JP7006032B2 - Liquid discharge head, liquid discharge unit, liquid discharge device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid discharge head, a liquid discharge unit , and a device for discharging a liquid.

Some liquid discharge heads include a liquid supply member having a liquid supply flow path for supplying a liquid to a common liquid chamber of the head main body.

For example, a liquid supply flow path interposed between the ink tank and the head body is connected to the connecting path upper member and the connecting path lower member via an elastic member (seat packing), and the flow is in the direction along the nozzle surface. There is a structure in which the wall surface of the road portion is an elastic member (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-107633

By the way, in the liquid discharge head, a phenomenon occurs in which the pressure fluctuation propagates from the individual liquid chambers to the common liquid chamber as the liquid is discharged, and the discharge characteristics become unstable. Therefore, in general, a damper that absorbs and suppresses pressure fluctuations propagated in the common liquid chamber is arranged. In this case, it is preferable to suppress an increase in the number of parts due to the arrangement of dampers.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the number of parts due to the arrangement of dampers.

In order to solve the above problems, the liquid discharge head according to claim 1 of the present invention is
Multiple nozzles that discharge the liquid formed on the nozzle surface ,
A plurality of individual liquid chambers leading to each of the plurality of nozzles, and
A common liquid chamber that supplies the liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers,
A liquid supply member having a liquid supply flow path for supplying a liquid to the common liquid chamber, and the like.
The liquid supply member is at least
The first member including a part of the liquid supply flow path and
The second member including the gas chamber and
It includes an elastic member that is pressed between the first member and the second member and forms a part of the wall surface of the liquid supply flow path.
The first member includes a first flow path along the nozzle surface and a second flow path leading to the downstream side of the first flow path and along the plane perpendicular direction of the nozzle surface.
The second member includes a third flow path that leads to the upstream side of the first flow path and is along the plane perpendicular direction of the nozzle surface.
The gas chamber is configured to be arranged in the second member along the first flow path on the side opposite to the first flow path via the elastic member.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts due to the arrangement of dampers.

It is a perspective explanatory view of the liquid discharge head which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. Similarly, it is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view along the nozzle arrangement direction (common liquid chamber longitudinal direction). Similarly, it is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of a main part of a head main body part. It is sectional drawing which follows the nozzle arrangement direction (common liquid chamber longitudinal direction) of the liquid discharge head which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Similarly, it is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of the flow path portion along the direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction (the short side direction of a common liquid chamber). It is a perspective explanatory drawing of an example of a head main body part. It is sectional drawing which follows the direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction of the head main body part. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of a main part of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the main part along the nozzle arrangement direction of the head main body part. It is a perspective explanatory drawing of the liquid supply member in 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective explanatory view which saw the 1st member which is also a lower case from the upper surface side. Similarly, it is a perspective explanatory view which saw the 1st member from the lower surface side. It is also a plan explanatory view of the first member. Similarly, it is a perspective explanatory view of the state which the elastic member is arranged in the 1st member. Similarly, it is a plan view of the state where the elastic member is arranged in the first member. It is a perspective explanatory view which saw the 2nd member which is also an upper case from the 1st member side. It is also a cross-sectional explanatory view along the flow path arrangement direction of the vertical flow path portion connected to the head. It is sectional drawing of the main part along the nozzle arrangement direction (liquid chamber longitudinal direction) of the liquid discharge head which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a plane explanatory view of the main part of an example of the apparatus which discharges a liquid which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the main part side surface of the apparatus. It is a plane explanatory view of the main part of another example of the liquid discharge unit which concerns on this invention. It is a front explanatory view of still another example of the liquid discharge unit which concerns on this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The liquid discharge head according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view of the liquid discharge head, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view along the nozzle arrangement direction (common liquid chamber longitudinal direction), and FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of a main part of the head main body portion.

This liquid discharge head has a head main body 100 having a nozzle surface 1a on which a nozzle 4 for discharging liquid is formed, and a liquid supply flow path 201 that supplies liquid through a common liquid chamber 10 in the head main body 100. The liquid supply member 200 is provided.

As shown in the outline in FIG. 3, the head main body 100 includes a nozzle plate 1 on which a nozzle 4 is formed, an actuator substrate 20 including an individual flow path and a pressure generating means, and a common liquid chamber 10 forming a common liquid chamber 10. It includes a member 70 and a damper member 90 that forms the wall surface of the common liquid chamber 10. The side of the damper member 90 opposite to the common liquid chamber 10 is the damper chamber 95.

