction x that is uniform in the main scanning direction x. The convex portion 13 includes a top surface 131 and inclined surfaces 132 and 133. The top surface 131 faces the first side z1 (the same side as the main surface 11) in the thickness direction z, and is located on the first side z1 in the thickness direction z from the main surface 11. The top surface 131 has an elongated rectangular shape that extends in the main scanning direction x. The inclined surface 132 is located on the downstream side y2 of the top surface 131 in the sub-scanning direction y, and is connected to the top surface 131 and the main surface 11. The inclined surface 132 is inclined with respect to the top surface 131 and the main surface 11, and approaches the main surface 11 on the downstream side y2 in the sub-scanning direction y. The inclined surface 132 has an elongated rectangular shape that extends in the main scanning direction x. The inclined surface 133 is located on the upstream side y1 of the top surface 131 in the sub-scanning direction y, and is connected to the top surface 131 and the main surface 11. The inclined surface 133 is inclined with respect to the top surface 131 and the main surface 11, and approaches the main surface 11 on the upstream side y1 in the sub-scanning direction y. The inclined surface 133 has an elongated rectangular shape that extends in the main scanning direction x.

The heat generating substrate 1 is formed by forming a mask layer on the (100) plane of a single crystal semiconductor material such as a Si wafer, and performing anisotropic etching. The portion covered by the mask layer and remaining without being removed by etching becomes the top surface 131. Therefore, the top surface 131 is a (100) plane. On the other hand, the surfaces exposed by etching become the main surface 11 and the inclined surfaces 132 and 133. The main surface 11 is parallel to the top surface 131, and like the top surface 131, is a (100) plane. The inclined surfaces 132 and 133 are inclined with respect to the main surface 11 and the top surface 131. The inclination angle α of the inclined surfaces 132 and 133 with respect to the main surface 11 is a predetermined angle according to anisotropic etching. In this embodiment, the inclined surfaces 132 and 133 are (111) planes, and the inclined angle α is, for example, 54.8°. Note that the inclination angle α is not limited. Further, the shape of the convex portion 13 of the heat generating substrate 1 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape. For example, the convex portion 13 may further include an inclined surface having a different inclination angle between the top surface 131 and the inclined surface 132 or 133.

Glaze layer 15 is made of a glass material such as amorphous glass. In this embodiment, the thermal expansion coefficient of the glaze layer 15 is approximately the same as that of Si, which is the material of the heat generating substrate 1. Note that the characteristics of the glass material of the glaze layer 15 are not limited. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the glaze layer 15 is disposed on the first side z1 of the heat generating substrate 1 in the thickness direction z, and in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 is disposed on the top surface 131 of the convex portion 13. There is. In this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 is in contact only with the top surface 131 and not with the inclined surfaces 132 and 133. The glaze layer 15 extends in the main scanning direction x and is disposed over the entire width of the top surface 131 in the sub scanning direction y. Note that the arrangement position of the glaze layer 15 is not limited. For example, the glaze layer 15 may be disposed only on a portion of the top surface 131 in the sub-scanning direction y, or may be disposed in contact with the inclined surface 132 or the inclined surface 133 as well. Further, when the convex portion 13 of the heat generating substrate 1 further includes an inclined surface between the top surface 131 and the inclined surface 132 or the inclined surface 133, it may be arranged in contact with the inclined surface as well.

In this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes a top surface 151 and recesses 152 and 153. The top surface 151 is a substantially flat surface facing the first side z1 in the thickness direction z, and extends in the main scanning direction x. Note that the top surface 151 may be a convex surface that is gently curved toward the first side z1 in the thickness direction z. The recessed portion 152 is recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z, and extends in the main scanning direction x. The recessed portion 152 is arranged on the downstream side y2 of the top surface 151 in the sub-scanning direction y. The recess 152 has a curved surface connected to the top surface 151. The recessed portion 153 is recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z, and extends in the main scanning direction x. The recessed portion 153 is arranged on the upstream side y1 of the top surface 151 in the sub-scanning direction y. The recess 153 has a curved surface connected to the top surface 151.

The glaze layer 15 is formed by disposing a glass paste on the heat generating substrate 1 (the top surface 131 of the convex portion 13), baking it, and then removing a portion by etching, as shown in the manufacturing method described below. . The surface that remains without being removed by etching is the top surface 151, and recesses 152 and 153 are formed by partially removing it by etching. Although the glass paste has fluidity, when placed on the top surface 131 of the convex portion 13, surface tension prevents it from crossing the boundary 131a between the top surface 131 and the inclined surfaces 132, 133. Also, during firing, the glass paste is fluidized by heating, but surface tension prevents it from crossing the boundary 131a between the top surface 131 and the inclined surfaces 132, 133. As a result, the glass paste is placed over the entire width of the top surface 131 in the sub-scanning direction y. Further, the glass paste is fired so that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the main scanning direction x is formed into a convex shape that bulges toward the first side z1 in the thickness direction z due to surface tension. The fired glass paste has a round portion whose surface facing the first side z1 in the thickness direction z is curved so as to swell on both sides in the sub-scanning direction y, and a portion between the pair of round portions in the sub-scanning direction y. A substantially flat top surface portion is formed. Thereafter, the pair of round portions of the fired glass paste are removed by etching to form a glaze layer 15 having a top surface 151 and recesses 152 and 153.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the insulating layer 18 covers the main surface 11, the inclined surfaces 132, 133, and the glaze layer 15, and separates the heat generating substrate 1 from the resistor layer 4 and the conductive layer 3. This is for more reliable insulation. The insulating layer 18 may be formed in the region of the heat generating substrate 1 where the resistor layer 4 or the conductive layer 3 is formed. The insulating layer 18 is made of an insulating material, such as SiO ₂ , SiN, or TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate). In this embodiment, insulating layer 18 is TEOS. Note that the constituent material of the insulating layer 18 is not limited. The thickness of the insulating layer 18 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 5 μm to 15 μm, preferably 5 μm to 10 μm.

