JP2994494B2 - Method of manufacturing ink jet recording head, ink jet recording head manufactured by the manufacturing method, and ink jet recording apparatus having the head - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a discharge port for discharging ink, an ink flow path communicating with the discharge port, and an ink flow path arranged along the ink flow path for discharging ink from the discharge port. The present invention relates to an ink jet recording head having energy generating means for generating energy to be used, a method of manufacturing the same, and an ink jet recording apparatus having the head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an ink jet recording head includes:
Fine discharge ports for discharging ink, ink flow paths provided for each discharge port and communicating with the discharge ports, energy elements provided in a part of each ink flow path to generate energy for discharging ink And In many cases, one ink jet recording head is provided with a large number of ejection ports, and a common liquid chamber is provided in each ink flow path for stably supplying ink to each ink flow path. As the energy generating means, an element for converting electric energy into ejection energy, for example, an electrothermal converter or a piezoelectric element is used. The following is a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head.

[0003] Using a first substrate provided with energy generating means and a second substrate made of glass, metal, or the like,
After a discharge port, a concave portion for forming an ink flow path and a liquid chamber, and a supply port for communicating the liquid chamber with the outside are provided in the second substrate by processing means such as cutting or etching, the first substrate is provided with a first port. A method in which a second substrate is attached to a substrate with an adhesive while aligning the position of the energy generation means with the ink flow path.

[0004] A positive or negative photosensitive dry film is adhered to a substrate made of glass or the like provided with energy generating means, and the photosensitive dry film is exposed and developed using photolithography technology. A solid layer having a pattern corresponding to the outlet, the ink flow path and the liquid chamber is provided on the substrate. Next, a liquid curable material in which a curing agent is mixed is applied to an appropriate thickness on the solid layer and the substrate, and left at a predetermined temperature for a long time to cure the curable material. After that, the substrate is cut at a position where a discharge port is to be formed to expose an end face of the solid layer, the substrate is immersed in a solution for dissolving the solid layer, the solid layer is dissolved and removed from the substrate, and ink flows inside the substrate. A method of providing a space for forming a passage and a liquid chamber (see JP-A-61-15497).

A photosensitive dry film is adhered to a first substrate provided with energy generating means, and the photosensitive dry film is exposed and developed to form a pattern corresponding to a discharge port, an ink flow path, and a part of a liquid chamber. Is provided on the first substrate. An active energy ray-curable material that is cured by an active energy ray such as an ultraviolet ray or an electron beam is applied to the solid layer and the first substrate to an appropriate thickness. A second substrate which is provided with a concave portion for forming another part of the liquid chamber and a supply port and which transmits active energy rays is prepared.
The second substrate is stuck on the active energy ray-curable material to form a laminate so that the concave portion of the substrate matches the position where the liquid chamber is to be formed. Next, the second substrate is masked so as to hide the portion where the liquid chamber is to be formed, and the active energy ray is irradiated through the second substrate to cure the active energy ray-curable material. The body is cut at the position where the discharge port is to be formed to expose the end face of the solid layer, and the solid layer and uncured active energy ray-curable material are dissolved and removed from the laminate to form an ink flow path and liquid inside. A method of providing a space for forming a chamber (see JP-A-62-253457).

[0006]

In the case of manufacturing the above-described ink jet recording head, a method having a large liquid chamber suitable for high-speed printing can be manufactured by the manufacturing method described above. Energy generation means and the second
It is necessary to precisely align the fine ink flow path of the substrate with the two substrates and bond the two substrates together, which makes the apparatus complicated and expensive, and also causes a lack of mass productivity and an increase in product cost. There is a problem. Does not require precise alignment, but the volume of the liquid chamber is limited by the thickness of the patterned solid layer,
There is a problem that it is not possible to form a very large liquid chamber, the process is complicated and time-consuming, and the number of processes is large. In the manufacturing method of (1), the liquid chamber can be enlarged by enlarging the concave portion for forming another part of the liquid chamber, and precise alignment is not necessary. However, there is a problem in that the process is complicated and time-consuming, and the number of processes is further increased.

