JP6655778B2 - Liquid ejection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device that ejects a liquid by pressurizing the liquid.

  2. Description of the Related Art In various technical fields such as an electronic device manufacturing field, a liquid discharge device that discharges a liquid such as an adhesive or cream solder in a droplet state is widely used. Since many liquids to be ejected have a high viscosity that requires temperature adjustment for proper ejection, a liquid ejection device that ejects this type of liquid is located near a needle or nozzle that ejects the liquid. A configuration including a temperature control unit is known (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). The prior art described in Patent Document 1 describes an example in which a dispenser is provided with temperature control means near a needle in addition to a syringe, and heats and holds a vicinity of a discharge port of the needle at a predetermined temperature. Further, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is described an example in which a nozzle heating tubular member is provided in contact with the outer peripheral surface of a nozzle for discharging liquid, and the temperature of the nozzle tip is raised to a target temperature.

JP-A-2002-59055 JP 2012-81376 A

  However, in the above-described prior art, when a discharge target portion for discharging a liquid is a narrow portion such as a concave portion provided on a work, a needle or a nozzle serving as a liquid discharge portion can access the discharge target portion. There is a problem that it is difficult and the application target of the work is restricted. That is, in the above-described prior art, since the temperature control means is added to the needle and the nozzle, it is inevitable that the cross-sectional size of the liquid discharge unit increases. For this reason, when the discharge target portion includes a narrow portion such as a concave portion, the liquid discharge portion cannot be brought close to a desired position, and it is difficult to discharge a properly temperature-controlled liquid in a good state. Met.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid discharge apparatus that can discharge a liquid whose temperature has been appropriately adjusted in a favorable state even when a discharge target portion includes a narrow portion.

The liquid ejection device of the present invention is a liquid ejection device that ejects a liquid by pressurizing the liquid, and is mounted on the head body and the head body so as to be reciprocally movable, and one end of the head body is a pressure member which is exposed from the head main body portion is instrumentation wearing, the upper surface has a recess serving as a storage chamber facing the one end portion of the pressing member, the projecting portion projecting downward in the lower surface has a front and a discharge nozzle having a discharge flow path that passes through the lower end of the Ki凹part or al the projecting portion, the discharge flow by the change the volume of the reservoir chamber the pressure member is reciprocated A driving unit that discharges liquid from a path, a first heating unit that heats the head body, and a second heating unit that heats the protruding portion. A cylindrical member having a notch extending in a protruding direction, The second heating unit is mounted on the out portion.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when the discharge target part includes a narrow part, it is possible to discharge the liquid whose temperature has been appropriately adjusted in a favorable state.

Configuration explanatory view of a liquid ejection device according to an embodiment of the present invention Sectional view of a discharge head of a liquid discharge apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Exploded perspective view of a discharge nozzle in a liquid discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a discharge nozzle in a liquid discharge apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of the liquid ejection device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a liquid discharge device 1 has a function of discharging a liquid by pressurizing the liquid, and includes a liquid supply unit 2 for supplying a liquid to be discharged and a discharge head 3 for discharging the supplied liquid. ing.

  The liquid supply unit 2 includes a syringe-shaped tank 4 that stores the liquid 5 and an air compressor 6 that is a pneumatic supply source. The air compressor 6 sends the air pressure adjusted to a predetermined pressure by the electropneumatic regulator to the tank 4. As a result, the liquid 5 in the tank 4 is extruded by air pressure, and is supplied to the discharge head 3 via the liquid feed pipe 7.

  The discharge head 3 has a U-shaped discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 having a bottom plate portion 9a and an open top, and a flat base portion 8 is mounted on the opening side of the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9. I have. The base section 8 and the discharge nozzle mounting section 9 constitute a head main body section 10 constituting the main body of the discharge head 3.

  A nozzle member 17 is mounted on the lower surface of the bottom plate portion 9 a of the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 via a spacer 16. The lower surface 17b (see FIG. 2) of the nozzle member 17 is provided with a protruding portion 18 that protrudes downward, and discharge of the liquid 5 by the discharge head 3 is performed by a discharge port 18a (see FIG. 2). The spacer 16, the nozzle member 17, and the protrusion 18 form a discharge nozzle 19 for discharging the liquid 5.

