JP6090611B2 - Channel member, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flow path member, a liquid ejecting head, and a liquid ejecting apparatus.

As a typical example of a liquid ejecting head, for example, an ink jet recording head (liquid ejecting head: ink ejecting head) that ejects ink droplets from nozzle openings using pressure generated by displacement of a piezoelectric element is known. A conventionally known ink ejection head is supplied with ink from an ink fluid source (ink cartridge), and the supplied ink is ejected from a nozzle by driving a pressure generating means such as a piezoelectric element or a heating element. .

An ink flow path from the ink cartridge is connected to the ink ejecting head, and a seal member such as a rubber member is provided at a connection portion between the ink ejecting head and the ink cartridge (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By sealing the connecting portion between the ink ejection head and the ink cartridge with a rubber member or the like, it is possible to prevent ink leakage at the connecting portion in a state where the positional deviation between the members is absorbed.

As an ink ejecting head, an ink ejecting unit is known that includes a valve member that opens and closes depending on the pressure state of the flow path on the ink ejecting head side in the middle of the flow path for supplying ink from the ink cartridge to the ink ejecting head. Yes. In such an ink ejecting unit, the ink ejecting head discharges ink, whereby the flow path on the ink ejecting head side becomes negative pressure,
The valve member is opened to supply ink.

In an ink ejection unit having a valve member that opens and closes depending on the pressure state of the flow path on the ink ejection head side, the flow path on the ink ejection head side and the flow path on the ink cartridge side are connected at the connection between the ink ejection head and the ink cartridge. The pressure will fluctuate relatively. For this reason, there is a possibility of affecting the seal member at the connection portion between the ink ejection head and the ink cartridge, and it has been considered to prevent ink leakage by increasing the rigidity of the seal member.

JP 2000-218781 A

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flow path member that can maintain the airtightness of members connected to each other with a simple configuration regardless of pressure fluctuations of the flow path. And

In addition, the present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and a liquid including a flow path member that can maintain the airtightness of members connected to each other with a simple configuration regardless of pressure fluctuations of the flow path and the like. An object is to provide an ejecting head and a liquid ejecting apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a first elastically biasing member for biasing and holding a fluid supply pipe provided with a supply path for supplying a liquid downstream, and an outer wall of the elastic biasing member abutting against each other. The inner wall and the first inner wall have a second inner wall that defines a second opening that is smaller than the first opening, and the outer wall of the elastic biasing member is held in contact with the first inner wall. Thus, the fluid supply pipe abuts on the inner wall of the first inner wall and the second inner wall and the inner wall of the elastic urging member, and the elastic urging member is attached to the first wall of the holder. And a fixing member sandwiched between the inner wall and the inner wall of the flow path member.
Thereby, the elastic biasing member is fixed to the first holder of the holder (for example, resin holder).
The fluid supply pipe is urged and held by the inner wall of the elastic urging member in close contact with the first inner wall of the opening, and is in a predetermined position with respect to the first inner wall of the first opening and the second inner wall of the second opening of the holder. The fluid supply pipe is held by the holder while the first opening of the holder is kept airtight. For this reason,
Even if the pressure on the upstream side of the fluid supply pipe and the second opening side of the holder fluctuate relatively, that is, the airtightness of the members connected to each other can be improved with a simple configuration regardless of the pressure fluctuation of the flow path. It becomes possible to maintain.

In addition, it is preferable that a gap is provided between the portion of the fixing member that sandwiches the elastic member in the first opening and the fluid supply pipe.
Thereby, the first opening defined by the first inner wall is formed so that a gap is formed between the fixing member and the fluid supply pipe, and the fixing member does not interfere with the fluid supply pipe, and the fluid by the elastic member is formed. It is possible to reliably maintain the biased holding of the supply pipe.

The elastic biasing member is continuous with the holding portion with a gap between the holding portion that holds the fluid supply pipe and the fluid supply pipe in a state where the fluid supply pipe is held by the holding portion. It is preferable that the fixing member is in contact with an inner wall of the edge portion and the elastic urging member is sandwiched between the first inner wall of the holder.
Thereby, the fluid supply pipe is held by the holding portion of the elastic urging member, the edge of the elastic urging member is brought into close contact with the first inner wall by the fixing member, and without increasing the rigidity of the elastic urging member, The sealing performance of the first opening can be maintained with the fluid supply pipe held.

