JP3744322B2 - Inkjet recording head - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording head that includes an ink groove that contains ink ejected as droplets, and includes at least a first component and a second component that form an ink flow path for supplying ink to the ink groove. Is.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording head used in an ink jet recording apparatus includes, for example, an actuator member configured by adhering a cover plate to a substrate having a plurality of ink grooves, and a manifold member for supplying ink to the actuator member Etc.
[0003]
However, in such an ink jet recording head, for example, an ink flow path is configured by combining and bonding a cover plate and a manifold member. When the air bubbles contained in the ink flow path are very small, it does not affect the ink ejection very much, but if external air enters from the minute gap between the cover plate and the manifold member, the bubbles in the ink grow. As a result, the ink groove and the ink flow path are closed, and ink ejection failure occurs. Therefore, as a sealant that seals between the cover plate and the manifold member, a sealant with low air permeability must be used to prevent the entry of air from the outside into the ink flow path in the manifold member. Don't be.
However, the sealing agent with low air permeability often has a property of firmly bonding the cover plate and the manifold member, or many of them need to be cured by heating.
On the other hand, since the linear expansion coefficients of the cover plate and the manifold member are often different from each other, if they are firmly bonded, the line temperature will change when there is a change in ambient temperature or when the head changes. Due to the difference in expansion coefficient, distortion and cracks may occur between the cover plate and the manifold member, which may increase the intrusion of air from the outside.
In addition, since the sealing agent is in direct contact with ink leaking from the gap between the manifold member and the cover plate, it has been necessary to use a highly ink-resistant one. At the same time, the air permeability is often high.
The present invention prevents the growth of bubbles generated in the ink flow path when sealing between the first component and the second component constituting the ink flow path, and is excellent in ink resistance or second. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording head that can solve problems caused by deformation and the like even when expansion changes occur in the first component and the second component.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention of claim 1 comprises an ink flow path for supplying ink to an ink groove containing ink ejected as droplets, and a first component having a different linear expansion coefficient and In an ink jet recording head including at least a second component, a space for filling a sealant is formed in a state where the first component and the second component are combined, and the space is formed on the ink flow path side of the space. An elastic first sealing agent is attached, and further on the opposite side of the first sealing agent from the ink flow path side, Than this first sealant A second sealing agent having low air permeability is attached.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the state where the first component and the second component constituting the ink flow path are combined, a space for filling the sealant is formed between the two components. . Since the first sealant having elasticity is attached to the space portion on the ink flow path side, the sealing portion between the first component and the second component has elasticity, for example, expansion due to a temperature change or the like. Even if the degree of is different, it is possible to prevent deformation and cracks from occurring.
Further, when the first component and the second component are combined with each other, on the opposite side of the ink flow path side of the first sealant, Than this first sealant By attaching the second sealing agent having low air permeability, the passage of air can be blocked and the growth of bubbles generated in the ink flow path can be prevented.
[0005]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording head comprising at least a first component and a second component that constitute an ink flow path for supplying ink to an ink groove that contains ink ejected as droplets. In a state where one component and the second component are combined, a space for filling the sealant is formed, and the first sealant having high ink resistance is attached to the ink flow path side of the space, Furthermore, on the opposite side of the first sealant to the ink flow path side, Than this first sealant A second sealing agent having low air permeability is attached.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in a state where the first component and the second component constituting the ink flow path are combined, a space for filling the sealant is formed between the two components. . In this space portion, the first sealing agent having high ink resistance is attached to the ink flow path side, thereby preventing adverse effects due to ink. Further, on the opposite side of the first sealant to the ink flow path side, Than this first sealant By attaching the second sealing agent having low air permeability, the passage of air can be blocked and the growth of bubbles generated in the ink flow path can be prevented.
[0006]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording head according to the second aspect, the first component and the second component have different linear expansion coefficients, and the first sealant is elastic. It is characterized by being.
According to the invention of claim 3, since the first sealing agent is elastic, the degree of expansion is caused by, for example, temperature change or the like by providing elasticity at the sealing portion between the first component and the second component. Even if they are different from each other, deformation, cracks, etc. can be prevented and ink leakage (leakage) and air intrusion will not occur.