In order to solve such a problem, a substrate provided with energy generating means is used, and a solid layer having a pattern corresponding to a part of a discharge port, an ink flow path and a liquid chamber is provided on the substrate. A method has been devised in which a discharge port, an ink flow path, and a liquid chamber are formed on the substrate by integral molding of a synthetic resin, and then the solid layer is dissolved and removed. in this case,
The solid layer substantially acts as a part of the mold at the time of integral molding, and contributes to the formation of the ink flow path which is the undercut portion. However, in the ink jet recording head manufactured by this method, deformation of the ink flow path occurs at the time of manufacturing,
In some cases, abnormalities in the ink discharge characteristics due to this deformation were observed.

An object of the present invention is to manufacture an ink jet recording head which has a large liquid chamber without deformation of an ink flow path and has high reliability and which can be mass-produced at a low cost by a simple and small number of steps. It is to provide a method.

[0009]

According to a method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head of the present invention, a step of providing a solid layer made of a removable material in a portion to be an ink flow path on a substrate; Providing, by transfer molding, a synthetic resin that is incompatible and has a lower thermal softening temperature than the solid layer on a substrate provided with the solid layer so as to cover the solid layer; and And forming the ink flow path by removing.

In the ink jet recording head of the present invention, the ink flow path is manufactured by the method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head of the present invention.

An ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises at least an ink jet recording head according to the present invention in which an ink ejection port faces a recording surface of a recording medium, and at least a member for mounting the head. Have.

[0012]

The deformation of the ink flow path during the manufacture of the ink jet recording head is caused by the chemical and physical interaction between the solid layer and the synthetic resin for forming the discharge port and the ink flow path. Seem. This is presumably because the selection of the material for the solid layer and the synthetic resin was made mainly from the viewpoint of good workability. Here, the solid layer and the synthetic resin for molding are incompatible, and the solid layer and the molding resin are formed so that the heat softening temperature of the synthetic resin for molding is lower than that of the solid layer. When a synthetic resin material is selected, erosion between the solid layer and the molding synthetic resin does not occur because it is incompatible, and since the solid layer has a higher heat softening temperature than the molding synthetic resin, At the time of molding, the shape of the solid layer is maintained, and deformation of the ink flow path does not occur.

As the solid layer, it is preferable to use a dry developing photosensitive resin or the like.

[0014]

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

First, an example of an ink jet recording head manufactured by the method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the configuration of the ink jet recording head.

In FIG. 1, on one surface of a substrate 1 made of glass, a silicon wafer, or the like, a plurality of electrodes 2a having an electrothermal converter (made of, for example, HfB ₂ + Al + SiO ₂ + Ta) 2a are provided.
Are formed by a known semiconductor manufacturing process such as etching, vapor deposition, or sputtering, and are arranged at predetermined intervals, and one surface thereof is an element surface 1a. A structural member 3 made of one member is fused to the element surface 1a simultaneously with molding by transfer molding. Although not shown, the element surface 1a including each electrode 2 and each electrothermal transducer 2a is provided for the purpose of improving durability and the like.
In general, various functional layers such as a protective film are provided. This ink jet recording head exerts its effects irrespective of the presence or absence of these functional layers and their materials.

On the surface of the structural member 3 facing the element surface 1a, a plurality of grooves are formed respectively corresponding to the positions of the electrothermal transducers 2a, and a space surrounded by each groove and the element surface 1a is formed. Liquid flow paths 3b, which are ink flow paths, are respectively formed, and openings that are open to the outside of the respective spaces form discharge ports 3a. In the structural member 3, a cavity having an element surface 1a as a bottom wall is formed so as to communicate with each of the grooves (liquid flow path 3b) to form a liquid chamber 3c. An opening for communicating between 3c) and the outside (such as a connector 4 described later) is formed to be open in the same direction as the direction in which the element surface 1a faces, and serves as a supply port 3d. A supply pipe 5 connected to an ink tank or the like (not shown) is connected to the supply port 3d via a connector 4, and ink flows from the ink tank through the supply pipe 3d to the liquid chamber 3c.
Is supplied to the system.

