JP4797259B2 - Inkjet printhead manufacturing method, inkjet printhead, and inkjet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink jet print head manufacturing method, an ink jet print head, and an ink jet recording apparatus .
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal side view showing an example of an ink jet print head in a conventional ink jet printer.
[0003]
In FIG. 4, 1 is an orifice plate in which a nozzle hole 1a is formed, 2 is a chamber plate in which a pressure chamber 2a is formed, 3 is a restrictor plate in which a restrictor 3a is formed, and 4 is a vibrating portion 4a and a filter portion 4b. The diaphragm plate 5 is a housing in which a common ink passage 5a and an opening 5b are formed. Reference numeral 6 denotes a laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate for fixing a plurality of laminated piezoelectric elements 7.
[0004]
An end face X1 and an end face Y1 for positioning the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 in the X and Y directions are provided in the opening 5a of the housing 5, and the piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 projects into the end faces X1 and Y1. The contact is positioned and bonded and fixed by an adhesive (not shown). Reference numeral 8 denotes an adhesive that bonds the tip of the laminated piezoelectric element 12 to the back surface of the vibration part 4 a in the diaphragm plate 4.
[0005]
In this ink jet print head, ink is supplied from the common ink passage 5 a to the pressure chamber 2 through the filter unit 3 b and the restrictor 3 a, and an electric signal is applied to the laminated piezoelectric element 7 to distort and vibrate the laminated piezoelectric element 7. By pressing the portion 4a, the ink in the pressure chamber 2a is pressurized and ejected from the nozzle hole 1a for printing.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such an ink jet print head, in order to reduce variations in ink ejection characteristics, it is necessary to bond the vibration portion 4a of the diaphragm plate 4 and the laminated piezoelectric element 7 so as to minimize the coupling position error. Therefore, the surfaces X1 and Y1 of the opening 5a of the housing 5 must be processed with high accuracy. The distance accuracy and perpendicularity from the end face Y2 of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 to the bonding surface of the laminated piezoelectric element 7 with the vibrating portion 4a are also important.
[0007]
Further, when the surface X1 for bonding the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 is tilted with respect to the vibrating portion 4a, the entire bonding surface of the laminated piezoelectric element 7 to the vibrating portion 4a is uniform with respect to the vibrating portion 4a. It will be bonded in a single contact state without contact. For this reason, the ink ejection characteristics vary. Therefore, in order to reduce variations in ink ejection characteristics, it is necessary to ensure the accuracy of all the components described above.
[0008]
In addition, the component parts such as the housing 5 and the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 require high-precision machining, so that they are expensive parts, and it is difficult to configure the inkjet print head at low cost.
[0009]
One object of the present invention is to propose an ink jet print head manufacturing method, an ink jet print head, and an ink jet recording apparatus with little variation in ink ejection characteristics.
[0010]
Another object of the present invention is to propose an ink jet print head manufacturing method, an ink jet print head, and an ink jet recording apparatus with low variations in ink ejection characteristics at low cost.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention includes a chamber plate in which a pressure chamber for storing ink is formed, a plurality of laminated piezoelectric elements that are distorted when an electric signal is applied to generate pressure fluctuations in the pressure chamber, and bonded to the laminated piezoelectric element. A diaphragm plate formed with a vibrating part, a laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate for fixing an end of the laminated piezoelectric element located on the opposite side of the vibrating part, and a list that is a flow path for supplying ink to the pressure chamber A restrictor plate on which a restrictor is formed; a common ink passage for supplying ink to the restrictor; and an opening through which the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate is inserted so that a tip of the laminated piezoelectric element is bonded to the vibrating part. An inkjet print head comprising a housing and an orifice plate having a nozzle hole for discharging pressurized ink in the pressure chamber In the manufacturing method,
A step of adhering the orifice plate, the chamber plate, the restrictor plate, the diaphragm plate, and the housing to form a front end portion set;
Thereafter, the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate, the laminated piezoelectric element, and the vibration portion of the front end assembly are positioned using a positioning device, and the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate and the housing Providing a gap between the inner wall surface of the opening, and bonding the tip of the multilayer piezoelectric element to the vibrating portion with a first thermosetting adhesive;
Thereafter, the gap is UV curable, and the adhesive hardness thereof is harder than the adhesive hardness of the first adhesive, and the curing time when the adhesive hardness is the adhesive hardness of the first adhesive Applying a plurality of second adhesives shorter than the curing time to be bonded to bond the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate and the housing to cure the second adhesive and the first adhesive ;
And then applying and sealing a sealing third adhesive having an adhesive hardness lower than the adhesive hardness of the second adhesive so as to eliminate the gap. To do.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
1A and 1B show an embodiment of an ink jet print head according to the present invention. FIG. 1A is a longitudinal front view, FIG. 1B is a vertical right side view, and FIG. 1C is a bottom view.
