Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head comprising:

• a recording element board where a plurality of recording elements configured to generate energy to discharge liquid are disposed on a first face of the recording element board;
• partitions disposed between adjacent recording elements;
• and
• discharge orifices disposed for each of the recording elements and facing the recording elements,
• wherein the plurality of discharge orifices are arrayed in a row to form a discharge orifice row, pressure chambers are formed by the partitions for each recording element and liquid within the pressure chambers is discharged from the discharge orifices by the recording elements,
• supply ports, forming a row, disposed on one side of the pressure chambers,
• recovery ports forming a row, disposed across the recording elements from each of the supply ports, on an other side of the pressure chambers,
• a liquid supply channel provided on a second face of the recording element board and communicating with the plurality of pressure chambers via the supply ports,
• a liquid recovery channel provided on the second face and communicating with the plurality of pressure chambers via the recovery ports,
• a cover in contact with the second face including supply-side openings in communication with the liquid supply channel, and recovery-side openings in communication with the liquid recovery channel,
• a plurality of supply chambers configured to supply liquid to the liquid supply channel via the supply-side openings, and
• a plurality of recovery chambers configured to recover liquid from the liquid recovery channel via the recovery-side openings,
• a common supply channel configured to supply liquid to the pressure chambers,
• a common recovery channel configured to recover liquid from the pressure chambers,
• the plurality of supply chambers communicating with the common supply channel and the liquid supply channel, and
• the plurality of recovery chambers communicating with the common recovery channel and the liquid recovery channel,
• wherein the supply chambers and recovery chambers are alternately arrayed in a direction of the discharge orifice row, in a region defined by the common supply channel, the common recovery channel, and the recording element board,
• wherein, in a standby state where the liquid is not discharged, a flow of the liquid is formed from the common supply channel through the supply chamber, the supply-side openings, the liquid supply channel, the supply port, the pressure chamber, the recovery port, the liquid recovery channel, the recovery-side openings, the recovery chamber, and reaching the common recovery channel, in accordance with a pressure difference between the common supply channel and the common recovery channel,
• and wherein an inner volume of at least one recovery chamber is smaller than an inner volume of a supply chamber adjacent to that recovery chamber.

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

• a liquid discharge head including
• a recording element board including
• a discharge orifice configured to discharge liquid,
• a recording element configured to generate energy to discharge liquid,
• a pressure chamber having the recording element within,
• a liquid supply channel configured to supply liquid to the pressure chamber, and
• a liquid recovery channel configured to recover liquid from the pressure chamber,
• a cover including a supply-side opening in communication with the liquid supply channel, and a recovery-side opening in communication with the liquid recovery channel;
• and
• a support member configured to support the recording element board, the support member including
• a supply chamber configured to supply liquid to the liquid supply channel, and
• a recovery chamber configured to recover liquid from the liquid recovery channel and having an inner volume smaller than an inner volume of the supply chamber;
• a storage unit configured to store the liquid;
• a first circulation system configured to circulate the liquid from the storage unit to the common supply channel;
• and
• a second circulation system configured to circulate the liquid from the storage unit to the common recovery channel.

A liquid discharge head comprising:

• a plurality of discharge modules;
• and
• a channel-forming member;
• each discharge module comprising:
• a recording element board including
• a plurality of recording elements configured to generate energy to discharge liquid disposed on a first face of a substrate;
• partitions disposed between adjacent recording elements;
• and
• discharge orifices disposed for each of the recording elements and facing the recording elements,
• wherein the plurality of discharge orifices are arrayed in a row to form a discharge orifice row, pressure chambers are formed by the partitions for each recording element and liquid within the pressure chambers is discharged from the discharge orifices by the recording elements,
• supply ports, forming a row, disposed on one side of the pressure chambers,
• recovery ports forming a row, disposed across the recording elements from each of the supply ports, on an other side of the pressure chambers,
• a liquid supply channel configured to supply liquid via the supply ports to the pressure chambers,
• a liquid recovery channel configured to recover liquid via the recovery ports from the pressure chambers,
• wherein the liquid supply channel and liquid recovery channel are disposed on a second face of the substrate, and the supply ports and recovery ports extend from the first face of the substrate through to the second face of the substrate, and
• a cover in contact with the second face of the substrate, and including supply-side openings in communication with the liquid supply channel, and recovery-side openings in communication with the liquid recovery channel;
• and
• a support member configured to support the recording element board, the support member including
• a plurality of supply chambers configured to supply liquid to the liquid supply channel via the supply-side openings, and
• a plurality of recovery chambers configured to recover liquid from the liquid recovery channel via the recovery-side openings,
• wherein the supply chambers and recovery chambers are alternately arrayed in a direction of the discharge orifice row;
• the channel-forming member comprising:
• a common supply channel configured to supply liquid to the plurality of discharge modules via the supply chambers,
• a common recovery channel configured to recover liquid from the plurality of discharge modules via the recovery chambers,
• wherein the common supply channel and the common recovery channel extend in a direction parallel to the plurality of discharge modules arranged side by side in a row along the length of the discharge head,
• wherein, in a standby state where the liquid is not discharged, a flow of the liquid is formed from the common supply channel through the supply chamber, the supply-side openings, the liquid supply channel, the supply port, the pressure chamber, the recovery port, the liquid recovery channel, the recovery-side openings, the recovery chamber, and reaching the common recovery channel, in accordance with a pressure difference between the common supply channel and the common recovery channel, and
• wherein an inner volume of at least one recovery chamber is smaller than an inner volume of a supply chamber adjacent to that recovery chamber.