# US 7,607,762 B2 · Nozzle plate, method of manufacturing nozzle plate, liquid droplet ejection head, method of manufacturing liquid droplet ejection head, and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 7,607,762 B2
- Document ID: US7607762B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/510,576
- Filed: 2006-08-28
- Published: 2007-06-21
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2005-08-30
- Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation
- Inventors: Manabu Katsumura; Shinya Sugimoto; Tsutomu Yokouchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607762B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/1433: {Structure of nozzle plates}
- B41J 2/1606: {Coating the nozzle area or the ink chamber}
- B41J 2002/14459: {Matrix arrangement of the pressure chambers}
- B41J 2202/20: Modules
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

The nozzle plate comprises: a nozzle through which liquid is ejected; a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is provided; and a liquid-repellency layer which is provided on the nozzle forming surface, the liquid-repellency layer including a carbon nanotube layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nozzle plate comprising:
a nozzle through which liquid is ejected;
a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is provided; and
a liquid-repellency layer which is provided on the nozzle forming surface, the liquid-repellency layer including a carbon nanotube layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The nozzle plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is deposited by chemical vapor deposition of carbon nanotubes on a metal catalyst layer including at least one of iron, nickel and cobalt.

### Claim 3

A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate comprising a nozzle through which liquid is ejected and a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is provided, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a metal catalyst layer on the nozzle forming surface of the nozzle plate; and
depositing carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition, onto the metal catalyst layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of manufacturing a nozzle plate as defined in claim 3, wherein the metal catalyst layer is formed selectively in a section where the nozzle is not formed on the nozzle forming surface of the nozzle plate.

### Claim 5

A liquid droplet ejection head comprising a nozzle plate,
wherein the nozzle plate includes: a nozzle through which liquid is ejected; a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is provided; and a liquid-repellency layer which is provided on the nozzle forming surface, the liquid-repellency layer including a carbon nanotube layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The liquid droplet ejection head as defined in claim 5, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is deposited by chemical vapor deposition of carbon nanotubes on a metal catalyst layer including at least one of iron, nickel and cobalt.

### Claim 7

A method of manufacturing a liquid droplet ejection head comprising a nozzle plate including a nozzle through which liquid is ejected and a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is provided, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a metal catalyst layer on the nozzle forming surface of the nozzle plate; and
depositing carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition, onto the metal catalyst layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of manufacturing a liquid droplet ejection head as defined in claim 7, wherein the metal catalyst layer is formed selectively in a section where the nozzle is not formed on the nozzle forming surface of the nozzle plate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of manufacturing a liquid droplet ejection head as defined in claim 7, the method further comprising a step of bonding the nozzle plate to a substrate including a pressure chamber in such a manner that the pressure chamber is connected with the nozzle.

### Claim 10

An image forming apparatus comprising a liquid droplet ejection head including a nozzle plate,
wherein the nozzle plate comprises: a nozzle through which liquid is ejected; a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is provided; and a liquid-repellency layer which is provided on the nozzle forming surface, the liquid-repellency layer including a carbon nanotube layer.