JP2019142025A - Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

To mount a protection member on a liquid discharge head without increasing component cost.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge head discharges a liquid from a plurality of nozzle holes, and includes a nozzle plate 17 with the plurality of nozzle holes formed thereon, a liquid chamber forming member (for example, a holding member 40) which is formed of a plurality of laminated plates and forms a liquid chamber by joining to the nozzle plate 17, and a protection member which covers the nozzle plate 17 and/or the liquid chamber forming member. The liquid chamber forming member includes at least one plate on which an engagement part (for example, a protrusion 41, protruded parts 421-1, 421-2) is formed on a part covered with the protection member. The protection member can be fitted to the engagement part, and at least one plate (for example plates 42-1, 42-2) with the engagement part formed thereon has a thickness in a lamination direction of the plurality of laminated plates equal to or less than a width in the lamination direction of the engagement part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head and an apparatus for ejecting liquid.

  2. Description of the Related Art In an inkjet apparatus that discharges liquid (also referred to as a liquid discharge apparatus or a droplet discharge apparatus), a protective member that covers a liquid discharge head is used (Patent Document 1).

  However, when the protrusion for fixing the protective member is formed on the liquid discharge head, it is necessary to process a large part of the liquid discharge head for forming the protrusion, and there is a problem that the cost of parts increases.

  An object of the present invention is to attach a protective member to a liquid discharge head without increasing the component cost.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a liquid discharge head according to the present invention is a liquid discharge head that discharges liquid from a plurality of nozzle holes, and a plurality of the plurality of stacked nozzle plates formed with the plurality of nozzle holes. A liquid chamber forming member that forms a liquid chamber by joining with the nozzle plate, and a protective member that covers the nozzle plate and / or the liquid chamber forming member, the liquid chamber forming member, It has at least one plate in which an engaging part is formed in a portion covered by the protective member, and the protective member can be fitted with the engaging part, and at least one plate in which the engaging part is formed The plate is characterized in that a thickness in the stacking direction in which the plurality of plates are stacked is equal to or less than a width in the stacking direction of the engaging portion.

  According to the present invention, the protective member can be attached to the liquid discharge head without increasing the component cost.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which the head main body and the head cable part isolate | separated about an example of the liquid discharge head concerning one Embodiment. 4A and 4B are schematic views illustrating an example of a head main body that constitutes a liquid discharge head according to an embodiment, where FIG. 5A is a side view, FIG. 5B is a front view of the main body, and FIG. is there. It is a schematic diagram which decomposes | disassembles and shows the flow path unit and housing which comprise a liquid chamber part. It is a figure explaining an example of the protection member with which a nozzle surface is mounted | worn, (A) is a figure which shows the state which mounted | wore the protection member, (B) is a figure which shows the state before attaching a protection member. . It is the elements on larger scale explaining the protrusion shape formed in the side surface of the conventional holding member. It is a figure explaining the protrusion shape of the liquid discharge head of one Embodiment, (A) is a figure which shows the protrusion shape formed in the side surface of a holding member, (B) is the figure which expanded the protrusion shape. It is a figure which shows an example of the metal plate which formed protrusion shape, (A) is a figure which shows a part of one plate in which the common flow path and protrusion shape were formed, (B) is a some plate It is a fragmentary sectional view explaining the common flow path and protrusion shape which were formed by. It is a side view which shows an example of a liquid discharge unit. It is a top view which shows an example of a liquid discharge unit. It is a side view which shows an example of a liquid discharge unit. It is a figure which shows an example of the apparatus which discharges a liquid, (A) is a perspective view which shows the outline of a principal part structure, (B) is a side view.

Hereinafter, a liquid discharge head and a device for discharging a liquid according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings are omitted or simplified as appropriate. In the drawings, components having the same configuration or function and corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and other embodiments, additions, modifications, deletions, and the like can be changed within a range that can be conceived by those skilled in the art, and any aspect is possible. As long as the functions and effects of the present invention are exhibited, the scope of the present invention is included.

