Thermal head and thermal printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457588-B2
Application number	US-201414770321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A thermal head capable of efficiently radiating heat transferred to a protective member is provided. A thermal head includes a substrate; a plurality of heat generating portions disposed on the substrate; an electrode which is disposed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the heat generating portions; a conductive member electrically connected to the electrode; a protective member which is in contact with the conductive member and protects the conductive member; and a heatsink on an upper surface of which the substrate is disposed, wherein the protective member is also in contact with the heatsink.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermal head, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of heat generating portions disposed on the substrate;
an electrode which is disposed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the heat generating portions;
a connector comprising a connector pin and an accommodating portion which accommodates the connector pin,
a conductive member which electrically connects the electrode and the connector pin;
a protective member which is in contact with the conductive member and protects the conductive member; and
a heatsink disposed under the substrate,
wherein the accommodating portion is disposed above the heatsink to be spaced from the heatsink at a predetermined interval,
the protective member is disposed between the accommodating portion and the heatsink, and
the protective member is in contact with the accommodating portion and the heatsink.

2. The thermal head according to claim 1 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a first convex portion which protrudes upwardly, and
the protective member is in contact with the first convex portion.

3. The thermal head according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first convex portion and the accommodating portion are disposed adjacent to each other, and
the protective member is disposed between the first convex portion and the accommodating portion.

4. The thermal head according to claim 2 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a second convex portion which protrudes upwardly,
the accommodating portion is disposed between the first convex portion and the second convex portion, and
the second convex portion and the accommodating portion are in contact with each other.

5. The thermal head according to claim 4 ,
wherein a distance between the first convex portion and the accommodating portion is different from a distance between the second convex portion and the accommodating portion.

6. The thermal head according to claim 4 ,
wherein the substrate and at least one of the first convex portion and the second convex portion are in contact with each other.

7. The thermal head according to claim 2 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a second convex portion which protrudes upwardly,
the accommodating portion is disposed between the first convex portion and the second convex portion, and
the protective member is also disposed between the second convex portion and the accommodating portion.

8. The thermal head according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a wiring board which is disposed adjacent to the substrate on the heatsink and is electrically connected to the substrate,
wherein the wiring board comprises a plurality of connection members in a main scanning direction, in which the plurality of connection members are covered with the protective member, and
the first convex portion is disposed side by side with the connection members in the main scanning direction.

9. The thermal head according to claim 8 ,
wherein the first convex portion is disposed in a state of being in contact with the substrate.

10. The thermal head according to claim 8 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a second convex portion which protrudes upwardly, and
the second convex portion is disposed on a side opposite to the first convex portion across the connection members.

11. The thermal head according to claim 10 ,
wherein the second convex portion is disposed in a state of being spaced from the substrate.

12. The thermal head according to claim 8 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a first concave portion recessed from a surface of the heatsink, and
the first concave portion is disposed on a side opposite to the first convex portion across the connection members.

13. The thermal head according to claim 1 ,
wherein part of the protective member which part is disposed between the accommodating portion and the heatsink includes an upper end which is in contact with the accommodating portion and a lower end which is in contact with the heatsink, and
in a plan view of the substrate, an edge of the lower end is disposed more distantly from the substrate than an edge of the upper end.

14. A thermal printer, comprising:
the thermal head according to claim 1 ;
a conveyance mechanism which conveys a recording medium onto the heat generating portions; and
a platen roller which presses the recording medium on the heat generating portions.

15. A thermal head, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of heat generating portions disposed on the substrate;
an electrode which is disposed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the heat generating portions;
a wiring board which is disposed adjacent to the substrate;
a conductive member which electrically connects the electrode and the wiring board;
a protective member which is in contact with the conductive member and protects the conductive member; and
a heatsink disposed under the substrate and the wiring board,
the protective member being in contact with the heatsink.

16. The thermal head according to claim 15 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a first convex portion which protrudes upwardly,
a plurality of the conductive members are disposed in a main scanning direction, and
the first convex portion is disposed side by side with the plurality of conductive members in the main scanning direction.

17. The thermal head according to claim 16 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a second convex portion which protrudes upwardly, and
the second convex portion is disposed on a side opposite to the first convex portion across the plurality of conductive members.

18. The thermal head according to claim 16 ,
wherein the heatsink comprises a first concave portion recessed from a front surface of the heatsink, and
the first concave portion is disposed on a side opposite to the first convex portion across the plurality of conductive members.

19. A thermal printer, comprising:
the thermal head according to claim 15 ;
a conveyance mechanism which conveys a recording medium onto the heat generating portions; and
a platen roller which presses the recording medium on the heat generating portions.

20. A thermal head, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of heat generating portions disposed on the substrate;
an electrode which is disposed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the heat generating portions;
a connector comprising a connector pin and an accommodating portion which accommodates the connector pin,
a conductive member which electrically connects the electrode and the connector pin;
a protective member which is in contact with the conductive member and protects the conductive member; and
a heatsink disposed under the substrate,
wherein the heatsink comprises a first convex portion which protrudes upwardly,
the protective member is in contact with the first convex portion,
the first convex portion and the accommodating portion are disposed adjacent to each other, and
the protective member is disposed between the first convex portion and the accommodating portion.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Yoneta Masashi

Classifications

• B41J2/3357

  Surface type resistors · CPC title

• B41J2/3351

  Electrode layers · CPC title

• B41J2/3354

  characterised by geometry · CPC title

• B41J2/3358 Primary

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• B41J2/33525 Primary

  Passivation layers · CPC title