JPH1024600A - Ink jet head connecting unit, ink jet cartridge, and its assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink jet head connecting unit which is free from faulty ink discharge and ink leakage, and is highly reliable, and is further, easily manufactured as an ink jet head connecting unit with a formed ink supply path, by bonding a substrate constituting a head member to another member. SOLUTION: This ink jet head connecting unit comprises a head member 210 and a case member 240 with an opening path consisting of a supply aperture 257 for supplying ink to the head member 210 and an adhesive-packed recessed part 243 formed at the bottom. In addition, a space 248 filled with an adhesive for bonding the head member 210 to the case member 240, when the case member 240 is connected to the head member 210, is formed inside the connected case.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer for ejecting ink from an ink jet head to perform recording on a recording member, and more particularly to an ink jet head for connecting an ink supply path for supplying ink to the ink jet head. Regarding the connection unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of connecting an ink jet head to an ink supply path, a substrate forming the ink jet head and a member forming the supply path are joined with an adhesive to form an ink supply path. A method of supplying ink to an inkjet head has been used.

[0003] For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-17043 discloses that
Ink is supplied to a jetting mechanism (a mechanism for applying a propulsive force to the ink) by bonding a glass or ceramic substrate having an opening to a recess of a plastic back plate having a groove and an opening by using an adhesive. An example in which an ink supply path is configured is disclosed.

A plurality of thin-film thermal inkjet resistors are formed on the surface of the substrate, and a supply port to the inkjet resistor portion is opened through the substrate. Further, a groove is provided in the recess of the back plate at a position corresponding to the supply port of the substrate, and further, an opening is provided in the back plate so as to communicate with the groove and the ink reservoir of the elastic body. . Then, by bonding the substrate and the back plate, a capillary supply path for supplying ink from the ink reservoir to the ink jet resistance portion is formed.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.

[0006] It is difficult to apply an appropriate amount of adhesive thinly and uniformly to a substrate or a back plate constituting an ink jet head. Particularly, when the amount of adhesive applied is large, the adhesive flows into the ink flow path. There is a possibility that the capillary supply path will be blocked and ink supply to the ejection mechanism will be obstructed, and as a result, ejection of ink droplets will not be performed. Conversely, when the amount of the adhesive applied is small, a gap is formed in the joint surface, and there is a potential functional problem that ink leaks from the gap.

In addition, during the process of assembling the ink jet, since the surface on which the adhesive is applied is exposed, dust and the like may adhere to the bonding surface, and a gap may be formed on the bonding surface as described above. Further, since the substrate on which the ejection mechanism is formed is adhered to the surface on which the adhesive is applied, it is difficult to accurately determine the position with respect to the back plate and adhere the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a drawback, and an object of the present invention is to supply an ink to an ink jet head by bonding a substrate constituting the ink jet head to another member. An object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable inkjet head connection unit or an inkjet cartridge which does not cause ink ejection failure and does not cause ink leakage in an inkjet head connection unit in which a supply path is formed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet head connection unit which can be easily manufactured, is inexpensive and has high quality.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet head connecting unit for connecting an ink jet head for ejecting ink droplets in accordance with recording contents and an ink supply path for supplying ink to the ink jet head. In the inkjet head connection unit of
A head member including a first surface on which a nozzle for ejecting ink droplets is formed, and a second surface on which an intake port for supplying ink to the nozzle is formed; A case member having a supply port for supplying the head member to the case member, when the head member is aligned with a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other, the head member and A concave portion for forming a space for filling an adhesive between the case members, and a hole communicating with the space, at least the head member or one of the case members is provided. I do.