The resistor layer 4 is supported by the heat generating substrate 1 via the insulating layer 18. The resistor layer 4 is disposed on the first side z1 in the thickness direction z with respect to the heat generating substrate 1, and covers at least a portion of the main surface 11, the inclined surfaces 132 and 133, and the glaze layer 15. The resistor layer 4 has a plurality of heat generating parts 41. The plurality of heat generating units 41 locally heat the print medium 92 by selectively energizing each of them. In this embodiment, the heat generating part 41 is a region of the resistor layer 4 exposed from the conductive layer 3 and is arranged on the glaze layer 15 arranged on the convex part 13 . That is, the glaze layer 15 is arranged between the convex portion 13 of the heat generating substrate 1 and the plurality of heat generating parts 41. In this embodiment, the heat generating section 41 is arranged only on the top surface 151 of the glaze layer 15. As shown in FIG. 4, in the thermal printer B1, the plurality of heat generating parts 41 are opposed to the platen roller 91. The plurality of heat generating parts 41 are arranged along the main scanning direction x, and are spaced apart from each other in the main scanning direction x. The shape of the heat generating part 41 is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, it is a long rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is the sub-scanning direction y when viewed from the thickness direction z. The resistor layer 4 is made of TaN, for example. Note that the constituent material of the resistor layer 4 is not limited. The thickness of the resistor layer 4 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.02 μm to 0.1 μm, preferably about 0.08 μm.

The conductive layer 3 is for configuring an energization path for energizing the plurality of heat generating parts 41 . The conductive layer 3 is supported by the heat generating substrate 1, and in this embodiment is laminated on the resistor layer 4, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The conductive layer 3 exposes the portion of the resistor layer 4 that is to become the heat generating portion 41 . The conductive layer 3 is made of a metal material having a lower resistance than the resistor layer 4, and is made of Cu, for example. The thickness of the conductive layer 3 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.3 μm to 2.0 μm.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the conductive layer 3 includes a plurality of individual electrodes 31, a common electrode 32, and a plurality of relay electrodes 33.

The plurality of individual electrodes 31 each have a band shape extending approximately in the sub-scanning direction y, and are arranged on the main surface 11 , on the inclined surface 133 , and on the glaze layer 15 . The plurality of individual electrodes 31 are arranged on the upstream side y1 in the sub-scanning direction y with respect to the plurality of heat generating parts 41. Each of the plurality of individual electrodes 31 is connected to a different heat generating section 41 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the individual electrodes 31 have individual pads 311. The individual pad 311 is a portion to which a wire 561 for electrical connection with the driver IC 55 is wire-bonded. A plating layer containing, for example, Au is formed on the individual pads 311 .

The common electrode 32 is disposed on the main surface 11 , the inclined surface 133 , and the glaze layer 15 , and includes a connecting portion 323 and a plurality of strip portions 324 . The plurality of strips 324 extend in the sub-scanning direction y. As shown in FIG. 3, one end (downstream y2 end in the sub-scanning direction y) of the plurality of strips 324 is branched into two parts, and each branch part is connected to two adjacent heat generating parts 41, respectively. Connected. As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting portion 323 is located on the other end side (upstream side y1 in the sub-scanning direction y) of the plurality of strips 324 and extends in the main scanning direction x. It is connected.

The relay electrode 33 is disposed on the main surface 11, the inclined surface 132, and the glaze layer 15, and has a U-shape with an opening facing upstream y1 in the sub-scanning direction y. A plurality of relay electrodes 33 are arranged at equal pitches in the main scanning direction x on the downstream side y2 of the heat generating part 41 in the sub scanning direction y. Each relay electrode 33 is connected to two adjacent heat generating parts 41.

As shown in FIG. 3, the strip portion 324 of the common electrode 32 is sandwiched between the two individual electrodes 31. One of the two heat generating parts 41 connected to one relay electrode 33 is connected to the common electrode 32, and the other is connected to one of the individual electrodes 31. Therefore, when the individual electrode 31 is energized, current flows through the heat generating part 41 connected to the individual electrode 31 and the heat generating part 41 connected to the heat generating part 41 via the relay electrode 33, thereby generating heat. In other words, the two heat generating parts 41 generate heat at the same time.

Note that the arrangement and shape of the conductive layer 3 are not limited. For example, the relay electrode 33 is not provided, the common electrode 32 is arranged on the downstream side y2 of the heat generating part 41 in the sub-scanning direction y, and each heat generating part 41 is connected to the strip part 324 of the common electrode 32 and the individual electrode 31, which are different from each other. may be connected to.

The protective layer 2 is formed to overlap the main surface 11, the inclined surfaces 132, 133, and the glaze layer 15 of the heat generating substrate 1, and covers the conductive layer 3 and the resistor layer 4. The protective layer 2 is made of an insulating material and protects the conductive layer 3 and the resistor layer 4. The protective layer 2 is made of, for example, SiO ₂ , SiN, SiC, AlN, etc., and is composed of a single layer or a plurality of layers thereof. The thickness of the protective layer 2 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, about 1.0 μm to 10 μm.