The common liquid chamber member 70 is provided with a connecting flow path 71 leading to the common liquid chamber 10, and the connecting flow path 71 leads to the liquid supply flow path 201 of the liquid supply member 200.

As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid supply member 200 includes a first member 211 on the head body 100 side, an elastic member 213, and a second member 212 fixed to the first member 211 via the elastic member 213. It is configured.

The second member 212 is provided with a vertical flow path 201A which is a flow path portion formed by a through hole penetrating in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the nozzle surface 1a constituting the liquid supply flow path 201. On the inlet side of the vertical flow path 201A, a connecting portion 214 connected to an external liquid storage means directly or via a supply tube is provided.

The first member 211 is provided with a vertical flow path 201C which is a second flow path formed by a through hole penetrating in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the nozzle surface 1a constituting the liquid supply flow path 201. Further, the first member 211 is provided with a horizontal flow path 201B which is a first flow path formed by a groove portion in a direction along the nozzle surface 1a communicating the vertical flow path 201C with the vertical flow path 201A of the second member 212. There is. The upstream side of the horizontal flow path 201B leads to the vertical flow path 201A, and the downstream side leads to the vertical flow path 201C.

The wall surface of the lateral flow path 201B of the first member 211 on the second member 212 side is formed of the elastic member 213. The portion forming the wall surface of the lateral flow path 201B of the elastic member 213 is the damper 209. Further, the elastic member 213 is formed with a flow path 201D formed by a through hole through the vertical flow path 201A of the second member 212 and the horizontal flow path 201B of the first member 211. The elastic member 213 also serves as a sealing member for sealing between the first member 211 and the second member 212 by using a sheet-shaped packing.

Here, the elastic member 213 is sandwiched between the first member 211 and the second member 212, and the first member 211 and the second member 212 are fixed to each other by fixing members such as screws and bolts. As a result, it is pressed between the first member 211 and the second member 212.

Further, the second member 212 is provided with a gas chamber 215 as a damper chamber on the side opposite to the lateral flow path 201B of the first member 211 via the damper 209 portion of the elastic member 213.

With this configuration, part of the pressure fluctuations propagated to the common liquid chamber 10 due to the liquid discharge but not absorbed by the damper member 90 propagates into the liquid supply flow path 201, and the lateral flow path 201B. It is absorbed or suppressed by the damper 209 of the elastic member 213 forming the wall surface of the above.

Therefore, the pressure fluctuation can be absorbed or suppressed more than the case where the damper member 90 is only provided in the common liquid chamber 10, and stable liquid discharge can be performed.

Moreover, the elastic member 213 also serves as a sealing member that seals between the first member 211 and the second member 212, and a damper that forms a wall surface of a part (flow path portion) of the liquid supply flow path 201. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts due to the arrangement of dampers.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view along the nozzle arrangement direction (common liquid chamber longitudinal direction) of the liquid discharge head according to the same embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flow along a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction (common liquid chamber lateral direction). It is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of a road part.

In the present embodiment, the thickness t1 of the damper 209 of the portion forming the wall surface of the lateral flow path 201B of the elastic member 213 is made thinner than the thickness t2 of the other portion.

As a result, while the elastic member 213 reliably seals between the first member 211 and the second member 212, the lateral flow path 201B enables a larger displacement and improves the damper function.

Here, an example of the head main body portion will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view of the head main body, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional explanatory view along a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction of the head main body, FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of a main part of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is the same. It is sectional drawing of the main part along the nozzle arrangement direction of a head main body part.

The head body 100 is common to the nozzle plate 1, the flow path plate 2, the diaphragm 3 which is a wall surface member, the piezoelectric element 11 which is a pressure generating element, the holding substrate 50, and the wiring member 60 such as an FPC. It includes a liquid chamber member 70 and a cover member 45.

Here, the portion composed of the flow path plate 2, the diaphragm 3, and the piezoelectric element 11 is the actuator substrate 20.

A plurality of nozzles 4 for discharging liquid are formed on the nozzle plate 1. Here, the nozzle row in which the nozzles 4 are arranged is arranged in four rows.

The flow path plate 2, together with the nozzle plate 1 and the diaphragm 3, forms an individual liquid chamber 6 through which the nozzle 4 communicates, a fluid resistance portion 7 through which the individual liquid chamber 6 communicates, and a liquid introduction portion 8 through which the fluid resistance portion 7 communicates. ..