[0015]
In Figure 1, 1 orifice plate to form a nozzle hole 1a is 2 the chamber over the plate forming the pressure chamber 2a, 3 restrictor plate forming a restrictor. 3a, 4 forms the vibrating portion 4a and the filter portion 4b the die ya Fulham plate, 5 is a housing provided with a large opening 5b than the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 to fix the common ink passage 5a and the laminated piezoelectric element 7 and the laminated piezoelectric element 7. These members are positioned in the positioning holes 9a and 9b and are sequentially bonded to form the front end set 10. Reference numerals 11a and 11b denote ink supply ports for supplying ink to the common ink passage 5a.
[0016]
Further, a laminated piezoelectric element part set 12 is formed by bonding and fixing a plurality of laminated piezoelectric elements 7 to the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6, and the laminated piezoelectric element part set 12 is inserted into the opening 5 b of the front end part set 10. Then, by positioning the back surface of the vibrating portion 4a of the diaphragm plate 4 corresponding to the pressure chamber 2a by the tip of each laminated piezoelectric element 7 and bonding them with adhesives 13, 14a to 14d, 15 Join.
[0017]
FIGS. 2A and 2B show an operation process for positioning and bonding the front end part set 20 and the laminated piezoelectric element part set 21, wherein FIG. 2A is a longitudinal front view and FIG. 2B is a vertical right view. . FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an example of a positioning operation process by the positioning device (positioning jig).
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 2, the adhesive bonding between the front end unit set 10 and the laminated piezoelectric element unit set 12 is aligned by moving the laminated piezoelectric element unit set 12 in the X and Y directions with respect to the front end set 10. In this state, the laminated piezoelectric element set 12 is inserted into the opening 5b of the housing 5 in the front end set 10, and the tip of each laminated piezoelectric element 7 is attached to the back surface of the vibration part 4a of the diaphragm plate 4 by the first adhesive 13. Further, the second adhesives 14a to 14d and the third adhesive 15 are applied and adhesively bonded and sealed.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 3, the positioning device used for such positioning and bonding includes positioning pins 31 (positions) for positioning the front end assembly 10 and the positioning dummy restrictor plate 3 ′ by alternative mounting. And a viewing window 30a, and when the two linear motion guide columns 32 are erected vertically, the fixed base 30 and the linear motion guide column 32 are slidably fitted and A moving base 40 that moves up and down while being located on the fixed base 30 is provided.
[0020]
The moving base 40 includes a through hole 40a for hanging the laminated piezoelectric element unit 12 and can be slid in the horizontal direction on the moving base 40 by attaching the laminated piezoelectric element unit 12 to the vertical state. Adjustment base 41, a plurality of micrometer heads 42 and push springs 43 for slightly moving the adjustment base 41 in the horizontal (X, Y and swiveling) directions and positioning in the horizontal direction, and the positioned adjustment base 41 A fixing screw (not shown) is mounted to fix the to the moving base 40.
[0021]
In positioning and bonding operations using this positioning device, a positioning dummy restrictor plate 3 ′ having the same shape as the restrictor plate 3 of the front end assembly 10 is positioned and placed on the fixed base 30. This mounting positioning is performed by fitting positioning holes 9a ′ (9b ′) (indicated by shifting positions) of the positioning dummy restrictor plate 3 ′ to positioning pins 31 raised on the fixed base 30. To do.
[0022]
Further, the laminated piezoelectric element part set 12 has the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 attached to the adjustment base 41 so as to hang in a vertical state, and the lower end part (tip part) of each laminated piezoelectric element 7 is the dummy restrictor plate 3 for positioning. The moving base 40 is lowered so as to face '. Then, the micrometer head 42 is operated and adjusted while observing the relative positional relationship between the tip portion of each laminated piezoelectric element 7 and the restrictor 3a of the positioning dummy restrictor plate 3 ′ from the viewing window 30a through the reflecting mirror 50. The base 41 is finely moved in the horizontal direction (X, Y and turning direction) to be aligned and positioned, and the adjustment base 41 is fixed to the moving base 40 with a fixing screw (not shown) in the positioned state.
