JP2014124946A - Ink jet device and filter for ink jet head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an ink jet device capable of being manufactured efficiently, and preventing contamination with foreign matter such as dust, in spite of having a wide variety of filters.SOLUTION: The ink jet device includes a filter for filtering ink to be supplied to an ink jet head. The filter includes: a filter element; a filter case for storing the filter element; and multiple joints capable of being connected to an ink supply source. The filter case has: an ink inlet located on an upstream side of the filter element, along a flow direction of ink; and an ink outlet located on a downstream side of the filter element, along the flow direction of ink. The joints have shapes different from each other, and one of the multiple joints is selectively and detachably connected to the ink inlet of the filter case.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an ink jet device and a filter used in an ink jet head.

  For example, an inkjet apparatus mounted on a recording apparatus such as a printer includes a filter that filters ink supplied to the inkjet head. Since the form of the filter differs depending on, for example, the demand and specification of the customer who uses the ink jet apparatus, there are a wide variety of filters for one ink jet head.

JP 2011-73412 A JP 2010-247452 A

  By the way, in the process of manufacturing the inkjet device, after the assembly of the inkjet device is completed, an operation for inspecting whether the inkjet head operates normally is performed by supplying ink for inspection to the inkjet head. Yes.

  At this time, if the form of the filter is different for each inkjet head, it is difficult to connect an ink supply pipe to the filter. For this reason, in the manufacturing process of the conventional ink jet device, a common filter for inspection is prepared, and after the inspection is completed, the common filter is replaced with a dedicated filter according to customer requirements and specifications.

  However, if the filter is replaced every time the inspection is completed, the filter replacement work requires a lot of labor and labor, which hinders efficient production of the ink jet apparatus.

  Furthermore, when the filter is replaced, there is a possibility that dust is mixed in the supply path that guides the ink to the inkjet head.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain an ink jet apparatus that can be efficiently manufactured and can prevent contamination of foreign matters such as dust, despite having a wide variety of filters.

  According to the embodiment, the inkjet apparatus includes an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, and a filter that filters ink supplied to the inkjet head. The filter includes a filter element, a filter case housing the filter element, and a plurality of joints connectable to an ink supply source. The filter case has an ink inlet positioned upstream of the filter element along the ink flow direction, and an ink outlet positioned downstream of the filter element along the ink flow direction. The plurality of joints have different forms, and any one of the plurality of joints is selectively detachably connected to the ink inlet of the filter case.

The side view of the inkjet apparatus provided with the filter. The perspective view of the inkjet apparatus provided with the filter. The perspective view which looked at the inkjet apparatus provided with the filter from the direction of the mask plate. Sectional drawing of an inkjet head. Sectional drawing which follows the F5-F5 line | wire of FIG. The perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows a filter.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4 disclose an ink jet apparatus 1 mounted on a recording apparatus such as a printer. The ink jet apparatus 1 includes, for example, an edge shooter type ink jet head 2 and a cover 3 that accommodates the ink jet head 2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the inkjet head 2 includes a substrate 4, a frame body 5, a lid plate 6 and a nozzle plate 7. The substrate 4 has a rectangular shape having a surface 4a and an end surface 4b. A piezoelectric member 8 as an actuator is embedded in one end of the surface 4 a of the substrate 4.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the piezoelectric member 8 is an element in which two piezoelectric plates 9 and 10 are stacked and bonded in the thickness direction. The polarization directions of the piezoelectric plates 9 and 10 are opposite to each other along the thickness direction of the piezoelectric plates 9 and 10. The surface 8 a of the piezoelectric member 8 is located on the same plane as the surface 4 a of the substrate 4. The end surface 8 b of the piezoelectric member 8 is located on the same surface as the end surface 4 b of the substrate 4.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of ink grooves 11 are formed in the piezoelectric member 8. The ink grooves 11 are arranged in a line at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member 8 so as to open on the surface 8 a and the end surface 8 b of the piezoelectric member 8.