As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the protective layer 2 has a pad opening 21. As shown in FIG. The pad opening 21 penetrates the protective layer 2 in the thickness direction z. The pad opening 21 exposes the individual pad 311 of each individual electrode 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the first substrate 5 is mounted on the heat radiating member 8 and is disposed on the upstream side y1 of the heat generating substrate 1 in the sub-scanning direction y. The first board 5 is, for example, a PCB board, and has a driver IC 55 mounted thereon. The shape of the first substrate 5 is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, it is a long rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is the main scanning direction x. The first substrate 5 has a main surface 51 and a back surface 52. The main surface 51 is a surface facing the same side as the main surface 11 of the heat generating substrate 1, and the back surface 52 is a surface facing the same side as the back surface 12 of the heat generating board 1. A first wiring (not shown) is formed on the main surface 51 . In the first wiring, the driver IC 55 is die-bonded and the wire 562 is wire-bonded, so in this embodiment, a plating layer containing, for example, Au is formed on the wiring made of, for example, Cu. Note that the constituent material and formation method of the first wiring are not limited.

The driver IC 55 is mounted on the main surface 51 of the first substrate 5, and is used to individually energize the plurality of heat generating parts 41. In this embodiment, the driver IC 55 is conductively connected to the plurality of individual electrodes 31 by a plurality of wires 561. Power supply control of the driver IC 55 follows command signals input from outside the thermal print head A1 via the first board 5, the second board 6, the third board 7, and the connector 69. The driver IC 55 is electrically connected to the first wiring of the first substrate 5 by a plurality of wires 562. In this embodiment, a plurality of driver ICs 55 are provided according to the number of heat generating parts 41.

The driver IC 55, the plurality of wires 561, and the plurality of wires 562 are covered with a protective resin 57. The protective resin 57 is made of, for example, an insulating resin and is, for example, black in color. The protective resin 57 is formed so as to straddle the heat generating substrate 1 and the first substrate 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the second substrate 6 is disposed on the upstream side y1 of the first substrate 5 in the sub-scanning direction y. The second board 6 is, for example, a PCB board, and has other circuit elements (not shown) and a connector 69 mounted thereon. The shape of the second substrate 6 is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, it is a long rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is the main scanning direction x. The second substrate 6 has a main surface 61 and a back surface 62. The main surface 61 is a surface facing the same side as the main surface 11 of the heat generating substrate 1, and the back surface 62 is a surface facing the same side as the back surface 12 of the heat generating board 1. However, in this embodiment, the second substrate 6 is arranged in an inclined state with respect to the heat generating substrate 1 and the first substrate 5. Second wiring (not shown) is formed on the main surface 61 and the back surface 62. Note that the constituent material and formation method of the second wiring are not limited.

Connector 69 is used to connect thermal print head A1 to thermal printer B1. The connector 69 is attached to the back surface 62 and connected to the second wiring.

The third substrate 7 is connected to the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 and has more flexibility than the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6. The third board 7 is a flexible printed circuit board, and has a third wiring that electrically connects the first wiring of the first board 5 and the second wiring of the second board 6. Since the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 are connected by the flexible third substrate 7, the second substrate 6 can be placed in an inclined state with respect to the first substrate 5. The shape of the third substrate 7 is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, it is a long rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is the main scanning direction x.

The heat dissipating member 8 has the heat generating board 1 , the first board 5 , and the second board 6 mounted thereon, and is used to radiate part of the heat generated by the plurality of heat generating parts 41 to the outside via the heat generating board 1 . belongs to. The heat radiation member 8 is a block-shaped member made of metal such as aluminum, and is formed by extrusion molding, for example. Note that the constituent material and forming method of the heat dissipation member 8 are not limited. As shown in FIG. 4, the heat dissipation member 8 has a first support surface 81, a second support surface 82, and a bottom surface 83. The first support surface 81, the second support surface 82, and the bottom surface 83 face opposite sides to each other in the thickness direction z.

The first support surface 81 and the second support surface 82 are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction y, facing the first side z1 in the thickness direction z. As shown in FIG. 4, the second support surface 82 is disposed further away from the bottom surface 83 than the first support surface 81 (on the first side z1 in the thickness direction z). Further, the first support surface 81 is inclined with respect to the second support surface 82 and the bottom surface 83. Note that the first support surface 81 may be parallel to the second support surface 82 and the bottom surface 83. Further, the first support surface 81 and the second support surface 82 may be flush with each other. The back surface 12 of the heat generating substrate 1 and the back surface 52 of the first substrate 5 are adhered to the first support surface 81 . The back surface 62 of the second substrate 6 is adhered to the second support surface 82 . Note that the constituent material of the adhesive member that adheres the back surface 12, the back surface 52, and the back surface 62 to the heat dissipation member 8 is not limited.

The bottom surface 83 faces the second side z2 in the thickness direction z. The bottom surface 83 is a surface that serves as a reference when installing the thermal print head A1 into a printer. The second support surface 82 is parallel to the bottom surface 83. In this specification, the thickness direction of the heat generating substrate 1 is defined as the thickness direction z, so the first support surface 81 is perpendicular to the thickness direction z. On the other hand, the second support surface 82 is inclined with respect to the surface (first support surface 81) orthogonal to the thickness direction z, so it is not perpendicular to the thickness direction z. Similarly, the bottom surface 83 is also not perpendicular to the thickness direction z.

Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head A1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 to 15. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head A1. 8 to 15 are cross-sectional views showing one step of an example of a method for manufacturing the thermal print head A1, and correspond to the cross-sections shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, respectively. Note that the main scanning direction x, sub-scanning direction y, and thickness direction z shown in FIGS. 8 to 15 indicate the same directions as in FIGS. 1 to 6.

As shown in FIG. 7, the method for manufacturing the thermal print head A1 includes a base material preparation step S10, a convex portion forming step S20, a glaze layer forming step S30, a recessed portion forming step S40, an insulating layer forming step S50, and a heat generating portion forming step S60. , a protective layer forming step S70, a cutting step S80, and an assembly step S90.

