JP3288278B2 - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus using a liquid ink in which a coloring agent is dispersed in a solvent, and at least a coloring agent component contained in the ink as ink droplets on a recording medium. The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that records characters and images by flying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording apparatus for recording an image by spraying liquid ink as minute droplets called ink droplets on a recording medium to form recording dots has been put to practical use as an ink jet printer. This ink jet printer has the advantage that it has less noise than a mechanical recording device such as a wire dot printer and does not require processing such as development and fixing as compared with an electrophotographic recording device such as the Carlson method. And has attracted attention as a plain paper recording technology.

Various types of ink-jet printers have been proposed so far. The typical methods are as follows: (a) Ink droplets are ejected and fly by the pressure of steam generated by the heat of a heating element. Electric / heat conversion method (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-9429, Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-59)
911) and (b) a piezoelectric method in which ink droplets are ejected by a mechanical pressure pulse generated by a piezoelectric element (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-12138).

A recording head used in an ink jet printer (hereinafter, referred to as an ink jet head) is mounted on a carriage and is orthogonal to a conveying direction of recording paper (hereinafter, referred to as a sub-scanning direction) (hereinafter, a main scanning direction). A serial scanning head that performs recording while moving in a scanning direction) has been put to practical use. Since the serial scanning head cannot perform printing unless it is always moved by a predetermined amount in the main scanning direction, it is difficult to increase the printing speed. Therefore, a line scanning type printer in which the recording speed is increased by using a long head in which the length of the recording head is set substantially equal to the width of the recording paper has been considered. Practical application is not easy for the following reasons.

[0005] In the ink jet recording system, a large number of individual fine nozzles corresponding to the resolution are provided. However, evaporation or volatilization of the solvent tends to cause local concentration of the ink in essence, which causes the nozzle to be clogged. Cause. Further, in the method using the pressure of steam for forming an ink jet, the adhesion of an insoluble substance formed by reacting thermally or chemically with the ink induces clogging of the nozzle, and the pressure by the piezoelectric element is used. In the system, a complicated structure such as an ink flow path makes it easier to induce nozzle clogging. In a line scanning type head using a large number of nozzles as many as several thousand, more than a serial scanning type head using a few tens to a hundred and several tens of nozzles, nozzle clogging with a higher occurrence frequency is clogged. Has been proved stochastically and has a problem of lacking practical reliability.

Further, in the method using the pressure of steam, it is difficult to generate ink droplets having a diameter of 20 μm or less corresponding to recording dots having a diameter of about 50 μm on a recording paper. Is difficult to manufacture. Further, in the method using the pressure by the piezoelectric element, the structure of the recording head is complicated, so that it is also difficult to manufacture a high-resolution head due to a problem in processing technology. For this reason, in the conventional ink jet device, there is a problem that it is difficult to improve the resolution in any of the systems.

[0007] In order to solve these problems, a voltage is applied to an electrode array formed by arranging a plurality of individual electrodes formed of a thin film on a substrate, and the ink or the ink is discharged from the ink liquid surface using an electrostatic force. There has been proposed an ink jet recording apparatus for flying a colorant component therein as ink droplets.

More specifically, a method of flying ink droplets using electrostatic attraction (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 49-62024 and 56-4467), and a method of charging a charged colorant component A method in which the concentration of the colorant is increased using the contained ink to cause the ink droplet to fly (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-502218).
Etc. have been proposed. In these methods, since the recording head has a slit-shaped nozzle structure that does not require a nozzle for each individual dot, or a nozzleless structure that does not require a partition wall of an ink flow path for each individual dot, line scanning is performed. This is effective for preventing and recovering from clogging, which has been a major obstacle in realizing the type recording head. In the latter method of increasing the colorant concentration, an ink droplet having a very small particle diameter can be stably generated and caused to fly, so that it is suitable for high resolution.

[0009]

However, in the ink jet recording apparatus of the type in which the colorant component is ejected as ink particles by the above-mentioned electrostatic force, the recording head is nozzleless, which is effective for preventing clogging. However, there has been a problem that the ink droplet ejection position becomes unstable because the ink can move freely in the main scanning direction on the substrate of the recording head.