[0011] By configuring the ink jet head connecting unit in this way, if the adhesive is injected from the hole using, for example, a syringe needle while the ink jet head is positioned on the case member, first, the adhesive becomes The space intentionally formed between the head member and the case member is filled, and then satisfactorily wraps around the gap between the head member and the case member, and the ink supply path connecting the head member and the case member is from outside. Will be shut off. Therefore, the adhesive is injected into the case from the outside, and the adhesive is not exposed to the outside during the assembly process, so that the assembly can be performed very easily. Further, according to the present invention, there is no problem such as poor bonding caused by the adhesion of dust or the like to the bonding surface, which has always been a problem when assembling using an adhesive.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet head connecting unit according to the first aspect, an opening is provided in the case member, and the supply port is formed at a bottom of the opening. Good. By aligning the second surface of the head member with the opening, the head member is positioned with respect to the case member, and thereafter, a space formed between the case member and the head member is filled with an adhesive, Since these are fixed, the positional accuracy of the nozzle with respect to the case is improved as compared with the conventional method.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inkjet head connection unit for connecting an ink jet head for ejecting ink droplets in accordance with recording contents and an ink supply path for supplying ink to the ink jet head. A head member having a first surface on which a nozzle for ejecting ink droplets is formed, and a second surface on which an inlet for supplying ink to the nozzle is formed, and supplying ink to the head member A first case member provided with an opening formed at the bottom thereof, and a second case member sandwiching a side surface of the head member.
When the head member sandwiched between the case members is aligned with the first case member at a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other, the first case member and the second case member are connected to each other.
A concave portion for forming a space for filling the adhesive between the case members, and a hole communicating with the space are provided in at least one of the first case member or the second case member. It is characterized by having. As described above, since the side surface of the head member is sandwiched by the second case member, as shown in FIG. 5, even if the head member has a shape in which a nozzle is provided on an end surface of a flat cubic substrate. In addition, the position of the nozzle can be accurately set with respect to the case.

According to a tenth or fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet connecting unit for use in an ink jet cartridge including ink holding means for holding ink to be supplied to an ink jet head. This can provide an ink jet cartridge that is easy to assemble.

As set forth in claims 3, 7, 12, and 16, the Young's modulus of the adhesive applied to the present invention after curing is 1 N / m ² or more and 35.3. × 1
It is preferably at most 0 ⁵ N / m ² .

In general, fine processing is required for the head member, so that glass, silicon or the like is used. For the case member, resin such as plastic is frequently used. Since these coefficients of thermal expansion are different from each other, a stress is generated at a joint depending on a change in environmental temperature. Therefore, it is desirable to use an adhesive having elasticity that can absorb the generated stress to some extent, that is, the Young's modulus after curing is
An adhesive of 35.3 × 10 ⁵ N / m ² or less should be used. Also, if the adhesive after curing is too soft, there is a possibility that the position of the nozzle will shift, the Young's modulus after curing,
It is desirable that it be 1 N / m ² or more.

As described above, according to the present invention, strong adhesive bonding can be performed between the head member and the case member without causing ink leakage and without blocking the ink supply path, and the assembly itself is very simple. It is easy, has good workability, and can assemble the ink jet connection unit or the ink jet cartridge at low cost.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[First Embodiment] The details of an inkjet head connection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, an ink jet cartridge will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to a cartridge type, and is applicable to any ink jet head connection unit that supplies ink to an ink jet head.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of an ink jet cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the ink jet cartridge viewed from the nozzle side, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (a partial cross-sectional view along AA in FIG. 2) of an inkjet head connection unit that is a part of a cartridge.

An ink jet head connection unit including a first case member 40 (hereinafter referred to as a head case for convenience), a second case member 30 (hereinafter referred to as a nozzle case 30) and a head member 10, an ink bag 50 and an ink And a case 60 and an ink supply unit.

The nozzle case 30 is made of AS, ABS, PSF
(A polysulfone) or the like, and a nozzle plate portion 3 provided with an opening 31a in the center portion where the nozzle 4 appears when the head member 10 is mounted.
1 is provided, and an ink stopping groove 32 is provided in a peripheral portion thereof. The ink stopper groove 32 is used to perform a recovery processing operation (for example, to discharge ink and bubbles that have been increased in viscosity by pressing the ink bag 50 from the outside) when ejection failure occurs due to clogging of nozzles, generation of bubbles in the ink flow path, and the like. The ink ejected from the nozzle during the priming operation is stopped by its surface tension. Inside the groove, the ink ejected at that time has the surface tension. Is held. And the user
Priming is performed by observing the amount of the discharged ink. That is, the area inside the groove is set in advance so that an appropriate amount of priming is performed when the ink is completely discharged inside the groove.

