# US 12,179,486 B2 · Actuator, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

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- Number: US 12,179,486 B2
- Document ID: US12179486B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/863,410
- Filed: 2022-07-13
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-26
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Takahiko Kuroda; Kaname Morita; Toshiaki Masuda; Arata Suzuki; Naoko Kitaoka
- Inventors: Takahiko Kuroda; Kaname Morita; Toshiaki Masuda; Arata Suzuki; Naoko Kitaoka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179486B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/14201: {Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements}
- B41J 2/14233: {of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm}
- B41J 2/161: {of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm}
- B41J 2/1623: {bonding and adhesion}
- B41J 2/1628: {dry etching}
- B41J 2/1631: {photolithography}
- B41J 2/1632: {machining}
- B41J 2/1642: {thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]}
- B41J 2/1643: {thin film formation by plating}
- B41J 2/1645: {thin film formation by spincoating}
- B41J 2/1646: {thin film formation by sputtering}
- H10N 30/2047: {Membrane type}
- H10N 30/883: {Additional insulation means preventing electrical, physical or chemical damage, e.g. protective coatings}
- B41J 2002/1437: {Back shooter}
- B41J 2002/14491: {Electrical connection}
- B41J 2202/15: Moving nozzle or nozzle plate
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An actuator includes a deformable thin-film member having an opening, an electromechanical conversion element disposed at a periphery of the opening of the deformable thin-film member, an insulating film covering the electromechanical conversion element, a protective film over a surface of the insulating film, the protective film covering the surface of the insulating film and a surface of an electrode wiring connected to the electromechanical conversion element, and an adhesion improving film disposed between the electrode wiring and the protective film.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid discharge head comprising:
a deformable thin-film structure having a nozzle from which a liquid is dischargeable;
an electromechanical conversion structure disposed at a periphery of the nozzle of the deformable thin-film structure;
an insulating film covering the electromechanical conversion structure;
a protective film over a surface of the insulating film, the protective film covering the surface of the insulating film and a surface of an electrode wiring connected to the electromechanical conversion structure; and
an adhesion improving film disposed between the electrode wiring and the protective film,
wherein the electromechanical conversion structure is formed directly on the deformable thin-film structure, which is a nozzle plate, and
a thickness of the adhesion improving film is equal to or smaller than 10 nm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1,
wherein the adhesion improving film is further disposed between the insulating film and the protective film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1,
wherein the adhesion improving film is an SiO2 film.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1,
wherein the adhesion improving film is film-formed by an atomic layer deposition method.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1,
wherein the insulating film is an SiO2 film.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1,
wherein the protective film is a resin film formed from benzocyclobutene.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, further comprising:
a barrier layer having a moisture permeability lower than the protective film,
one surface of the barrier layer contacting the surface of the insulating film and the surface of the electrode wiring, and
another surface of the barrier layer contacting the adhesion improving film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 7,
wherein the barrier layer is an Al2O3 film.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 7,
wherein the barrier layer is a SiN film.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1,
wherein the electromechanical conversion structure has an annular shape surrounding the nozzle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, further comprising:
a liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle of the deformable thin-film structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A liquid discharge device comprising:
the liquid discharge head according to claim 1; and
a supplier to supply a liquid to the liquid discharge head.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising the liquid discharge device according to claim 12.