JP4617770B2 - Method for manufacturing laminated nozzle plate - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate that is a constituent member of an ink jet recording head that ejects ink droplets onto a recording medium.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ink jet recording apparatuses that eject ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles and perform printing on a recording medium such as paper have various advantages such as small size, low cost, and quietness, and are widely marketed. In particular, piezo inkjet systems that eject ink droplets by changing the pressure in the pressure chamber using piezoelectric elements and thermal inkjet recording devices that eject ink droplets by expanding the ink by the action of thermal energy are high-speed printing. It has many advantages such as high resolution.

  In such an ink jet recording apparatus, a water-repellent film is applied to the nozzle surface in order to prevent ink droplets from adhering to the periphery of the nozzles when ink droplets are ejected from a plurality of nozzles. However, this water-repellent film suffers from scratching damage due to paper rubbing when the paper floats due to jam, etc., and the ink ejection performance deteriorates, such as the ink ejection direction tilting and the ink droplet diameter and speed vary. To do.

As a countermeasure against this, for example, an ink jet recording head has been proposed in which a circular step is provided around the nozzle formed on the nozzle plate. This ink jet recording head forms a circular step around the nozzle by adhering a metal plate having a circular opening corresponding to the nozzle to the nozzle plate on which the nozzle is formed. The sheet is prevented from contacting the film (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 3108771 (pages 2 to 3, FIGS. 3 and 8)

  However, in the ink jet recording head described in Patent Document 1, after the nozzle is formed on the nozzle plate, a metal plate having an opening corresponding to the nozzle is stacked, so that high-precision position adjustment is required when stacking. As a result, the production efficiency also deteriorates. In addition, since the circular step is substantially perpendicular to the nozzle plate surface, ink and foreign matter tend to accumulate at the corners of the step. On the other hand, when the opening is formed in an arc shape by electroforming, it is easy to remove ink and foreign matter from the arc-shaped step, but it is easy for the paper edge to enter the step and jamming occurs. End up.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can easily remove ink and foreign matters adhering to the periphery of a nozzle and can efficiently join a protective plate and a nozzle plate forming a step. It aims at providing the manufacturing method of a nozzle plate.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a method of manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets onto a recording medium, wherein the nozzle plate before the nozzles are formed is provided. A step of bonding a protective plate disposed on the surface facing the recording medium, a step of forming a step hole in the protective plate , and a water repellent film on the surface of the protective plate and in the step hole And a step of forming, on the nozzle plate in the step hole, a nozzle having a diameter smaller than the hole diameter of the step hole from the side opposite to the protective plate .

In the manufacturing method of the laminated nozzle plate according to claim 1, a step plate is formed in the protective plate after joining the protective plate arranged on the surface side facing the recording medium to the nozzle plate before forming the nozzle. . That is, since the nozzle plate before forming the nozzle and the protective plate before forming the step hole are bonded, position adjustment is not required at the time of bonding, and the bonding can be performed efficiently. Further, a water repellent film is formed on the surface of the protective plate and the step hole, and then a nozzle having a smaller diameter than the hole diameter of the step hole is formed on the nozzle plate in the step hole from the side opposite to the protective plate . As a result, the periphery of the nozzle is retreated from the surface of the protective plate by the step hole, so that it is possible to avoid damaging the water-repellent film around the nozzle even if the recording medium contacts the protective plate. Furthermore, since the nozzle is formed in the step hole after the step hole is formed, the manufacturing efficiency is good.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to the first aspect, the step hole is formed into a bowl-shaped taper shape by etching or a mortar-shaped taper shape. It is said.

  In the invention of claim 2, since the step hole is formed into a bowl-shaped taper shape by etching or a mortar-shaped taper shape, ink and foreign matter in the step hole can be easily removed, and the recording medium It becomes difficult to enter the step hole. For this reason, the occurrence of a jam or the like can be prevented.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing the laminated nozzle plate according to the first or second aspect, the protective plate in which the step hole is formed in advance is joined to the nozzle plate before the nozzle is formed. It is characterized by that.

  In the invention according to claim 3, the protective plate in which the step hole is formed in advance is joined to the nozzle plate before forming the nozzle. Even if the step hole is formed in the protective plate in advance, since it is joined to the nozzle plate before forming the nozzle, position adjustment is not necessary, and the joining can be performed efficiently.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to any one of the first to third aspects, the nozzle plate and the protective plate before forming the nozzle are thermally fused. It is characterized by joining by wearing.

  In the invention according to the fourth aspect, since the nozzle plate and the protective plate before forming the nozzle are joined by heat fusion, they can be joined efficiently without using an adhesive.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the stepped holes are formed by a single row or a plurality of rows of nozzles. After the nozzle is formed in the region, a single row or a plurality of rows of nozzles are formed in the step hole.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the step hole is formed in a wide region where a single row or a plurality of rows of nozzles are formed, so that the step hole can be formed efficiently. In addition, since a plurality of nozzles in a single row or a plurality of rows are formed in the step hole after the step hole is formed, position adjustment is easier than in the case where one nozzle is formed in one step hole. .

