CN1019084B - Ink jet recording head, catridge and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An ink jet head includes a first member provided with an ejection energy generating element for generating energy contributable to ejection of ink; a second member provided with a recess for defining an ink passage with a trapezoidal cross-section by being coupled with the first member, corresponding to the ejection energy generating element; and a third member provided with an ejection outlet which communicates with the ink passage and through which the ink is ejected; wherein the ink passage has a trapezoidal cross-section.

Description

Ink jet recording head, catridge and apparatus

The present invention relates to ink jet print head, the Inkjet Cartridge and the pen recorder that Inkjet Cartridge is housed of record-header is housed.The invention still further relates to a kind of the have whole record-header and the Inkjet Cartridge of ink container.The invention still further relates to a kind of ink-jet recording apparatus, wherein the Inkjet Cartridge sweep record material of monolithic devices.

Now, adopt a kind of laser beam of the ultraviolet light beam that can vibrate, come hole on operation record head and so on as the folding YAC laser beam of excimer laser or 4-.Use the method for UV laser beam machining hole as follows:

(1) resin film that constitutes orifice plate is installed on an opening and the open surfaces that ink passage is connected, be applied with UV laser beam then.

As shown in Figure 1, number in the figure 101 expression uv laser generators; The laser beam that 102 expression laser generators produce; 103a, 103b and 103c represent lens system; 104 expressions have the eclipser of the style in all or part of hole; Ink jet print head of 105 expressions, wherein resin film is contained on the open surfaces of ink passage; 106 represent movably shelf.

Fig. 2 shows record-header 105, and above-mentioned these holes wherein process with said method.Fig. 2 is its sectional view.Among the figure, label 202 expressions have the top board of the groove that constitutes ink passage; 203 expressions are equipped with and are used for the base plate of produce power with the energy generating element 207 of atomizing of liquids; 204 expressions are by the orifice plate of resin film system; 205 are illustrated in the hole (inkjet mouth) that forms in the orifice plate 204.In addition, label 206 expression ink passages.

Energy generating element 207 can be for example a kind of thermoelectric sensor.

As shown in Figure 2, the shape in the hole 205 that is processed by commonsense method shown in Figure 1 is dispersed along injection direction.

Below to not being to adopt the excimer laser beam of UV laser beam to explain.

Among Fig. 3, excimer laser generator of label 301 expressions; The laser beam that 302 expressions are vibrated and by laser generator; 303a, 303b and 303c represent optical lens system; 304 expressions have the projection eclipser of inkjet mouth (hole) style; 305 expression ink jet print heads, wherein resin film is contained on the open surfaces of ink passage; 306 represent movably frame.

Fig. 4 shows an example of ink jet print head 305, and the jet orifice of record-header processes with said method.Fig. 4 is its skeleton view.Among the figure, label 401 expressions have the top board of the groove that constitutes ink passage; The base plate of energy generating element is equipped with in 402 expressions; The opening that 403 expressions are connected with ink passage; 404 expressions are by the orifice plate of resin film system; 405 are illustrated in the jet orifice that forms in the orifice plate 404.Fig. 5 is the sectional view along A-A ' line intercepting among Fig. 4.The ink passage that label 505 expressions are connected with opening 403 among Fig. 5; 506 expression produce powers are so that from the energy generating element of jet orifice 405 ejection liquid, this element can be the thermoelectric sensor element.

When applying excimer laser from the orifice plate front and process jet orifice, as shown in Figure 3, the jet orifice shape is along the ink droplet jet directional divergence.

Under this situation of dispersing shape, can reduce hydrojet speed in some cases in theory, cause duplicate of poor quality.

(2) consider to apply UV laser beam, more particularly, for the part that a top board that has a groove that constitutes ink passage and the inkjet mouth element that will open inkjet mouth (hole) are arranged, apply ultraviolet light beam from the side that groove is arranged from the inside.

As shown in Figure 6, UV laser beam is applied on the whole top board and orifice plate from ink passage one side.Among the figure, 601 expressions produce the laser oscillator of UV laser beam; The laser beam that 602 expressions are produced by laser oscillator 601; 603a, 603b and 603c represent to constitute the optical element of lens system; A projection of 604 expressions eclipser, vaporizing on the screen deposits the material of the aluminium that can stop laser beam 602 and so on.

Fig. 7 is the sectional view of top board, and the hole in the top board processes with said method.Among the figure, 703 one-tenth whole orifice plates of label 701 expressions and top board; The center line in the hole 702 that 704 expressions are formed by laser beam is because laser beam tilts with respect to top board, so center line also tilts.

With the method for machining hole shown in Figure 6, the hole that processes has along the back taper of hydrojet directional divergence.Jet speed is stable during with the record in the ink jet print head with this spray hole.

Coupled together and the shape of the ink passage that forms rectangle normally by base plate and top board, it is more stable that China ink flows in such passage, so ink-jet and the action that refills China ink also are stably.But if attempt forms larger sized hole to improve ink ejection amount, the wall that the laser beam of passing eclipser can be configured ink passage blocks, and the result can only form the hole of minor diameter or the hole of distortion.

As shown in figure 15, label 1502 expression has the top board of the groove that constitutes ink passage among Figure 15; The orifice plate of 1504 expression integral installations on top board; The laser beam that 1501 expressions are passed eclipser and focused on orifice plate; 1502 expressions limit a conduit wall of ink passage 1503.Can understand from Figure 15, when attempt formed large diameter hole with the increase ink ejection amount, the part laser beam is blocked by the conduit wall 1502 that constitutes ink passage, and was represented as dashed area.When laser is blocked by conduit wall 1502 on the suction side, the inkjet mouth (hole) that forms in orifice plate 1504 no longer is round, and diameter also diminishes.If ink jet print head adopts the hole of this strained minor diameter, the liquid ink of an ink droplet seems improper concerning picture record so, and inkjet direction is also unstable.