A projection wall 36 for forming an adhesive groove to be described later is formed on the outer periphery of the opening on the back surface of the nozzle case 30. In addition, two pins 33 for coupling with the head case are provided on the back surface of the nozzle case 30. An adhesive inlet 34 (shown in FIG. 2) is provided at a lower portion on the front surface of the nozzle case 30, and the adhesive inlet 34 is provided.
Communicates with an adhesive groove described later. Head case 40
Is formed of a transparent member such as PSF (polysulfone), PC (polycarbonate), ABS, etc., and has an engagement hole 43 formed on the side facing the nozzle case 30. The nozzle case 30 and the head case 40 are connected by press-fitting. An opening 41 into which the projection wall 36 of the nozzle case is inserted is formed substantially at the center of the front surface of the head case 40, and the opening 31 of the nozzle case is formed at the center of the opening.
An opening 42 (shown in FIG. 3) having the same shape as that of FIG. The opening 42 accommodates the ink inlet 27 of the head member 10.

The nozzle 4 is provided at one end of the head member 10.
Is formed, and an ink inlet 27 is formed at the other end. Then, the head member 10 and the head FPC 101 (flexible print circuit) for transmitting a signal to the pressure generating elements arranged in a row in the head member are inserted into the groove 49 of the head case 40 and the FP
The C terminal portion 102 is fixed to the lower surface of the ink case 60. When the ink cartridge is mounted on a carriage (not shown), terminals provided on the carriage and FP
The C terminal 102 is electrically connected.

The nozzle case 30 is provided so as to cover the head case 40 in which the head member 10 is stored.
Are combined. A pair of claws 37 sandwiching the head member are provided on the inner side of the projection wall 36 of the nozzle case 30 so as to press the head member 10 against the bottom surface of the opening 42 of the head case 40 when connecting the cases. Act on. As a result, the surface of the head member 10 on the side of the ink inlet 27 is in close contact with the bottom surface of the opening 42 of the head case 40, and the ink inlet 27 of the head member 10 and the ink supply port 57 of the head case 40 are provided. The head member 10 is supported inside the case in a state where the head member 10 is communicated with the case. Also,
The claw 37 also has a function of determining the position of the head member 10 with respect to the case.

As shown in FIG. 3, inside the joined case, a band-like space is formed around the outer periphery near the ink supply port 27 of the head member 10 by the opening 41 of the head case and the projection wall 36 of the nozzle case. (Adhesive groove 48)
Is formed.

The nozzle case 30 has an adhesive injection port 34.
And an injection pipe 35 is provided. The adhesive groove 48 is provided with an adhesive injected from the adhesive injection port 34 through the injection pipe 35 using, for example, a dispenser equipped with a syringe needle. Is filled. Thereby, the head member 10
The periphery of the ink supply port 27 is sealed with an adhesive, and the head member 10 is fixed to the case.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the adhesive is filled in the adhesive groove 48.

The area of the adhesive groove 48 in which the adhesive is filled is a hatched portion shown in FIG. 4 and is filled so as to surround the outer periphery of the head member 10. The adhesive filled in the adhesive groove 48 is guided to the gap between the head member 10 and the head case 40 by capillary force, and penetrates uniformly.

However, as described above, the surface of the head member 10 on the side of the ink inlet 27 with the ink inlet 27 and the ink supply
0 so that the head member 1
Since 0 is supported by the claw 37, the adhesive only penetrates into the gap slightly generated between these surfaces, and does not penetrate into the ink intake port 27 and the ink supply port 57.

The ink jet head connection units are joined in this way, and a complete communication state from the ink supply unit to the nozzles is obtained. In other words, the ink supplied from the ink supply pipe 47 formed on the back surface of the head case 40 passes through the case reservoir 56 of the head case 40 and does not leak to other parts and is obstructed by the protruding adhesive or the like. Instead, the ink is supplied to the ink inlet 27 of the head member 10 and is ejected as an ink droplet 104 from the nozzle 4 by driving the pressure generating means inside the head.