  The invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that, in the method for manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the nozzle plate is made of a polymer resin material.

  In the invention described in claim 6, since the nozzle plate is made of a polymer resin material and is easily processed, the nozzle can be formed at a desired position in the step hole.

  According to the present invention, since it is configured as described above, it is possible to efficiently join the protective plate and the nozzle plate that form the step hole, and to easily remove ink and foreign matter around the nozzle from the tapered step hole. Can be removed.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an inkjet recording head 40 having a laminated nozzle plate 10 manufactured according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording head 40 includes a laminated nozzle plate 10 including a protection plate 12, a nozzle plate 14, and a pool plate 16. A water repellent film 18 is applied to the surface of the protective plate 12. Further, communication hole plates 30, 32, a pressure chamber plate 34, and a vibration plate 36 are aligned and laminated above the pool plate 16 constituting the laminated nozzle plate 10, and are joined by bonding means such as an adhesive. It is joined.

  The nozzle plate 14 constituting the laminated nozzle plate 10 is formed with nozzles 20 for ejecting ink. A step hole 22 is formed around the nozzle 20 in the protective plate 12 below the nozzle plate 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the step hole 22 has a tapered surface 22a curved in a bowl shape. The stepped hole 22 causes the nozzle surface 23 around the nozzle 20 to recede from the plate surface 19 of the protective plate 12 (the surface of the protective plate 12 coated with the water repellent film 18) in a concave shape. Thereby, the recording medium P that has floated during printing does not come into contact with the nozzle surface 23, and the water-repellent film 18 around the nozzle 20 is not damaged. The water repellent film 18 prevents ink from adhering to the periphery of the nozzle 20, and ink droplets ejected from the nozzle 20 are always ejected perpendicular to the plate surface 19 by the water repellent film 18. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, a communication hole 24 that communicates with the nozzle 20 is formed in the pool plate 16 that constitutes the laminated nozzle plate 10. In addition, communication holes 41 and 43 are formed in the communication hole plates 30 and 32, respectively. The nozzle 20, the communication hole 24, and the communication holes 41 and 43 communicate with each other in a state where the stacked nozzle plate 10 and the communication hole plates 30 and 32 are stacked, and are connected to a pressure chamber 45 formed in the pressure chamber plate 34. ing.

  On the other hand, an ink pool 25 is formed on the pool plate 16 and stores ink supplied from an ink supply hole (not shown). Further, supply holes 42 and 44 are formed in the communication hole plates 30 and 32 so as to be connected to the ink pool 25, respectively. The ink pool 25, the supply holes 42 and 44, and the pressure chamber 45 communicate with each other in a state where the pool plate 16, the communication hole plates 30 and 32, and the pressure chamber plate 34 are stacked. Although not shown, a single plate type piezoelectric element as pressure generating means is attached above the pressure chamber 45 above the vibration plate 36 so that a driving voltage is applied from a flexible wiring board (not shown). It is configured.

  In such an ink jet recording head 40, a continuous ink passage is formed from the ink pool 25 to the supply holes 42 and 44, the pressure chamber 45, the communication holes 43 and 41, the communication hole 24, and the nozzle 20. The ink supplied from the holes (not shown) and stored in the ink pool 25 is filled into the pressure chamber 45 through the supply holes 42 and 44. When a driving voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element (not shown), the diaphragm 36 is flexibly deformed together with the piezoelectric element to expand or compress the pressure chamber 45. As a result, a volume change occurs in the pressure chamber 45, and a pressure wave is generated in the pressure chamber 45. The ink moves by the action of the pressure wave, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle 20 to the outside.

