US 12,187,031 B2
Cartridge, thermal printer using the cartridge, medium for use with the thermal printer, and method for creating laminated medium
Kohei Terada, Kiyosu (JP); Keisuke Nishihara, Nagoya (JP); Akira Minami, Nagoya (JP); Tomoaki Hazeyama, Yokkaichi (JP); Yasuhiro Torii, Kariya (JP); and Mariko Niizeki, Ichinomiya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/915,634.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-127675 (JP), filed on Jul. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0008909 A1, Jan. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. B41J 15/04 (2006.01); B41J 2/32 (2006.01); B41J 3/36 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41M 5/41 (2006.01); B41M 5/44 (2006.01); B41M 5/46 (2006.01); C09J 133/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 15/044 (2013.01) [B41J 2/32 (2013.01); B41J 3/36 (2013.01); B41J 3/4075 (2013.01); B41J 15/042 (2013.01); B41J 15/046 (2013.01); B41M 5/41 (2013.01); B41M 5/44 (2013.01); B41M 5/46 (2013.01); C09J 133/00 (2013.01); B41M 2205/04 (2013.01); B41M 2205/32 (2013.01); B41M 2205/38 (2013.01); B41M 2205/40 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cartridge for use with a printer comprising:
a cartridge case;
a first supply portion retained in the cartridge case and including a heat-sensitive medium defining a thickness in a thickness direction, the heat-sensitive medium having a first surface and a second surface opposite each other in the thickness direction; and
a second supply portion retained in the cartridge case and including an adhesive medium,
wherein the heat-sensitive medium comprises:
a base material having visible light transmittance, the base material constituting the first surface;
a plurality of heat-sensitive layers having visible light transmittance, the plurality of heat-sensitive layers comprising:
a first heat-sensitive layer configured to produce a first color with a first coloring region when heated above a first temperature; and
a second heat-sensitive layer configured to produce a second color with a second coloring region when heated above a second temperature higher than the first temperature; and
at least one heat-insulating layer having visible light transmittance and including a first heat-insulating layer,
wherein the cartridge case comprises:
an opening through which the heat-sensitive medium conveyed from the first supply portion is configured to be exposed to an outside of the cartridge case; and
a guide part positioned downstream of the opening in a conveying direction of the heat-sensitive medium, the guide part being configured to guide the heat-sensitive medium and the adhesive medium bonded to the second surface of the heat-sensitive medium such that the adhesive medium is positioned opposite the base material with respect to the plurality of heat-sensitive layers to create a laminated medium,
wherein the adhesive medium comprises:
a double-sided adhesive medium; and
a release paper affixed to the double-sided adhesive medium,
wherein the double-sided adhesive medium is white,
wherein the base material, the first heat-sensitive layer, the first heat-insulating layer, the second heat-sensitive layer, and the double-sided adhesive medium are stacked in order from the first surface toward the release paper in the thickness direction,
wherein the first color and the second color are visible through the base material with the double-sided adhesive medium serving as a background, and
wherein the first coloring region in the first heat-sensitive layer is not covered by the second coloring region in the second heat-sensitive layer when the laminated medium is fixed on an object and viewed from the first surface in the thickness direction.