The liquid supplied from the fluid supply pipe urged and held by the elastic urging member is supplied to the head main body, and the second liquid is supplied to the head main body according to the pressure in the flow path of the head main body.
It is preferable that an opening / closing member that opens and closes a channel between the opening and the opening is provided.
As a result, even if the pressure on the second opening side of the holder fluctuates due to the opening / closing state of the opening / closing member, the edge of the elastic biasing member by the fixing member is kept in close contact with the first inner wall, and the flow of the head body Even in the case of including an opening and closing member that opens and closes the flow path between the second opening according to the pressure of the path,
The airtightness of the members connected to each other can be reliably maintained.

The elastic biasing member and the fixing member are preferably formed by integral molding. For example, the elastic biasing member and the fixing member are preferably formed as a composite member integrally formed by two-color molding.
Thereby, the elastic biasing member can be attached to the holder by welding the composite member composed of the elastic biasing member and the fixing member to the holder in the upper surface portion of the first opening, and only by the step of attaching the composite member (1 In the process, the elastic biasing member is pressed against the first inner wall by the fixing member while being disposed inside the first inner wall of the holder.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting head including the flow path member described above and a head body connected to a downstream side of the holder of the flow path member and having a nozzle opening. is there.
Accordingly, the liquid ejecting head includes the flow path member that can maintain the airtightness of the members connected to each other with a simple configuration regardless of the pressure fluctuation of the flow path.

According to another aspect of the invention, the liquid ejecting head described above and a fluid source connected to an upstream side of a fluid supply pipe held by the elastic biasing member of the flow path member are provided. It is in the liquid ejecting apparatus.
Accordingly, the liquid ejecting apparatus includes the flow path member that can maintain the airtightness of the members connected to each other with a simple configuration regardless of the pressure fluctuation of the flow path.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ink jet recording apparatus. It is an external view of an ink jet head. It is a top view of a supply pipe connection part. It is sectional drawing of the supply pipe connection part in FIG.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the overall configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus to which a flow path member according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 2 is an external view of the main part of the ink jet head, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the holder part to which the supply pipe is connected, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the holder part (IV-IV line in FIG. 3). (Arrow view) is shown.

An ink jet recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in the drawing, an ink jet recording apparatus 1 as a liquid ejecting apparatus has a carriage 3 on which an ink cartridge 2 is mounted and an ink ejecting head 5 as a liquid ejecting head attached to the carriage 3. The carriage 3 is connected to a stepping motor 7 via a timing belt 6 and is guided by a guide bar 8 to reciprocate in the paper width direction (main scanning direction) of the recording paper 9. The carriage 3 has a box shape that opens to the top, is attached so that the nozzle surface of the ink ejection head 5 is exposed on the surface (lower surface) facing the recording paper 9, and accommodates the ink cartridge 2. .

Ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 2 to the ink ejection head 5, and ink droplets are ejected onto the upper surface of the recording paper 9 while moving the carriage 3 to print images and characters on the recording paper 9 in a dot matrix. Yes. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a nozzle opening of the ink jet head 5 that is sealed while printing is stopped to prevent the nozzle from drying, and a negative pressure is applied to the nozzle surface of the ink jet head 5 to perform a cleaning operation. 1 cap
Reference numeral 1 denotes a wiper blade for wiping the nozzle surface of the ink ejection head 5, reference numeral 12 denotes a waste ink storage section for storing waste ink sucked by the cleaning operation, and reference numeral 13 denotes a control device for controlling the operation of the ink jet recording apparatus 1. It is.

The illustrated ink ejecting head 5 includes a flow path forming member in which a flow path for supplying ink from the ink cartridge 2 is formed. In the example of FIG. 1, the example in which the ink cartridge 2 as a fluid source is accommodated in the carriage 3 has been described. However, the ink cartridge is accommodated in a location different from the carriage 3, and ink is supplied via a pipe. The present invention can also be applied to an ink jet recording apparatus configured to be pumped to the flow path forming member of the ink jet head 5.

