JPH02178050A - Ink jet recording head and ink jet recording device with head mounting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to carry out electrical connections with an optimal force and the positive positioning of a recording head in a single action by specifying the position of a center shaft at the center of a rotating section in parallel with a surface where a discharge aperture is provided and a surface where a connecting terminal is provided, and installing a positioning member between the discharge aperture and connecting terminal. CONSTITUTION:If a recording head is placed on a carriage 20, the guide pin 10b and bottom of the head 10 are guided by the guide surface 27h of the carriage 20 and a lock lever 20i, and moves in 'A' direction by the weight of the recording head 10. Next, if the guide pin 10 is engaged with wan engagement section 20b, the rear end of the recording head 10 is disengaged from the lock lever 20i and rotates in 'C' direction with the guide pin 10b as a rotating center. Consequently, a fixing hook 10g runs into the lock lever. In this case, the side of a rib 11 begins to engage with the internal surface 21a of a positioning member 21 for the carriage 20 when the recording head 10 is positioned. Thus, the positioning in 'x' direction takes place.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device, and more particularly, a recording head integrally provided with an ink tank for storing ink can be freely attached to and detached from a carriage as a mounting means. This is related to the configuration for mounting on.

[Prior Art] Some inkjet recording devices have an inkjet recording head (hereinafter referred to as a recording head) which is an integrated ink tank that stores ink as a recording medium and a recording head element that has a function of ejecting ink. It is known to use

When mounting such a recording head on the carriage of the recording device, it is necessary to accurately apply ink to the appropriate position on the recording paper and perform recording, and to properly connect the connection terminals for transmitting recording signals. Therefore, it was necessary to fix the recording head in an appropriate position and install it.

The methods of installing the recording head can be roughly divided into two methods: installing the ink cartridge from above or behind the carriage in parallel or rotating it, and inserting the recording head into the carriage from a specified direction and then operating a fixing lever. This method was to press and fix the recording head in an appropriate position.

For example, a configuration in which the recording head is mounted on a carriage from a predetermined direction and then fixed using a fixing lever requires a complicated configuration including the lever, and the There were problems in terms of operability, such as the need for two operations: insertion and lever operation.

Therefore, as an example of easy mounting, there is a configuration as shown in FIG. 7A. Reference numeral 101 denotes a recording head integrated with an ink tank, and has a connection terminal Iota having a plurality of electrical pads 111 on its bottom surface and an ink ejection port surface 101b of a recording head element 101c on its front surface. The carriage 102 is provided with a connection terminal 102a for transmitting a print signal to the print head. Here +02a is multiple electrical pads! It consists of +2. 104 is a guide shaft that guides the movement of the carriage 102. When the recording head is mounted from above the carriage in this way, it is very easy to attach and detach the recording head, but the connection terminals 101a and 1
Since the 02a do not rub against each other at all when the device is used, a connection failure may occur if a film of ink stains or foreign matter is present between the connection terminals. In addition, unused recording heads are provided with ultra-thin insulating protection to protect the connection terminals! j 1
If an attempt was made to adopt a configuration in which 2t is provided, such a mounting method would not have the effect of scraping off the protective film to ensure a secure connection, and could not be said to be the optimal method for connecting signal terminals.

When an unused recording head is mounted and used, it is necessary to immediately bring it into a state where it can properly eject ink using an ejection recovery device or the like. Therefore, the inventors of the present invention devised a method of attaching and detaching the print head at a home position, which is a print standby position of the print head, and preferably, protecting the ejection ports with a cap at the time when the mounting of the print head is completed.

FIG. 7B is an example based on the above example in which the recording head is mounted from the rear of the carriage. As in FIG. 7A, 101 is a recording head, and 102 is a carriage. Here, reference numeral 103 denotes an ejection recovery device equipped with a cap that protects the ejection ports of the print head and prevents ink from sticking. By inserting the recording head 101 from the rear of the carriage 102 in the direction of the arrow, the recording head 101 is capped at a fixed position, and the connection terminals 101a and 102a are connected correctly. It is. Silently, this method causes the connection terminals to rub one after another during installation. In particular, the electrode pad of the connection terminal of the recording head 1o1 on the ejection port side rubs against all the electrode beds of the carriage 102. Therefore, some or all of the terminals may be considerably damaged, making it impossible to transmit electrical signals and causing ejection failure.

Therefore, we also devised a method of rotating the recording head 101 as shown in FIG. You have to take it out and then put it on. This requires a large space in front of the carriage, but considering good ink ejection, it is desirable that the distance between the recording head and the recording paper is at most 3.0 mm or less, and it is difficult to adopt such a configuration. Further, even if the cap is mounted at the home position, it is inevitable that the cap will interfere with the cap, which may cause some inconvenience.

