JP6569196B2 - Method for manufacturing liquid ejection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an ink jet head that ejects ink from a nozzle as a liquid ejecting apparatus. The inkjet head is provided on a synthetic resin nozzle plate in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, a metal channel forming plate in which an ink channel communicating with the plurality of nozzles is formed, and a channel forming plate. It has a piezoelectric element. The ink jet head causes the ink to be ejected from the nozzles by applying a pressure to the ink in the ink flow path using a piezoelectric element.

  In the ink jet head of the above-mentioned patent document 1, an ink repellent film for preventing ink droplets from adhering to the periphery of the ejection port on the ink ejection surface of the nozzle plate where the ejection ports of the plurality of nozzles are arranged Is formed. In addition, on the ink ejection surface of the nozzle plate, two long convex portions (ridges) that are arranged so as to sandwich the nozzle row and extend in the nozzle row direction are formed. This projection prevents the recording paper from colliding with the nozzle outlet even when the recording paper is lifted due to paper jam or the like, and damages the ink-repellent film around the edge of the outlet or the outlet. Is prevented.

  Said nozzle plate is manufactured in the following processes. First, a synthetic resin film such as polyimide is prepared as a synthetic resin substrate to be a nozzle plate. An ink repellent film is formed by applying an ink repellent material to one surface of the synthetic resin film and drying it by heating. Next, a plurality of nozzles are formed by laser processing on the synthetic resin film on which the ink repellent film is formed. Next, the synthetic resin film (nozzle plate) on which the plurality of nozzles are formed is joined to the flow path forming plate in which the flow path holes are formed. After joining, a mold is applied to the ink ejection surface of the nozzle plate on which the ink-repellent film is formed, and a hot press is performed to form convex portions on the ink ejection surface.

JP 2006-256165 A

  In patent document 1, the convex part is formed in the nozzle plate made from a synthetic resin, and the material of a convex part is also a synthetic resin. However, since the convex part of a synthetic resin has low intensity | strength, it is inferior to durability. That is, when the recording paper repeatedly hits the convex portion, the convex portion is gradually scraped away. Further, when the recording paper collides with the convex portion with a large force, the convex portion may be lost.

  Therefore, the applicant of the present invention laminates a metal plate on which a part of the ink flow path is formed on a synthetic resin plate that becomes a nozzle plate, and then presses the laminated body to form a laminate. We are investigating the formation of protrusions that protrude from the ink ejection surface on the body. In this case, since the metal part formed by plastic deformation of the metal plate is included inside the convex part formed in the laminate, the strength is higher than that of the convex part formed only of the synthetic resin material. Excellent durability.

  By the way, in the above case, (1) a method of forming a convex portion on the laminate and then forming a nozzle on the synthetic resin plate of the laminate, conversely, (2) a nozzle on the synthetic resin plate After forming, two methods of forming a convex part in a laminated body can be considered. However, as described in (2) above, if the convex portions are formed on the laminate after the nozzles are formed on the synthetic resin plate, the following problems may arise.

  First, when a convex part is formed on a laminated body by press working, the laminated body slightly expands and contracts in the surface direction. For this reason, if the nozzle is formed on the synthetic resin plate before this pressing, the shape and pitch of the nozzle may change due to the expansion and contraction of the laminate during the pressing. Moreover, when forming a convex part in a laminated body by press work, it is necessary to hit a receiving die (die) on the surface on the opposite side to the surface where a punch is pressed of a laminated body. However, if the nozzle is formed on the synthetic resin plate of the laminate before the press forming for forming the convex portion, the portion of the synthetic resin plate on which the nozzle is formed is pressed against the die. . In particular, in order to reliably protect the periphery of the nozzle, when forming a convex portion near the nozzle, it is difficult to hit the die while avoiding the portion where the nozzle is formed.

  An object of the present invention is to prevent the shape and pitch of nozzles formed on a synthetic resin plate from being changed by press working for forming convex portions.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection apparatus, comprising: a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid; and a liquid ejection apparatus having a liquid flow path communicating with the plurality of nozzles. 1 plate and a metal 2nd plate are laminated | stacked, the lamination process which forms the laminated body of the said 1st plate and the said 2nd plate, and it presses from the said 2nd plate side with respect to the said laminated body. After the convex portion forming step and the convex portion forming step, the plurality of the first plate of the laminated body is formed with the plurality of the convex portions that are processed to form a convex portion that protrudes toward the first plate in the laminated body. And a nozzle forming step of forming the nozzles such that the respective discharge ports are arranged on the surface of the first plate from which the convex portion protrudes.

  In this invention, after laminating | stacking the synthetic resin 1st plate used as a nozzle plate and the metal 2nd plate, it press-processes to this laminated body. As a result, the second plate is plastically deformed to form a convex portion projecting from the liquid ejection surface in the laminate. Since the convex part formed in the laminate contains a metal part, the strength of the convex part is increased and the durability is excellent.

  Moreover, in this invention, after a lamination process, after pressing a laminated body and forming a convex part, a several nozzle is formed in a 1st plate. That is, since the plurality of nozzles are not yet formed on the first plate at the time of the convex forming process, the shape and pitch of the nozzles do not change due to the expansion and contraction of the laminate by press working. In addition, since the pressing in the convex portion forming step is performed in a state where the nozzle is not formed on the first plate, even if the die is applied to the first plate, the portion where the nozzle is formed is pushed and the nozzle is deformed. Such a problem does not occur.

  In the method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the plurality of convex portions are arranged in a predetermined arrangement direction in the convex portion forming step, and the nozzle forming step The plurality of nozzles are formed along the arrangement direction so as to be aligned with the plurality of convex portions.

  In the present invention, in the nozzle forming step, the plurality of nozzles are formed so as to be aligned with the plurality of protrusions along the arrangement direction of the protrusions. Therefore, the periphery of the discharge port of each nozzle is reliably protected by the convex part located in the vicinity.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing the liquid ejection device according to the first or second aspect, wherein a nozzle inspection step of inspecting a shape of the nozzle formed on the first plate after the nozzle formation step; A nozzle forming condition changing step of changing the nozzle forming conditions in the nozzle forming step based on the inspection result in the nozzle inspecting step.