Here, the material of the structural member 3 will be described. As the structural member 3, a synthetic resin that is liquid and has properties such as room temperature curing, heat curing, and ultraviolet curing can be used, and various thermoplastic synthetic resins can also be used. As will be described later, the synthetic resin constituting the structural member 3 is incompatible with a solid layer (not shown) covering at least the liquid flow path 3b on the element surface 1a during transfer molding. The heat softening temperature is lower than that of the layer.

Here, the operation when ink is ejected from each ejection port 3a will be described. The ink supplied to the liquid chamber 3c enters the liquid channel 3b by capillary action, and forms a meniscus at the ejection port 3a. Then, the state where the liquid flow path 3b as the ink flow path is filled is maintained. At this time, when the electrothermal converter 2a is energized through the electrode 2 and generates heat, the ink on the electrothermal converter 2a is rapidly heated and the liquid flow path 3a
b, a bubble is generated in the discharge port 3a due to the expansion of the bubble.
Is ejected from the printer.

Here, an example is shown in which the electrode 2 is provided with the electrothermal transducer 2a as an energy generating means for generating energy for discharging ink, but the present invention is not limited to this.
A piezoelectric element that generates mechanical energy that instantaneously applies ejection pressure to ink may be used. In addition, discharge port 3
a is 128 or 2 at a high density of 16 / mm
It can be formed as many as 56, and can be formed as a full line type by forming as many as the entire width of the recording area of the recording medium. [First Embodiment] Next, a method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. here,
A case of manufacturing the ink jet recording head shown in FIG. 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the ink jet recording head, FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the manufacturing method, (a) is a schematic perspective view showing a substrate, and (b) is a schematic perspective view showing a solid layer. (C) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a mold used for molding the structural member, FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the manufacturing method, (a) is a schematic plan view showing the structural member after release, (b) ) Is
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA, FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA after the solid layer is removed, and FIG. (B) is a schematic perspective view showing a solid layer, (c) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a mold used for molding a structural member, (d) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structural member after release. It is.

First, the ink jet recording head shown in FIG. 2 will be described. This ink jet recording head is the same as the ink jet recording head shown in FIG.
The liquid passages 29b and the energy generating means are provided corresponding to the respective discharge ports 29a. It goes without saying that the number of energy generating means and the number of liquid flow paths and discharge ports corresponding thereto are not limited to the three described above.

FIG. 3A shows the structure of the substrate 21 of the ink jet recording head. As shown in this figure,
On the element surface 21a of the substrate 21 made of glass, silicon wafer, or the like, three electrothermal converters (made of HfB ₂ + Al +
SiO ₂ + Ta) 22 a, three electrodes 22 connected to one end of each electrothermal converter 22 a, and provided commonly to all electrothermal converters 22 a and connected to the other ends of these electrothermal converters 22 a The formed common electrode 30 is formed as a film by a semiconductor manufacturing process such as etching, vapor deposition, or sputtering, and is arranged at predetermined intervals. The electrothermal converter 22a is an energy generating unit that generates thermal energy for discharging ink, but is not limited thereto.
A piezoelectric element that generates mechanical energy that instantaneously applies ejection pressure to ink may be used. The side of the electrode 22 that is not joined to the electrothermal converter 22a is an electrical connection 22b. By applying a voltage between the electrical connection 22b and the common electrode 30, the corresponding electrothermal converter 22a
a generates heat.