[Liquid discharge head]
In the present application, the “liquid ejection head” is a functional component that ejects and ejects liquid from a nozzle (also referred to as a nozzle hole).
The liquid to be ejected is not particularly limited as long as it has a viscosity and surface tension that can be ejected from the head, and the viscosity is 30 mPa · s or less at room temperature, normal pressure, or by heating and cooling. It is preferable. More specifically, solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, functional materials such as polymerizable compounds, resins, and surfactants, and biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids, proteins, and calcium. , Edible materials such as natural pigments, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, and the like. These include, for example, inkjet inks, surface treatment liquids, components of electronic devices and light emitting devices, and formation of electronic circuit resist patterns. It can be used in applications such as liquids for use, three-dimensional modeling material liquids, and the like.

  Examples of energy generating sources for discharging liquid include piezoelectric actuators (laminated piezoelectric elements and thin film piezoelectric elements), thermal actuators that use electrothermal transducers such as heating resistors, electrostatic actuators that consist of diaphragms and counter electrodes, and the like. Includes what you use.

  In addition, the terms “image formation”, “recording”, “printing”, “printing”, “printing”, “modeling” and the like in the terms of the present application are all synonymous.

First, a configuration example of a liquid discharge head according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state where a head main body and a head cable portion are separated from each other in an example of a liquid discharge head according to an embodiment. 2A and 2B are schematic views showing an example of a head main body constituting the liquid ejection head according to the embodiment. FIG. 2A is a side view, FIG. 2B is a front view of the main body, and FIG. It is sectional drawing shown.

The liquid discharge head according to an embodiment includes a head main body 7 and a cable portion 8.
The head main body 7 applies pressure to the liquid in the pressure chamber by driving the pressure generating element 10, discharges the liquid from the nozzle, the drive control unit 3 that controls the driving of the pressure generating element 10, and the drive control unit 3. The heat dissipation member 1 and the cover member 4 are in contact with each other.
In the liquid discharge head, a wiring member that transmits a signal to the drive control unit 3 is provided so as to be separable from the head body 7 having the heat radiating member 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a cable portion 8 having a host device transmission wiring member 2 b is provided so as to be separable from the head body 7.

Details of each component will be described below.
The liquid chamber section 11 includes a flow path unit configured by laminating a plurality of nozzles, pressure chambers, and restrictor members, and a pressure generating element that is joined to the flow path unit and generates pressure for liquid discharge. 10 and a housing 12 that houses the pressure generating element 10 and is stacked on the flow path unit.
As a wiring member, a bendable upper device transmission wiring member 2b which is connected to the connector base 5 and transmits electrical signals from the upper device via the connector 6, and between the upper device transmission wiring member 2b and the pressure generating element 10 And a relay wiring member 2a for connecting the two.
The drive control unit 3 is mounted on the relay wiring member 2a and performs drive control of the pressure generating element 10 based on an electrical signal from the host device.
The cover member 4 accommodates and protects the relay wiring member 2a and the drive control unit 3.

  The heat radiating member (heat sink) 1 dissipates heat generated by the drive control unit 3 to the outside. In the configuration example of FIG. 2, the heat radiating member 1 is disposed outside the cover member 4, and is disposed inside the cover member 4 and the first heat radiating member 1 a having a surface in contact with the outside air, and the drive control unit 3. The first heat radiating member 1a and the second heat radiating member 1b are in contact with each other. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, the heat dissipating member 1 is provided on both opposing surfaces.

Next, a configuration example of the liquid chamber portion 11 illustrated in FIG. 2B will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the flow path unit and the housing constituting the liquid chamber portion 11 in an exploded manner. The liquid chamber portion 11 includes a housing 12, a filter plate 13, a manifold 14, a vibration plate 15, a restrictor plate 16, and a nozzle plate (also referred to as an orifice plate) 17. The flow path unit is formed by laminating the filter plate 13 to the nozzle plate 17.

