EP0945272A2 - Druckkopf für einen Tintenstrahldrucker - Google Patents

Druckkopf für einen Tintenstrahldrucker Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0945272A2
EP0945272A2 EP99106319A EP99106319A EP0945272A2 EP 0945272 A2 EP0945272 A2 EP 0945272A2 EP 99106319 A EP99106319 A EP 99106319A EP 99106319 A EP99106319 A EP 99106319A EP 0945272 A2 EP0945272 A2 EP 0945272A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
filter
ink
print head
ink passage
resin
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99106319A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0945272A3 (de
Inventor
Tatsuya Kusumi
Koichi Tanaka
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.)
Fujifilm Business Innovation 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
Application filed by NEC Corp filed Critical NEC Corp
Publication of EP0945272A2 publication Critical patent/EP0945272A2/de
Publication of EP0945272A3 publication Critical patent/EP0945272A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/1752—Mounting within the printer
    • B41J2/17523—Ink connection
    • 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
    • B41J2/17563—Ink filters

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an ink jet printer and more particularly to a print head for an ink jet printer including an ink passage whose wall is treated to obviate defective ink ejection.
  • Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-278829 proposes to implement hydrophilicity by causing ozone with a preselected concentration to flow through the ink passage.
  • Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-290714 teaches that an aqueous solution of an organic emulsion is circulated through the ink passage and then dried.
  • the above hydrophilicity of the wall of the ink passage is directed toward high wettability of the ink passage, i.e., smooth flow of the ink and bubbles contained therein.
  • This kind of scheme allows a minimum of bubbles to remain in the ink passage and obstruct ink ejection when the ink passage is filled with the ink.
  • a print head for an ink jet printer includes a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink, an ink passage fluidly communicated to the nozzles, and a filter disposed in the ink passage.
  • the ink passage has a hydrophobic wall upstream of the filter and a hydrophilic wall downstream of the filter. If desired, the ink passage may have a part upstream of the filter formed of a hydrophobic resin and a part downstream of the filter formed of a hydrophilic resin.
  • a print head for an ink jet printer embodying the present invention is shown.
  • the print head includes a joint portion 2 to which a cartridge 1 storing ink is removably connected.
  • An ink passage extends from the joint portion 2 and includes a bubble collecting portion 3.
  • the bubble collecting portion 3 has a greater sectional area than the other portion of the ink passage.
  • a filter is disposed in the bubble collecting portion 3 and implemented by, e.g., a metallic mesh.
  • a common ink chamber 5 is communicated to the bubble collecting portion 3.
  • a nozzle portion 6 has a plurality of pressure chambers therein.
  • a pump 8 When a pump 8 is operated, it sucks the ink stored in the cartridge 1 into the print head via a cap 7. Specifically, the ink is fed from the cartridge 1 to the joint portion 2 and then flows into the bubble collecting portion 3 via an upstream path 3a (see FIG. 2) upstream of the filter 4. The ink flows from the bubble collecting chamber 3 to the common chamber 5 via the filter 4 and a downstream path 3b (see FIG. 2) downstream of the filter 4 and then to the nozzle portion 6.
  • the maximum sectional area of the bubble collecting portion 3, i.e., the effective sectional area of the filter 4 is about ⁇ 4 to ⁇ 6 while the upstream path 3a and downstream path 3b each have a sectional area of about ⁇ 1.
  • the wall extending from the upstream path 3a to the filter 4 and the wall extending from the filter 4 to the downstream path 3b each are provided with a smooth continuous surface.