The ink jet head 5 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in the drawing, the ink ejecting head 5 is provided with a pressure generating means such as a piezoelectric element, for example, and ejects ink droplets from the nozzle openings of the nozzle plate 15 using the pressure generated by the displacement of the piezoelectric element. ing. The ink ejecting head 5 is provided with a reservoir chamber, and a flow path forming member 21 having the flow path member of the present invention is connected to the upper portion of the ink ejecting head 5. Ink as a fluid is supplied from the flow path forming member 21 to the head flow path of the ink ejecting head 5, and the ink is sent from the head flow path to the reservoir chamber. The flow path forming member 21 is supplied with ink from the ink cartridge 2. For example, ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 2 to the flow path forming member 21 via a supply tube or an ink supply needle.

The flow path forming member 21 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, the flow path forming member 21 has a rectangular parallelepiped block shape having a rectangular board surface, and a film is welded to both board surfaces of the resin main body 22, so that the flow path 24 is formed on each board surface. It is the structure formed in. An outlet channel 25 is continuously provided in the lower part of the channel 24, and the outlet channel 25 is formed in a wide state toward the downstream side (lower side). Outlet channel 25
A filter 27 is provided inside the filter 27, and the filter 27 is arranged in a wide portion of the board surface with an area substantially corresponding to the outlet flow path 25 in a wide state, thereby securing a large area. The filter 27 mainly traps foreign matters contained in the ink that has circulated through a valve body 34 (mechanical constituent member) described later.

The ink flowing through the flow path 24 is sent from the outside of the board surface to the lower part inside the main body 22 through the filter 27 and is sent to the ink ejecting head 5 from the discharge hole (not shown). That is, the flow path 24
The ink that has flowed through the flow path and is sent to the outlet flow path 25 spreads from the narrow flow path to the wide flow path, passes through the filter 27, and is sent from the discharge hole at the end to one reservoir chamber of the ink ejection head 5.

An inflow channel portion 30 as a holder (resin holder) for the channel member is provided at the upper end of the channel forming member 21. An ink introduction hole 31 is provided in each inflow channel portion 30, and ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 2 to the ink introduction hole 31. on the other hand(
The ink supplied to the ink introduction hole 31 on the left side in FIG. 2 is sent to the inlet side of the flow path 24 shown in FIG. 2, and the ink supplied to the other ink introduction hole 31 on the right side in FIG. , And sent to the inlet portion of the flow path provided on the back side of the paper surface of FIG.

The ink supplied to the ink introduction hole 31 is sent to the ink chamber 33, and a valve body 34 as an opening / closing member is provided in the flow path between the ink introduction hole 31 and the ink chamber 33. Disc 3
4 is operated so as to allow the circulation of the ink when the pressure in the reservoir chamber of the ink ejecting head 5 is lowered, that is, when the ink is ejected and the pressure on the flow path 24 side is relatively lowered. .

That is, when the ink is supplied from the ink introduction hole 31 at a predetermined pressure, the valve body 34 is closed when the ink is stored in the reservoir chamber of the ink ejecting head 5, and the ink is discharged. When the pressure on the downstream side is reduced by the discharge, the valve body 34 is opened by the negative pressure and ink is supplied.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a seal member 36 as an elastic biasing member is fixed to the ink introduction hole 31 of the inflow channel portion 30 by a fixing member 37, and the seal member 36 is supplied from an ink supply needle or the like. An ink supply pipe 40 as a fluid supply pipe for introducing the supplied ink is biased and held. After the seal member 36 is inserted into the ink introduction hole 31, the seal member 36 abuts against the inner wall of the ink introduction hole 31, and the fixing member 37 abuts against the inner wall of the seal member 36 and the notch 3 of the fixing member 37.
8 is fitted into the protrusion 32 of the ink introduction hole 31 and fixed by caulking. As a result, the seal member 36 is sandwiched and fixed by the fixing member 37 to the inner wall of the ink introduction hole 31.

The inflow flow path portion 30 (holder) of the flow path forming member 21 will be specifically described with reference to FIG.
As shown in the drawing, an ink introduction hole 31 is formed in the inflow channel portion 30. An inlet portion (upstream) of the ink introduction hole 31 is a first opening 42 defined by the first inner wall 41, and a second inner wall 43 continuous with the first inner wall 41 is defined at the downstream portion (downstream). The second opening 44 is made.
The second opening 44 has a smaller diameter than the first opening 42, and the ink introduction hole 31 is configured as a hole that continues from the first opening 42 to the second opening 44.

