# US 11,305,533 B2 · Liquid discharge apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 11,305,533 B2
- Document ID: US11305533B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/115,227
- Filed: 2020-12-08
- Published: 2021-03-25
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-25
- Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Kyohei Naito; Shohei Koide; Jiro Yamamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305533B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/14233: {of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm}
- B41J 2002/14491: {Electrical connection}
- B41J 2202/18: Electrical connection established using vias
- B41J 2202/20: Modules
- B41J 2202/21: Line printing
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus is provided, including a liquid discharge head including: an upper substrate, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, an intermediate substrate, a lower substrate and a plurality of individual traces arranged on the upper substrate and extending toward the contacts arranged on the one end side in the second direction from the plurality of piezoelectric elements respectively.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid discharge head, comprising:
a nozzle defining member including a plurality of nozzle arrays, each of the nozzle arrays including a plurality of nozzles aligned in a first direction, and the nozzle arrays being arranged side by side in a second direction intersecting with the first direction;
a channel defining member defining a channel in communication with the nozzles;
a connecting part including a plurality of contacts located on the channel defining member;
a trace member electrically connected with the contacts;
a plurality of energy generating elements overlapping with the nozzles, respectively, in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction; and
a film covering the channel,
wherein the plurality of nozzle arrays includes a nozzle array A that is nearest to the contacts in the second direction and a nozzle array B that is furthest from the contacts in the second direction,
wherein the channel defining member includes a first end and second end which are both ends of the channel defining member in the second direction,
wherein the nozzle defining member is stacked on the channel defining member in the third direction,
wherein the contacts are located between the first end and the nozzle array A in the second direction,
wherein none of the contacts are located between the second end and the nozzle array B in the second direction, and
wherein the connecting part is located nearer to the first end than the second end in the second direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the channel includes a manifold, and
wherein the manifold includes: a first manifold connected to the nozzles of the nozzle array A, and a second manifold connected to the nozzles of the nozzle array B.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 2, wherein the film covers the manifold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 2, wherein the film includes a first film area covering the first manifold and a second film area covering the second manifold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 4, wherein the first film area overlaps with the connecting part in the third direction, and
wherein the second film area does not overlap with the connecting part in the third direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 5, wherein the connecting part is located at an opposite side of the film in the third direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the connecting part overlaps with the film in the third direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the film is made of a resin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, further comprising a plate covering the film.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 9, wherein the film is thinner than the plate.