  • the filter 4 is implemented by a metallic mesh having a mesh size of 1,500 to 2,400 mesh/inch.
  • the ink passage is formed by two separate members positioned on both sides of the filter 4.
  • a hydrophobic film and a hydrophilic film are respectively formed on the surfaces of the two members.
  • Such two members are combined with the intermediary of the filter 4 so as to form the bubble collecting portion 3.
  • the inside surfaces of the joint portion, upstream path 3a and upstream part of the bubble collecting portion 3 are subjected to hydrophobic treatment using, e.g., a fluoric solvent in order to form a hydrophobic film 9.
  • the inside surfaces of the downstream part of the bubble collecting portion 3, downstream path 3b, common ink chamber 5 and nozzle portion 6 are subjected to hydrophilic treatment in order to form a hydrophilic film 10.
  • the two members separate from each other are bonded together by heat with the intermediary of the filter 4, thereby forming the ink passage.
  • bonding using heat for connecting the two members may be replaced with adhesion using adhesive or solvent or even with ultrasonic deposition.
  • FIG. 3 shows a modified form of the illustrative embodiment.
  • the upstream path 3a and upstream part of the bubble collecting portion 3 are implemented as a single molding of fluorocarbon resin, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or similar hydropnobic resin 11.
  • the downstream part of the bubble collecting portion 3, downstream path 3b, common ink chamber 5 and nozzle portion 6 is also implemented as a single molding of nylon resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin or similar hydrophilic resin 12.
  • the two moldings are bonded by heat or otherwise conneoted together with the intermediary of the filter 4, as in the above embodiment.
  • bubbles flown from the cartridge 1 into the bubble collecting portion 3 also float in the portion 3 due to buoyancy and gather on the surface of the hydrophobic resin 11 forming the upstream part of the ink passage. This is also successful to achieve the advantage described in relation to the illustrative embodiment.
  • a piezoelectric element varies its volume when a voltage is applied thereto.
  • the print head includes small chambers restricted at opposite ends thereof. When any one of the small chambers is compressed by the associated piezoelectric element, the ink is ejected from the restricted end of the chamber in the form of a drop.
  • the ink passage formed in the print head includes the bubble collecting portion 3 having a smooth continuous surface and greater in sectional area than the other part of the ink passage.
  • the metallic mesh or similar filter 4 is disposed in the bubble collecting portion 3.
  • the upstream part and downstream part of the ink passage with respect to the filter 4 are respectively subjected to hydrophobic treatment and hydrophilic treatment or respectively bodily formed of hydrophobic resin and hydrophilic resin. It follows that the flow rate of bubbles flowing from the cartridge 1 into the bubble collecting portion 3 is low enough for the bubbles to float due to buoyancy. This allows the bubbles to easily gather on the surface of the hydrophobic part of the ink passage.
  • the filter 4 itself serves to stop the bubbles and prevents them from reaching the part of the ink passage downstream of the filter 4 or the nozzle portion 6.
  • the hydrophilic surface downstream of the filter 4 allows a minimum of bubbles to deposit thereon, The bubbles can therefore be easily removed from the print head.
  • the piezoelectric elements used to drive the print head may be replaced with electrothermal transducers, if desired.
  • the present invention provides a print head for an ink jet printer capable of reducing the deposition of bubbles on a nozzle portion and thereby insuring desirable printing free from defective ink ejection.
  • This advantage is derived from a unique configuration in which an ink passage has a hydrophobic wall upstream of a filter and a hydrophilic wall downstream of the filter.