The diaphragm 15 is joined to the pressure generating element 10.
When a voltage is applied to the pressure generating element 10 bonded to the SUS base, the pressure generating element 10 is distorted and compresses the individual liquid chamber composed of the restrictor plate 16 via the vibration plate 15. Liquid (ink) is ejected from the nozzle holes. At this time, heat is generated in the drive control unit 3. The generated heat is released to the outside by the heat radiating member 1 joined to the drive control unit 3.

The above is an example of the liquid discharge head according to the embodiment, and the liquid discharge head is not limited to the above-described configuration, and may have other configurations as long as a protective member that protects the head body can be attached. Good.
Next, a protective member attached to the liquid discharge head will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the following description, a frame (for example, the housing 12) that holds the flow path member (specifically, from the filter plate 13 to the restrictor plate 16) will be described as a holding member (also referred to as a liquid chamber forming member). The holding member has a role of holding the nozzle plate 17.
The liquid chamber portion 11 includes at least a nozzle plate 17, a flow path member, and a holding member.
An individual liquid chamber (also referred to as an individual flow path, a pressurized liquid chamber, a pressure chamber, or a pressurized chamber) is an individual flow path that communicates with a plurality of nozzle holes that discharge liquid.
The common liquid chamber (also referred to as a common flow path or an internal flow path) is a flow path that connects to a plurality of individual liquid chambers and supplies ink to each individual liquid chamber. For example, several tens of individual liquid chambers are connected to one common liquid chamber. A part of the common liquid chamber is formed by a holding member.

4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining an example of a protective member attached to the nozzle surface. FIG. 4A shows a state where the protective member is attached, and FIG. 4B shows a state before the protective member is attached. In FIG. 4, the conventional holding member 20 is used. The protection member 30 is mounted so as to cover an end portion (edge portion) of the nozzle surface (surface on which the nozzle hole is formed) of the nozzle plate 17 and a part of the holding member 20.
As shown in FIG. 4, the holding member 20 that holds the nozzle plate 17 has a protruding shape (also referred to as a protruding portion, a protruding shape, a protruding portion, or a protruding portion) 21 formed on a side surface. Here, the side surface of the holding member 20 is a surface substantially perpendicular to the nozzle surface, and is a surface parallel to the stacking direction of the plurality of plates. The holding member 20 has a plurality of side surfaces, and a part of the side surfaces is covered with the protection member 30. The protrusion shape 21 is formed on the surface covered with the protection member 30.

The protection member 30 is a member that covers a part of the nozzle plate 17 and the holding member 20, and has a hole 31 that fits and is fixed to the protruding shape 21 formed on the holding member 20.
The cleaning member is damaged at the edge when the cleaning member comes into contact with the edge portion of the nozzle surface by fitting the hole 31 in the corresponding part of the protection member 30 and the protruding shape 21 of the holding member 20, Conversely, the nozzle plate 17 is prevented from peeling off due to the contact of the cleaning member.

  FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view for explaining a protrusion shape formed on a side surface of a conventional holding member. In the prior art, the holding member 20 is formed using a block-shaped metal piece. Therefore, when forming the projection shape 21 for fixing the protection member to the holding member 20, the block-shaped metal piece is cut and removed while leaving the projection shape 21. It was. Therefore, it is necessary to cut the entire side surface excluding the protrusion shape 21, and there is a problem that the component cost is increased.

  Accordingly, one aspect of the liquid ejection head of the present invention is formed by laminating a member including, as an outer shape, a portion that forms an engaging portion (for example, a protrusion shape or a dent) for attaching a protection member. To do. For example, the formation of a thin plate having a convex shape in its outer shape can be easily formed by an etching method or die cutting. Thereby, it becomes possible to form the protrusion shape as the engaging portion for attaching the protective member without increasing the processing cost. In addition, a flow path inside the holding member can be formed at the same time. Details will be described below.