In addition, since the ink droplets are ejected by a voltage having the same polarity as the charge polarity of the colorant and fly to the recording medium, the colorant component repels and escapes from the electrode position on the recording head, and the colorant is discharged. There is also a problem that the components cannot be stably supplied to the ejection position of the ink droplet. Therefore, it is difficult to stably fly a sufficient amount of ink droplets from a predetermined discharge point, and there has been a problem that characters and images cannot be recorded well on a recording medium.

According to the present invention, the colorant component contained in the ink can be stably supplied to the forefront of the individual electrode, which is the discharge position of the ink droplet, whereby the ink droplet can be stably discharged and fly without clogging. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of performing the above.

[0012]

In order to attain the above object, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises an ink in which a colorant component is dispersed in a solvent, and at least the colorant component is made to act by applying an electrostatic force to the ink. A plurality of individual electrodes for applying the electrostatic force, and an ink for supplying the ink to the individual electrodes in an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium by flying ink droplets containing the ink droplets toward the recording medium. Supply means, wherein the individual electrode has an insulating substrate having a first through hole formed in the ink droplet flying direction, and a second through hole communicating with the first through hole. And a control electrode formed on at least one surface of the insulating substrate, and a substantially central position of the first through-hole and the second through-hole communicating with the insulating substrate and the control electrode. Is arranged, a convex ink guide tip portion serving as an ink droplet ejecting position protrudes to the recording medium side than the upper surface of the control electrode or the insulating substrate,
It is characterized by being comprised from.

The convex ink guide is characterized in that at least a portion protruding from the second through hole toward the recording medium has a substantially constant thickness and a tapered end. I do.

Further, the convex ink guide has a trapezoidal quadrangular pyramid shape having four ridges, and at least one concave groove communicating with the four ridges from the bottom to the top. Is formed.

Further, the convex ink guide is characterized in that a concave recess is formed at the tip.

The coloring agent component is positively or negatively charged, and an electrostatic force having the same polarity as that of the coloring agent component is applied to fly an ink droplet containing at least the coloring agent component toward a recording medium. Recording.

Further, the convex ink guide is formed of an insulating member.

Further, the control electrode is formed only on the recording medium side on the insulating substrate.

Further, the control electrode is formed by a first control electrode and a second control electrode formed on both surfaces of the insulating substrate, respectively.

Further, the first control electrode is integrally formed so as to be common to the plurality of individual electrodes, and the second control electrode corresponds to each of the plurality of individual electrodes. Thus, it is characterized by being formed separately.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus using a line scanning type ink jet head according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a cross section of an individual electrode corresponding to a recording dot. In FIG.
Is obtained by dispersing and suspending a positively-chargeable colorant component in a colloidal form in an insulating solvent having a resistivity of 10 ⁸ Ωcm or more together with a charge control agent and a binder. The ink 100 is supplied from a reflux mechanism 111 including a pump and an ink flow path to a space between the head substrate 102 and the control electrode substrate 103 through an ink supply flow path 112 formed in the head block 101. The ink is returned to the ink recirculation mechanism 111 through the formed ink recovery channel 113.

The control electrode substrate 103 has a through hole 107
And a control electrode 109 formed around the through hole 107 on the recording medium side. On the other hand, on the head substrate 102, a convex ink guide 108 is disposed at a substantially central position of the through hole 107.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a specific shape of the convex ink guide 108 in the present embodiment. Each convex ink guide 108 is made of an insulating member such as a plastic resin, and has a through hole 107 and a center. Are arranged at the same column interval and pitch so that the values are equal, and are held on the head substrate 102 by a predetermined method. Each convex ink guide 10
Reference numeral 8 denotes a shape obtained by cutting the tip of a flat plate having a constant thickness into a triangular or trapezoidal shape.
It becomes 0. Further, each of the convex ink guides 108 protrudes substantially perpendicularly from each through hole by a predetermined distance in the ink droplet flying direction.

A recording medium 121, which is recording paper, is disposed opposite to the leading end of the convex ink guide 108. A platen for guiding the recording medium 121 is provided on the back of the recording medium 121 opposite to the head substrate 102. Counter electrode 12 also serves as
2 are arranged.