The ink jet head connecting unit of the present invention having the above-described structure has a good head member and a head case for holding the head member and supplying ink only by injecting a fixed amount of adhesive from one injection port. Is obtained. Thereby, strong and stable adhesive bonding without ink leakage is achieved. However, the number of the injection ports for the adhesive is not limited to one, and may be set to an optimum number according to the conditions such as the length and shape of the adhesive groove.

An ink inlet 44 is provided at an upper portion of the front of the head case, and a stopper 47 is press-fitted except at the time of ink injection. The stopper 47 is designed so that no dust is generated when it is press-fitted, and is made of, for example, a nylon member, but may be made of a soft resin such as polyimide or a metal ball. An ink supply pipe 47 (shown in FIG. 3) is formed on the back surface of the head case, and a filter 55 (shown in FIG. 3) is thermally welded to the inlet. In addition, a plurality of pins 45 for coupling with the ink case 60 are provided on the back surface of the head case.

The ink bag 50 is made of, for example, butyl rubber. The tip of the bag 50 has a circular opening 51 as shown in the figure, and the edge of the opening 51 is provided with a packing 52. The packing 52 is sandwiched between the head case 40 and the ink case 60 to form a seal structure.

In order to prevent the ink from leaking from the nozzle 4 of the ink cartridge which is in a standby state where the printing operation is not performed or the printer is left unattached after being removed from the printer, the ink contained in the ink cartridge is prevented. It is necessary to always apply a pressure (negative pressure) acting in a direction in which ink is returned from the head member 10 in the path. In the present embodiment, a negative pressure is obtained by the spring characteristic (shape recovery property) of the ink bag 50.

The ink case 60 is made of a transparent material such as PSF (polysulfone), PC (polycarbonate), ABS or the like, similarly to the head case 40, and an opening 61 is formed on the side facing the head case 40. The ink bag 50 is stored therein. Also,
An engagement hole 62 is formed, into which the pin 45 of the head case is press-fitted and fixed, and the head case 40 and the ink case 60 are connected.

Hereinafter, an example of a head member applied to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the entire head jet head connected to the ink supply means by the ink jet head connection unit of this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the ink flow path of the head member.

The head member 10 of the present invention has a laminated structure in which three substrates 1, 2 and 3 having a structure described in detail below are stacked and joined.

The intermediate first substrate 1 is a silicon substrate, and a plurality of nozzles 4 formed by bonding a third substrate 3 to the upper surface, and a discharge unit serving as a pressure generating unit having a bottom wall as a vibration plate 5. Chamber 6 and orifice 7 provided at the rear of discharge chamber 6
And a reservoir 8 serving as an ink supply unit for supplying ink to each ejection chamber 6, and a groove that forms an ink intake port 27 provided at a rear portion of the reservoir 8.

The lower second substrate joined to the lower surface of the first substrate 1 is made of borosilicate glass,
In the lower part of the vibration plate 5, there is provided a concave portion 15 which constitutes a vibration chamber 9 for mounting an electrode. When the second substrate 2 is bonded to the bottom surface of the concave portion 15, an IT position is provided at each position on the second substrate 2 facing the diaphragm 5.
The O conductive film is sputtered to form individual electrodes 21. The individual electrode 21 is connected to the lead 22 and the terminal 23.

The third substrate 3 on the upper surface joined to the upper surface of the first substrate 1 is made of borosilicate glass, like the second substrate 2. The nozzle 4, the ejection chamber 6, the orifice 7, the reservoir 8, and the ink inlet 27 are formed by joining the third substrate 3.

The head member 10 thus assembled
After being further assembled as an ink jet cartridge, as shown in FIG. 6, it is connected to the drive circuit 80 via the head FPC 101 between the common electrode 17 and the individual electrodes 21. The ink 103 is supplied to the inside of the first substrate 1 through the ink supply port 27, and fills the reservoir 8, the discharge chamber 6, and the like.

When a voltage is applied between the common electrode 17 and the individual electrode 21 by the drive circuit 80, the electrostatic actuator composed of the diaphragm 5 and the individual electrode 21 facing each other with a predetermined gap is charged. The diaphragm 5 bends toward the individual electrode 21 due to the generated electrostatic force. This allows
The pressure in the ejection chamber 6 decreases, and ink is drawn into the ejection chamber 6 from the reservoir 8. After that, stop charging and suddenly discharge the charge stored in the electrostatic actuator,
The diaphragm 5 is restored to its original shape by the elastic force of the diaphragm itself. At this time, the pressure in the discharge chamber 6 rapidly rises, the ink droplets 104 are discharged from the nozzles 4, and printing is performed on the recording paper 105.

