JP2010115798A - Method of manufacturing inkjet recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing an inkjet recording head by which respective ejection ports can be formed in uniform length. <P>SOLUTION: The method of manufacturing the inkjet recording head comprises: a first step of forming a patterning material 13a in a portion corresponding to an ink flow path forming portion on the surface of a substrate 11 wherein ejecting energy generating elements 2b and 2c are arrayed in zigzag along an ink supply port forming area 8a; a second step of forming each height adjusting member 12a between first nozzle part patterning materials 13a disposed on the first ejecting energy generating elements 2b adjacent to each other; a third step of forming a coating resin layer on the surface of the substrate 11 so as to cover the patterning material 13a and the height adjusting members 12a after the first and second steps; and a fourth step of forming ejection ports in the coating resin layer, forming the ink supply ports in the substrate 11 and removing the patterning material 13a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording head that forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink from an ejection port.

  An inkjet recording head applied to an inkjet recording system (liquid ejection recording system) that performs recording by discharging a liquid such as ink generally includes an ejection energy generating element in an ink flow path.

  In such an ink jet recording head, the liquid supplied into the ink flow path from the ink supply port of the recording element substrate is discharged from the fine discharge port by the thermal energy generated by the discharge energy generating element.

  An example of a method for manufacturing such an ink jet recording head is described in Patent Document 1.

  In the method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head described in Patent Document 1, a photosensitive material is applied on a substrate on which an ejection energy generating element is formed and patterned to form a mold material that becomes a mold for an ink flow path.

  Next, a coating resin layer is applied and formed on the substrate so as to cover the mold material, and an ejection port that connects the ink flow path and the external space is formed in the coating resin layer.

  Thereafter, the mold material formed of the photosensitive material is removed.

  Hereinafter, an example of a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, as shown in FIG. 11A, a positive resist such as ODUR (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) is applied by spin coating as a dissolvable resin 113 on the substrate 111 on which the ejection energy generating element 102 is formed. .

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11B, exposure is performed by covering the resin 113 with a light shielding plate 121 on which an ink flow path pattern is formed.

  And as shown in FIG.11 (c), the mold 113a which is a type | mold of an ink flow path is formed by developing resin 113. FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 11 (d), a coating resin layer 104 to be a nozzle wall and an orifice plate is formed on the substrate 111 by a solvent coat such as a spin coat or a direct coat so as to cover the mold material 113a.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 11E, the discharge port 105 is formed by performing exposure and development on the coating resin layer 104 through a mask on which a pattern of the discharge port is drawn.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11 (f), the mold material 113 a is removed to form the ink flow path 106.

  According to this method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head, it is possible to finely process the ink flow path, the discharge port, and the like with high accuracy by photolithography used for manufacturing a semiconductor. Thereby, the length L of each discharge port can be processed uniformly.

In addition, even when the distance OH (hereinafter referred to as “distance OH”) from the discharge energy generating element to the orifice (end on the external space side of the discharge port) is set short, processing can be performed with high accuracy and good reproducibility. Thereby, the ink ejection characteristics at each ejection port are stabilized, and the ink jet recording head can perform highly accurate recording with small droplets.
JP-A-6-286149

  However, in recent years, inkjet recording heads are required to improve the image quality of images to be recorded, and accordingly, the density of discharge ports is increasing.

  In an ink jet recording head, when the discharge ports are densified, when the discharge ports are arranged in a straight line along the ink supply port of the substrate, it is necessary to reduce the interval between the discharge ports. Need to be further processed. This may be a technical limitation.

  In order to suppress such technical restrictions, it is conceivable to arrange the discharge ports side by side in a so-called staggered pattern along the ink supply port of the substrate. That is, it can be considered that the first discharge ports arranged at positions far from the ink supply ports and the second discharge ports arranged at positions near the ink supply ports are alternately arranged.

  FIG. 12 is a view showing a pattern of a mold material in the manufacturing process of the ink jet recording head in which the nozzles are arranged in a staggered manner.

  A long first flow path mold material 113c and a short second flow path mold material 113d extending in the same direction from a common flow path mold material 113b formed on the ink supply port formation region 108a where the ink supply port is formed, Are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of the common flow path mold 113b.