Therefore, the objective of the invention is to solve in prior art the ropy problem of the improper duplicating that causes of jet orifice shape, and a kind of improved ink gun is provided owing to ink gun.

For reaching above-mentioned purpose of the present invention, the invention provides a kind of ink gun, comprising: an inkjet mouth; An ink passage that is connected with described inkjet mouth; Be used for China ink in the heated ink passage so that state-transition takes place China ink, comprise the element that generates foam and spray the generation ink-jet energy of China ink by described ink passage, xsect according to inkjet channel of the present invention is trapezoidal, and the element of described generation ink-jet energy is provided in a side of in the described trapezoidal parallel edges more on one side of bar.

Described ink gun preferably also has the Inkjet Cartridge that China ink is fed to the ink container of described record-header.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the invention provides a kind of use jet recording device of the present invention, according to the present invention, this ink-jet recording apparatus also comprises the device that supports recording materials, and these recording materials are used for receiving the China ink by described inkjet mouth ejection.

By following explanation to accompanying drawing and optimum embodiment of the present invention, can be clearer to purpose of the present invention, characteristics and advantage.In the accompanying drawing

Fig. 1,3 and 6 illustrates the method for common Laser Processing.

Fig. 2,5 and 7 is signal, sectional views of structure that the inkjet mouth of the ink jet print head of making by Fig. 1,3 and 6 method is shown respectively.

Fig. 4 shows the skeleton view of the record-header of being made by common laser means.

Fig. 8 shows the skeleton view of the ink jet print head of first embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9-13 shows and uses jet recording device of the present invention.

Figure 14 and 15 shows with the laser beam of one embodiment of the present of invention and carries out method for processing.

Figure 16 is the skeleton view of the ink jet print head of second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 17 shows the inkjet mouth of Figure 16 record-header.

Figure 18 shows the skeleton view of the ink jet print head of third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 19 shows the inkjet mouth of Figure 18 record-header.

Figure 20 shows the skeleton view of the ink jet print head of fourth embodiment of the invention.

Figure 21 and 22 shows the inkjet mouth of Figure 20 record-header.

At first, there is shown the major part of the ink jet print head of first embodiment of the invention referring to Fig. 8.In this embodiment, used laser generator be the same shown in Fig. 6, laser beam is that inside from record-header applies in this generator.Ultra-violet laser source be this excimer laser generator of a kind of excimer laser oscillator (KrF) when it is used for processing jet orifice, produce pulse width and be about 15nsec, wavelength is the laser beam of 248mm.Lens combination is made by the synthetic quartz of coating antireflection material.Eclipser has grating made of aluminum, can block the KrF laser beam.Aluminium is that gas deposition forms.

Top board 801 comprises the channel slot 806 of China ink, the inkjet mouth (hole) 805 that forms in orifice plate 804.Their quantity can be determined as required.For simplicity, only illustrate two groups among the figure.Orifice plate 804 is whole with top board 801.

Among Fig. 8, top board 801 is made by polysulfones or polyethersulfone, polyphenylene oxides or acrylic resin that good ink-resistant property is arranged, and whole with 804 one-tenth of orifice plates, and they are simultaneously molded in a mould.

The manufacturing process of hole 805 and ink passage groove 806 will be described below.

The pattern die that groove 806 is can be with the shape that machine work is made opposite with it is molded, like this, can form groove 806 at an easy rate in top board 801.In this embodiment, increase gradually towards the joint between top board and the base plate that is complementary perpendicular to the xsect of the ink passage of ink-jet aspect.

Mold pressing goes out not with holes 805 orifice plate in model.The excimer laser beam of sending from laser generator with as described in Figure 6 method projects on the position that will form hole 805 from the liquid ink channel side of orifice plate 804.Because this effect, resin is removed and/or evaporates, thereby has formed hole 805.

Figure 14 shows the details that forms hole 805.Can clearly be seen that from figure excimer laser beam 1401 projects on the orifice plate 1404 by shading and from ink passage 1405, and on orifice plate 1404, focus on.Laser beam 1401 focuses on the optical axis 1405 with the angle (θ 1) of 2 ° of every sides.And the optical axis 1405 of this laser beam 1401 becomes 5 degree angle (θ with the vertical direction on orifice plate 1404 surfaces ₂).Under the situation of the ink jet print head of Fig. 8, the xsect of ink passage is trapezoidal, thereby ink passage wall 1403 can not cover laser beam, even for large diameter ejiction opening (hole) is provided, also be like this with record-header internal transmission laser beam.Therefore the structure in hole can be out of shape, and the xsect in hole is restrained gradually along transmit direction.

The following describes the excimer laser beam of using among this embodiment.This laser beam can be the vibration ultraviolet light.Thereby the laser beam that produces has high-energy, and width of light beam is little, and high directivity can be a kind of short pulse vibration, and laser beam can be with lens focus to increase energy width.These are its advantage just.This excimer laser oscillator plays the effect of discharging and activating rare gas and halogen mixture, and makes (15～35ns) vibrations of ultraviolet light generation short pulse by it.As for gas laser, be extensive use of Kr-F, Xe-Cl or Ar-F laser, its oscillation energy are hundreds of mJ/ pulse, and the frequency of pulse is 30-1000H ₂

When the fluoropolymer resin surface is subjected to having high-octane short pulse ultraviolet light, for example effect of excimer laser beam, expose portion dissolves immediately and scatter, and is accompanied by plasma emission and impact noise (tarry matter erosion dissolution) (APD).Therefore can the processable polymer resin.

To compare excimer laser beam and other laser beam machining precision below.For example, Kapton is exposed to excimer laser, YAG laser and CO ₂Laser.Because polyimide absorbs the light of ultraviolet region wavelength, KrF laser can process very clearly opening.But YAG laser only forms the not too smooth opening in edge, because this laser does not comprise the bandwidth of ultraviolet region.Produce the CO of infrared light ₂The shape that the welding burner is arranged around the hole that laser forms.The metal of stainless steel and so on, opaque pottery and silicon or similar material are not influenced by excimer laser in atmospheric environment, thereby they can be used as the material of eclipser.