  The outer peripheral portion of the protruding portion 18 is covered with a tubular member 22 made of metal having excellent heat conductivity. The cylindrical member 22 is provided with a notch 22a (see FIG. 2) extending in the discharge direction of the protrusion 18, and the notch 22a has a temperature sensor 23 for detecting the temperature of the protrusion 18 and a protrusion. A second heating unit 24 that heats 18 is mounted. At the time of liquid ejection by the ejection head 3, the liquid 5 is ejected in a state where the projection 18 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the second heating unit 24.

  A pressure member 11 is mounted on the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 via an annular spring 13, and an actuator 12 made of a piezoelectric element is disposed between the pressure member 11 and the base portion 8. . The actuator 12 is controlled by the actuator control unit 14 to expand and contract in the vertical direction, and the base unit 8 supports an upward reaction force when the actuator 12 is extended. Thereby, the pressurizing member 11 disposed on the lower surface of the actuator 12 reciprocates and transfers the liquid 5 supplied to the storage chamber S (see FIG. 2) via the liquid feed pipe 7 and the nozzle member 17 to the following. Is discharged by the configuration described in (1).

  The first heating unit 20 is mounted on the outer surface of the side plate 9d (see FIG. 2) of the discharge nozzle mounting unit 9. The first heating unit 20 is for heating the liquid 5 in the storage chamber S, and heats the spacer 16 and the nozzle member 17 by heat conduction from the side plate 9d and the bottom plate 9a.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the ejection head 3 will be described with reference to FIG. The discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 has a configuration in which side plate portions 9d extend upward from both side ends of a flat bottom plate portion 9a. The base 8 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the side plate 9d, and the first heating unit 20 is mounted on the outer surface of the side plate 9d. A pressing member 11 is provided on the lower surface of the actuator 12 whose upper surface is in contact with the lower surface of the base portion 8.

  The pressing member 11 has a shape in which a cylindrical end portion 11b (see FIG. 4) projects downward from a disk-shaped large-diameter portion 11a. When the pressurizing member 11 is mounted on the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9, one end portion 11b is reciprocally fitted into a circular opening 9c provided in the bottom plate portion 9a of the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9. In this state, the opening 9c and the outer peripheral surface of the one end 11b are sealed by the second packing 25B attached to the packing groove on the outer peripheral surface of the one end 11b. That is, the pressure member 11 is mounted on the head body 10 so as to be reciprocally driven by the actuator 12, and one end 11 b is exposed from the head body 10 in the reciprocating direction of the actuator 12. An annular spring 13 is interposed between the upper surface of the bottom plate 9a and the lower surface of the large-diameter portion 11a.

  The upper surface 16b of the spacer 16 is mounted on the mounting surface 9b of the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 in close contact with the first gasket 26A. The spacer 16 is a plate-like member having a predetermined thickness which is detachable from the head main body 10. The spacer 16 has an opening 16 a having the same diameter as or slightly smaller than the opening 9 c, penetrating through the thickness of the spacer 16. It is provided. When the pressing member 11 is mounted on the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 of the head main body 10, one end 11b exposed downward from the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 is surrounded by the opening 16a.

  A holding portion 16c for holding the first packing 25A is formed above the opening 16a. The first packing 25A is located between the spacer 16 and the side surface of the one end 11b of the pressing member 11 by causing the holding portion 16c to hold the first packing 25A. This prevents the liquid 5 in the storage chamber S from entering the gap between the side surface of the opening 9c and the side surface of the one end 11b. By providing the holding portion 16c for holding the first packing 25A above the opening portion 16a, processing for forming the holding portion 16c is facilitated, and the liquid 5 and the other liquid that have entered the holding portion 16c are formed. Foreign matter can be easily cleaned.

  The nozzle member 17 is mounted on the lower surface side of the spacer 16 via a second gasket 26B. The nozzle member 17 is mounted on the spacer 16 so as to cover the opening 16a. In this state, the storage chamber S is formed between the mounting surface 17a of the nozzle member 17 and the lower end surface of the one end 11b. That is, the spacer 16 surrounds the one end 11 b of the pressure member 11 and has an opening 16 a serving as the storage chamber S.

