JPH06210860A - Manufacture of ink jetting device and ink jetting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an excellent ink jetting device for massproduction. CONSTITUTION:A piezoelectric ceramics plate 72 is formed through an injection molding method, which has grooves 8, side walls 11, an ink introduction port 21, and a manifold 22 formed therein, and since a cover plate 72 is planar, works such as cutting work or the like are not required, so that the manufacture speed of the piezoelectric plate 72 and cover plate 73 is rapid. Accordingly the manufacture speed of an ink jet printer head 1 becomes prompt, resulting in an excellent massproductivity.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink introduction port for introducing ink from an ink supply source, a manifold communicating with the ink introduction port for supplying the introduced ink to a plurality of ink flow paths, and a voltage. The present invention relates to an ink ejecting apparatus that includes a drive unit that is deformed by applying a voltage, and a piezoelectric ceramic member that ejects ink in an ink flow path by the deformation of the drive unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an ink ejecting apparatus using a piezoelectric ceramic element, for example, a drop-on-demand type ink ejecting apparatus has been proposed. This is because by changing the volume of the ink flow path by the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramics, the ink in the ink flow path is ejected as droplets from the nozzle when the volume is reduced, and when the volume is increased, the ink is injected from the ink inlet into the groove. It was designed to be introduced. Then, by ejecting ink droplets from an ink ejecting device at a required position according to required print data, desired characters and images are formed on a paper surface facing the ink ejecting device.

Examples of this type of ink ejecting device include, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 63-247051 and 63-252.
750 and JP-A-2-150355. The first conventional example will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 7, the ink jet printer head 1 is composed of a piezoelectric ceramic plate 2, a cover plate 3, a nozzle plate 31, and a substrate 41.

As a manufacturing method, first, a piezoelectric ceramics sheet is molded by using a piezoelectric ceramics powder by a sheet molding method, an extrusion molding method, or the like, and cut into a predetermined size to form a piezoelectric ceramics plate. Then, the piezoelectric ceramic plate is sintered at a predetermined temperature to obtain a piezoelectric ceramic sintered body. Here, in order to make the flatness of the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate constant, the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate is ground. Next, the piezoelectric ceramic sintered body is subjected to polarization treatment to form a piezoelectric ceramic element. Then, the piezoelectric ceramic element is cut by a thin disk-shaped diamond blade or the like to form the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2.

The piezoelectric ceramic plate 2 has a plurality of grooves 8 formed therein. Further, the side wall 11 which is the side surface of the groove 8 is polarized in the direction of arrow 5. The grooves 8 have the same depth and are parallel. The depths of the grooves 8 gradually become shallower as they approach the one end face 15 of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2, and a shallow groove 16 is formed near the one end face 15. Then, on the inner surface of the groove 8, metal electrodes 13 are formed on the upper half of both side surfaces by sputtering or the like. The metal electrode 9 is formed on the inner surface of the shallow groove 16 on the side surface and the bottom surface by sputtering or the like. As a result, the metal electrodes 13 formed on both sides of the groove 8 are electrically connected by the metal electrodes 9 formed in the shallow groove 16.

Next, the cover plate 3 is made of a ceramic material, a resin material, or the like. Then, the cover plate 3 is formed by grinding or cutting.
An ink inlet 21 and a manifold 22 are formed. Then, the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2 on the side where the groove 8 is processed and the surface of the cover plate 3 on the side where the manifold 22 is processed are bonded by an epoxy adhesive or the like. Therefore,
The ink jet printer head 1 has a plurality of ink flow paths (not shown) that are covered with the upper surfaces of the grooves 8 and are laterally spaced from each other. The ink channel has an elongated shape with a rectangular cross section, and ink is filled in all the ink channels.

To the end faces of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2 and the cover plate 3, a nozzle plate 31 having a nozzle 32 provided at a position corresponding to the position of each ink flow path is bonded. The nozzle plate 31 is formed of a plastic such as polyalkylene (for example, ethylene), terephthalate, polyimide, polyetherimide, polyetherketone, polyethersulfone, polycarbonate, or cellulose acetate.

A substrate 41 is bonded to the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2 opposite to the processed side of the groove 8 with an epoxy adhesive or the like. Its substrate 41
The conductive layer pattern 42 is formed at a position corresponding to the position of each ink flow path. The conductive layer pattern 42
And the metal electrode 9 on the bottom surface of the shallow groove 16 are connected by a wire 43 by wire bonding.