  When the nozzle forming process of a plurality of laminated bodies is continuously performed with one apparatus, the shape of the nozzle may vary between different laminated bodies in the middle of the process. For example, there is a case where the laser intensity varies when the nozzle is formed by laser processing. Therefore, in the present invention, after the nozzle forming process is performed on one laminated body, the shape of the formed nozzle is inspected. Then, by changing the nozzle formation conditions based on the inspection result of the nozzle and feeding back to the nozzle formation process for other stacked bodies, variation in the shape of the nozzles among the stacked bodies is suppressed.

  At that time, if it is necessary to perform the convex portion forming step after the nozzle forming step of a certain laminate, the shape of the nozzle cannot be inspected immediately after the nozzle is formed, and accordingly, to the production of another laminate. Feedback is delayed. In this respect, in the present invention, since the nozzle forming step is performed after the convex portion forming step is performed, the nozzle is inspected immediately after the nozzle is formed, and can be quickly fed back to the nozzle forming step for other laminated bodies. For this reason, it is possible to suppress variations in the shape of the nozzles among the plurality of stacked bodies as much as possible.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the plurality of individual units communicate with the plurality of nozzles on the second plate before the stacking step. A flow path hole forming step for forming a flow path hole; and a protective film pasting step for pasting a protective film on the surface of the first plate opposite to the second plate after the laminating step, In the projecting portion forming step, in the state where the protective film is attached to the surface of the first plate opposite to the second plate, the laminate is pressed from the second plate side, In the nozzle forming step, the laser from the second plate side in which the individual flow path holes are formed in a state where the protective film is attached to the surface of the first plate opposite to the second plate. By processing, the first pre- It is characterized in that to form the plurality of nozzles and.

  In the present invention, when the laminate is pressed from the second plate side in the convex portion forming step, the first plate is covered with the protective film, so that the surface serving as the liquid discharge surface is damaged. Is prevented. In the nozzle forming step, a plurality of nozzles are formed on the first plate by laser processing. At that time, the surface of the first plate that becomes the liquid discharge surface is covered with a protective film, so that the soot generated when the nozzle is formed on the first plate by laser processing adheres to the liquid discharge surface. Can be prevented.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the thinned portion having a partially reduced thickness is formed on the second plate before the stacking step. A thin-walled portion forming step, and in the convex-portion forming step, the thin-walled portion of the second plate formed in the thin-walled portion-forming step is pressed to form the convex portion on the laminate. It is characterized by this.

  In the present invention, since the thin portion of the second plate is pressed in the convex portion forming step, the deformation of the thin portion is less likely to spread beyond the boundary between the thin portion and the surrounding thick portion. . Therefore, the range in which deformation due to press working spreads is limited.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to the fifth aspect, wherein in the thin portion forming step, a recess is formed on a surface of the second plate opposite to the surface on which the first plate is laminated. By forming, the thin portion is formed on the second plate.

  If a concave portion is formed on the first plate side of the second plate in order to form a thin portion on the second plate, a space exists between the thin portion of the second plate and the first plate. In this state, if the thin plate portion is pressed from the second plate side by punching, it becomes difficult to form the convex portion having the intended shape due to the influence of the space. In the present invention, since the concave portion is formed on the second plate on the side opposite to the first plate, that is, the side to be pressed, there is no space between the first plate and the second plate. Does not occur.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fifth or sixth aspect of the invention, in the stacking step, the first plate and the second plate are heated in a vacuum state, and then the adhesive is used. It is characterized by joining.

  In the laminating step, when the first plate and the second plate are joined with an adhesive, the adhesive between the thin portion of the second plate and the first plate is not sufficiently pressed, and air tends to remain. If air remains here, the two plates are likely to be peeled off during press working in the subsequent convex portion forming step. Therefore, in the present invention, in the laminating step, the two plates are heated and bonded in a vacuum state, whereby the above air can be bonded as much as possible, and separation after bonding can be prevented.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the laminated body is heated after the projection forming step, and the baking treatment step. Thereafter, a heating step of joining the laminate with another member in which the liquid flow path is formed with an adhesive while heating the laminate, and in the baking treatment step, the joining step The laminated body is heated at a lower temperature.

  When a convex portion is formed on the laminate by press working, a gap is likely to be generated between the first plate and the second plate. In addition, moisture may enter the gap through the first plate of synthetic resin. In that state, when the laminate is bonded to another member with an adhesive in the bonding process, the moisture in the gap expands due to heating during bonding, causing problems such as separation between the two plates. There is a risk of doing. In this regard, according to the present invention, before the bonding step, a baking treatment step of heating the laminated body at a low temperature is performed to evaporate moisture present in the gap and reduce the amount thereof as much as possible. Thereby, the malfunction by the expansion | swelling of the water | moisture content in the said clearance gap when a laminated body is heated at a joining process can be suppressed.

1 is a schematic plan view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. It is a top view of an inkjet head. It is the A section enlarged view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. It is a bottom view of an inkjet head. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing process of an inkjet head. It is a figure explaining a nozzle formation process. It is a figure explaining the convex part formation process which concerns on a change form. It is a bottom view of the inkjet head which concerns on another modification. It is a bottom view of the inkjet head which concerns on another modification. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing process of the inkjet head which concerns on another modification.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to an inkjet head as a liquid ejection apparatus. First, a schematic configuration of an ink jet printer provided with an ink jet head will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the ink jet printer of the present embodiment. In the following, the front side in FIG. 1 is defined as the upper side, and the other side of the page is defined as the lower side, and the explanation will be made using direction words “up” and “down” as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet printer 1 includes a platen 2, a carriage 3, an ink jet head 4, a transport mechanism 5, a maintenance mechanism 6, and the like.

  On the upper surface of the platen 2, a recording sheet 100 as a recording medium is placed. The carriage 3 can reciprocate in the scanning direction along the two guide rails 10 and 11 in a region facing the platen 2. An endless belt 14 is connected to the carriage 3, and the endless belt 14 is driven by a carriage drive motor 15, whereby the carriage 3 moves in the scanning direction.

  The inkjet head 4 is attached to the carriage 3 and moves in the scanning direction together with the carriage 3. A plurality of nozzles 44 are formed on the lower surface of the inkjet head 4 that is the surface on the opposite side of the paper surface of FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a holder 9 is provided in the printer main body 1 a of the printer 1. The holder 9 is loaded with four ink cartridges 17 each storing four color inks (black, yellow, cyan, magenta). The inkjet head 4 mounted on the carriage 3 and the holder 9 are connected by a tube (not shown). The four colors of ink stored in the four ink cartridges 17 are supplied to the inkjet head 4 through the tubes. The inkjet head 4 ejects four colors of ink onto the recording paper 100 placed on the platen 2 from a plurality of nozzles 44 on the lower surface while moving in the scanning direction together with the carriage 3.