[0007]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording head according to any one of the first to third aspects, the second sealant is located above the ink flow path when the ink jet recording head is in use. It is characterized by being attached to the position.
According to the invention of claim 4, a sealing agent having low air permeability is provided as a second sealing agent at a position opposite to the ink channel side of the first sealing agent and above the ink channel. Since they are attached, it is possible to prevent the outside air from invading and growing the bubbles with respect to the bubbles floating and gathering in the upper part of the ink flow path.
[0008]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording head according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, an outer periphery of the ink flow path is formed in a state where the first component and the second component are combined. Is formed with a temporary fixing space for inserting an adhesive between the protruding portion protruding from at least one of the two components and the other component at the disengaged position, and the temporary fixing space is temporarily inserted in the temporary fixing space. A fixing adhesive is inserted to temporarily fix the first component and the second component.
According to the invention of claim 5, the first component and the second configuration are provided with the temporary fixing adhesive inserted in the temporary fixing space provided between the first component and the second component. The first component and the second component can be combined and fixed without the components being displaced from each other.
[0009]
A sixth aspect of the present invention is the ink jet recording head according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the recording head is formed by opening a plurality of the ink grooves on one surface. The first component is a cover plate fixed to the third component so as to cover the plurality of ink grooves, and the third component is located upstream from the ink introduction end of the plurality of ink grooves. And the second component is for a manifold channel for forming a manifold channel for distributing ink to the plurality of ink grooves between the second component and the extended portion of the first component. The first sealant is attached to the side of the manifold channel wall, and the second sealant is provided on the opposite side of the wall of the manifold channel with the second sealant. Adhering the first sealant And it features.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the recording head includes a plurality of ink grooves with a cover plate as a first component, with respect to a third component formed by opening the plurality of ink grooves on one surface. A manifold channel for distributing ink to a plurality of ink grooves is formed between the extended portion of the first component and the second component, and the first component as in claim 1. Since the space for filling the sealant is formed by the component and the second component, the recording head has a very simple configuration. Furthermore, by attaching the first sealant and the second sealant in that order from the manifold channel side, the deformation of the sealed portion due to temperature change or the like is prevented as described above, or the ink resistance is improved. In addition, the growth of bubbles generated in the ink in the manifold channel can be prevented.
[0010]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording head according to the first or second aspect, the recording head further includes a support plate that fixes and supports the first and second components. The sealing agent has an ultraviolet curing adhesive function, and is attached to the side opposite to the ink flow path side of the first sealing agent, and the first and second components and the support plate The first and second components are fixed to the support plate by being cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the second sealing agent can block the passage of air, and the first and second components and the support plate can be quickly fixed by ultraviolet irradiation. In this case, the second sealant may be used as temporary adhesion before the main adhesion step for firmly adhering the first and second components and the support plate.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The ink jet recording head is mounted on an ink jet printer, a facsimile machine or the like, and ejects ink droplets from the ink jet recording head 1 to record characters, images, etc. on a recording medium such as paper. Therefore, when performing full-color recording, cyan, magenta, yellow, or black ink is used, and therefore an inkjet recording head that can eject ink droplets of each color is provided. Here, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are enlarged perspective views of the ink jet recording head 1 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view seen from the ink ejection side, and FIG. 2 is seen from the opposite side. FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ink jet recording head 1 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink jet recording head 1 includes a cover member KB that covers an actuator member 4 to be described later. A support plate SB is provided adjacent to the cover member KB, and the support plate SB is further provided with a support plate SB. Adjacent to the ink cartridge (not shown), a joint member JB is provided.
[0012]
When the inside of the cover member KB of the inkjet recording head 1 is shown in FIG. 3, a pair of actuator substrates 2 sandwiches an intermediate plate 3 (cover plate) as a first component between them, The actuator member 4 is formed by being bonded to the intermediate plate 3 with an adhesive. When the nozzle plate 5 is assembled into the cover member KB in a state in which the nozzle plate 5 is bonded to one end surface of the actuator member 4 with an adhesive, the nozzle plate 5 is exposed to the outside through the opening KB1 of the cover member KB. As a result, the nozzle holes NA of the nozzle plate 5 as the recording portion for ejecting the recording ink face in two rows (see FIG. 1).
