EP0076708B1 - Druckkopf mit mehreren Düsen, für einen Tintenstrahldrucker nach Art der gesteuerten Tröpfchenerzeugung - Google Patents

Druckkopf mit mehreren Düsen, für einen Tintenstrahldrucker nach Art der gesteuerten Tröpfchenerzeugung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0076708B1
EP0076708B1 EP19820305345 EP82305345A EP0076708B1 EP 0076708 B1 EP0076708 B1 EP 0076708B1 EP 19820305345 EP19820305345 EP 19820305345 EP 82305345 A EP82305345 A EP 82305345A EP 0076708 B1 EP0076708 B1 EP 0076708B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
print head
reservoir
nozzles
pressure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19820305345
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0076708A3 (en
EP0076708A2 (de
Inventor
Hiromichi Fukuchi
Toyoji Ushioda
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NEC Corp
Original Assignee
NEC Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP15994581A external-priority patent/JPS5859856A/ja
Priority claimed from JP15994781A external-priority patent/JPS5859857A/ja
Priority claimed from JP7198382A external-priority patent/JPS58187367A/ja
Priority claimed from JP7198682A external-priority patent/JPS58187368A/ja
Priority claimed from JP7198582A external-priority patent/JPS58187362A/ja
Application filed by NEC Corp filed Critical NEC Corp
Publication of EP0076708A2 publication Critical patent/EP0076708A2/de
Publication of EP0076708A3 publication Critical patent/EP0076708A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0076708B1 publication Critical patent/EP0076708B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2/14201—Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements
    • B41J2/14233—Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2002/14379—Edge shooter
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
    • B41J2202/01—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads
    • B41J2202/07—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads dealing with air bubbles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a drop-on-demand type ink-jet print head, and more particularly to a multi-nozzle ink-jet print head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in line.
  • ink when an ink droplet is not ejected, ink is maintained in a state of equilibrium, so that it does not flow through the nozzles, based on the balance between the static pressure of the ink in an ink reservoir and the surface tension of the ink in the nozzles. As the number of nozzles increases, the pressure difference tends to increase. This causes the pressure balance to be broken, whereby the ink flows out through the nozzles. Further, when the static pressure in the ink reservoir undergoes a change due to wide variations in operating conditions such as a large change in temperature, the state of equilibrium is broken, and the ink drips from the nozzles.
  • the previously proposed multi-nozzle ink-jet print head is equipped with a pressure detector in the ink reservoir to detect the minute pressure change caused by the ink ejection.
  • the output of the pressure detector is used for turning an automatic valve on or off in order to supply ink from the ink reservoir to pressure chambers. This arrangement complicates the print head.
  • An object of the present invention is the provision of an ink jet print head which is less likely to suffer from the undesired dripping of the ink from the nozzles than are previously proposed heads.
  • the object is achieved by a print head as defined in claim 1.
  • a multi-nozzle ink-jet print head has previously been proposed in U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,158,847.
  • This previously proposed head has a plurality of jets, each jet comprising a passage extending from a source of printing liquid to a printing location and each passage having a part incorporating a piezo-electric drive element and a corresponding part in a throttle plate which forms a part of a capillary filter device.
  • the throttle plate restricts the flow of ink from an ink distributor to the passages.
  • jets are fed via respective passages which are connected to a common ink supply path having a face exposed to ink in a reservoir without any restriction.
  • a common ink supply path having a face in unrestricted direct contact with the ink in the reservoir minimises the effect of and variation in the level of ink in the reservoir and enables a smooth supply of ink to the jets to be maintained.
  • a feature of the embodiments of the invention is the provision of a multi-nozzle ink-jet print head of drop-on demand type in which the ink is maintained in a state of equilibrium based upon the surface tension of the ink in the nozzles.
  • Another feature is the provision of a multi-nozzle ink-jet print head having a comparatively simple construction.
  • a further feature is the provision of a multi-nozzle ink-jet print head in which substantially no air enters via the nozzles to the pressure chambers.
  • a multi-nozzle ink-jet print head of the drop-on-demand type in which a plurality of ink ejection channels having a plurality of nozzles and pressure chambers are connected to a common ink reservoir through an ink-supply path.
  • the ink supply path has a dimension small enough to provide capillarity. The ink is supplied from the ink reservoir to the ejection chamber owing to the capillarity.
  • the previously proposed multi-nozzle ink-jet printer shown in Fig. 1 comprises a plurality of ink ejection channels having pressure chambers 104 provided between nozzles 101 and an ink reservoir 105 in a substrate 100.
  • a thin flexible upper plate 102 made of a glass ceramic or stainless steel is adhesively fixed on to the substrate 100.
