# US 10,864,727 B2 · Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus provided with the same

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- Number: US 10,864,727 B2
- Document ID: US10864727B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/697,355
- Filed: 2019-11-27
- Published: 2020-07-30
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-28
- Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Shohei Koide; Keita Hirai; Keita Sugiura; Hiroshi Katayama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864727B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/14201: {Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements}
- B41J 2/04573: {Timing; Delays}
- B41J 2/04581: {controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements}
- B41J 2/04588: {using a specific waveform}
- B41J 2/14233: {of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm}
- B41J 2/18: Ink recirculation systems
- B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
- B41J 2002/14306: {Flow passage between manifold and chamber}
- B41J 2002/14338: {Multiple pressure elements per ink chamber}
- B41J 2202/12: with ink circulating through the whole print head
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A liquid discharge head includes: individual channels; a supply channel connected to inlets of the individual channels and through which liquid is supplied to the individual channels; and a recovery channel connected to outlets of the induvial channels and through which the liquid is recovered from the individual channels. Each of the induvial channels includes: a nozzle; an upstream-side pressure chamber disposed between the nozzle and the supply channel; a downstream-side pressure chamber disposed between the nozzle and the recovery channel; an upstream-side throttle channel connecting the supply channel and the upstream-side pressure chamber; and a downstream-side throttle channel connecting the recovery channel and the downstream-side pressure chamber. A channel resistance of the upstream-side throttle channel is smaller than a channel resistance of the downstream-side throttle channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid discharge head, comprising:
a plurality of individual channels;
a supply channel connected to inlets of the individual channels and through which liquid is supplied to the individual channels;
a recovery channel connected to outlets of the individual channels and through which the liquid is recovered from the individual channels,
wherein each of the individual channels includes:
a nozzle;
an upstream-side pressure chamber disposed between the nozzle and the supply channel;
a downstream-side pressure chamber disposed between the nozzle and the recovery channel;
an upstream-side throttle channel connecting the supply channel and the upstream-side pressure chamber; and
a downstream-side throttle channel connecting the recovery channel and the downstream-side pressure chamber,
the liquid discharge head further comprising:
an upstream-side actuator configured to apply pressure to the liquid in the upstream-side pressure chamber; and
a downstream-side actuator configured to apply pressure to the liquid in the downstream-side pressure chamber,
wherein a channel resistance of the upstream-side throttle channel is smaller than a channel resistance of the downstream-side throttle channel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the upstream-side throttle channel is shorter than the downstream-side throttle channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein each of the individual channels further includes an upstream-side connection channel connecting the upstream-side pressure chamber and the nozzle and a downstream-side connection channel connecting the downstream-side pressure chamber and the nozzle, and
a channel resistance of the upstream-side connection channel is smaller than a channel resistance of the downstream-side connection channel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein a cross-section of at least part of the upstream-side throttle channel is a circular shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the upstream-side pressure chamber is identical to a volume of the downstream-side pressure chamber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the channel resistance of the upstream-side throttle channel is equal to or more than 60% and equal to or less than 90% of the channel resistance of the downstream-side throttle channel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to drive the upstream-side actuator and the downstream-side actuator,
wherein a drive voltage of the driver for driving the upstream-side actuator is identical to a drive voltage of the driver for driving the downstream-side actuator.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
the liquid discharge head as defined in claim 1; and
a controller configured to control the liquid discharge head,
wherein the liquid discharge head further includes a driver configured to drive the upstream-side actuator and the downstream-side actuator,
wherein the controller is configured to control the driver so that a drive timing of the upstream-side actuator is different from a drive timing of the downstream-side actuator in a case that the liquid is discharged from the nozzle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the driver so that the drive timing of the upstream-side actuator is later than the drive timing of the downstream-side actuator in the case that the liquid is discharged from the nozzle.