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the ink jet head connection unit of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The embodiment will be described using an ink jet cartridge as an example.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the ink jet cartridge according to the second embodiment.
3 is a partial sectional view of an ink jet head connection unit which is also a part of the ink cartridge.

An ink jet head connection unit includes a case member 240 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a head case) and a head member 210, and an ink supply unit including the ink bag 50 and the ink case 60.

The head case 240 is made of a transparent member such as PSF (polysulfone), PC (polycarbonate), ABS, and the like, and an opening 241 into which the head member is inserted is formed at substantially the center of the front surface. At the bottom of the opening, a concave portion 243 for forming a space for filling an adhesive described later and an ink supply port 257 for supplying ink to the head member are provided. An adhesive injection port 234 is provided on the back surface of the head case 240, and the adhesive injection port 234 communicates with a concave portion 243 filled with an adhesive. Further, inside the opening 241 of the head case 240, a claw 23 for sandwiching the head member is provided.
7, which have a function of determining the position of the head member 210 with respect to the case when inserting the head, and supporting the head member 210 inside the case.

Head member 210 applied to this embodiment
Has a laminated structure in which three substrates 1, 2 and 3 having the structure described in detail below are stacked and joined.

The intermediate first substrate 201 is a silicon substrate, and the discharge chamber 2 which is a pressure generating part having a bottom wall as a vibration plate 205 by joining a third substrate 203 to the upper surface.
06 and an orifice 2 provided at the rear of the discharge chamber 206
07 and a groove that constitutes a reservoir 208 that is an ink supply unit for supplying ink to each ejection chamber 206.

The lower second substrate joined to the lower surface of the first substrate 201 is made of borosilicate glass, and has an ink inlet 327 for supplying ink to the reservoir 208 of the first substrate 201. Is provided. The vibration plate 205 is a pressure generating means, and is based on the same principle as that of the example of the ink jet head shown in FIGS.
4 ejects ink droplets 214.

The third substrate 203 (nozzle plate) on the upper surface to be joined to the upper surface of the first substrate 201 uses a silicon substrate like the first substrate 201 and has nozzles 204 for discharging ink.

As described above, the head member 21 of this embodiment is
The nozzle 204 is formed on the front surface of the “0”, and the ink intake port 227 is formed on the back surface. The second embodiment is suitable for a so-called face ejection type head member having a nozzle formed on the substrate surface. In this regard, the second embodiment is applied to a so-called edge ejection type head member having a nozzle formed on an end surface. Different from the first embodiment.

The terminal portion 212 of the head FPC 211 for transmitting a signal to the head member 210 and the pressure generating elements arranged in a row in the head member is fixed to the lower surface of the ink case 60. When the ink cartridge is mounted on a carriage (not shown), the terminal provided on the carriage and the terminal 212 of the FPC are electrically connected. As shown in FIG. 8, inside the case into which the head is inserted, a concave portion 243 provided at the bottom of the opening 241 of the head case 240 and the back surface of the head member 210 provide an outer periphery close to the ink supply port 257 of the head case 240. A space (adhesive groove 248) is formed in a band shape over one circumference of the portion.

The head case 240 has an adhesive injection port 2
34 and an injection pipe 235. The adhesive groove 248 is provided in the adhesive groove 248 through the injection pipe 235.
From 4, the adhesive is injected and filled using, for example, a dispenser equipped with an injection needle. Thereby, the periphery of the ink supply port 257 of the head case 240 is sealed with the adhesive, and the head member 210 is fixed to the case 240.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a state in which the adhesive is filled in the adhesive groove 248 as viewed from the nozzle direction.

The area of the adhesive groove 248 in which the adhesive is filled is a hatched portion shown in FIG. 9 and is filled so as to surround the outer periphery of the ink supply port 257 of the head case 240. The adhesive filled in the adhesive groove 248 is guided into the gap between the head member 210 and the head case 240 by capillary force, and penetrates uniformly.