In aforesaid structure, do not require location and bonding between top board and the orifice plate, therefore, the positioning error that produces in the time of can avoiding bonding.The number and the manufacturing process of waste product have been reduced.But this point makes record-header large-lot production and cost low again.In addition, the bonding process of having cancelled between top board and the orifice plate has been eliminated owing to flowing into the possibility that adhesives blocks orifice plate and ink passage.At bonding heating plate 802 with when having the top board 801 of whole orifice plate 804, can come to heating plate 802 on orifice plate 804 end surfaces relative, thereby make whole positioning process and assembly process simpler with emitting side.In addition, orifice plate can by mistake not separated.

Fig. 9-13 illustrates an ink jet device IJU of the ink-jet recording apparatus of one embodiment of the present of invention, an ink gun IJH, an ink container IT, an Inkjet Cartridge IJC, an ink gun bracket HC and a master component IJRA, and their mutual relationship.The structure of each element will be described below.

Can understand that from the skeleton view of Figure 10 the Inkjet Cartridge IJC of present embodiment has bigger dress China ink space, the end of ink sprayer IJU is outstanding slightly a bit from the front side surface of ink container IT.By suitable detent mechanism and electric contacts Inkjet Cartridge IJC is contained on the tram of ink gun bracket HC of master component IJRA of ink-jet recording apparatus (Figure 12), this is contained in following detailed description.In this embodiment, on ink-jet headstock HC, removably adorning mobilizable ink gun.Have many new features in the structure of in Fig. 9-13, being separated, below first general remark once:

(I) ink sprayer IJU:

Ink sprayer IJU is a kind of foam jet pen recorder, produces heat energy with thermoelectric sensor according to electric signal, makes China ink produce film boiling.

Referring to Fig. 9, ink sprayer comprises the heating plate 901 that has thermoelectric sensor (jet heater) and conductor wire, and thermoelectric sensor or draw is placed on the silicon substrate, and conductor wire is made by aluminium or similar material, is used for energized.Thermoelectric sensor and conductor wire are made by film shaped method.Terminal block 902 is connected with heating plate 901, and it includes the pad 903 corresponding to wiring of the wiring of heating plate 901 (for example, with bonding wire craft they being coupled together) and wiring one end, is used for receiving the electric signal from the pen recorder main part.

Top board 904 has groove, and these grooves define the next door that separates adjacent ink passage, and top board also has total liquid chamber that splendid attire will be fed to the logical China ink of each China ink.With the whole openings 905 of 904 one-tenth on top board, be used for receiving with ink container IT and import in total liquid chamber for the China ink that comes with China ink, top board 904 also with the orifice plate 906 that has corresponding to a plurality of inkjet mouths of ink passage.The material of whole mould is preferably polysulfones, but also available other mold pressing resin material.

Support component 907 usefulness for example metallic become, and it plays the effect of the back support of terminal block 902 in a plane, and constitute the base plate of ink sprayer IJU.908 one-tenth M shapes of one limit spring, its core pushes up total liquid chamber with little pressure, and the part that anchor clamps 909 also push up fluid passage with one heart with straight line pressure is near the part the ejiction opening preferably.Limit spring 908 has the pin that clamps heating plate 901 and top board 904, these wore on the back up pad 907 hole 913 and with back up pad and back side interlock mutually.The concentric acting force of pin by spring 908 and clamping plate 909 is clamped together heating plate 901 and top board 904 like this.Back up pad 907 has pilot hole 913,914 and 915, they can with two locating convex blocks 910 of ink container IT and location and fusion fixedly projection 911 and 912 be meshed.In addition, there is projection 916 and 917 to be used for the ink gun bracket HC location of relative master component IJRA at its rear side.

In addition, have a hole 320, ink supply pipes 918(below will describe in detail on the support component 907) pass this hole 320 so that ink supply from ink container.The material of terminal block 902 usefulness cementing agents and so on is bonded on the support component 907.Support component 907 is having groove 920 and 920 near locating convex block 917 and 917 places.

As shown in figure 10, the Inkjet Cartridge IJC that has assembled has the head of a protrusion, and its three sides have many parallel grooves 923 and 924.Groove 920 and 920 is positioned on the extended position of parallel slot of top side and bottom side, reaches projection 916 and 917 to stop the China ink and the exotic that move along groove.As shown in figure 12, the shell of the lid 925 formation Inkjet Cartridge IJC of parallel slot 923 is arranged, and a space of matching and settling ink sprayer IJU to limit with ink container.The ink supply element 926 that has parallel slot 924 has an ink-feeding tube 927, and it is connected with above-mentioned ink supply pipe 918, and the cantilever that becomes in ink supply pipe 918 1 sides stretches out.In order to guarantee to insert a link block 928 in the capillary action of the fixed edge and the confession buret 918 of ink-feeding tube 927.

Packing ring 929 seals the coupling part of ink container IT and ink supply pipe 918.Laid a filtrator 930 at the container side of ink supply pipe 918.This ink supply element 926 is by mould-forming, so the low and bearing accuracy height of its cost.In addition, the capillary structure of ink-feeding tube 927 has guaranteed the pressure contact between ink-feeding tube 927 and the ink entrance 905, even ink supply element 926 is also to be like this when producing by batch.

In this embodiment, as long as under the pressure contact condition, allow sealing cement flow through the ink supply component side simply, can guarantee full communicating state.By the pin (not shown) of ink supply element 926 dorsal parts being inserted through the hole 931 and 932 of support component, and the part hot melt that pin passes support component 907 dorsal parts can be fixed to ink supply element 926 on the support component 907.A little slightly parts of protruding behind the hot melt then are contained in ink sprayer IJU and go up in the groove (not shown) on the side that ink container IT is installed, thereby ink sprayer IJU can correctly locate.

