JP4261823B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus used as an output terminal of a copying machine, a facsimile, a word processor, a host computer, and the like, and an ink jet recording head used in the ink jet recording apparatus. The present invention relates to an ink jet recording head used in a recording apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As recording data processed by an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, a stationary recording apparatus is widely used. This is a recording apparatus installed at a predetermined location, and when used, a recording medium is inserted into the recording apparatus, and recording is performed on the entire recording medium by moving the inserted recording medium. Therefore, recording can be performed only at a location where the recording apparatus is located.
[0003]
However, in recent years, as information processing apparatuses have become portable, recording apparatuses having excellent portability have been demanded. Furthermore, there is a demand for recording not only in a fixed shape such as plain paper but also in various shapes as a recording medium.
[0004]
In response to such a demand, for example, a manual recording device described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-20056 has been proposed.
[0005]
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the recording head 53 and the roller 52 are provided on the bottom surface of the casing 51, and the casing 51 travels in the traveling direction A by pressing and rotating the roller 52 against the recording medium 54. Let The recording timing signal is output by the rotation of the roller 52 at this time, and the recording head 53 performs recording in synchronization with the recording timing signal. Since such a manual recording apparatus uses an impact type recording head 53 for recording while being in contact with the recording medium 54, the recording head 53 is used so as to prevent deterioration in recording quality due to a change in the contact force. Is supported by a spring member, and the contact force between the recording head 53 and the recording medium 54 is stabilized by the elastic force of the spring member.
[0006]
However, since the impact type recording head contacts the recording medium during recording, a loud sound is generated during the recording operation. Further, there is a drawback that the recording medium is limited to a flat one.
[0007]
Therefore, in recent years, an ink jet recording head that performs recording without contact with a recording medium has attracted attention. Ink jet recording heads perform recording by ejecting ink onto a recording medium and landing of the ejected ink droplets, so that the recording medium and the recording head do not come into contact with each other. Therefore, there is an advantage that recording can be performed with low noise and good recording quality can be obtained without stabilizing the contact force as in the impact method.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, even if the above-described inkjet recording head is used, the manual recording apparatus has the following problems.
[0009]
In the inkjet method, a certain distance is provided between the recording medium and the face surface of the recording head, and the ejected ink droplets land on the recording medium after floating in this space. Therefore, if ink is not ejected in the correct direction, the landing position of the recording medium is shifted, and this shift causes image disturbance. Also, unless an appropriate amount of ink is ejected, dots of an appropriate size are not formed, which also causes image disturbance.
[0010]
For this reason, if dust adheres to the face surface of the recording head or bubbles or thickened ink accumulates inside the ejection opening, correct ejection will not be performed, leading to degradation in recording quality. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically perform a recovery process on the recording head and always maintain a state suitable for recording.
[0011]
As one of the recovery processes, there is a so-called preliminary ejection process in which ink is ejected to a waste ink receiver or the like other than during recording, and the thickened ink can be ejected at the time of ejection. Since the conventional stationary recording apparatus can be provided with a waste ink receiver having a large capacity, the waste ink discharged by the preliminary ejection can be sufficiently accommodated. However, many portable recording apparatuses cannot be provided with a waste ink receiver large enough to realize space saving, and are often replaced with a thin absorber. In such a thin absorber, when the waste ink is ejected to the same location, the allowable absorption range is immediately exceeded, and ink leakage occurs. Therefore, the user has to replace parts such as the absorber or the recording head itself with considerable frequency. These operations are complicated and require a running cost.
[0012]
As shown in the forced recovery preliminary ejection mode described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-201029, since many of the conventional recording heads have a constant ejection direction, ink is ejected to the same location during preliminary ejection. It will be. Therefore, it is not very effective to increase the surface area for receiving waste ink in the thin absorber.
