Patent ID: 7173642

Claim:
A thermal activation apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, comprising: an insertion port through which is inserted a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet including a sheet-like base material having a printable layer formed on one surface and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer formed on the other surface; first transporting means for transporting the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet inserted through the insertion port; second transporting means for receiving the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet from the first transporting means and transporting the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet; cutting means for cutting the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet to a predetermined length, which is placed between the first transporting means and the second transporting means; thermal activation means for heating and thermally activating the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet transported by the second transporting means; a discharge port through which the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet having the heat-sensitive adhesive layer thermally activated by the thermal activation means is discharged; and controlling means for controlling the first transporting means and the second transporting means such that the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet temporarily sags between the cutting means and the thermal activation means and for controlling the cutting means to cut the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet after a length of the sagging sheet is equal to or larger than a length corresponding to a sum of a length of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet transported by the second transporting means within a cutting time of the cutting means and a distance between the cutting means and the thermal activation means.