JPH02141242A - Ink-jet recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To stick an orifice plate fast onto an opening disposing surface, to prevent the generation of a clearance and the creeping of adhesives and to improve reliability in ink discharge by joining the orifice plate with tension working on the orifice plate. CONSTITUTION:The cover 5 of an ink-liquid path wall and a substrate 1 are eliminated through cutting work up to specified depth while leaving one part consisting the ink liquid path of the periphery of an orifice, thus forming surfaces 5A, 1A. On the other hand, an orifice plate 8 to which the orifice is machined is stuck previously to a metallic sheet 9 having an area wider than the orifice peripheral section not cut of the recording head by adhesives. The orifices of the orifice plate 8 and the openings of a laminate are positioned, and the integral article of the orifice plate 8 and the sheet 9 is bonded with the surfaces 1A and 5A after the cutting and removal of the recording head. Accordingly, the orifice plate 8 is fast stuck to the opening disposing surface of the head with tension applied to the orifice plate 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording head, and more specifically, an inkjet recording head having an ejection opening forming member (hereinafter referred to as an orifice plate) in which an ejection opening for ejecting ink is formed. Regarding the head.

[Prior Art] Generally, the above-mentioned inkjet recording head is
Recording is performed by ejecting ink droplets from an ejection port and adhering the ejected ink droplets to a recording material, and the configuration is usually such that the ejection port for ejecting the ink droplets (
orifice), an ink channel that communicates with each orifice and is provided with an ejection energy generating element for forming flying droplets, and an ink channel that communicates with each ink channel and stores ink to be supplied to these channels. It consists of a liquid chamber.

For example, such a recording head performs recording while being fixed on a carriage that can relatively scan the recording material.

An example of the structure of the recording head described above and its manufacturing method is as follows.
This will be explained below with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 3 (8), a substrate 1 made of glass or the like on which the ejection energy generating element 2 is disposed is placed.
), an ink channel wall 3 and an outer frame 4 made of a cured film of photosensitive resin are formed, and an ink channel wall cover 5 with a filter 7 adhered to the ink supply hole 6 in advance is laminated thereon. . This laminate is cut and divided along a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction including the c-c' line, which is determined as an appropriate position to optimize the distance between the ink ejection opening (orifice) and the ejection energy generating element 2.

Thereafter, the orifice plate 8 is joined to the above-mentioned cut surface as shown in FIG. 3(C). The orifice plate is constructed for the purpose of preventing the deflection of the ink ejection direction caused by the difference in wettability of the laminated members as described above. Is the surface ink repellent? e. Manufactured by continuously drilling orifices in a multi-layered film with a covering layer and an adhesive layer on the other side.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, there are the following problems in joining the orifice plate and the recording head.

That is, when joining the orifice boot to the recording head, the adhesive tends to get wrapped around the ink liquid path.
There is a problem in that the manufacturing yield is reduced due to this manufacturing defect.

On the other hand, if the adhesive layer around the orifice is removed in advance to prevent the adhesive from flowing into the ink liquid path, a gap will be created between the orifice plate and the surface where the opening of the recording head is disposed. There is a problem in that the accumulation of ink in the gaps causes negative effects such as pulling the ejected ink droplets, making ink ejection unstable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to bond the orifice plate under tension to bring it into close contact with the surface where the opening is provided, thereby preventing the adhesive from getting around and filling the gap. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inkjet recording head that prevents the occurrence of such problems and is reliable in ejecting ink.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To this end, the present invention provides an ejection energy generating element that generates energy used to eject ink, a liquid path provided corresponding to the generating element, and a liquid path that communicates with the liquid path. An inkjet recording head comprising: an opening for discharging ink; and an ejection opening forming member having an ejection opening for ejecting ink provided corresponding to the opening and joined to an opening arrangement surface on which the opening is disposed, The discharge port forming member is characterized in that it is joined to the opening arrangement surface while tension is applied to the discharge port forming member.

[Function] According to the above configuration, the close contact between the opening arrangement surface and the orifice plate is improved.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A to 1D are schematic perspective views showing the manufacturing process of an inkjet recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention, and as shown in FIG. On the substrate 1 on which the generating element 2 is arranged,
), an ink channel wall 3 and an outer frame 4 made of a cured photosensitive resin film are formed, and a cover 5 for the ink channel wall with a filter 7 adhered to the ink supply hole 6 in advance is laminated thereon. This laminate is cut and divided along the line cc' in order to optimize the distance between the ink ejection ports and the ink ejection energy generating elements 2.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1(C), the ink channel wall wall 5 and the substrate 1 are cut to a predetermined depth with, for example, a diamond cutting wheel, leaving a part of the ink channel at the periphery of the orifice. Delete by processing.