  Next, a manufacturing method of the laminated nozzle plate 10 constituting the inkjet recording head 40 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the plate-like nozzle plate 14 before forming the nozzle 20 and the plate-like protection plate 12 before forming the step hole 22 are joined by thermal fusion. By joining the two nozzle plates 14 and the protection plate 12 by heat fusion without using an adhesive, it is not necessary to adjust the positions of the two at the time of joining, and the joining can be performed efficiently. The nozzle plate 14 is made of a synthetic resin excellent in mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and thinning. In this embodiment, polyimide is used. By using polyimide, there is an advantage that it is easier to process than conventional SUS and that crosstalk is suppressed by a damper effect when ejection energy is given to the ink. As the protection plate 12, a metal plate, a resin film, a liquid crystal film, a resin plate, or the like is used. In this embodiment, SUS is used.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, a resist 48 is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped protective plate 12. The resist 48 is patterned through a mask, and then unnecessary portions are removed to form a hole 49 corresponding to the position of the step hole 22. Then, as shown in FIG. 3C, the pattern of the step hole 22 is formed in the protective plate 12 by wet etching, and the resist 48 is removed. The step hole 22 has a bowl-shaped tapered surface 22a as shown in FIG. The depth of the step hole 22 is set to 5 μm to 20 μm.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3D, the pool plate 16 is joined to the back surface of the nozzle plate 14 by thermal fusion. By heat-sealing, no adhesive is used at the time of joining.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3E, a water repellent film 18 is formed on the surface of the protective plate 12, that is, on the ejection side surface of the ink jet recording head 40 (see FIG. 1) by spin coating or the like. The water repellent film 18 includes a tetrafluoroethylene-6 fluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), a tetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE), a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer resin (PFA), a fluorine Fluorine resins such as vinylidene fluoride resin and vinyl fluoride resin are used. In particular, tetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE) and tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer resin (PFA) are preferable. In this embodiment, tetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE) is used.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3F, nozzles 20 are formed in the nozzle plate 14 from the back of the pool plate 16 with an excimer laser (not shown). The nozzle 20 is formed to have a smaller diameter than that of the step hole 22. In this embodiment, the nozzle diameter is set to about 25 μm, and the diameter of the step hole 22 is set to 100 μm to 400 μm. A plurality of such nozzles 20 and step holes 22 are formed in a predetermined pattern, whereby the laminated nozzle plate 10 is completed.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1, the laminated nozzle plate 10 is turned over, and the communication hole plates 30 and 32 and the pressure chamber plate 34 are joined on the pool plate 16 so as to cover the opening of the pressure chamber plate 34. The diaphragm 36 is joined to the substrate.

  In the manufacturing method of the laminated nozzle plate 10 as described above, since the step hole 22 is formed in the protective plate 12 after the nozzle plate 14 and the protective plate 12 before the nozzle 20 are formed, the position adjustment is performed at the time of bonding. Not necessary. Further, since the nozzle 20 is formed after the step hole 22 is formed, the manufacturing efficiency is good. Further, by forming the step hole 22 around the nozzle 20, the water-repellent film 18 around the nozzle 20 may be damaged even if the recording medium P floats during printing and contacts the plate surface 19 of the inkjet recording head 40. Absent. Further, since the step hole 22 has a bowl-shaped tapered surface 22a, the leading end portion of the recording medium P is difficult to enter the step hole 22, and the occurrence of a jam or the like is prevented. Furthermore, even if the surface of the nozzle 20 is wiped with a wiper during maintenance, ink and foreign matter in the step hole 22 can be easily removed from the tapered surface 22a.

  Next, 2nd Embodiment of this invention is described based on drawing.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an inkjet recording head 70 having a laminated nozzle plate 50 manufactured according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the inkjet recording head 70, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a step hole 60 having a mortar-shaped tapered surface 60a is formed in the protective plate 52 of the laminated nozzle plate 50. The mortar-shaped tapered surface 60a has a shape in which the tapered surface portion is inclined substantially linearly. The nozzle 20 is formed in the step hole 60, and the nozzle surface 61 around the nozzle 20 is retracted from the plate surface 19.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the lamination nozzle plate 50 which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, first, a pattern of step holes 60 is formed on the plate-like protective plate 52 at a position facing the nozzle 20 by a punch 64. The step hole 60 has a linear tapered surface 60a that is enlarged in the surface direction of the ink jet recording head 70 (see FIG. 4).

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the plate-like nozzle plate 14 and the protection plate 52 are joined by thermal fusion. At this time, even if the step hole 60 is formed in the protective plate 52 in advance, it is joined to the plate-like nozzle plate 14 before the nozzle 20 is formed. it can.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the pool plate 16 is joined to the back surface of the nozzle plate 14 by thermal fusion. Further, as shown in FIG. 6D, a water repellent film 18 is formed on the surface of the protective plate 52.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6E, the nozzle 20 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the step hole 60 is formed in the nozzle plate 14 from the rear side of the pool plate 16 with an excimer laser (not shown). Thereby, the lamination nozzle plate 50 is completed.

  In such a manufacturing method of the laminated nozzle plate 50, since the plate-like nozzle plate 14 before forming the nozzle 20 is joined to the protective plate 12 in which the step hole 60 is formed, it is not necessary to adjust the position at the time of joining, It can be manufactured efficiently. Further, since the mortar-shaped step hole 60 having the tapered surface 60a is formed, the leading end portion of the recording medium P is difficult to enter the step hole 60, and the occurrence of jam or the like can be prevented. Furthermore, even if the surface of the nozzle 20 is wiped with a wiper during maintenance, ink and foreign matter in the step hole 60 can be easily removed from the tapered surface 60a.

