A thermal head includes a substrate; a heat generating section disposed on the substrate; an electrode electrically connected to the heat generating section; a cover layer which covers part of the electrode; a pad electrically connected to the electrode; and a joining member electrically connected to the pad. The cover layer includes a first portion and a second portion which is smaller in thickness than the first portion. The second portion is placed on the pad. The pad has a convexity which exposes from the second portion. The joining member is connected to the convexity.

[Object] To provide a thermal head having improved sealability.

[Solution] A thermal head X1 includes a substrate 7, a heat storage layer 13 disposed on the substrate 7 and including a bulging portion 13a, heating elements 9 disposed on the bulging portion 13a, a protective layer 25 disposed on the heating elements 9, and a covering layer 27 disposed on the protective layer 25. The covering layer 27 includes a first portion 27a disposed apart from the bulging portion 13a, and a second portion 27b disposed between the bulging portion 13a and the first portion 27a. The height of the second portion 27b from the substrate 7 is smaller than the height of the first portion 27a from the substrate 7. Thus, the sealability of the thermal head X1 can be improved.

A thermal print head includes: a substrate; an insulating layer; a wiring layer; a resistor layer; and a protective layer. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. A raised portion protruding toward a side opposite to the second surface and extending along a first direction in a plan view is formed on the first surface. The insulating layer is disposed on the first surface. The wiring layer is disposed on the insulating layer with the resistor layer interposed therebetween. The wiring layer has a bonding pad. A constituent material of the wiring layer is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The protective layer is disposed on the insulating layer to cover the wiring layer. An opening that exposes the bonding pad is formed in the protective layer.

The thermal print head includes a heat generating resistor, a wiring layer that is connected to the heat generating resistor, and a protective layer that covers the heat generating resistor and the wiring layer. The protective layer is an insulating layer to which diamond particles are added.

A thermal transfer printer includes a first supply unit configured to supply an intermediate transfer medium in which, on one surface of a first base, a transfer layer including a receiving layer is disposed, a second supply unit configured to supply a thermal transfer sheet in which, on one of surfaces of a second base, a colorant layer and a particle layer are disposed, a printing unit configured to heat the thermal transfer sheet, to transfer a colorant from the colorant layer to the receiving layer to form an image, and to transfer the particle layer onto the receiving layer, a third supply unit configured to supply a transfer-receiving body, and a transfer unit configured to place the intermediate transfer medium and the transfer-receiving body on top of each other such that the transfer-receiving body faces the particle layer on the receiving layer, and to heat the intermediate transfer medium.

A thermal printing device with a thermal print head, a platen roller opposite the print head and a protective film that is movable in a closed loop, wherein the thermal print head is arranged inside the closed loop formed by the film, so as to protect the thermal paper from damage caused by mechanical scraping by the print head; a use of the printing device is also disclosed for dispensing a printed ticket in real time, the ticket being at least partly covered by an opaque patina that is removable by scraping after printing to enable what has been printed to be viewed.

A thermal print head includes a semiconductor substrate, a resistor layer with heat generating portions arranged in the main scanning direction, a wiring layer included in a conduction path for energizing the heat generating portions, and a protective layer covering the resistor layer and the wiring layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a projection protruding from the obverse surface of the substrate and elongated in the main scanning direction. The projection has first and second inclined side surfaces spaced apart from each other in the sub-scanning direction. The heat generating portions are arranged to overlap with the first inclined side surface of the projection as viewed in plan view.

The present invention provides a thermal print head and a thermal printer that can deliver improved printing quality. The thermal print head includes a main substrate with a main surface, heating elements arranged along a main scanning direction, and a protection layer that covers the heating elements. A belt-shaped heating glaze layer is between the main surface and the heating elements, extends along the main scanning direction, and bulges towards the direction where the main surface faces. The surface shape of the protection layer has an equivalent radius of curvature Re between 6200 m and 15000 m. The equivalent radius of curvature Re is calculated by Hq and Wq. Hq is of the maximum height Hm of the bulging portion of the protection layer including the heating glaze layer. Wq is the width of the bulging portion along a sub-scanning direction, measured at a height equal to Hm minus Hq.

A thermal print head includes a semiconductor substrate, a resistor layer with heat generating portions arranged in the main scanning direction, a wiring layer included in a conduction path for energizing the heat generating portions, and a protective layer covering the resistor layer and the wiring layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a projection protruding from the obverse surface of the substrate and elongated in the main scanning direction. The projection has first and second inclined side surfaces spaced apart from each other in the sub-scanning direction. The heat generating portions are arranged to overlap with the first inclined side surface of the projection as viewed in plan view.

A thermal print head includes a semiconductor substrate, a resistor layer and a wiring layer. The resistor layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and has a plurality of heat generating portions arranged in the main scanning direction. The wiring layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate to be included in a conduction path for energizing the plurality of heat generating portions. The conduction path includes a path or paths provided by the semiconductor substrate itself.