A seal member 36 is fixed to the first opening 42. The seal member 36 includes a holding portion 45 that biases and holds the outer peripheral portion of the ink supply tube 40, and the ink supply tube 40 is fitted and held in the holding hole 46 of the holding portion 45. On the outer periphery of the holding portion 45, an edge portion 47 is formed which is arranged in a cylindrical shape on the upper side and is continuous with the ink supply pipe 40 with a gap. Edge 47
Is fitted to the first inner wall 41 of the first opening 42, and the outer peripheral surface of the edge 47 is in contact with the first inner wall 41.

The edge 47 is sandwiched between the first inner wall 41 of the first opening 42 by the fixing member 37. That is, the fixing member 37 is provided with a cylindrical portion 51 that abuts against the inner wall of the edge portion 47. 3) is provided. The notch 38 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the flange 52 is fitted and fixed to the protrusion 32 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the ink introduction hole 31 and the edge 4 of the seal member 36 is fixed.
7 is sandwiched and fixed to the first inner wall 41 of the first opening 42 by the cylindrical portion 51.

In addition, a gap S is provided between the cylinder portion 51 that sandwiches the edge portion 47 with the first opening 42 and the ink supply pipe 40. That is, the first opening 42 that defines the first inner wall 41 is formed so that a gap S is formed between the cylinder portion 51 and the ink supply tube 40.

As a result, the fixing member 37 (cylinder portion 51) does not interfere with the ink supply pipe 40, and the upstream and downstream members of the ink supply pipe 40 are not displaced. Further, the fitting state of the ink supply pipe 40 with respect to the holding hole 46 of the holding portion 45 can be maintained, and a gap can be prevented from being formed between the ink supply pipe 40 and the holding hole 46. Furthermore, it is possible to ensure that the edge portion 47 is caught in the first inner wall 41 by the cylindrical portion 51.

In the above-described embodiment, the seal member 36 and the fixing member 37 are formed as separate members.
It is also possible to form it integrally. In this case, for example, the sealing member 36 and the fixing member 37 are integrally molded (integrated molding) with different materials by two-color molding to form a composite member. By forming the seal member 36 and the fixing member 37 integrally, the fixing member 37 of the composite member is welded to the inflow channel portion 30 (holder) of the upper surface portion of the first opening 42, so that the sealing member 3
6 can be attached to the inflow channel section 30. Thereby, only in the step of attaching the composite member (in one step), the holding portion 45 of the seal member 36 is disposed inside the first inner wall 41, and the edge portion 47 of the seal member 36 is changed to the first inner wall 41. It is pressed and adhered.

In the structure of the inflow channel portion 30 described above, the edge portion 47 of the seal member 36 is brought into close contact with the first inner wall 41 of the first opening 42 by the fixing member 37, and the ink supply pipe 40 is connected to the holding portion 45 of the seal member 36. It is biased and held in the holding hole 46 and is held at a predetermined position with respect to the first inner wall 41 of the first opening 42 and the second inner wall 43 of the second opening 44. Accordingly, the first opening 4 of the inflow channel portion 30 is obtained.
The ink supply tube 40 is held at a predetermined position of the ink introduction hole 31 in a state where the airtightness of 2 is maintained.

For this reason, even if the pressure between the upstream side of the ink supply pipe 40 and the second opening 44 side relatively fluctuates, the air tightness of the ink supply pipe 40 and the inflow channel portion 30 (ink introduction hole 31) is maintained. The That is, even when the valve body 34 (see FIG. 2) is opened and closed due to pressure fluctuation due to ink ejection and the pressure on the upstream side and downstream side of the ink supply pipe 40 fluctuates, the ink supply pipe 40 which is a member connected to each other. In addition, the airtightness of the inflow channel portion 30 (ink introduction hole 31) is maintained.