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a flexible cable FC for transmitting a drive signal is attached to the actuator substrate 2. Two manifold members 6 for supplying ink are joined to the other end side of the actuator member 4.
One end side 7a of a pair of joint rubbers 7 is attached to the ink supply pipe 6a of each manifold member 6, and the joint rubber 7 is inserted into a through hole SB1 provided in the support plate SB. The joint member JB is composed of a lower joint member JB1 and an upper joint member JB2 located adjacent to the lower joint member JB1, and the other end side of the joint rubber 7 inserted into the through hole SB1 of the support plate SB. A set of supply pipes JB1a protruding from the lower joint member JB1 can be connected to 7b.
[0013]
In a state where the upper joint member JB2 and the lower joint member JB1 are combined and coupled, two ink supply paths JBa are formed between the two, and the lower joint member JB1 side in each ink supply path JBa. That is, the filter IF is attached to a position corresponding to the supply pipe JB1a. Also, the filter AF is attached to the upper joint member JB2 via the attachment members TB at the inlet portions for the ink supply paths JBa. Note that a hook portion JB3 having a hook-shaped tip and a pair of hook-shaped hook portions JB4 are provided on the front side of the upper joint member JB2, and a through hole SB3 provided in the support plate SB and a pair of Each can be locked to the through hole SB4.
[0014]
Here, FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where the manifold member 6 is attached to the actuator substrate 2 of the embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the manifold member 6 is attached only to one side of the intermediate plate 3 joined to the actuator substrate 2 of the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing only the manifold member 6 of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the actuator substrate 2 is made of piezoelectric ceramic for ejecting ink droplets, functions as a third component formed by opening a plurality of ink grooves 2a on one surface, and contains ink. A large number of ink grooves 2a and dummy grooves 2b as spaces are formed in a line at a predetermined interval. In this case, for easy viewing, a part of the ink groove 2a and the dummy groove 2b is shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. When the intermediate plate 3 is fixed to the actuator substrate 2 so as to cover the ink groove 2a, the ink in the ink groove 2a is ejected from the nozzle hole NA by the action of the ejection energy generating means (not shown).
In this case, the actuator substrate 2 is located on both surfaces of the intermediate plate 3. The above-described piezoelectric ceramic, actuator substrate, and the like are well known in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-286111, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 5, the intermediate plate 3 is longer than the actuator substrate 2 in the groove direction from the ink introduction end of the ink groove 2 a to the upstream side. And the manifold member 6 as a 2nd component is attached to the both sides of the part longer than the actuator board | substrate 2 of the intermediate plate 3, ie, the extension part 3a of the intermediate plate 3, respectively.
The manifold member 6 has a manifold channel 6b that distributes the ink supplied from the ink supply pipe 6a to the ink grooves 2a of the actuator substrate 2 in the longitudinal direction (a plurality of ink grooves 2a). And a manifold channel wall MB1 so as to be formed in the arrangement direction of the dummy grooves 2b. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the channel width of the manifold channel 6b surrounded by the manifold channel wall MB1 is large at a position close to the ink supply pipe 6a and decreases as the distance from the ink supply pipe 6a increases. ing.
[0016]
Further, a protrusion MB3 protruding at an interval from the intermediate plate 3 is formed outside the manifold flow path 6b of the manifold flow path wall MB1 and protrudes on the opposite side of the protrusion MB3 from the actuator substrate 2. A space portion (second space portion) 6 d for filling the sealant is formed between the portion to be performed and the intermediate plate 3. Further, a seal between the intermediate plate 3 and the portion MB3a projecting outward at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the manifold channel wall MB1 (the arrangement direction of the plurality of ink grooves 2a and the dummy grooves 2b) of the protrusion MB3 is provided. A space portion (first space portion) 6c for filling the agent is formed. The portion MB3a includes an outer wall portion MB2 that rises at a right angle from the tip and approaches the side surface 3b of the intermediate plate 3 (a surface perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the ink grooves 2a and the dummy grooves 2b). The outer side wall portion MB2 extends to a position facing the side surface of the actuator substrate 2 (a surface orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the ink grooves 2a and the dummy grooves 2b), and has a protruding portion MB2a projecting toward the actuator substrate 2 at its extended end. ing.