When inserting the head or filling the adhesive,
By pressing the surface of the head on which the nozzles 204 are formed with an appropriate pressure with a jig (not shown), the surface of the head on the side of the ink intake port 227 can be more reliably brought into contact with the opening 241 of the case.
And the adhesive can be prevented from penetrating into the ink intake port 227 and the ink supply port 257.

The ink jet head connection units are joined in this manner, and complete communication from the ink supply section to the nozzles is obtained. That is, the ink supplied from the ink supply pipe 247 formed on the back surface of the head case 240 passes through the filter 255 and is supplied to the ink supply port 257.
The ink is supplied to the ink inlet 227 of the head member 210 without leaking to other parts and without being hindered by the protruding adhesive or the like.
5, the ink droplet 2 from the nozzle 204
It is discharged as 14.

The ink jet head connecting unit of the present invention having the above-described structure can provide a good head member and head member only by injecting a fixed amount of adhesive from several (in this embodiment, one) inlets. And a head case that supplies ink and supplies ink. Thereby, strong and stable adhesive bonding without ink leakage is achieved.

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view showing a third embodiment of the ink jet head connection unit of the present invention. The ink jet head connection unit of the present embodiment is applied to a face ejection type head member, similarly to the ink jet head connection unit shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, but the adhesive injection port is provided on the head member side. It is provided.

As in the second embodiment, the head member 210
Has a laminated structure in which three substrates 301, 302, and 303 are overlapped and joined, but the head member 310
Adhesive injection port 334 and injection pipe 335
Is provided. When the head member 310 is inserted into the opening of the head case 340, an adhesive groove 348 is formed by the concave portion 343 provided in the head case 340, and the adhesive injection port 334 and the injection pipe 335 are connected to the adhesive groove. 3
Connect to 48.

The adhesive injection port 33 is connected through the injection pipe 335.
From 4, the adhesive is injected and filled into the adhesive groove 348 by using, for example, a dispenser equipped with a syringe needle. Thereby, the ink supply port 3 of the head case 340 is
The periphery of 57 is sealed with an adhesive, and the head member 310 is fixed to the case.

The ink jet head connection unit of this embodiment is joined in this way, and a complete communication state from the ink supply unit 347 to the nozzle 304 is obtained. Note that the other structure is the same as that of the second embodiment, and the description is omitted.

Here, in both the second and third embodiments of the ink cartridge of the present invention shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the concave portion forming the adhesive groove is provided at the bottom of the opening of the case member. However, the present invention is not limited to the case member. For example, a concave portion may be provided on the surface of the head member where the ink intake port is formed.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, as a pressure generating means for discharging ink droplets, a type of electro-mechanical converting means for converting an electric signal into vibration of a diaphragm to discharge ink droplets However, the present invention is not limited to this in view of the gist of the present invention. For example, an electro-mechanical converter may be configured using a piezoelectric element as the pressure generator,
A so-called electro-thermal conversion element that applies heat to ink and discharges ink droplets by bubbles generated in the ink may be used.

[0066]

【Example】

[Preferred Characteristics of Adhesive] Preferred materials for the members constituting the ink jet head connection unit of the present invention and their linear expansion coefficients are shown below.

(1) Material for head case member Material name Linear expansion coefficient (/ ° C.) PSF (polysulfone) 5.5 × 10 −5 ABS 8.0 × 10 −5 (2) Material for head member Material name Linear expansion Coefficient (/ ° C.) Borosilicate glass 3.25 × 10 −6 Si (silicon) 2.33 × 10 −6 When joining the head member and the head case, the adhesive is exposed at the portion that directly contacts the ink. The properties of the adhesive used in such a place where the ink comes into direct contact with the ink are required to have excellent ink resistance and gas barrier properties. As an adhesive satisfying such characteristics, a thermosetting epoxy adhesive is generally used.

However, when a material having low stress resistance, such as borosilicate glass, is used for the member constituting the head member, the head receives stress due to the difference in thermal expansion at the joint with the case member, and the head member is damaged. Cracks may occur in the constituent members.

When the above materials are used and an adhesive having a low Young's modulus after curing, such as a silicone-modified resin, is used, the above-described phenomenon of crack generation does not occur.