  Each ink groove 11 has an extension 12 that extends toward the substrate 4. The extension 12 is opened on the surface 4 a of the substrate 4. Of the piezoelectric member 8 and the substrate 4, a portion located between the ink grooves 11 constitutes a plurality of partition walls 13 that separate the adjacent ink grooves 11.

  The frame 5 is bonded to the surface 4 a of the substrate 4. The frame body 5 has a front frame portion 14. The front frame portion 14 is superimposed on the piezoelectric member 8 and extends along the arrangement direction of the ink grooves 11. The front frame portion 14 closes the open end of the ink groove 11 from the direction of the surface 4 a of the substrate 4. The end face 14 a of the front frame portion 14 is located on the same plane as the end face 4 b of the substrate 4 and the end face 8 b of the piezoelectric member 8.

  The lid plate 6 is bonded to the frame body 5. A region surrounded by the surface 4 a of the substrate 4, the frame 5, and the cover plate 6 constitutes a common ink supply chamber 15. The ink supply chamber 15 communicates with the ink groove 11.

  Further, the lid plate 6 has an ink supply port 16. The ink supply port 16 is open to the ink supply chamber 15 and is connected to a filter 19 via a joint fitting 17 and a hose 18 as shown in FIGS. The filter 19 is an element that removes foreign matters contained in the ink supplied from the ink tank 20 serving as an ink supply source to the ink supply chamber 15. The filter 19 is located at the upper end of the inkjet head 2 and is exposed outside the cover 3.

  The nozzle plate 7 is bonded so as to straddle between the end surface 4 b of the substrate 4, the end surface 8 b of the piezoelectric member 8, and the end surface 14 a of the front frame portion 14. The nozzle plate 7 closes the open end of the ink groove 11 from the direction of the end face 8 b of the piezoelectric member 8.

  A region surrounded by the inner surface of the ink groove 11, the front frame portion 14 of the frame 5 and the nozzle plate 7 constitutes a plurality of pressure chambers 21. The pressure chambers 21 are arranged in a line at intervals in the arrangement direction of the ink grooves 11 and communicate with the ink supply chamber 15 through the extension 12 of the ink grooves 11.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the nozzle plate 7 has a plurality of nozzles 22 and a nozzle surface 23. The nozzle 22 is a microscopic hole that penetrates the nozzle plate 7 in the thickness direction. The nozzles 22 are arranged in a line at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle plate 7 so as to communicate with the pressure chambers 21 individually.

  The nozzle surface 23 is a flat surface facing the recording medium P to be printed, and the nozzle 22 is opened in the nozzle surface 23. The nozzle surface 23 where the nozzles 22 are opened is protected by a mask plate 24.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, electrodes 25 are provided inside the ink grooves 11, respectively. The electrodes 25 of the adjacent ink grooves 11 are separated by the partition wall 13 so as to be electrically independent. Further, the electrode 25 is covered with an electrode protective layer 26.

  The electrode 25 is electrically connected to the plurality of wiring patterns 27. The wiring pattern 27 is formed on the surface 4 a of the substrate 4 and led out of the ink supply chamber 15. The wiring pattern 27 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 29 via a plurality of flexible printed wiring boards 28. The printed circuit board 29 is mounted with a drive circuit 30 that drives the inkjet head 2.

  The drive circuit 30 applies a drive voltage to the electrode 25 of the inkjet head 2. As a result, a potential difference is generated between the adjacent electrodes 25, and an electric field is generated in the partition wall 13 corresponding to these electrodes 25. Therefore, the adjacent partition wall 13 with the pressure chamber 21 interposed therebetween is curved in a direction to increase the volume of the pressure chamber 21 by shear mode deformation.

  Thereafter, when the application of the drive voltage to the electrode 25 is cut off, the partition wall 13 is displaced so as to return to the initial shape. As the partition wall 13 is displaced, the ink supplied from the ink supply chamber 15 to the pressure chamber 21 is pressurized. Part of the pressurized ink is ejected from the nozzle 22 toward the recording medium P as ink droplets.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the filter 19 includes a filter case 33, a filter element 34, and, for example, four types of first to fourth joints 35a, 35b, 35c, and 35d.