The liquid introduction portion 8 leads to the common liquid chamber 10 formed by the common liquid chamber member 70 via the opening 9 of the diaphragm 3 and the opening 51 which is a flow path of the holding substrate 50.

The diaphragm 3 forms a deformable vibration region 30 that forms a part of the wall surface of the individual liquid chamber 6. A piezoelectric element 11 is provided integrally with the vibration region 30 on the surface of the vibration plate 3 opposite to the individual liquid chamber 6, and the vibration region 30 and the piezoelectric element 11 form a piezoelectric actuator. There is.

The piezoelectric element 11 is configured by sequentially laminating and forming a lower electrode 13, a piezoelectric layer (piezoelectric body) 12 and an upper electrode 14 from the vibration region 30 side. An insulating film 21 is formed on the piezoelectric element 11.

The lower electrode 13, which is a common electrode of the plurality of piezoelectric elements 11, is connected to the common electrode power supply wiring pattern 28 via the common wiring 15. The lower electrode 13 is one electrode layer formed across all the piezoelectric elements 11 in the nozzle arrangement direction.

Further, the upper electrode 14 which is an individual electrode of the piezoelectric element 11 is connected to a drive IC (hereinafter, referred to as “driver IC”) 500 which is a drive circuit unit via the individual wiring 16. The individual wiring 16 and the like are covered with the insulating film 22.

The driver IC 500 is mounted on the actuator substrate 20 by a method such as flip chip bonding so as to cover the area between the rows of the piezoelectric element rows.

The driver IC 500 mounted on the actuator board 20 is connected to the individual electrode power supply wiring pattern 29 to which the drive waveform (drive signal) is supplied.

The wiring provided on the wiring member 60 is electrically connected to the driver IC 500, and the other end side of the wiring member 60 is connected to the control unit on the device main body side.

A holding substrate 50 covering the piezoelectric element 11 on the actuator substrate 20 is bonded to the diaphragm 3 side of the actuator substrate 20 with an adhesive.

The holding substrate 50 is provided with an opening 51 that is a part of the flow path passing through the common liquid chamber 10 and the individual liquid chamber 6 side, a recess 52 that accommodates the piezoelectric element 11, and an opening 53 that accommodates the driver IC 500. Has been done. The opening 51 is a slit-shaped through hole extending in the nozzle arrangement direction, and here constitutes a part of the common liquid chamber 10.

The holding substrate 50 is interposed between the actuator substrate 20 and the common liquid chamber member 70, and forms a part of the wall surface of the common liquid chamber 10.

The common liquid chamber member 70 forms a common liquid chamber 10 that supplies a liquid to each individual liquid chamber 6. The common liquid chamber 10 is provided corresponding to each of the four nozzle rows. Further, the liquid of a required color is supplied to the common liquid chamber 10 via the connecting flow path 71 communicating with the liquid supply member 200.

A damper member 90 is joined to the common liquid chamber member 70. The damper member 90 has a deformable damper 91 that forms a partial wall surface of the common liquid chamber 10, and a damper plate 92 that reinforces the damper 91.

The common liquid chamber member 70 is bonded to the outer peripheral portion of the nozzle plate 1 and the holding substrate 50 with an adhesive, and accommodates the actuator substrate 20 and the holding substrate 50 to form a frame of this head.

A cover member 45 that covers a peripheral portion of the nozzle plate 1 and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the common liquid chamber member 70 is provided.

In the head body 100, by applying a voltage between the upper electrode 14 and the lower electrode 13 of the piezoelectric element 11 from the driver IC 500, the piezoelectric layer 12 expands in the electrode stacking direction, that is, in the electric field direction, and becomes a vibration region 30. It contracts in parallel directions. As a result, tensile stress is generated on the lower electrode 13 side of the vibration region 30, the vibration region 30 bends toward the individual liquid chamber 6, and the liquid inside is pressurized, so that the liquid is discharged from the nozzle 4.

