Recording head including electrode supporting substrate having thin-walled contact end portion, and substrate-reinforcing layer

A recording head operable to apply an electric current to an electrically resistive layer provided on one of a recording medium and a planar intermediate member, said planar intermediate layer being interposed between the recording medium and the recording head, said recording head having an electrically insulating ceramic substrate, at least one recording electrode formed on one of two opposite major surfaces of said substrate, and at least one return circuit electrode formed on the other major surface of the substrate, said recording head including an operating end at which said substrate and said electrodes are held together in direct contact with said one of the recording medium and the planar intermediate member, so that the electric current is applied to said electrically resistive layer, wherein the improvement comprises:

• said substrate being formed of a material whose wear resistance is lower than that of said recording and return circuit electrodes, and includes a proximal portion, and a thin-walled distal end portion extending from the proximal portion by a predetermined length for contact with said one of the recording medium and the planar intermediate member, the distal end portion having a constant thickness, between electrodes, smaller than that of the proximal portion, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a direction of extension of the distal end portion;
• said substrate having a recessed portion formed in at least one of said opposite major surfaces such that said recessed portion at least partially defines said thickness of said distal end portion;
• and
• a reinforcing layer disposed to reinforce said thin-walled distal end portion, such that at least a portion of said reinforcing layer is positioned in said recessed portion.