  At the end of each first flow path mold material 113c and each second flow path mold material 113d that is away from the common flow path mold material 113d, a first mold that is a nozzle section that accommodates the ejection energy generating element is provided. The nozzle part mold material 113e and the second nozzle part mold material 113f are respectively arranged.

  The first flow path mold 113c exists between the second nozzle part molds 113f adjacent to each other, but the mold 113a does not exist between the first nozzle part molds 113e adjacent to each other. Therefore, if the density of the mold material 113a on the EE ′ line on which the second nozzle part mold material 113f is arranged is P, the mold material 113a on the FF ′ line on which the first nozzle part mold material 113e is arranged is P. The density is approximately P / 2, which is a low density.

  A coating resin layer was formed on the substrate 111 by spin coating so as to cover the mold material 113a. FIG. 13 is a view showing a coating resin layer formed at a position along the line GG ′ in FIG.

  The coating resin layer 104 is thinly formed on the first nozzle part mold material 113e arranged at a position where the density of the mold material 113a is low, and conversely the second nozzle part mold material 113f arranged at a position where the density of the mold material 113a is high. The coating resin layer 104 was formed thick on the top.

  Further, this tendency is more remarkable when the surface area of the first nozzle part mold material 113e is small.

  When the thickness of the coating resin layer 104 formed on the nozzle part mold materials 113e and 113f becomes non-uniform, the length L of the discharge port formed in the coating resin layer 104 in the subsequent process becomes non-uniform. . Then, the distance OH becomes non-uniform, and the ink discharge characteristics such as the ink discharge amount and discharge speed at each discharge port become unstable. This may cause deterioration in image quality of images recorded by the ink jet recording head.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head in which each discharge port can be formed to have a uniform length.

  To achieve the above object, an ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to the present invention has an ink supply port formed on the surface along the longitudinal direction of the ink supply port, A substrate in which second ejection energy generation elements closer to the ink supply port than one ejection energy generation element are arranged alternately, a first nozzle portion covering each first ejection energy generation element, and the above Each substrate includes a second nozzle portion that covers each second ejection energy generating element, and each of the first nozzle portion and the ink flow path extending between each of the second nozzle portions and the ink supply port is formed on the substrate. On the surface of the substrate in a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head, comprising: a coating resin layer formed on the surface of each of the first nozzle portions and a discharge resin port formed in each of the second nozzle portions. A height adjusting member is formed between a first step of forming a mold material in a portion where the ink flow path is formed and a portion which becomes the first nozzle portion adjacent to each other on the surface of the substrate. After the first step and the second step, the third step of forming a coating resin layer on the surface of the substrate so as to cover the mold material and the height adjusting member, After the third step, the discharge port is formed in the coating resin layer, the ink supply port is formed in the substrate, and the mold material is removed from at least one of the discharge port and the ink supply port. The process is characterized by comprising:

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which can form each discharge outlet in uniform length can be provided.

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

  The ink jet recording head can be mounted on an apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile having a communication system, a word processor having a printer unit, or an industrial recording apparatus combined with various processing apparatuses.

  By using this ink jet recording head, recording can be performed on various recording media such as paper, thread, fiber, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics.

  Note that “recording” as used in this specification 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. Also means.

  Furthermore, “ink” or “liquid” is to be broadly interpreted, and is applied to a recording medium to form an image, a pattern, a pattern, or the like, process the recording medium, or use ink or The liquid used for processing of a recording medium shall be said.

Here, as the treatment of the ink or the recording medium, for example, the fixing property is improved by coagulation or insolubilization of the coloring material in the ink applied to the recording medium, the recording quality or coloring property is improved, and the image durability is improved. Say things like improvement.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view for explaining the configuration of a recording element substrate of an ink jet recording head manufactured by a manufacturing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  The recording element substrate 1 has a Si substrate 11 on which ejection energy generating elements 2 that generate energy for ejecting a liquid are arranged at a predetermined pitch.

  On the substrate 11, ink supply ports 8 formed by anisotropic etching are arranged between the rows of ejection energy generating elements 2.

  A coating resin layer 4 is formed on the substrate 11, and a discharge port 5 is formed in the coating resin layer 4 at a position facing each discharge energy generating element 2, and the ink supply port 8 and each discharge port 5 are connected to each other. A communicating ink flow path is formed.

  In addition, the position of each discharge port 5 should just be close to each discharge energy generation element 2, and is not limited to the position facing said discharge energy generation element 2. FIG.

  FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a pattern of ejection openings of the recording element substrate shown in FIG.

  In order to record a high-definition and high-definition image, this recording element substrate has three nozzles 5a, 5b, and 5c having different ink discharge characteristics arranged along the ink supply port 8, respectively. 302, 303. In the nozzle row 301, the discharge ports 5a are arranged in a straight line. The nozzle row 302 and the nozzle row 303 are linearly arranged on the opposite side of the nozzle row 301 via the ink supply port 8. The nozzle row 302 and the nozzle row 303 are arranged so that the discharge ports 5b and 5c are shifted from each other by a half pitch in the arrangement direction, whereby the discharge ports 5b and 5c are arranged in a staggered manner.

  FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a modification of the discharge port pattern shown in FIG. With this configuration, it is possible to record a higher resolution and higher definition image.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 2B, the nozzle row 302 and the nozzle row 303 shown in FIG. 2A are arranged on both sides of the ink supply port. Thereby, the discharge ports on both sides of the ink supply port are arranged in a staggered manner.

  3 is a cross-sectional view of the recording element substrate shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. Discharge energy generating elements 2a, 2b, 2c are arranged at positions facing the discharge ports 5a, 5b, 5c. Accordingly, the ejection energy generating elements 2b and 2c are arranged in a staggered manner on the surface of the substrate 11 like the ejection ports 5b and 5c.

  In this recording element substrate, first, the ink supplied to the ink supply port 8 is sent into the ink flow path 6.

  In the ink flow path 6, nozzle portions 6a, 6b, and 6c that respectively accommodate the ejection energy generating elements 2a, 2b, and 2c are arranged. In this recording element substrate, each of the ejection ports 5a, 5b, and 5c is caused by the thermal energy generated by the ejection energy generating elements 2a, 2b, and 2c in the ink sent to the ink flow path 6 by the nozzle portions 6a, 6b, and 6c. It is comprised so that it may discharge from.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the process of forming the mold material and the height adjusting member in the method of manufacturing the ink jet recording head according to this embodiment will be described.

  4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG. 2A in the manufacturing process of the recording element substrate shown in FIG.

  In the ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to this embodiment, the first step of forming the mold material on the substrate and the second step of forming the height adjustment member on the substrate are performed to form the mold material and the height adjustment member.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4A, a substrate 11 having a desired number of ejection energy generating elements 2 such as electrothermal conversion elements or piezoelectric elements arranged on the surface is prepared.

  Next, a mold material and a height adjusting member are formed on the surface of the substrate 1 by performing a first process and a second process.

  Although it is possible to perform the first step and the second step separately as independent steps, the first step and the second step are performed simultaneously because the number of steps increases accordingly.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4B, a dissolvable resin is applied on the substrate, and the mold member 13a and the height adjusting member 12a are patterned.

  In the present embodiment, the mold material and the height adjustment member are formed by photolithography using a photosensitive material as a soluble resin, but the mold material and the height adjustment member may be formed by a method such as a screen printing method. Good. As the photosensitive material, a positive resist such as polymethyl isopropenyl ketone (PMIPK) or polyvinyl ketone can be used.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a pattern of the mold material and the height adjusting member after the first step and the second step.

  A common flow path mold member 13b is disposed on the ink supply port forming region 8a where the ink supply port of the substrate 11 is formed.

  A first nozzle part mold material 13e and a second nozzle part mold material 13f are respectively disposed on the first ejection energy generation element 2b and the second ejection energy generation element 2c arranged in a staggered manner. .

  The first flow path mold material 13c and the second flow path mold material 13d extend from the common flow path mold material 13b to the first nozzle section mold material 13e and the second nozzle section mold material 13f.

  The height adjusting member 12a is disposed in a portion between the first nozzle part mold members 13e adjacent to each other. Accordingly, the density of the mold material 13a on the DD ′ line on which the second nozzle part mold material 13f is arranged, and the mold material 13a and the height on the CC ′ line on which the first nozzle part mold material 13e is arranged. The density of the adjustment member 12a is made equal.

  Thus, the coating resin layer can be formed flat in the subsequent process, and the thickness of the coating resin layer on the first nozzle part mold material 13e and the second nozzle part mold material 13f can be made uniform. . Accordingly, the length L (see FIG. 3) of each discharge port becomes uniform, and the distance OH (see FIG. 3) is equal between the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion. The ink ejection characteristics can be stabilized.

