JPH04331154A - Ink-jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a method, in which the flow of ink before and behind an ink chamber is regulated particularly and proper ink particles are prepared. CONSTITUTION:Tapers are formed to the ink inlet section and ink outlet section of an ink chamber 19 between a vibrator 2 held in a case 26 and a nozzle 18, and the flow of ink is regulated, thus attaining the preparation of proper ink particles. Accordingly, suitable ink particles can be formed, thus displaying the effect of improvement in printing quality.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, and more particularly to a support mechanism for a vibrator suitable for producing ink particles.

0002

[Prior Art] Generally, in a vibrating inkjet recording device, as a means for creating ink particles, a vibrating body and an ink droplet ejection port are integrated and the mechanical resonance of the vibrating body is utilized, or the fluid resonance of the ink. There is something that uses . In addition, there is one in which the vibrating body and the ink droplet jetting port are separated, an ink chamber is provided between the vibrating body and the ink jetting port, and the pressure in the ink chamber is changed by the vibration of the vibrating body. Incidentally, related devices of this type include, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 53-10484 and Utility Model Application No. 51-33434.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-mentioned conventional technology, no consideration is given to the efficient flow of ink before and after the ink chamber, and the flow of ink after the ink chamber is disrupted, making it difficult to create suitable ink particles. The problem was that it was not possible.

An object of the present invention is to create suitable ink particles without disturbing the flow of ink before and after an ink chamber.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above object, either the ink inlet part of the ink chamber between the vibrating body held in the case and the nozzle, or the ink outlet part of the ink chamber of the nozzle is provided. , or both have tapers or arcs.

[0006]

[Operation] The vibrating body in the case that holds the vibrating body expands and contracts in the axial direction by an external power source, and the volume of the ink chamber changes due to the expansion and contraction vibration of one end of the vibrating body on the ink chamber side.
The pressure of the ink also changes. Ink particles are thereby created. At this time, by making the ink chamber inlet or outlet or both have a tapered or arcuate shape,
The ink can be rectified to create suitable ink particles.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are detailed diagrams of the vibrator support mechanism. A vibrator 2 including a piezoelectric element 4 that generates ink particles 1, a nozzle 18 having an ink ejection port, and an ink particle 1 ejected from the nozzle 18.
It consists of a control system that charges and deflects the ink, and an ink circulation system that supplies ink to the vibrating body 2.

That is, the vibrating body 2 including the piezoelectric element 4 is
The piezoelectric element 4 is connected to an excitation source 3, and mechanical vibrations of the piezoelectric element 4 cause ink particles to be ejected from the tip of the nozzle 18.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a charging electrode arranged at a position where the ink particles 1 are separated from the ink column at the tip of the nozzle and connected to an information signal source 6. A pulsed information signal voltage is applied to the charging electrode 5. As a result, the ink particles 1 are charged to have a predetermined charge.

[0011] The charged ink particles 1 then pass through deflection electrodes 8 facing each other across the flight path.

[0012] At this time, the ink particles are deflected by a predetermined amount depending on the amount of charge of each ink particle and adhere to the recording medium 9.

On the other hand, the ink particles 1 to which no charge has been applied continue straight and are prevented from adhering to the recording medium 9 by the gutter 10.

Furthermore, 11 is ink stored in an ink tank 12. This ink 11 is supplied to the vibrating body 2 via a pump 13, a filter 14 and a regulator 15, and the ink 11 is blocked by a gutter 10. is supplied to the ink tank 1 via the filter 16 and pump 17.
It is designed to be circulated to 2.

[0015] In the apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration,
The ink 11 is supplied under pressure from an ink tank 12 to the vibrator 2 by a pump 13 through a filter 14 and a regulator 15.

This pressurized ink 11 passes through the vibrator 2 and then through the ink chamber 19 and is ejected from the tip of the nozzle 18 and is applied to the piezoelectric element 4 included in the vibrator 2. The excitation source 3 results in regular ink particles 1.

The ink particles 1 are given a charge according to the character signal by the charging electrode 5, are deflected by the electrostatic field in the deflection electrode 8, fly over the gutter 10, and collide on the recording medium 9. Then, by moving this recording body 9 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of deflection of the ink particles 1, a printed dot matrix is formed on the recording body 9.

On the other hand, the ink particles 1 that were not used for printing (the ink particles 1 that were not given a charge when passing through the charging electrode 5) travel straight without being deflected by the deflection electrode 8, and collide with the gutter 10. The ink is collected into the ink tank 12 by a pump. Next, the support structure of the vibrating body 2 will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. The piezoelectric element 4 inserted into the pipes 20, 20' and the terminal 21 are integrally constituted by a lock nut 22 that fixes them. There is.

Further, the terminal 21 is connected to the excitation source 3 via a lead sensor 23 so that the piezoelectric element 4 vibrates at a predetermined frequency due to the excitation source 3. and,
This vibrating body 2 has both ends via O-rings 24 and 25,
The ink 11 fixed in the vibrating body case 26 and the filter case 27 and supplied by the tube 28 is supplied from the filter case 27 through the vibrating body 2 to the ink chamber 19 without leaking. Furthermore, O-rings 29 and 30 prevent leakage so that the ink 11 in the ink chamber 19 is supplied to the nozzle 18 without leakage. Since the ink inlet and outlet of the ink chamber 19 are tapered, the ink that enters the ink chamber 19 is rectified and flows toward the nozzle 18 without becoming a turbulent flow, and flows from the tip of the nozzle 18. This has the effect of ejecting suitable ink particles 1.

[0020]

Effects of the Invention By providing tapers at the inlet and outlet of the ink chamber, suitable ink particles can be formed, which has the effect of improving printing quality.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of one embodiment of a vibrating body used in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of an ink chamber section of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Ink particle, 2... Vibrator, 3... Piezoelectric element, 20,2
0'... Pipe, 24, 25... O-ring, 26... Vibrator case, 27... Filter case, 31... Inlet taper,
32...Exit taper.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: Ink supplied from an ink tank is synchronized with the vibration period of an excitation element, and ink particles ejected from a nozzle tip separated from an excitation body are charged with a predetermined information signal and deflected. In the ink chamber provided between the vibrator and the nozzle, one or both of the ink inlet and outlet of the ink chamber is tapered.
Or an inkjet recording device characterized by an arcuate shape.