It is. In other words, when connecting the connection terminals, it is possible to make an electrical connection with the optimum force without damaging the terminals and also scraping off the protective film provided on the terminal surfaces by rubbing the terminals together. , the positioning of the recording head is ensured at the same time as the installation of the recording head is completed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with a recording head capable of performing one operation and a mounting means for the head.

[Means for Solving the Technical Problems] An object of the present invention is to improve the recording performance of an inkjet recording device, which includes an ejection port for ejecting ink and an energy generating means for generating energy for ejecting ink from the ejection port. A recording head that is detachable from a mounting means for mounting the head, and includes an electrical connection terminal provided on a surface where the ejection port is provided and a surface forming a specific angle with respect to the chain portion. , a center of rotation for attaching and detaching the recording head to and from the mounting means, and a central axis of the center of rotation is parallel to both the surface where the ejection port is provided and the surface where the connection terminal is provided. and its position is on the side opposite to the connection terminal with respect to the surface where the discharge port is provided, outside the range where the discharge port is provided, and closer to the connection terminal near the surface where the discharge port is provided. This is achieved by an inkjet recording head characterized in that the inkjet recording head has a positioning member provided between the ejection port and the connection terminal.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording head having an ejection port for ejecting ink and an energy generating means for generating energy for ejecting ink from the ejection port, the surface of which the ejection port is provided. , an electrical connection terminal provided on a surface forming a specific angle with respect to the chain portion, and a rotation center portion for attaching and detaching the recording head to and from the mounting means, the center axis of the rotation center portion; is parallel to both the surface where the discharge port is provided and the surface where the connection terminal is provided, and the location of the discharge port is on the side opposite to the connection terminal with respect to the surface where the discharge port is provided. The recording head is arranged such that the recording head is located on the ejection port side of the connection terminal which is outside the area where the ejection port is provided and is closer to the surface where the ejection port is provided, and further includes a positioning member provided between the ejection port and the connection terminal. The present invention is achieved by an inkjet recording apparatus characterized by comprising: a mounting means having a member that engages with the positioning member and on which the recording head is mounted.

[Example] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic external perspective view showing the main parts of the recording device. FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view of a recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom side, FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view of the recording head of this embodiment viewed from the bottom side, and FIG.
The figure is a schematic perspective view of the carriage according to this embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a schematic plan view of the carriage of this embodiment viewed from above.

First, in FIG. 1, a carriage 2 carrying a recording head 10 moves along a paper feed roller 60 while being guided by a guide shaft 40, and discharges ink toward the surface of recording paper P as a recording medium, and ink droplets adhere to the carriage 2. An image is formed and recorded.

30 is an ejection recovery device located at the home position of the carriage 20, which protects the ejection port by covering it, and is made of an elastic material such as rubber to prevent drying near the ejection port and prevent ink from sticking. It is composed of a cap 31 and a suction pump 33 that communicates with the cap 31 via an elastic tube 32.The pump 33 reduces the pressure inside the cap 31 and sucks ink and/or air from the discharge port, thereby adjusting the ink discharge state. can be made good.

The carriage 20 is at a home position, which is a non-recording position, except when the recording head 10 is recording.
The discharge port is protected by a cap 31. The configuration is such that the recording head 10 is always attached and detached at the home position.

Next, the configuration of the recording head 10 will be explained using FIGS. 2A and 2B. In these figures, the ink tank-integrated recording head 10 includes a recording head element 10C that uses an electrothermal converter (not shown) as an energy generating means for generating thermal energy as energy used to eject ink. It is provided. Piezo elements and the like are also used as energy generating means in such recording head elements, but the electrothermal transducer described above is preferable because it has a simple structure, lower manufacturing costs, and can achieve higher density. The configuration that was used is preferably used.

10a is a connection terminal for recording signals (electrical signals); 10b is a guide pin that fits into a carriage 2o (described later) and serves as the center of rotation of the recording head 1 when it is attached or detached; and the recording head element 10c has a plurality of ink ejection ports 10d. is provided at the front. MX = 35 m so that the connection end does not rise
It is provided in a portion 10f that is recessed inward by about 1 to 2 mm in a range of m width Y=10 mm. 10g is a fixing hook that engages with a claw portion of a carriage 20, which will be described later, to fix the recording head. 11 is the ink discharge port 10d and H! This is a rib serving as a positioning member provided substantially in a straight line with the connecting terminal 10b, and is positioned by engaging with a positioning member of a carriage 20, which will be described later.