  Here, an example is shown in which the first gasket 26A is mounted on the upper surface of the spacer 16 and the second gasket 26B is mounted on the lower surface. However, the second gasket 26B on the lower surface of the spacer 16 is not essential. The first gasket 26A may be provided between the nozzle mounting portion 9 and the spacer 16. In particular, when the spacer 16 is formed of a material having no gasket function, it is necessary to mount the first gasket 26A. By providing the first gasket 26A in this manner, the cleaning liquid or the liquid 5 scattered and attached enters from between the head main body 10 and the spacer 16, and enters the gap between the one end 11b of the pressure member 11 and the bottom plate 9a. It can be prevented from entering. On the other hand, when the spacer 16 is formed of a material having a gasket function such as rubber, the first gasket 26A and the second gasket 26B do not need to be specially provided.

  On one side surface 17c of the nozzle member 17, a joint 27 which is connected to the liquid feed pipe 7 shown in FIG. The inlet 27 a is provided inside the nozzle member 17 and communicates with an introduction channel 28 that introduces the liquid 5 into the storage chamber S. That is, the introduction flow passage 28 communicates with the storage chamber S via the outlet 28 a opened to the mounting surface 17 a of the nozzle member 17. The outlet 28a functions as a supply hole for supplying the liquid 5 to be discharged to the storage chamber S.

  Here, the introduction flow path 28 has a shape that is inclined from the inlet 27 a that opens to the side surface of the nozzle member 17 toward the outlet 28 a. Thereby, the introduction flow path 28 is formed in the nozzle member 17 in a linear shape without a bent portion. For this reason, it is possible to provide a structure in which clogging due to the liquid 5 or foreign matters remaining inside the introduction flow path 28 is unlikely to occur. Further, in a maintenance operation required at the time of liquid exchange or the like, a tool such as a cleaning pin can be inserted into the introduction flow path 28 to easily clean the inside of the introduction flow path 28.

  The nozzle member 17 is provided with a discharge channel 21 penetrating from the mounting surface 17a, which is the bottom surface of the storage chamber S, to the discharge port 18a at the lower end of the protrusion 18. Here, the position of the discharge flow path 21 is located away from the center position in the storage chamber S on the side opposite to the outlet 28a. With such an arrangement, the liquid 5 supplied into the storage chamber S from the outlet 28a in the liquid discharge in which the one end 11b is reciprocated in the storage chamber S forms an air pool in the storage chamber S. Thus, it is possible to prevent the ejection failure due to the air pool remaining in the storage chamber S.

  In the above configuration, the discharge nozzle 19 including the spacer 16, the nozzle member 17, and the protrusion 18 is detachable from the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9 of the head main body 10, and has a shape having a side surface 17 c, a lower surface 17 b, and an upper surface 16 b. ing. The discharge nozzle 19 is mounted in a state where the upper surface 16b is in close contact with the head main body 10, and has a concave portion serving as the storage chamber S facing the one end 11b of the pressure member 11 on the upper surface 16b.

  That is, the space surrounded by the mounting surface 17a of the nozzle member 17 and the opening 16a of the spacer 16 corresponds to a concave portion serving as the storage chamber S. The lower surface 17b of the nozzle member 17 constituting the discharge nozzle 19 has a protruding portion 18 protruding downward, and protrudes from the introduction channel 28 for introducing the liquid 5 into the storage chamber S and the mounting surface 17a which is the bottom of the concave portion. The discharge passage 21 penetrates to the lower end of the portion 18 and communicates with the discharge port 18a. By providing the protruding portion 18 protruding downward as described above, even when the discharge target portion includes a narrow portion such as a concave portion, the discharge port 18a can be brought close to a desired position, and a more favorable The liquid 5 can be applied in this state.