  The filter case 33 has a first case 36 and a second case 37. The first case 36 and the second case 37 are abutted against each other from the vertical direction, and their outer peripheral edges are joined in a liquid-tight manner.

The first case 36 constitutes the upper half of the filter case 33. An ink inlet 38 is formed on the upper surface of the first case 36. The ink inlet 38 has a cylindrical joint receiving portion 39. The joint receiving portion 39 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the first case 36 and communicates with the inside of the filter case 33. According to the present embodiment, the second case 37 in which the male screw 40 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the joint receiving portion 39 constitutes the lower half portion of the filter case 33. An ink outlet 41 is formed on the bottom surface of the second case 37. The ink outlet 41 has a cylindrical hose receiving portion 42. The hose receiving portion 42 protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the second case 37 and communicates with the inside of the filter case 33.

  The hose receiving portion 42 is an element to which the hose 18 guided from the ink supply chamber 16 toward the upper side of the inkjet head 2 is connected. The upper end portion of the hose 18 is press-fitted into the hose receiving portion 42 so as to cover the hose receiving portion 42 from the outside, and is held by the hose receiving portion 42 using a hose band 43.

  The filter element 34 is a sheet-like element in which a large number of through holes 45 for filtering ink are formed. The filter element 34 is held between the outer peripheral edge of the first case 36 and the outer peripheral edge of the second case 37, and partitions the inside of the filter case 33 into a primary chamber 44a and a secondary chamber 44b. Yes.

  The primary chamber 44a is located upstream of the filter element 34 along the ink flow direction. The ink inlet 38 is opened to the primary chamber 44a. The secondary chamber 44b is located downstream of the filter element 34 along the ink flow direction. The ink outlet 41 is opened to the secondary chamber 44b.

  The first to fourth joints 35a, 35b, 35c, and 35d are elements that are selectively removably connected to the ink inlet 38 of the filter case 33, and have different forms.

  The first joint 35 a is a common element used in the process of manufacturing the inkjet device 1. Specifically, after the assembly of the inkjet head 2 is completed, the manufacturing operation of the inkjet device 1 includes, for example, a process of cleaning a path through which ink flows, a process of drying the path, and whether the inkjet head 2 operates normally. A step of inspecting

  When inspecting the inkjet head 2, it is necessary to actually supply the inspection ink to the inkjet head 2. Therefore, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the ink supply path 46 is connected to the ink inlet 38 of the filter case 33 via the first joint 35a, and the test is stored in the tank 47 as the ink supply source. Ink is supplied from the ink supply path 46 to the ink inlet 38.

  The first joint 35 a has a hollow cylindrical shape and is screwed into the male screw 40 of the joint receiving portion 39 of the ink inlet 38. By this screwing, the first joint 35 a is liquid-tightly connected to the joint receiving portion 39, and the inspection ink is supplied from the ink supply path 46 to the inkjet head 2 via the filter 19.

  On the other hand, the second to fourth joints 35b, 35c, 35d have, for example, a form according to a request and specification of a customer who uses the inkjet device 1, and although there is no commonality, the male screw of the joint receiving portion 39 is individually provided. 40 to be screwed.

  For this reason, when the inspection of the inkjet head 2 is completed and the manufacture of the inkjet device 1 is completed, one of the second to fourth joints 35b, 35c, and 35d corresponding to the customer's specifications is selected. Is done. Any one of the selected second to fourth joints 35b, 35c, and 35d is replaced with the first joint 35a and screwed into the joint receiving portion 39 of the ink inlet 38.

  By this screwing, any one of the selected second to fourth joints 35b, 35c, and 35d is liquid-tightly connected to the joint receiving portion 39. Accordingly, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the ink pipe 48 led from the ink tank 20 is connected to any one of the second to fourth joints 35b, 35c, 35d, so that the ink tank 20 The stored ink is supplied from the ink pipe 48 to the inkjet head 2 via the filter 19.