This is because the soft adhesive reduces the stress generated due to the difference in thermal expansion between the head member and the case member, thereby preventing the occurrence of cracks. As a result of detailed experiments,
The cured Young's modulus is 35.3 × 10 ⁵ N / m ² (36.0
It was found that when the adhesive was not more than kgf / mm ² ), cracks and other phenomena did not occur in the head member using borosilicate glass. Further, if the adhesive after curing is too soft, the position of the nozzle may be shifted after assembling. Therefore, the Young's modulus after curing is desirably 1 N / m ² or more.

[0071]

As described above, according to the ink jet head connection unit of the present invention, the adhesive flows into the ink flow path to block the ink flow path, thereby obstructing the supply of ink to the head member. There is no possibility that a problem that the ejection of ink droplets becomes impossible occurs.

In addition, there is no possibility that ink is not leaked due to poor bonding caused by non-uniform application of the adhesive and adhesion of dust or the like to the surface to which the adhesive is applied during the assembly process.

Further, in the process of assembling the ink-jet head connection unit or the ink-jet cartridge, the bonding surface for bonding the members constituting them is not exposed to the outside, so that the assembly is very easy.

As described above, an ink jet head connecting unit which is easy to join and has high reliability in general and an ink jet cartridge having the unit can be manufactured at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of an inkjet cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the ink jet cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the inkjet cartridge shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which an adhesive is filled in an adhesive groove in the ink jet cartridge shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the head member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the head member shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a second embodiment of the ink jet cartridge of the present invention.

8 is a partial sectional view of the ink jet cartridge shown in FIG.

9 is a plan view showing a state in which an adhesive is filled in an adhesive groove 248 in the ink jet cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the ink jet cartridge of the present invention.
Sectional drawing which shows embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4, 204, 304 Nozzle 10, 210, 310 Head member 27, 227, 327 Ink inlet 30 Nozzle case 40, 240, 340 Head case 48, 248, 348 Adhesive groove 49, 211 Head FPC 50 Ink bag 60 Ink Case

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiko Sato 3-3-5 Yamato, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture Inside Seiko Epson Corporation

