US 7,597,428 B2 · Ink jet head

Abstract

Disclosed is an ink jet head which can eject an ink droplet while preventing failure of ink ejection, resulting in printing an image having good print quality. The ink jet head comprises a plurality of pressure chambers, a nozzle fluidly communicating with respective pressure chamber, first common ink chamber provided on one edge of the pressure chamber, second common ink chamber provided on the other edge of the pressure chamber, and an ink channel fluidly communicating the first common ink chamber with the second. An ultrasonic transducer arranged in a part of the ink channel causes the ink in ink channel to circulate through a passage way formed of the ink channel, the first and second common, ink chambers and pressure chamber.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims17

Dependent claims

An ink jet head for ejecting ink to record an image on a recording medium, comprising:

a pressure chamber partitioned by a side wall shared with adjacent pressure chambers and formed of a piezoelectric material with an electrode on a surface thereof, the pressure chamber having both ends through which ink flows into the pressure chamber;
a nozzle configured to eject ink from the pressure chamber therethrough;
a first common ink chamber provided at one of the ends of the pressure chamber to supply ink to the pressure chamber;
a second common ink chamber provided at the other end of the pressure chamber to take ink from the pressure chamber;
an ink channel configured to flow ink from the first common ink chamber to the second common ink chamber;
and
an ultrasonic transducer for generating an ultrasound to forcibly move ink by a pressure of the ultrasound, the transducer being arranged in the ink channel,
wherein ink is forcibly circulated by the ultrasonic pressure through the first common ink chamber, the pressure chamber, the second common ink chamber, and the ink channel.

5 more elements

An ink jet head for ejecting ink to record an image on a recording medium, comprising:

two parallel pressure chamber lines each including a plurality of pressure chambers in which ink flows in a direction orthogonal to the pressure chamber line, each of the pressure chambers being partitioned by a side wall shared with adjacent pressure chambers and formed of a piezoelectric material with an electrode on a surface of the side wall;
a plurality of nozzles configured to eject ink from the respective pressure chambers therethrough;
a first common ink chamber provided between the two pressure chamber fines to supply ink into the respective pressure chambers of two pressure chamber lines, respectively;
second common ink chambers respectively provided at an opposite side of the first common ink chamber with respect to the respective pressure chamber lines to take ink from pressure chambers of respective pressure chamber lines into the corresponding second common ink chambers;
an ink channel configured to flow ink from the first common ink chamber to the respective second common ink chambers;
and
an ultrasonic transducer for generating an ultrasound to forcibly move ink by a pressure of the ultrasound, the transducer being arranged in the ink channel,
wherein ink is forcibly circulated by the ultrasonic pressure through the first, common ink chamber, the pressure chambers of respective pressure chamber lines, the respective second common ink chambers, and the ink channel.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,252 words

Summary852 words

#(1) Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates, in general, to an ink jet head, and in particular, to an ink jet head including an ink circulating passage way therein.

#(2) Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings23 figures

#These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ink jet head, a part of which shows a cross-sectional view, in the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along with A-A line shown in FIG. 1;

Detailed description4,938 words

#The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the same numerals are applied to the similar elements in the drawings, and therefore, the detailed descriptions thereof are not repeated.

#An ink jet head employing a system in which ink being ejected from a nozzle is circulated will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ink jet head 1, a part of which is removed to show an inside feature. FIG. 2 is one cross-sectional view taken along with A-A line in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a part of the other cross-sectional view taken along with B-B line in FIG. 1. Ink jet head 1 comprises a substrate 5, two groups of piezoelectric actuators 101, a nozzle plate 3 including a plurality of nozzles 4a and 4b, a first common ink chamber 14a, a second common ink chamber 14b, an ink supply inlet 106, and a housing 6 in which an ultrasonic transducer 7 is placed to circulate ink in ink jet head 1.

#Substrate 5 having a desired thickness is formed of a piezoelectric material and is provided with a first opening 10a and a second opening 10b through which ink passes for circulation. As substrate 5 other materials may be available, e.g., quartz, aluminum nitride, and alumina.

Facts

Application

11/752,554Filed 23 May 2007

Priority

JP 2006-14399924 May 2006

Published

US 2008/0036823 A114 Feb 2008

Granted

6 Oct 2009

Term ends

18 Apr 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 331 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

B41J 2/14209
Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements: of finger type, chamber walls consisting integrally of piezoelectric material
B41J 2202/12
Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads: with ink circulating through the whole print head
B41J
Typewriters

Timeline

24 May 2006Priority claimedJP 2006-143999
23 May 2007Application filedUS 11/752,554
13 Jun 2007Assigned to Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaishaassignment of assignor's interest
14 Feb 2008PublishedUS 2008/0036823 A1
6 Oct 2009GrantedUS 7,597,428 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
18 Apr 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 331 days of adjustment

Ink jet head

Life of this patent

Ink jet head

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims17

Description6,252 words

Drawings

Classification3 codes

Life of this patent

Description6,252 words