In the liquid head according to the embodiment, the holding member has a structure in which a plurality of plates (for example, metal plates) are stacked, and one or more of the plurality of plates has a protruding shape that fits with the protection member. It has an outer shape in which convex portions (projections) are processed.
6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the protrusion shape of the liquid ejection head according to the embodiment. FIG. 6A is a view illustrating the protrusion shape formed on the side surface of the holding member, and FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of the protrusion shape. FIG.
FIG. 6 shows an example in which the protrusion shape 41 is formed by two plates among a plurality of plates included in the holding member 40 of the liquid chamber portion 11a.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the holding member 40 has at least a portion of the plurality of plates having a thickness equivalent to or longer than the length of the protrusion shape 41 (width in the stacking direction). It is formed by stacking thin plate members. The protrusion shape 41 is processed as the outer shape of the plate member. FIG. 6B shows a part of the plates 42-1 and 42-2 as plate members on which convex portions are formed. The plates 42-1 and 42-2 show an example in which the convex portions 421-1 and 421-2 forming the protrusion shape 41 are processed as outer shapes at the end portions.
By forming the holding member in this way, it is not necessary to process the shape of the side surface of the holding member later, and it becomes possible to form the protrusion shape at low cost.

  Processing of the plate before joining is performed by etching, and a desired shape is formed by an etching plate. For this reason, even if there is a fine protrusion shape on the outer portion of the plate, the processing cost does not vary, and a desired shape can be formed at low cost regardless of the presence or absence of the protrusion. In addition, since the holding member 40 is formed by stacking thin plates, the position of the protrusion shape in the stacking direction in which the plurality of plates are stacked (stacking direction in which the plurality of plates are stacked) is the thickness of the plate (the stacking direction of the plates). Can be easily and accurately formed in units of width. For this reason, the projection shape for attaching the protection member can be formed with high accuracy without increasing the processing cost.

  In addition, by forming the holding member that holds the nozzle surface or a part of the holding member with a metal thin plate with a protruding shape on the outer shape, post-processing for forming a convex shape is eliminated, and the structure is inexpensive. can do.

  As described above, a liquid discharge head according to an embodiment includes a protection member for protecting a nozzle surface in a droplet discharge head including a plurality of nozzles that discharge droplets and a protection member for protecting the nozzle surface. Is provided on the side surface substantially perpendicular to the nozzle surface (the surface covered by the protective member and not the nozzle surface). Moreover, it is the structure which laminated | stacked the thin plate (thin plate) in the direction perpendicular | vertical to a nozzle surface, and the protrusion shape mentioned above is formed by laminating | stacking with the thin plate without a protrusion shape formed in the external shape of a thin plate. It is characterized by being.

  For example, the holding member has a protrusion shape for fixing a protection member for protecting the nozzle surface on a side surface perpendicular to the nozzle surface, and these convex shapes are formed by thin plates stacked in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle surface. Is formed. The holding member forms a protrusion shape by laminating a thin plate having a convex portion on the outer shape and a thin plate not having the convex portion.

  As a method of joining a plurality of plates, joining with an adhesive is possible, but it is preferable to use a diffusion joining method. The diffusion bonding method can stack a plurality of thin plates and bond them together (joining a plurality of plates at once). Therefore, bonding without applying adhesive can reduce processing costs. It becomes possible. Moreover, it is possible to reduce the cost compared to forming a shape from a metal piece by cutting.

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a metal plate having a protrusion shape, FIG. 7A is a view showing a part of one plate having a common flow path and a protrusion shape, and FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view explaining the common flow path and protrusion shape which were formed of the several plate, and has shown a part of cross section along the VIIB-VIIB line | wire shown to (A). In FIG. 7, as the metal plate, processing using the plates 42-1 and 42-2 in which the projection shape shown in FIG. 6B is formed and the plates 44-1 to 44-5 in which the projection shape is not formed is used. An example is shown.
As shown in FIG. 7 (A), the plate 42-1 is formed with a convex portion 421-1 for the projection shape 41 at the end, and a space (hole, hole) 422 that forms the common flow path 43 therein. 1. A space (hole, hole) 423-1 for forming a penetrating portion 45, which is a hole through which the actuator passes, is formed.

  FIG. 7B shows an example of a holding member that forms a part of the common flow path 43 by the plates 42-1 and 42-2 and the plates 44-1 to 44-5. The plate 42-2 has a shape in which a space for forming the convex portion 421-2, the common flow path 43, and the through portion 45 is processed, like the plate 42-1.