  As described above, the first step and the second step can be performed simultaneously when the height adjusting member is formed of the same material as the mold material.

  On the other hand, when it is necessary to form the height adjusting member with a material different from the mold material, the first step and the second step cannot be performed simultaneously. In this case, it is necessary to perform the first step and the second step separately.

  As a case where the height adjusting member needs to be formed of a material different from that of the mold material, for example, a case where the height adjusting member needs to be formed of the same material as the coating resin layer formed in a later process is considered. .

  The mold material is removed during the manufacturing process, but the height adjusting member is left in a state of being covered with the coating resin layer in the completed inkjet recording head. Therefore, if the height adjustment member is formed of the same material as the coating resin layer, the chemical properties and mechanical properties of the height adjustment member and the coating resin layer are the same, which improves the reliability of the ink jet recording head. be able to.

  As long as the 1st process and the 2nd process are before the process of forming a coating resin layer, whichever may be performed first.

  With reference to FIG. 6, the case where a 2nd process is performed before a 1st process is demonstrated.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6A, a substrate 11 having a discharge energy generating element disposed on the surface is prepared.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, a coating resin material, which is the same material as the coating resin layer, is applied on the surface of the substrate 11, and the height adjusting member 12b is patterned.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, a soluble resin 13 is applied on the substrate 11 on which the height adjusting member 12b is formed.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6D, the resin 13 is patterned to form a mold member 13b.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the case where a 2nd process is performed after a 1st process is demonstrated.

  First, as shown in FIG. 7A, a substrate 11 having a discharge energy generating element disposed on the surface is prepared.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, a dissolvable resin is applied on the substrate 11, and the mold member 13c is patterned.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, the coating resin material 12 is applied on the substrate 11 on which the mold material 13c is formed.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7D, the coating resin material 12 is patterned to form the height adjusting member 12c.

  Next, the third step and the fourth step after the first step and the second step in the method for manufacturing the ink jet recording head according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, as shown in FIG. 8A, the third step of forming the coating resin layer 4 by solvent coating the coating resin material so as to cover the mold member 13a and the height adjusting member 12a on the surface of the substrate 11. I do.

  As the coating resin material, a material having negative characteristics such as a material mainly composed of an epoxy resin that is solid at room temperature and an onium salt that generates cations by light irradiation can be used.

  After the third step, the fourth step is performed.

  In the fourth step, first, as shown in FIG. 8B, the discharge port 5 is formed at a position of the coating resin layer 4 facing the discharge energy generating element 2.

  Next, the ink supply port 8 is formed in the substrate 11 as shown in FIG.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8D, the mold material 13 a is dissolved and removed from at least one of the ejection port 5 and the ink supply port 8.

  The height adjusting member 12a is disposed in a region A indicated by hatching in FIG. 9, which is a region where the second flow path mold member is not disposed between the first nozzle part mold members adjacent to each other. Just do it. Moreover, if the height adjusting member is within the region A, it can be formed in various shapes such as a square, a circle, and an ellipse.

  Further, the size of the height adjusting member and the clearance between the height adjusting member and the mold material can be appropriately selected depending on the height of the mold material and the target distance OH (see FIG. 3). Usually, the height adjusting member is arranged so that the density of the mold material on the CC ′ line shown in FIG. 8 is equal to the density of the mold material and the height adjusting member on the DD ′ line.

In addition, by making the thickness of the height adjustment member formed on the surface of the substrate equal to or greater than the thickness of the mold material, the effect of making the thickness of the coating resin layer uniform can be obtained more effectively. Can do.
(Second Embodiment)
The method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as the method for manufacturing the ink jet recording head according to the first embodiment, except that the method includes the step of providing an additional mold material.

  FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the recording element substrate in the manufacturing process of the ink jet recording head manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment.

  FIG. 10A shows a state after performing a step of forming an additional mold material on the mold material after the first step and the second step and before the third step.

  The additional mold member 14a is formed of a dissolvable positive resist at a part of the surface of the nozzle part mold member where the discharge port is disposed. As a result, in the ink jet recording head manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, the nozzle portion narrows stepwise toward the discharge port.