  The transport mechanism 5 includes two transport rollers 18 and 19 disposed so as to sandwich the platen 2 in the transport direction. The transport mechanism 5 transports the recording paper 100 placed on the platen 2 in the transport direction by two transport rollers 18 and 19.

  The operation of ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles 44 while the inkjet head 4 moves in the scanning direction and the operation of the two transport rollers 18 and 19 transporting the recording paper 100 by a predetermined amount in the transport direction are alternately repeated. As a result, images, characters, and the like are recorded on the recording paper 100.

  The maintenance mechanism 6 is disposed at a position on the right side of the platen 2 in the movement range of the carriage 3 in the scanning direction. The maintenance mechanism 6 includes a cap 20, a suction pump 21 connected to the cap 20, a wiper 22 and the like.

  The cap 20 is movable in the vertical direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1). The cap 20 moves upward when the carriage 3 is located at a position facing the cap 20, thereby closely contacting the lower surface of the inkjet head 4 and covering the plurality of nozzles 44. In this state, the inside of the cap 20 is depressurized by the suction pump 21, thereby performing a suction purge that forcibly discharges ink from the plurality of nozzles 44. At this time, the dust and bubbles in the ink jet head 4 or the ink thickened by drying is discharged from the plurality of nozzles 44, so that the ejection failure of the nozzles 44 due to the dust and bubbles and the like is eliminated.

  The wiper 22 is a thin plate member made of an elastic material such as a rubber material, and is erected at a position adjacent to the cap 20 in the scanning direction. In the state after the above-described suction purge is performed, ink adheres to the lower surface of the inkjet head 4. Therefore, after the suction purge, the carriage 3 is moved in the scanning direction while the cap 20 is separated from the lower surface of the inkjet head 4. At this time, the wiper 22 moves relative to the inkjet head 4 in a state where the wiper 22 is in contact with the lower surface of the inkjet head 4, and wipes ink adhering to the lower surface of the inkjet head 4.

  Next, the inkjet head 4 will be described. FIG. 2 is a top view of the inkjet head 4. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the inkjet head 4. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the inkjet head 4 includes a flow path unit 23 and a piezoelectric actuator 24. FIG. 4 shows a state where the ink flow path formed in the flow path unit 23 is filled with ink (indicated by symbol I).

(Flow path unit)
As shown in FIG. 4, the flow path unit 23 has a structure in which a plurality of plates 31 to 39 are stacked. The plurality of plates 31 to 39 are joined to each other by an adhesive in a stacked state. Of the plurality of plates 31 to 39, the lowermost plate 39 is a nozzle plate in which a plurality of nozzles 44 are formed. The nozzle plate 39 is a plate made of a synthetic resin such as polyimide. The nozzle plate 39 is formed with a plurality of tapered taper nozzles 44 penetrating the plate 39 in the thickness direction. In the following description, the lower surface of the nozzle plate 39 in which the ejection ports 44a of the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed may be particularly referred to as an ink ejection surface 39a.

  The plurality of nozzles 44 are arranged in the transport direction and constitute four nozzle rows 48 arranged in the scanning direction. The four nozzle rows 48 eject inks of four colors (black, yellow, cyan, magenta), respectively. In the following description, among the components of the inkjet head, those corresponding to the black (K), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M) inks are indicated by the reference numerals indicating the components. After that, in order to identify which ink corresponds to, any symbol of “k” indicating black, “y” indicating yellow, “c” indicating cyan, and “m” indicating magenta is appropriately attached. . For example, the nozzle row 48k indicates the nozzle row 48 that discharges black ink.

  The ink discharge surface 39a of the nozzle plate 39 is covered with a liquid repellent film 40 formed of a fluorine resin such as PTFE. The liquid repellent film 40 covers the area around the ejection port 44a of the nozzle 44 on the ink ejection surface 39a, thereby preventing ink ejected from the nozzle 44 from remaining around the ejection port 44a. In FIG. 4, the liquid repellent film 40 is formed over the entire lower surface of the nozzle plate 39, but the liquid repellent film 40 is formed so as to cover only the area around the ejection port 44 a of the ink ejection surface 39 a. May be.

  The plates 31 to 38 other than the nozzle plate 39 constituting the flow path unit 23 are plates made of a metal material such as stainless steel. More specifically, each of the plates 31 to 38 is formed by cutting a sheet-like rolled material having a predetermined thickness obtained by rolling a metal into a predetermined size. In these metal plates 31 to 38, ink flow paths including a manifold 46 and a pressure chamber 47 described below that communicate with the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed. Hereinafter, details of the plurality of metal plates 31 to 38 and the ink flow paths formed in these metal plates 31 to 38 will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 2, four ink supply holes 45 are formed side by side in the scanning direction in the uppermost plate 31 constituting the upper surface of the flow path unit 23. The four ink supply holes 45 (45k, 45y, 45c, 45m) are supplied with four colors (black, yellow, cyan, magenta) of ink from the four ink cartridges 17 (see FIG. 1) of the holder 9, respectively. . Also, four manifolds 46 (46k, 46y, 46c, 46m) extending in the transport direction are formed on the fourth to seventh plates 34 to 37 from the top. One manifold 46 is formed over four plates 34 to 37 that are stacked one above the other. The four ink supply holes 45 and the four manifolds 46 are connected by communication holes (not shown) formed in the plates 32 and 33, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 4, of the four plates 34 to 37 forming the manifold 46, a portion of the lowermost plate 37 that becomes the bottom wall portion 37 a that divides the manifold 46 has a half. By etching, four concave portions 37b extending along the four manifolds 46 are formed. Thereby, the thickness of the bottom wall part 37a of the plate 37 is thin compared with the other part. In addition, a concave portion 38b is formed by half-etching on the upper side of the portion facing the bottom wall portion 37a of the plate 38 located immediately below the plate 37, and the thickness of the facing portion is partially reduced. The thin portion 38a. Thus, a space 41 exists between the bottom wall portion 37 a of the manifold 46 formed in the plate 37 and the thin wall portion 38 a of the plate 38 below the manifold 46. Accordingly, the bottom wall portion 37a can be easily deformed according to the pressure fluctuation in the manifold 46, and when the pressure in the manifold 46 fluctuates, the pressure fluctuation in the manifold 46 due to the deformation of the bottom wall portion 37a. Is attenuated.

