This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 108123149, filed Jul. 1, 2019, which is herein incorporated by reference.
The disclosure relates to a thermal head structure. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a thermal head structure capable of improving printing resolution and manufacturing method thereof.
A printer adopting heat transfer principles mainly heats a ribbon to vaporize the dye from the ribbon with a thermal print head (TPH) module, and then transfers the dye to a carrier (e.g., paper or plastics).
However, due to limitations in manufacturing techniques, the minimum size of a unit pixel of a printed pattern of a conventional thermal print head module is limited, and thus the resolution of the printed pattern cannot be effectively improved.
One aspect of the disclosure is to provide a thermal head structure capable of improving printing resolution and a manufacturing method thereof so as to solve the difficulties mentioned above, that is, to effectively improve the resolution of printed patterns.
In one embodiment of the disclosure, a thermal head structure capable of improving printing resolution which is provided includes a substrate, a heat storing layer, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a heat generating resistor layer and an insulating protective layer. The heat storing layer is provided with a linear ridge portion that is disposed on one surface of the substrate. The first electrode layer is disposed on the linear ridge portion. The second electrode layer is disposed on the linear ridge portion, and a maximum height of the first electrode layer is less than a maximum height of the second electrode layer. The heat generating resistor layer is disposed on the linear ridge portion, and sandwiched between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The heat generating resistor layer, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are formed to be an electrical circuit. The insulating protective layer covers the heat generating resistor layer and the second electrode layer.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, an orthographic projection of the heat generating resistor layer to the surface of the substrate is located within a range of the linear ridge portion.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the first electrode layer is disposed between the linear ridge portion and the heat generating resistor layer, and is directly disposed between the insulating protective layer and the surface of the substrate, the heat generating resistor layer is disposed between the linear ridge portion and the second electrode layer, and the second electrode layer is directly disposed between the insulating protective layer and the surface of the substrate.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the linear ridge portion is located within a range of an orthographic projection of the heat generating resistor layer to the surface of the substrate.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the heat generating resistor layer covers the linear ridge portion and the surface of the substrate, the first electrode layer is directly disposed between the heat generating resistor layer and the surface of the substrate, and the heat generating resistor layer is directly disposed between the second electrode layer and the surface of the substrate.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the first electrode layer further includes a main line portion and a plurality of first traces arranged on the linear ridge portion in parallel, and one end of each of the first traces is connected to the same side of the main line portion.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the second electrode layer further includes a plurality of second traces arranged on the linear ridge portion in parallel. Each of the second traces is interposed between any two neighboring ones of the first traces.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, each of the first traces projected to the one surface of the substrate has a first orthographic projection, respectively, each of the second traces projected to the one surface of the substrate has a second orthographic projection, respectively, the second orthographic projections and the first orthographic projections are alternately arranged with each other. A gap formed between one of the first orthographic projections and one of the second orthographic projections which are adjacent to each other is 10-15 microns (um).
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the first electrode layer includes a common electrode pattern of the thermal head structure. The second electrode layer includes an individual electrode pattern of the thermal head structure.
In one embodiment of the disclosure, a thermal head structure capable of improving printing resolution which is provided includes a substrate, a linear ridge portion, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a heat generating resistor layer and an insulating protective layer. The linear ridge portion is disposed on one surface of the substrate. The first electrode layer covers the surface of the substrate and the linear ridge portion, and includes a plurality of first traces. The heat generating resistor layer covers the first electrode layer, the linear ridge portion and the surface of the substrate. The second electrode layer covers one surface of the heat generating resistor layer being opposite to the first electrode layer, and is formed to be an electrical circuit with the first electrode layer and the heat generating resistor layer are. The second electrode layer includes a plurality of second traces, each of the first traces projected to the one surface of the substrate has a first orthographic projection, respectively, each of the second traces projected to the one surface of the substrate has a second orthographic projection, respectively, and the second orthographic projections and the first orthographic projections are alternately arranged with each other. The insulating protective layer covers the heat generating resistor layer and the second electrode layer.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the first electrode layer includes a common electrode pattern of the thermal head structure, and the second electrode layer includes an individual electrode pattern of the thermal head structure.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the thermal head structure, the heat generating resistor layer completely covers the linear ridge portion; or the heat generating resistor layer partially covers the linear ridge portion.
In one embodiment of the disclosure, a manufacturing method of a thermal head structure capable of improving printing resolution includes step (a) to step (e) as follows. In step (a), a heat storing layer having a linear ridge portion is formed on one surface of a substrate; In step (b), a first electrode pattern is formed on the linear ridge portion and the surface of a substrate; In step (c), a heat generating resistor layer is formed on the first electrode pattern, the linear ridge portion and the surface of a substrate; In step (d), a second electrode pattern is formed on the heat generating resistor layer and the surface of a substrate; and In step (e), an insulating protective layer is formed on the heat generating resistor layer and the second electrode pattern, and the step (c) is between the step (b) and the step (d) chronologically.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the manufacturing method, the step (b) further includes a step of forming a plurality of first traces on the linear ridge portion and the surface of a substrate. The step (d) further includes forming a plurality of second traces on the heat generating resistor layer and the surface of a substrate. Each of the first traces projected to the surface of the substrate has a first orthographic projection, respectively, each of the second traces projected to the surface of the substrate has a second orthographic projection, respectively, and the second orthographic projections and the first orthographic projections are alternately arranged with each other.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, the manufacturing method further includes a step of electrically connecting at least one work unit module to the second electrode pattern after step (e), and the work unit module, the first electrode pattern, the heat generating resistor layer and the second electrode pattern are formed to be an electrical circuit.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, in the manufacturing method, the first electrode pattern includes a common electrode pattern of the thermal head structure, and the second electrode pattern includes an individual electrode pattern of the thermal head structure.