(II) ink container IT

Ink container comprises a main body 933, blotting material 934 and lid 935.Blotting material 934 is packed into the main body 933 from ink sprayer IJU relative one side, limit being installed, and with lid 935 main body 933 is sealed then.

Blotting material 934 just is placed in the main body 933 like this.The effect of ink supply aperture 936 is that China ink is infeeded among the ink sprayer IJU that comprises above-mentioned part 901-906, and the effect that it also plays the inlet of ink-jet makes that being installed to main part 933 at ink sprayer IJU goes forward and can supply with blotting material 934 to the China ink that need to begin.

In this embodiment, can be by a blow vent and above-mentioned ink supply aperture supply China ink.For ink supply well, on the inside surface of main body 933, be provided with rib 937, and being provided with rib 916 and 920 on one side in the inside of lid 935, these ribs can form one effectively and extend to the ink-covered area of depositing away from the main body corner of ink supply aperture 936 continuously from the ventilation oral-lateral in ink container.

Therefore, in order to distribute China ink equably, preferably by ink supply aperture 936 supply China inks with good order.This ink supply method is effectively.In this embodiment, the number of rib 937 is four, and the bearing of trend of these ribs 937 parallels with the traffic direction of the bracket of close ink container main body back, thereby, prevented that absorbing material 934 from closely contacting with the inside surface of main body back.Rib 916 and 920 is located on the inside surface of lid 935, substantially on the extended position of rib 937, still, different with large-sized rib 937, rib 916 and 920 size are less to seem that they are branch buttress, so the space that holds air of rib 916 and 920 big than rib 937. Rib 916 and 920 is distributed on the whole area of lid 935, and this zone is smaller than half of the total area.Because it is be provided with these ribs,, can be by capillary action stable and reliably China ink is fed to ink entrance in the corner regions of ink supply aperture 926 blotting material farthest.Inkjet Cartridge is provided with a blow vent, can make the air communication of the inside and the outside of box.In blow vent 922 the insides, be placed with water-resistant material 922 and prevent that the China ink of the inside from draining to the outside by blow vent 922.

The black space of depositing in ink container IT is rectangle substantially, and its long side is to the bracket travel direction, and therefore, the structural arrangement of above-mentioned rib is effective especially.Direction of motion extension when long one side along bracket, perhaps when depositing black space one-tenth cube, these ribs are preferably disposed on the total inner surface of lid 935, so that stable from 934 ink supply of blotting material.From can hold this angle of China ink as much as possible in the space of limitation, cube structure is very desirable.But from using the minimum angle of China ink, these ribs will be arranged on mutual two surfaces at an angle.

In this embodiment, the internal rib 916 of ink container IT and 920 thickness directions along the blotting material that cube structure is arranged evenly distribute substantially.This structure is very important, because when the blotting material consumption, the gas pressure distribution in ink container IT is even, therefore the amount of remaining otiose China ink as many as zero.These ribs are preferably disposed on the position that is centered close to ink supply aperture 936 upper process on the cube blotting material top surface, and radius equals on one or several surface of circular arc outside on long limit of rectangle, therefore, can set up the air pressure of environment soon at this circular arc outside blotting material.The ventilation position of ink container IT is not limited to the position of present embodiment, as long as it helps surrounding air is imported to the position that rib is set.

In the present embodiment, the back of Inkjet Cartridge IJC is flat, therefore, when being contained in the ink discharge device, only requires very little space to it, and can guarantee the maximum black capacity of depositing.Therefore, dwindle the size of ink discharge device, and reduced to change the frequency of Inkjet Cartridge.Utilize the space at ink sprayer rear portion, one projection that has an air hole 921 is set, form an integral body with ink sprayer, the inside of this projection is empty substantially, and this empty space 938 is played along the thickness direction of blotting material and equably air infeeded effect among the ink container IT.Because above-mentioned these characteristics, this Inkjet Cartridge is on the whole better than common Inkjet Cartridge performance as one.Air supply space 938 is more much bigger than the air supply space in the common Inkjet Cartridge.In addition, blow vent 921 is at upper position, and therefore, if for some reason, China ink runs off the blotting material, and air supply space 938 can block China ink temporarily, and these China inks are sucked back in the blotting material again, therefore can save China ink, avoids unnecessary waste.

Referring to Figure 11, there is shown the surface structure of the ink container IT that ink sprayer IJU is installed.Two locating convex blocks 910 are on a straight line LI, and this straight line is passed in the approximate centre of the inkjet mouth group in the orifice plate 906, and are parallel to the basal surface of ink container IT or are parallel to the reference surface that bracket supports ink container.The thickness of the aspect ratio support component 907 of projection 910 is smaller slightly, and these projections 910 play the pinpoint effect of support component 907 energy that makes.Extend on the right in the drawings, and a claw 939 is arranged, the right angle mating surface 4002 of the location hook 4001 of bracket can with its interlock mutually.Therefore, the masterpiece that ink sprayer is located on bracket be used in one with comprise straight line L ₁The plane that parallels of reference planes in.These relations are very important, because the bearing accuracy of the inkjet mouth of ink container bearing accuracy and record-header is suitable, this point will illustrate below in conjunction with Figure 11 and Figure 12.