In addition, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-150355 describes an ink jet device having another structure. A schematic configuration thereof will be described as a second conventional example with reference to FIG. However, the same parts and equivalent parts as those of the first conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the ink jet printer head 1 includes a piezoelectric ceramic plate 62, a base layer member 60, a cover plate 63, and the nozzle plate 31.
And the substrate 41.

On the piezoelectric ceramic plate 62,
A groove 8 and a shallow groove 16 that form the ink flow path 12 are formed. A through hole is provided in the bottom surface of the groove 8. A manifold 22 is formed on the base layer member 60. Next, the cover plate 63 is provided with the ink introduction port 21.
Are formed. Then, the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 62 on the groove 8 processing side and the cover plate 63 are bonded. Further, the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 62 on the side where the through hole is processed and the surface of the base layer member 60 on the side where the manifold 22 is processed are bonded. At this time, since the through hole and the manifold 22 correspond to each other, the manifold 22 and the plurality of grooves 8 communicate with each other. Further, the nozzle plate 31 is adhered to the end faces of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 62, the cover plate 63 and the base layer member 60. And
A substrate 41 is bonded to the surface of the base layer member 60 opposite to the processed side of the manifold 22.

[0013]

However, in the above-described first conventional ink ejecting apparatus, the ink introduction port 21 for introducing ink from an ink supply source (not shown) and the introduced ink are provided in a plurality of ink flow paths. Since the supply manifold 22 is formed on the cover plate 3, the shape of the cover plate 3 becomes complicated and control in cutting becomes complicated. Moreover, since the groove 8 and the shallow groove 9 are formed in the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2 by changing the cutting direction, the processing control becomes complicated. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time to manufacture the cover plate 3 and the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2, and mass productivity is poor.

Further, in the second conventional ink ejecting apparatus, the ink inlet 21 is formed in the flat cover plate 63, and the groove 8, the shallow groove 16 and the through hole are formed in the piezoelectric ceramic plate 62. The manifold 22 is formed on the base layer member 60. For this reason, the cover plate 63 has a simple shape, and the manufacturing speed of the cover plate 63 is faster than that of the first conventional example. However, since the through hole is formed in the bottom surface of the groove 8 of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 62, The shape of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 2 is more complicated than that of the first conventional example, and the cutting process takes time. Further, the base layer member 60 is required to form the manifold 22, and the number of parts is increased, so that the manufacturing cost is increased. Therefore, there is a problem that mass productivity is poor.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet device excellent in mass productivity.

[0016]

In order to achieve this object, in the method of manufacturing an ink jet device according to claim 1 of the present invention,
An ink introduction port for introducing ink from an ink supply source, a manifold communicating with the ink introduction port for supplying the introduced ink to a plurality of ink flow paths, and a drive unit that is deformed by applying a voltage, In an ink ejecting apparatus having a piezoelectric ceramics member for ejecting ink in an ink flow path by deformation of the driving part, the ink introducing port and / or the manifold and the piezoelectric ceramics member are integrated by an injection molding method. To form.

Further, in the ink ejecting apparatus of the second aspect, the ink introducing port for introducing the ink from the ink supply source and the manifold communicating with the ink introducing port and filling the introduced ink into a plurality of ink flow paths. And a piezoelectric ceramic member that includes a drive unit that is deformed by applying a voltage and that ejects ink in the ink flow path by the deformation of the drive unit. The ink inlet port and / or the manifold and / or The piezoelectric ceramic member is integrally formed by an injection molding method.

Further, in the ink ejecting apparatus of the third aspect, an ink introducing port for introducing the ink from the ink supply source and a manifold communicating with the ink introducing port and filling the introduced ink into a plurality of ink flow paths. And a piezoelectric ceramic member that includes a drive unit that is deformed when a voltage is applied, and that deforms the drive unit to eject ink in the ink flow path, wherein the ink introduction port and the manifold and the piezoelectric ceramic member are It is integrally formed by an injection molding method.

[0019]

According to the method of manufacturing an ink ejecting apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, the ink introducing port for introducing the ink from the ink supply source and the ink introducing port communicated with the ink introducing port and introduced. In an ink ejecting apparatus including a manifold that supplies ink to a plurality of ink flow paths, and a piezoelectric ceramic member that includes a drive section that is deformed by applying a voltage, and that ejects ink in the ink flow path by the deformation of the drive section Since the ink introduction port and / or the manifold and the piezoelectric ceramic member are integrally formed by an injection molding method, the manufacturing speed of the ink ejecting device is increased.