The above description is merely used for illustrating the problems to be resolved, the technical methods for resolving the problems and their efficacies, etc. The specific details of the disclosure will be explained in the embodiments below and related drawings.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings,
Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. According to the embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure.
Reference is now made to
In the embodiment, the heat generating resistor layer 500 partially covers the linear ridge portion 210. More specifically, the heat generating resistor layer 500 projected to the top surface 110 of the substrate 100 has a first orthographic projection P1, and the first orthographic projection P1 is located within a range S of the linear ridge portion 210 projected to the top surface 110 of the substrate 100. In other words, the area of the aforementioned range S is greater than the area of the first orthographic projection P1. In addition, one part of the first electrode layer 300 is located between the linear ridge portion 210 and the heat generating resistor layer 500, and another part of the first electrode layer 300 is located between the insulating protective layer 600 and the top surface 110 of the substrate 100, more definitely, the another part of the first electrode layer 300 is directly sandwiched between the insulating protective layer 600 and the top surface 110 of the substrate 100. One part of the heat generating resistor layer 500 is located between the linear ridge portion 210 and the second electrode layer 400, another part of the heat generating resistor layer 500 is located between the insulating protective layer 600 and the linear ridge portion 210, and the other part of the heat generating resistor layer 500 is located between the first electrode layer 300 and the insulating protective layer 600. One part of the second electrode layer 400 is located between the heat generating resistor layer 500 and the insulating protective layer 600, another part of the second electrode layer 400 is located between the insulating protective layer 600 and the top surface 110 of the substrate 100. More specifically, the another part of the second electrode layer 400 is directly sandwiched between the insulating protective layer 600 and the top surface 110 of the substrate 100.
The first electrode layer 300 further includes a main line portion 311 and a plurality of first traces 312. The main line portion 311 is disposed on the top surface 110 of the substrate 100, and is wider than each of the first traces 312. The long axis direction 311L of the main line portion 311 is parallel to the long axis direction 210L of the linear ridge portion 210. The first traces 312 are arranged on the linear ridge portion 210 in parallel. One end of each of the first traces 312 is connected to the same side of the main line portion 311, and each of the first traces 312 crosses over the linear ridge portion 210 to extend to one side of the linear ridge portion 210 opposite to the main line portion 311. The second electrode layer 400 further includes a plurality of second traces 411 arranged on the linear ridge portion 210 in parallel. Each of the second traces 411 is interposed between any two neighboring ones of the first traces 312.
In addition, in the embodiment, the thermal head structure 10 further includes one or more work unit modules 420 (e.g., IC chips). The work unit modules 420 are arranged on the top surface 110 of the substrate 100, and electrically connected to the second electrode layer 400. Each of the work unit modules 420 has a plurality of lead pins 421 in which the second traces 411 of the second electrode layer 400 are electrically connected to the lead pins 421 of the work unit modules 420 so as to receive signals from the work unit modules 420, and the second traces 411 of the second electrode layer 400 are electrically connected to the lead pins 421 of the work unit modules 420 through wire bonding W, however, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the work unit modules 420 are electrically connected to the second traces 411 of the second electrode layer 400 through chip of film (COF). Thus, the thermal head structure 10 can electrically connect to the internal circuitry of a printer.
More particularly, each of the first traces 312 projected to the top surface 110 of the substrate 100 has a second orthographic projection P2 (referring to the first traces 312 of
Reference is now made to
More particularly, the heat generating resistor layer 501 projected to the top surface 110 of the substrate 100 has a fourth orthographic projection P4, and the range S of the linear ridge portion 210 is within the fourth orthographic projection P4. In other words, the area of the aforementioned range S is less than the area of the fourth orthographic projection P4. In addition, one part of the first electrode layer 300 is located between the linear ridge portion 210 and the heat generating resistor layer 501, and another part of the first electrode layer 300 is located between the heat generating resistor layer 501 and the substrate 100, more definitely, the first electrode layer 300 is directly sandwiched between the heat generating resistor layer 501 and the top surface 110 of the substrate 100. One part of the second electrode layer 400 is located between the linear ridge portion 210 and the heat generating resistor layer 501, and another part of the second electrode layer 400 is located between the heat generating resistor layer 501 and the insulating protective layer 600, more definitely, the second electrode layer 400 is directly sandwiched between the heat generating resistor layer 501 and the insulating protective layer 600. Furthermore, the first electrode layer 300 and a part of the heat generating resistor layer 501 are substantially on the same level height. In other words, the first electrode layer 300 and the heat generating resistor layer 501 are in direct contact with the top surface 110 of the substrate 100.
In the above embodiments, the material of the substrate 100 is, for example, glass, ceramic or silicon crystalline. The material of the heat storing layer 200 is, for example, glass glaze. The material of the heat generating resistor layer 500 is, for example, TaN group, TaO group, or the like. The first electrode layer 300 and the second electrode layer 400 are, for example, copper, aluminum or titanium. The material of the insulating protective layer 600 is, for example, silicon oxynitride (SiON) system, silicon nitride (SiN) system, silicon carbide (SiC) system, diamond-Like carbon (DLC) system, etc.
Thus, no matter whether the limitation of the manufacturing technique still exists, since the step 33 is performed between the step 32 and the step 34 chronologically such that the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern are substantially on different level heights. In other words, the maximum height of the first electrode pattern is smaller than the maximum height of the second electrode pattern. Therefore, the arrangement positions of the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern can be closer to each other in deployment, thereby effectively increasing the maximum printed pattern.
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Although the disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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108123149 | Jul 2019 | TW | national |