  According to such an embodiment, the filter 19 that filters the ink supplied to the inkjet head 2 is selectively connected to the ink inlet 38 of the filter case 33 so as to be detachably connected thereto. 35b, 35c, and 35d.

  For this reason, after the inspection of the inkjet head 2 is completed, one joint is selected from the second to fourth joints 35b, 35c, and 35d according to the customer's requirements and specifications, and the joint is used for the inspection. The filter case 33 accommodating the filter element 34 can be used in common from the time of manufacture of the ink jet apparatus 1 to the time of shipment by replacing the joint 35a with the ink inlet 20 and attaching it to the ink inlet 20.

  In other words, it is not necessary to replace the filter element 34 and the filter case 33 that are the main part of the filter 19 from the manufacture of the inkjet device 1 to the shipment. For this reason, the inkjet apparatus 1 provided with the various filters 19 can be manufactured only by replacing | exchanging the 1st thru | or 4th joint 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d.

  Therefore, workability is improved in comparison with the conventional case where the filter must be replaced at the time of product shipment, and the ink jet apparatus 1 can be efficiently manufactured.

  Furthermore, the ink inlet 38 to which the first to fourth joints 35a, 35b, 35c, and 35d are connected is located on the primary side that is upstream of the filter element 34 along the ink flow direction. For this reason, even if foreign matter such as dust enters the ink inlet 38 when the joint is replaced, the foreign matter is removed by the filter element 34.

  Therefore, the function of the filter 19 is not impaired, and the nozzle 22 can be prevented from being clogged with foreign matters.

  The means for connecting the joint to the joint receiving portion at the ink inlet is not limited to screwing, and known connecting means such as fitting and press fitting can be applied.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment, an example of a so-called edge shooter-type ink jet head that extrudes the ink filled in the pressure chamber in the longitudinal direction of the ink groove has been described as an example. However, the ink filled in the pressure chamber is directed in the depth direction of the ink groove. A so-called side shooter-type ink jet head that is pushed out to the same position can be similarly applied.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Inkjet apparatus, 2 ... Inkjet head, 19 ... Filter, 22 ... Nozzle, 33 ... Filter case, 34 ... Filter element, 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d ... Joint (1st or 2nd joint), 38 ... Ink Inlet, 41 ... ink outlet.

Claims (5)

An inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink;
A filter for filtering the ink supplied to the inkjet head,
The filter is
A filter element;
An ink inlet positioned on the upstream side of the filter element along the direction of ink flow, and an ink outlet positioned on the downstream side of the filter element along the direction of ink flow. A filter case having
A plurality of joints connectable to an ink supply source,
The plurality of joints are different in form from each other, and any one of the plurality of joints is selectively removably connected to the ink inlet of the filter case.   2. The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter case includes a first case provided with the ink inlet and a second case provided with the ink outlet. And an ink jet apparatus in which the second case is liquid-tightly joined to each other.   3. The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink inlet includes a cylindrical joint receiving portion that protrudes from the filter case, and the plurality of joints cover the joint receiving portion from the outside. An inkjet apparatus in which any one of them is connected to the ink inlet. A filter for filtering ink supplied to an inkjet head,
A filter element;
An ink inlet positioned on the upstream side of the filter element along the direction of ink flow, and an ink outlet positioned on the downstream side of the filter element along the direction of ink flow. A filter case having
A plurality of joints connectable to an ink supply source,
The joints are different in form from each other, and any one of the plurality of joints is selectively detachably connected to the ink inlet of the filter case. 5. The filter according to claim 4, wherein the filter case includes a first case provided with the ink inlet and a second case provided with the ink outlet, and the first case and The second case is liquid-tightly joined to each other;
The ink inlet includes a cylindrical joint receiving portion protruding from the first case, and any one of the plurality of joints is connected to the ink inlet so as to cover the joint receiving portion from the outside. Filter.

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