JP2000334964A - Manufacture of orifice plate, plate-like member for orifice plate and liquid discharge head formed by using the plate-like member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To upgrade a flow of a liquid and to rationalize a treatment in manufacturing by preparing a plate-like member formed in a continuously curved surface from a polygonal shape of an opening side toward a circle or an elliptical shape of a recess bottom side, and penetrating the recess to form a discharge port by laser machining. SOLUTION: A plurality of protruding portions 45 independent of each other and a plurality of recesses 43 continuously changing in section from a rectangular shape to a circular shape at its center are continuously formed in an extruding direction of a film-like resin 3 by a relief die provided at a cooling roll, and the recesses 43 are for forming discharge ports 41. Bottoms of the recesses 43 are irradiated with a laser 13 to form through hole passing through the resin 3 at the bottoms of the recesses 43. The resin 3 to become a reel-like orifice plate formed in this manner is cut in a size necessary for each one head of the liquid discharge head, thereby manufacturing the orifice plate of each head.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid discharge head for performing recording by ejecting liquid as flying liquid droplets and attaching the liquid droplets to a recording medium, and more particularly, to a discharge port (orifice) for discharging liquid. The formation of an orifice plate having

Further, the present invention provides a facsimile having a printer, a copying machine, and a communication system for performing recording on a recording medium such as paper, thread, fiber, cloth, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics and the like. The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head applicable to an apparatus such as a word processor having a printer unit, and an industrial recording apparatus combined with various processing apparatuses.

[0003] In the present invention, "recording" means not only forming an image having a meaning such as characters and figures on a recording medium, but also forming an image having no meaning such as a pattern on a recording material. Also means.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by discharging ink as a recording liquid from an orifice formed in a liquid discharge head has been known as a recording apparatus excellent in terms of low noise, high speed recording and the like. Have been.

[0005] This ink jet recording apparatus includes:
A variety of proposals have been proposed, some of which have been commercialized with improvements, and others of which are currently being put to practical use.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-2 filed by the applicant of the present invention discloses a conventionally known orifice plate alone technique.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 04048, there is a proposal for an excellent head having a discharge port shape that reaches a discharge port with a continuous curved surface from the inside of the flow path of the head as the final head. As an example of this manufacturing method, it is described that an orifice plate is introduced into a flow path to obtain continuity from the flow path as disclosed in this publication.

On the other hand, it is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5 to provide an orifice plate with a convex portion for engaging the flow path of the head, and forming the through hole to the other surface by laser processing the convex portion and the entire orifice plate from one side. , 604, 521.

[0008]

Both of the methods for manufacturing an orifice plate described in the above-mentioned two publications have a problem that the processing time in the manufacturing process is long and variation in mass production is likely to occur. In addition, when viewed from the viewpoint of energy efficiency in discharging the liquid, such variations may cause variations in the discharge characteristics of each orifice. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
It is important to use a new method of manufacturing the final head disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-208, at a mass production level, with high accuracy and high yield.

According to the present invention, a new method for manufacturing an orifice plate which can improve the flow of liquid and rationalize the manufacturing process, has a double-sided property, a plate-like member for an orifice plate, and the plate-like member. It is an object to provide a manufactured liquid ejection head.

[0010]

According to a method of manufacturing an orifice plate according to the present invention, a discharge port forming recess is formed into a continuous curved surface from a polygon on the opening side to a circle or ellipse on the bottom side of the recess. A step of preparing a plate member for an orifice plate, and a step of forming a discharge port by penetrating a concave portion of the plate member for an orifice plate by laser processing.

The orifice plate plate member according to the present invention is an orifice plate plate member having a discharge port formed by processing with a laser, and for forming the discharge port using the laser. As the concave portion, a concave portion having a continuous curved surface from the polygon on the opening side to the circular or elliptical shape on the bottom side of the concave portion is molded.

A liquid discharge head according to the present invention is a liquid discharge head made by using the plate member for an orifice plate, wherein the recess of the plate member for the orifice plate has a through hole formed by laser processing. And is joined as an orifice plate.

The concave portion has a peripheral convex portion inserted into the flow path of the liquid discharge head.

Further, the plate member for an orifice plate has a water-repellent layer on a surface where the concave portion is not formed.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on embodiments with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid discharge head to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid discharge head according to the present invention includes a head body 46 having a top plate 60 joined to the surface of a substrate 50, an orifice plate 40 joined to the front end face of the head body 46, and the like. It is composed of The substrate 50 includes a plurality of energy generating elements 51 for generating thermal energy used for discharging a liquid such as ink, and Al wiring for supplying an electric signal to the energy generating elements 51. . This substrate 50
A plurality of energy generating elements 51 and the Al wiring are formed on a Si substrate by a film forming technique.

On one surface of the top plate 60, grooves for forming a plurality of flow paths 61 in which the energy generating elements 51 are respectively disposed, and inks supplied to the respective flow paths 61 are temporarily held. A groove for forming a liquid chamber 62 is formed. Further, a supply port 64 for supplying ink into the liquid chamber 62 is formed in the top plate 60. By joining the substrate 50 and the top plate 60 such that the energy generation elements 51 are arranged in the respective flow paths 61, the head body 46 including the plurality of flow paths 61 and the plurality of energy generation elements 51 is configured. Have been. On the front end surface of the head body 46, that is, the joint surface 44 a of the substrate 50 with the orifice plate 40 and the top plate 60
On the surface including the joint surface 44b with the orifice plate 40,
The opening of each flow channel 61 is arranged.

On the other hand, the orifice plate 40 is formed with a plurality of discharge ports 41 each communicating with the flow path 61. A plurality of independent convex portions 45 are formed for each discharge port 41 around the discharge port 41 on the joint surface of the orifice plate 40 with the head main body 46. The orifice plate 40 is joined to the joining surfaces 44a and 44b by the adhesive resin 42 as an adhesive in a state where the respective convex portions 45 enter the flow channel 61 and the convex portions 45 are fitted into the flow channel 61. .

In this embodiment, the projection 41 of the discharge port 41
The shape of the opening on the side is a rectangular shape similar to the cross section of the flow path, and the shape of the opening on the side for discharging the liquid droplet is a circle or an ellipse. In addition, it has a curved surface shape that is narrowed continuously and smoothly in the direction in which droplets are ejected from the head body side. This shape can improve the ejection efficiency (see FIG. 7).

In this liquid discharge head, bubbles are generated on the energy generation element 51 by the thermal energy generated from the energy generation element 51 acting on the ink in the flow path 61, and the discharge is performed by utilizing the generation of the bubbles. Ink is ejected from the outlet 41.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a part of a production line used for the liquid discharge head of the present invention. The figure shows a process in which a molten resin is extruded into a film shape by an extruder and pressed by a cooling roll provided with a relief mold of a desired shape on the surface to form a desired shape on a film. I have. That is, a cooling roll 5 and a nip roll on which a film-shaped resin 3 extruded from a die 2 of an extruder 1 is set with a relief mold 4 having a shape corresponding to the discharge port 41 and the projection 45 shown in FIG. By pressing at 6, a desired shape is continuously formed on the surface of the film-shaped resin 3. Thereafter, it is wound up in a reel shape by a take-up roll 8 via a take-up roll 7.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an excimer laser processing apparatus for forming a discharge port or the like in a film-like resin.
The laser 13 emitted from the excimer laser oscillator 9 is applied via the condenser lens 11 and the mask 12 to the film-shaped resin 3 of the object installed in a reel shape.

In the above embodiment, the production line for the film-like resin shown in FIG. 2 and the laser processing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 are separate. However, in the production line for the film-like resin shown in FIG. Before this, the laser processing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 can be arranged.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a method of manufacturing the projecting portions and the discharge ports of the film-shaped resin manufactured by the manufacturing line shown in FIG. 2 and the laser processing apparatus shown in FIG.

First, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4A, a plurality of independent projections 45 are formed on the film-shaped resin 3 by the relief mold 4 provided on the cooling roll 5. A plurality of concave portions 4 each having a cross section continuously arranged from a rectangular shape to a circular shape and arranged at a central portion of the convex portion 45.
3 are continuously formed in the extrusion direction of the film-shaped resin 3. Each recess 43 is for forming the discharge port 41. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4B, by irradiating the laser 13 onto the bottom surface of each recess 43, the bottom surface of each recess 43 is exposed as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4C '. Then, a through-hole penetrating the film-like resin 3 is formed. As a result, the discharge port 41 is
Is formed. The thickness of the bottom surface of the recess is preferably as small as possible, but is preferably 20 μm or less, and more preferably 1 μm or less.
It can be 0 μm or less, optimally 5 μm or less.
When the thickness is 5 μm or less, the entire bottom surface of the concave portion can be irradiated without alignment.

The film-shaped resin to be the reel-shaped orifice plate thus produced is cut into a required size for each head of the liquid discharge head, and an orifice plate for each head is completed.

The laser irradiation for forming the through-hole is performed from the back side of the surface on which the projection 45 of the film-like resin is formed.
The method may be performed on the portion corresponding to the discharge port. In this case, the thickness of the bottom surface of the concave portion is preferably 5 μm or less, and more preferably 3 μm or less.

Next, the manner of manufacturing the liquid discharge head after forming the orifice plate will be described with reference to FIG.

B while maintaining tackiness by UV irradiation
A stage is formed, the curing shrinkage is completed, and a cationic polymerization type epoxy-based adhesive resin 42 that can be bonded by heating and pressure bonding is transferred to the bonding surface 44 of the head body where the openings of the flow channels 61 are arranged by the transfer method.
a, 44b. Thereafter, irradiation with ultraviolet rays of 1 mW / cm ² is performed for 60 seconds to form a B-stage.
The curing shrinkage was terminated.

Next, the orifice plate 40 is
1. Head body 4 on which substrate 50 and top plate 60 are formed
The convex portion 45 provided around the orifice was fitted into the flow path 61 of No. 6.

Thereafter, a load of 1 kg / cm ² is applied from the surface of the orifice plate 40 to the orifice plate 40.
And the head body 46 was brought into close contact with each other, and was heated and pressed at 60 ° C. while maintaining the state, whereby the curing of the adhesive resin 42 was completed.

In the present embodiment, as an adhesive resin for joining the orifice plate and the head main body, it is made into a B-stage while maintaining tackiness by UV irradiation to complete curing shrinkage, and further UV irradiation or heating is performed. An epoxy-based adhesive that hardens by the use of the adhesive was used. The adhesive can be adhered only by heating and pressing.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the configuration of the discharge port of the orifice plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a plan view, and FIG. It is.

In this embodiment, a structure is adopted in which the convex portion 45 of the orifice plate 40 fitted in the flow channel 61 is in close contact with the flow channel wall 61, the substrate 50, and the top plate 60 in a plane perpendicular to the ink flow. ing. In addition, at least two surfaces of the flow path wall 60a, the substrate 50, and the top plate 60 may be in close contact with each other. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the surface of the orifice plate 40 where the convex portion 45 is in close contact does not protrude toward the ink flow path. With the above configuration, the flow of the ink becomes smooth, and the accumulation of bubbles can be prevented.

In this embodiment, the orifice plate 40
Has a concave portion and a convex portion 45 on the joint surface with the head main body 46, the convex portion 45 has a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the flow path 61, and the discharge port 41 is formed. The structure is such that the part 45 or a part thereof enters the flow path 61 of the head body 45 and is fitted to the flow path 61.

[0037]

As described above, the liquid discharge head manufactured by using the method for manufacturing an orifice plate according to the present invention has both the properties of improving the flow of the liquid and streamlining the manufacturing process.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid ejection head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a part of a production line for producing the liquid ejection head of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a laser processing apparatus for forming a discharge port or the like in a film-like resin.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of manufacturing a projection and a discharge port of a film-shaped resin produced by the production line shown in FIG. 2 and the laser processing apparatus shown in FIG.

5A and 5B are configuration diagrams of a discharge port of an orifice plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a surface of a convex portion of an orifice plate in close contact protrudes toward an ink flow path.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a discharge port and a flow path portion of the liquid discharge head according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 extruder 2 die 3 film-like resin 4 relief type 5 cooling roll 6 nip roll 7 take-up roll 8 take-up roll 9 excimer laser transmitter 11 condensing lens 12 mask 13 laser 40 orifice plate 41 discharge port (orifice) 42 adhesive resin 43 concave portion 44a, 44b joining surface 45 convex portion 46 head main body 50 substrate 51 energy generating element 60 top plate 60a flow path wall 61 flow path 62 liquid chamber 64 supply port

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Ishinaga 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Torachika Nagata 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Sugiyama 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Junji Tatsumi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Ken Ikegame 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Genji Inada 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Canon Inc. (Reference) 2C057 AF24 AF93 AG12 AP02 AP13 AP23 BA03 BA13

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A method for manufacturing an orifice plate in which a through-hole is formed, wherein the recess for forming an outlet is formed into a continuous curved surface from a polygon on the opening side to a circle or an ellipse on the bottom side of the recess. A step of preparing a plate member for an orifice plate, and a step of forming a discharge port by penetrating a recess of the plate member for an orifice plate by laser processing. Method. 2. The method for manufacturing an orifice plate according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is formed by forming a peripheral convex portion inserted into a flow path of the liquid discharge head by the molding. 3. An orifice plate plate-like member having a discharge port formed by being processed by a laser,
As the concave portion for forming the discharge port where the laser is used, a concave portion having a continuous curved surface is formed from a polygon on the opening side to a circular or elliptical shape on the concave bottom side. Plate member for orifice plate. 4. The plate member for an orifice plate according to claim 3, wherein the concave portion has a peripheral convex portion inserted into a flow path of the liquid discharge head. 5. The plate-like member for an orifice plate,
The plate member for an orifice plate according to claim 3, further comprising a water-repellent layer on a surface where the concave portion is not formed. 6. A liquid ejection head made using the plate member according to claim 3, wherein the recess of the plate member for an orifice plate has a through hole formed by laser processing. And a liquid discharge head joined as an orifice plate. 7. The plate-like member for an orifice plate,
The plate member for an orifice plate according to claim 6, wherein a water-repellent layer is provided on a surface where the concave portion is not formed.