  In this embodiment, the example of the discharge nozzle 19 in which the nozzle member 17 is mounted on the mounting surface 9b via the spacer 16 which is a separate member from the nozzle member 17 has been described. A configuration in which the nozzle member 17 and the spacer 16 are the same member may be used as the nozzle. In this case, a concave portion serving as the storage chamber S is formed on the upper surface of the discharge nozzle in which the nozzle member 17 and the spacer 16 are the same member.

  Here, the configuration and function of the temperature control means provided on the protrusion 18 will be described. An outer peripheral portion of the protruding portion 18 is covered with a tubular member 22. A notch 22 a provided in the tubular member 22 in a vertical direction (a protruding direction of the protruding portion 18) has a temperature sensor 23 and a second heating member. The part 24 is mounted. That is, the protrusion 18 is provided with the temperature sensor 23 for detecting the temperature of the protrusion 18. With the configuration in which the temperature sensor 23 and the second heating unit 24 are attached to the cutout portions 22a provided in the tubular member 22 in this manner, the outer size of the liquid discharge protruding portion in the discharge nozzle 19 is made as small as possible. Thus, a narrower narrow portion can be targeted for liquid ejection.

  The liquid ejection device 1 includes a temperature control unit 30, and the temperature control unit 30 controls the second heating unit 24 based on the temperature of the protrusion 18 detected by the temperature sensor 23. Thus, the temperature of the liquid 5 discharged from the discharge nozzle 19 can be adjusted to a predetermined temperature. Here, the temperature sensor 23 is mounted on the distal end side of the protruding portion 18 rather than the second heating portion 24, and can more accurately detect the temperature of the liquid 5 discharged from the discharge port 18a. . In the present embodiment, as the material of the tubular member 22, a material having better thermal conductivity than the material forming the protruding portion 18 is used. Thereby, the temperature of the liquid 5 to be discharged can be adjusted with higher accuracy.

  In discharging the liquid 5 by the liquid discharge device 1, first, the liquid 5 is supplied from the liquid supply unit 2 into the storage chamber S via the liquid supply pipe 7 and the introduction flow path 28. Next, the actuator 12 is charged by the actuator control unit 14, and the pressing member 11 is extended by a predetermined stroke against the urging force of the annular spring 13. As a result, the volume of the storage chamber S changes, and the liquid 5 is discharged from the discharge port 18 a at the lower end of the protrusion 18 via the discharge flow path 21. In this liquid ejection, since the ejection nozzle 19 is provided with the projection 18, even when the ejection target portion includes a narrow portion such as a gap between obstacles or the bottom of a concave portion, the projection 18 is not used. The liquid 5 can be applied under an appropriate application condition by bringing the discharge port 18a at the lower end of the substrate 5 close to a desired position.

  After the ejection, the actuator 12 is discharged to discharge the actuator 12 so that the expansion of the actuator 12 is returned to the original state. The urging force of the annular spring 13 pushes up the pressing member 11, so that the next liquid ejection can be performed. That is, the actuator 12, the annular spring 13, and the actuator control unit 14 become the driving unit 15 that discharges the liquid 5 from the discharge channel 21 by changing the volume of the storage chamber S by reciprocating the pressing member 11. I have.

