JPH021336A - Printing head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a heat generating section anew only by fixing a thermal resistance layer on many read electrodes which are formed and arranged the entire surface of flexible sheet, folding back the sheet as a fold-back section which is used as a heat generating section, and using this new section. CONSTITUTION:A thermal resistance layer 8 is fixed on read electrodes 7 of the heat-resistant sheet 6 with a number of such arranged electrodes 7 to constitute the first electrode body 4, and the electrode body is folded back with the thermal resistance layer 8 positioned inside. The second electrode body 5 is inserted in this fold-back section and an insulation layer 10 is partly cut off to expose a return electrode 9 at the lower end and the return electrode 9 communicates with the read electrode 7 at the bottom, as a heat-generating section 8a. Consequently, since the fold-back section is used as the heat generating section 8a, the structure can be simplified, and also the fold-back section can be used as a new heat generating section 8a only by changing the fold-back section of the heat-resistant sheet 6. Thus, the functional deterioration of the heat generating section can be ideally coped with.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to a thermal type printhead.

[Prior art #I] A thermal head is widely known as a thermal print head used in printers and the like. In this thermal head, a printing element is formed by sequentially laminating an insulating layer, a heating resistance layer, an electrode, an oxidation prevention layer, and an abrasion prevention layer on a ceramic substrate.

This printing element is fixed to a metal support.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the thermal head as mentioned above, the materials are expensive and high precision is required, so productivity is low and it is naturally expensive. Not only is there a problem, but there is also the problem that if the heat generating portion of the printing element deteriorates, the entire printing element must be replaced.

The purpose of this invention is to have an IPI-tuned structure, excellent productivity,
To provide a print head that can be manufactured at low cost and one heat generating part can be easily changed into a cylinder without using a new member.

[Means for Solving the Problems] This invention forms a plurality of lead electrodes in an array on one side of a flexible sheet, and also provides a heating resistor layer on each of the lead electrodes! , ', i is formed, the flexible sheet is folded back, and this folded part is used as a heat generating part.

[Function] According to the present invention, a heating resistor layer is fixedly formed on a large number of adhesives arranged on one side of a flexible sheet. 17. The flexible sheet is folded back and Since the folded part is used as a heat generating part, the structure is like a cylinder.
It can be manufactured in-house with high productivity and at low cost, and can be easily and easily converted into a new heat generating part by simply changing the folding point of the flexible sheet, without using any new parts. I can do it.

[First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a state in which images are transferred onto recording paper using a thermal type print head. This print head 1 performs thermal transfer by sliding the upper surface of a thermal transfer sheet 3 placed on a recording paper 2 such as FF paper, and has a first electrode body 4 folded back in an rUJ shape. 17, the second electrode body 5 is arranged at this folded portion. The first electrode body 4゜ has a flexible heat-resistant film, and a large number of recording electrodes (lead electrodes) 7 in the shape of leads are connected to →L rows. A heat-generating resistive layer 5 is fixedly formed on the recording electrode 7, and a heat-resistant film 6 is formed in an rUJ shape with the heat-generating resistive layer 8 facing inside. It is configured to fold back. The second electrode body 5 is formed by forming an insulating layer 10 on the surface of a return electrode 9 made of a fishing metal plate, and cutting out the insulating layer 1G at the lower end to expose the return electrode 9. When placed in the 4th turn part near the 4th pole of the lfL pole body.

The exposed lower end 1 - the return path 7 and the birch 9 are the heat generating resistor layer 8...
come into direct contact with. As a result, the return electrode 9 is electrically connected to the recording electrode 7 through the heat generating resistor layer 8 at its lower end. The portion directly in contact with the lower end of the recording electrode 7 constitutes a heat generating portion 8a...
When a recording discharge voltage is applied from the recording signal output section 11 between the return electrode 9 and the return electrode 9, the heat generating sections 8a... generate heat. Note that the second electrode body 5 is the recording electrode 7 of the first electrode body 4...
It has the same width as the length of the array, and also serves as a support for the entire print head, and its four sides are bent diagonally to the side, thereby giving it spring properties, and this bent upper end is attached to the base 12. The thermal transfer sheet 3 also has a thermal melt ink layer 1 on the bottom surface of the base sheet 13.
4, the heat generated in the heat generating part 8& of the printing head l melts the heat-melting ink layer 14 in the part corresponding to the heat generating part 8a, and this melted part 14a is attached to the recording paper on the side. Transferred to 2.