Next, the configuration of the carriage 20 will be explained using FIGS. 3A and 3B. In these figures, 20a is a connection terminal that joins with the connection terminal 10a of the recording head 10, 20b is a fitting part that fits with the guide pin Job of the recording head 10,
20c is an elastic member that applies an appropriate pressure contact force (20 to 50 g per terminal) for joining the connecting terminals 10a and 20a;
Chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber, maltbrene, etc. are preferably used because they have optimal elastic modulus. Reference numeral 21 denotes a positioning member having a recessed portion for engaging with the positioning rib 11 of the recording head 10 for positioning. The insertion side of this positioning member has a tapered shape as shown in the figure.

A leaf spring 22 is provided to balance the contact force of the connection terminals 10a, 20a, and has a hop-up function when the recording head is removed, as will be described later.

23 is the recording head! 0 fixed hook 10g,
The recording head 10 is held fixed. Reference numeral 50 denotes a flexible cable for transmitting electrical signals from a recording control section (not shown) to the connection terminal 20a of the carriage.

A method of mounting the recording head in the configuration described above will be specifically described using FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C and 14D.

FIG. 4A shows a state in which mounting has started, FIG. 4B shows a first state in the middle of mounting, FIG. 4C shows a second state in the middle of mounting, and FIG. 4D shows a state when mounting is completed.

First, as shown in FIG. 4A, when placed on the carriage 20, the guide pin tab and bottom surface of the recording head 10 are guided by the guide surface 27h of the carriage 10 and the tip of the lock lever 20i. , when the guide pin 10b is fitted into the fitting portion 20b as shown in FIG. 4B, the rear end of the recording head 10 is disengaged from the lock lever 20i, and the guide pin t
It rotates in the C direction with ab as the rotation center, and the fixing hook 10g hits the lock lever as shown in FIG. 4C.

At this time, when positioning the recording head 10, the side surface 11a of the rib 11 (FIG. 2B) is aligned with the positioning member 2 of the carriage 20.
1 (FIG. 3B), and positioning in the X direction is performed.

Next, when the rear end of the recording head 10 is forcibly pushed down in the direction D, the ejection opening surface gradually comes into contact with the elastic part of the cap 31 from above as shown in FIG. 4C. 20a come into contact with each other one after another from the discharge port side, and finally, as shown in FIG. 4D, the fixing hook 10g catches on the claw part 23 of the lock lever 20i and is held fixed, and the connection terminals 10a and 20a are properly coupled electrically and mechanically. At this time, the discharge port is also reliably capped. At this time, the front surface flb of the positioning rib 11 of the recording head 10 and the positioning member 2 of the carriage 20
The inner diameter surface 21b of No. 1 abuts against the inner diameter surface 21b of No. 1, and positioning in the X direction is performed. (See Figures 2B and 3B) In the configuration that allows the above operations, the guide pin tab, that is, the center of rotation of the recording head, is located above the position corresponding to the cap and within the range in front of the connection terminal. , the front surface (that is, the ejection port surface) of the recording head element IOC, the cap 31, and the connection terminals 10a and 20a,
Each part is appropriately abutted or connected without interfering with other parts.

Further, when the recording head 10 is installed, the slight rubbing of the connection terminals against each other has the effect of scraping off foreign matter present on the terminal surfaces and ensuring a reliable electrical connection.

This situation is shown in Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, and 6A.
, will be explained using Figure 6B. Figures 5A to 5E are configuration diagrams showing how the connection terminals are joined, and Figures 6A and 6B are partially enlarged schematic diagrams of the electrode pads of the connection terminals, showing the state of starting contact and completion of connection. ing.

Electrode pad 1 of connection terminal 10a of recording head 10 of this example
3 is made of a metal lead frame, etc., and the contacts are flat. The electrode pad 24 of the connection terminal 20a of the carriage 20 is formed by plating the terminal on the flexible cable 50 into a hemispherical protrusion shape. In response to the mounting operation of the recording head, the electrode pads on the ejection port side first come into contact with each other from the state shown in FIG. 5A to the state shown in FIG. 5B, and the 50th
As shown in the figure, when moving from FIG. 5B to FIG. 5E, where the terminals come into contact one after another, the terminals rub against each other in a one-to-one ratio to maintain good electrical contact.

Further, the pressure contact force of the contact point is adjusted by the deformation of the elastic member 20c described above, and excess pressure contact force is absorbed to obtain an appropriate pressure contact force. When the mounting of the recording head is completed, as shown in FIG. 5E, the position of the connection terminal 20a is located lower than the position in FIG. 5A, and an upward pressing force is applied by the elastic member 20c. Such pressing force is balanced with the force exerted by the claw 23 of the carriage and the fitting portion 20b. Furthermore, the connection of the terminals will be explained in detail using FIGS. 6A and 6B. In Figures 6A and 6B, ■ indicates the contact position of the electrode pad 12 at the beginning of contact, and J indicates the electrode pad 1 in the final state.
3.24 contact positions are shown. Due to this contact displacement k, foreign matter adhering to the surface of the contact terminal is scraped off, resulting in a reliable electrical connection. In order to make the connection (k>O) as described above, the center of rotation is located at a predetermined distance from the tangent line 13-1 of the contact part of the electrode pad 13 of the recording head in the normal direction of the contact part. In addition, when the head 10 is mounted, the electric bat 24 of the carriage 20
It is necessary to configure (mho) such that it is displaced.