[0013]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ink jet recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus that can perform sufficient recovery processing even in a portable ink jet recording apparatus.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Inkjet recording of the present invention apparatus Is A recording apparatus main body having a recording head having a plurality of discharge ports, each having a discharge port surface formed with a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink, and corresponding to a flow path communicating with each of the plurality of discharge ports; An ink jet recording apparatus having a cap that can be attached to the recording apparatus main body and covers the discharge port surface of the recording head by attaching the recording head to a surface on which the recording head is located. As the cap moves in a direction opposite to the mounting direction, a valve for generating negative pressure is sealed inside the cap, and ink discharged from the plurality of ejection ports is placed inside the cap. The recording apparatus main body includes a driving unit that drives each of the plurality of heating elements, and driving of the plurality of heating elements. Control means for changing the ink discharge direction to a direction perpendicular to the discharge port surface and a direction not perpendicular to the discharge port surface; and preliminary discharge means for discharging ink from the recording head other than during recording; And when the ink is ejected by the preliminary ejection means with the cap attached to the surface of the recording apparatus main body on which the recording head is located, the control means causes the ink from the plurality of ejection ports of the recording head to be ejected. By controlling the discharge direction to be a direction that is not perpendicular to the discharge port surface, it is different from the portion that absorbs the ink discharged from the plurality of discharge ports due to the negative pressure generated with the movement of the cap. Ink is ejected to the position on the absorber by the preliminary ejection means. It is characterized by that.
[0016]
According to the above configuration, during preliminary discharge, among the plurality of heating elements provided at the discharge port, the heating element that discharges ink in a direction that is not perpendicular to the discharge port surface generates heat, and the increased viscosity is discharged. By absorbing and absorbing ink at a position different from the position where the ink that has flowed out from the inside of the ejection port due to negative pressure is absorbed in the absorber, it is possible to use the same absorber for a longer time than to absorb it at the same position. Fully utilize the absorption capacity of the absorber and reduce the frequency of replacement of the absorber.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
[0019]
2 and 3 are perspective views showing a state when the ink jet recording apparatus of FIG. 1 is carried.
[0020]
The ink jet recording apparatus is roughly divided into a main body 3 having a recording head for ejecting ink onto a recording medium, and a guide shaft 7 for moving the main body portion with less camera shake. This ink jet recording apparatus is portable, and at the time of recording, the user manually moves the main body 3 along the guide shaft 7 on the recording medium for recording.
[0021]
The main body 3 is provided with a cap 1 that covers the recording head during non-recording. At the time of recording shown in FIG. 1, the main body 3 is attached to the surface opposite to the surface on which the recording head is located, but this can be removed. Prevent dust adhesion. Further, a groove 12 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the center of the cap 1, and the lever 2 is provided along the groove 12 so as to be movable. When the lever 2 is moved, a wiper (not shown) is moved in conjunction with the lever 2 to remove excess ink and the like at the discharge port portion. Details of the cap and wiper structure will be described later.
[0022]
Further, a roller 4 is provided on the surface in contact with the recording medium (hereinafter also referred to as “paper”) 40. The roller 4 is rotatable with respect to the main body 3 and protrudes slightly below the bottom surface of the main body 3 in the vertical direction.
[0023]
A rubber foot 9 is provided below the end of the guide shaft 7 in the vertical direction. The rubber foot 9 and the roller 4 allow the main body 3 to maintain a certain distance from the paper 40 (FIG. 6, FIG. 6). (See FIG. 7).
[0024]
Further, three spurs 17 are provided on the surface of the main body 3 that is in contact with the paper 40, and rotates when the main body 3 moves in the direction of arrow A along the guide shaft 7. Since the spur 17 is configured to slightly press the paper 40 downward by a spring shaft (not shown), the paper 40 is prevented from being displaced when the main body 3 is moved.
[0025]
The guide shaft 7 is provided with an encoder 20, and the IRDA 41 of the control unit (PCB) reads the magnetic signal of the encoder 20, and the control unit grasps the position of the main body 3 by this signal (see FIG. 8).
[0026]
The main body 3 is provided with a recording head and an ink tank for supplying ink to the recording head. The recording head is provided at a position facing the paper 40 inside the main body 3. The configuration of the recording head will be described later. Further, a control unit (PCB) that controls ejection signals to the recording head and exchanges signals from the outside, and a power source that supplies electric energy to the recording head and control unit (PCB) are also provided.
