US 7,579,573 B2
Thermal activation method and thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet
Hiroyuki Kohira, Chiba (Japan); Masanori Takahashi, Chiba (Japan); Yoshinori Sato, Chiba (Japan); Minoru Hoshino, Chiba (Japan); and Tatsuya Obuchi, Chiba (Japan)
Assigned to Seiko Instruments Inc., (Japan)
Filed on May 25, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/137,844.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-163093 (JP), filed on Jun. 01, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0269033 A1, Dec. 08, 2005
Int. Cl. B65C 9/25 (2006.01); B65C 9/24 (2006.01); F27B 9/36 (2006.01); F27B 9/40 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 219—388  [219/486; 156/320; 156/345.52; 156/384; 156/499] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal activation method for thermally activating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, the method comprising:
providing a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements that can be selectively driven independently from one another during a driving operation to directly heat, and thereby activate, regions of a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet while the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet is moved relative to the thermal head with the heating elements disposed in opposing relation to the respective regions of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer;
selectively driving the heating elements of the thermal head in synchronization with movement of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet relative to the thermal head to activate the regions of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet while temporarily stopping, at a preselected timing of the driving operation, the driving of a preselected one of the heating elements so that a correspondingly opposing preselected region of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer is not directly heated, and thereby not directly activated, by the preselected heating element; and
activating the entire preselected region of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer with heat transmitted from surrounding directly heated regions of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet.