JP2006137104A - Protection tape for liquid jet head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect a surface of a chip until using of a liquid jet head is started and to prevent an adhesive of a protection tape from adhering to a peripheral portion of the chip. <P>SOLUTION: The protection tape 14 for the liquid jet head 9 is peelably stuck to at least the surface 10 of the liquid jet head 9 and the peripheral portion of the chip. The sticking force of the protection tape 14 is differentiated depending on the portions. For example, the sticking force of the portion to be stuck to the surface 10 of the chip on the protection tape 14 is greater than that of the portion to be stuck to the peripheral portion of the chip. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a protective tape that is detachably bonded to at least a chip surface and a peripheral portion of a liquid discharge head that performs recording by ejecting liquid to form flying droplets.

  The ink discharge port of the liquid discharge head must be opened in order to discharge ink when the liquid discharge head is used. However, until it reaches the general consumer and is used after being opened, it may cause clogging of the discharge port or the deterioration of the water-repellent layer formed on the surface of the chip. Must be prevented. Therefore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, the surface of the chip including the ink discharge port is protected with a protective tape having adhesiveness.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a conventional liquid discharge head.

  A TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) tape 106 is attached to the liquid discharge head 109 shown in FIG. 7 from the surface on which the chip is disposed to the side surface adjacent thereto. The TAB tape 106 has an opening so that the chip surface 110 is exposed, and is electrically connected to the chip at the opening. The electrical connection between the chip and the TAB tape 106 is sealed with a sealant (not shown). Further, the portion of the TAB tape 106 on the surface adjacent to the surface on which the chip is disposed is electrically connected to the electrode pad on the recording apparatus main body side when the liquid discharge head 109 is mounted on the recording apparatus main body. An electrode pad 108 is provided.

A protective tape (not shown) is affixed on the TAB tape 106 of the liquid ejection head 109 until the user starts using the liquid ejection head 109, and covers and protects the chip surface 110 and the electrode pad 108.
JP-A-3-234659 JP-A-3-248849

  However, since the water-repellent layer formed on the chip surface 110 has been improved with the diversification of inks used in the liquid discharge heads, the water-repellent effect has been improved. It is difficult to bond the protective tape to the chip surface 110. In addition to this situation, the influence of the rising shape of the sealant (not shown) that seals the electrical connection between the chip and the TAB tape 106 connected to the chip, and the environmental temperature and humidity over time The protective tape may be peeled off from the chip surface 110 due to the influence of various changes. When the protective tape is peeled off from the chip surface 110 as described above, the water repellent layer may be damaged due to, for example, ink oozing out from the discharge port to the chip surface 110 and fixing on the chip surface 110. Therefore, it is required that the ink is not attached to the chip surface 110, that is, the protective tape is not peeled off, until the package containing the liquid discharge head 109 is opened and the use of the liquid discharge head 109 is started. It is done.

  Also, in order to keep the protective tape from peeling off from the chip surface 110 until the beginning of use, if a bonding agent having a strong adhesive force is applied to the entire protective tape and bonded, the bonding agent is removed when the protective tape is removed at the start of use. It remains on the chip peripheral portion 113 such as on the tape 106, the electrode pad 108, or the sealant. Then, for example, the bonding agent remaining on the chip peripheral portion 113 is conveyed to the discharge port by a so-called recovery operation performed after the liquid discharge head 109 is mounted on the recording apparatus main body, and the discharge port is clogged, or the electrode pad There is a possibility that the bonding agent remaining on 108 may be interposed between the electrode pad on the recording apparatus main body side and cause an electrical contact failure.

  Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, protects the chip surface until the liquid discharge head is used, and prevents the bonding agent of the protective tape from adhering to the peripheral edge of the chip. An object of the present invention is to provide a protective tape for a discharge head.

  In order to achieve the above object, a protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to the present invention includes a chip having an opening for discharging liquid, a wiring member electrically connected to the outer periphery of the chip, and the chip. In a liquid discharge head having a sealant that seals an electrical connection with the wiring member, protection for the liquid discharge head that is detachably bonded to at least the surface of the chip and the peripheral edge of the chip In the tape, the bonding force of the protective tape is partially different.

  According to the protective tape for a liquid discharge head of the present invention, the surface of the chip is protected until the liquid discharge head is started and used, and the adhesive of the protective tape can be prevented from adhering to the peripheral edge of the chip. It becomes possible.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Liquid discharge head>
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a liquid discharge head to which the protective tape of the present invention is applied. The liquid discharge head includes a chip 5 in which a nozzle forming member 17 is formed on a base 18 having a liquid supply port 18a open, and a TAB tape that is disposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the chip 5 and is electrically connected to the chip 5. 6, a sealant 7 that seals the electrical connection between the chip 5 and the TAB tape 6, and a support 16 that supports the chip 5 and the TAB tape 6.

  The nozzle forming member 17 of the chip 5 forms a discharge port 11 for discharging a liquid and a liquid channel 17a for supplying the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port 13a to the discharge port 11. A water repellent layer 12 is formed on the upper surface of the nozzle forming member 17. Further, a discharge energy generating element (not shown) that gives energy discharged from the discharge port 11 to the liquid in the liquid flow path 17 a is provided at a position facing each discharge port 11 on the base 13.

<Protective tape>
(First embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to the present invention.

  The protective tape 14 of this embodiment has the base material 1 and the bonding agent 2 applied on one surface thereof. In the present embodiment, the substrate 1 is made of a 12 μm thick film made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and an acrylic adhesive is used for the bonding agent 2. In the present embodiment, the bonding agent 2 is formed so that the thickness of the portion bonded to the chip surface 10 of the liquid ejection head is about 300 μm and the thickness of the portion bonded to the other portion is about 30 μm. 1 is applied.

  When the same material is used for the adhesive, the thicker the adhesive, the stronger the adhesive strength. Therefore, in the bonding agent 2 of this configuration, the thickness of the portion to be bonded to the chip surface 10 is thicker than the thickness of the portion to be bonded to the peripheral portion of the chip. Is stronger than the adhesive strength in the latter part.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where a protective tape is applied to the liquid discharge head, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the protective tape is applied to the liquid discharge head. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the periphery of the liquid ejection head chip.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the protective tape 14 is affixed on the TAB tape 6 from the surface on which the chip of the liquid ejection head 9 is disposed to the side surface adjacent thereto. At this time, the protective tape 14 covers and protects the chip surface 10 and the electrode pads 8 of the TAB tape 6.

  When the protective tape 14 is thus applied to the liquid discharge head 9, as shown in FIG. 4, a relatively thick portion of the bonding agent 2 is in close contact with the chip surface 10, and the bonding agent 2 is appropriately deformed and sealed. The adhesive 7 was in close contact with the raised shape. In this state, an acceleration test was performed to reproduce the environment from when the liquid discharge head 9 was stored in a package and shipped to when it was opened by a general consumer and started to be used. In addition, the bonding agent 2 did not remain on the periphery of the chip after the protective tape 14 was peeled off. Therefore, according to the protective tape 14 of the present embodiment, the chip surface 10 is protected until the liquid discharge head 9 is used, and the bonding agent 2 adheres to the peripheral edge of the chip after the protective tape 14 is peeled off. It was proved that it can be prevented.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are cross-sectional views showing a second embodiment of a protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to the present invention.

  The protective tape 14 of the present embodiment has a base material 1 and two layers of bonding agents 3 and 4 applied on one surface thereof. Also in this embodiment, the base material 1 is composed of a 12 μm thick film made of PET, and acrylic adhesive is used for the bonding agents 3 and 4. The thickness of the first bonding agent 3 applied on the substrate 1 is 5 μm, and the first bonding agent 3 applied to the portion of the first bonding agent 3 to be bonded to the chip surface 10 of the liquid ejection head. The thickness of the second bonding agent 4 is 30 μm. For the second bonding agent 4, a pressure-sensitive adhesive having a stronger adhesive force than that of the first bonding agent 3 is used.

  As described in the first embodiment, when the same material is used for the pressure-sensitive adhesive, the thicker the thickness, the higher the adhesive strength. The adhesive force in the portion (second bonding agent 4) bonded to 10 is stronger than the adhesive force in the portion (first bonding agent 3) bonded to the peripheral portion of the chip. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the adhesive with stronger adhesive strength than the 1st bonding agent 3 is used for the 2nd bonding agent 4, a 1st joining is carried out by the synergistic effect by the above thickness differences. The ratio of the adhesive force between the agent 3 and the second bonding agent 4 is larger than that in the first embodiment. This means that the second bonding agent 4 having a higher adhesive strength adheres more firmly to the chip surface 10, and the first bonding agent 3 having a lower adhesive strength is more unlikely to remain on the peripheral edge of the chip or the like. Means that.

  Also in this embodiment, the protective tape 14 is affixed to the liquid discharge head 9 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in this state, the liquid discharge head 9 is stored in a package and shipped before being opened by a general consumer. As a result of an accelerated test that reproduces the environment until the start of use, the protective tape 14 does not peel off from the chip surface 10, and the bonding agent 2 is applied to the peripheral edge of the chip after the protective tape 14 is peeled off. There was no remaining. Therefore, according to the protective tape 14 of the present embodiment, the chip surface 10 is protected until the liquid discharge head 9 is used, and the bonding agent 2 adheres to the peripheral edge of the chip after the protective tape 14 is peeled off. It was proved that it can be prevented.

  In addition, the shape of the 2nd bonding agent 4 apply | coated on the 1st bonding agent 3 can be made into the rectangular parallelepiped shape shown to Fig.5 (a), or the square frustum shape shown to FIG.5 (b), for example. . In particular, in the case of the square frustum shape shown in FIG. 5B, when this protective tape 14 is applied to the liquid discharge head 9 as shown in FIG. It becomes easier to adhere further along the rising shape of the stopper 7.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of a protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to the present invention.

  The protective tape 14 of this embodiment has the base material 1 and the bonding agent 2 applied on one surface thereof. In the present embodiment, the base material 1 is composed of a PET film having a thickness of 25 μm, and the bonding agent 2 starts to be polymerized when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and the adhesive strength becomes weaker as the polymerization proceeds. A pressure-sensitive adhesive having the following is used. As an adhesive having such properties, for example, there is an acrylic ultraviolet curing adhesive used for a dicing tape or the like. The bonding agent 2 is applied to a thickness of about 100 μm.

  The protective tape 14 of the present embodiment is a portion other than the portion to be bonded to the chip surface 10 (see FIG. 1) of the bonding agent 2 from the bonding agent 2 side after the bonding agent 2 is applied on the base material 1. It is completed by irradiating 15 with ultraviolet rays. The portion 15 of the bonding agent 2 irradiated with the ultraviolet rays is cross-linked, and the adhesive strength is lower than that of the portion not irradiated with the ultraviolet rays (the portion bonded to the chip surface 10). In this embodiment, the adhesive force of the bonding agent 2 is partially varied in this way.

  Also in this embodiment, the protective tape 14 is affixed to the liquid discharge head 9 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in this state, the liquid discharge head 9 is stored in a package and shipped before being opened by a general consumer. As a result of an accelerated test that reproduces the environment until the start of use, the protective tape 14 does not peel off from the chip surface 10, and the bonding agent 2 is applied to the peripheral edge of the chip after the protective tape 14 is peeled off. There was no remaining. Therefore, according to the protective tape 14 of the present embodiment, the chip surface 10 is protected until the liquid discharge head 9 is used, and the bonding agent 2 adheres to the peripheral edge of the chip after the protective tape 14 is peeled off. It was proved that it can be prevented.

  The protective tape of the present invention includes a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile having a communication system, and a printer unit for recording on a recording medium such as paper, thread, fiber, cloth, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics, etc. The present invention can be applied to a liquid discharge head used in an apparatus such as a word processor having a liquid crystal display, and an industrial recording apparatus combined with various processing apparatuses. Note that “recording” means not only giving an image having a meaning such as a character or a figure to a recording medium but also giving an image having no meaning such as a pattern.

It is sectional drawing which shows the liquid discharge head to which the protective tape of this invention is applied. It is sectional drawing which shows 1st Embodiment of the protective tape for liquid discharge heads of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which affixed the protective tape on the liquid discharge head. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which affixed the protective tape on the liquid discharge head, and has expanded and shown the chip | tip periphery of the liquid discharge head. FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing a second embodiment of a protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows 3rd Embodiment of the protective tape for liquid discharge heads of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the conventional liquid discharge head.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base material 2 Bonding agent 5 Chip 6 TAB tape 7 Sealant 9 Liquid discharge head 10 Chip surface

Claims (10)

A chip having an opening for discharging liquid, a wiring member electrically connected to an outer peripheral portion of the chip, and a sealing agent for sealing an electrical connection portion between the chip and the wiring member In the protective tape for a liquid discharge head, which is detachably bonded to at least the surface of the chip and the peripheral portion of the chip in the liquid discharge head having
A protective tape for a liquid discharge head, wherein the bonding force of the protective tape is partially different.   2. The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein a bonding force of a portion of the protective tape bonded to the surface of the chip is different from a bonding force of a portion bonded to the peripheral edge of the chip.   The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 2, wherein a bonding force of a portion of the protective tape bonded to the surface of the chip is stronger than a bonding force of a portion bonded to the peripheral edge of the chip.   The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a bonding agent is applied to a bonding surface of the protective tape with respect to the liquid discharge head.   The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 4, wherein a thickness of the bonding agent at a portion bonded to the surface of the chip is different from a thickness at a portion bonded to the peripheral edge of the chip.   The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 5, wherein a thickness of the bonding agent at a portion bonded to the surface of the chip is thicker than a thickness at a portion bonded to the peripheral edge of the chip.   The type of the bonding agent applied to a portion bonded to the surface of the chip is different from the type of the bonding agent applied to a portion bonded to the peripheral edge of the chip. The protective tape for liquid discharge heads of description. The bonding agent is bonded to a surface of the chip on the first bonding agent and a first bonding agent applied to at least the surface of the chip and a portion bonded to the peripheral edge of the chip. A second bonding agent further applied to the portion to be applied,
The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 7, wherein a type of the first bonding agent and a type of the second bonding agent are different from each other.   The protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 8, wherein a bonding force of the second bonding agent is stronger than a bonding force of the first bonding agent.   The bonding agent has a property that the bonding force is reduced when predetermined light is irradiated, and the predetermined light is irradiated to a portion other than the portion bonded to the surface of the chip of the bonding agent. A protective tape for a liquid discharge head according to claim 4.

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