[0027]
The LED 5 represents the state of the main body and is lit by control from the control unit (PCB). When the user's operation is input, the switch 6 sends the operation content to the control unit (PCB).
[0028]
The user installs the ink jet recording apparatus so that the guide shaft 7 follows the end of the paper 40 during recording. Then, the main body 3 is slowly moved in the arrow A direction. At this time, the recording head ejects ink to a predetermined position of the paper 40 in accordance with a command from the control unit. The ink ejection direction is perpendicular to the ejection port surface.
[0029]
Because the rubber feet 9 of the guide shaft 7 and the rollers 4 maintain a constant distance between the recording head and the paper 40, the user does not need to adjust the force applied to the main body 3.
[0030]
The housing of the main body 3 is made of a plastic material such as ABS.
[0031]
At the time of non-recording, the cap 1 is changed to the recording head side to protect the recording head. Further, a pair of claws 11 are provided at both longitudinal ends of the surface to which the cap 1 is attached in FIG. This claw 11 holds the guide shaft 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the guide shaft 7 is made parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main body 3 in order to make the apparatus compact when recording is not performed. 11 to fix. Thus, by fixing the guide shaft 7 in parallel with the main body, the apparatus becomes compact and does not take up space even when carried. At the time of recording, the guide shaft 7 is removed from the claw 11 and the cap 1 is put on the claw 11 side of the main body 3 for use.
[0032]
Next, the electrical configuration of the control unit of the ink jet recording apparatus will be described.
[0033]
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit.
[0034]
The control unit is roughly divided into a power supply unit 201, an IF control unit 202, and a recording head unit 203.
[0035]
The IF control unit 202 includes an IO control circuit 204, a CPU 205, a ROM 206 that is a nonvolatile memory, a RAM 207 that is a readable / writable memory, transmitters 208 and 209, and a head interface 210 that interfaces with a recording head. It has.
[0036]
It also includes a switch 211 for power control and online control, and an LED 212 for displaying the network status, power status, and recording device status.
[0037]
Furthermore, an encoder 213 for detecting the amount of movement when the recording apparatus main body is moved on the recording medium by the user, and a buffer 214 for storing detection pulses are also provided.
[0038]
The ROM 206 stores various control programs such as protocol control and speed detection control for communicating with the host computer.
[0039]
When image information is input from a host computer (not shown), the image information is temporarily stored in the IF control unit 202. Further, the data is converted into a processable data format and input to the CPU 205. The CPU 205 executes the control code of the control program stored in the ROM 206 to process the input image information and convert it into image data (IDATA) corresponding to the recording head.
[0040]
Further, the CPU 205 creates a synchronization signal (LATCH) for driving the recording head in synchronization with the moving speed of the recording unit in order to record the image data at an appropriate position on the recording medium.
[0041]
The image data and the synchronization signal are sent to the recording head unit 203 via the head interface 210.
The CPU 205 performs IR communication using an IRDA module 215 for an interface with the outside. The exchange of recording commands and data sent by infrared communication is performed by asynchronous communication. At this time, the transmission signal Tx and the reception signal Rx are used.
[0042]
The RAM 207 is provided with areas such as a work area used as a register, a data buffer for storing recording data, and a control buffer.
[0043]
The IO control circuit 204 sequentially reads print data formed by dot images from the RAM 207, controls the head interface 210, and sends the print data to the print head unit 203.
[0044]
A power source unit 201 is a main power source of the recording apparatus, and is a secondary battery known as an AC or NiCd power source, and supplies 12V power to the recording head unit 203. Similarly, 5V power is supplied to the I / F control unit.
[0045]
The recording head unit 203 drives the heating heater of each ejection port according to the image data and the synchronization signal sent from the IF control unit 202, and ejects ink to a predetermined position of the recording medium.
[0046]
Inkjet recording devices perform recording by ejecting ink from each of the plurality of ejection openings provided in the recording head, and if dust or the like adheres to the ejection openings, the ejection direction will be out of order and recording can be performed at the correct position. Disappear. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean the discharge port surface of the recording head. The details of the discharge port surface cleaning (referred to as “recovery processing”) will be described below.