The base material preparation step S10 is a step of preparing the base material 10A, which is the material of the heat generating substrate 1. In this step, as shown in FIG. 8, a base material 10A is prepared. The base material 10A is made of a single crystal semiconductor, and is, for example, a Si wafer. The base material 10A has a main surface 11A. The main surface 11A is substantially flat and faces the first side z1 in the thickness direction z. The principal surface 11A is a (100) plane.

The protrusion forming step S20 is a step of forming the protrusions 13 as shown in FIG. 9 by etching the base material 10A. In this step, first, a predetermined mask layer 98 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 8 and 9) is formed on a part of the main surface 11A of the base material 10A. The mask layer 98 is formed, for example, by patterning a hard mask using a photolithography technique. The mask layer 98 has a long rectangular shape extending in the main scanning direction x. Then, anisotropic etching is performed using, for example, an alkaline aqueous solution. Examples of this alkaline aqueous solution include KOH (potassium hydroxide) and TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide). Thereby, as shown in FIG. 9, the main surface 11 and the convex portion 13 are formed. The top surface 131 of the convex portion 13 is a part of the main surface 11A that is covered by the mask layer 98 and remains without being removed by etching. The inclined surfaces 132 and 133 of the convex portion 13 and the main surface 11 are surfaces obtained by etching the main surface 11A. The top surface 131 of the convex portion 13 is a (100) plane like the main surface 11A. The main surface 11 is parallel to the top surface 131 and is a (100) plane like the top surface 131. The inclined surfaces 132 and 133 of the convex portion 13 are (111) planes, and are inclined with respect to the top surface 131 and the main surface 11. The inclination angle α of the inclined surfaces 132 and 133 with respect to the main surface 11 is, for example, 54.8°. Thereafter, mask layer 98 is removed.

The glaze layer forming step S30 is a step of forming a glaze layer 15A, as shown in FIG. In this step, first, glass paste is placed on the top surface 131 of the convex portion 13 using, for example, a dispenser. Although the placed glass paste has fluidity, surface tension prevents it from crossing the boundary 131a between the top surface 131 and the inclined surfaces 132, 133. Note that the method of disposing the glass paste is not limited, and may be disposed by, for example, screen printing. Further, the glass pastes may be placed one on top of the other by repeating the placement and drying of the glass pastes multiple times.

Thereafter, by firing the glass paste, a glaze layer 15A is formed as shown in FIG. 10. Although the glass paste is fluidized by heating during firing, surface tension prevents it from crossing the boundary 131a. Thereby, the glaze layer 15A is arranged over the entire width of the top surface 131 in the sub-scanning direction y. Furthermore, due to surface tension, the glaze layer 15A has a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the main scanning direction x that is a convex shape that projects toward the first side z1 in the thickness direction z. The glaze layer 15A includes round portions 152A and 153A whose surfaces facing the first side z1 in the thickness direction z are curved so as to bulge on both sides in the sub-scanning direction y, and a pair of round portions 152A and 153A in the sub-scanning direction y. 153A, and a substantially flat top surface portion 151A is formed.

The recess forming step S40 is a step of forming recesses 152 and 153 as shown in FIG. 11 by subjecting the glaze layer 15A to wet etching. In this step, first, as shown in FIG. 10, a predetermined mask layer 99 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 10 and 11) is formed on a part of the top surface portion 151A of the glaze layer 15A (S41). The mask layer 99 is formed, for example, by patterning a resist using a photolithography technique. The mask layer 99 extends in the main scanning direction x, and covers the entire top surface portion 151A in the main scanning direction x and most of the sub-scanning direction y. Then, isotropic etching is performed using an aqueous solution such as HF (hydrogen fluoride) (S42). Note that the etching method is not limited. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, a glaze layer 15 is formed in which a top surface 151 and recesses 152 and 153 are formed. The top surface 151 is a part of the top surface portion 151A that is covered by the mask layer 99 and remains without being removed by etching, and extends in the main scanning direction x. The recesses 152 and 153 are formed by removing the top surface portion 151A and the round portions 152A and 153A by etching, and are recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z, and are recessed in the main scanning direction x. It is extending. After that, the mask layer 99 is removed (S43). Note that the method for forming the recesses 152 and 153 is not limited. For example, the recesses 152 and 153 may be formed by dry etching the glaze layer 15A. Furthermore, the recesses 152 and 153 may be formed by a method other than etching, such as cutting with a dicing blade or laser irradiation.

The insulating layer forming step S50 is a step of forming an insulating layer 18 that covers the main surface 11, the inclined surfaces 132, 133, and the glaze layer 15, as shown in FIG. In this step, for example, CVD is used to form a film using, for example, TEOS as a raw material gas. Note that the method for forming the insulating layer 18 is not limited.

The heat generating part forming step S60 is a step of forming the heat generating part 41 and the conductive layer 3 for supplying electricity to the heat generating part 41 on the insulating layer 18, as shown in FIG. First, a resistor film is formed on the insulating layer 18. The resistor film is formed by forming a TaN thin film on the insulating layer 18 by sputtering, for example. The resistor film covers the entire surface of the insulating layer 18. Next, a conductive film is formed. The conductive film is formed by, for example, forming a layer made of Cu by plating or sputtering. The conductive film covers the entire surface of the resistor film. Note that in forming the conductive film, a structure may be adopted in which a Ti layer is formed on the resistor film and then a Cu layer is formed. Next, the conductive film and the resistor film are partially removed by selectively etching the conductive film and the resistor film. As a result, a resistor layer 4 separated in the main scanning direction x, and a plurality of individual electrodes 31, a common electrode 32, and a relay electrode 33 that cover the resistor layer 4 while leaving a plurality of heat generating parts 41 are formed. .