Next, the liquid supply member according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 17. 10 is a perspective explanatory view of the liquid supply member, FIG. 11 is a perspective explanatory view of the first member, which is a lower case, as viewed from the upper surface side, and FIG. 12 is a perspective explanatory view of the first member as viewed from the lower surface side. 13 is also a plan explanatory view of the first member. FIG. 14 is a perspective explanatory view in a state where the elastic member is arranged on the first member, and FIG. 15 is a plan explanatory view in a state where the elastic member is also arranged on the first member. FIG. 16 is a perspective explanatory view of the second member, which is the upper case, as viewed from the first member side. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional explanatory view on the surface S of FIG. 10 along the flow path arrangement direction of the vertical flow path portion that is also connected to the head.

On the upper surface of the first member 211, horizontal flow paths 201B, which are a plurality of (here, four) flow path portions, are formed so as to crawl in the plane. The lateral flow path 201B has a bent portion 201Ba in which the direction of the liquid flow changes in the middle of the flow path in the direction along the nozzle surface.

In the plurality of transverse channels 201B, convex ribs 216 are formed on the peripheral edge of each transverse channel 201B so as to surround the contour of the transverse channels 201B.

Further, one end of the horizontal flow path 201B of the first member 211 is arranged at a narrow pitch so as to communicate with the connecting flow path 71 of the head main body 100, and the vertical flow path 201C leading to the horizontal flow path 201B is arranged. ..

On the other hand, the other end of the horizontal flow path 201B is crawled with a wide distance between the horizontal flow paths 201B so as to meet the position communicating with the outlet of the vertical flow path 201A of the second member 212 which is the upper case. ..

Then, the packing 213A, which is a sheet-shaped elastic member, is arranged so as to straddle the plurality of lateral flow paths 201B of the first member 211. The packing 213A forms the wall surface of a plurality of lateral flow paths 201B including the bent portion 201Ba. By covering the plurality of lateral flow paths 201B with one packing 213A, when the bent portion 201Ba is provided, the entire lateral flow path 201B including the bent portion 201B can be easily covered.

In the packing 213A, a flow path 201D formed of a through hole for communicating the vertical flow path 201A and the horizontal flow path 201B of the second member 212 is arranged at a wide pitch.

The minimum size of the packing 213A is a size that can be arranged so that the rib 216 formed on the contour of one lateral flow path 201B is hidden. Instead of one sheet-shaped packing 213A, a plurality of packings covering each lateral flow path 201B may be arranged.

A vertical flow path 201A is formed in the second member 212, and a rib 217 is formed on the surface of the vertical flow path 201A on the packing 213A side so as to surround the periphery of the vertical flow path 201A (surrounding the peripheral edge portion). Further, the second member 212 is formed with a recess which becomes a gas chamber 215 in an inverted shape of the lateral flow path 201B, and a rib 217 is formed so as to surround the periphery of the gas chamber 215 (surrounding the peripheral edge portion).

As a result, the packing 213A is sandwiched between the rib 216 of the first member 211 and the rib 217 of the second member 212 and crushed, and the space between the first member 211 and the second member 212 is reliably sealed.

In the liquid supply member 200 configured in this way, the first member 211 and the second member 212 are fixed by the fastening member while sandwiching the packing 213A, so that the state shown in FIG. 10 is obtained. At this time, the ribs 216 of the first member 211 and the ribs 217 of the second member 212 crush the packing 213A, which is an elastic member, by a specified amount to seal the packing 213A, and seal the lateral flow path 201B so as to partition each of them.

As a result, the wall surface of the lateral flow path 201B on the second member 212 side is formed of the packing 213A which is an elastic member.

Therefore, excessive pressure, pressure propagation, and the like existing in the lateral flow path 201B are absorbed by the deformation of the packing 213A as the elastic wall surface. In this case, without the gas chamber 215, the deformation of the packing 213A is suppressed by the second member 212, and the damper effect cannot be exhibited.

In each of the above embodiments, the example in which a part of the liquid supply path is formed in the second member is described, but the second member may be a member in which the flow path serving as the liquid supply path is not formed. can.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a main part along the nozzle arrangement direction (liquid chamber longitudinal direction) of the liquid discharge head according to the same embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the common liquid chamber member 70 forming the common liquid chamber 10 for supplying the liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles 4 for discharging the liquid, and the liquid for supplying the liquid to the common liquid chamber 10. It has a liquid supply member 75 that forms a supply flow path 71.

Further, it has an elastic member 313 that is pressed between the common liquid chamber member 70 and the liquid supply member 75 and forms a part of the wall surface of the common liquid chamber 10, and the common liquid chamber 10 is provided via the elastic member 313. It has a gas chamber 95 on the opposite side.