On the other hand, the orifice plate 8 on which the orifice has been machined is previously attached with adhesive to a thin metal plate 9 having a larger area than the uncut orifice peripheral portion of the recording head.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1(D), after aligning the orifice of the orifice plate 8 and the opening of the laminated body of the integrated body of the orifice plate 8 and the thin plate 9, the surface IA of the recording head after cutting is removed. and glue on the inscription. As a result, the orifice plate 8 comes into close contact with the opening surface of the head under tension.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic enlarged view of the recording head seen from the side in the above embodiment.

Specific examples will be given below based on this figure.

(Specific Example 1) The tip of the recording head manufactured in the steps of FIG. 1 (8) and (B) is a-0, 2+nm, b-1. oa++++, c
-0.2 mm. Orifice plate 8 is 0.01mmJ! A PET film with continuous orifices perforated in j is used, and the holding plate 9 has a diameter of 0.1 m.
An etching plate made of SO5 plate with a thickness of m was used.

(Specific Example 2) The tips of the recording heads manufactured in the steps shown in FIGS. 1(A) and (B) are a-0, 15 mm, b-2, flmm, c-
It was processed to have a thickness of 0.2 mm. The orifice plate 8 is made of a 0.025n+m thick PET film with orifices continuously drilled, and the holding plate 9 is made of 0.025n+m thick PET film.
An etching plate made of SO3 plate with a thickness of 1 mm was used.

(Specific Example 3) The tips of the recording heads manufactured in the steps of FIGS. 1A and 1B are a-0, 15 mm, b-2, 0 mm, c-0,
It was processed to have a thickness of 2 mm. The orifice plate 8 is made of a 0.05+nm thick PET film with continuous orifices, and the holding plate 9 is a 0.2mm thick S.
An O5 etching plate was used.

(Comparative example) The tips of the recording heads manufactured in the steps of FIGS. 1(A) and (B) are a-0.5 mm, b-1, On+m, c-0,
It was processed to be 2o+m. The orifice plate is made of 0.01mm+ thick PET film with orifices continuously drilled, and the holding plate is made of 0.2mm thick PET film.
An etching plate of US plate was used.

For the recording head configurations of Specific Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example, samples of 10 heads each were prepared, actual recording was performed, and the recording results were evaluated.Table 1 shows the results.

Table 1 The inventors further varied the dimensions a to C shown in FIG. 2 and evaluated films of various thicknesses and materials.

The evaluation method is not based on the evaluation of the recording results, but based on the fact that the presence or absence of ink bleeding that occurs between the orifice plate film between adjacent orifices and the opening surface of the head corresponds to the recording results. Ink was injected into the ink channel of the head and the presence or absence of ink bleed was examined to obtain a dimensional relationship free of ink bleed.

As a result, the film thickness of the orifice plate o, 05m
m or less resin film, a≦0.2 mm, b
When /c=5 to lO, the adhesion between the film and the ejection port surface at the tip of the head is good, and no ink bleed occurs.

However, when setting dimension a, the height of the ink liquid path,
Considering the remaining thickness of the substrate and the remaining thickness of the liquid path cover,
Set the dimensions to be as small as possible.

As is clear from the results of Table 1 and the evaluation method described above, by appropriately determining dimensions a, b, and C, appropriate tension is generated in the orifice plate, and good adhesion between the orifice plate and the opening surface is achieved. Make it.

In addition, in the above embodiment, after the orifice was machined on the orifice plate, the orifice was brought into close contact with the frontage installation surface, but after the orifice was brought into close contact with the orifice plate, the orifice was machined while aligning with the ink liquid path. You may also do so. This makes the position of the ink liquid path and orifice more accurate.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the close contact between the discharge port surface and the orifice plate is improved.

This eliminates the need to use an adhesive for fixing the orifice plate around the discharge port periphery of the orifice plate, and also prevents a gap from forming between the opening arrangement surface and the orifice plate.

As a result, the adhesive does not sneak into the ink passage, and the manufacturing yield of the head is dramatically improved.

Further, it is possible to prevent ink from accumulating in the gap between the ink and the orifice plate, which would deflect the ink ejection direction and adversely affect recording.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the manufacturing process of an ink jet recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the recording head shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an ink jet recording head. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sheet type showing a conventional example of the manufacturing process of. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Substrate, IA, 5A... Adhesive surface, 2... Ejection energy generating element, 3... Ink liquid path wall, 4... Outer frame, 5... Cover, 6...・Ink supply hole, 7... Filter 8... Orifice plate, 9... Orifice plate holding plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) An ejection energy generating element that generates energy used to eject ink, a liquid path provided corresponding to the generating element, and an opening communicating with the liquid path; an inkjet recording head comprising an ejection port forming member having an ejection port for ejecting ink provided corresponding to the aperture and joined to an aperture arrangement surface on which the aperture is disposed; An inkjet recording head characterized in that the outlet forming member is joined to the opening arrangement surface while tension is applied to the outlet forming member. 2) The opening arrangement surface has a convex shape, and the convex portion contacts the ink ejection port periphery of the ejection port forming member, and the ejection port forming member is fixed at other parts. 1. The inkjet recording head according to 1.