  A plurality of pressure chambers 47 respectively corresponding to the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed in the uppermost plate 31. The plurality of pressure chambers 47 are arranged in four rows corresponding to the four manifolds 46, similarly to the plurality of nozzles 44. The plurality of pressure chambers 47 are covered with the diaphragm 60 of the piezoelectric actuator 24. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each pressure chamber 47 has a shape that is long in the scanning direction, and when viewed from above, its one end overlaps with the corresponding nozzle 44 and the other end overlaps with the manifold 46. Is arranged. As shown in FIG. 2, among the four pressure chambers 47, the pressure chamber 47 corresponding to the black ink is arranged on the right side with respect to the corresponding manifold 46k. The row of pressure chambers 47 corresponding to the three colors of ink is arranged on the left side with respect to the manifold 46.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plate 32 positioned second from the top is formed with a plurality of throttle channels 49 that connect the manifold 46 and the plurality of pressure chambers 47. In addition, a total of seven plates 32 to 38 positioned between the uppermost plate 31 and the nozzle plate 39 have individual channel holes that constitute the communication channel 43 that connects the pressure chamber 47 and the nozzle 44. 32c to 38c are formed. In addition, the individual flow path hole 38 c of the plate 38 located immediately above the nozzle plate 39 is formed in a thick portion 38 d that is thicker than the thin portion 38 a in a position overlapping the manifold 46.

  The flow path unit 23 is configured by joining the plates 31 to 39 described above in a stacked state. In the flow path unit 23, a plurality of individual flow paths that branch from one manifold 46 and reach the nozzle 44 through the throttle flow path 49, the pressure chamber 47, and the communication flow path 43 are formed. .

  By the way, when the recording paper 100 is jammed or when the recording paper 100 is transported in a bent state, the recording paper 100 transported in the transport direction is transferred to the ink ejection surface 39a of the inkjet head 4. May come into contact. At this time, the edge of the ejection port 44a and the peripheral region of the ejection port 44a of the ink ejection surface 39a may be damaged, resulting in problems such as ejection bending. In particular, in the configuration in which the ink discharge surface 39a is covered with the liquid repellent film 40 as in the present embodiment, the liquid repellent film 40 around the discharge port 44a is scratched and the water repellency is lowered, thereby causing the discharge. Ink tends to remain around the outlet 44a, and ejection failure may occur. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the plurality of convex portions 50 for preventing the recording paper 100 from coming into contact with the periphery of the ejection port 44 a are formed on the ink ejection surface 39 a of the flow path unit 23. Is formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a plurality of convex portions 50 are arranged along the transport direction in regions where the ink ejection surface 39 a overlaps with the four manifolds 46, and four rows of convex portions 51 are arranged. Is configured. As described above, the nozzle plate 39 includes four nozzle rows 48 (48k, 48y, 48c, and 48m) that respectively eject black, yellow, cyan, and magenta inks in the scanning direction. Has been placed. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the four convex portion rows 51 (51 a to 51 d) are arranged side by side with the four nozzle rows 48 in the scanning direction.

  Two convex rows 51a and 51d are respectively arranged on both outer sides of the four nozzle rows 48 in the scanning direction so as to sandwich the four nozzle rows 48 in the scanning direction. Further, a convex column 51b is arranged between the yellow nozzle column 48y and the cyan nozzle column 48c. Further, the convex row 51c is also arranged between the cyan nozzle row 48c and the magenta nozzle row 48m. Thus, the black nozzle row 48k and the yellow nozzle row 48y are sandwiched between the two convex portion rows 51a and 51b in the scanning direction. The cyan nozzle row 48c is sandwiched between the two convex portion rows 51b and 51c. Further, the magenta nozzle row 48m is also sandwiched between the two convex rows 51c and 51d.

  As described above, the plurality of convex portions 50 are arranged alongside the plurality of nozzles 44 in the scanning direction along the arrangement direction (conveying direction) of the nozzles 44. Furthermore, each nozzle row 48 is sandwiched between two rows of convex portions 51 that are respectively arranged at close positions in the scanning direction. For this reason, it is difficult for the recording paper 100 to contact the area around each nozzle 44 regardless of whether the carriage 3 moves leftward or rightward. Accordingly, the peripheral portion of the ink discharge surface 39a around the discharge port 44a of each nozzle 44 is surely protected by the convex portion 50 located in the vicinity thereof, and the liquid repellent film 40 is prevented from being damaged.

  Details of the configuration of the convex portion 50 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, each convex portion 50 has a substantially elliptical planar shape that is long in the transport direction (nozzle arrangement direction) in plan view. Moreover, the top part of the convex part 50 is formed in the rounded shape. Therefore, even if the recording paper 100 collides with the convex portion 50, the recording paper 100 is not easily damaged. Further, when wiping the ink adhering to the ink ejection surface 39a with the wiper 22, the wiper 22 is not easily caught on the convex portion 50, and the wiper 22 can easily get over the convex portion 50.

  As can be seen from FIG. 4, each convex portion 50 is formed by deforming the laminated body 52 so as to protrude downward in a state where the nozzle plate 39 and the plate 38 thereon are laminated. Yes. Further, as will be described later in detail, each convex portion 50 is formed by pressing the laminated body 52 from the plate 38 side. The convex portion 50 is formed by pressing a thin portion 38 a of the plate 38 positioned so as to overlap the manifold 46. In addition, each convex part 50 is because the rolling direction of the plate 38 which is a metal rolling material is a conveyance direction that is long in the conveyance direction (nozzle arrangement direction) and has an elliptical shape. As will be described later, in the press working at the time of forming the convex portion 50, the plate 38 is plastically deformed by the pressing of the punch 73 (see FIG. 6D). At this time, the metal is moved in the rolling direction of the plate 38. Since the material is easy to spread, each convex portion 50 has an oval shape that is long in the rolling direction.

  In order to reliably prevent the recording paper 100 from coming into contact with the area around the nozzle 44 on the ink ejection surface 39a, the height of the convex portion 50 (the amount of protrusion from the ink ejection surface 39a) must be large to some extent. Is preferred. For example, the height h of the convex portion 50 is preferably about 100 μm.