[0047]
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view when the lever 2 is moved to the center of the groove 12.
[0048]
The inside of the cap 1 has a two-stage structure of an upper wall 36 and a lower wall 37, and a part of the lower wall 37 serves as a guide portion 35. The wiper holder 23 is engaged with the guide portion 35. That is, part of both ends of the wiper holder 23 are notched portions 25 and 26, and the guide portion 35 is engaged with the notched portions 25 and 26. Further, a magnet 22 is attached to the wiper holder 23. In addition, the magnet 21 integrally formed with the lever 2 and the magnet 22 of the wiper holder 23 are opposed to each other via the upper wall 36 and are attracted to each other. Therefore, when the lever 2 is operated, the magnet 22 is attracted, so that the wiper holder 23 is also moved along the guide portion 35 in synchronization.
[0049]
The wiper holder 23 is integrated with the wiper 29. The wiper 29 is made of a rubber material such as HNBR and has a flat plate shape with a thickness of about 0.6 mm. The wiper 29 is configured such that the end of the wiper 29 is in contact with the face of the recording head 31 at a fixed position where the cap 1 and the main body 3 are located. When the lever 2 is moved in the direction of arrow C (see FIG. 3) in this state, dust or ink attached to the face surface of the recording head 31 is removed.
[0050]
FIG. 5 is a sectional view when the lever 2 is moved to the right end of the groove 12.
[0051]
A hole 38 is provided at one end (right end in the present embodiment) of the main body 3, and dust and ink removed by the wiper 29 are swept away into the hole 38. An absorber 39 is bonded to the bottom of the hole 38, and waste ink, dust and the like are held in the absorber 39.
[0052]
In addition to the recovery process by operating the wiper, a recovery process is also performed in which bubbles in the discharge port are removed by the pressure inside the cap.
[0053]
A hole 27 is provided in a part of the upper wall 36, and this hole 27 is usually blocked by the valve 24. A packing 30 is provided on the inner peripheral portion of the cap 1 so as to be in close contact with the main body 3. Therefore, when the cap 1 is moved in the direction of arrow B (see FIG. 3) for attaching the cap 1 to the main body 3, negative pressure can be generated on the face surface of the recording head 31. By this negative pressure, the ink in the plurality of nozzles is absorbed by the portion 28 a surrounded by the guide portion 35 of the absorber 28. At this time, bubbles, dust, etc. remaining in the nozzle can also be removed.
[0054]
When the cap 1 is moved in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 3, the valve 24 (see FIG. 4) moves to the position indicated by the broken line, and the hole 27 is opened, so that no negative pressure is generated.
[0055]
However, in the recovery process using the negative pressure inside the cap, bubbles and the like in the ejection port can be removed, but the thickened ink and the like inside the ejection port cannot be removed. Therefore, a recovery process called “preliminary ejection” is performed in which ink is ejected regardless of recording, and the thickened ink is also removed by this ejection operation.
[0056]
In the conventional ink jet recording head, a means based on the forced recovery preliminary discharge mode described in JP-A-5-201029 is used for this preliminary discharge. In this manner, ink is ejected vertically from the ejection port surface toward the waste ink receiver, similarly to ejection during recording.
[0057]
However, since the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment is portable, space saving is required, and a sufficient size cannot be used for the absorber 28 that absorbs waste ink. Therefore, when ink is ejected vertically from the ejection port surface even in preliminary ejection, further ink is ejected to the portion 28a surrounded by the guide portion of the absorber 28 in which the waste ink has already been absorbed by the recovery process using the negative pressure described above. As a result, the absorption allowable range of the absorber 28 is reached immediately, and ink that cannot be absorbed leaks and causes the recording head to become dirty again. If this happens, the print quality will be degraded unless processing such as replacing the recovery part is performed.
[0058]
Therefore, in the ink jet recording head of the present invention, at the time of preliminary ejection, ejection is performed at an angle with respect to the axis along the ink flow path, instead of ejecting perpendicularly to the ejection port surface (broken arrows in FIG. 4). Direction), by causing the waste ink to land on the portion 28b in contact with the lower wall 37 of the absorber 28, the waste ink is absorbed in a place different from that at the time of recovery processing by negative pressure. In this way, by allocating waste ink absorption locations according to the recovery method, it is possible to absorb waste ink for a long time with a compact absorber.