Next, a method for removing the recording head 10 will be explained.

First, when the lock lever 20i is moved by pressing in the EJ direction in FIG. 4D, the fixing hook 10g and the claw 23 are disengaged, and the fixation of the recording head 1O is released.

Then, the rear part of the recording head hops up due to the elastic force of the plate spring 22 provided to balance the pressure contact force of the connection terminals 10a, 20a, and can be easily taken out.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the ink ejection port 1
The 0d9 positioning rib 11 and the electrical connection terminal 10f are all provided on the recording head element 10c almost in a straight line, and it is easy to maintain the positional relationship of these three elements with high precision.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the above three elements are further provided on one end side of the recording head, and the cap is also arranged on the above straight line in the home position. According to this configuration, the positioning member of the carriage and the electrical connection terminal can be placed on one side, which is extremely advantageous in terms of mounting such as pulling out the flexible cable, and in the operation of mounting the recording head at the home position. Uncertain capping due to misalignment can be prevented, and the probability of damage to the recording head or cap due to the mounting operation of the recording head can be extremely reduced.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the recording head mounting method according to the present invention, the connection terminals are not damaged by strong rubbing, the recording head is not affected by external influences, and the recording head can be placed in the correct position relative to the carriage. can.

Furthermore, the ink ejection ports, the positioning member, and the electrical connection terminals of the head can be arranged in this order on a substantially straight line, and the positions of the ink ejection ports and the electrical connection terminals relative to the carriage can be determined with higher precision. The recording head can be easily and reliably attached and detached while positioning.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B are a schematic perspective view and a sectional view showing the structure of a recording head according to the present invention. FIGS. 3A and 3B are a schematic perspective view and a top view showing the structure of a carriage according to the present invention. FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are schematic diagrams showing the mounting operation of the recording head according to the present invention. FIG. 5E is a schematic diagram showing how connection terminals are connected according to the present invention. Figure 6A, Figure 6B are Figure 5A, Figure 5B, Figure 5C,
FIG. 5D is a schematic partially enlarged view of the connection terminal in FIGS. 5D and 5E. FIG. 7A is a schematic side view showing a conventional example of a recording head mounting operation. FIG. 7B is a schematic side view showing an example of the mounting operation of the recording head. FIG. 7C is a schematic side view showing an example of the mounting operation of the recording head. 10 is a recording head, 10a is a connection terminal, 10b is a guide pin, 10c is a recording head element, 10d is a connection terminal, 11 is a positioning rib, 2o is a carriage, 3o is an ejection recovery device, 4o is a guide shaft, 50 is a flexible cable It is. Cannon 3B7 Usui 4DllEZ]

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) It has an ejection port that ejects ink and an energy generation means that generates energy to eject ink from the ejection port, and is detachable from the mounting means for mounting the recording head of the inkjet recording device. a recording head, comprising: a surface provided with the ejection opening; an electrical connection terminal provided on a surface forming a specific angle with respect to the surface; and rotation during attachment and detachment of the recording head to and from the mounting means. The center and
The central axis of the rotation center portion is parallel to both the surface where the discharge port is provided and the surface where the connection terminal is provided, and the central axis of the rotation center portion is parallel to the surface where the discharge port is provided. on the side facing the connection terminal, outside the range where the discharge port is provided and on the discharge port side of the connection terminal that is close to the surface where the discharge port is provided, and further between the discharge port and the connection terminal. An inkjet recording head comprising a positioning member provided in the inkjet recording head. (2) A recording head having an ejection port that ejects ink and an energy generating means that generates energy for ejecting ink from the ejection port, the surface of which the ejection port is provided, and the surface that an electrical connection terminal provided on a surface forming a specific angle; and a rotational center portion for attaching and detaching the recording head to and from the mounting means, and the central axis of the rotational center portion is aligned with the provision of the ejection port. parallel to both the surface provided with the discharge port and the surface provided with the connection terminal, and its position is outside the range provided with the discharge port on the side opposite to the connection terminal with respect to the surface provided with the discharge port, and a recording head having a positioning member disposed closer to the ejection port than a connection terminal closer to a surface on which the ejection port is provided, and further provided between the ejection port and the connection terminal; An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a mounting means having a mating member and on which the recording head is mounted.