JPH06171097A - Manufacture of ink jet head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a manufacture of a long-life ink jet head having the nature of no drop in the vibration characteristics of a vibration board. CONSTITUTION:When an injection head is constructed so that after joining piezoelectric elements onto a vibration board provided adjacent to respective pressure chambers 15 communicated respectively to a plurality of nozzles 13, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 16 corresponding to respective pressure chambers 15 are formed by cutting this at the part between respective pressure chambers 15, the piezoelectric elements are not subject to complete cutting so that thin skins 18 remain uncut.

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 head which is characterized by a piezoelectric element forming process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet head used in an ink jet printer is provided with a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pressure chambers for receiving ink from an ink supply system and communicating with the respective nozzles, and arranged in contact with the respective pressure chambers. And a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged on the diaphragm so as to face each pressure chamber. The inkjet head is mounted on a carriage that runs along a platen and operates at a predetermined time to perform printing. The outline of the printing procedure is as follows.

When printing, a predetermined piezoelectric element is energized for a predetermined time at a predetermined time. As a result, the vibrating plate on the pressure chamber facing the piezoelectric element is displaced, the pressure inside the pressure chamber rises, ink is ejected from the nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber, and dots are formed on the recording paper.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a conventional ink jet head 1 having the above-mentioned structure and action. In the figure, 2 is a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles 3 and 4 is a plurality of nozzles 3 which communicate with each nozzle 3, respectively. A vibrating plate having pressure chambers 5 is a plurality of piezoelectric elements bonded on the vibrating plate 4 at positions facing the pressure chambers 5. The piezoelectric element 6 is formed by joining one piezoelectric element having a size that covers all the pressure chambers 5 to the vibration plate 4 and processing the cutting groove 7 in a portion between the pressure chambers 5. The groove processing is performed using a dicing saw or the like.

[0005]

As described above, conventionally, the piezoelectric element was completely cut in order to transmit 100% of the characteristics of the element, so that the diaphragm A was scratched at the time of this cutting. As a result, the vibration characteristics of the diaphragm deteriorate,
In extreme cases, the diaphragm will have holes and its life will be shortened.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a long-life ink jet head in which the vibration characteristics of the diaphragm are not deteriorated.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, after a piezo element is bonded to a vibration plate which is in contact with each pressure chamber which communicates with each of a plurality of nozzles, the piezoelectric element is connected to each pressure chamber. When a plurality of piezoelectric elements corresponding to each pressure chamber is formed by cutting at a portion between them to form an inkjet head, the piezo element is not completely cut and a thin skin is left. The configuration is

[0008]

[Operation] Since the cutting depth does not reach the diaphragm,
The diaphragm is not scratched. Therefore, the characteristics of the diaphragm are not affected and the life is improved.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a side view of an ink jet head 11 of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same. In FIG. 1, 12 is a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles 13, and 14 is a plurality of nozzles 13 respectively communicating with each nozzle 13. A vibration plate having pressure chambers 15 is a plurality of piezoelectric elements bonded on the vibration plate 14 at positions facing the pressure chambers 15.

The piezoelectric element 16 is formed by bonding one piezoelectric element having a size covering the entire pressure chamber 15 onto the vibrating plate 14 and processing a cutting groove 17 in a portion between the pressure chambers 15. It At the time of this processing, in the present invention, the thin skin 18 of several μm is left and cut. For this processing, it is desirable to use a laser or water jet whose cutting depth can be easily controlled.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the thin skin 18 is left at the time of machining the cutting groove of the piezo element, the diaphragm 14 is not scratched, and the deterioration of the vibration characteristic and the vibration which have been a problem in the related art. The damage to the board can be eliminated.

In the above description, an example in which the pressure chamber is formed in the diaphragm itself has been described, but this is divided into two,
The vibrating plate may be joined to the flow path plate formed through the pressure chamber and the ink supply path, which is easier to process. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 19 denotes a flexible printed board for supplying power to the piezoelectric elements 16, the terminal portions of which are connected to the corresponding piezoelectric elements 16. Reference numeral 20 is an ink supply port for supplying ink to each pressure chamber 15.

The operation of the ink jet head 11 is the same as that described above, and when a predetermined piezoelectric element 16 is energized at a predetermined time, ink is ejected from the nozzle 13 communicating with the pressure chamber 15 facing the piezoelectric element 16. Printing is performed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an outline of an ink jet printer using the ink jet head 11. The ink jet head 11 is guided by guide shafts 21 and 22 on a carriage 24 which runs along a feed roller (platen) 23. It is installed. Ink from the ink tank 25 is supplied to the inkjet head 11 through an ink tube 26. 100 is a recording paper.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the diaphragm is not scratched, it is possible to obtain a long-life ink jet head in which the vibration characteristics of the diaphragm are not deteriorated.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

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

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an outline of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a conventional inkjet head.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Inkjet Head 13 Nozzle 14 Vibration Plate 15 Pressure Chamber 16 Piezoelectric Element 17 Cutting Groove 18 Thin Skin

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A piezoelectric element is bonded on a vibrating plate (14) which is in contact with each pressure chamber (15) which communicates with each of the plurality of nozzles (13), and the piezoelectric element is connected between the pressure chambers (15). When a plurality of piezoelectric elements (16) corresponding to the respective pressure chambers (15) are formed by cutting with, the ink jet head is constituted, and the thin skin (18) is left without completely cutting the piezoelectric elements. An inkjet head manufacturing method characterized by the above.