The plates 44-1 to 44-5 are plates whose convex portions are not processed in the outer shape, and the space for forming the penetrating portion 45 is processed similarly to the space 423-1 of the plate 42-1.
The plates 44-1 and 44-2 have a shape in which the space forming the common flow path 43 is not processed. The plates 44-3 to 44-5 have the same shape as the space 422-1 of the plate 42-1 in which the space forming the common flow path 43 is processed.
As shown in FIG. 7B, the plates 42-1 and 42-2 and the plates 44-3 to 44-5 are each a space processed into each plate by stacking each plate. Are connected to each other, and a through portion 45 through which the actuator passes is formed. Further, the protrusions 421-1 and 421-2 for the protrusion shape are processed at the ends of the two plates 42-1 and 42-2, and the plates 42-1 and 42-2 are joined. The protrusions 421-1 and 421-2 are joined to form the protrusion shape 41.
In the example of FIG. 7, the flow path member and the nozzle plate 17 are stacked on the plate 44-5.

The holding member that holds the protection member for the nozzle surface includes a supply flow path for supplying the discharge liquid to a pressure generation unit that communicates with the discharge nozzle. In the holding member, a space is formed at a position overlapping with the protrusion formation portion (between the portion where the protrusion shape is formed from the nozzle surface) in the direction perpendicular to the nozzle surface.
In manufacturing by a conventional cutting method, a flow path is formed inside, and a convex shape is formed on the outer peripheral side surface.
Processing an internal flow path after joining a plurality of plates requires extra processing time. Therefore, by simultaneously forming the internal flow path in a metal plate that forms a convex shape in the outer shape (FIG. 7A), by joining a plurality of metal plates, so that the required flow path can be formed, Parts processing costs can be further reduced.

There are methods such as pressing and etching for the outer shape of the metal plate, but since both are formed by a mold or a mask, the presence or absence of the protruding shape does not affect the component cost. An etching method is desirable because a complicated shape can be formed with high accuracy by an etching method, such as when a flow path is formed at the same time as the formation of the protrusion shape.
When there is a flow path inside, if the plate is bonded by the bonding adhesive method, there is a high possibility that the liquid will leak inside without considering the liquid contact characteristics due to the characteristics of the adhesive and the liquid. On the other hand, in the diffusion bonding method, since the bonding portion is formed only of the plate material, the robustness of the occurrence of liquid leakage inside the bonding portion can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the holding member has been described as being fitted with the protective member by the protruding shape (projecting portion protruding toward the protective member), but is not limited thereto. For example, the holding member may be formed with a concave portion recessed in a direction away from the protective member as an engaging portion to be fitted with the protective member, and the protective member only needs to be fitted with the engaging portion.

[Liquid discharge unit]
The liquid discharge unit of one embodiment can be configured using the liquid discharge head described above.
8, 9 and 10 show an example of a liquid discharge unit in which the liquid discharge head of one embodiment is mounted as an inkjet head.

  The “liquid ejection unit” is an assembly of other functional parts and mechanisms integrated with the liquid ejection head, and is an assembly of parts related to the function of ejecting liquid. For example, the “liquid discharge unit” includes a combination of at least one of a head tank, a carriage, a supply mechanism, a maintenance / recovery mechanism, and a main scanning movement mechanism with a liquid discharge head.

  Here, the term “integrated” refers to, for example, a liquid discharge head, a functional component, and a mechanism that are fixed to each other by fastening, adhesion, engagement, etc., and one that is held movably with respect to the other. Including. Further, the liquid discharge head, the functional component, and the mechanism may be configured to be detachable from each other.

For example, there is a liquid discharge unit 440 in which a liquid discharge head 404 and a head tank 441 are integrated as shown in FIG.
A liquid discharge unit 440 shown in FIG. 8 is mounted on the carriage 403. The carriage 403 is held by a guide member 401 constituting a main scanning movement mechanism and reciprocates in the main scanning direction.
FIG. 8 shows a transport belt 412 that is a means for transporting a recording medium (for example, a sheet) among members constituting a device for discharging a liquid to be described later. The transport belt 412 is an endless belt and is stretched between the transport roller 413 and the tension roller 414.