Grow than projection 910 corresponding to the fixed orifice 914 of a side that support component 907 is fixed to ink container IT and 915 projection 911 and 912.Therefore they pass the outside of support component 907, support component 907 are fixed on the side surface these projection fusings.A straight line L has drawn among the figure ₃Pass projection 911 and with straight line L ₁Vertically, also has another straight line L ₂Pass projection 912 and with straight line L ₁Vertically.The center of ink supply aperture 936 is at straight line L ₃On, being connected between ink supply aperture 936 and ink supply pipe 918 is stable, therefore, even Inkjet Cartridge falls down, perhaps when box was subjected to impulsive force, it is minimum that the suffered power in coupling part can reduce to.In addition, because line L ₂And L ₃Do not overlap, and projection 911 and 912 is arranged on the contiguous place near the projection 910 of the inkjet mouth of ink gun, has therefore further improved the bearing accuracy of ink sprayer with respect to ink container.In Figure 11, curve L ₄When expression is installed, the position of ink supply element 926 outer walls.Because projection 911 and 912 is along curve L ₄Arrange that these projections can provide enough physical strength and bearing accuracy effectively, prevent the influence of ink gun IJH end structure weight.

The end projection 940 of ink container IT can with the holes that form in the header board 4000 of bracket mutually interlock big displacement takes place to prevent print cartridge.One block 941 matches with the bar (not shown) of bracket HC, the position of (this will illustrate below) block 941 is lower than this bar when with method of rotation print cartridge IJC being installed correctly, therefore, even add that in rain one upwards tends to power that print cartridge is taken off from the tram, still can keep correct installment state.After ink sprayer IJU installs, lid 925 is covered on the ink container IT.Like this, except that lower curtate, ink sprayer IJU has been wrapped.But its bottom outlet allows that print cartridge IJC installs on the bracket, and close with underframe HC, and therefore, the hexagon of ink sprayer is all besieged.Be in the temperature that heat that the ink gun IJH in the enclosure space produced keeps this enclosure space effectively.

But if print cartridge IJC continuous working for a long time, then temperature increases a little.In order to offset this temperature rise, the top surface of print cartridge IJC is provided with a slit 942, and its width is littler than enclosure space, has increased natural heat radiation by this slit, thereby prevented temperature rise, the environment temperature state does not influence whole ink sprayer IJU even temperature distribution simultaneously.

After assembling Inkjet Cartridge IJC, by ink supply aperture 936, the hole 919 of support component 907 and in the import of the back of ink supply element 926 is fed to the black chamber of depositing of ink supply element 926 China ink in Inkjet Cartridge.China ink is again by outlet, and ink supply pipe and the ink entrance 905 that forms in top board 904 are fed in total chamber from the black chamber of depositing of ink supply element 926.The coupling part of ink passage with material seals such as silicon rubber or butyl rubbers to guarantee gas-tight seal.

In the present embodiment, top board 904 is by the resin material with ink resistance, as the polysulfones polyethersulfone, and polyphenylene oxides, or acrylic resin is made.It and orifice plate 906 Unitarily molded moulding in a mould.

As previously mentioned, this one-piece parts comprises ink supply element 926, top board 904, and orifice plate 906, other is linked to be whole part and ink container main body 933 with it.Therefore, improve assembly precision and be convenient to very much large-lot production.Therefore this apparatus parts number can guarantee good performance also than the much less in the common unit.

In the present embodiment, shown in Fig. 9-11, the structure of assembling back device makes the top 943 of ink supply element 926 match with an end at the top that has slit 942 and forms a slit S, as shown in figure 10.Then match with the charging side 4011 of thin plate in bottom 944, (lid 925 of ink container IT is bonded on this thin plate) formed the slit (not shown) of similar seam S like this.Slit between ink container IT and ink supply element 926 has increased heat radiation effectively, and has prevented that effectively the required pressure that is added to ink container IT from directly affacting on ink supply element or the ink sprayer IJT.

Above-mentioned various structure has advantage separately respectively, and when they combined, its effect was the most effective.

(III) is installed to Inkjet Cartridge IJC on the bracket HC.

Among Figure 12, inking roller 5000 passes recording medium P to the top from the bottom.Bracket HC can move along inking roller 5000.Bracket HC comprises a header board 4000, one electrical connector support plates 4003 and location hook 4001.The thickness of header board 4000 is 2mm, is positioned near the inking roller place.When Inkjet Cartridge IJC is contained on the bracket, 4000 front sides of header board near Inkjet Cartridge IJC.Back up pad 4003 supports soft board 4005 and rubber linings 4007, and soft board 4005 has the solder joint 903 corresponding solder joints 946 on the terminal block 902 with Inkjet Cartridge IJC, and rubber lining 4007 produces elastic force, and the back of soft board 4005 is pushed up on the pad 903.Location hook 4001 plays Inkjet Cartridge IJC is fixed to effect on the record position.Header board 4000 is provided with two locating convex block 916 and 917 corresponding location with the support component 907 of aforementioned Inkjet Cartridge and protrudes surface 4010.After installing Inkjet Cartridge, header board is subjected to perpendicular to the power of protruding surface 4010.Therefore, a plurality of stiffening rib (not shown) extend in the direction of header board towards ink roller one side along power.When Inkjet Cartridge IJC was installed, these ribs were from front side surface position L ₅A little towards inking roller (about 0.1mm), thereby they play the effect of ink gun protection projection.Back up pad 4003 is provided with the stiffening rib 4004 that extend perpendicular to the direction of rib of slab before above-mentioned on a plurality of edges.The height of stiffening rib 4004 reduces to the side near hook 4001 gradually from the side near inking roller.When installing, Inkjet Cartridge tilts, as shown in figure 12.

Back up pad 4003 just is provided with two additional locating surfaces 4006 near on the position of hook 4001 at the position, lower-left.Locating surface 4006 is equivalent to protrude surface 4010.By this additional locating surface 4006, Inkjet Cartridge is accepted the force direction opposite power suffered with above-mentioned location protuberate 4010, therefore electrically contacts to keep stablizing.Between protuberate 4010 up and down, be provided with the pad contact region, therefore can determine the deflection that rubber slab 4007 protrudes corresponding to contact point 946.When Inkjet Cartridge IJC was fixed on the record position, its locating surface contacted with the surface of support component 907.In this embodiment, the contact point 903 of support component 907 is with respect to above-mentioned line L ₁Therefore the distribution of symmetry makes the deflection of each protruding point of sheet rubber 4007 even, thereby makes the contact pressure of contact point 946 and 903 stable.In this embodiment, contact point 903 be arranged to two stringers and upper and lower each two walk crosswise.

