JP3109442B2 - Nozzle head for electrostatic suction type ink jet printer and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nozzle head for an electrostatic suction type ink jet printer in which electrodes are arranged opposite to a nozzle head having a large number of nozzles. And a method of manufacturing the nozzle head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink-jet printers are of the type in which bubbles are generated in an ink tank in a nozzle head and the ink is ejected by a firing force, or electrodes are provided opposite a nozzle head having nozzles. Then, there is a type in which static electricity is generated from a nozzle to an electrode, and ink is ejected by the suction force. The latter has an advantage that the ink ejection shape is narrowed down to a conical shape by static electricity, so that details can be printed clearly. In order to ensure a clear ink ejection path by electrostatic suction for clearer and more reliable printing, it is necessary that the path of generation of static electricity from the nozzle tip to the electrode be narrowed. Therefore, it is effective to make the tip of the nozzle protrude from the nozzle head toward the counter electrode.

[0003]

However, it is difficult to actually provide such a projection at the tip of the nozzle. The method used conventionally is to apply a corrosion resistant plating to a resin-molded nozzle head in which a mold hole of a nozzle up to a protrusion at the tip is formed, and to polish the surface of the nozzle tip side, thereby plating the surface. After removal, it is immersed in an organic solvent to dissolve the resin to a certain thickness, leaving the plated part at the tip in a form protruding from the nozzle head. It is difficult to measure the degree of dissolution, and the dissolution does not proceed evenly, which may cause unevenness on the nozzle head surface after dissolution. If there is a nozzle manufacturing method capable of forming such a protrusion at the tip of a nozzle easily, accurately, quickly and at low cost, an ink jet printer with excellent printing accuracy at low cost can be provided.

[0004]

The present invention uses the following means in order to solve the above problems. First of all, a nozzle head assembled to an ink supply of an electrostatic suction type inkjet printer,
A large number of small holes are formed in a chemically dissolvable template,
Plating the front surface, back surface, and inner surface of small holes with conductive metal
Then, the plating layer on one side is polished and removed, and the template is chemically dissolved.
The present invention provides a nozzle head for an electrostatic suction type ink jet printer, which is obtained by removing with a nozzle.

[0005]

Second , a step of forming a large number of small holes in a chemically dissolvable template, a step of plating the front surface, the back surface, and the inside of the small holes of the template with a conductive metal; A method of manufacturing a nozzle head for an electrostatic suction type ink jet printer, comprising a step of polishing and removing a layer and a step of removing the template by chemical dissolution, is employed.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an electrostatic suction type ink jet printer using a nozzle head of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink supply body to which the nozzle head of the present invention is attached, and FIG. 3 is a method of manufacturing a nozzle head of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a second stage, also in a second stage, in which a conductive metal is plated on the template, and FIG. 5 is also a third stage. FIG. 6 is a schematic side sectional view showing a state where one side of the conductive metal plated on the template has been polished and removed, and FIG. 6 is also a fourth stage showing a state where the template has been removed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a nozzle head 1 according to the present invention comprises:
It is made of a conductive thin plate, for example, nickel, and is attached to one surface (a side surface facing the opposite electrode 3 described later) of the ink tank 2 as an ink supply. The ink tank 2 is obtained by resin processing, and as shown in FIG.
The ink-filled portion is formed in a penetrating shape on the front and back sides by making it thicker. Attachment of the nozzle head 1 to the ink tank 2
Glue with an adhesive.

The overall configuration of the ink jet printer will be described. The nozzle head 1 has a large number of cylindrical nozzles 1a, 1a,. A counter electrode plate 3 is disposed opposite the head 1, and the counter electrode plate 3 has gate electrodes 3a, 3a,.
Are arranged to face each of the nozzles 1a of the nozzle head 1. The recording paper P is conveyed to the side opposite to the nozzle head 1 via the opposing electrode board 3.

The ink K filled in the ink tank 2 is
Each nozzle 1a of the nozzle head 1 is filled. A bias voltage BV is applied to the nozzle head 1, and by the application of the bias voltage BV, the ink K filled in all the nozzles 1a, 1a. It is in a state of excitement. On the other hand, each of the gate electrodes 3a, 3a,.
The print voltage PV is independently applied. That is, the gate electrode 3a to which the print voltage PV is applied,
An electrostatic attraction due to a large potential difference is generated between the nozzle K and the nozzle 1a opposed thereto, and the ink K which has been standing by in a raised state flies from the nozzle 1a to the gate electrode 3a, and the hole of the gate electrode 3a is removed. After passing through, it reaches the recording paper P. Gate electrode 3 to which printing voltage PV is not applied
The ink K in the nozzle 1a facing a is in a state of being raised while waiting.

Next, a method of manufacturing the nozzle head 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, holes 4a, 4a,.
-(Diameter: 0.1 to 0.3 mm) is formed by cutting or laser processing.

As shown in FIG. 4, the entire surface of the template 4 having the holes 4a, 4a,.
Electroless nickel plating N is applied with μ. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the electroless nickel plating N stuck on the front and back of the template 4 is used.
Of these, one of the surfaces is polished and removed to expose the surface of the template 4. Further, this is immersed in an etching solution. As an etching solution, concentrated nitric acid or an alkali solution such as aqueous ammonia or an alkali cyanide solution is used. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the mold plate 4 which is a copper plate or an aluminum plate is melted, and only the portion of the electroless nickel plating N remains. This forms the nozzle head 1 as it is, and the plating portion formed on the inner surface of each of the holes 4a, 4a,. 1a...

[0013]

The present invention has the following configuration and method, and has the following effects. First,
An ink supply device for an ink jet printer can be configured with a simple configuration in which the nozzle head is simply assembled to the ink supply body as in claim 1, and cost reduction can be achieved. And such a nozzle head,
A large number of small holes are formed in a chemically dissolvable template,
Plating the front surface, back surface, and inner surface of small holes with conductive metal
Then, the plating layer on one side is polished and removed, and the template is chemically dissolved.
Than was to obtain is removed by, with stable ink flying posture, therefore, it is possible to print accurate ink supply device.

[0014]

[0015] Then, since the such manufacturing method according to claim 2, with stable ink flying attitude, greatly simplifies the manufacturing process of the nozzle head shape the nozzle portion protruding toward the counter electrode, cost reduction Also contribute to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an electrostatic suction type inkjet printer using a nozzle head of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink supply body to which the nozzle head of the present invention is attached.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side sectional view of a template, which is a first step of the method for manufacturing a nozzle head according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a second stage in which a conductive metal is plated on a template.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the third stage in which one side of a conductive metal plated on a template has been polished and removed.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side sectional view of the fourth stage, with the template removed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nozzle head 1a Nozzle 2 Ink tank 3 Counter electrode board 3a Gate electrode 4 Mold plate 4a Hole N Electroless nickel plating

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/06 B41J 2/135 B41J 2/16

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A nozzle head assembled to an ink supply of an electrostatic suction type inkjet printer, comprising :
A large number of small holes are formed in a chemically dissolvable template,
The surface, the back surface, and the inner surface of the small hole are plated with a conductive metal,
The plating layer on one side is polished and removed, and the template is removed by chemical dissolution.
A nozzle head for an electrostatic suction type inkjet printer, wherein the nozzle head is obtained by removing the ink. 2. A large number of small holes are formed in a chemically dissolvable template.
And guiding the front surface, the back surface, and the inner surface of the small hole of the template.
Plating with conductive metal and polishing the plating layer on one side
Polishing and removing the template by chemical dissolution
Electrostatic suction type ink jet, characterized by comprising:
Of manufacturing a nozzle head for a printer.