  • Electromechanical transducer elements 103 such as piezoelectric elements, are fastened to the upper plate 102 at positions coresponding to the pressure chambers 104.
  • a multi-nozzle ink-jet head comprises nozzles 101, pressure chambers 104, and a common ink reservoir 105 provided on the substrate 100.
  • capacity regions 111 of small volume between the nozzles 101 and the pressure chambers 104 to enable stable ink droplets to be formed and to prevent air bubbles entering via the nozzles 101 to the pressure chambers 104.
  • an ink-supply path 200 of small depth between the pressure chambers 104 and the ink reservoir 105, there is an ink-supply path 200 of small depth.
  • the ink-supply path 200 is formed by etching and has a depth 12 of about 0.04 to 0.4 mm. Owing to the capillarity of the path 200, ink can be supplied satisfactorily from the common ink reservoir 105 to the respective ink ejection channels, each of which comprises the pressure chamber 104, the capacity region 111, and the nozzle 101.
  • the ink which is supplied from an inktank204, is temporarily stored in the ink reservoir 105 before rising through the ink supply path 200, owing to capillary action, and passing to the pressure chamber 104.
  • ink of an amount corresponding to the amount ejected is supplied through theink supply path 200 to the pressure chamber 104. Therefore, ink can be supplied without being affected by variations in the static pressure of ink in the ink reservoir 105. This means that the number of the nozzles can be increased considerably compared with known arrangements.
  • the ink reservoir 105 operates only to store the ink temporarily, it is unnecessary to control the static pressure of ink exactly and it is possible to employ a simplified control system.
  • the variation in pressure in the pressure chamber 104 is increased, whereby the entry of air bubbles from the nozzles is rendered more likely. Air bubbles which might enter via the nozzles 101, however, remain in the capacity regions 111, and are thereby prevented from entering the pressure chambers 104. This means that the pressure chambers 104 can operate normally. The air bubbles remaining in the capacity region 111 can be easily pushed out by repeating the ejecting operation, thereby increasing the droplet forming frequency to about 3000 dots/sec.
  • the pressure chambers 104 and the inksupply path 200 have the same depth from the viewpoint of etching cost. Further, in our experience, the best practical result is obtained when the ink supply path 200 has a depth 1 2 of 0.05 to 0.2 mm and a width w of 0.5 to 3 mm.
  • the capacity region 111 it is desirable for the capacity region 111 to have a width of 1.3 to 3 times as wide as that of the nozzle 101 and a length of 1.0 to 8.0 mm.
  • the best practical result has been obtained with a width of 0.13-0.3 mm and a length of 1.0-5.0 mm.
  • the first embodiment further comprises an air vent 202 to which one end of a liquid level meter 203 is connected.
  • the other end of the liquid level meter 203 is open to the air through a mesh filter 206 having a mesh opening of about 5 pm.
  • a mesh filter may be provided in an outlet 207 of the ink tank 204 to prevent particles entering into the ink within the ink reservoir 105.
  • the height of the surface 208 of ink in the liquid meter 203 represents the head pressure of the ink in the pressure chamber 104 and the ink reservoir 105.
  • a difference in height between the nozzles 101 and the ink surface 208 represents the head pressure difference H' ofthe inkin the inkreservoir 105.
  • h a permitted head pressure difference
  • upper and lower level sensors 209 and 210 are positioned at upper and lower positions spaced apart by h and -h respectively from the reference level 0-0' representing the height of the nozzles 101.
  • Each of the level sensors 209 and 210 may be constituted by two electrodes positioned apart from each other, or a combination of a light emitting diode (LED) and a photo transistor.
  • LED light emitting diode
  • the sensors 209 and 210 are coupled to a liquid level controller 301, which is connected to a valve driver 302.
  • the valve driver 302 drives a valve 211 such as an electromagnetic valve to control the ink supply from an ink tank 204 to the ink reservoir 105 as will be described hereinafter.
  • the ink in the ink tank 204 can be supplied to the ink reservoir 105 without using ink pressure means such as a pump.
  • the controller 301 controls the valve driver 302 to turn on the valve 211 so that ink is supplied from the ink tank 204 through the pipe 205 and an inlet channel 201 to the ink reservoir 105, thereby to increase the static pressure in the ink reservoir 105.
  • the controller 301 causes the valve driver 302 to turn off the valve 211 so that the supply of ink is stopped, thereby to stop the static pressure increasing.
  • the controller 301 By ejecting the droplets during printing, the static pressure is decreased and the ink surface 208 is lowered.
  • the controller 301 again controls the valve driver 302 to turn on the valve 211. This operation is repeated to maintain the head pressure difference H' in the range of ⁇ h.
  • the second embodiment includes a liquid level sensor 401 having electrodes 401Aand 401 B, arranged spaced apartfrom each other in the ink reservoir 105, and a valve controller 402, instead of the sensors 209 and 210 and the combination of the controller 301 and the valve driver 302 employed in the first embodiment, respectively.
  • the controller 402 causes the valve 211 to be turned on, thereby to supply ink from the ink tank 204 to the ink reservoir 105.
  • the capacity regions 111 which act as a buffer or store between the nozzles 101 and the pressure chambers 104, may incorporate features designed to inhibit still further the entry of air and unwanted outflow of ink.