Offer on the hook 4001 can with the slotted hole of fixed pin 4009 engagement.The mobilizable scope that relies on slotted hole to provide, hook can rotate along anticlockwise direction, and after this, it moves left along the direction of ink roller 5000 is past, and Inkjet Cartridge IJC is positioned on the bracket HC.Hook 4001 this bascules also can adopt other structure, but the most handy lever or similar structure.When hook 4001 rotated, moved the position of Inkjet Cartridge IJC one side from position shown in Figure 12 towards ink roller, and locating convex block 916 and 917 then enters into and locating surface 4010 contacted positions.Like this, when hook 4001 moved toward the left sides, hook surface 4002 contacted with the hook 939 of Inkjet Cartridge IJC, and Inkjet Cartridge IJC is when the contact point of 4010 of locating surface 916 and locating convex blocks rotates in a plane, and pad 903 and 946 is in contact with one another.When hook 4001 pins, when just being in fixing or locked position, between pad 903 and 946, between localization part 916 and 4010, between the vertical surface of vertical surface 4002 and hook, set up contact completely between support component 907 and locating surface 4006 simultaneously, therefore, Inkjet Cartridge IJC installs on the bracket fully.

(TV) Zhuan Zhi total layout

Figure 43 is to use the skeleton view of jet recording device of the present invention.Front and back rotating band nutating gear 5011 and 5009 by drive motor 5013 rotates screw rod 5005.Screw rod 5005 has spiral groove 5004, and the pin (not shown) of bracket HC matches with this groove, and bracket HC can be along direction a and b to-and-fro movement like this.Pressing board 5002 is limited to paper on the inking roller in the bracket range of movement. Final position sniffer 5007 and 5008 is photoelectricity idols, the detectable appearance that goes out the bar 5006 of bracket, and corresponding with the final position, the rotation direction of motor 5013 changes.Support component 5016 supports to the front side surface of record-header on the top cover 5022 that covers on the record-header.The effect of aspirator 5015 is record-header to be inhaled the hole 5023 of top cover, so that record-header is restored.

Cleaning foil 5017 is driven by motor element 5019, forwards, backwards motion.They are supported on the support frame 5018 of master component of device.Cleaning foil can be other shape, specifically can be a kind of known cleaning foil.Bar 5021 can cause the suction recovery operation and effectively with the motion campaign of the cam 5020 that is meshed with bracket, and the driving force of CD-ROM drive motor is by the device control of known gearing such as clutch coupling and so on.

In the present embodiment, when bracket takes the final position to by screw rod 5005, can finish lid, cleaning and suction operation.But the present invention also can be used in the system of another kind of type, and in this system, these operations are carried out in different time.These independent structures have advantage, they are integrated just more desirable.

Record-header shown in Figure 8 can be designed to the appearance of the Inkjet Cartridge shown in Fig. 9-11, and this Inkjet Cartridge is contained on the pen recorder shown in Figure 13.Verified it improved the positional precision of jet speed and ink droplet, therefore record is in good state.

The volume of ejection drop is enough, and therefore the density of duplicating is enough.

Figure 16 is the skeleton view of the record-header of second embodiment of the invention, and wherein hot plate 1610 adheres on the top board 1604.

Top board 1604 has ink passage groove 1606, also has an orifice plate 1602 that is provided with groove 1606 corresponding inkjet mouths (hole) 1603.The number in groove 1606 and hole 1603 can be determined as required.Only illustrate two groups for simplicity among the figure.Orifice plate 1602 is whole with 1604 one-tenth on top board.Among Figure 16, top board 1604 is by the polysulfones with good ink resistance, polyethersulfone, and polyphenylene oxides or acrylic resin are made.Top board 1604 and orifice plate 1602 Unitarily molded moulding in a mould simultaneously.

In this embodiment, the ink passage groove is trapezoidal perpendicular to the cross section of ink passage.Because such structure, laser beam can not blocked or block by cell wall, though at the diameter that increases laser beam so that the large scale squit hole to be provided, perhaps to tilt with respect to ink passage also be like this to laser beam.China ink stream is not because of the trapezoidal cross-section disturbance.In addition, the contact area between jet heater and the liquid increases, and therefore, when top board and heating plate bonding, can strengthen along the rectilinear direction upper plate of inkjet mouth and the skew tolerance limit between heating plate.

Ink passage is of a size of 40 microns at top in the present embodiment, 60 microns of bottoms and highly be 60 microns.Laser beam is with respect to ink passage inclination 5 degree.Ejiction opening has the xsect that is similar to ink passage.Figure 17 shows this example.Can understand that when can forming maximum sized squit hole when laser beam is not blocked for the ink passage wall, and when squit hole had with the similar structure of ink passage xsect, squit hole was 50% with the ratio of ink passage area.Like this, the jet orifice area is about a times (it and ink passage ratio are 24%) of circular inkjet mouth area.Therefore might be increased to the size of inkjet mouth and be 50% of ink passage cross-sectional area.Ink droplet can be by spraying the energy efficient ejection.

The ratio of inkjet mouth and ink passage cross-sectional area is different and different with the structure of ink passage.The inventor's experimental study shows that this ratio preferably is not less than 35% and be not higher than 60%.In test, used the structure of the xsect of various ink passages.If this ratio is lower than 35%, with taking place as the same situation of circular spray-hole, that is to say, the not enough situation of volume of the ink droplet that sprayed appears sometimes.If this ratio is greater than 60%, the inkjet mouth of inclination is bigger than the cross-sectional area of ink passage at the area by ink passage one side, and forms unsettled inkjet mouth structure.Like this, ink-jet instability.