Next, a specific configuration example of the control electrode substrate 103 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a view of the control electrode substrate 103 viewed from the recording medium 121 side. A plurality of individual electrodes are arranged in an array in two rows in the main scanning direction, and a through hole 107 is formed at the center of each individual electrode. The individual control electrodes 109 are formed around the through holes 107, respectively. Further, in the present embodiment, the inner diameter of the control electrode 109 is provided to be slightly larger than the diameter of the through hole 107.

In the first embodiment, the insulating substrate 104 is made of polyimide having a thickness of about 25 μm, the control electrode 109 is made of copper foil having a thickness of about 18 μm, and the inner diameter of the through hole 107 is 150 μm. From about 250 μmΦ.

Next, the recording operation of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

During recording, the ink recirculation mechanism 1 shown in FIG.
The ink 100 supplied from the ink supply channel 112 through the ink supply channel 112 is supplied from the through hole 107 to the ink flying position 110 at the tip of the convex ink guide 108, and a part of the ink 100 flows through the ink recovery channel 113. Collected at 111.

Here, a voltage of, for example, 1.5 kV is always applied to the control electrode 109 from the bias voltage source 123 as a bias, and a signal voltage corresponding to an image signal from the signal voltage source 124 is, for example, 500 V when turned on. The pulse voltage is superimposed on the control voltage 109. On the other hand, the counter electrode 122 provided on the back surface of the recording medium 121 is set to a ground voltage of 0 V as shown in the figure.

Now, when the control voltage 109 is in the ON state (500 V
Is applied), and when a total voltage of 2 kV in which a pulse voltage of 500 V is superimposed on a bias DC of 1.5 kV is applied, the ink droplet flying position 11 at the tip of the convex electrode 108
0, the ink droplet 115 centering on the colorant component pops out and is pulled by the counter electrode 122, and
To fly to form an image.

In this case, since the flow path of the ink 100 is determined, the ink droplet flying position 110 is determined at substantially the center of the convex ink guide 108, and the colorant component is applied in the main scanning direction by applying a voltage during the flight. Never escape. Further, as shown in the present embodiment, the liquid ink is conveyed to the independent through-hole 107 and the control voltage provided around the through-hole 107, and the surface of the convex ink guide 108 which projects substantially perpendicularly from the through-hole 107 Ink drop flying position 11 due to tension
0, the thickness of the thin ink layer formed at the ink droplet flying position 110 is affected by the pressure and the atmospheric pressure of the ink 100 supplied from the ink recirculation mechanism 111, and when the adjacent dots are printed. Is maintained stably at a minute value without being interfered by the ink droplet flight. Therefore, the flight of the ink droplet 115 is stabilized,
A good image with stable density can be recorded on the recording medium 121.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus using a line scanning type ink jet head according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and shows a cross section of an individual electrode corresponding to a recording dot similarly to FIG. In the second embodiment, the structure of the control electrode substrate 103 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the description will focus on these different parts. In FIG. 4, the control electrode substrate 103
Is an insulating substrate 104 having a through hole 107, a first control electrode 105 on the ink transport side and a second control electrode on the recording medium side formed around the insulating substrate 104 around the through hole 107. And a pair of control electrodes 106.

FIG. 3 is a view of the control electrode substrate 103 viewed from the ink transport side, that is, the first control electrode 105 side. Through holes 107 corresponding to respective individual electrodes are arranged in an array in two rows in the main scanning direction. Around the through holes 107.
The control electrode 105 is formed as an electrode common to each through hole 107. Here, the structure of the second control electrode 106 is the first control electrode 106.
Since the structure is the same as that of FIG.

Next, how to apply a voltage to the first and second control electrodes according to the present embodiment will be described. As in the first embodiment, a voltage of, for example, 1.5 kV DC is constantly applied to the second control electrode 106 from the bias voltage source 123 as a bias, and this is turned on, for example, as a signal voltage corresponding to an image signal from the signal voltage source 124. Sometimes a 500 V pulse voltage is superimposed on the second control electrode 106. On the other hand, the first control electrode 105 is not connected and is always in a high impedance state, and the counter electrode 122 provided on the back surface of the recording medium 121 is set to the ground potential 0 V as shown in the figure.

