JPH04369546A - Manufacture of ink jet recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the characteristics of a head by setting the viscosity resistance and inertial resistance of an ink passage to the optimum values by forming a flow passage substrate from two or more photosensitive resin layers. CONSTITUTION:A first layer photosensitive resin 2a is laminated to a glass substrate 1 to be exposed through a first mask pattern and a second layer photosensitive resin 2b is further laminated to said first layer resin to be exposed through a second mask pattern and the unexposed parts of the photosensitive resins 2a, 2b are developed to form the flow passage substrate of an ink jet recording head having nozzles 5a, pressure chambers 5b, flow passages 5c, an ink reservoir 5d respectively different in depth.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head that performs recording by jetting ink and forming flying droplets.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head using a photosensitive resin, it is known that an ink flow path is formed using a single layer of photosensitive resin, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-43876. It was getting worse.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The viscous resistance R and the inertial resistance M of the ink flow path of an inkjet recording head are important factors that govern the characteristics of the head. For example, in order to improve vibration damping, it is necessary to R, i.e., a shallow and narrow part of the flow path, and in order to lower the drive voltage and obtain high responsiveness, a small inertial resistance M, i.e., a deep and wide part of the flow path, is required, and the two points coexist. In order to achieve this, in the ink flow path described above, the only way to obtain viscous resistance is to narrow the width, which is dependent on the resolution of the photosensitive resin, and there is a problem that this cannot be achieved with the current configuration of photosensitive resin. Ta.

Therefore, in order to increase the degree of freedom in setting parameters governing head characteristics such as viscous resistance and inertial resistance of the ink flow path, the present invention forms a flow path substrate with two or more photosensitive resin layers. The objective is to obtain a head with excellent flight characteristics by providing a plurality of channel depths.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] An inkjet recording head using a photosensitive resin is characterized in that a channel substrate is formed of two or more photosensitive resin layers.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Examples of the present invention are shown in the drawings. 1 to 5 are process diagrams showing a method of manufacturing a channel substrate for an inkjet recording head according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a first layer of photosensitive resin 2a is laminated onto a glass substrate 1.

In FIG. 2, the first layer photosensitive resin 2a of FIG.
is exposed by a light source 9 of a high-pressure mercury lamp using the first mask pattern 3 for creating the deep part of the ink flow path, that is, the pressure chamber 5b and the ink reservoir 5d (see FIG. 4).

In FIG. 3, a second layer photosensitive resin 2b is laminated on the exposed first layer photosensitive resin 2a of FIG. , and is exposed to light by a light source 9 using the second mask pattern 4 for forming the ink reservoir 5d. Although the photosensitive resin 2 is solvent soluble, the photosensitive resin in the exposed portion undergoes a polymerization reaction and becomes solvent insoluble.

FIG. 4 shows the first layer photosensitive resin 2 in the state shown in FIG.
The shape after the unexposed portions of a and the second layer photosensitive resin 2b are dissolved with an organic solvent and developed to form an ink flow path 5 is shown.

In FIG. 5, the second layer photosensitive resin 2 of FIG.
A diaphragm 6 with a driving element such as a PZT element 7 on top of b.
By laminating them, a flow path substrate of an inkjet recording head having flow paths such as the nozzle 5a, the pressure chamber 5b, the supply port 5c, and the ink reservoir 5d is formed.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. On the exposed first layer photosensitive resin 2a described in FIG. 2, exposure and development is repeated several times using different mask patterns for the second layer photosensitive resin, the third layer photosensitive resin...
It is possible to form a channel substrate having three or more types of channel depths as the ink channels 5.

In FIG. 6, the photosensitive resin is laminated and exposed three times using different mask patterns.
The shapes of the developed ink flow path, that is, the nozzle 5a, the pressure chamber 5b, the supply port 5c, and the ink reservoir 5d are shown. here,
The nozzle 5a, the pressure chamber 5b, and the ink reservoir 5d have different depths.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 4, and the ink flow path is composed of two layers: a first layer of photosensitive resin 2a and a second layer of photosensitive resin 2b. On the other hand,
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' in FIG.
The third layer is composed of three layers of photosensitive resin 2c, forming a flow path with a greater depth than the ink flow path shown in FIG. 4, allowing more freedom in setting the characteristic parameters of the ink flow path. It is possible to increase the degree of

In the above embodiment, the first mask pattern 3
If the alignment of the second mask pattern 4 is misaligned, the ink flow path will be misaligned between the first layer and the second layer, changing the characteristic parameters of the flow path, which may lead to deterioration of printing quality, etc. . Therefore, another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.