The protective layer forming step S70 is a step of forming the protective layer 2. This step is performed by depositing, for example, SiN and SiC on each of the insulating layer 18, the conductive layer 3, and the resistor layer 4 using, for example, CVD. Thereafter, the protective layer 2 is partially removed by etching or the like in order to form the pad opening 21.

The cutting step S80 is a step of cutting the base material 10A. In this step, a plurality of heat generating substrates 1 are formed by cutting the base material 10A along the main scanning direction x and the sub scanning direction y and dividing it into individual pieces. Through the above steps, the heat generating substrate 1 on which each layer is formed is obtained.

Furthermore, apart from processing the heat generating substrate 1, a first substrate 5, a second substrate 6, and a third substrate 7 are prepared. The first substrate 5 is a PCB substrate on which first wiring is formed. The second board 6 is a PCB board on which second wiring is formed, and a connector 69 is mounted thereon. The third board 7 is a flexible printed board on which third wiring is formed.

The assembly step S90 is a step of assembling the thermal print head A1. In this step, first, as shown in FIG. 14, the heat generating substrate 1 and the first substrate 5 are assembled. First, the heat generating substrate 1 and the first substrate 5 are placed on the support tape 95 at a predetermined interval. Next, the driver IC 55 is mounted on the main surface 51 of the first substrate 5, and the plurality of wires 561 and 562 are bonded. Then, a protective resin 57 covering the driver IC 55 and the plurality of wires 561 and 562 is formed so as to straddle the heat generating substrate 1 and the first substrate 5. Further, the second substrate 6 and the third substrate 7 are assembled by bonding the third substrate 7 to the main surface 61 of the second substrate 6 with an adhesive or the like. Next, a portion of the third substrate 7 on the downstream side y2 in the sub-scanning direction y is attached to the upstream side y1 in the sub-scanning direction y of the main surface 51 of the first substrate 5 that has been peeled off from the support tape 95 using adhesive or the like. Glue. Next, a heat radiating member 8 having a first support surface 81, a second support surface 82, and a bottom surface 83 is prepared. The heat dissipation member 8 is formed by extrusion molding using a metal material such as aluminum. Next, an adhesive member is placed on the first support surface 81 and the second support surface 82 of the heat dissipation member 8 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 15, the integrated heat generating board 1, first board 5, and second board 6 are attached to the heat radiating member 8. The heat generating substrate 1 is disposed on the downstream side y2 of the first support surface 81 in the sub-scanning direction y, with the back surface 12 facing the first support surface 81. The first substrate 5 is arranged on the upstream side y1 of the first support surface 81 in the sub-scanning direction y, with the back surface 52 facing the first support surface 81. Further, the second substrate 6 is arranged so that the back surface 62 faces the second support surface 82 . Since the first substrate 5 is connected to the second substrate 6 by the third substrate 7 having flexibility, the inclined posture with respect to the second substrate 6 can be changed freely. Therefore, the first substrate 5 can be attached to the first support surface 81 that is inclined with respect to the second support surface 82 . Next, by applying heat, the adhesive member is solidified and the back surface 12 and the back surface 52 are bonded to the first support surface 81.

Through the above steps, the above-described thermal print head A1 is obtained. Note that the method for manufacturing the thermal print head A1 is not limited to the method described above. For example, the glaze layer forming step S30 may be performed before the convex portion forming step S20 to first form the glaze layer 15A on the base material 10A. In this case, since the glaze layer 15A formed on the base material 10A functions as a mask, the formation of the mask layer 98 becomes unnecessary. Further, the order of assembling the thermal print head A1 is not limited. Thermal print head A1 attaches the heat generating substrate 1 and the first substrate 5, which are integrated with the protective resin 57, to the heat dissipating member 8, then attaches the second substrate 6 to the heat dissipating member 8, and attaches the third substrate 7 to the first substrate. It may also be connected to the substrate 5.

Next, the operation of the thermal print head A1 will be explained.

According to this embodiment, the heat generating substrate 1 has the glaze layer 15 disposed on the first side z1 in the thickness direction z. The glaze layer 15 includes recesses 152 and 153 that are recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z and extend in the main scanning direction x. Since the surface area of the glaze layer 15 that is pressed against the printing medium 92 is smaller than that of a glaze layer in which the recesses 152 and 153 are not formed, the pressing force against the printing medium 92 can be increased. Thereby, the heat generated by the heat generating section 41 can be efficiently transmitted to the print medium 92. Since the amount of heat that must be generated by the heat generating section 41 can be suppressed, the thermal print head A1 can suppress power consumption and improve printing efficiency.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the recesses 152 and 153 are formed by performing wet etching on the glaze layer 15A. Therefore, in the manufacturing process (recess formation step S40), recesses 152 and 153 can be easily formed in the glaze layer 15A on a large number of heat generating substrates 1.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the heat generating substrate 1 includes the convex portion 13 that protrudes from the main surface 11 toward the first side z1 in the thickness direction z and extends in the main scanning direction x. A plurality of heat generating parts 41 are arranged on the top surface 131 of the convex part 13 with the glaze layer 15 interposed therebetween. Thereby, the thermal print head A1 can appropriately press the print medium 92 against the heat generating section 41 via the platen roller 91. Further, according to this embodiment, the heat generating substrate 1 is formed from a substrate material made of a single crystal semiconductor such as a Si wafer. Therefore, in the heat generating substrate 1, the convex portion 13 whose cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the main scanning direction x is uniform in the main scanning direction x is easily formed by anisotropic etching. The pressing contact state of the print medium 92 with the heat generating portion 41 is constant at various locations in the main scanning direction x. This does not change even if the manufacturing lot of the heat generating substrate 1 is different, so that variations in print quality can be suppressed.

