# US 12,594,762 B2 · Head unit and liquid ejecting apparatus

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- Number: US 12,594,762 B2
- Document ID: US12594762B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/660,293
- Filed: 2024-05-10
- Published: 2024-11-14
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2023-05-12
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Wataru Kobayashi; Keita Moriyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594762B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/15: for serial printing
- 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 2/2103: {Features not dealing with the colouring process per se, e.g. construction of printers or heads, driving circuit adaptations}
- B41J 2/2114: {Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids (B41J2/211 takes precedence)}
- B41J 2/2117: {Ejecting white liquids}
- B41J 2002/14362: {Assembling elements of heads}
- B41J 2002/14419: {Manifold}
- B41J 2202/20: Modules
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

Each of a liquid ejecting head H1 and a liquid ejecting head H2 includes a plurality of head chips Hc. A first distance D1 is a distance between a nozzle row L1a disposed at an end in a +Y direction and a nozzle row L4b disposed at an end in a −Y direction. A second distance D2 between the nozzle row L4b and a nozzle row L5a is longer than the first distance D1. The liquid ejecting head H1 includes a plurality of head chips Hc1 to Hc4 having nozzle rows L for ejecting a first liquid. The liquid ejecting head H2 includes a head chip Hc8 having nozzle rows L8a and L8b for ejecting a reaction liquid and a head chip Hc5 having nozzle rows La and L5b for ejecting a treatment liquid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A head unit configured to eject a first liquid, a reaction liquid that aggregates the first liquid, and a treatment liquid that is less likely to aggregate with the reaction liquid than the first liquid, the head unit comprising:
a plurality of liquid ejecting heads disposed to be arranged in a first direction, wherein
each of the plurality of liquid ejecting heads includes a plurality of head chips having one or more nozzle rows,
a first distance is a distance in the first direction between a nozzle row disposed at an end in the first direction and a nozzle row disposed at an end in a second direction opposite to the first direction among a plurality of the nozzle rows in the liquid ejecting head,
the plurality of liquid ejecting heads include a first head and a second head adjacent to each other,
a second distance in the first direction between a nozzle row closest to the second head among a plurality of the nozzle rows in the first head and a nozzle row closest to the first head among a plurality of the nozzle rows in the second head is longer than the first distance,
the first head includes a plurality of first head chips having one or more first nozzle rows for ejecting the first liquid, and
the second head includes one or more second head chips having one or more second nozzle rows for ejecting the reaction liquid and one or more third head chips having one or more third nozzle rows for ejecting the treatment liquid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
the first head is disposed in the first direction with respect to the second head, and
the second head chip of the second head is disposed in the second direction with respect to the third head chip of the second head.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The head unit according to claim 2, wherein
the second head is a liquid ejecting head disposed at the end in the second direction among the plurality of liquid ejecting heads.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The head unit according to claim 3, wherein
the second head chip of the second head is a head chip disposed at the end in the second direction among a plurality of the head chips in the second head, and
the third head chip of the second head is a head chip disposed at the end in the first direction among the plurality of the head chips in the second head.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
a third distance is a distance in the first direction between nozzle rows adjacent to each other among a plurality of the nozzle rows in the head chip,
a fourth distance is a distance in the first direction between a nozzle row closest to one head chip among a plurality of the nozzle rows in another head chip and a nozzle row closest to the other head chip among a plurality of the nozzle rows in the one head chip in two adjacent head chips among the plurality of head chips in the liquid ejecting head,
the fourth distance is longer than the third distance, and
the second nozzle row of the second head and the third nozzle row of the second head are not disposed at the same head chip among a plurality of the head chips in the second head.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The head unit according to claim 5, wherein
a shortest fifth distance in the first direction between the second nozzle row of the second head and the third nozzle row of the second head is longer than the fourth distance.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
a plurality of the head chips in the second head include a dummy head chip that is disposed between the second head chip of the second head and the third head chip of the second head in the first direction and ejects no liquid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
the plurality of liquid ejecting heads include a third head having a plurality of the first head chips,
the second head is disposed between the first head and the third head, and
a plurality of the first nozzle rows in the first head and a plurality of the first nozzle rows in the third head are disposed to be line-symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The head unit according to claim 8, wherein
a plurality of the second nozzle rows in the second head and a plurality of the third nozzle rows in the second head are disposed to be line-symmetrical with respect to the symmetry axis, and
the plurality of second nozzle rows in the second head are disposed between the plurality of third nozzle rows in the second head.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
the second head does not include the first head chip.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
the second distance is smaller than a dimension of the liquid ejecting head in the first direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The head unit according to claim 1, wherein
the treatment liquid is a liquid containing a softening agent.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
the head unit according to claim 1; and
a moving mechanism that reciprocates the head unit in the first direction and the second direction.