  Next, 3rd Embodiment of this invention is described based on drawing.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a laminated nozzle plate 80 manufactured according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member same as 1st Embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the laminated nozzle plate 80 is formed with a step hole 84 in the protective plate 82 so as to surround a nozzle region 85 in which a plurality of nozzles 20 are formed in a row. The plate surface 86 is formed such that the outside of the step hole 84 protrudes from the nozzle region 85. In other words, the nozzle region 85 has a shape that is recessed downward in the figure by the step hole 84 from the plate surface 86.

  In the step hole 84, a linear tapered surface 84 a that expands toward the plate surface 86 is formed at a portion facing the longitudinal direction of the rectangular nozzle region 85. Further, the step hole 84 protrudes from the nozzle region 85 at a substantially right angle at a portion facing the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle region 85. In this laminated nozzle plate 80, a wiper (not shown) for wiping the nozzle 20 surface is configured to move in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle region 85, and the recording medium P (not shown) at the time of printing is the longitudinal direction of the nozzle region 85. It is comprised so that it may move to the direction orthogonal to.

  In this laminated nozzle plate 80, the diameter of the nozzle 20 is set to about 25 μm, and the width in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle region 85 is set to about 100 μm to 400 μm. The total length in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle region 85 is set to, for example, about 50 mm. The depth of the step hole 84 is set to 5 μm to 20 μm.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the lamination nozzle plate 80 which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  The laminated nozzle plate 80 is manufactured by substantially the same process as the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 6A, when the step hole 84 is formed in the protective plate 82 by the punch 64, the step hole 84 has a wide range corresponding to the nozzle region 85. As shown in FIG. Other steps are the same.

  In such a manufacturing method of the laminated nozzle plate 80, the step hole 84 is formed in a wide range of the protective plate 82, and the plurality of nozzles 20 are formed in the nozzle region 85 in the step hole 84. Compared with the case of creating a hole, highly accurate position adjustment is not necessary.

  In the laminated nozzle plate 80 of the present embodiment, a plurality of nozzles 20 are formed in one row, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a plurality of nozzles 20 (two or more rows) are formed. Also good.

  The ink jet recording head 40 described in the above embodiment records an image (including characters) on the recording medium P, but is not limited to this. That is, the recording medium is not limited to paper, and the liquid to be ejected is not limited to ink. For example, it is industrially useful to create color filters for displays by discharging ink onto polymer films or glass, or to form bumps for component mounting by discharging solder in a welded state onto a substrate. It is included in all droplet ejecting apparatuses used.

It is sectional drawing which shows the inkjet recording head provided with the lamination nozzle plate manufactured by the manufacturing method of the lamination nozzle plate which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of a step hole of a laminated nozzle plate of the ink jet recording head shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing method of the lamination | stacking nozzle plate which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the inkjet recording head provided with the lamination nozzle plate manufactured by the manufacturing method of the lamination nozzle plate which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of a step hole of a laminated nozzle plate of the ink jet recording head shown in FIG. 4. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing method of the lamination | stacking nozzle plate which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the lamination nozzle plate manufactured with the manufacturing method of the lamination nozzle plate which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the lamination nozzle plate manufactured with the manufacturing method of the lamination nozzle plate which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Laminated nozzle plate 12 Protection plate 14 Nozzle plate 16 Pool plate 18 Water repellent film 19 Plate surface 20 Nozzle 22a Tapered surface 22 Step hole 23 Nozzle surface 24 Communication hole 25 Ink pool 40 Inkjet recording head 50 Laminated nozzle plate 52 Protective plate 60a Taper Surface 60 Step hole 61 Nozzle surface 64 Punch 70 Inkjet recording head 80 Laminated nozzle plate 82 Protective plate 84a Tapered surface 84 Step hole 85 Nozzle region 86 Plate surface

Claims (6)

A method of manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink droplets onto a recording medium,
Joining a protective plate disposed on the surface facing the recording medium to the nozzle plate before forming the nozzles;
Forming a step hole in the protective plate;
Forming a water repellent film on the surface of the protective plate and the step hole;
Forming a nozzle having a smaller diameter than the hole diameter of the step hole on the nozzle plate in the step hole from the side opposite to the protective plate ;
A method for producing a laminated nozzle plate, comprising:   2. The method of manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to claim 1, wherein the step hole is formed into a bowl-shaped taper shape by etching or a mortar-shaped taper shape.   The method for manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a protective plate in which the step hole is formed in advance is joined to the nozzle plate before forming the nozzle.   The method for producing a laminated nozzle plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the nozzle plate and the protective plate before forming the nozzle are joined by heat fusion. After forming the step holes in a region where a single row or a plurality of rows of nozzles are formed,
The method for manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nozzles in a single row or in a plurality of rows are formed in the stepped holes.   The method for manufacturing a laminated nozzle plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the nozzle plate is made of a polymer resin material.

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