When having the top board 604 of inkjet mouth that shape is similar to the shape of cross section of ink passage and assemble ink jet print head, the heating plate that has jet heater 1605 or a similar elements is close to and is adhered on the orifice plate 1602, as shown in figure 16.

In this case, similar with Fig. 8, do not need to require between top board and orifice plate, to position with bonding as common record-header.Thereby the mistake or the deviation of when bonding location can be avoided.Can reduce the number of projection and manufacturing process like this.This helps the large-lot production of record-header and reduces cost.In addition, the step that top board and orifice plate are bondd can not prevent that the bonded material of hole and ink passage from blocking.In addition, when heating plate 1601 gets up with top board 1604 bondings that have whole orifice plate 1602, can be by heating plate 1601 being clung to the location of finishing on the ejection side end face opposing end faces with orifice plate 1602 on the liquid flow path direction, therefore whole positioning step and installation step are more simple.In addition, orifice plate can by mistake not separated.

The record-header of Figure 16 can be made the Inkjet Cartridge as Fig. 9-11.The record-header of Figure 16 can be made into an Inkjet Cartridge, and Inkjet Cartridge is contained in again on the ink-jet duplicating machine that adopts reusable Inkjet Cartridge.

The record-header of Figure 16 can be contained in the Inkjet Cartridge shown in Fig. 9-11, and this Inkjet Cartridge is contained in the ink-jet recording apparatus of Figure 13, and it can obtain high density and visual clearly.

Referring to Figure 18 and Figure 19, the third embodiment of the present invention is described.In this embodiment, top board 1804 is provided with the ink passage groove 1806 of rectangular configuration, and the whole orifice plate 1802 of band jet orifice 1803 is arranged, and the shape of this jet orifice is similar to the shape of cross section of ink passage.The quantity of inkjet mouth and groove can be determined as requested.For simplicity, only illustrate two groups among the figure.The embodiment that combines Figure 16 and 17 explanations with the front is similar, and top board 1804 is mutually bonding with the heating plate 1801 that has heating resistive element 1805, to constitute a record-header.

As shown in figure 19, the ink passage cross sectional dimensions is 45 microns * 45 microns, and inkjet mouth is of a size of 32 microns * 32 microns (shape is similar).Inkjet mouth is 50% with the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ink passage.Be similar to the situation of record-header among Figure 16, this record-header can be used on and is used in the device shown in Figure 13 duplicating.The image that is write down has high density and enough sharpness.

Figure 20 shows the record-header of four embodiment of the invention, and wherein hot plate 2001 bonds together with top board 2004.

The top board 2004 of this embodiment is provided with ink passage groove 2006, and has the orifice plate 2002 that becomes integral body with it, and this orifice plate 2002 is provided with and the corresponding inkjet mouth of ink passage groove (hole) 2003.The number in groove and hole can be determined as required, for simplicity, only illustrates two groups among the figure.

In structure shown in Figure 20, top board 2004 is made by polysulfones, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene oxides and acrylic resin with good ink resistance.Top board 2004 is simultaneously molded in a mould with orifice plate 2002.

In this embodiment, the xsect of ink passage is trapezoidal.Similar with the embodiment of front with trapezoidal ink passage, adopt this structure can prevent that laser beam from being blocked by the ink passage wall, even when increasing the size of laser beam or laser beam and reduce with respect to the pitch angle of ink passage for the size that increases inkjet mouth, laser beam can not blocked by the wall of ink passage yet.The structure of this ink passage can't hinder China ink stream.And China ink has increased with the contact area of jet heater, therefore, when top board and heating plate are bonding, can strengthen along the tolerance limit of positioning error on the direction of the straight line of inkjet mouth.In addition, as desired, the contact area that increases between China ink and the well heater is needed just.Figure 21 illustrates the details of inkjet mouth structure.As shown in FIG., the excimer laser beam just projects on the orifice plate 2103 from ink passage 2,006 one sides from behind, and this excimer laser beam 2101 is passed has the eclipser 2102 that sexangle transmits pattern (as shown in figure 22).This excimer laser beam 2101 gathers on the optical axis 2105 with the angle of every side 2 degree (θ 1), and laser beam becomes angle (θ 2) inclination of 5 degree with optical axis 2105 and the direction perpendicular to orifice plate 2103.The emission angle of laser is not limited to top scope, but considers the jet angle of jet orifice, and this angle preferably is not less than about 3 degree and is not more than 20 degree.

In this embodiment, optical lens system reduces to 1/3rd to the size of shading style.Ink passage is of a size of 100 microns at top, 140 microns of bottoms, high 100 microns (trapezoidal).Eclipser is the parallel flat of synthetic quartz system, and the aluminium evaporation deposition is on it, and formation has D ₂The symmetric hexagonal style 210 of h.Its number equals the number of jet orifice, for simplicity, only illustrates two among the figure.When optical system of stating in the use and top board, when forming circular jet orifice, provide maximum jet orifice size by a eclipser with transmission district of 30 micron diameters.The area of the jet orifice that is formed by the eclipser that has above-mentioned sexangle style is than having the circular formed area of eclipser big approximately 40% that transmits area.When usefulness was formed record-header with the orifice plate of this inkjet mouth structure, the heating plate 2001 that has heating resistive element 2005 or like was attached to orifice plate 2002 and bonds to the top of it and the formation record-header.

Similar with the embodiment of front, do not require as common pen recorder and carry out location between top board and orifice plate and bonding like this, just do not have the problem of positioning error.Reduce waste product like this, also reduced the number of manufacturing process.This is to large-lot production and to reduce cost be favourable.Because the bonding process between top board and base plate has not needed, therefore prevented from jet orifice and ink passage to be blocked owing to entering binding material or cementing agent.In case when heating plate 2001 is bonded together with the top board that has whole orifice plate 2002, just can be attached to heating plate to finish along the location on the channel direction on orifice plate 2002 and the surperficial relative end surfaces of ejection side and make whole location and assembly process become simpler.In addition, orifice plate can by mistake not separated.