Further, according to this embodiment, the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 are connected by the third substrate 7 having flexibility. Therefore, the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 can be mounted on the heat dissipation member 8 in a mutually inclined state. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the thermal print head A1 is improved.

16-21 illustrate other embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, in these figures, the same or similar elements as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a thermal print head A2 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A2, and corresponds to FIG. 6. The thermal print head A2 of this embodiment is different from the above-described first embodiment in the arrangement position of the heat generating part 41. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment. In addition, each part of the said 1st Embodiment may be combined arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the heat generating part 41 is arranged astride the top surface 151 and the recess 152 of the glaze layer 15. The heat generating portion 41 includes a first region 41 a disposed on the top surface 151 and a second region 41 b disposed in the recess 152 . The heat generating portion 41 is also arranged at a boundary 154 between the top surface 151 of the glaze layer 15 and the recess 152.

Also in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes recesses 152 and 153. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the heat generating section 41 is arranged across the top surface 151 and the recess 152. Therefore, in the thermal print head A2, the surface area of the portion pressed against the print medium can be further reduced compared to the case where the heat generating portion 41 is disposed only on the top surface 151. Thereby, the thermal print head A2 can further increase the pressing force against the print medium and further improve printing efficiency. Furthermore, the thermal print head A2 has a configuration common to that of the thermal print head A1, thereby achieving the same effects as the thermal print head A1.

<Third embodiment>
FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a thermal print head A3 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A3, and corresponds to FIG. 6. The thermal print head A3 of this embodiment differs from the above-described first embodiment in that the glaze layer 15 does not include the recess 153. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment. Note that each part of the first and second embodiments described above may be combined arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes a top surface 151 and a recess 152, but the round portion 153A is not removed by etching and does not include the recess 153.

Also in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes a recess 152 that is recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z and extends in the main scanning direction x. The surface area of the glaze layer 15 that is pressed against the print medium is smaller than that of a glaze layer in which the recesses 152 are not formed. Thereby, the thermal print head A3 can increase the pressing force against the print medium, and can improve printing efficiency. Further, the thermal print head A3 has a configuration common to that of the thermal print head A1, thereby achieving the same effects as the thermal print head A1.

In addition, although the case where the glaze layer 15 is not provided with the recessed part 153 was demonstrated in this embodiment, it is not restricted to this. Although the glaze layer 15 includes the recess 153, it may not include the recess 152. Note that, in order to improve printing efficiency, it is desirable that the glaze layer 15 include both the recesses 152 and 153.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a thermal print head A4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A4, and corresponds to FIG. 6. The thermal print head A4 of this embodiment is different from the first embodiment described above in the shape of the recesses 152 and 153. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment. Note that each part of the first to third embodiments described above may be combined arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the recess 152 includes a first surface 152a parallel to the main surface 11 and the top surface 131 of the heat generating substrate 1, and a second surface 152b connected to the top surface 151 and the first surface 152a. In this embodiment, the second surface 152b is perpendicular to the first surface 152a. Similarly, the recess 153 includes a first surface 153a parallel to the main surface 11 and the top surface 131 of the heat generating substrate 1, and a second surface 153b connected to the top surface 151 and the first surface 153a. In this embodiment, the second surface 153b is perpendicular to the first surface 153a. The recesses 152 and 153 are formed by performing dry etching on the glaze layer 15A in the recess formation step S40 of the manufacturing process. Note that the composition and pressure of the etching gas used for dry etching are not limited. Further, the method of forming the recesses 152 and 153 is not limited. The recesses 152 and 153 may be formed by a method other than etching, such as cutting with a dicing blade or laser irradiation.

Also in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes recesses 152 and 153 that are recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z and extend in the main scanning direction x. The surface area of the glaze layer 15 that is pressed against the print medium is smaller than that of a glaze layer in which the recesses 152 and 153 are not formed. Thereby, the thermal print head A4 can increase the pressing force against the print medium, and can improve printing efficiency. Furthermore, the thermal print head A4 has a configuration common to that of the thermal print head A1, thereby achieving the same effects as the thermal print head A1.

<Fifth embodiment>
FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining a thermal print head A5 according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A5, and corresponds to FIG. 6. The thermal print head A5 of this embodiment is different from the first embodiment described above in the shape of the recesses 152 and 153. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment. Note that each part of the first to fourth embodiments described above may be combined arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the recess 152 includes a first surface 152a parallel to the main surface 11 and the top surface 131 of the heat generating substrate 1, and a second surface 152b connected to the top surface 151 and the first surface 152a. In the present embodiment, the second surface 152b is inclined with respect to an orthogonal plane perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction y, and the second surface 152b is located closer to the upstream side y1 in the sub-scanning direction y as the first side z1 in the thickness direction z is. There is. Similarly, the recess 153 includes a first surface 153a parallel to the main surface 11 and the top surface 131 of the heat generating substrate 1, and a second surface 153b connected to the top surface 151 and the first surface 153a. In the present embodiment, the second surface 153b is inclined with respect to an orthogonal plane perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction y, and is located closer to the first side z1 in the thickness direction z and further downstream y2 in the sub-scanning direction y. There is. The recesses 152 and 153 are formed by performing dry etching on the glaze layer 15A in the recess formation step S40 of the manufacturing process. Note that the composition and pressure of the etching gas used for dry etching are not limited. Further, the method of forming the recesses 152 and 153 is not limited. The recesses 152 and 153 may be formed by a method other than etching, such as cutting with a dicing blade or laser irradiation.