[0059]
Then, the structure of the ejection port of the recording head capable of ejecting ink at an angle at the time of preliminary ejection and a method for producing such a recording head will be described.
[0060]
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the base portion of the recording head.
[0061]
On the silicon substrate 101 serving as the base of the element substrate 1, a thermal oxide film 102 that is an animal heat layer and an interlayer film 103 made of silicon oxide (SiO 2) or silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4) that also serves as an animal heat layer are laminated. . On the interlayer film 103, a resistance layer 104 and a wiring portion 105 made of Al or an Al alloy such as Al—Si or Al—Cu are patterned. A protective layer 106 made of silicon oxide (SiO 2) or silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4) and an anti-cavitation film 107 for protecting the protective layer 106 from chemical or physical impact caused by heat generation of the resistance layer 104 are laminated thereon. Yes. The resistance layer 104 and the wiring portion 105 constitute a heating element layer, and a region where the wiring portion 105 is not formed on the resistance layer 104 is a heat acting portion 108 that functions as a heating element. As described above, the resistance layer 104 and the heat acting part 108 formed on the silicon substrate 101 by the semiconductor manufacturing technology constitute a heating element.
[0062]
As shown in FIG. 11, a general Mos (metal oxide silicon) process is used to introduce and diffuse impurities such as ion plating, and the n-type well region 402 of the p-conductor silicon substrate 101 is formed. The p-Mos 450 and the n-Mos 451 are formed on the p-type well region 403, respectively. The p-Mos 450 and n-Mos 451 are gate wiring 413 made of polysilicon deposited by a CVD method to a thickness of 4000 mm to 5000 mm through a gate insulating film 408 having a thickness of several hundreds mm, n-type or p-type, respectively. The source region 405 and the drain region 406 into which the impurity is introduced are constituted, and the C-Mos logic is constituted by the p-Mos 450 and the n-Mos 451.
[0063]
The p-type well region 403 is provided with an element driving n-Mos transistor including a drain region 411, a source region 412, a gate wiring 413, and the like formed by the introduction of impurities and diffusion. Yes.
[0064]
Here, when an n-Mos transistor is used as the element driving driver, the distance L between the drain gates constituting one transistor is about 10 μm at the minimum. The breakdown of 10 μm is that the Al electrode 417 which is a contact between the source and the drain is 2 × 2 μm. However, in actuality, half of them are shared with the adjacent transistors, so they are half of them. Between the Al electrode 417 and the gate wiring 413, 2 × 2 μm is 4 μm, and the gate wiring 413 is 4 μm, for a total of 10 μm. It becomes.
[0065]
Between the elements, an oxidation isolation region 453 having a thickness of 5000 to 10,000 mm is formed by field oxidation, and each element is isolated. This field oxide film becomes the first thermal oxide film 102 under the heat acting portion 108.
[0066]
After each element is formed, an interlayer insulating film 416 made of a PSG (Phospho-Silicate-Glass), BPSG (Boron-Doped Phospho-Silicate-Glass) film or the like formed to a thickness of about 7000 mm by CVD is provided. It has been. Further, after the interlayer insulating film 416 is subjected to a treatment such as planarization by heat treatment, wiring by the Al electrode 417 serving as the first wiring layer is performed through the contact hole. Thereafter, an interlayer insulating film 418 made of SiO2 film or the like formed to a thickness of 10,000 to 15000 mm by plasma CVD is provided, and further a resistance layer 104 made of TaN0.8, hex film of about 10,000 mm thickness is formed by DC sputtering. It is formed by the law. The resistance layer 104 is partially in contact with the Al electrode 417 through the through hole. Further, an Al electrode serving as a second wiring layer serving as a wiring to each heating element 2 is formed.
