Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head comprising:

• a first housing including:
• a nozzle from which a liquid is dischargeable;
• and
• a liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle;
• a seal to openably close the nozzle;
• a second housing including:
• a mover to move a portion of the seal in a moving direction between:
• a first position at which the portion of the seal contacts the nozzle to close the nozzle;
• and
• a second position at which the portion of the seal is separated from the nozzle to open the nozzle;
• and
• a container to store and hold the mover in the container,
• wherein the seal is sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing to partition the liquid chamber and the container,
• wherein the seal includes:
• a valve deformable in accordance with a movement of the movers;
• and
• a reinforcement bonded to the valve and sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing, to support the valve,
• wherein:
• the first housing includes a first step on an outer perimeter of the first housing,
• the second housing includes a second step on an outer perimeter of the second housing, the second step fitted to the first step in a fitting direction,
• the first step of the first housing has a first length E1 in the fitting direction,
• the second step of the second housing has a second length E2 in the fitting direction,
• a difference E between the first length E1 and the second length E2 is smaller than a thickness B of the seal before the seal is sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing, and
• the difference E is larger than a thickness C of the reinforcement in the fitting direction.

A liquid discharge head comprising:

• a first housing including:
• a nozzle from which a liquid is dischargeable;
• and
• a liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle;
• a seal to openably close the nozzle;
• a second housing including:
• a mover to move a portion of the seal in a moving direction between:
• a first position at which the portion of the seal contacts the nozzle to close the nozzle;
• and
• a second position at which the portion of the seal is separated from the nozzle to open the nozzle;
• and
• a container to store and hold the mover in the container,
• wherein the seal is sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing to partition the liquid chamber and the container,
• wherein the seal includes:
• a valve deformable in accordance with a movement of the movers;
• and
• a reinforcement bonded to the valve and sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing, to support the valve,
• wherein:
• the reinforcement includes a fitting portion, and
• the valve includes an elastic cap fitted into the fitting portion of the reinforcement.