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
EP99106319A 1998-03-27 1999-03-26 Druckkopf für einen Tintenstrahldrucker Withdrawn EP0945272A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2824898 1998-03-27
JP2824898 1998-03-27

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0945272A2 true EP0945272A2 (de) 1999-09-29
EP0945272A3 EP0945272A3 (de) 2000-01-26

Family

ID=12243288

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99106319A Withdrawn EP0945272A3 (de) 1998-03-27 1999-03-26 Druckkopf für einen Tintenstrahldrucker

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0945272A3 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1090768A2 (de) * 1999-10-06 2001-04-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Tintenstrahldrucker mit Anschlussblock der automatisch in einem Filter gefangene Blasen entfernt
EP1106363A2 (de) * 1999-12-06 2001-06-13 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Zuführbahn und Behälter für Aufzeichnungsflüssigkeit, damit ausgestattete Vorrichtung, sowie Verfahren zur Änderung der Oberfläche der Vorrichtung
EP1403059A3 (de) * 2002-09-24 2004-10-13 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tintenstrahlkopfreinigung mittels einer Konservierungsflüssigkeit von einem Puffertank
CN115384194A (zh) * 2022-10-31 2022-11-25 季华实验室 打印机的油墨过滤装置和打印机

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH04173345A (ja) 1990-11-08 1992-06-22 Seiko Epson Corp インクジェット記録ヘッド
JPH05345419A (ja) 1992-06-15 1993-12-27 Sharp Corp インクジェット記録ヘッド
JPH0640040A (ja) 1992-07-24 1994-02-15 Citizen Watch Co Ltd インクジェットプリントヘッド用ノズル板
JPH07276629A (ja) 1994-04-12 1995-10-24 Fuji Electric Co Ltd インクジェット記録ヘッドの親水処理方法およびその装置
JPH07290714A (ja) 1994-04-28 1995-11-07 Seikosha Co Ltd インクジェットヘッドの製造方法

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH02239939A (ja) * 1989-03-14 1990-09-21 Nec Corp 記録ヘッド
JPH06340071A (ja) * 1993-06-01 1994-12-13 Sharp Corp インキジェットプリンタの記録ヘッド、およびその製造方法ならびにインキジェットプリンタ
JP3168122B2 (ja) * 1993-09-03 2001-05-21 キヤノン株式会社 インクジェットヘッド及び該インクジェットヘッドを備えたインクジェット記録装置
US6196673B1 (en) * 1997-04-04 2001-03-06 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink-jet recording device
JP3484932B2 (ja) * 1997-06-23 2004-01-06 セイコーエプソン株式会社 インクジェット式記録装置

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH04173345A (ja) 1990-11-08 1992-06-22 Seiko Epson Corp インクジェット記録ヘッド
JPH05345419A (ja) 1992-06-15 1993-12-27 Sharp Corp インクジェット記録ヘッド
JPH0640040A (ja) 1992-07-24 1994-02-15 Citizen Watch Co Ltd インクジェットプリントヘッド用ノズル板
JPH07276629A (ja) 1994-04-12 1995-10-24 Fuji Electric Co Ltd インクジェット記録ヘッドの親水処理方法およびその装置
JPH07290714A (ja) 1994-04-28 1995-11-07 Seikosha Co Ltd インクジェットヘッドの製造方法

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1090768A2 (de) * 1999-10-06 2001-04-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Tintenstrahldrucker mit Anschlussblock der automatisch in einem Filter gefangene Blasen entfernt
EP1090768A3 (de) * 1999-10-06 2001-09-26 Seiko Epson Corporation Tintenstrahldrucker mit Anschlussblock der automatisch in einem Filter gefangene Blasen entfernt
US6520632B1 (en) 1999-10-06 2003-02-18 Seiko Epson Corporation Inkjet printer having a connection block which automatically eliminates bubbles trapped on a filter
EP1106363A2 (de) * 1999-12-06 2001-06-13 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Zuführbahn und Behälter für Aufzeichnungsflüssigkeit, damit ausgestattete Vorrichtung, sowie Verfahren zur Änderung der Oberfläche der Vorrichtung
EP1106363A3 (de) * 1999-12-06 2002-03-20 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Zuführbahn und Behälter für Aufzeichnungsflüssigkeit, damit ausgestattete Vorrichtung, sowie Verfahren zur Änderung der Oberfläche der Vorrichtung
SG97993A1 (en) * 1999-12-06 2003-08-20 Canon Kk Recording liquid feed path, recording liquid container, and recording liquid feed device having same, as well as surface modifying method for the recording liquid feed device
US6709092B2 (en) 1999-12-06 2004-03-23 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Recording liquid feed path, recording liquid container, and recording liquid feed device having same, as well as surface modifying method for the recording liquid feed device
AU779159B2 (en) * 1999-12-06 2005-01-06 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Recording liquid feed path, recording liquid container, and recording liquid feed device having same, as well as surface modifying method for the recording liquid feed device
EP1403059A3 (de) * 2002-09-24 2004-10-13 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tintenstrahlkopfreinigung mittels einer Konservierungsflüssigkeit von einem Puffertank
US7198351B2 (en) 2002-09-24 2007-04-03 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus
CN115384194A (zh) * 2022-10-31 2022-11-25 季华实验室 打印机的油墨过滤装置和打印机
CN115384194B (zh) * 2022-10-31 2022-12-23 季华实验室 打印机的油墨过滤装置和打印机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0945272A3 (de) 2000-01-26

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