[0067]
Next, a protective film 106 made of a Si3N4 film formed to a thickness of about 10,000 mm by plasma CVD is provided. On the protective film 106, an anti-cavitation film 107 made of Ta or the like and having a thickness of about 2500 mm is deposited.
[0068]
In the present embodiment, the configuration using the n-Mos transistor is described. However, the present embodiment has a capability of individually driving a plurality of heating elements 2 and a function of achieving the fine structure as described above. The transistor is not limited to this as long as it is a transistor.
[0069]
These driving elements are formed on the silicon substrate 101 by a semiconductor technique, and the heat acting part 108 is further formed on the same substrate.
[0070]
FIG. 15 is a block diagram of the recording head substrate.
[0071]
VH is a heater driving power source supplied from the main body. HGnd is a power supply Gnd. VDD is a logic power supply. LGnd is Gnd for the logic power supply VDD.
[0072]
Since the ink ejection method of this embodiment is a bubble jet (registered trademark) method (details will be described later), a heater unit for heating ink is provided. The heater unit is composed of a plurality of heating elements. A heater driver unit is provided so as to correspond to the plurality of heating elements on a one-to-one basis, and drives each heater according to image data.
[0073]
The heater driver unit includes a shift register that outputs serially input image data (IDATA) to each of the drivers in parallel, and a latch circuit that temporarily stores data output from the shift register. In addition, the heater driver unit does not simultaneously drive the block selection signal for dividing the ink flow path that forms the nozzle derived from the drive system control unit and the heating element disposed in the adjacent ink flow path. And an AND circuit connected to the drive pulse signal for driving the heating element based on the image data.
[0074]
The driving system control unit controls the block selection signal, the even / odd division signal and the driving pulse signal, and also inputs a clock input signal (DCLK) for driving the shift register and a latch signal (LATCH).
[0075]
The table unit receives a read signal from a temperature sensor on which a recording head substrate is arranged and a read value from a heater resistance value monitoring heater or fuse, and displays a table corresponding to each input value as a drive system control unit Send to. Furthermore, a temperature adjustment sub-heater is connected to the table portion, and the temperature of the substrate is varied in accordance with a read signal of the temperature sensor.
[0076]
Further, the function and state of the head are returned to the main body as a request signal in accordance with a status signal input from the main body.
[0077]
These functional elements such as a heater unit, a heater driver unit, and a drive system control unit are formed on a silicon substrate by a semiconductor technique, and a heat acting unit is also formed on the same substrate.
[0078]
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the ink flow path portion of the recording head.
[0079]
As shown in the figure, a heater 331 is arranged in parallel on the recording head base 332. A top plate 334 provided with a heating element 333 corresponding to the heating heater 331 is provided on the top of the recording head base 332. Each nozzle is formed by combining the recording head base 332 and the top plate 334 so that the heater 331 and the heater 333 are opposed to each other. The recording head base 332 and the top plate 334 are both made of a material containing silicon and have substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion.
[0080]
In normal ink ejection during recording, the heater 331 disposed at a position relatively far from the ejection port 335 generates heat, causing film boiling in the ink and generating bubbles. The ink on the discharge port side of the bubbles is discharged by the generation pressure of the bubbles. At this time, a rectifying action is generated by the ink flow path in the middle and the discharge port having a tapered shape, and the ink is discharged perpendicularly to the face surface (discharge port surface).
[0081]
On the other hand, in the ink discharge at the time of preliminary discharge, as shown in FIG. 13, the heat generating element 333 disposed at a position relatively close to the discharge port 335 is caused to generate heat. When ink is ejected by the generated air bubbles, the air bubbles are not generated uniformly, but are generated in a direction deviated in one direction from the axis along the ink flow path. To be discharged. This angle differs depending on the position of the heat generating element 333 from the discharge port, the size of the heat generating element 333, the area of the discharge port, the input method of the drive pulse to the heat generating element 333, and the like. Therefore, it may be set appropriately in advance according to the position where the landing is desired. Information on the heating element 333 and the form of the recording head are stored in advance in a table section provided on the recording head substrate side or a nonvolatile memory ROM provided on the main body side.
[0082]
A method for creating such a recording head will be described.
[0083]
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the recording head.
