Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting device and liquid ejecting method

A liquid ejecting method for ejecting a liquid by generation of a bubble, comprising the steps of:

• supplying the liquid along a heat generating element disposed along a flow path from upstream of the heat generating element, the heat generating element including a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the resistance layer, and a surface of said heat generating element is substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with a surface of said flow path at an upstream end portion of said heat generating element, the heat generating surface being provided between the electrodes;
• applying heat generated by the heat generating element to the thus supplied liquid to generate a bubble;
• moving a free end of a movable member having the free end located downstream of a fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, and adjacent to the ejection outlet side in response to pressure produced by the generation of the bubble, said movable member being disposed faced to said heat generating element;
• and
• guiding the pressure toward the ejection outlet by the movement of the movable member to eject the liquid.

A liquid ejecting method for ejecting liquid by generation of a bubble, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a head including a first liquid flow path in fluid communication with a liquid ejection outlet, a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating element including a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the resistance layer, a heat generating surface of said heat generating element being substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with an upstream surface adjacent to said heat generating surface, the heat generating surface being provided between the electrodes, a second liquid flow path having a bubble generation region and a movable member disposed between said first liquid flow path and said bubble generation region and having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, adjacent the ejection outlet side;
• and
• generating a bubble in said bubble generation region;
• displacing the free end of the movable member into said first-liquid flow path in response to pressure produced by the generation of the bubble;
• and
• guiding the pressure toward the ejection outlet of said first liquid flow path by the movement of the movable member to eject the liquid.

A liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid by generation of bubble, comprising:

• a liquid flow path for the liquid;
• an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid;
• a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating element including a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the resistance layer, a heat generating surface of said heat-generating element being substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with an upstream surface adjacent to said heat generating surface, the heat generating surface being provided between the electrodes;
• a bubble generation region disposed in the flow path where the bubble is generated in the liquid;
• a movable member having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, the movable member being disposed faced to said bubble generation region and displaceable between a first position and a second position further from said bubble generation region than the first position;
• wherein said movable member moves from said first position to said second position by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble more in a downstream side nearer to the ejection outlet than in an upstream side.

A liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid by generation of bubble, comprising:

• an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid;
• a heat generating element for generating the bubble in the liquid by applying heat to said liquid, the heat generating element having an area center,;
• a liquid flow path having a supply passage for supplying the liquid to said heat generating element from upstream thereof, a surface of said heat generating element is substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with a surface of said flow path at an upstream end portion of said heat generating element;
• and
• a movable member disposed faced to said heat generating element and having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, a portion of the movable member corresponding to the area center of the heat generating element being displaceable, adjacent said ejection outlet, the free end of said movable member being moved by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble to guide the pressure toward said ejection outlet.

A liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid by generation of a bubble, comprising:

• an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid;
• a heat generating element for generating the bubble in the liquid by applying heat to said liquid, the heat generating element having an area center;
• a movable member disposed faced to said heat generating element and having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, a portion of the movable member corresponding to the area center of the heat generating element being displaceable, adjacent said ejection outlet, the free end of said movable member being moved by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble to guide the pressure toward said ejection outlet;
• and
• a liquid flow path for supplying the liquid to said heat generating element from upstream along such a side of said movable member as is nearer to said heat generating element, a surface of said movable member is substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with a surface of said flow path at an upstream end portion of said heat generating element.

A liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid by generation of bubble, comprising:

• a first liquid flow path in fluid communication with an ejection outlet;
• a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating element having an area center;
• a second liquid flow path having bubble generation region for generating the bubble in the liquid by applying heat to the liquid;
• a movable member disposed between said first liquid flow path and said bubble generation region and having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, a portion of the movable member corresponding to the area center of the heat generating element being displaceable adjacent the ejection outlet,
• wherein the free end of the movable member is displaced into said first liquid flow path by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble, thus guiding the pressure toward the ejection outlet of said first liquid flow path by the movement of the movable member to eject the liquid.

A liquid ejection recording method wherein recording liquid is ejected by generation of a bubble to effect recording, comprising the step of:

• preparing a head including an ejection outlet for ejecting the recording liquid, a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating element including a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the resistance layer, a heat generating surface of said heat generating element being substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with an upstream surface adjacent to said heat generating surface, the heat generating surface being provided between the electrodes, a bubble generation region for generating the bubble in the liquid, a movable member having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, the free end being disposed at a position downstream of the fulcrum, the movable member being disposed faced to said bubble generation region and displaceable between a first position and a second position further from said bubble generation region than the first position;
• wherein said movable member moves from said first position to said second position by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble to permit expansion of the bubble more in a downstream side nearer to the ejection outlet than in an upstream side to eject the recording liquid.

An ink ejection recording method wherein recording ink is ejected by generation of a bubble to effect recording, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a head including a first ink flow path in fluid communication with an ink ejection outlet, a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating element including a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the resistance layer, a heat generating surface of said heat generating element being substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with an upstream surface adjacent to said heat generating surface, the heat generating surface being provided between the electrodes, a second ink flow path having a bubble generation region and a movable member disposed between said first ink flow path and said bubble generation region and having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid;
• generating a bubble in said bubble generation region to displace the free end of the movable member into said first ink flow path by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble;
• and
• guiding the pressure toward the ejection outlet of said first ink flow path by the movement of the movable member to eject the recording ink to a recording material.

A high speed liquid filling method for a liquid ejecting head, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a liquid ejecting head including an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid;
• a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, wherein the heat generating element includes a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, and the electrodes are connected to the resistance layer, and a heat generating surface is provided between the electrodes, a liquid flow path provided with the heat generating element for generating the bubble in the liquid by applying heat to said liquid, a contour of the flow path not changing substantially by the heat generating element;
• a movable member disposed faced to said heat generating element and having a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, wherein a portion of the movable member corresponding to an area center of the heat generating element and the free end of said movable member being moved by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble to guide the pressure toward said ejection outlet;
• and
• supplying the liquid along the liquid flow path toward the heat generating element toward said ejection outlet and to the position of said heat generating element by restoration of the portion and the free end of the movable member to their initial position upon collapse of the bubble.

A liquid droplet ejecting method for ejecting a liquid droplet through an ejection outlet disposed at a position not faced to a bubble generation region and downstream of the bubble generation region with respect to a liquid droplet ejection direction, comprising the steps of:

• generating a bubble in the bubble generation region using a heat generating element for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating element including a resistance layer and a pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the resistance layer, a heat generating surface of said heat generating element being substantially flush with or smoothly continuous with an upstream surface adjacent to said heat generating surface, the heat generating surface being provided between the electrodes;
• providing a movable member having a fulcrum and a free end portion located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of flow of the liquid, for substantially sealing an ejection outlet side region of said bubble generation region relative to said ejection outlet and a surface portion extending from the free end portion to a fulcrum portion which is disposed away from the free end in a direction away from said ejection outlet;
• and
• moving said free end from its substantial sealing position by the generating of the bubble to open said bubble generation region to the ejection outlet to eject the liquid droplet.