Next, referring to FIG.
The case of manufacturing will be explained. First, Figure 3 (A,
), a 1f18 film 6 is prepared.

This heat-resistant film 6 is made of polyimide resin or the like, and has a thickness of about fl=25 μm. Next, as shown in FIG. 3(B), a metal film 5 is formed on the surface of the heat-resistant film 6 by vapor deposition, plating, or the like. This money Ji! 1
1! Us is the recording electrode, copper (C:u),
Nickel (Ni), aluminum (AI)'1? The film thickness is approximately 0.1 to 0.5 pm. Furthermore, the heat generating resistor layer 8 is fixed to the surface of the metal film 15 by screen printing, rolling, etc. and hardened. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(C), lead-shaped heating resistor layers 8 are formed on the surface of the metal film 15 at predetermined intervals (for example, 01■).
An array is formed in 1Z rows. The heat generating resistor layer 8 is made of, for example, a paste of carbon powder mixed with a heat-resistant binder, and has a thickness of about 5 to 20 pm. In this state, when the metal 1 pattern 15 is etched, the 1 heat generating resistor layer 8 becomes a resist, and unnecessary parts of the metal film 15 are removed, as shown in FIG. 3(D).
Recording electrodes 7 are formed under the heating resistance layers 8. Thereby, the first electrode body 4 is formed.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the case where the first electrode body 4 is attached to the second electrode body 5 will be described. The second electrode body 5 has insertion holes 5 at both ends outside the 'ltt electrode formation head formation area.
a and 5a (one not shown) are provided. Also,
The first electrode body 4 has elongated holes 4a, 4a on both end sides outside the electrode forming area, corresponding to the insertion holes 5a, 5a. When the electrode body 4 is folded back into a UJ-shape, the first heat-generating resistor layer 8 is turned inward and folded along the arrangement direction of the heat-generating resistor layer 8. When arranging two electrode bodies 5, the insertion holes 5a and 5a V are made in the second electrode body 5, and the insertion holes 5a and 5a are made in the first electrode body 4.
The sunken long holes 4a and 4a are made to correspond to each other. In this state,
From both the front and rear sides of the first electrode body 4, elongated holding plates 16 and 17 are connected to the elongated holes 4a and 4. Pass the rack between a and the presser plates 16. The first electrode body 4 and the second electrode body 5 are fastened together by tightening the i7 with the screws 18.18.

That is, Ii? 6 holes 16a, 1 of the holding plate 16 on the i side
6a (-one not shown), long hole 4a of first electrode body 4
, 4a, and the insertion holes 5a, , 5a of the second electrode body 5, insert the screws ia, ia from the front side, and insert the tips of the inserted screws 18, 18 into the presser plate 17 on the front side.
The electrode bodies 4.5 are mutually fastened by screwing into the screw holes 17a, 17a provided in the electrode bodies 4.5 and tightening them. Therefore, if you loosen screws 18.18, ialg(C)
As shown in FIG. 2, the first electrode body 4 becomes movable relative to the second electrode body 5, making it possible to change the position of the folded portion of the first electrode body 4.

Next, a case will be described in which 12 dollars is used for printing configured as in ":". First, when thermal transfer is performed using printing head 1, as shown in Figure 1, the recording paper 2 is
The thermal transfer sheet 3 is placed on the recording paper 2, and the heat-melting ink layer 14 of the thermal transfer sheet 3 is closely viewed on the upper surface of the recording paper 2. In this state, the upper surface of the thermal transfer sheet 3, that is, the base sheet 13
Press the rad l against the printed surface. At this time, since the second electrode body 5 has a spring property, the end portion of the print head 1 is pressed against the base sheet 13 of the thermal transfer sheet 3 with a predetermined pressing force.

In this way, after the lower end of the print head l is pressed against the thermal transfer sheet 3, while moving the print head 1 in the direction of arrow X relative to the thermal transfer sheet 3, the recording electrode 7 and A recording signal voltage is applied from the recording signal output section 11 to the return path electrode 9.