Claims (26)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet head for ejecting ink droplets according to recording contents and an ink jet head connection unit for connecting an ink supply path for supplying ink to the ink jet head, wherein a nozzle for ejecting ink droplets is formed. A head member having a first surface, and a second surface having an intake port for supplying ink to the nozzle, and a supply port for supplying ink to the head member. An adhesive between the head member and the case member when the head member is aligned with the case member at a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other. A recess for forming a space for filling the space and a hole communicating with the space are provided at least in one of the head member or the case member. And an inkjet head connection unit. 2. The ink jet head connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the case member has an opening, and the supply port is formed at a bottom of the opening. 3. The ink jet head connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive filled in the space has a cured Young's modulus of 1 N / m ² or more,
An ink jet head connection unit having a pressure of 35.3 × 10 ⁵ N / m ² or less. 4. The ink jet head connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the case member is provided with a claw portion for holding a side surface of the head member. . 5. The ink-jet head connection unit according to claim 2, wherein the size of the opening of the case member is substantially the second surface of the head member. 6. An ink jet head for ejecting ink droplets according to recording contents and an ink jet head connection unit for connecting an ink supply path for supplying ink to the ink jet head, wherein a nozzle for ejecting ink droplets is formed. A head member having a first surface formed and a second surface formed with an intake port for supplying ink to the nozzle, and a supply port for supplying ink to the head member is provided at a bottom portion. A first case member having an opening formed therein; and a second case member for sandwiching a side surface of the head member, wherein the head member sandwiched by the second case member is disposed in the first case member. A case member for filling an adhesive between the first case member and the second case member when adjusted to a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other. And a recess for forming between, holes communicating with the space,
An ink jet head connection unit provided on at least one of the first case member and the second case member. 7. The ink jet head connection unit according to claim 6, wherein the adhesive filled in the space has a cured Young's modulus of 1 N / m ² or more and 35.3 × 10 ⁵ N.
/ M ² or less. 8. The ink-jet head connection unit according to claim 6, wherein the second case member is provided with a claw for holding a side surface of the head member. 9. The ink jet head connection unit according to claim 6, wherein the size of the opening of the first case member is substantially larger than the second surface of the head member. unit. 10. An ink jet cartridge including an ink jet head for ejecting ink droplets according to recorded contents and an ink holding means for holding ink to be supplied to the ink jet head, wherein nozzles for ejecting ink droplets are formed. A head member including a first surface and a second surface formed with an intake port for supplying ink to the nozzle; and a supply port for supplying ink to the head member is formed. A case member, and when the head member is aligned with the case member at a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other, an adhesive is filled between the head member and the case member. And a hole communicating with the space is provided in at least one of the head member or the case member. Ink jet cartridge according to claim. 11. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 10, wherein an opening is provided in the case member, and the supply port is formed at a bottom of the opening. 12. The ink-jet cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the adhesive filled in the space has a cured Young's modulus of 1 N / m ² or more and 35.3 or more.
× 10 ⁵ N / m ² or less. 13. An ink jet cartridge according to claim 10, wherein said case member is provided with a claw portion for holding a side surface of said head member. 14. The ink-jet cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the size of the opening of the first case member is substantially the second surface of the head member. 15. An ink-jet cartridge including an ink-jet head for discharging ink droplets according to recorded contents and an ink holding means for holding ink to be supplied to the ink-jet head, wherein a nozzle for discharging ink droplets is formed. A head member having a first surface and a second surface formed with an intake port for supplying ink to the nozzle, and a supply port for supplying ink to the head member formed at a bottom portion A first case member having an opening, and a second case member for sandwiching a side surface of the head member, wherein the head member sandwiched by the second case member is provided in the first case. When the member is set at a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other, an empty space for filling an adhesive between the first case member and the second case member. An ink jet head connection unit, wherein a recess for forming a space and a hole communicating with the space are provided in at least one of the first case member and the second case member. 16. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 15, wherein the adhesive filled in the space has a cured Young's modulus of 1 N / m ² or more and 35.3 × 10 ⁵ N /.
ink jet cartridge, characterized in that at m ² or less. 17. The ink-jet cartridge according to claim 15, wherein the second case member is provided with a claw for holding a side surface of the head member. 18. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 16, wherein the size of the opening of the first case member is substantially the second surface of the head member. 19. The method for assembling an ink jet head connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the head member is positioned on the case member at a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other. An ink jet head connection unit assembling method, comprising: injecting an adhesive into a space formed between the head member positioned on the member and the case member from a hole communicating with the space. 20. The method for assembling an ink jet head connection unit according to claim 19, wherein the adhesive is injected into the space using an injection needle from a hole communicating with the space. Assembly method. 21. The method for assembling an ink jet cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the head member is positioned on the case member at a predetermined position where the intake port and the supply port communicate with each other. An ink jet cartridge assembling method, comprising: injecting an adhesive into a space formed between the positioned head member and the case member from a hole communicating with the space. 22. The method for assembling an ink-jet cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the adhesive is injected into the space through a hole communicating with the space using an injection needle. 23. The method of assembling an ink jet head connection unit according to claim 6, wherein a second surface of the head member is inserted into an opening of the first case member, and wherein the second case member is provided. After externally fitting to the head member,
The second case member is pressed in the direction of the first case member, fitted into the first case member, and bonded to a space formed in the joined case from a hole communicating with the space. A method for assembling an ink jet head connection unit, characterized by injecting an agent. 24. The method for assembling an ink jet head connection unit according to claim 23, wherein the adhesive is injected into the space using a syringe needle through a hole communicating with the space. Assembly method. 25. The method for assembling an ink jet cartridge according to claim 15, wherein a second surface of the head member is inserted into an opening of the first case member, and the second case member is connected to the second case member. After fitting to the head member,
The second case member is pressed in the direction of the first case member, is inserted into the first case member, and is bonded to a space formed in the joined case through a hole communicating with the space. A method for assembling an ink jet cartridge, characterized by injecting an agent. 26. The method for assembling an ink-jet cartridge according to claim 25, wherein the adhesive is injected into the space through a hole communicating with the space using an injection needle.