JPH05238007A - Ink jet head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an ink jet head with which joining of the heads can be made easily when color printing is to be made. CONSTITUTION:Printing by an ink jet head 20 is made in a way in which a vibration plate 22 is driven by operation of a piezoelectric element 25, electrically connected to a drive pulse pattern part 29 and an SG pattern part 30, and pressure is produced in a pressure chamber 27 of an ink passage 26, and thereby the ink is ejected for the printing from a nozzle 28.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inkjet head used in an inkjet printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view of a conventional inkjet head 1 (FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view and FIG. 5B is a detailed view of essential parts). The flow path plate 3 and the substrate 4 are superposed on each other. A plurality of piezoelectric elements 5 are attached to the surface of the vibration plate 2,
The piezoelectric element 5 is an SG formed over the entire surface of the drive pulse pattern portion 6 of the flexible cable and the vibration plate 2.
The pattern portions 7 are electrically connected to each other.

A plurality of ink channels 8 connected to an ink supply system are formed in the channel plate 3, and the ink channels 8 are nozzles 9.
Have been contacted. A pressure chamber 10 facing the piezoelectric element 5 is formed in the middle of the ink flow path 8. The ink flow path 8 is filled with ink supplied from the ink supply system.

The ink jet head 1 having such a structure
Is mounted on a carrier movable along a platen. Printing is performed by driving a predetermined piezoelectric element 5 at a predetermined timing of carrier movement. When the piezoelectric element 5 is driven, the vibrating plate 2 vibrates and a pressure due to a volume change is generated in the pressure chamber 10, whereby ink is ejected from the nozzle 9 and adheres to the recording paper to perform printing.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, since the piezoelectric elements are mounted side by side on the upper surface of the head and protrude, the Y (yellow) and M in the color printer.
When the heads for each color of (magenta), C (cyan), and B (black) are overlapped and multiplexed, it is difficult to perform multiplex bonding by adhesion, self-fusion or the like because the protruding piezoelectric elements interfere with each other. ..

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet head which can easily bond the heads to each other in colorization.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a piezoelectric element electrically connected to a drive pulse pattern portion and an SG pattern portion is driven to vibrate a vibrating plate. In an inkjet head that generates pressure in an ink flow path to eject ink from a nozzle, the piezoelectric element is arranged on the vibration plate in the ink flow path (first configuration). And

In addition, in the ink jet of the above-mentioned first constitution, the drive pulse pattern portion and the SG pattern portion are arranged in the ink flow path (second constitution).

Further, in the ink jet head having the above-mentioned second structure, a conductive ink is used as the ink, and the drive pulse pattern portion and the SG pattern portion are electrically connected via the conductive ink. The third configuration is used.

[0010]

Printing is performed by driving a piezoelectric element by applying a voltage between the drive pulse pattern portion and the SG pattern portion, as in the conventional case. In the case of the third configuration, conduction between both pattern portions is performed via the conductive ink. When the piezoelectric element is vibrated, the vibrating plate is driven to generate pressure in the ink flow path, and ink is ejected from the nozzle to perform printing.

According to the present invention, as described above, since the piezoelectric element is arranged in the ink flow path and does not protrude from the head surface, it is possible to easily carry out the multiple joining of the heads of the respective colors when the color is formed.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

A first embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view of an ink jet head 20 of this example, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ink jet head 20. The ink jet head 20 is on a substrate 21.
The vibrating plate 22, the flow path plate 23, and the upper surface plate 24 are stacked together. The piezoelectric element 25 moves the vibration plate 22 in the pressure chamber 27 in the middle of the ink flow path 26 formed in the flow path plate 23.
It is placed on top. The ink flow path 26 is filled with conductive ink. One end of the ink flow path 26 is connected to the ink supply system, and the other end is connected to the nozzle 28.

The respective pattern portions for voltage application (driving) to the piezoelectric element 25 arranged in the pressure chamber 27 of the ink flow path 26 as described above are formed as follows. That is, the drive pulse pattern portion 29 is connected to the piezoelectric element 25 passing between the vibrating plate 22 and the flow path plate 23, and the SG pattern portion 30 is formed inside the upper surface plate 24 to extend to the pressure chamber 27. ..

When a pulse signal is sent from the drive pulse pattern portion 29 to the piezoelectric element 25 during printing, the SG pattern portion 30
The piezoelectric element 25 is electrically connected through the conductive ink, and the piezoelectric element 25 is driven. As a result, the piezoelectric element 25 vibrates the vibrating plate 22, so that the volume of the pressure chamber 27 changes and ink is ejected from the nozzle 28 to perform printing.

As described above, according to the present invention, printing is performed by driving the piezoelectric element arranged in the head. Since the piezoelectric element does not project to the head surface unlike the conventional case, colorization is performed. In this case, it is possible to easily carry out the multiple joining of the heads of the respective colors. The heads of the respective colors can be joined by self-fusing when the plates forming the heads are made of glass. Moreover, joining using an adhesive is also possible.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the structure of a color ink jet printer for printing by the multiplex splicing head 40. In the figure, 41 is a platen and 42 is a carrier. An outline of the configuration and operation of this printer is as follows.

The multiplex bonding head 40 is composed of the Y, M, C and B color ink jet heads 20 _Y ,
20 _M , 20 _C and 20 _B are joined together and mounted on the carrier 42. The carrier 42 is supported by the guide 43 and is movable along the platen 41. The medium (recording paper) 100 is set by winding the platen 41 as illustrated. Since the printing procedure for the medium 100 is as described above, the description is omitted.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment.

The ink jet head 50 of this embodiment is SG
The difference from the previous example is that the pattern portion 51 passes over the flow path plate 23 and is connected to the piezoelectric element 25. As the ink, normal ink is used. 52 is an insulating film.

Also in the case of this example, the drive pulse pattern unit 29
The piezoelectric element 25 can be driven by sending a pulse signal, and the same effect as the previous example can be obtained.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the piezoelectric element arranged in the ink flow path is driven to eject ink from the nozzle to perform printing, and the head surface is projected. Since there is no object and it is flat, it becomes possible to easily carry out multiplex joining of the heads of the respective colors at the time of colorization.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view of an inkjet head according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the inkjet head according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural explanatory diagram of a color inkjet printer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view of an inkjet head according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view of a conventional inkjet head,
FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view, and FIG. 5B is a detailed view of main parts.

[Explanation of symbols]

20, 50 Inkjet head 20 _Y , 20 _M , 20 _C , 20 _B Each color head 22 Vibrating plate 23 Flow path plate 25 Piezoelectric element 26 Ink flow path 27 Pressure chamber 28 Nozzle 29 Driving pulse pattern section 30, 51 SG pattern section 40 Multiplexing Chemical bonding head

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A piezoelectric element electrically connected to a drive pulse pattern section and an SG pattern section is driven to vibrate a vibrating plate, thereby generating pressure in an ink flow path and ejecting ink from a nozzle. In the inkjet head described above, the piezoelectric element is arranged on the vibrating plate in the ink flow path. 2. The inkjet head according to claim 1, wherein the drive pulse pattern portion and the SG pattern portion are arranged in the ink flow path. 3. The ink jet head according to claim 2, wherein a conductive ink is used as the ink, and the drive pulse pattern portion and the SG pattern portion are electrically connected through the conductive ink. Inkjet head.