The present invention provides a method for manufacturing thermal print heads. By forming a molybdenum antioxidation layer on the electrode pattern layer, the oxidation or erosion phenomena on the electrode pattern layer (formed by aluminum or aluminum-copper alloy) in the manufacturing process can be prevented, and hence improving the reliability and lifetime of thermal print heads.

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 print head element includes a substrate, a glaze layer, a heat accumulating layer, a heat generating resistor layer, an electrode layer and an insulating protective layer. The glaze layer is disposed on the substrate to form a ridge portion that linearly extends. The heat accumulating layer covers the ridge portion and the substrate, and is formed with an opening portion that exposes a part of the substrate. The heat generating resistor layer covers the heat accumulating layer. The electrode layer covers the heat generating resistor layer to directly contact with the part of the substrate through the opening portion. The insulating protective layer covers the electrode layer and the heat generating resistor layer, and formed with a through hole so that a soldering region of the electrode layer is exposed outwards from the insulating protective layer through the through hole.

The present invention provides a thermal print head capable of better performing printing on a printing medium.

The thermal print head includes: a substrate (1), formed with single crystal semiconductor; a resistor layer (4), including a plurality of heating portions (41) arranged in a main scan direction; and a wiring layer (3), configuring a charging path to the plurality of heating portions. The substrate includes: a main surface (11), being a surface opposite to the resistor layer; and a convex portion (13), disposed as protruding from the main surface and extending in the main scan direction. The convex portion includes: an inclining surface (132), inclining relative to the main surface and extending in a linear manner when viewing from the main scan direction; and a curving surface (131), disposed, in a protruding direction of the convex portion, on a position farther away from the main surface than the inclining surface, and curving in a manner that protrudes toward the protruding direction. Each of the plurality of heating portions includes a heating curving portion (411) formed on a portion corresponding to the curving surface.

The present disclosure provides a thermal print head. The thermal print head includes a substrate having a main surface and a convex portion and including a semiconductor material; a resistor layer including a plurality of heat generating portions located on the convex portion; and a wiring layer conducted to the plurality of heat generating portions and formed to contact the resistor layer. The convex portion has a top surface, a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are disposed between the main surface and the top surface, separated from each other in a sub-scanning direction, and tilted with respect to the main surface. A first tilted angle of the first inclined surface with respect to the main surface and a second tilted angle of the second inclined surface with respect to the main surface are greater than 55 degrees.

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 thermal print head includes a substrate; a protrusion formed on an obverse surface of the substrate and extending in a main scanning direction; heat generating parts disposed on a top surface of the protrusion and arranged along the main scanning direction; and columnar heat storage members embedded in the protrusion and disposed in a given area having a width in a sub-scanning direction and being elongated in the main scanning direction. Each of the columnar heat storage members is elongated in a thickness direction of the substrate and has an upper end and a lower end, with the upper end being disposed at the same level of the top surface of the protrusion.

A thermal print head includes: a substrate; a resistor layer supported by the substrate and including a plurality of heat generating portions arranged in a main scanning direction; a wiring layer supported by the substrate and forming an energizing path to the plurality of heat generating portions; and an insulating layer interposed between the substrate and the resistor layer, wherein the substrate has a cavity portion overlapping the plurality of heat generating portions when viewed in a thickness direction of the substrate.

A thermal printhead includes a substrate having an obverse surface, a projection formed on the obverse surface and extending in a primary scanning direction, a plurality of heating elements arranged in the primary scanning direction on the top of the projection, a groove dented from the top of the projection and extending in the primary scanning direction, and a heat storage member filling at least an opening of the groove.