[0084]
As described above, a SiN film is formed to a thickness of 50 μm by using the plasma CVD method on the recording head substrate 332 (see FIG. 1A) in which the heaters 331 are arranged in parallel at regular intervals (see FIG. 1A). (See (b) in the figure). Thereafter, patterning is performed using a photolithography process. Then, as the etching gas, chemical species such as CF4 and SF6 radicalized and chemically excited by discharge remove the excess SiN film (see FIG. 5C). In this embodiment, a dry etching apparatus using an ICP (Dielectric Coupled Plasma) method is used. This apparatus is capable of high aspect processing and has little damage to the substrate.
[0085]
On the other hand, a heating element and a functional element are formed on the top plate side as well as the recording head substrate. Then, a SiO 2 film is formed so as to have a thickness of several μm. Further, by using a photolithography process, a portion that becomes a common liquid chamber is patterned to remove an excessive SiO 2 film.
[0086]
FIG. 4D is a view of FIG. 4C viewed from the I direction.
[0087]
The recording head substrate formed in this way and the top plate are joined (see FIG. 5E). Bonding may be performed using a high melting point type epoxy adhesive, or by irradiating both bonding surfaces with an inert gas such as argon to activate the bonding surfaces, and then bonding while pressing at a low temperature. May be.
[0088]
Thereafter, an excimer laser is irradiated on the face surface to form an orifice (discharge port) (see FIG. 5F). In this way, the recording head is completed (see FIG. 5G).
[0089]
As described above, by providing the heating elements above and below the ink flow path, and separately using these heating elements for preliminary ejection and normal ejection, it is possible to control the ink ejection direction.
[0090]
(Embodiment 2)
The manufacturing method of the recording head may be as follows.
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the recording head manufacturing process.
As in the first embodiment, a recording head substrate in which heating heaters are arranged in parallel is used.
[0091]
The top plate is formed by depositing both surfaces of a Si substrate with a SiO 2 film to a thickness of 1 μm, and then patterning a portion serving as a common liquid chamber by a known method such as a photolithography process. Heat generating elements are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals. Further, a SiN film is formed to a thickness of about 60 μm using the μW-CVD method on the surface where the heat generating element is disposed (see FIG. 1A). Note that gases used for forming the SiN film by the μW-CVD method are monosilane (SiH 4), nitrogen (N 2), and argon (Ar). In addition, a mixed gas combining disilane (Si2H6), ammonia (NH3), or the like may be used. In this embodiment, the microwave (2.45 GHz) power is 1.5 (kW), the gas amount of SiH 4 / N 2 / Ar = 100/100/40 (sccm) is supplied, and a high vacuum of 5 (mtorr) is provided. Although the film was formed below, the film may be formed by a component ratio other than the above, a CVD method using an RF power source, or the like.
[0092]
Further, the orifice (discharge port) portion and the flow path portion are patterned using a known method such as a photolithography process, and etched into a trench structure using an etching apparatus using dielectric coupled plasma (see FIG. 5B). ). Thereafter, through-silicon-silicon wafer etching is performed using TMAH to form an orifice-integrated silicon top plate (see FIG. 5C).
[0093]
The silicon top plate and the recording head substrate (see FIG. 4D) are bonded by a room temperature bonding method by surface activation (see FIG. 4E). The room-temperature bonding apparatus used at this time in this embodiment has two vacuum chambers, a preliminary chamber and a pressure-bonding chamber, and the degree of vacuum is 1 to 10 Pa. Then, in the preliminary chamber, an alignment position for positioning a portion where the top plate and the recording head substrate are joined is aligned using image processing. Thereafter, while maintaining this state, the wafer is transferred to the pressure welding chamber and irradiated with energetic particles on the surface of the portion to be joined by the saddle field type high-speed electron beam. After the surfaces are activated by this irradiation, bonding is performed. At this time, in order to increase the strength, heating or pressurization of 200 degrees or less may be performed.
[0094]
The bonding method is a method of applying a thin film (about 300 mm) of water glass (sodium silicate) to the bonding portion on the recording head substrate and patterning, and then heating and bonding to 100 degrees, or two of the two sheets to be bonded At least one of them may be applied with an adhesive using a transfer method and bonded by heating and pressing.