[0023]
Next, the moving base 40 is raised, the positioning dummy restrictor plate 3 ′ is removed from the fixed base 30, and then the front end assembly 12 is positioned and placed. This placement positioning is performed by fitting the positioning holes 9 a and 9 b of the front end head unit set 10 to the positioning pins 31.
[0024]
Next, the first adhesive 13 before curing is applied to the tip of the laminated piezoelectric element 7 (or the back surface of the vibrating portion 4a), and then the moving base 40 is lowered along the linear motion guide column 32. Thus, the laminated piezoelectric element part set 12 is moved in the direction of the front end part set 10 and is inserted into the opening 5b in the front end part set 10 so that the tip of the laminated piezoelectric element 7 of the laminated piezoelectric element part set 12 is a diaphragm. 4 is brought into contact with the back surface of the vibrating portion 4 a and bonded with the first adhesive 13. At this time, each laminated piezoelectric element 7 has already been positioned using the positioning dummy restrictor plate 3 ′, so that it can be accurately bonded to a predetermined position.
[0025]
In this bonded state, there is a gap between the inner wall surface of the opening 5 b of the housing 5 and the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 of the laminated piezoelectric element unit set 12. In addition, it is generally known that the laminated piezoelectric element part group 12 applies an appropriate preload when bonding the vibrating part 4a and the laminated piezoelectric element 7 in order to extend the life.
[0026]
Therefore, when the laminated piezoelectric element 7 is brought into contact with the vibrating portion 4a and bonded, the laminated piezoelectric element portion set 12 is multiplied by the weight of the moving base 40 to be in an appropriate preload state.
[0027]
In this state, the curing time is short and the hardness is high, for example, a UV curable second type, at a plurality of gaps between the opening 5 b of the housing 5 and the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate 6 of the laminated piezoelectric element part set 12. By applying and adhering the adhesives 1a to 14d, it is possible to remove the ink jet print head from the positioning device in a short time by bonding and bonding in a state where a pre-load is applied while maintaining the positional relationship.
[0028]
Next, for example, when the first adhesive 13 is a thermosetting type or when it is desired to shorten the curing time, these are put in a heating furnace to be cured, and then the housing 5 of the front end assembly 12 is set. A third adhesive 15 for sealing is applied and sealed in order to prevent intrusion of ink or the like in the gap between the opening 5b and the laminated piezoelectric element set 12.
[0029]
In such a configuration, by setting the hardness relationship between the first adhesive 13 and the second adhesives 14a to 14d to the first adhesive hardness <the second adhesive hardness, the laminated piezoelectric element part set 12 is provided. Even if an external force is applied, the external force is supported by the second adhesives 14a to 14d and does not affect the vibrating portion 4a, so that an ink jet print head with stable ink ejection characteristics and less variation is provided. can do.
[0030]
The third adhesive 15 and the second adhesives 14a to 14d, which are intended for sealing, have a relationship of hardness such that third adhesive hardness <second adhesive hardness. Even if an unbalanced external force is generated with respect to the laminated piezoelectric element group 12 due to shrinkage or the like when the adhesive 15 is cured, the external force is supported by the second adhesives 14a to 14d. Since the laminated piezoelectric element 12 is not displaced and no external force is applied to the vibrating portion 9a, it is possible to provide an ink jet print head having stable ink ejection characteristics and little variation.
[0031]
Further, the relationship between the curing time of the first adhesive 13 and the second adhesive is expressed as follows: first adhesive curing time (adhesive with long curing time)> second adhesive curing time (adhesive with short curing time) ), The ink jet print head can be removed from the positioning device in a short time while maintaining the positional relationship determined by the positioning device and applying a preload. For this reason, it is possible to manufacture a large number of ink jet print heads in a short time with one jig, and the production efficiency is improved.