First, as shown in FIG.
(b) As shown in FIG.
9a (FIG. 2), a part of a liquid chamber 29c (FIG. 2) for storing ink to be supplied to the discharge port 29a, and a liquid flow path 29b (FIG. 2) communicating the discharge port 29a and the liquid chamber 29c. Is formed in a pattern-like solid layer 26. As a result, the three liquid flow path equivalent portions 26b corresponding to the liquid flow paths 29b in the solid layer 26 cover the respective electrodes 22 and the respective electrothermal converters 22a.

As a means for forming the solid layer 26 on the element surface 21a of the substrate 21, for example, a positive or negative dry developable photoresist having an appropriate thickness is applied to the element surface 21a.
Of the photoresist, the discharge port, the liquid flow path 2
A pattern corresponding to the pattern 9b and the liquid chamber 29c is masked or exposed and exposed and developed to form a solid layer 26 having a pattern corresponding to the discharge port 29a, the liquid flow path 29b and the liquid chamber 29c on the element surface 21a. Such photolithography means can be used. In this case, the material of the photoresist may be any material that can be dissolved and removed by a solvent in a step described later. In addition, the use of a positive photoresist is superior to the negative photoresist in that the pattern-shaped solid layer 26 to be dissolved and removed in a step described later is more easily removed, and the cross-sectional shape is closer to a rectangle. It is preferred because it is formed. In addition to the photolithography means, the pattern-shaped solid layer 26 can be provided to an appropriate thickness by printing means such as screen printing or intaglio printing using an intaglio produced by etching a metal substrate (eg, NiCu). Examples of the material of the solid layer that can be used for the printing means include a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol-based resin or a solvent-soluble resin such as vinyl chloride-based, vinyl acetate-based, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer-based, and styrene-based resins. .

Next, the substrate 21 is formed by transfer molding.
The element surface 21a on which the solid layer 26 of
9 (FIG. 2) is fused simultaneously with molding. The mold used for this transfer molding is a first mold 2 as shown in FIG.
7 and a second mold 28. In the first mold 27, a concave portion having a depth equal to the thickness of the substrate 21 for fitting and fixing the substrate 21 is formed.
1 is fitted so that the element surface 21a of the substrate 21 is flush with the parting surface.

On the other hand, the second mold 28 has a discharge port 29a,
Structural member 29 constituting liquid flow path 29b and liquid chamber 29c
A cavity 28a for molding (FIG. 2) is formed, and a part of the inner wall of the cavity 28a
At the time of mold clamping, the solid layer 26 comes into contact with three discharge port equivalent surfaces 26a, which are surfaces corresponding to the discharge ports 29a. The second mold 28 has a hollow portion serving as a liquid chamber 29c and a supply port for supplying ink to the liquid chamber from outside.
A protrusion 28b is formed inside the cavity 28a, and a tip surface of the protrusion 28b corresponds to a part of a liquid chamber 29c of the solid layer 26 at the time of mold clamping. It comes into contact with the illustrated upper surface of the portion 26c. Further, a part of the element surface 21a of the substrate 21 including the electrical connection portion 22b of each electrode 22 is configured to protrude from the cavity portion 28a to the parting surface side of the second mold 28 at the time of mold clamping.

The opening direction of the first mold 27 and the second mold 28 is perpendicular to the element surface 21 a of the substrate 21. Transfer molding is performed by clamping the mold and injecting the molding material into the cavity 28a via a pot and a runner (not shown). When molding the structural member 29, a flexible member such as silicone rubber may be attached to the tip end surface of the protruding portion 28b in order to prevent the molding material from entering unnecessary portions.

By performing the transfer molding as described above, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the structural member 2
9 is an element surface 21a of the substrate 21 on which the solid layer 26 is formed.
It will be fused simultaneously with molding. Structural member 29
Exposes the electrical connection portion 22b of each electrode 22, and the portion 2 of the surface of the solid layer 26 corresponding to a part of the liquid chamber.
The surface of the second die 28 of FIG. 6c, which is in contact with the projection 28b, and the surface 26a corresponding to the discharge port are exposed, and the other surfaces are covered.