  As described above, since the convex portion 50 is formed by integrally deforming the nozzle plate 39 made of synthetic resin and the metal plate 38, the convex portion 50 includes the metal portion 50a and the metal portion 50a. And a resin portion 50b covering the surface. Since the metal part 50a exists in the inside of the convex part 50, the intensity | strength of the convex part 50 becomes high and it is excellent in durability. That is, even if the recording paper 100 collides with the convex portion 50, the convex portion 50 is not easily cut off or chipped.

(Piezoelectric actuator)
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the piezoelectric actuator 24 includes a diaphragm 60, piezoelectric layers 64 and 65, a plurality of individual electrodes 62, and a common electrode 66. The diaphragm 60 is joined to the upper surface of the flow path unit 23 in a state of covering the plurality of pressure chambers 47. The two piezoelectric layers 64 and 65 are laminated on the upper surface of the vibration plate 60. The plurality of individual electrodes 62 are arranged on the upper surface of the upper piezoelectric layer 65 so as to face the plurality of pressure chambers 47, respectively. The common electrode 66 is disposed across the plurality of pressure chambers 47 between the two piezoelectric layers 64 and 65.

  The plurality of individual electrodes 62 are respectively connected to a driver IC 67 that drives the piezoelectric actuator 24. On the other hand, the common electrode 66 is always held at the ground potential. The portions of the upper piezoelectric layer 65 sandwiched between the individual electrode 62 and the common electrode 66 are each polarized in the thickness direction.

  The operation of the piezoelectric actuator 24 when ejecting ink from the nozzle 44 is as follows. When a drive signal is applied to a certain individual electrode 62 from the driver IC 67, a potential difference is generated between the individual electrode 62 and the common electrode 66 held at the ground potential. As a result, an electric field in the thickness direction is generated in a portion of the piezoelectric layer 65 sandwiched between the individual electrode 62 and the common electrode 66. Further, since the polarization direction of the piezoelectric layer 65 and the direction of the electric field coincide with each other, the piezoelectric layer 65 extends in the thickness direction that is the polarization direction and contracts in the surface direction. As the piezoelectric layer 65 contracts and deforms, the portion of the diaphragm 60 facing the pressure chamber 47 is bent so as to protrude toward the pressure chamber 47. At this time, the volume of the pressure chamber 47 is reduced, pressure is applied to the ink inside the pressure chamber 47, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle 44 communicating with the pressure chamber 47.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the inkjet head 4 described above will be described focusing on the manufacturing process of the flow path unit 23. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the inkjet head 4.

(Flow path hole forming process, thin wall forming process)
First, with respect to the plurality of metal plates 31 to 38 constituting the flow path unit 23 shown in FIG. 4, the holes serving as the pressure chamber 47 and the manifold 46, the individual flow path holes 32 c to 38 c, respectively. Various channel holes constituting a part of the ink channel are formed by etching. At the same time, the concave portion 37b is formed in the plate 37 by half etching. Further, the thin portion 38a is also formed on the plate 38 by forming the concave portion 38b by half etching.

(Liquid repellent film forming process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, a liquid repellent film 40 is formed on one surface (surface that becomes the ink ejection surface 39 a) of the synthetic resin plate 70 that becomes the nozzle plate 39. The liquid repellent film 40 may be formed by adhering a fluorine resin film to the synthetic resin plate 70, or may be formed by applying a liquid fluorine resin to the synthetic resin plate 70.

(Lamination process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, a synthetic resin plate 70 and a single metal plate 38 in which a plurality of individual flow path holes 38c are formed in the previous step are laminated, and both are bonded with an adhesive. Join. In this laminating step, the two plates 70 and 38 are pressed and joined together with an adhesive interposed between the synthetic resin plate 70 and the metal plate 38. At that time, the adhesive is not sufficiently pressed between the thin portion 38 a of the metal plate 38 and the synthetic resin plate 70, and air tends to remain in this portion.

  Therefore, in this laminating step, it is preferable to join the synthetic resin plate 70 and the metal plate 38 with an adhesive after heating them in a vacuum state. Specifically, the following steps are performed. First, a hot plate is installed in the vacuum chamber, and a synthetic resin plate 70 and a metal plate 38 are placed on the hot plate with an adhesive interposed. Then, in the vacuum chamber, the workpiece (two plates 70 and 38) is heated at a temperature lower than the adhesive curing temperature and at a temperature at which the viscosity of the adhesive is sufficiently reduced (for example, 100 ° C.). In addition, while heating the workpiece, the lid of the vacuum chamber is closed and the vacuum pump is evacuated to atmospheric pressure or lower. Due to this treatment, the bubbles intervening in the adhesive between the synthetic resin plate 70 and the metal plate 38 are caused by the effect that the viscosity of the adhesive is reduced and the effect that the bubbles expand due to the presence in the vacuum. Removed. After the work is left in the above environment for several tens of seconds and the removal of the bubbles is completed, the work is taken out from the vacuum chamber, and the two plates 70 and 38 are pressed and joined under normal pressure. Thereby, it can join in the state which removed the air between said two plates 38 and 70 as much as possible, and can prevent peeling after adhesion | attachment.

(Protective film application process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, a protective film 71 made of a synthetic resin film is pasted on the lower surface of the synthetic resin plate 70 opposite to the metal plate 38 where the liquid repellent film 40 is formed. wear. The protective film 71 is bonded to the synthetic resin plate 70 using, for example, a UV peelable adhesive.

(Projection forming process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, the laminated body 52 is pressed to form a plurality of convex portions 50 arranged in a predetermined direction. First, the laminated body 52 is installed on the die 72 having a plurality of holes 72a in a state where the protective film 71 is attached to the lower surface thereof. At this time, the laminated body 52 is installed so that the thin portion 38 a of the metal plate 38 covers the plurality of holes 72 a of the die 72. Next, the punch 73 is applied to the thin portion 38 a of the metal plate 38, and the taper-shaped tip portion of the punch 73 is pressed into the laminated body 52 from the plate 38 side to perform press working. That is, the metal plate 38 is plastically deformed, and the laminate 52 is partially protruded and deformed downward. As a result, a plurality of convex portions 50 projecting from the lower surface of the synthetic resin plate 70 are formed in the laminate 52. In this press working, since the lower surface of the synthetic resin plate 70 is covered with the protective film 71 and does not contact the die 72, the liquid repellent formed on the lower surface of the synthetic resin plate 70, particularly the lower surface thereof. The membrane 40 is prevented from being damaged.

