US 9,067,413 B2 · Liquid jet head and liquid jet apparatus

Abstract

A liquid jet head is provided with laminated head chips forming a laminated structure. Each of the head chips has an actuator portion and a nozzle plate bonded to a first end face of the actuator portion. The actuator portion of each head chip has a filter, a first liquid chamber communicating to a downstream side of the filter, a channel communicating to the first liquid chamber for inducing pressure on liquid therein, and an electrode terminal for transmitting a drive signal to the channel. The nozzle plate has a nozzle communicating to the channel of the actuator portion. The surfaces of the nozzle plates of the respective head chips are flush with one another.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims5

Dependent claims

A liquid jet head having a plurality of head chips each comprising:

an actuator portion comprising:
a filter;
a first liquid chamber communicating to a downstream side of the filter;
a channel communicating to the first liquid chamber for inducing pressure on liquid therein;
and
an electrode terminal for transmitting a drive signal to the channel;
and
a nozzle plate bonded to a first end face of the actuator portion, the nozzle plate having a nozzle communicating to the channel;
wherein the plurality of head chips are laminated to form a laminated structure in which surfaces of the nozzle plates of the respective head chips are flush with one another,
wherein the actuator portion of each head chip further comprises a communication path, and the communication path in the actuator portion in an upper layer of the laminated structure communicates to an upstream side of the filter and the communication path of the actuator portion in a lower layer of the laminated structure,
wherein a plurality of the channels of the actuator portions are arranged to form a channel row, the first liquid chamber of each actuator portion communicates to the plurality of the channels forming the channel row, and the communication path of each actuator portion is provided in a vicinity of an end portion of the first liquid chamber in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of the channels forming the channel row,
wherein the communication path of each actuator portion comprises a first communication path provided in a vicinity of one end portion of the first liquid chamber and a second communication path provided in a vicinity of another end portion of the first liquid chamber in the direction of arrangement of the plurality of the channels forming the channel row, and
wherein the first communication path in the head chip in an upper layer of the laminated structure communicates to the first communication path and the upstream side of the filter of the head chip in a lower layer of the laminated structure, and the second communication path in the head chip in the upper layer of the laminated structure communicates to the second communication path and the upstream side of the filter of the head chip in the lower layer of the laminated structure.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description9,186 words

Summary2,634 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a liquid jet head for ejecting liquid from a nozzle to record characters or graphics on a recording medium, or to form a functional thin film thereon, and a liquid jet apparatus using the liquid jet head.

#2. Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings13 figures

#In the accompanying drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a basic structure of a liquid jet head according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a conceptual view illustrating a structure of the liquid jet head according to the present invention;

Detailed description6,273 words

#FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a basic structure of a liquid jet head 1 according to the present invention. In the liquid jet head 1, a head chip 2a and a head chip 2b are laminated to form a laminated structure. The head chip 2a includes an actuator portion 3a and a nozzle plate 4a bonded to a first end face F1a of the actuator portion 3a. The head chip 2b includes an actuator portion 3b and a nozzle plate 4b bonded to a first end face F1b of the actuator portion 3b.

#The actuator portion 3a includes a first liquid chamber 5a communicating to a downstream side of a filter 7a, a channel 8a communicating to the first liquid chamber 5a for inducing pressure on liquid therein, and an electrode terminal 10a for transmitting a drive signal to the channel 8a. The nozzle plate 4a includes a nozzle 12a formed therein for communicating to the channel 8a, and is bonded to the first end face F1a. The actuator portion 3b includes a first liquid chamber 5b communicating to a downstream side of a filter 7b, a channel 8b communicating to the first liquid chamber 5b for inducing pressure on liquid therein, and an electrode terminal 10b for transmitting a drive signal to the channel 8b. The nozzle plate 4b includes a nozzle 12b formed therein for communicating to the channel 8b, and is bonded to the first end face F1b. The head chip 2a and the head chip 2b are laminated under a state in which a surface of the nozzle plate 4a and a surface of the nozzle plate 4b are flush with each other. It is noted that the surfaces of the nozzle plates 4a and 4b do not need to be flush with each other as accurately as required when one nozzle plate 4 is bonded both to the first end face F1a of the head chip 2a and to the first end face F1b of the head chip 2b. A plurality of the channels 8a and a plurality of the channels 8b are formed in parallel with one another in a direction which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing to form channel rows 9a and 9b, respectively.

#When the head chip 2a and the head chip 2b have the same structure, a second end face F2a on a side opposite to the first end face F1a of the head chip 2a and a second end face F2b on a side opposite to the first end face F1b of the head chip 2b are also provided so as to be flush with each other. The electrode terminals 10a and 10b are provided on upper surfaces in vicinity of the second end faces F2a and F2b, respectively, and are connected to FPCs 24a and 24b, respectively.

Facts

Application

13/737,016Filed 9 Jan 2013

Priority

JP 2012-01299525 Jan 2012

Published

US 2013/0187989 A125 Jul 2013

Granted

30 Jun 2015

Term ends

15 Jan 2033

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 6 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.

Classification7 codes

B41J 2/14201
Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads: structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements
B41J 2/14209
Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements: of finger type, chamber walls consisting integrally of piezoelectric material
B41J 2002/14403
Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads: including a filter
B41J 2002/14491
Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads: electrical connection

Timeline

25 Jan 2012Priority claimedJP 2012-012995
9 Jan 2013Application filedUS 13/737,016
2 Apr 2013Assigned to Sii Printek Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
25 Jul 2013PublishedUS 2013/0187989 A1
30 Jun 2015GrantedUS 9,067,413 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
15 Jan 2033Term endsEstimated, includes 6 days of adjustment

Liquid jet head and liquid jet apparatus

Life of this patent

Liquid jet head and liquid jet apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims5

Description9,186 words

Drawings

Classification7 codes

Life of this patent

Description9,186 words