  If the nozzle section becomes narrower toward the ejection port, the ink ejection characteristics such as the straightness of the ink when the ink is ejected from the ejection port will be improved. Turn into.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10B, the height adjustment member 12d can be formed by disposing the additional height adjustment member 14b on the height adjustment member 12a. Thereby, the thickness of the height adjusting member can be made equal to or greater than the total thickness of the mold material 13a and the additional mold material 14a. Thereby, the coating resin layer can be formed flat in a later step.

  In FIG. 10, only one additional mold is formed, but the additional mold may be formed in multiple stages. In that case, the additional height adjusting member can be formed in multiple stages as well.

  Below, the process of forming the mold material, the height adjusting member, the additional mold material, and the additional height adjusting member of the method for manufacturing the ink jet recording head according to the present embodiment will be described.

  First, a resin that becomes the mold member 13a and the height adjusting member 12a is applied on the surface of the substrate 11 on which the ejection energy generating element 2 is formed, and the additional mold member 14a and the additional height adjusting member 14b are formed on the resin. Apply a positive resist. As the positive resist, a resist having a photosensitive wavelength different from that of the mold 13a and the resin used as the height adjusting member 12a is used.

  Next, the positive resist is exposed and developed with ionizing radiation in a wavelength region where the positive resist decomposes and forms an additional mold member 14a and an additional height adjusting member 14b.

  After that, the mold material 13a and the height adjusting member 12a are formed by exposing and developing the resin with ionizing radiation in a wavelength region where the resin that becomes the mold material 13a and the height adjusting member 12a undergoes decomposition reaction.

1 is a perspective view of a recording element substrate of an ink jet recording head manufactured by a manufacturing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view showing a pattern of ejection openings of the recording element substrate shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the recording element substrate shown in FIG. 1. It is the figure which showed the 1st process and 2nd process of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the pattern of the mold material and the height adjustment member after the 1st process of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and a 2nd process. It is the figure which showed the 1st process and 2nd process of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the 1st process and 2nd process of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the 3rd process and 4th process of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the pattern of the mold material and the height adjustment member after the 1st process of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and a 2nd process. It is the figure which showed the process of arrange | positioning the additional mold material of the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the manufacturing method of the general inkjet recording head. It is the figure which showed the pattern of the mold material in the manufacture process of a general inkjet recording head. It is sectional drawing of the recording element board | substrate of a general inkjet recording head.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording element board | substrate 2 Discharge energy generating element 4 Coating resin layer 5 Discharge port 6 Ink flow path 8 Ink supply port 8a Ink supply port formation area 11 Substrate 12a Height adjustment member 13a Mold material

Claims (6)

An ink supply port is formed, and a first discharge energy generating element and a second discharge closer to the ink supply port than the first discharge energy generating element are formed on the surface along the longitudinal direction of the ink supply port. A substrate in which energy generating elements are alternately arranged;
A first nozzle portion covering each of the first discharge energy generating elements; and a second nozzle portion covering each of the second discharge energy generating elements, wherein each of the first nozzle portions and each of the second nozzles. A coating resin layer in which an ink flow path extending between the ink supply port and the ink supply port is formed on the surface of the substrate, and a discharge port is formed in each of the first nozzle portions and each of the second nozzle portions; ,
In the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head having
A first step of forming a mold material in a portion where the ink flow path is formed on the surface of the substrate;
A second step of forming height adjustment members between the portions of the first nozzle portion adjacent to each other on the surface of the substrate;
After the first step and the second step, a third step of forming a coating resin layer on the surface of the substrate so as to cover the mold material and the height adjusting member;
After the third step, the discharge port is formed in the coating resin layer, the ink supply port is formed in the substrate, and the mold material is removed from at least one of the discharge port and the ink supply port. 4 steps,
An ink jet recording head manufacturing method comprising:   The method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the height adjusting member and the coating resin layer are formed of the same material.   The method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the height adjusting member and the mold material are simultaneously formed of the same material.   4. The method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the height adjusting member is formed to a thickness equal to or greater than a thickness of the mold material. 5.   After the first step and before the third step, including a step of forming an additional mold material on a part of the surface of the part of the mold material that is formed in the part to be each nozzle part, The method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 1.   6. The method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 5, wherein the height adjusting member is formed to a thickness equal to or greater than a total thickness of the mold material and the additional mold material.

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