  In addition, since the plurality of nozzles 44 are not yet formed in the synthetic resin plate 70 during the pressing process of the convex portion forming step, the expansion and contraction of the laminate 52 caused by the pressing process is caused by the shape of the nozzles 44. And does not affect the pitch. In addition, the plurality of nozzles 44 are not formed in the synthetic resin plate 70 at the stage of the convex portion forming process. Therefore, there is no problem that the portion of the synthetic resin plate 70 where the nozzle 44 is formed is pressed against the die 72 and the nozzle 44 is deformed.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the some convex part 50 is formed by performing press work to the thin part 38a of the metal plate 38 formed of the recessed part 38b. By pressing the thin portion 38a, deformation due to the press processing extends beyond the boundary between the thin portion 38a and the thick portion 38d to the thick portion 38d side where the individual flow path holes 38c are formed. Since it is difficult, the range in which deformation spreads is limited. Therefore, the influence of the deformation of the thin portion 38a during the press working on the individual flow path hole 38c can be reduced. The plate recess 38b also has a purpose of forming a gap between the plate 37 forming the bottom wall 37a of the manifold 46 and making the bottom wall 37a deformable. That is, in this embodiment, for the two purposes of forming a thin portion 38a for forming the convex portion 50 by press working and securing a space for making the bottom wall portion 37a of the manifold 46 deformable, A recess 38 b is formed in the plate 38.

(Nozzle formation process)
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the nozzle forming process. As shown in FIGS. 6 (e) and 7 (a), laser processing is performed on the synthetic resin plate 70 of the laminate 52, and a plurality of nozzles 44 are connected to the plurality of convex portions 50 on the plate 70. The plurality of convex portions 50 are formed along the arrangement direction so as to be aligned. Specifically, the laser irradiation device 77 irradiates the laminated body 52 with a laser beam on each of the portions of the plate 38 where the plurality of individual flow path holes 38c are formed. The irradiated laser light passes through the individual flow path hole 38 c and penetrates the synthetic resin plate 70.

  As a result, the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed such that each discharge port 44a is disposed on the lower surface of the synthetic resin plate 70 from which the convex portion 50 projects. As shown in FIG. 6E, the lower surface of the synthetic resin plate 70 that becomes the ink discharge surface 39a is covered with the protective film 71, so that the soot generated during the formation of the nozzles 44 is generated by the ink discharge surface 39a. Adhering to the liquid repellent film 40 is prevented.

  By the way, when the nozzle formation process of many laminated bodies 52 is continuously performed by the laser irradiation device 77, the shape of the nozzles 44 may vary between different laminated bodies 52 in the middle of the process. For example, this is a case where the intensity of the irradiated laser beam or the irradiation angle of the laser beam changes due to factors such as a temperature change in the laser irradiation device 77. Therefore, in the present embodiment, after performing the nozzle formation process for one stacked body 52, the shape of the formed nozzle 44 is inspected (nozzle inspection process), and the formation condition of the nozzle 44 is changed based on the inspection result. (Nozzle formation condition changing step). As a result, the shape of the nozzle 44 actually formed in one stacked body 52 can be fed back to the nozzle forming process for the other stacked body 52, and the variation in the shape of the nozzle 44 between different stacked bodies 52 can be reduced. Can be suppressed. Hereinafter, details of the nozzle inspection process and the nozzle formation condition changing process will be described.

(Nozzle inspection process)
After the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed on the synthetic resin plate 70, next, the shape of the nozzles 44 is inspected using an inspection device such as a microscope. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7B, the diameter d1 of the discharge port 44a of the nozzle 44, the diameter d2 of the opening 44b on the opposite side, the taper angle θ of the nozzle 44, the telecentricity of the nozzle 44, etc. inspect. The “telecentricity” indicates whether or not the laser beam is incident in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle plate 39, and how much the center of the opening 44b opposite to the center of the discharge port 44a is shifted. Can be detected. In other words, the degree of inclination of the axis C of the nozzle 44 with respect to the direction orthogonal to the nozzle plate 39 is shown.

(Nozzle formation condition changing process)
Items relating to the shape of the nozzle 44 inspected in the nozzle inspection step are compared with a preset reference range. If it is out of the reference range, the laser irradiation condition of the laser irradiation device 77 is changed. For example, when the diameter of the nozzle 44 and the taper angle θ are out of the reference range, the output of the laser beam is adjusted. When the telecentricity of the nozzle 44 is deviated, the optical system such as the telecentric lens of the laser irradiation device 77 is finely adjusted.

  By the way, when the nozzle 44 is formed on the synthetic resin plate 70 and then the steps are performed in the order of forming the convex portion 50, the nozzle 44 is immediately formed because there is a convex portion forming step after the nozzle forming step. Therefore, the feedback to the nozzle forming process for the other laminated body 52 is delayed. In this respect, in this embodiment, since the nozzle forming step is performed after the convex portion forming step is performed first, the nozzle 44 is inspected immediately after the nozzle 44 is formed, and the nozzles of the other laminated bodies 52 are formed. Quick feedback to the forming process. Therefore, it is possible to suppress variations in the shape of the nozzles 44 between the different stacked bodies 52 as much as possible.

(Protective film removal process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 6F, the protective film 71 is peeled from the synthetic resin plate 70 (nozzle plate 39). In addition, when the protective film 71 is bonded to the nozzle plate 39 with a UV peelable adhesive, the protective film 71 can be easily peeled off by irradiating UV. In addition, depending on the type of the protective film 71, the protective film 71 can be dissolved and removed with an appropriate solvent.

(Baking process)
As soon as the protective film 71 is removed, the laminate 52 may be bonded to the other plates 31 to 37 constituting the flow path unit 23, but before the bonding process, a baking process described below is performed. It is preferable to carry out.

  In the convex portion forming step described above, when the convex portion 50 is formed on the laminate 52 by pressing, a gap is likely to be generated between the nozzle plate 39 and the metal plate 38. Further, moisture (humidity) enters from the outside through the synthetic resin nozzle plate 39 into the gap. In this state, when the laminated body 52 is joined to the other plates 31 to 37 constituting the flow path unit 23 with an adhesive, the moisture in the gap expands due to the heating during the bonding, and the two plates There is a risk that problems such as separation between the plates 38 and 39 may occur.

