Electrothermal page printer

Abstract

This invention relates to a page printer having an electro-thermal dot-matrix printing mechanism. The latter comprises at least one print plate which is disposed parallel in relation to the print line and radially in relation to the platen, which is hooked at both ends into a tensioning device. The print plate consists of a carrier plate made of material having relatively good electrical and heat-conducting properties. It is applied with its front surface to the thermo-sensitive recording medium on which recordings are made via a plurality of closely adjacent heating elements. These heating elements are deposited onto at least one of the lateral faces of the carrier plate, made flush with the front surface, and are conductively connected to the carrier plate. The remaining part of each of the lateral faces is covered, throughout the widths of the heating elements, with a layer of insulating material on which the conducting paths extending to the heating elements are disposed. The carrier plate serves as the common electric return conductor. On the carrier plate, a number of integrated circuits are disposed which, with their outputs, are connected to the conducting paths extending to the heating elements. These integrated circuits serve to convert the control instructions for the heating elements, as applied via terminals on the rearward longitudinal edge of the carrier plate.