Further, in the ink ejecting apparatus of the second aspect, the ink introducing port introduces the ink from the ink supply source, and the manifold communicated with the ink introducing port fills the introduced ink into a plurality of ink flow paths. Then, a piezoelectric ceramic member including a driving portion that is deformed by applying a voltage ejects ink in the ink flow path by the deformation of the driving portion, and the piezoelectric ceramics member and the ink introduction port and / or the manifold. The member and the member are integrally formed by an injection molding method. Therefore, the manufacturing speed of the ink ejecting apparatus is increased.

Further, in the ink ejecting apparatus according to the third aspect, the ink introducing port introduces the ink from the ink supply source, and the manifold communicating with the ink introducing port fills the introduced ink into the plurality of ink flow paths. Then, a piezoelectric ceramic member including a driving portion that is deformed by applying a voltage ejects ink in the ink flow path by the deformation of the driving portion, and the ink introduction port and the manifold and the piezoelectric ceramic member are injection molded. It is integrally formed by the method. Therefore, the manufacturing speed of the ink ejecting apparatus is high.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. For the sake of convenience, the same parts and equivalent parts as in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

First, a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

The calcined piezoelectric ceramic powder is kneaded with a binder such as a thermoplastic resin, a wax or a plasticizer.

As the thermoplastic resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid ester, polymethacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid ester and the like can be used.

As the wax, natural wax such as beeswax, carnauba wax, wood wax, paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax, and synthetic wax such as polyethylene glycol, montan wax derivative, paraffin wax derivative and microcrystalline wax derivative can be used. .

As the plasticizer, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, fatty acid esters and the like can be used.

In addition to the above binder, a lubricant such as stearic acid may be added.

The ratio between the piezoelectric ceramic powder and the added amount of binders is usually 50:50 to 60: 40% by volume.
Is.

In this embodiment, 90% by weight of lead zirconate titanate powder, which is the piezoelectric ceramics powder calcined at 850 ° C., 5% by weight of polymethacrylic acid ester, which is the thermoplastic resin, and the wax are used. Paraffin wax 2% by weight and microcrystalline wax 2
By weight, 1% by weight of the plasticizer, dioctyl phthalate, is weighed, and they are kneaded for 2 hours by a pressure kneader.

The method of kneading the piezoelectric ceramic powder and the binders is not particularly limited, and they may be kneaded with a Banbury mixer or the like.

After the kneading, the kneaded product is made into pellets by a pelletizer, and the pellets serve as a raw material for injection molding.

The above kneaded material does not necessarily have to be pelletized by a pelletizer, and may be granulated by a pulverizer.

Next, the raw material for injection molding is put into an injection molding machine, and a piezoelectric ceramics molded body is molded at an injection pressure of 700 kgf / cm ² . The shape of the mold is transferred to the piezoelectric ceramic molded body.

As the injection molding machine, a normal resin injection molding machine or an injection molding machine for ceramics or metals with improved wear resistance is used.

Then, the piezoelectric ceramic molded body is placed in a degreasing furnace and subjected to a degreasing treatment for removing the thermoplastic resin and other organic materials contained in the piezoelectric ceramic molded body. At this time, the degreasing furnace is filled with an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen, a reducing gas such as hydrogen, or a combustion-supporting gas such as oxygen or air. It is under pressure. Further, the inside of the degreasing furnace may be in a reduced pressure state.

In this embodiment, room temperature to 120 ° C. is 50 ° C. /
When 120 to 160 ℃ is 10 ℃ / hour, 160 to 200 ℃
Is 4 ° C / hour, 200-350 ° C is 5 ° C / hour, 350-4
The inside of the degreasing furnace is sequentially heated at 50 ° C. at 10 ° C./hour and at 450 to 500 ° C. at 50 ° C./hour.

In the degreasing furnace, if the temperature is raised from room temperature to an arbitrary temperature of 500 to 600 ° C. at about 2 to 100 ° C./hour,
The temperature may not be raised as described above.

Then, the furnace is cooled to form a degreased piezoelectric ceramic body. At this time, compressed air is introduced from the gas inlet of the degreasing furnace by the air compressor. And
This compressed air is discharged from the gas discharge port of the degreasing furnace together with the thermoplastic resin and other organic materials removed from the piezoelectric ceramic molded body.

Next, the degreased piezoelectric ceramic body from which the thermoplastic resin and other organic materials have been removed is placed in an atmospheric sintering furnace and sintered.

In the present embodiment, the temperature in the atmospheric sintering furnace is raised from room temperature to 1200 ° C. at 150 ° C./hour, and the temperature is 1200 ° C.
After being held for 2 hours, the temperature is lowered to 700 ° C at 300 ° C / hour. Then, the furnace is cooled to form a piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 (FIG. 1) which is a piezoelectric ceramic sintered body. This piezoelectric ceramics sintered body is shrunk to the size of the piezoelectric ceramics molded body.

In the atmosphere sintering furnace, the room temperature is 900 to 1
As long as the temperature is raised to an arbitrary temperature of 400 ° C. and kept at the raised temperature for about 0 to 2 hours, it is not necessary to raise the temperature as described above.

As shown in FIG. 1, the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 thus formed has a groove 8, side walls 11,
An ink inlet 21 and a manifold 22 are formed. The ink inlet 21 is provided on the side surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72. Also, the manifold 22
Communicates with the ink inlet 21. The depth of the manifold 22 is 3 from the upper surface of the side wall 11 to the height of the side wall 11.
It is one-third.

Then, the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 is polarized in the direction of arrow 5. A shallow groove 16 is formed in the vicinity of one end surface 15 of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 (see FIG. 7).
(See FIG. 7) are formed. Then, on the inner surface of the groove 8, metal electrodes 13 (see FIG. 7) are formed on the upper half of both side surfaces by sputtering or the like. Further, on the inner surface of the shallow groove 16, the metal electrode 9 (see FIG.
(See) is formed by sputtering or the like. As a result, the metal electrodes 13 formed on both side surfaces of the groove 8 are connected by the metal electrodes 9 formed in the shallow groove 16.

Then, the groove 8 of the piezoelectric ceramics plate 72 and the surface on the side where the manifold 22 is formed are bonded to the flat cover plate 73 with an epoxy adhesive or the like. Therefore, the ink jet printer head 1 is formed with a plurality of ink flow paths 12 (see FIG. 3) that cover the upper surfaces of the grooves 8 and are laterally spaced from each other.

The substrate 41 (see FIG. 7) is adhered to the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72. The board 4
1 has a pattern 42 of a conductive layer formed thereon. The pattern 42 of the conductive layer and the metal electrode 9 on the bottom surface of the shallow groove 16 are connected by a conductive wire 43 by wire bonding.

Next, the configuration of the control unit will be described with reference to FIG. 2, which is a block diagram of the control unit. The conductive layer patterns 42 formed on the substrate 41 are individually connected to the LSI chip 51. The clock line 52, the data line 53, the voltage line 54, and the ground line 55 are also LS.
It is connected to the I-chip 51. The LSI chip 51 is
Based on the continuous clock pulse supplied from the clock line 52, it is determined from which nozzle 32 the ink droplet should be ejected according to the data appearing on the data line 53. Then, the voltage V of the voltage line 54 is applied to the pattern 42 of the conductive layer that is electrically connected to the metal electrode 13 in the driven ink flow path 12. Further, the voltage 0V of the ground line 55 is applied to the pattern 42 of the conductive layer which is electrically connected to the metal electrode 13 other than the driven ink flow path 12.

Next, the operation of the ink jet printer head 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The LSI chip 51 causes the ink flow path 12 of the ink jet printer head 1 to follow the required data.
It is determined that ink is ejected from b. Then, the positive drive voltage V is applied to the metal electrodes 13e and 13f, and the metal electrodes 13d and 13g are grounded. As shown in FIG. 4, a driving electric field in the direction of arrow 14b is generated on the side wall 11b, and a driving electric field in the direction of arrow 14c is generated on the side wall 11c. Then, since the driving electric field directions 14b and 14c are orthogonal to the polarization direction 4, the side walls 11b and 11c are
In this case, due to the piezoelectric thickness sliding effect, the ink flow path 12
It deforms rapidly toward the inside of b. Due to this deformation, the volume of the ink flow path 12b is reduced, the ink pressure is rapidly increased, a pressure wave is generated, and an ink droplet is ejected from the nozzle 32 (FIG. 8) communicating with the ink flow path 12b. When the application of the drive voltage V is stopped, the sidewalls 11b and 11c are also removed.
Is gradually returned to the position before deformation (see FIG. 3), so that the ink pressure in the ink flow path 12b is gradually reduced. Then, from the ink supply port 21 (FIG. 1) to the manifold 22 (FIG. 1)
Ink is supplied to the inside of the ink flow path 12b through the.