In the transfer molding, a thermosetting epoxy resin is used as a material of the structural member 29, and a resin preheating temperature of 6 is used.
0-90 ° C, injection pressure 20-140kgf / cm ² , mold temperature 10
The molding can be performed according to general molding conditions of 0 to 180 ° C., a curing time of 1 to 10 minutes, and post-curing after molding. Further, as the other material of the structural member 29, as described above, a material that is liquid and can be used at room temperature, thermosetting, ultraviolet curing, or the like can be used. For example, epoxy resin, acrylic resin, diglycol dialkyl carbonate resin , Unsaturated polyester resin, polyurethane resin, polyimide resin, melamine resin, phenol resin,
Urea resins and the like can be mentioned. Also, various thermoplastic synthetic resins can be used. Whichever synthetic resin is used, the synthetic resin constituting the structural member 29 is incompatible with the solid layer 26,
The heat softening temperature is lower than that of.

Next, the solid layer 26 is removed from the substrate 21 to which the structural member 29 has been fused at the same time as the molding. As a means for removing the solid layer 26, an optimal means is selected according to a material for forming the solid layer 26.
6 in a solution of a solvent that dissolves, swells and separates
Is used for immersing and removing the substrate 21 fused at the same time as molding. At this time, means for promoting removal of ultrasonic treatment, spraying, heating, stirring and the like may be added as necessary. When a positive photosensitive resin is used for the solid layer 26, an aqueous solution containing a ketone such as acetone, an ester, an alcohol, or an alkali can be used as a solvent used for removal. FIG. 4 (c) shows the solid layer 26 from the substrate 21 where the structural member 29 is fused at the same time as the molding.
Indicates that it has been removed. A space is formed inside the structural member 29 after the solid layer 26 is removed, and the space is formed by three discharge ports 29a, three liquid flow paths 29b, and a liquid chamber 29c.
And the supply port 29d.

As described above, the ink jet recording head shown in FIG. 2 can be manufactured. By doing so, the alignment of each liquid flow path 29b with respect to each electrothermal converter 22 (energy generating means) provided on the element surface 21a of the substrate 21 is performed by the solid layer 2 on the element surface 21a.
6 is formed when forming the fine liquid flow path of the first substrate and the fine liquid flow path of the second substrate, which are used in the conventional method. Complex and expensive equipment is not required.

The step of providing the structural member 29 for forming each discharge port 29a, each liquid flow path 29b, and the liquid chamber 29c is performed by forming the structural member 29 on the element surface 21a on which the solid layer 26 is formed by transfer molding. Since it is fused simultaneously, the curable material mixed with the curing agent found in the conventional method is applied and left for a long time, or the active energy ray curable material is applied and irradiated with active energy rays. This is simple and time-consuming as compared to a complicated and time-consuming process of providing a structural member. Further, when the structural member 29 is formed, the supply port can be formed at the same time. Further, the volume of the liquid chamber 29c can be freely increased without being limited by the thickness of the solid layer 26.

Here, the incompatibility between the solid layer 26 and the synthetic resin forming the structural member 29 will be described. Incompatible means that they are not compatible with each other, that is, they are not compatible or have very low compatibility. Of course, at room temperature, the temperature at the time of production (the temperature at the time of molding) is used.
Also need to be incompatible.

As a method for examining the compatibility, both the material constituting the solid layer 26 and the synthetic resin constituting the structural member 29 are dissolved in a solvent [DMF] having high solubility in both.
(It is generally effective to use various resins such as dimethylformamide, DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide), ketones, etc., which have high solubility). The resin is mixed and dried on a transparent plate such as a glass plate and dried. In the case of compatibility, a transparent resin layer is formed on the transparent plate, and in the case of incompatibility, a milky white to white resin layer is formed. Further, in order to judge compatibility and incompatibility at the temperature at the time of production, the transparent plate is gradually heated, and the resin layer is transparent or milky white at the target temperature. -It may be observed whether the color is white.