[0095]
Further, an excimer laser is irradiated at normal temperature and normal pressure using a mask at the orifice (discharge port) portion (see FIG. 5G). This laser ablation process is performed to form an inversely tapered structure (see FIG. 11 (h)).
[0096]
In addition, the manufacturing method of the inkjet recording head of this invention may use not only the method of Embodiment 1, 2, but another method.
[0097]
In the first and second embodiments, the position of the heating element is provided on the top plate side of the ejection port. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the ejection direction can be angled with respect to the ink flow path. Any position may be used.
[0098]
【The invention's effect】
By using the ink jet recording head and the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, a heat generating element that discharges ink in a direction that is not perpendicular to the discharge port surface among the plurality of heat generating elements provided at the discharge port during preliminary discharge is provided. Absorbing the thickened ink that is generated and discharged at a position different from the position where the ink that has flowed out from the inside of the discharge port due to negative pressure is absorbed and absorbed, and the same absorber for a longer time than absorbing it at the same position Since the absorption capacity of the absorber is fully utilized and the replacement frequency of the absorber is reduced, sufficient recovery processing can be performed even in a portable ink jet recording apparatus.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
2 is a perspective view showing a state when the ink jet recording apparatus of FIG. 1 is carried. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus of FIG. 2 as viewed from the S direction.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ink jet recording apparatus when the lever is moved to the center of the groove.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ink jet recording apparatus when the lever is moved to the right end of the groove.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a recording head and a guide shaft.
7 is a front view of the ink jet recording apparatus of FIG. 1;
8 is a front view from another direction of the ink jet recording apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a base portion of a recording head.
FIG. 11 is a detailed sectional view of a base portion of the recording head.
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an ink flow path portion of the recording head.
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an ink flow path portion of a recording head.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing a recording head.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a control unit of the recording head.
FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another example of a method for manufacturing a recording head.
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a conventional recording apparatus.
FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the recording head unit of FIG. 17;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 cap
2 Lever
3 Body
4 Laura
5 LED
6 switch
7 Guide shaft
9 Rubber feet
11 claw
12 grooves
15 Guide hole
17 Spur
20 Encoder
28 Absorber
29 Wiper
31 Recording head
331 Heater
332 head substrate
333 Heating element
334 Top plate
335 outlet

Claims (2)

A recording apparatus main body having a recording head having a plurality of discharge ports, each having a discharge port surface formed with a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink, and corresponding to a flow path communicating with each of the plurality of discharge ports ; In the ink jet recording apparatus having a cap that can be attached to the recording apparatus main body and covers the discharge port surface of the recording head by attaching the recording head to a surface .
The cap has a valve for generating a negative pressure inside the cap sealed with the cap in accordance with the movement of the cap in the direction opposite to the mounting direction to the recording apparatus main body, and the plurality of caps inside the cap Having an absorber that absorbs ink discharged from the discharge port of
The recording apparatus main body controls a driving unit that drives each of the plurality of heat generating elements, and controls driving of the plurality of heat generating elements, so that an ink discharge direction is perpendicular to the discharge port surface and perpendicular to the discharge port surface. Control means for changing to a direction that is not, and preliminary ejection means for ejecting ink from the recording head other than during recording,
When ink is ejected by the preliminary ejection means in a state where the cap is attached to the surface of the recording apparatus main body with the recording head, the ink ejection direction of the plurality of ejection ports of the recording head is controlled by the control means. By controlling to be in a direction that is not perpendicular to the surface of the discharge port, the upper surface of the absorber is different from the portion that absorbs the ink discharged from the plurality of discharge ports due to the negative pressure generated as the cap moves. An ink jet recording apparatus , wherein ink is ejected from the preliminary ejection means to the position . Further comprising a main body comprising the recording head,
During recording, the main body is disposed on the recording medium so that the surface having the inkjet recording head of the main body faces the recording medium, and the main body is manually moved on the recording medium. an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head and performing recording by ejecting ink to a recording medium.

Images