  Also, there are some in which the liquid discharge head and the head tank are integrated by being connected to each other by a tube or the like. Here, a unit including a filter may be added between the head tank and the liquid discharge head of these liquid discharge units.

  In addition, there is a liquid discharge unit in which a liquid discharge head and a carriage are integrated.

Also, as the liquid discharge unit, the liquid discharge head 404 and the main scanning movement mechanism 493 are integrated by holding the liquid discharge head 404 movably on a guide member 401 that constitutes a part of the main scanning movement mechanism. There is. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, there are some in which the liquid discharge head 404, the carriage 403, and the main scanning movement mechanism 493 are integrated.
The liquid discharge unit 440 shown in FIG. 9 includes a housing portion composed of side plates 491A and 491B and a back plate 491C among members constituting a liquid discharge device described later, a main scanning movement mechanism 493, A carriage 403 and a liquid discharge head 404 are included. An arrow D1 in the figure indicates the main scanning direction.

  Also, there is a liquid discharge unit in which a cap member that is a part of the maintenance / recovery mechanism is fixed to a carriage to which the liquid discharge head is attached, and the liquid discharge head, the carriage, and the maintenance / recovery mechanism are integrated. .

Further, as a liquid discharge unit, as shown in FIG. 10, there is a unit in which a tube 456 is connected to a liquid discharge head 404 to which a flow path component 444 is attached, and the liquid discharge head 404 and a supply mechanism are integrated. Through this tube 456, the liquid storage source liquid is supplied to the liquid ejection head 404.
The flow path component 444 is disposed inside the cover 442. A head tank 441 may be included instead of the flow path component 444. In addition, a connector 443 that is electrically connected to the liquid ejection head 404 is provided above the flow path component 444.

  The main scanning movement mechanism includes a guide member alone. The supply mechanism includes a single tube and a single loading unit.

[Device for discharging liquid]
An apparatus for discharging a liquid according to an embodiment includes the liquid discharge head described above.
In the present application, the “apparatus for ejecting liquid” is an apparatus that includes a liquid ejection head or a liquid ejection unit and that drives the liquid ejection head to eject liquid. The apparatus for ejecting liquid includes not only an apparatus capable of ejecting liquid to an object to which liquid can adhere, but also an apparatus for ejecting liquid toward the air or liquid.

  This “apparatus for discharging liquid” may include means for feeding, transporting, and discharging a liquid to which liquid can adhere, as well as a pre-processing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus.

  For example, as a “liquid ejecting device”, an image forming device that forms an image on paper by ejecting ink, a powder is formed in layers to form a three-dimensional model (three-dimensional model) There is a three-dimensional modeling apparatus (three-dimensional modeling apparatus) that discharges a modeling liquid onto the powder layer.

  Further, the “apparatus for ejecting liquid” is not limited to an apparatus in which significant images such as characters and figures are visualized by the ejected liquid. For example, what forms a pattern etc. which does not have a meaning in itself, and what forms a three-dimensional image are also included.

  The above-mentioned “applicable liquid” means that the liquid can be attached at least temporarily and adheres and adheres, or adheres and penetrates. Specific examples include recording media such as paper, recording paper, recording paper, film, and cloth, electronic parts such as electronic substrates and piezoelectric elements, powder layers (powder layers), organ models, and test cells. Yes, unless specifically limited, includes everything that the liquid adheres to.

  The material of the above-mentioned “material to which liquid can adhere” is not limited as long as liquid such as paper, thread, fiber, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics can be adhered even temporarily.

  The “liquid” is not particularly limited as long as it has a viscosity and surface tension that can be ejected from the head, and the viscosity is 30 mPa · s or less at room temperature, normal pressure, or by heating and cooling. Preferably there is. More specifically, solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, functional materials such as polymerizable compounds, resins, and surfactants, and biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids, proteins, and calcium. , Edible materials such as natural pigments, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, and the like. These include, for example, inkjet inks, surface treatment liquids, components of electronic devices and light emitting devices, and formation of electronic circuit resist patterns. It can be used in applications such as liquids for use, three-dimensional modeling material liquids, and the like.