[0032]
In other words, the inkjet print head having such a configuration can be positioned with high precision while actually observing with a positioning device even if the laminated piezoelectric element 9 and the vibrating portion 4a are positioned with a certain degree of processing variation. Therefore, it is possible to provide an ink jet print head that does not require high-precision machining of the positioning reference surface of the housing 5, is inexpensive, and has reduced variations in ink ejection characteristics.
[0033]
Such an ink jet print head is suitable as an ink jet print head for use in an office or industrial ink jet printer.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a step of adhering an orifice plate, a chamber plate, a restrictor plate, a diaphragm plate, and a housing to constitute a front end portion set;
Thereafter, the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate, the laminated piezoelectric element, and the vibration portion of the front end assembly are positioned using a positioning device, and the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate and the opening of the housing Providing a gap between the inner wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element and bonding the tip of the laminated piezoelectric element to the vibrating portion with a first thermosetting adhesive;
Thereafter, the gap is UV curable, and the adhesive hardness thereof is harder than the adhesive hardness of the first adhesive, and the curing time when the adhesive hardness is the adhesive hardness of the first adhesive Applying a plurality of second adhesives shorter than the curing time to be bonded to bond the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate and the housing to cure the second adhesive and the first adhesive;
Thereafter, a manufacturing method comprising a step of applying and sealing a third adhesive for sealing having an adhesive hardness lower than the adhesive hardness of the second adhesive so as to eliminate the gap is formed. By
An ink jet print head manufacturing method, an ink jet print head, and an ink jet recording apparatus can be provided that reduce variations in ink ejection and are inexpensive and have high production efficiency.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal front view (a), a longitudinal side view (b), and a bottom view (c) showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet print head according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal front view (a) and a longitudinal side view (b) showing a positioning and bonding work process of a front end group and a laminated piezoelectric element group in the inkjet print head of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of a positioning device that performs the positioning and bonding work step shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional ink jet print head.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Orifice plate, 1a ... Nozzle hole, 2 ... Chamber plate, 2a ... Pressure chamber, 3 ... Restrictor plate, 3a ... Restrictor, 4 ... Diaphragm plate, 4a ... Vibrating part, 4b ... Filter part, 5 ... Housing, 5a ... common ink passage, 5b ... opening, 6 ... piezoelectric element fixing plate, 7 ... laminated piezoelectric element, 9a, 9b ... positioning hole, 10 ... front end part group, 12 ... laminated piezoelectric element part group, 13 ... first Adhesives 14a to 14d, second adhesive, 15 ... third adhesive.

Claims (3)

A chamber plate in which a pressure chamber for storing ink is formed; a plurality of laminated piezoelectric elements that are distorted when an electric signal is applied to generate pressure fluctuations in the pressure chamber; and a vibrating portion bonded to the laminated piezoelectric element. A formed diaphragm plate, a laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate for fixing the end of the laminated piezoelectric element located on the opposite side of the vibrating part, and a restrictor which is a flow path for supplying ink to the pressure chamber are formed. A restrictor plate, a common ink passage for supplying ink to the restrictor, and a housing having an opening for inserting the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate so as to adhere the tip of the laminated piezoelectric element to the vibrating part, An inkjet print head manufacturing method comprising an orifice plate having a nozzle hole for discharging pressurized ink in a pressure chamber Stomach,
A step of adhering the orifice plate, the chamber plate, the restrictor plate, the diaphragm plate, and the housing to form a front end portion set;
Thereafter, the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate, the laminated piezoelectric element, and the vibration portion of the front end assembly are positioned using a positioning device, and the outer wall surface of the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate and the housing Providing a gap between the inner wall surface of the opening, and bonding the tip of the multilayer piezoelectric element to the vibrating portion with a first thermosetting adhesive;
Thereafter, the gap is UV curable, and the adhesive hardness thereof is harder than the adhesive hardness of the first adhesive, and the curing time when the adhesive hardness is the adhesive hardness of the first adhesive Applying a plurality of second adhesives shorter than the curing time to be bonded to bond the laminated piezoelectric element fixing plate and the housing to cure the second adhesive and the first adhesive ;
And then applying and sealing a sealing third adhesive having an adhesive hardness lower than the adhesive hardness of the second adhesive so as to eliminate the gap. A method for manufacturing an inkjet printhead.   An ink jet print head manufactured by the method of manufacturing an ink jet print head according to claim 1. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising the ink jet print head according to claim 2.

Images