Disclosed is an assembly line for processing products. The line includes, on one hand, a plurality of consecutive stations for processing the products and, on the other hand, a moving unit for moving the products between the stations within the line, in particular from an upstream station in which the products have just been processed, to a downstream station in which the products must later be processed. The moving unit essentially includes at least one self-contained, self-supported, movable carriage moving on the ground and having the products resting thereon during the movement thereof within the line. Also disclosed is a corresponding implementation method and to a corresponding use of the carriages.

A thermal contact device may include a thermal contact die embedded in a moldable material. The thermal contact die may include a number of resistors integrated into the thermal contact die, and a number of heater drivers integrated into the thermal contact die and electronically coupled to the resistors. The moldable material is coplanar with a thermal contact side of the thermal contact device. Further, the moldable material includes at least one gradient edge along a medium feed path.

A thermal printhead includes a substrate, a protrusion formed on an obverse surface of the substrate and extending in a main scanning direction, a heat storage layer formed on a top surface of the protrusion, and a plurality of heat-generating parts arranged along the main scanning direction on the heat storage layer. The substrate and the protrusion are integrally formed from a single-crystal semiconductor.

A thermal head of the present disclosure includes a substrate 7, a heat generating unit 9, an electrode, a covering layer 27, and a covering member 29. The heat generating unit 9 is positioned above the substrate 7. The electrode is positioned above the substrate and connected to the heat generating unit 9. The covering layer 27 covers at least a part of the electrode when viewed in plan. The covering member 29 is positioned on the covering layer 27. The covering layer 27 has an upper surface 27a and a lateral surface 27b that is positioned on a side of the heat generating unit 9. An arithmetic-average surface roughness Ra of the lateral surface 27b is higher than an arithmetic-average surface roughness Ra of the upper surface 27a.

A thermal head includes: an underglaze layer provided on an insulating substrate; an electrode provided on the underglaze layer; a heat generator provided on the electrode; a first protective layer containing a glass material and covering at least the heat generator; and a second protective layer provided on the first protective layer, having a melting point higher than that of the first protective layer, and made of a material whose thermal expansion coefficient at a temperature of 1000 C. or lower is substantially constant.

A thermal printhead includes a substrate, a protrusion formed on an obverse surface of the substrate and extending in a main scanning direction, a heat storage layer formed on a top surface of the protrusion, and a plurality of heat-generating parts arranged along the main scanning direction on the heat storage layer. The substrate and the protrusion are integrally formed from a single-crystal semiconductor.

A manufacturing method of a thermal head structure capable of improving printing resolution includes the following steps. A heat storing layer, a first electrode pattern, a heat generating resistor layer, a second electrode pattern and an insulating protective layer are formed to be overlapped on a substrate, and the step of forming the heat generating resistor layer is between the step of forming the first electrode pattern and the step of forming the second electrode pattern chronologically.

A heater includes: a substrate including a first surface and a second surface located opposite to the first surface relative to the substrate; a first heating pattern disposed on a first-surface side of the substrate; a second heating pattern disposed on the first-surface side of the substrate and located at a position different from a position of the first heating pattern; a first terminal to which electricity is to be supplied; a first power-supply pattern electrically connecting the first terminal and the first heating pattern to each other and disposed on a second-surface side of the substrate; and a first electrically-continuous portion extending through the substrate and electrically connecting the first power-supply pattern and the first heating pattern to each other.

A thermal head X1 according to the present disclosure includes a substrate, a heat generator, an electrode, and a protective layer. The heat generator is positioned on the substrate. The electrode is positioned on the substrate and connected to the heat generator. The protective layer covers the heat generator and part of the electrode. The protective layer contains titanium and nitrogen. The protective layer satisfies P2>P1 where P1 is the peak intensity of X-ray diffraction of the (111) plane, and P2 is the peak intensity of X-ray diffraction of the (200) plane.

Provided herein is a printer comprising a printing assembly. The printing assembly comprises a printhead bracket fixedly attached to the printer, a printhead that defines a groove, the printhead aligned at a first alignment, an alignment adjuster fastened between the printhead bracket and the printhead, and a plurality of fasteners operatively engaged with the alignment adjuster. The alignment adjuster comprises a gear rack that is adjacent to the printhead bracket, and a protrusion that is received by the groove of the printhead. The plurality of fasteners comprises at least one selected from a group of a lateral adjustment fastener operatively engaged with the gear rack, and a rotational adjustment fastener operatively engaged with a transverse edge of the printhead. The lateral adjustment fastener is configured to provide lateral movement to the alignment adjuster and the printhead. The rotational adjustment fastener is configured to provide rotational movement to the printhead.