  Therefore, by performing a baking process step of heating the laminated body 52 at a low temperature before the bonding step, the water present in the gap is evaporated and the amount thereof is reduced as much as possible. In the baking process, the laminated body 52 is heated over a relatively long time at a temperature lower than the heating temperature at the time of bonding of the adhesive. For example, it is preferable to heat at 130 ° C. for 20 minutes or more. Thereby, the malfunction by the expansion | swelling of the water | moisture content in the said clearance gap when the laminated body 52 is heated at the joining process can be suppressed. Even if this baking process is performed to evaporate the water in the gap, if it is left in that state for a long time, the water will enter the gap again. Therefore, it is preferable to perform the next joining step immediately after the baking treatment step. For example, the bonding process is performed within 90 minutes after the baking process.

(Joining process)
Next, the laminated body 52 in which the plurality of convex portions 50 and the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed, the other plates 31 to 37 constituting the flow path unit 23, and the diaphragm 60 of the piezoelectric actuator 24 are joined. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6G, the thermosetting adhesive is applied to the joining surfaces of the laminate 52, the metal plates 31 to 37, and the diaphragm 60, and then the heater plate. Adhesion is performed by pressing while heating from both upper and lower sides by 74 and 75. The heating temperature by the heater plates 74 and 75 at this time is 150 ° C., for example. As shown in FIG. 6 (g), the lower heater plate 75 has a convex portion 50 in order to prevent the convex portion 50 of the laminated body 52 from being crushed during press bonding. It is preferable that a concave or hole-shaped escape portion 75a that does not come into contact with is formed. After the joining process, the piezoelectric layers 64 and 65 manufactured in a separate process are pasted on the vibration plate 60 to form the piezoelectric actuator 24.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the synthetic resin plate 70 to be the nozzle plate 39 and the metal plate 38 are laminated, and then the metal plate 38 is plastically deformed by press working to obtain a laminated body. A convex portion 50 is formed at 52. Since the convex portion 50 formed in the laminate 52 includes the metal portion 50a, the strength of the convex portion 50 is increased and the durability is excellent. In addition, after the plurality of convex portions 50 are formed along a predetermined arrangement direction, the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed along the arrangement direction of the convex portions 50 so as to be aligned with the plurality of convex portions 50 in the nozzle forming step. . Therefore, the periphery of the discharge port 44a of each nozzle 44 is reliably protected by the convex portion 50 located in the vicinity thereof.

  In addition, the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed on the synthetic resin plate 70 after the convex portion 50 is formed by pressing the laminate 52 first. That is, since the plurality of nozzles 44 are not yet formed on the synthetic resin plate 70 when the convex portion 50 is formed, the shape and pitch of the nozzles 44 change due to the expansion and contraction of the laminated body 52 by press working. There is no. Further, since the pressing in the convex portion forming step is performed in a state where the nozzle 44 is not formed on the synthetic resin plate 70, the nozzle 72 can be applied even if the die 72 is applied near the portion where the convex portion 50 is formed on the synthetic resin plate 70. There is no problem that the nozzle 44 is deformed by pressing the portion where the 44 is formed against the die 72.

  In the present embodiment described above, the inkjet head 4 corresponds to the “liquid ejecting apparatus” of the present invention. The synthetic resin plate 70 on which the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed corresponds to the “first plate” of the present invention. The metal plate 38 in which the individual flow path holes 38c are formed corresponds to the “second plate” of the present invention. The ink discharge surface 39a on the lower surface of the nozzle plate 39 (synthetic resin plate 70) corresponds to the “liquid discharge surface” of the present invention. The plates 31 to 37 other than the metal plate 38 constituting the flow path unit 23 correspond to “another member having a liquid flow path” according to the present invention.

  Next, modified embodiments in which various modifications are made to the embodiment will be described. However, components having the same configuration as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

1] The shape of the thin portion 38a of the plate 38 to be pressed is not limited to that of the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the thin portion 38a may be formed by forming a recess 38b on the lower surface of the plate 38, that is, the surface on the nozzle plate 39 side. However, in this case, since there is a gap between the thin portion 38a of the plate 39 and the synthetic resin plate 70, the thin portion 38a is pressed from the plate 38 side as shown in FIG. 8B. When it is done, it becomes difficult to form the convex part 50 of the intended shape. Therefore, from this viewpoint, it is preferable to form the recess 38b on the surface of the plate 38 opposite to the nozzle plate 39, as shown in FIG.

  Further, it is not always necessary that the thin portion 38 a is formed on the plate 38 before the convex portion 50 is formed by press working. In other words, it is possible to form a plurality of convex portions 50 by pressing a flat plate 38 in which the concave portions 38b are not formed.

2] The shape of the convex portion 50 is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various shapes of the convex portion 50 can be formed by changing the tip portion of the punch 73 and the shape of the die 72. In addition, depending on the material characteristics (such as ductility) of the plate 38, the deformation of the convex portion 50 may not be biased in a specific direction of the plate 38 during pressing. In this case, by using the cylindrical punch 73, it is possible to form the substantially circular convex portion 50 in a plan view.

3] The formation position of the convex portion 50 of the stacked body 52 is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. In FIG. 5 of the above-described embodiment, two protrusion rows 51 are arranged on both sides in the scanning direction of one nozzle row 48. However, as shown in FIG. Then, with respect to the nozzle row 48k), the convex portion row 51 may be arranged only on one side in the scanning direction.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the recessed part 38b of the plate 38 is not only for forming the thin part 38a, but also for the purpose of ensuring a space for deforming the bottom wall part 37a of the manifold 46 located thereon. It is used. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the convex portion 50 is formed at a position overlapping the manifold 46. However, from the viewpoint of forming the convex portions 50 by press working, it is not particularly necessary that the plurality of convex portions 50 and the manifold 46 overlap each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the plurality of convex portions 50 may be arranged at free positions regardless of the position of the manifold 46. For example, the convex portion 50 may be disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction or on the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the four nozzle rows 48 of the stacked body 52. Thereby, the protective effect around the nozzle 44 is enhanced.

4] In the above embodiment, the plurality of nozzles 44 are formed on the synthetic resin plate 70 by laser processing, but the nozzle forming method is not limited to laser processing. For example, the plurality of nozzles 44 may be formed in the synthetic resin plate 70 by punching with a press. Even when the nozzles 44 are formed by pressing, the shape of the nozzles 44 may be different between different stacked bodies 52. In this case, as in the above embodiment, the nozzle 44 forming condition is changed, for example, the shape of the nozzle 44 is inspected after the nozzle forming process, and the push-in amount of the punch for punching is adjusted based on the inspection result. You may do it.