  In this liquid ejection, the ejection nozzle mounting section 9 is in a state of being heated to a predetermined temperature by the first heating section 20 in advance. Thus, the liquid 5 supplied into the storage chamber S is heated by the heat transmitted from the discharge nozzle mounting section 9 via the pressing member 11 and the spacer 16. Further, the protruding portion 18 is heated by the second heating portion 24 which is controlled based on the temperature of the protruding portion 18 detected by the temperature sensor 23 mounted on the distal end side. As a result, the liquid 5 is discharged from the discharge port 18a in a state where the temperature is adjusted to a preset appropriate temperature. Therefore, even if the liquid 5 to be discharged is of a type that requires temperature adjustment for proper discharge, such as a high-viscosity liquid, the droplets can be stably applied by the discharge nozzle 19 having the configuration including the protrusion 18. it can.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of components assembled on the mounting surface 9b of the discharge nozzle mounting unit 9. That is, when assembling these components, the first packing 25A is attached to one end 11b of the pressing member 11 protruding from the attachment surface 9b of the discharge nozzle attachment portion 9. Next, the second gasket 26B, the spacer 16, the first gasket 26A, and the nozzle member 17 are overlapped, and the fastening bolt 29 is inserted into the fastening hole 17d provided on the lower surface 17b of the nozzle member 17, thereby forming the mounting surface 9b. Into the screw hole 9e. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, a discharge nozzle 19 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) in which a nozzle member 17 having a spacer 16 and a protruding portion 18 on a lower surface 17b is superimposed on the mounting surface 9b of the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9. , And the screw is fastened by the fastening bolt 29.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the head 11 is reciprocally mounted on the discharge nozzle mounting part 9 constituting the head main body part 10, and has one end 11b protruding from the discharge nozzle mounting part 9 in the reciprocating direction. It has a pressure member 11, a side surface, a lower surface, and an upper surface, and is detachably attached to the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9, is mounted in a state where the upper surface is in close contact with the discharge nozzle mounting portion 9, and has one end of the pressing member 11 on the upper surface. 11b has a concave portion serving as a storage chamber S facing the bottom, and has a projection 18 projecting downward on the lower surface, and an introduction flow path 28 for introducing liquid into the storage chamber S and a lower end of the projection 18 from the bottom of the concave portion. And a discharge nozzle 19 having a discharge flow path 21 penetrating the storage chamber S, and the liquid discharge device 1 configured to discharge the liquid 5 by pressurizing the liquid 5 in the storage chamber S. Heating section 20 and projecting section 18 are added. Has a configuration in which a second heating unit 24 for.

  Accordingly, when the liquid 5 is ejected, the ejection nozzle mounting section 9 is heated by the first heating section 20 and the protruding section 18 is further heated by the second heating section 24 to adjust the temperature of the liquid 5 to an appropriate temperature. Can be. Therefore, even when the discharge target portion includes a narrow portion, the liquid 5 whose temperature has been appropriately adjusted can be discharged in a favorable state.

  The liquid discharge device of the present invention has an effect that even when the discharge target portion includes a narrow portion, it is possible to discharge the liquid whose temperature is appropriately adjusted in a good state, and to discharge the liquid in the storage chamber. It is useful in the field of discharging liquid by pressurization.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 liquid discharge device 2 liquid supply section 3 discharge head 4 tank 5 liquid 8 base section 9 discharge nozzle mounting section 9c opening 10 head body section 11 pressurizing member 11b one end section 12 actuator 13 annular spring 14 actuator control section 15 drive section 16 Spacer 17 Nozzle member 18 Projecting part 19 Discharge nozzle 20 First heating part 21 Discharge flow path 22 Tubular member 23 Temperature sensor 24 Second heating part 27a Inlet part 28 Introductory path 28a Outlet part S Storage chamber

Claims (5)

A liquid ejection device that ejects a liquid by pressurizing the liquid,
A head body,
A pressure member mounted reciprocally on the head main body, one end of which is exposed from the head main body;
Wherein the instrumentation wear to the head body portion, the upper surface has a recess serving as a storage chamber facing the one end portion of the pressing member has a protrusion protruding downward in the lower face, either before Ki凹unit A discharge nozzle having a discharge flow path penetrating the lower end of the protrusion from
A drive unit that ejects liquid from the ejection flow path by changing the volume of the storage chamber by reciprocating the pressure member,
A first heating unit for heating the head body,
A second heating unit that heats the protrusion ,
A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: a cylindrical member having a notch extending in a protruding direction of the protruding portion on an outer peripheral portion of the protruding portion, wherein the second heating unit is mounted on the notch . A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the protrusion is provided on the protrusion,
The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature control unit that controls the second heating unit based on a temperature of the protrusion detected by the temperature sensor.   The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted on a front end side of the protruding portion with respect to the second heating unit. The liquid ejection device according to claim 3 , wherein the tubular member has better thermal conductivity than the protrusion. The discharge nozzle has a side surface, the lower surface, and the upper surface, the upper surface is mounted in close contact with the head main body, and an introduction flow path for introducing a liquid into the storage chamber and the protrusion from the bottom of the recess. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1, further comprising the discharge flow path penetrating a lower end of the liquid discharge device.

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