Also in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes recesses 152 and 153 that are recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z and extend in the main scanning direction x. The surface area of the glaze layer 15 that is pressed against the print medium is smaller than that of a glaze layer in which the recesses 152 and 153 are not formed. Thereby, the thermal print head A5 can increase the pressing force against the print medium, and can improve printing efficiency. Furthermore, the thermal print head A5 has a configuration common to that of the thermal print head A1, thereby achieving the same effects as the thermal print head A1.

As understood from the fourth embodiment and the fifth embodiment, when the recesses 152 and 153 are formed by dry etching, the second surface 152b and the second surface 153b depend on the composition and pressure of the etching gas used for dry etching. The inclination angle with respect to the orthogonal plane perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction y can be freely designed.

<Sixth embodiment>
FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a thermal print head A6 according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A6, and corresponds to FIG. 6. The thermal print head A6 of this embodiment differs from the above-described first embodiment in that the heat generating substrate 1 does not include the convex portion 13. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment. Note that each part of the first to fifth embodiments described above may be combined arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the heat generating substrate 1 does not include the convex portion 13, and the glaze layer 15 is disposed on the main surface 11. The thermal print head A6 is manufactured by omitting the protrusion forming step S20 in the manufacturing process and using the prepared base material 10A as the heat generating substrate 1 and performing the glaze layer forming step S30.

Also in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes recesses 152 and 153 that are recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z and extend in the main scanning direction x. The surface area of the glaze layer 15 that is pressed against the print medium is smaller than that of a glaze layer in which the recesses 152 and 153 are not formed. Thereby, the thermal print head A6 can increase the pressing force against the print medium, and can improve printing efficiency. Further, the thermal print head A6 has a configuration common to that of the thermal print head A1, thereby achieving the same effects as the thermal print head A1. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the heat generating substrate 1 does not include the convex portion 13. Therefore, the thermal print head A6 does not require the protrusion forming step S20, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

<Seventh embodiment>
FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining a thermal print head A7 according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the thermal print head A7, and corresponds to FIG. 6. The thermal print head A7 of this embodiment differs from the above-described first embodiment in that the glaze layer 15 is formed between the insulating layer 18 and the resistor layer 4. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment. Note that each part of the first to sixth embodiments described above may be combined arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 is not formed between the heat generating substrate 1 and the insulating layer 18 as in the first embodiment, but is formed between the insulating layer 18 and the resistor layer 4. ing. That is, in the thermal print head A7, the insulating layer 18, the glaze layer 15, and the resistor layer 4 are laminated in this order on the heat generating substrate 1. The thermal print head A7 is manufactured by performing an insulating layer forming step S50 after the protrusion forming step S20 in the manufacturing process and before performing the glaze layer forming step S30. Note that in this embodiment, the insulating layer 18 may be composed of an SiO ₂ film obtained by thermally oxidizing the base material 10A.

Also in this embodiment, the glaze layer 15 includes recesses 152 and 153 that are recessed from the top surface 151 toward the second side z2 in the thickness direction z and extend in the main scanning direction x. The surface area of the glaze layer 15 that is pressed against the print medium is smaller than that of a glaze layer in which the recesses 152 and 153 are not formed. Thereby, the thermal print head A7 can increase the pressing force against the print medium, and can improve printing efficiency. Further, the thermal print head A7 has a configuration common to that of the thermal print head A1, thereby achieving the same effects as the thermal print head A1. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the insulating layer 18 can be composed of an SiO ₂ film obtained by thermally oxidizing the base material 10A. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the thermal print head A7 can be simplified compared to a case where the insulating layer 18 is formed by depositing TEOS using, for example, CVD after forming the glaze layer 15.

In the first to seventh embodiments described above, the case where the heat generating substrate 1 is made of Si has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The constituent material of the heat generating substrate 1 may be another single crystal semiconductor, or may be, for example, ceramics.

The thermal print head and the manufacturing method thereof according to the present disclosure, and the thermal printer including the thermal print head are not limited to the embodiments described above. The specific configuration of each part of the thermal print head and thermal printer according to the present disclosure, and the specific processing of each step of the method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to the present disclosure can be variously changed in design.