Now, the second control electrode 106 is in the ON state (50
0V is applied) and the bias DC 1.5k
When a total voltage of 2 kV in which a pulse voltage of 500 V is superimposed on V is applied, an ink droplet 115 centering on the colorant component jumps out of the ink droplet flying position 110 at the tip of the convex electrode 108 and is pulled by the counter electrode 122. And the recording medium 1
Fly toward 21 to form an image. Here, the first control electrode functions as a shield material for reducing the mutual influence of the voltage applied to each individual electrode during signal recording.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus using a line scanning type ink jet head according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and shows a cross section of an individual electrode corresponding to a recording dot, similarly to FIG. In the third embodiment, the structure of the control electrode substrate 103 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the description will focus on the different parts.

The control electrode substrate 103 has a through hole 107
And a pair of a first control electrode 105 on the recording medium side and a second control electrode 106 on the ink transport side, which are formed around the through hole 107 with the insulating substrate 104 interposed therebetween. And a control electrode.

Next, a specific example of the structure of the control electrode substrate 103 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a view of the control electrode substrate 103 viewed from the second control electrode 106 side. A plurality of individual electrodes are arranged in an array in two rows in the main scanning direction, and a through hole 107 is formed at the center of each individual electrode. Are formed, and individual second control electrodes 106 are respectively formed around the through holes 107. Further, in the present embodiment, the second
The inner diameter of the control electrode 106 is provided slightly larger than the diameter of the through hole 107.

FIG. 7 is a view of the control electrode substrate 103 viewed from the first control electrode 105 side. Through holes 107 corresponding to the individual electrodes are arranged in an array in two rows in the main scanning direction. A first control electrode 105 is formed around the hole 107. Further, in the third embodiment, the inner diameter of the first control electrode 105 is provided slightly larger than the diameter of the through-hole 107, but is different from the second control electrode and is a common electrode for each through-hole 107.

Here, similarly to the first embodiment, the insulating substrate 104 is made of polyimide having a thickness of about 25 μm, and the first control electrode 105 and the second control electrode 106 are both 18 μm.
The through hole 107 has an inner diameter of 15
It is about 0 to 250 μmΦ.

Next, a method of applying a voltage to the first and second control electrodes according to the third embodiment will be described. The first control electrode 105 and the second control electrode 106 are constantly biased from the bias voltage source 123, for example, DC.
A voltage of 1.5 kV is provided to which a signal voltage source 124
For example, when ON, a pulse voltage of 400 V is superimposed on the second control electrode 106 as a signal voltage corresponding to the image signal from the second control electrode 106. On the other hand, the counter electrode 122 provided on the back surface of the recording medium 121 is set to the ground voltage 0 V as shown in the figure.

Now, the second control voltage 106 is in the ON state (40
0V is applied) and the bias DC 1.5k
1.9 kV with 400 V pulse voltage superimposed on V
Is applied, an ink droplet 115 centered on the colorant component is moved from the ink droplet flying position 110 at the tip of the convex electrode 108.
Jumps out, is pulled by the counter electrode 122, and flies toward the recording medium 121 to form an image.

In this manner, as in the first embodiment, since the flow path of the ink 100 is determined, the ink droplet flying position 110 is determined substantially at the center of the convex ink guide 108, and the voltage is applied when flying. Accordingly, the colorant component does not escape in the main scanning direction. Further, as shown in this embodiment, the liquid ink is conveyed to the independent through-hole 107 and a pair of control electrodes provided around the through-hole 107, and the surface of the convex ink guide 108 projecting substantially perpendicularly from the through-hole 107. Is supplied to the ink droplet flying position 110 with the surface tension, the thickness of the thin ink layer formed at the ink droplet flying position 110 also depends on the pressure of the ink 100 supplied from the ink recirculation mechanism 111 and the atmospheric pressure. The value is stably maintained at a constant small value without being affected by the influence of the ink droplet flying at the time of adjacent dot recording. Therefore, the flight of the ink droplet 115 is stabilized, and a good image with a stable density can be recorded on the recording medium 121.

Further, the control electrode substrate reduces the drive voltage by controlling the flight of ink droplets by an electric field between a pair of control electrodes sandwiching a thin insulating layer, thereby reducing the drive voltage and the size of the drive IC. Can be planned.