In this way, the elastic member 313 also serves as a seal member that seals between the common liquid chamber member 70 and the liquid supply member 75, and a damper that forms a part of the wall surface of the common liquid chamber 10. It is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts due to the arrangement of.

Next, an example of the device for discharging the liquid according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20. FIG. 19 is an explanatory plan view of a main part of the device, and FIG. 20 is an explanatory view of a side surface of the main part of the device.

This device is a serial type device, and the carriage 403 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction by the main scanning moving mechanism 493. The main scanning movement mechanism 493 includes a guide member 401, a main scanning motor 405, a timing belt 408, and the like. The guide member 401 is bridged over the left and right side plates 491A and 491B to movably hold the carriage 403. Then, the carriage 403 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction by the main scanning motor 405 via the timing belt 408 bridged between the drive pulley 406 and the driven pulley 407.

The carriage 403 is equipped with a liquid discharge unit 440 in which the liquid discharge head 404 and the head tank 441 according to the present invention are integrated. The liquid discharge head 404 of the liquid discharge unit 440 discharges, for example, liquids of each color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K). Further, the liquid discharge head 404 is mounted by arranging a nozzle row composed of a plurality of nozzles in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction and facing the discharge direction downward.

The liquid stored in the liquid cartridge 450 is supplied to the head tank 441 by the supply mechanism 494 for supplying the liquid stored outside the liquid discharge head 404 to the liquid discharge head 404.

The supply mechanism 494 includes a cartridge holder 451 which is a filling part for mounting the liquid cartridge 450, a tube 456, a liquid feeding unit 452 including a liquid feeding pump, and the like. The liquid cartridge 450 is detachably attached to the cartridge holder 451. Liquid is delivered from the liquid cartridge 450 to the head tank 441 by the liquid feeding unit 452 via the tube 456.

This device includes a transport mechanism 495 for transporting the paper 410. The transport mechanism 495 includes a transport belt 412, which is a transport means, and a sub-scanning motor 416 for driving the transport belt 412.

The transport belt 412 attracts the paper 410 and transports it at a position facing the liquid discharge head 404. The transport belt 412 is an endless belt, and is hung between the transport roller 413 and the tension roller 414. Adsorption can be performed by electrostatic adsorption, air suction, or the like.

Then, the transport belt 412 orbits in the sub-scanning direction by rotationally driving the transport roller 413 via the timing belt 417 and the timing pulley 418 by the sub-scanning motor 416.

Further, on one side of the carriage 403 in the main scanning direction, a maintenance / recovery mechanism 420 for maintaining / recovering the liquid discharge head 404 is arranged on the side of the transport belt 412.

The maintenance / recovery mechanism 420 is composed of, for example, a cap member 421 that caps the nozzle surface (the surface on which the nozzle is formed) of the liquid discharge head 404, a wiper member 422 that wipes the nozzle surface, and the like.

The main scanning movement mechanism 493, the supply mechanism 494, the maintenance / recovery mechanism 420, and the transport mechanism 495 are attached to a housing including the side plates 491A and 491B and the back plate 491C.

In this apparatus configured in this way, the paper 410 is fed onto the transport belt 412 and sucked, and the paper 410 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by the circumferential movement of the conveyor belt 412.

Therefore, by driving the liquid ejection head 404 in response to the image signal while moving the carriage 403 in the main scanning direction, the liquid is ejected onto the stopped paper 410 to form an image.

As described above, since this device includes the liquid discharge head according to the present invention, it is possible to stably form a high-quality image.

Next, another example of the liquid discharge unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 21 is an explanatory plan view of a main part of the unit.

This liquid discharge unit includes a housing portion composed of side plates 491A, 491B and a back plate 491C, a main scanning movement mechanism 493, a carriage 403, and a liquid among the members constituting the device for discharging the liquid. It is composed of a discharge head 404.

It should be noted that a liquid discharge unit may be configured in which at least one of the above-mentioned maintenance / recovery mechanism 420 and the supply mechanism 494 is further attached to, for example, the side plate 491B of the liquid discharge unit.

Next, still another example of the liquid discharge unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 22. FIG. 22 is a front explanatory view of the unit.

This liquid discharge unit includes a liquid discharge head 404 to which a flow path component 444, which is a liquid supply member, is attached, and a tube 456 connected to the flow path component 444.

