Patent ID: 7458407

Claim:
A thermal activation device comprising: a thermally activating section which includes a thermal head having heat generating elements formed on a substrate, and a platen roller brought into press-contact with the thermal head, the thermally activating section being adapted to activate a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, on which a heat-sensitive adhesive layer is provided, by heating the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet while passing the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet between the thermal head and the platen roller; and a discharge section which includes a discharge roller situated downstream of the thermal head and the platen roller and that conveys the thermally activated heat-sensitive adhesive sheet with one side thereof supported on an upper side of the discharge roller a discharge guide positioned above and spaced from the discharge roller to define a gap therebetween that is larger than a thickness of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet and adapted to guide the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet into the gap between the discharge roller and the discharge guide without nipping the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet between the discharge guide and the discharge roller, and driving means for rotationally driving the discharge roller, the discharge section discharging the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet to outside the thermal activation device when a drive force is transmitted to the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet from a lower surface side thereof by rotationally driving the discharge roller, and the discharge roller being arranged such that a part of a roller outer circumference of the discharge roller projects toward a side on which the platen roller is present from a reference plane obtained by extending a head surface of the thermal head.