FIG. 9 shows the ink guide 108 shown in FIG.
Are various modifications of the shape of FIG. FIG.
(A) has a notch 108a provided near the ink droplet flying position, and has a cracked shape as if it were a pen tip of a fountain pen. FIG. 9B shows a state in which the tip of FIG.
This is provided with a flat portion 108b. FIG. 9 (c) shows a two-stage shape having a tapered portion 108c and a triangular tip, thereby controlling ink supply by surface tension and ink flying by applying a signal voltage, and has a good S / N ratio for characters and images. Can be recorded. FIG. 9D shows a case in which a two-stage tapered portion 108d is provided to further promote this result. FIG. 9E shows a case in which a plurality of ink guides are connected by a connecting portion 108e to improve the efficiency of mass production and assembly work of the ink guides. FIG. 9 (f) has the tip end face formed into a flat end face 108f while having the tip crack shape of FIG. 9 (a).

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. FIG.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a configuration of an inkjet head recording apparatus using a line scanning type inkjet head according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, showing a head cross section corresponding to recording dots.

The present embodiment differs from FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 in that a convex ink guide 118 is used instead of the convex ink guide 108. FIG. 10 is the same as FIG. 5 except for the configuration other than the convex ink guide 118. Also,
The configuration other than the convex ink guide 118 may be the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, but their illustration and description will be omitted.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a specific shape of the convex ink guide 118 arranged on the flat head substrate 102 in this embodiment.
Numerals 18 are arranged at the same row spacing and pitch so that the center is equal to the through hole 107. Each of the convex ink guides 118 has a trapezoidal quadrangular pyramid shape. Each of the four ridges is provided with a concave groove 119, and the tip of the concave groove 119 is the ink droplet flying position 110. Further, a concave depression is also formed at the tip of the convex ink guide 118.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show an example of a method for forming the convex ink guide 118 disposed on the flat head substrate 102 shown in FIG.
Anisotropic etching of the i single crystal substrate is used.

That is, first, as shown in FIG. 12A, a Si single crystal substrate 501 having a p-type <100> crystal plane orientation is used.
An SiO ₂ thermal oxide layer 502 having a thickness of 0.1 μm is formed thereon by dry oxidation, and a first resist layer 503 is further applied by spin coating. Next, using, for example, a stepper, patterning such as exposure and development is performed so as to obtain a mask opening 504 of, for example, 50 μm square, and then the SiO ₂ film is etched with a mixed solution of NH ₄ F and HF. The result is as shown in FIG. After the removal of the resist, anisotropic etching is performed using a 30 wt% KOH aqueous solution, and as shown in FIG.
A pyramid-shaped projection 505 having a flat end of −80 μm is formed on the Si single crystal substrate 501. Here, the mask opening 50
The size of 4 is formed larger than the desired size of the pyramidal projection 505 in consideration of the amount of under-etching.

Next, concave grooves are formed at the tip and the ridge of the pyramidal projection 505. Here, first, the SiO ₂ oxide layer 502 left at the tip of the pyramidal projection 505 is once removed, and then a groove forming layer 511 made of, for example, molybdenum, tantalum, copper, chromium, or the like is formed as shown in FIG. A thickness of about 55 μm is formed by sputtering, and a second resist layer 512 is formed by a spin coating method.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 13A, a concave groove pattern 513 formed on the tip and the ridge of the pyramidal projection 505 is patterned. Then, the groove forming layer 511 is etched and the second resist layer 512 is removed, as shown in FIG. 13B. A concave groove 514 is formed at a predetermined position, and the tip shown in FIG. And 4
A trapezoidal quadrangular pyramid-shaped convex ink guide 118 having a concave groove 119 provided on one ridge surface is formed.

In each of the above embodiments, the colorant component has been described as having a positive charge, but it goes without saying that the colorant component may have a negative charge. In that case, the voltages applied to the electrodes described below may be all considered to have opposite polarities.