The flow path component 444 is arranged inside the cover 442. A head tank 441 may be included instead of the flow path component 444. Further, a connector 443 that electrically connects to the liquid discharge head 404 is provided on the upper part of the flow path component 444.

In the present application, the liquid to be discharged may have a viscosity and surface tension that can be discharged from the head, and is not particularly limited, but the viscosity becomes 30 mPa · s or less at room temperature, under normal pressure, or by heating or cooling. It is preferable that it is a thing. More specifically, solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, polymerizable compounds, resins, functionalizing materials such as surfactants, biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids and proteins, and calcium. , Solvents, suspensions, emulsions, etc. containing edible materials such as natural pigments, such as inks for inkjets, surface treatment liquids, components of electronic and light emitting elements, and formation of electronic circuit resist patterns. It can be used in applications such as liquids and material liquids for three-dimensional modeling.

Piezoelectric actuators (laminated piezoelectric elements and thin-film piezoelectric elements), thermal actuators that use electric heat conversion elements such as heat-generating resistors, and electrostatic actuators that consist of a vibrating plate and counter electrodes are used as energy sources for discharging liquid. Includes what to do.

The "liquid discharge unit" is a liquid discharge head integrated with functional parts and a mechanism, and includes a collection of parts related to liquid discharge. For example, the "liquid discharge unit" includes a head tank, a carriage, a supply mechanism, a maintenance / recovery mechanism, a main scanning movement mechanism in which at least one of the configurations is combined with a liquid discharge head, and the like.

Here, the term "integration" means, for example, a liquid discharge head and a functional component, a mechanism in which the mechanism is fixed to each other by fastening, bonding, engagement, etc., or one in which one is movably held with respect to the other. include. Further, the liquid discharge head, the functional component, and the mechanism may be configured to be detachable from each other.

For example, as a liquid discharge unit, there is a unit in which a liquid discharge head and a head tank are integrated. In some cases, the liquid discharge head and the head tank are integrated by being connected to each other by a tube or the like. Here, a unit including a filter can be added between the head tank of these liquid discharge units and the liquid discharge head.

Further, as a liquid discharge unit, there is a unit in which a liquid discharge head and a carriage are integrated.

Further, there is a liquid discharge unit in which the liquid discharge head and the scanning movement mechanism are integrated by holding the liquid discharge head movably by a guide member constituting a part of the scanning movement mechanism. In some cases, the liquid discharge head, the carriage, and the main scanning movement mechanism are integrated.

Further, as a liquid discharge unit, there is a carriage to which a liquid discharge head is attached, in which a cap member which is a part of the maintenance / recovery mechanism is fixed, and the liquid discharge head, the carriage, and the maintenance / recovery mechanism are integrated. ..

Further, as a liquid discharge unit, there is a liquid discharge unit in which a tube is connected to a head tank or a liquid discharge head to which a flow path component is attached, and the liquid discharge head and a supply mechanism are integrated. The liquid of the liquid storage source is supplied to the liquid discharge head through this tube.

The main scanning movement mechanism shall include a single guide member. Further, the supply mechanism includes a single tube and a single loading unit.

The "device for discharging a liquid" includes a device provided with a liquid discharge head or a liquid discharge unit and driving the liquid discharge head to discharge the liquid. The device for discharging a liquid includes not only a device capable of discharging a liquid to a device to which the liquid can adhere, but also a device for discharging the liquid into the air or into the liquid.

The "device for discharging the liquid" can also include means for feeding, transporting, and discharging paper to which the liquid can adhere, as well as a pretreatment device, a posttreatment device, and the like.

For example, as a "device that ejects a liquid", an image forming device that is a device that ejects ink to form an image on paper, and a three-dimensional object (three-dimensional object) are formed in layers in order to form a three-dimensional object. There is a three-dimensional modeling device (three-dimensional modeling device) that discharges the modeling liquid into the powder layer.

Further, the "device for discharging a liquid" is not limited to a device in which a significant image such as characters and figures is visualized by the discharged liquid. For example, those that form patterns that have no meaning in themselves and those that form a three-dimensional image are also included.

The above-mentioned "thing to which a liquid can adhere" means a material to which a liquid can adhere at least temporarily, such as a material to which the liquid adheres and adheres, and a material to which the liquid adheres and permeates. Specific examples include paper, recording paper, recording paper, film, recorded media such as cloth, electronic substrates, electronic components such as piezoelectric elements, powder layers (powder layers), organ models, and media such as inspection cells. Yes, and includes everything to which the liquid adheres, unless otherwise specified.