  In addition, the “device for ejecting liquid” includes a device in which the liquid ejection head and the device to which the liquid can adhere move relatively, but is not limited thereto. Specific examples include a serial type apparatus that moves the liquid discharge head, a line type apparatus that does not move the liquid discharge head, and the like.

  In addition to the “device for discharging liquid”, a processing liquid coating apparatus for discharging a processing liquid onto a sheet for applying a processing liquid to the surface of the sheet for the purpose of modifying the surface of the sheet, or a raw material There is an injection granulating apparatus or the like that granulates fine particles of a raw material by spraying a composition liquid in which a solution is dispersed in a solution through a nozzle.

FIG. 11 shows an example of an ink jet image forming apparatus which is a device for discharging liquid in which the liquid discharge head of the present invention is mounted as an ink jet head.
FIG. 11A is a perspective view showing an outline of the main part configuration, and FIG. 11B is a side view.

  The ink jet image forming apparatus 301 includes a liquid ejection unit including a carriage movable in the main scanning direction, a recording head including an ink jet head mounted on the carriage, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head, and the like. The unit is accommodated in the printing mechanism unit 302. A paper feeding cassette (paper feeding tray) 304 on which a large number of recording papers 303 can be stacked is removably mounted from the front side of the apparatus main body, and the recording paper 303 is manually fed. The manual feed tray 305 can be turned over, the recording paper 303 fed from the paper feed cassette 304 or the manual feed tray 305 is taken in, a required image is recorded by the printing mechanism unit 302, and then mounted on the rear side. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 306.

  The printing mechanism 302 holds the carriage 313 slidably in the main scanning direction (perpendicular to the paper surface) with a main guide rod 311 and a sub guide rod 312 which are guide members horizontally mounted on left and right side plates (not shown). The carriage 313 includes a recording head 314 including an ink jet head that ejects ink droplets of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (B), and a plurality of ink ejection ports as main scanning directions. They are arranged in the crossing direction and mounted with the ink droplet ejection direction facing downward. Further, each ink cartridge 315 for supplying each color ink to the recording head 314 is replaceably mounted on the carriage 313.

  The ink cartridge 315 has an air port that communicates with the atmosphere upward, a supply port that supplies ink to the inkjet head below, and a porous body filled with ink inside, and the capillary force of the porous body. Thus, the ink supplied to the inkjet head is maintained at a slight negative pressure.

  In addition, although the recording heads 314 of the respective colors are used here as the recording heads, a single head having nozzles that eject ink droplets of the respective colors may be used. Further, the ink jet head used as the recording head 314 is a piezoelectric type that pressurizes ink through a vibration plate that forms a liquid chamber wall surface by an electromechanical transducer such as a piezoelectric element, or a bubble is generated by a heating resistor to generate ink. A bubble type that pressurizes, or an electrostatic type that pressurizes ink by displacing the diaphragm with an electrostatic force between the diaphragm that forms the wall surface of the ink flow path and the electrode facing it can be used. In this embodiment, an electrostatic inkjet head is used.

  Here, the carriage 313 is slidably fitted to the main guide rod 311 on the rear side (downstream side in the paper conveyance direction), and is slidably mounted on the sub guide rod 312 on the front side (downstream side in the paper conveyance direction). doing. In order to move and scan the carriage 313 in the main scanning direction, a timing belt 320 is stretched between a driving pulley 318 and a driven pulley 319 that are rotationally driven by a main scanning motor 317, and the timing belt 320 is moved to the carriage 313. The carriage 313 is driven to reciprocate by forward and reverse rotation of the main scanning motor 317.