Another first mask pattern 8 is used instead of the first mask pattern 3 described in FIG. Expose only that part. Next, exposure is performed using the second mask pattern 4 shown in FIG. Then, the unexposed areas are developed with an organic solvent.

As a result, the first layer photosensitive resin 2a in the nozzle 5a and supply port 5c portion is hardened and not developed, so the ink flow path in that portion is formed to be shallower in depth than the pressure chamber 5b and ink reservoir 5c. It is possible to do so. On the other hand, in the first mask pattern 8, the pressure chambers 5b and the portions between the pressure chambers 5b and the ink reservoirs 5d and the portions between the ink reservoirs 5d are not exposed. However, due to the second mask pattern 4, both the first layer photosensitive resin 2a and the second layer photosensitive resin 2b are exposed and hardened, and the portions that are not exposed and removed by the solvent are removed at once into the pressure chamber 5b. And an ink reservoir 5c is formed. Therefore, the pressure chamber 5b and the ink reservoir 5d are not affected by the displacement of the mask patterns 8, 4, and the influence of the displacement of the mask patterns 8, 4 can be minimized.

In the embodiments described above, the channel substrate was formed using a photosensitive resin, but it is also possible to use a liquid resist. However, it is more advantageous to use a solid film in that the resist thickness can be set easily and accurately. An example of such a solid film with a solvent type developer is, for example, Phot produced by Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
ecSR-1300G, SR-3000, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd. Ordil PR-150, ecSR-SE-200,
As for the same SP-700, alkaline development type,
photocSR-2200G manufactured by Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
SR-2300G, Fuji Hunt Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. A-400, FH-5100, F
Some are commercially available under trade names such as H-6100.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the inkjet recording head of the present invention, the depth of the flow path can be set arbitrarily, so the head characteristics can be designed optimally without being affected by the resolution of the photosensitive resin as compared to conventional methods. As a result, it has become possible to create a head that can achieve higher responsiveness at lower voltages.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of laminating a photosensitive resin onto a glass substrate.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example of UV exposure using a first mask pattern of a photosensitive resin.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example in which a photosensitive resin is further laminated and exposed using a second mask pattern.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example in which a channel substrate is formed by developing a photosensitive resin.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an embodiment in which a head is formed by bonding a diaphragm to a flow path substrate.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example in which a channel substrate having three or more types of channel depths is formed by repeating the lamination and exposure operations of photosensitive resin three or more times and developing the same.

7 is a sectional view taken along line A-A' in FIG. 4. FIG.

8 is a sectional view taken along line B-B' in FIG. 6. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example using a mask pattern that exposes only the portion where the photosensitive resin needs to be cured.

[Brief explanation of symbols]

1 Glass substrate 2a First layer photosensitive resin 2b Second layer photosensitive resin 2c Third layer photosensitive resin 3 First mask pattern 4 Second mask pattern 5a Nozzle 5b Pressure chamber 5c Supply port 5d Ink reservoir 6. Vibration plate 7 PZT element 8 Another first mask pattern 9 Light source

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head constituted by bonding a diaphragm on which an ink ejection generating element is installed and a flow path substrate, comprising: (a) laminating a first layer of photosensitive resin on a glass substrate; (b) laminating a second layer photosensitive resin on the first layer photosensitive resin and exposing it to light using a second mask pattern; (c) exposing the photosensitive resin to light using a first mask pattern; A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head, comprising developing and forming a channel substrate. 2. Repeating the step (b), and repeating the step (c).
2. The method of manufacturing an inkjet recording head according to claim 1, wherein a channel substrate comprising three or more photosensitive resin layers is formed by performing step ). 3. By exposing a portion of the photosensitive resin that forms a flow path in a layer above the bottom layer, then exposing a portion of the bottom layer that forms a flow path, and performing the step (c). 3. The method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, further comprising forming a flow path substrate.