US 11,794,487 B2
Thermal printer
Mitsuhiro Kataoka, Numazu Shizuoka (JP)
Assigned to TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Dec. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/126,211.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-005276 (JP), filed on Jan. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0221147 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. B41J 2/365 (2006.01); B41J 2/045 (2006.01); B41J 2/355 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/3556 (2013.01) [B41J 2/04563 (2013.01); B41J 2/365 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal printer, comprising:
a thermal head including a plurality of heating elements;
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the thermal head, the temperature sensor being provided in the thermal head; and
a controller configured to control an amount of heat generated from the plurality of heating elements by determining a pulse supply time for which a pulse signal is supplied to the thermal head based on the temperature of the thermal head measured by the temperature sensor and a cumulative heat generation time of the thermal head,
wherein when a printing operation is not executed, the controller subtracts the cumulative heat generation time per predetermined period of time.
 
8. A method for a thermal printer, comprising:
supplying a pulse signal to a thermal head including a plurality of heating elements;
measuring a temperature of a thermal head; and
controlling an amount of heat generated from the plurality of heating elements by determining a pulse supply time for which the pulse signal is supplied to the thermal head based on the temperature of the thermal head measured and a cumulative heat generation time of the thermal head, wherein when a printing operation is not executed, subtracting the cumulative heat generation time per predetermined period of time.
 
11. A POS terminal, comprising:
a roll paper holder;
a plurality of rollers;
a discharge port; and
a thermal printer, comprising:
a thermal head including a plurality of heating elements;
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the thermal head, the temperature sensor being provided in the thermal head; and
a controller configured to control an amount of heat generated from the plurality of heating elements by determining a pulse supply time for which a pulse signal is supplied to the thermal head based on the temperature of the thermal head measured by the temperature sensor and a cumulative heat generation time of the thermal head, wherein when a printing operation is not executed, the controller subtracts the cumulative heat generation time per predetermined period of time.