Further, in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the flat head substrate having the convex ink guide is manufactured by the photolithography technique of IC manufacturing, but is manufactured by this technique similarly to the manufacturing of the optical disc. May be duplicated and used as a mold. Further, an electrode pattern may be patterned on the convex ink guide, and an individual electrode may be formed in combination with the control electrode. In other words, the flat head substrate having the control electrode substrate and the convex ink guide can be manufactured by the photolithography technology of IC manufacturing, and not only enables a highly reliable high-precision head, but also a pair of thin insulating layers. By controlling the flight of ink droplets by the electric field between the control electrodes, the driving voltage can be reduced, and the driving IC can be reduced in voltage and downsized.

[0055]

As described above, according to the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, the individual electrodes for applying an electrostatic force to the colorant component in the ink correspond to the insulating substrate having the through-hole and correspond to the through-hole. A control electrode substrate comprising a control electrode formed as described above, and a convex ink guide disposed substantially at the center of the through hole. Carry it up,
By applying a predetermined voltage to the control electrode so that the ink droplets fly on the recording medium, there is no clogging at the nozzles, and furthermore, the ink droplet flying position and the thickness of the ink thin layer at the ink droplet flying position Is determined uniformly, the flying of ink droplets is stabilized without being affected by the ink pressure, the atmospheric pressure, and adjacent dots, and high-quality recording with stable density can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an inkjet head unit and a main part of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a shape of a control electrode according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape of a first control electrode according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an inkjet head unit and main parts of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an inkjet head unit and main parts of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape of a second control electrode in a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape of a first control electrode in a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a shape of a convex ink guide arranged on a flat head substrate in the first, second, and third embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the convex ink guide disposed on the flat head substrate in the first, second, and third embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an inkjet head unit and main parts of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the shape of a convex ink guide formed on the flat head substrate in the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a process of forming a convex ink guide according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a process for forming a convex ink guide according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Ink 101 Head block 102 Head substrate 103 Control electrode substrate 104 Insulating substrate 105 First control electrode 106 Second control electrode 107 Through hole 108 Convex ink guide 109 Control electrode 110 Ink drop flying position 111 Reflux mechanism 112 Ink supply channel 113 Ink recovery flow path 118 Convex ink guide 119 Concave groove 121 Recording paper 122 Counter electrode 123 Bias voltage source 124 Signal voltage source

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shuzo Hirahara 1 Komukai Toshiba-cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Toshiba R & D Center Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideyuki Nakao Koyuki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa (72) Inventor Koichi Ishii Koichi Toshiba-cho, Koyuki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Toshiba R & D Center (56) References JP-A-7-223317 ( JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/01 B41J 2/06-2/065 B41J 2/385

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink jet recording device comprising: an ink in which a colorant component is dispersed in a solvent; and an electrostatic force applied to the ink to cause at least ink droplets containing the colorant component to fly toward a recording medium to perform recording on the recording medium. A recording apparatus, comprising: a plurality of individual electrodes for applying the electrostatic force; and an ink supply unit for supplying the ink to the individual electrodes, wherein the individual electrodes are pierced in the ink droplet flight direction. An insulating substrate having a first through hole provided therein, a control electrode having a second through hole communicating with the first through hole, and being formed on at least one surface of the insulating substrate; Disposed at substantially the center of the first through hole and the second through hole communicating with the insulating substrate and the control electrode;
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: a convex ink guide having a tip portion serving as an ink droplet flying position protruding toward the recording medium from the control electrode or the upper surface of the insulating substrate. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said convex ink guide protruding from said second through hole toward said recording medium has a substantially constant thickness and a thin tip. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 3. The convex ink guide has a trapezoidal quadrangular pyramid shape having four ridges, and the four ridges have:
2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one concave groove communicating from a bottom side to an upper side is formed. 4. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said convex ink guide has a concave recess formed at a front end thereof. 5. The coloring agent component is positively or negatively charged, and causes an ink droplet containing at least the coloring agent component to fly toward a recording medium by applying an electrostatic force having the same polarity as the coloring agent component. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording is performed by performing the recording. 6. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said convex ink guide is formed of an insulating member. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control electrode is formed only on said recording medium side on said insulating substrate. 8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control electrode is formed by a first control electrode and a second control electrode formed on both surfaces of the insulating substrate. . 9. The first control electrode is integrally formed so as to be common to the plurality of individual electrodes, and the second control electrode corresponds to each of the plurality of individual electrodes. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the ink jet recording apparatus is formed separately.