Then, the heat generating portion 8a of the heat generating resistance layer 8, which the lower end of the return electrode 9 comes into contact with, generates heat due to Joule heat. Then, this heat is transferred to the thermal transfer sheet 1-3 via the recording electrode 7 and the heat-resistant film 6, and further transferred to the heat-melting ink layer 14 via the base sheet 13 of the thermal transfer sheet 3, which corresponds to the heat generating portion 8a. The hot-melt ink layer 14 in the portion is melted. This melted 7% l 4 a is transferred to the recording paper 2 of that type. As a result, the heat-melting ink layer 1 is applied to the recording paper 2 according to the recording signal 1'f voltage from the recording signal output section 11.
The melted portion 14a of No. 4 can be transferred reliably and well.

In addition, if the printing Radar l is used for a long time and the heat generating part 8a of the Printing Radar l has deteriorated, loosen the screws 18 and 18 shown in Figure 4(A) and replace the first one. The electrode body 4 is made movable relative to the second electrode body 5, and in this state, the first electrode body 4 is moved along the second electrode body 5 as shown in FIG. 4(C). For example, the folded portion of the first electrode body 4 changes, and accordingly, the heat generating portion 8a also moves and its position changes. Therefore, a new heat generating resistance layer 8 comes into contact with the exposed return path electrode 9 of the second' electrode body 5, and this contacted portion becomes a new heat generating part 8a. In addition, in this way, 0'S1
'1 After changing the folded part of the hypopole body 4, all you need to do is tighten the +lf screw 18.18. Therefore, the heating part 8
Even if a deteriorates, there is no need to replace the entire print head l; just loosen the screws 18 and 18 and move the first electrode body 4 relative to the second electrode body 5. S can be achieved by replacing the heat generating part 8a with a new part.

[Second Example] Next, a second example will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. In this case, the same parts as in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation 11 thereof will be omitted.

The print head 20 of the second embodiment has a first electrode body 4 which is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment, folded back in an r[JJ-shape, and a second electrode body 21 arranged in this folded part. be. That is, the second electrode body 21 has a return path electrode 23 formed in a planar shape over the entire surface of an insulating film 22, is folded back with the return path electrode 23 on the outside, and a supporting member 24 is disposed in this folded portion. An insulating layer 25 is provided on the surface of the outer return path electrode 23 excluding this folded portion, and these layers are arranged at the folded portion of the first electrode body 4. Therefore, when the second electrode body 21 is placed at the folded portion of the first electrode body 4, the return path electrode 23 with the exposed lower end where the insulating layer 25 is not provided is exposed as in the first embodiment. It contacts the heating resistance layer 8 of the first electrode body 4 and conducts with the recording electrode 7, but the return path' electrode 2
3 does not come into contact with the heating resistance layer 8 due to the insulating layer 25.

It goes without saying that such a printing pad 20 also has the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

Note that the print head of the present invention does not necessarily need to transfer to the recording paper 2 via the thermal transfer sheet 3 as described above; if a heat-sensitive recording paper is used, transfer can be performed without using the thermal transfer sheet 3. can be done.

Further, in the print head of the present invention, it is not necessarily necessary to provide the second electrode body at the folded portion of the first electrode body 4.
The second electrode body may be a roller electrode that moves together with the first electrode body.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained in IH below, according to this IJJ print head, a heating resistor layer is fixedly formed on a large number of lead electrodes arranged on one side of a flexible sheet. Since the flexible sheet is folded back and the folded part is used as a heat generating part, the structure is simple, productivity is high, and it can be manufactured at low cost. , it can be simply and easily changed to a new heat generating part without using any new members.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a state in which thermal transfer is performed on recording paper with a print head, FIG. 2 is an AA sectional view thereof, and FIG. Figure 3 (A)-(D
) is a diagram showing step 1 of manufacturing the crosspiece, Figure 4 (A)
is the appearance type of the print head +#1lff1.141ffl
(B) L; 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of 2F to print, and FIG. 6 is a developed view of the return electrode of the second electrode body. ...First
electrode body, 6... heat-resistant film, 7...
...Recording electrode (lead electrode), 8...Heating resistance layer, 8a...Heating part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A large number of lead electrodes are arranged and formed on one side of a flexible sheet, a heating resistor layer is fixedly formed on each of the lead electrodes, and the flexible sheet is folded back,
The print head is characterized in that this folded part is used as a heat generating part.