For example, when the pressure on the second opening 44 side is relatively lowered, a force acts on the side where the edge portion 47 of the seal member 36 is in close contact with the first inner wall 41 of the first opening 42 to ensure airtightness. But second
When the pressure on the opening 44 side becomes relatively high, the edge 47 of the seal member 36 exerts a force on the inside of the first opening 42 (opposite side of the first inner wall 41) to create a gap. To do. In the structure of the inflow channel portion 30 described above, even when the pressure on the second opening 44 side becomes relatively high, the contact state of the edge portion 47 of the seal member 36 to the first inner wall 41 is maintained by the fixing member 37. It becomes possible to maintain airtightness.

Further, the ink supply pipe 40 is biased and held by the holding portion 45 of the seal member 36, and the edge portion 47 of the seal member 36 is brought into close contact with the first inner wall 41 by the fixing member 37. Thus, the two functions of the ink supply tube 40 and the close contact with the first inner wall 41 can be provided. For this reason, the sealing performance of the first opening 42 can be maintained while the ink supply pipe 40 is held without increasing the rigidity of the seal member 36.

The inflow channel section 30 described above has a simple configuration regardless of the pressure fluctuation of the channel, and can maintain the airtightness of the members (the ink supply pipe 40 and the ink introduction hole 31) connected to each other. . Further, the ink jet head 5 and the ink jet recording apparatus 1 described above have a simple configuration regardless of the pressure fluctuation of the flow path and the like, and the airtightness of the members (the ink supply pipe 40 and the ink introduction hole 31) connected to each other is improved. It is possible to provide the ink jet head 5 and the ink jet recording apparatus 1 including the inflow channel portion 30 that can be maintained.

In the above-described embodiment, the flow path member that connects the ink supply pipe 40 to the flow path forming member 21 has been described as an example. However, the ink flow path (fluid flow path) is formed over different members. It is possible to apply as a channel member. In addition, although an ink jet recording head has been described as an example of a liquid ejecting head, the present invention is intended for a wide range of liquid ejecting heads and is naturally applicable to liquid ejecting heads that eject liquids other than ink. can do. Other liquid ejecting heads include, for example, various recording heads used in image recording apparatuses such as printers, color material ejecting heads used in the manufacture of color filters such as liquid crystal displays, organic EL displays, and FEDs (field emission displays). Examples thereof include an electrode material ejection head used for electrode formation, a bioorganic matter ejection head used for biochip production, and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet recording device, 2 Ink cartridge, 5 Ink jet head, 21 Flow path formation member, 30 Inflow flow path part, 31 Ink introduction hole, 34 Valve body,
36 sealing member, 37 fixing member, 40 ink supply pipe, 41 first inner wall,
42 1st opening, 43 2nd inner wall, 44 2nd opening, 45 Holding part, 46
Holding hole, 47 edge, 51 tube, 52 collar

Claims (5)

An elastic biasing member for biasing and holding a fluid supply pipe provided with a supply path for supplying a liquid;
A first inner wall against which an outer wall of the elastic biasing member abuts, and a second inner wall defining a second opening smaller than the first opening defined by the first inner wall; A holder in which the fluid supply pipe is disposed inside the first inner wall and the second inner wall by an outer wall being held in contact with the first inner wall,
The fluid supply pipe is held by a holding portion of the elastic biasing member,
A fixing member that is in contact with the inner wall of the elastic urging member and sandwiches the elastic urging member with the first inner wall of the holder;
The elastic biasing member and the fixing member are formed by integral molding,
The liquid on the second opening side is a portion where the elastic urging member and the first inner wall are in contact with each other;
A flow path member characterized by being sealed at a portion where the fluid supply pipe and the holding portion are in contact with each other. In the flow path member according to claim 1 ,
A flow path member, wherein a gap is provided between a portion of the fixing member sandwiching the elastic biasing member in the first opening and the fluid supply pipe. In the flow path member according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The elastic urging member includes the holding portion and an edge portion formed continuously with the holding portion with a gap between the holding portion and the fluid supply pipe in a state where the fluid supply pipe is held by the holding portion; Consists of
The fixing member flow path member, characterized in that sandwich the resilient biasing member in contact with the inner wall of the edge between the first inner wall of the holder. The flow path member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
A liquid ejecting head comprising: a head body connected to the flow path member and having a nozzle opening. A liquid jet head according to claim 4 ;
And a fluid source connected to the fluid supply pipe.

Images