Ink-jet printing head, a method for its manufacture, and a tool useable for carrying out this method
AssigneeIng. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
InventorsRenato Conta, Vincenzo Perucca, Remo Rocchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mounted within a substantially hollow supporting and containing housing are tubes which communicate at one end with an ink reservoir and whose opposite ends are aligned with respective ink discharge nozzles provided in a plate member which faces the printing surface in use. The plate is mounted on the housing so as not to touch the ends of the tubes and with the interposition of yieldable sealing members. The tubes are mounted in the housing with the aid of a positioning tool the shape of which reproduces essentially the shape of the plate. A resin is subsequently poured into the housing and, after hardening, constitutes an elastic mass for retaining the tubes in the housing.
Claims30
An ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes, wherein the plate member is mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducers.
A method for the manufacture of an ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes and mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducers, wherein the method comprises, in sequence, the steps of:
- providing a tool for positioning the tubes, which is plate-shaped and is provided with apertures for receiving and guiding the said other ends of the tubes located in positions corresponding to the positions of the nozzles of the plate member;
- applying the positioning tool to the support;
- mounting the tubes on the support, the other end of each tube being introduced into a respective receiving and guide aperture of the positioning tool;
- fixing the tubes to the support;
- removing the positioning tool from the support, and
- applying the plate member to the support.
A method for the manufacture of an ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes and mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducer, in which the support is constituted by a housing closed by a further plate member having apertures forming seats in which the other ends of the tubes are encased by the resin, wherein the method includes the steps of:
- providing a tool for the positioning of the tubes, which is plate-shaped and is provided with apertures for receiving and guiding the other ends of the tubes located in positions corresponding to the positions of the nozzles of the plate member;
- applying the positioning tool to the housing constituting the support;
- mounting the tubes in the housing with the introduction of the other end of each tube into a respective receiving and guide aperture in the positioning tool;
- the preliminary fixing of the tubes to the housing by glue;
- removing the positioning tool from the housing;
- applying the further plate member to the housing;
- applying to the surface of the further plate member opposite the housing a sealing gasket whose shape essentially reproduces the shape of the further plate member;
- reapplying the positioning tool to the housing, the positioning tool being pressed against the sealing gasket;
- finally fixing the tubes to the housing by the application of a resin mass to the housing and the subsequent hardening of this resin mass;
- removing the positioning tool and the sealing gasket from the housing;
- lapping the surface of the further plate member opposite the housing, and
- applying the plate member to the housing.
A method for the manufacture of an ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes and mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducer, wherein the method includes the steps of:
- providing a plate-shaped body for defining the plate member provided with the nozzles;
- applying a layer of material resistant to photo-engraving to circular annular zones surrounding the nozzles on at least the face of the plate body intended to define the surface of the plate member which is opposite the support in use, and
- subjecting said at least one face of the plate body to photo-engraving.
A method for the manufacture of an ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes and mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducer, wherein the method includes the steps of:
- providing a plate-shaped body of a predetermined thickness for defining the plate member and having apertures located at the sites of the nozzles;
- providing tubular capillary elements which can be introduced into these apertures and have axial dimensions greater than the thickness of the plate body, and
- mounting the tubular capillary elements in the apertures of the plate body in an arrangement such that one of the end faces of each tubular capillary element is substantially aligned with one of the faces of the plate body, while the opposite end of each tubular capillary element projects from the other face of the plate body.
Method for the manufacture of an ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes and mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducer, in which it further includes flexible tubes each of which puts the ink reservoir into communication with the said one end of a respective tube, wherein the method includes the steps of:
- providing tubular sleeves which can be fitted onto the said one ends of the tubes;
- working the said one end of each tube so as to give it a generally conical (flared) profile which converges outwardly of the tube;
- expanding the end of each flexible tube intended to be coupled to a tube by the introduction of one of the tubular sleeves into the end to be expanded;
- coupling each flexible tube to the respective tube by fitting the tubular sleeve mounted in the expanded end onto the conically profiled end of the tube, and
- firmly connecting the flexible tube and the respective tube so coupled by the introduction of a mass of glue between the tubular sleeve and the conically profiled end of the tube.
A tool useable for the manufacture of a ink-jet printing head comprising an ink reservoir, a plurality of tubes each having one end communicating with the ink reservoir, a respective electrical signal transducer associated with each tube to generate an instantaneous variation in the volume of the tube so as to cause the discharge of the ink through the other end of the tube towards a printing surface, and a common support for the tubes having a plate member provided with a series of nozzles aligned with the other ends of the tubes and mounted on the support so as not to touch the other ends of the tubes, whereby the tubes are free to follow the volume variations caused by the corresponding transducer, wherein the tool comprises a flat body the shape of which reproduces essentially the shape of the plate member, the body being provided with apertures for receiving and guiding the said other ends of the tubes located in positions corresponding to the positions of the nozzles in the plate member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.