Record-header can be packed in the Inkjet Cartridge shown in Fig. 9-11.This Inkjet Cartridge can be reusable, and can be contained on as shown in figure 13 the ink-jet duplicating machine, and in the realization, copying operation is to finish by being contained in the Inkjet Cartridge that has said structure in Figure 13 duplicating machine.The quality of duplicating is fine.

The present invention is particularly suitable for foam jet record-header and the pen recorder by CANON (Canon Kabushiki Kaisha) exploitation.Because it can obtain high density image and high resolution records.

The typical structure of best device and principle of work disclose in United States Patent (USP) 4723129 and No. 4740796.Its principle can be applied to so-called instant playback type register system and continuous type register system, be specially adapted to instant playback type register system, because its principle is that at least one drive signal is added to a thermoelectric sensor, this thermoelectric sensor is configured on retaining liquid (China ink) plate or the fluid passage, this drive signal enough produces the temperature rise fast that exceeds nucleateboiling point, thermoelectric sensor provides heat energy whereby, make heating part produce film boiling at record-header, thereby, in liquid (China ink), can produce a bubble corresponding to each drive signal.Development by bubble and breaking, liquid (China ink) produces at least one ink droplet from the jet orifice ejection.Drive signal is a pulse signal preferably, like this can be instantaneous make the bubble development and breaks, with the liquid (China ink) of reaction ejection fast.The drive signal of impulse form is preferably as disclosed in United States Patent (USP) 4463359 and No. 4345262.In addition, the temperature rise speed of the area of heating surface is preferably as disclosed in the United States Patent (USP) 4313124.

The structure of record-header can be that wherein heating part is configured in sweep as shown in United States Patent (USP) 4558333 and 4459600, adds inkjet mouth, ink passage and thermoelectric sensor structure combining as above-mentioned patent disclosure.In addition, the present invention also can use disclosed structure in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 123670/1984 and No. 138461/1984, the former is with the inkjet mouth of a public slit as one group of thermoelectric sensor, and the latter is provided with an opening in the place corresponding to inkjet mouth, is used for absorbing the pressure wave of heat energy.This is because no matter what type record-header is, the present invention can finish to high efficient and reliable recording operation.

The present invention also can use the solid line type record-header that length is equivalent to the dominant record width effectively.This record-header can comprise unirecord head and a plurality of record-header reflex cover tape width of mixing.

The present invention also can be used for a kind of series type record-header, wherein record-header is fixed on the master component, also can be used for removable sheet record-header, and this record-header and main device are electrically connected, but it is contained in just ink supply on the master component, and it also can be used for having the box type record head of whole ink container.

The servicing unit that restoring means and preparatory function are set is desirable, because they can further stablize effect of the present invention.These devices comprise the cover device cleaning device of record-header press to inhale device, with spraying thermoelectric sensor or adding the preheating device of additional heating element composition with the injection thermoelectric sensor, be not the ink discharge device in advance that is used in recording operation, it can be operated with stable recording.

The kind of relevant removably record-header, it can be a single head corresponding to single color China ink, or corresponding to a plurality of heads of the multiple China ink material of different recording color or density.The present invention also can be used for having at least a device of following various forms effectively, promptly be mainly the monochromatic type of mass colour, the polychrome type that has the different colours China ink to expect, in at least a device by the panchromatic mode of planting earlier the blend of colors thing, this device can be a kind of the form whole register or combination of a plurality of record-headers.

In addition, China ink is a liquid in the above-described embodiment.But, China ink also can be room temperature or more solidify under the low temperature and when room temperature is above the China ink material of liquefaction.Because in ink-jet recording system, black temperature control produces stable injection being not less than 30 ℃ and be not higher than in 70 ℃ the scope so can stablize black viscosity.In common this pen recorder, China ink is a liquid in the temperature range when being applied with tracer signal.In addition, prevented the temperature rise that heat energy causes reliably,, solidified when perhaps making China ink be sprayed onto on the recording materials to prevent the volatilization of China ink because thermal energy consumption is being transformed into solid-state China ink on the liquid state.No matter under that a kind of situation, when being applied with the tracer signal that produces heat energy, China ink just liquefies, and the China ink of liquefaction is ejected.And when China ink reached on the recording materials, China ink began to solidify.The present invention is used in and is applied with the ink material that heat energy just can liquefy.The through hole or this black material in the groove that form at porous plate can keep liquid or solid-state, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 56847/1979 and No. 71260/1985.Porous plate is towards thermoelectric sensor.Disclosed China ink expects that efficient system is the film boiling system in the above-mentioned patent.

Ink-jet recording apparatus can be used as the outlet terminal of information processing equipment (as computing machine or similar device), has the copy device or the similar device of figure image reader, perhaps has the facsimile recorder of information transmission and receiving function.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to structure disclosed herein, but is not limited to above-mentioned these details, the present invention includes various remodeling or the variations of carrying out for improvement purpose, perhaps below all claims.

Claims (3)

1, a kind of ink gun comprises: an inkjet mouth; An ink passage that is connected with described inkjet mouth; Be used for China ink in the heated ink passage so that state-transition takes place China ink, comprise generating foam and element by the black generation ink-jet energy of described ink passage ejection, it is characterized in that:

The xsect of described inkjet channel is trapezoidal, and the element of described generation ink-jet energy is provided in a side of on one side longer in the trapezoidal parallel edges in place.

2,, it is characterized in that it also has the Inkjet Cartridge that China ink is fed to the ink container of described record-header according to the ink gun of claim 1.

3, use is characterized in that also comprising the device that supports recording materials according to the ink-jet recording apparatus of the ink gun of claim 1, and these recording materials are used for receiving the China ink by described inkjet mouth ejection.

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