5] In the above embodiment, the synthetic resin plate 70 to be the nozzle plate 39 and the single metal plate 38 are laminated, and the laminated body 52 is pressed to form the convex portion 50. However, after the synthetic resin plate 70 and two or more metal plates are laminated, the convex portion 50 may be formed by press working.

6] In the above-described embodiment, the laminated body 52 of the synthetic resin plate 70 and the metal plate 38 is pressed to form the convex portion 50. However, the plate serving as the nozzle plate is made of metal, and this one sheet The convex portion may be formed by pressing the metal plate.

  The process of this modified form is demonstrated with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 11A, a water repellent film 140 is formed on the lower surface of the metal plate 170 to be the nozzle plate 139 and to be the ink discharge surface 139a. Further, as shown in FIG. 11B, a protective film 171 is attached to the metal plate 170 so as to cover the water repellent film 140. Next, as shown in FIG. 11C, a plurality of convex portions 150 projecting downward are formed on the metal plate 170 by pressing from one side (upper side) in the thickness direction of the metal plate 170. To do. Specifically, after the metal plate 170 is placed on the die 172, the punch 173 is pushed into the metal plate 170 and plastically deformed to form the convex portion 150.

  Next, after removing the protective film 171 from the metal plate 170 as shown in FIG. 11D, a plurality of nozzles 144 are formed in the metal plate 170 as shown in FIG. In FIG. 11E, the nozzle 144 is formed by drilling with the punch 120, but the nozzle 44 can also be formed by laser processing. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11F, the other plates 131 to 138 and the like constituting the flow path unit and the nozzle plate 139 are joined with an adhesive.

  In FIG. 11, the metal plate 170 on which the plurality of nozzles 144 are formed is pressed, and the metal plate 170 is plastically deformed to form the convex portion 150. Since the convex portion 150 is made of metal, the strength of the convex portion 150 is increased and the durability is excellent. In addition, the metal plate 170 is first pressed to form the convex portion 150, and then a plurality of nozzles 144 are formed on the metal plate 170. Since the plurality of nozzles 144 are not yet formed on the metal plate 170 at the time of forming the convex portion 150, the shape and pitch of the nozzles 144 do not change due to expansion and contraction of the metal plate 170 by press working. . Further, since the nozzle 144 is not formed on the metal plate 170 during the process of forming the convex portion 150, there is no particular problem even if the die is applied near the portion where the convex portion 150 is formed on the metal plate 170.

7] The inkjet head 4 of the above embodiment is a so-called serial type head that ejects ink while moving with respect to the recording paper 100 together with the carriage 3, but the application target of the present invention is the serial type as described above. It is not limited to the head. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a so-called line-type head that is fixedly installed in the printer body and has a plurality of nozzles arranged in the width direction of the recording paper 100.

  The embodiments described above and modifications thereof apply the present invention to an ink jet head that prints an image or the like by ejecting ink onto a recording sheet, but is used for various purposes other than printing an image or the like. The present invention can also be applied to a liquid ejecting apparatus. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a liquid ejection apparatus that ejects a conductive liquid onto a substrate to form a conductive pattern on the surface of the substrate.

4 Inkjet heads 31 to 37 Plate 38 Plate 38a Thin portion 38b Concave portion 38c Individual flow path hole 39 Nozzle plate 39a Ink discharge surface 44 Nozzle 44a Discharge port 50 Convex portion 52 Laminate 70 Synthetic resin plate 71 Protective film 73 Punch 77 Laser irradiation device 139 Nozzle plate 139a Ink discharge surface 144 Nozzle 150 Convex portion 170 Metal plate

Claims (8)

A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection apparatus having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid and a liquid flow path communicating with the plurality of nozzles,
A laminating step of laminating a first plate made of synthetic resin and a second plate made of metal to form a laminate of the first plate and the second plate;
A projecting portion forming step of pressing the laminate from the second plate side to form a projecting portion projecting to the first plate side in the laminate,
After the convex portion forming step, the plurality of nozzles are formed on the first plate of the laminate so that the respective discharge ports are arranged on a surface from which the convex portion of the first plate protrudes. Nozzle forming process;
A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection apparatus, comprising: In the convex portion forming step, the plurality of convex portions are arranged in a predetermined arrangement direction,
The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the nozzle formation step, the plurality of nozzles are formed along the arrangement direction so as to be aligned with the plurality of convex portions. A nozzle inspection step for inspecting the shape of the nozzle formed on the first plate after the nozzle formation step;
The nozzle formation condition change process of changing the formation conditions of the nozzle in the nozzle formation process based on the inspection result in the nozzle inspection process is provided. Manufacturing method of the liquid discharge device of the present invention Before the laminating step, a channel hole forming step for forming a plurality of individual channel holes respectively communicating with the plurality of nozzles in the second plate;
After the laminating step, further comprising a protective film attaching step of attaching a protective film to the surface of the first plate opposite to the second plate,
In the projecting portion forming step, the laminate is pressed from the second plate side with the protective film attached to the surface of the first plate opposite to the second plate. ,
In the nozzle forming step, the laser from the second plate side in which the individual flow path holes are formed in a state where the protective film is attached to the surface of the first plate opposite to the second plate. The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles are formed in the first plate by processing. Prior to the laminating step, the second plate further includes a thin portion forming step for forming a thin portion having a partially reduced thickness,
In the said convex part formation process, it press-processes to the said thin part of the said 2nd plate formed in the said thin part formation process, and forms the said convex part in the said laminated body. 5. A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to any one of 4 above.   In the thin-walled portion forming step, the thin-walled portion is formed on the second plate by forming a concave portion on a surface opposite to a surface on which the first plate of the second plate is laminated. A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to claim 5.   7. The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in the stacking step, the first plate and the second plate are heated in a vacuum state and then joined with an adhesive. After the convex portion forming step, a baking treatment step for heating the laminate,
After the baking treatment step, further comprising a bonding step of bonding the stacked body with another member formed with the liquid flow path with an adhesive while heating the stacked body,
The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein in the baking process, the laminated body is heated at a lower temperature than in the bonding process.

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