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Claims (8)

1. Bedarfs-Tintenstrahldruckkopf zum Ausstoßen von Tintentröpfchen mit:
mehreren Düsen (101) zum Ausstoßen von Tintentröpfchen,
einem Tintenbehälter (105), und
mehreren zwischen den Düsen (101) und dem Tintenbehälter (105) angeordneten Druckkammern (104) zum Ausüben von Druck auf die von dem Tintenbehälter (105) gelieferte Tinte, so daß aus den Düsen (101) Tintentröpfchen ausgestoßen werden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
zwischen den Druckkammern (104) und dem Tintenbehälter (105) gemeinsam mit den mehreren Druckkammern eine gemeinsame Tintenzufuhrleitung (200) angeordnet ist, deren eine Seite direkt der Tinte in dem Behälter (105) ausgesetzt ist, zum Liefern von Tinte aus dem Tintenbehälter (105) an die Druckkammer (104) mittels Kapillarität.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Tiefe der Tintenzufuhrleitung (200) kleiner als die des Tintenbehälters (105) ist.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Tintenzufuhrleitung (200) eine Tiefe von 0,04-0,4 mm aufweist.
4. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Tiefen I1,I2 und I3 einer Düse (101), des Tintenzufuhrweges (200) und des Tintenbehälters (105) die folgende Beziehung erfüllen:
Figure imgb0006
5. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Tiefen 11, 12 und 13 0,04 bis 0,4 mm, 0,04 bis 0,4 mm bzw. 0,5 bis 3 mm betragen.
6. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß zwischen den Düsen (101) und den Druckkammern (104) Kapazitätsbereiche (111) angeordnet sind, wobei die Kapazitätsbereiche in ihren Abmessungen kleiner als die Druckkammern (104) sind.
7. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß zum Detektieren einer Kopf-Druckdifferenz an den Tintenbehälter (105) eine Flüssigkeitsspiegel-Meßeinrichtung (203) angeordnet ist.
8. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 7, gekennzeichnet durch einen Tintentank (204) zum Liefern von Tinte und einem zwischen dem Tintentank (204) und dem Tintenbehälter (105) angeordneten Ventil (211), wobei das Ventil (211) in Abhängigkeit von Änderungen der Kopf-Druckdifferenz gesteuert wird.
EP19820305345 1981-10-07 1982-10-07 Druckkopf mit mehreren Düsen, für einen Tintenstrahldrucker nach Art der gesteuerten Tröpfchenerzeugung Expired EP0076708B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (10)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP159945/81 1981-10-07
JP159947/81 1981-10-07
JP15994581A JPS5859856A (ja) 1981-10-07 1981-10-07 インクジエツト式印字ヘツド
JP15994781A JPS5859857A (ja) 1981-10-07 1981-10-07 インクジエツト式印字ヘツド
JP7198382A JPS58187367A (ja) 1982-04-28 1982-04-28 マルチノズル印字ヘツド
JP71986/82 1982-04-28
JP7198682A JPS58187368A (ja) 1982-04-28 1982-04-28 マルチノズル印字ヘツド
JP71985/82 1982-04-28
JP71983/82 1982-04-28
JP7198582A JPS58187362A (ja) 1982-04-28 1982-04-28 インク圧力制御装置

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0076708A2 EP0076708A2 (de) 1983-04-13
EP0076708A3 EP0076708A3 (en) 1984-05-23
EP0076708B1 true EP0076708B1 (de) 1987-02-04

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19820305345 Expired EP0076708B1 (de) 1981-10-07 1982-10-07 Druckkopf mit mehreren Düsen, für einen Tintenstrahldrucker nach Art der gesteuerten Tröpfchenerzeugung

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0076708B1 (de)
DE (1) DE3275366D1 (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5812165A (en) * 1991-08-29 1998-09-22 Hewlett-Packard Company Leak resistant ink-jet pen
US5489925A (en) * 1993-05-04 1996-02-06 Markem Corporation Ink jet printing system
KR100374204B1 (ko) * 2000-05-03 2003-03-04 한국과학기술원 2차원 노즐배치를 갖는 잉크젯 프린트헤드 및 그 제조방법

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3946398A (en) * 1970-06-29 1976-03-23 Silonics, Inc. Method and apparatus for recording with writing fluids and drop projection means therefor
US3835881A (en) * 1972-12-29 1974-09-17 Dick Co Ab Method for controlling ink characteristics
US4158847A (en) * 1975-09-09 1979-06-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Piezoelectric operated printer head for ink-operated mosaic printer units
US4216477A (en) * 1978-05-10 1980-08-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Nozzle head of an ink-jet printing apparatus with built-in fluid diodes
DE2842594C2 (de) * 1978-09-29 1982-05-27 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Anordnung zum Versorgen eines Tintenschreibkopfes mit Tintenflüssigkeit

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Publication number Publication date
DE3275366D1 (en) 1987-03-12
EP0076708A3 (en) 1984-05-23
EP0076708A2 (de) 1983-04-13

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