The material of the above-mentioned "material to which a liquid can adhere" may be paper, thread, fiber, cloth, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics or the like as long as the liquid can adhere even temporarily.

Further, the "device for discharging the liquid" includes, but is not limited to, a device in which the liquid discharge head and the device to which the liquid can adhere move relatively. Specific examples include a serial type device that moves the liquid discharge head, a line type device that does not move the liquid discharge head, and the like.

In addition, as a "device for ejecting a liquid", a treatment liquid coating device for ejecting a treatment liquid to the paper in order to apply the treatment liquid to the surface of the paper for the purpose of modifying the surface of the paper, etc. There is an injection granulation device that granulates fine particles of raw materials by injecting a composition liquid in which raw materials are dispersed in a solution through a nozzle.

In addition, in the term of this application, image formation, recording, printing, printing, printing, modeling, etc. are all synonymous.

1 Nozzle plate 2 Flow plate 3 Diaphragm 4 Nozzle 10 Common liquid chamber 20 Actuator board 100 Head body 200 Liquid supply member 201 Liquid supply flow path 211 First member 212 Second member 213 Elastic member 213A Packing 215 Gas chamber 403 Carriage 404 Liquid discharge head 440 Liquid discharge unit

Claims (15)

Multiple nozzles that discharge the liquid formed on the nozzle surface ,
A plurality of individual liquid chambers leading to each of the plurality of nozzles, and
A common liquid chamber that supplies the liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers,
A liquid supply member having a liquid supply flow path for supplying a liquid to the common liquid chamber, and the like.
The liquid supply member is at least
The first member including a part of the liquid supply flow path and
The second member including the gas chamber and
It includes an elastic member that is pressed between the first member and the second member and forms a part of the wall surface of the liquid supply flow path.
The first member includes a first flow path along the nozzle surface and a second flow path leading to the downstream side of the first flow path and along the plane perpendicular direction of the nozzle surface.
The second member includes a third flow path that leads to the upstream side of the first flow path and is along the plane perpendicular direction of the nozzle surface.
The liquid discharge head is characterized in that the gas chamber is arranged in the second member along the first flow path on the side opposite to the first flow path via the elastic member. The second flow path faces the portion where the elastic member faces the gas chamber.
The liquid discharge head according to claim 1. The first member is provided with a rib surrounding the first flow path at the peripheral edge of the first flow path.
The liquid discharge head according to claim 1 or 2 . The second member is provided with a rib surrounding the gas chamber at the peripheral edge of the gas chamber.
The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The first member is provided with a rib surrounding the first flow path at the peripheral edge of the first flow path.
The second member is provided with a rib surrounding the gas chamber at the peripheral edge of the gas chamber.
The elastic member is sandwiched between the rib of the first member and the rib of the second member.
The liquid discharge head according to claim 1 or 2 . The elastic member is sandwiched between the rib of the first member and the rib of the second member and crushed.
The liquid discharge head according to claim 5 . The gas chamber has an inverted shape of the first flow path.
The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a damper forming a wall surface of the common liquid chamber. One of claims 1 to 8, wherein the elastic member has a different thickness between a portion forming a wall surface of the liquid supply flow path and a portion not forming a wall surface of the liquid supply flow path. The liquid discharge head described in. The liquid discharge according to claim 9, wherein the elastic member has a thickness of a portion forming a wall surface of the liquid supply flow path thinner than a thickness of a portion not forming a wall surface of the liquid supply flow path. head. The liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first flow path has a bent portion in the middle of the flow path in the direction along the nozzle surface, in which the direction of the flow of the liquid changes. Discharge head. A plurality of the liquid supply channels are provided, and the liquid supply flow path is provided.
The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the elastic member is a single sheet-like member and is arranged so as to straddle the plurality of liquid supply flow paths. A liquid discharge unit comprising the liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 12 . A head tank that stores the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head, a carriage on which the liquid discharge head is mounted, a supply mechanism that supplies the liquid to the liquid discharge head, a maintenance / recovery mechanism that maintains and recovers the liquid discharge head, and the liquid. The liquid discharge unit according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the main scanning moving mechanisms for moving the discharge head in the main scanning direction is integrated with the liquid discharge head . A device for discharging a liquid, comprising the liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 12 or the liquid discharge unit according to claim 13 or 14 .

Images