[Appendix 1]
a heat generating substrate (1) having a main surface (11) facing a first side (z1) in the thickness direction (z);
a glaze layer (15) disposed on the first side of the heat generating substrate;
a resistor layer (4) including a plurality of heat generating parts (41) arranged along the main scanning direction (x) on the first side of the heat generating substrate;
Equipped with
The glaze layer has a top surface (151) facing the first side in the thickness direction and extending in the main scanning direction, and a top surface (151) that is recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction and extending in the main scanning direction. A first recess (152);
The heat generating portion includes a first region (41a) disposed on the top surface.
Thermal print head (A1).
[Appendix 2]
The first recess includes a curved surface that connects to the top surface.
The thermal print head described in Appendix 1.
[Appendix 3, 4th to 5th embodiments, FIGS. 18 to 19]
The first recess further includes a first surface (152a) parallel to the main surface, and a second surface (152b) connected to the top surface and the first surface.
The thermal print head described in Appendix 1.
[Additional Note 4, Fourth Embodiment, FIG. 18]
the second surface is perpendicular to the first surface;
The thermal print head described in Appendix 3.
[Additional Note 5, Fifth Embodiment, FIG. 19]
The second surface is inclined with respect to an orthogonal plane perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction.
The thermal print head described in Appendix 3.
[Appendix 6]
Further comprising a first substrate (5) arranged in parallel with the heat generating substrate in the sub-scanning direction (y),
The first recess is disposed on the opposite side of the first substrate with respect to the top surface in the sub-scanning direction.
The thermal print head according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5.
[Additional Note 7, Second Embodiment, Figure 16]
The heat generating portion includes a second region (41b) disposed in the first recess.
The thermal print head according to any one of appendices 1 to 6.
[Appendix 8]
The glaze layer further includes a second recess (153) recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction and extending in the main scanning direction,
The second recess is disposed on the opposite side of the first recess with respect to the top surface in the sub-scanning direction.
The thermal print head according to any one of appendices 1 to 7.
[Appendix 9]
The heat generating substrate is made of a single crystal semiconductor and includes a convex portion (13) protruding from the main surface,
the glaze layer is disposed on the convex portion,
The thermal print head according to any one of appendices 1 to 8.
[Appendix 10]
The single crystal semiconductor includes Si,
The main surface is a (100) plane.
The thermal print head described in Appendix 9.
[Appendix 11, Figure 4]
The thermal print head according to any one of appendices 1 to 10,
a platen roller (91) arranged to face the plurality of heat generating parts;
A thermal printer (B1) equipped with
[Appendix 12, Figure 7]
a base material preparation step (S10) of preparing a base material (10A) having a main surface (11A) facing the first side in the thickness direction;
a glaze forming step (S30) of forming a glaze layer (15A) on the first side of the base material;
The glaze layer has a top surface (151) facing the first side in the thickness direction and extending in the main scanning direction (x), and a top surface (151) that is recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction (z), and a recess forming step (S40) of forming a first recess (152) extending in the main scanning direction;
It is equipped with
A method of manufacturing a thermal print head.
[Appendix 13, Figure 11]
The recess forming step includes:
a mask forming step (S41) of forming a mask (99) extending in the main scanning direction on the glaze layer;
an etching step (S42) of forming a first recess by etching;
a removal step (S43) of removing the mask;
It is equipped with
The method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to appendix 12.
[Appendix 14]
In the etching step, the glaze layer is etched by wet etching.
The method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to appendix 13.
[Appendix 15]
In the etching step, the glaze layer is etched by dry etching.
The method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to appendix 13.

A1 to A7: Thermal print head 1: Heat generating substrate 11: Main surface 12: Back surface 13: Convex portion 131: Top surface 131a: Boundary 132, 133: Inclined surface 15: Glaze layer 151: Top surface 152, 153: Concave portion 152a, 153a: First surface 152b, 153b: Second surface 154: Boundary 18: Insulating layer 2: Protective layer 21: Pad opening 3: Conductive layer 31: Individual electrode 311: Individual pad 32: Common electrode 323: Connecting portion 324: Band-shaped portion 33: Relay electrode 4: Resistor layer 41: Heat generating portion 41a: First region 41b: Second region 5: First substrate 51: Main surface 52: Back surface 55: Driver IC
561, 562: wire 57: protective resin 6: second board 61: main surface 62: back surface 69: connector 7: third board 8: heat dissipation member 81: first support surface 82: second support surface 83: bottom surface 91: Platen roller 92: Print medium 95: Support tape 98: Mask layer 99: Mask layer 10A: Base material 11A: Main surface 15A: Glaze layer 151A: Top portion 152A, 153A: Round portion B1: Thermal printer

Claims (15)

a heat generating substrate having a main surface facing the first side in the thickness direction;
a glaze layer disposed on the first side of the heat generating substrate;
a resistor layer including a plurality of heat generating parts arranged along the main scanning direction on the first side of the heat generating substrate;
Equipped with
The glaze layer has a top surface that faces the first side in the thickness direction and extends in the main scanning direction, and a first recess that is recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction and extends in the main scanning direction. and,
The heat generating portion includes a first region disposed on the top surface.
thermal print head. The first recess includes a curved surface that connects to the top surface.
The thermal print head according to claim 1. The first recess further includes a first surface parallel to the main surface, and a second surface connected to the top surface and the first surface.
The thermal print head according to claim 1. the second surface is perpendicular to the first surface;
The thermal print head according to claim 3. The second surface is inclined with respect to an orthogonal plane perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction.
The thermal print head according to claim 3. further comprising a first substrate arranged in parallel with the heat generating substrate in the sub-scanning direction,
The first recess is disposed on the opposite side of the first substrate with respect to the top surface in the sub-scanning direction.
The thermal print head according to claim 1. The heat generating portion includes a second region disposed in the first recess.
The thermal print head according to claim 1. The glaze layer further includes a second recess that is recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction and extends in the main scanning direction,
The second recess is disposed on the opposite side of the first recess with respect to the top surface in the sub-scanning direction.
The thermal print head according to claim 1. The heat generating substrate is made of a single crystal semiconductor and includes a convex portion protruding from the main surface,
the glaze layer is disposed on the convex portion,
The thermal print head according to claim 1. The single crystal semiconductor includes Si,
The main surface is a (100) plane.
The thermal print head according to claim 9. The thermal print head according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
a platen roller disposed facing the plurality of heat generating parts;
A thermal printer equipped with a base material preparation step of preparing a base material having a main surface facing the first side in the thickness direction;
a glaze forming step of forming a glaze layer on the first side of the base material;
The glaze layer has a top surface that faces the first side in the thickness direction and extends in the main scanning direction, and a first recess that is recessed from the top surface in the thickness direction and extends in the main scanning direction. a recess forming step for forming ,
It is equipped with
A method of manufacturing a thermal print head. The recess forming step includes:
a mask forming step of forming a mask extending in the main scanning direction on the glaze layer;
an etching step of forming the first recess by etching;
a removing step of removing the mask;
It is equipped with
A method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to claim 12. In the etching step, the glaze layer is etched by wet etching.
A method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to claim 13. In the etching step, the glaze layer is etched by dry etching.
A method for manufacturing a thermal print head according to claim 13.

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