Next, a method for measuring the thermal softening temperature will be described. The thermal softening temperature is generally determined by measuring the penetration of the needle with an apparatus such as TMA (thermomechanical analyzer).
In this method, a needle with a constant load is placed on a sample piece, and the temperature of the needle that enters the sample piece is measured by gradually raising the temperature of the entire system. it can. Since both the material constituting the solid layer and the synthetic resin constituting the structural member are generally curable, the thermal softening temperature is measured in each case before and after curing, and the actual production process is performed. A comparison of the thermal softening temperature should be made as the temperature changes. The difference between the heat softening temperature of the material forming the solid layer and the heat softening temperature of the synthetic resin forming the structural member is preferably 10 ° C. or more, more preferably 15 ° C.
And more preferably at least 20 ° C.

Next, the result of actually manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to this embodiment will be described.

As the solid layer 26, a polycarbonate-based dry-developing photoresist made into a pattern by exposure and development is used. As a synthetic resin constituting the structural member 29, a curable resin composed of an acrylic epoxy half ester oligomer and polyamide is used. Epoxy resin was used.
In this dry-developing photoresist, only the exposed portion is gasified and scattered by heating, and is obtained by adding an onium salt as a photoacid generator to polycarbonate (Polymer
J., 19 (1), 31 (1987)). The thermal softening temperature of the exposed portion of the dry developed photoresist was 70 ° C. (decomposition), and the thermal softening temperature of the unexposed portion was 200 ° C. on the other hand,
The thermosoftening temperature of the curable epoxy resin is 160 ° C. in a blended state (uncured state),
It was 0 ° C. In this case, since the unexposed portion is used as the solid layer 26, the thermal softening temperature of the solid layer 26 is 200 ° C., and the synthetic resin constituting the structural member 29 is used in a state before curing. Therefore, the thermal softening temperature of this synthetic resin is 160 ° C.

The compatibility was determined by the method described above.
When both the dry developed photoresist and the synthetic resin were dissolved in MF and applied to a glass plate and examined, it was confirmed that they were incompatible in a temperature range from room temperature to 200 ° C.

When the ink jet recording head shown in FIG. 2 was manufactured by the procedure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an excellent ink jet recording head having no deformation of the liquid flow path was obtained.

Although the present embodiment has been described above, the use of a dry developable photoresist as the solid layer 26 eliminates the need to use a strong solvent during development. In addition, it is not necessary to use a curable / cross-linked resin, and a thermoplastic resin having excellent characteristics can be used. Second Embodiment Next, another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to the present invention will be described. This embodiment is an example in which two ink jet recording heads shown in FIG. 2 are manufactured at a time (so-called two-cavity), and two ink jet recording heads are collectively formed in a positional relationship where discharge ports face each other. Thereafter, cutting is performed at the center to obtain two ink jet recording heads.
FIGS. 5A to 5D are diagrams illustrating this manufacturing method.

As shown in FIG. 5A, an electrothermal converter 42a, an electrode 42, and a common electrode 4 are formed on an element surface 41a of a substrate 41.
0 is formed corresponding to two ink jet recording heads. In this case, regarding the cutting position (the discharge port forming position 50 shown in the drawing) in the subsequent cutting step, the electrothermal transducer
Are arranged symmetrically. By doing so, the corresponding liquid flow paths of the two ink jet recording heads are connected in a straight line, which is convenient. Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, a solid layer 46 is laminated on a portion to be a liquid flow path and a portion to be a lower end of the liquid chamber. Since the electrothermal transducers 42a are arranged symmetrically with respect to the discharge port forming position 50, a portion to be the lower end of one liquid chamber, that is, a part corresponding to the liquid chamber part 46c to a part corresponding to the other liquid chamber is equivalent. Toward 46c, a portion to be a liquid flow path, that is, a liquid flow path equivalent part 46b is provided continuously in a straight line.