As described above, in the first embodiment,
Groove 8, side wall 11, ink inlet 21 and manifold 2
Since the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 on which 2 is formed is formed by the injection molding method and the cover plate 73 has a flat plate shape, steps such as cutting are not required, and the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 and the cover plate 73 can be manufactured at high speed. Therefore, the manufacturing speed of the inkjet printer head 1 is increased, and mass productivity is excellent. Further, since the piezoelectric ceramic plate 72 on which the ink inlet 21 and the manifold 22 are formed is formed by the injection molding method,
The degree of freedom in designing the shapes of the manifold 22 and the ink introduction port 21 or their positions is high.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The piezoelectric ceramic plate 82 shown in FIG. 5 is formed by performing injection molding, degreasing treatment, and sintering treatment in the same manner as in the first embodiment. This piezoelectric ceramic plate 8
The groove 2, the side wall 11, and the manifold 22 are formed in the groove 2. Then, on the piezoelectric ceramic plate 82,
The cover plate 83 having the ink inlet 21 formed therein, the nozzle plate 31, and the substrate 41 are adhered to each other.

As described above, in the second embodiment, the ink introducing port 21 is formed in the cover plate 83, but since the manifold 22 is formed in the piezoelectric ceramic plate 82, the shape of the cover plate 83 is simple. Therefore, the manufacturing speed becomes faster. Therefore, the manufacturing speed of the inkjet printer head 1 is increased, and mass productivity is excellent.

Further, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The piezoelectric ceramic plate 92 shown in FIG. 6 is formed by performing injection molding, degreasing treatment, and sintering treatment in the same manner as in the first embodiment. This piezoelectric ceramic plate 9
The groove 2, the side wall 11, and the manifold 22 are formed in the groove 2. The manifold 22 is provided below the side wall 11 and communicates with the plurality of grooves 8. Further, one end of the manifold 22 is open to the side surface of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 92. Ink is introduced through the opening (not shown). And the piezoelectric ceramic plate 9
2, the cover plate 73, the nozzle plate 3
1 and the substrate 41 are bonded.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the piezoelectric ceramic plate 92 in which the manifold 22 including the groove 8, the side wall 11 and the opening for introducing the ink is formed is formed by the injection molding method, and the cover plate 73 is formed. Since it has a flat plate shape, steps such as cutting are not required, and the manufacturing speed of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 92 and the cover plate 73 is high. Therefore, the manufacturing speed of the inkjet printer head 1 is increased, and mass productivity is excellent.

[0055]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the ink introducing port introduces the ink from the ink supply source, and the manifold communicating with the ink introducing port makes a plurality of the introduced inks. The piezoelectric ceramic member, which is filled in the ink flow path and includes a drive section that is deformed when a voltage is applied, ejects ink in the ink flow path by the deformation of the drive section. Since the ink introduction port and / or the manifold and the piezoelectric ceramic member are integrally formed by an injection molding method, the manufacturing speed of the ink ejecting apparatus is increased and the mass productivity is excellent.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a piezoelectric ceramic plate of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a control unit of the inkjet printer head of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the inkjet printer head of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operating state of the inkjet printer head of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a piezoelectric ceramic plate according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a piezoelectric ceramic plate according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an inkjet printer head of a first conventional example.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an inkjet printer head of a second conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 Grooves 12 Ink Flow Path 21 Ink Inlet 22 Manifold 72 Piezoelectric Ceramic Plate 73 Cover Plate

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ink introducing port for introducing ink from an ink supply source, a manifold communicating with the ink introducing port and supplying the introduced ink to a plurality of ink flow paths, and being deformed by applying a voltage. An ink ejecting apparatus including a piezoelectric ceramic member that includes a drive unit and ejects ink in an ink flow path by deformation of the drive unit, wherein the ink introduction port and / or the manifold or the piezoelectric ceramic member is provided. A method for manufacturing an ink ejecting apparatus, which is integrally formed by an injection molding method. 2. An ink introducing port for introducing ink from an ink supply source, a manifold communicating with the ink introducing port and filling the introduced ink into a plurality of ink flow paths, and being deformed by applying a voltage. A piezoelectric ceramic member that includes a drive unit and ejects ink in the ink flow path by deformation of the drive unit, wherein the ink introduction port and / or the manifold and the piezoelectric ceramic member are formed by an injection molding method. An ink ejecting apparatus, which is integrally formed. 3. An ink introducing port for introducing ink from an ink supply source, a manifold communicating with the ink introducing port and filling the introduced ink into a plurality of ink flow paths, and being deformed by applying a voltage. A piezoelectric ceramic member that includes a drive unit and ejects ink in the ink flow path by deformation of the drive unit; and the ink inlet port, the manifold, and the piezoelectric ceramic member are integrally formed by an injection molding method. An ink jet device characterized by the above.