  On the other hand, in order to convey the recording paper 303 set in the paper feeding cassette 304 to the lower side of the recording head 314, a paper feeding roller 321 and a friction pad 322 for separating and feeding the recording paper 303 from the paper feeding cassette 304, and a recording paper The guide member 323 for guiding the sheet 303, the conveyance roller 324 for reversing and conveying the fed recording sheet 303, the conveyance roller 325 pressed against the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller 324, and the recording sheet 303 from the conveyance roller 324 A leading end roller 326 that defines a feed angle is provided. The transport roller 324 is rotationally driven by a sub-scanning motor 327 via a gear train.

  A printing receiving member 329 is provided as a paper guide member that guides the recording paper 303 fed from the conveying roller 324 below the recording head 314 corresponding to the range of movement of the carriage 313 in the main scanning direction. A conveyance roller 331 and a spur 332 that are rotationally driven to send out the recording paper 303 in the paper discharge direction are provided on the downstream side of the printing receiving member 329 in the paper conveyance direction, and the recording paper 303 is sent out to the paper discharge tray 306. A paper discharge roller 333 and a spur 334 and guide members 335 and 336 that form a paper discharge path are disposed.

  During recording, the recording head 314 is driven in accordance with the image signal while moving the carriage 313, thereby ejecting ink onto the stopped recording paper 303 to record one line, and conveying the recording paper 303 by a predetermined amount. After that, the next line is recorded. Upon receiving a recording end signal or a signal that the trailing edge of the recording paper 303 has reached the recording area, the recording operation is terminated and the recording paper 303 is discharged.

  Further, a recovery device 337 for recovering defective ejection of the recording head 314 is disposed at a position outside the recording area on the right end side in the movement direction of the carriage 313. The recovery device has cap means, suction means, and cleaning means. The carriage 313 is moved to the recovery device 337 side during printing standby, and the recording head 314 is capped by the capping unit, and the ejection port portion is kept in a wet state to prevent ejection failure due to ink drying. Further, by ejecting ink that is not related to recording during recording or the like, the ink viscosity of all the ejection ports is made constant and stable ejection performance is maintained.

  When ejection failure occurs, the ejection port of the recording head 314 is sealed with a capping unit, air bubbles are sucked out together with ink from the ejection port with a suction unit through a tube, and ink or dust attached to the ejection port surface is cleaned. It is removed by the means and the ejection failure is recovered. Further, the sucked ink is discharged to a waste ink reservoir (not shown) installed at the lower part of the main body and absorbed and held by an ink absorber inside the waste ink reservoir.

11, 11a Liquid chamber 12 Housing 13 Filter plate 14 Manifold 15 Diaphragm 16 Restrictor plate 17 Nozzle plate (orifice plate)
20, 40 Holding member 21, 41 Protrusion shape 30 Protection member 31 Holes 42-1, 42-2, 44-1 to 44-5 Plate 41 Protrusion shape 43 Common flow path 45 Through portion 404 Liquid discharge heads 421-1, 421 -2 convex part 422-1, 423-1 space 440 liquid discharge unit

Japanese Patent No. 4306611

Claims (7)

A liquid discharge head for discharging liquid from a plurality of nozzle holes,
A nozzle plate in which the plurality of nozzle holes are formed;
A liquid chamber forming member comprising a plurality of stacked plates and forming a liquid chamber by joining with the nozzle plate;
A protective member covering the nozzle plate and / or the liquid chamber forming member,
The liquid chamber forming member has at least one plate in which an engaging portion is formed in a portion covered with the protective member,
The protective member can be fitted with the engaging portion,
The at least one plate in which the engaging portion is formed has a thickness in a stacking direction in which the plurality of plates are stacked, which is equal to or less than a width of the engaging portion in the stacking direction. .   The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion is a protrusion protruding toward the protection member.   The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion is a recess that is recessed in a direction away from the protection member.   The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of plates are bonded by diffusion bonding. The liquid chamber forming member forms a common flow path for supplying the discharge liquid to the individual liquid chamber,
5. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one plate on which the engaging portion is formed forms a part of the common flow path.   The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein at least one plate on which the engaging portion is formed is formed by an etching method.   An apparatus for discharging a liquid, comprising the liquid discharge head according to claim 1.