Next, as in the above-described embodiment, two structural members 49 corresponding to two ink jet recording heads are integrally formed by transfer molding. Also in this case, as in the above-described embodiment, the material forming the solid layer 46 and the synthetic resin forming the structural member 49 are incompatible, and the heat softening temperature of this synthetic resin is lower. ing. Thereafter, the substrate is cut with a plane including the discharge port forming position 50 and perpendicular to the substrate 41 as a cutting plane. As a result, since the portions to be the liquid flow paths of both the ink jet recording heads are continuous in a straight line, the ejection ports appeared on the cut surface, and two ink jet recording heads were formed. Will be. After that, if the cut surface is polished and the solid layer 46 is removed, two ink jet recording heads similar to those described above are obtained at a time.

Next, a mold used in the transfer molding will be described. FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the substrate 41 in which the formation of the solid layer 46 is completed is mounted on the mold. The first mold (lower mold) 47 is provided with a concave portion having the same shape as the substrate 41, and the substrate 41 fits into this concave portion. The second mold (upper mold) 48 is provided with a cavity portion 48a corresponding to the concave portion of the first mold 47 as in the above-described embodiment. Two protrusions 4 corresponding to the respective liquid chambers of the two inkjet recording heads
8b is provided in the cavity portion 48a. The tip of the protruding portion 48b comes into contact with the portion 46c corresponding to the liquid chamber part, as in the above-described embodiment. In this state, the molding material is poured into the cavity portion 48a via a not-shown pot and runner. By injecting and curing, a structural member 49 having a configuration in which two ink jet recording heads are integrated can be collectively formed on the substrate 41.

In this embodiment, there is an advantage that two recording heads can be obtained at the same time with almost the same number of steps as in the above embodiment. Further, the molds in this embodiment are connected in the horizontal direction (that is, the direction in which the straight line including the discharge port forming position 50 extends), and a large number of substrates are arranged at a time by using a substrate in which two opposing sets are arranged side by side. Can also be manufactured.

The present invention provides an excellent effect particularly in a recording head and a recording apparatus of the type which ejects ink using thermal energy, which is proposed by Canon Inc. among the ink jet recording methods.

Regarding the typical constitution and principle, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both on-demand type and continuous type.
In the case of the on-demand type, a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling corresponding to the recorded information is applied to the electrothermal transducer disposed corresponding to the sheet holding the liquid (ink) or the liquid path. By applying at least one drive signal to the recording medium, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and the film is boiled on the heat acting surface of the recording head. As a result, the liquid (ink) This is effective because bubbles in the parentheses) can be formed. By discharging the liquid (ink) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. In addition,
U.S. Pat.
By adopting the conditions described in the specification of 313,124,
Further excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of the discharge port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (linear liquid flow path or right-angle liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, U.S. Pat.No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat.
The configuration using the specification of Japanese Patent No. 9,600 is also included in the present invention. In addition, JP-A-59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) discloses a configuration corresponding to the discharge section
The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on Japanese Patent Publication No. 138461/59.

Further, as a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the width of the maximum recording medium that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification is used. Either a configuration that satisfies the length or a configuration as a single recording head that is integrally formed may be used, but the present invention can more effectively exert the above-described effects.

In addition, an exchangeable chip-type recording head, which can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body or supplied with ink from the apparatus main body when mounted on the apparatus main body, or integrated with the recording head itself. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge-type recording head provided in a fixed manner is used.

It is preferable to add recovery means for the print head, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like provided as components of the printing apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. . Specifically, for the recording head, a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressurizing or suctioning unit, a preheating unit using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof, and a recording unit It is also effective to perform a preliminary ejection mode for performing another ejection in order to perform stable printing.

Further, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, and may be a printing head integrally formed or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full colors by color mixture.

In the embodiment of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, the ink is a solidified ink at room temperature or lower, and is softened or liquid at room temperature, or the ink itself is 30 ink in the above-described ink jet. Generally, the temperature is controlled within a range of not less than 70 ° C. and not more than 70 ° C., and the temperature is controlled so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Good. In addition, positively prevent the temperature rise due to thermal energy by allowing the ink to change its state from the solid state to the liquid state as energy, or
In order to prevent evaporation of the ink, ink that solidifies in a standing state is used, and in any case, the ink is liquefied by application of a heat energy according to the recording signal, and the ink is discharged as a liquid ink or reaches a recording medium. The use of inks that liquefy for the first time with thermal energy, such as those that already begin to solidify at that point, is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, as described in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-71260, the ink is held as a liquid or solid in a porous sheet recess or through hole, It is good also as a form which opposes an electrothermal transducer. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, the solid layer and the synthetic resin for molding are incompatible, and the heat softening temperature of the synthetic resin for molding is higher than that of the solid layer. In this way, the ink flow path of the manufactured ink jet recording head is prevented from being deformed, and the ink jet recording head having a large liquid chamber and high reliability can be mass-produced in a simple and small number of steps at low cost. There is an effect that can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a configuration of an inkjet recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of another ink jet recording head according to the present invention.

3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A is a schematic perspective view illustrating a substrate, FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view illustrating a solid layer, and FIG. () Is a sectional view of a main part of a mold used for molding a structural member.

4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4A is a schematic plan view showing a structural member after release, and FIG. -A sectional view, (c)
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA after removing a solid layer.

5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head of the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a schematic perspective view showing a substrate, FIG. 5B is a schematic perspective view showing a solid layer, FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a mold used for molding the structural member, and FIG. 4D is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structural member after mold release.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,21,41 Substrate 1a, 21a, 41a Element surface 2,22,42 Electrode 2a, 22a, 42a Electrothermal converter 3,29,49 Structural member 3a, 29a Discharge port 3b, 29b Liquid flow path 3c, 29c Liquid Chamber 3d, 29d Supply port 26, 46 Solid layer 26a Surface equivalent to discharge port 26b, 46b Part corresponding to liquid flow path 26c, 46c Part corresponding part of liquid chamber 27, 47 First mold 28, 48 Second mold 28a, 48a Cavities 28b, 48b Projections 30, 40 Common electrode 50 Discharge port forming position

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masanori Kobayashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Ryuichi Arai 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon (56) References JP-A-61-154947 (JP, A) JP-A-2-3318 (JP, A) JP-A-62-253457 (JP, A) JP-A-56-72963 (JP, A) A) JP-A-61-125852 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 2/16 B41J 2/05

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:
A step of providing a solid layer made of a removable material; and the solid layer is provided by transfer molding a synthetic resin that is incompatible with the solid layer and has a lower heat softening temperature than the solid layer. A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head, comprising: providing a solid layer on a substrate so as to cover the solid layer; and removing the solid layer to form the ink flow path. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid layer is a dry developable photosensitive resin. 3. An ink discharge port for discharging ink, an ink flow path communicating with the discharge port, and an ink flow path arranged along the ink flow path;
3. An ink jet recording head having an energy generating means for generating energy used for discharging ink from said discharge port, wherein the ink flow path is manufactured by the manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2. head. 4. The ink jet recording head according to claim 3, wherein the energy generating means is an electrothermal converter that generates thermal energy as the energy. 5. The ink jet recording head according to claim 3, wherein the ink ejection port is of a full line type provided over the entire width of an area where recording is performed on the recording medium. 6. An ink jet recording head according to claim 3, wherein an ink ejection port is arranged so as to face a recording surface of a recording medium, and an ink jet comprising at least a member for mounting said head. Recording device.