Further, the outer wall MB2 is provided with an extension MB5 extending from the protrusion MB2a along the side surface of the actuator substrate 2, and the extension MB5 forms a space 6e between the protrusion MB2a. A projecting portion MB4 projecting parallel to the side surface of the intermediate plate 3 is provided.
In a state where the manifold member 6 is combined with the actuator member 4, the surface A1 on the intermediate plate 3 side of the manifold channel wall MB1 is in contact with the intermediate plate 3, and the surface A2 on the actuator substrate 2 side is in contact with the actuator substrate 2. And the manifold channel 6b is formed in the inside surrounded by those surfaces. Further, the surface A3 on the side of the actuator substrate 2 of the two extending portions MB5 contacts the side surface of the actuator substrate 2, and restricts the position of the manifold member 6 in the direction that cannot be restricted by the surfaces A1 and A2. It functions as a position restricting unit.
In this state, the first space portion 6c and the second space portion 6d are continuous for filling the sealant along the contact portion with the intermediate plate 3 and along the outside of the manifold channel 6b (ink channel). Space. In this state, the front end of the outer wall MB2 is close to the side surface of the intermediate plate 3, and substantially closes the direction along the longitudinal direction of the first space 6c (the groove direction of the ink groove 2a). .
One end of the first space 6c in the longitudinal direction, that is, a position farthest from the actuator substrate 2 forms an opening 6f, and a back side away from the opening 6f is a side of the actuator substrate 2. In FIG. 2, the projection MB2a is closed.
[0017]
Further, since the first space 6c is formed by the portion MB3a and the outer wall MB2 that protrude outward at both ends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of ink grooves 2a and the dummy grooves 2b, the former portion MB3a is appropriately formed to be large. Thus, the size of the dispenser for filling the sealant can be easily inserted, and the opening 6f at one end is enlarged in a taper shape from the first space as shown in FIG. The opening shape makes it easier to insert the dispenser.
The outer side wall part MB2 is close to the side surface 3b of the intermediate plate 3, but is not in contact, so that one ridge line along the longitudinal direction of the first space part 6c is defined as the communication part 6g, Open to the outside in the orthogonal direction. Thereby, when the sealing agent is filled in the first space portion 6c, even if the sealing agent closes the opening 6f side and the bubble mass is confined, the bubble mass is externally connected from the slit-like communication portion 6g. The first space 6c can be completely filled with the sealing agent. The communication part 6g may be provided not only in the slit shape as described above but only at least in the back of the first space part 6c, that is, in the vicinity of the protrusion MB2a.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, since the manifold members 6 are positioned corresponding to the two actuator substrates 2 provided on both sides of the intermediate plate 3, both outer wall portions MB2 of the two manifold members 6 are The intermediate plate 3 is opposed to the side surface 3b in the direction parallel to the space 6h. Thereby, the communication part 6g is communicated to the outside through the interval 6h without being blocked by the opposed outer wall part MB2.
[0018]
Next, the operation of the ink jet recording head 1 of this embodiment will be described.
Two ink cartridges (not shown) filled with, for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks are attached to the inkjet recording head 1 in a replaceable manner. Ink is supplied from one ink cartridge containing one color ink into one ink supply path JBa via one attachment member TB of the upper joint member JB2 of the joint member JB, and the joint rubber 7 and the manifold member 6 is supplied to the manifold flow path 6b on one side of the intermediate plate 3 through the one ink supply pipe 6a. Then, when the drive signal is transmitted through the flexible cable FC, the ejection energy generating means of each ink groove 2a of the actuator substrate 2 is selectively driven, and the ink is transferred from the nozzle holes NA of the nozzle plate 5 to the recording medium. It is jetted toward.
[0019]
Next, the manufacturing process of the ink jet recording head 1 of this embodiment will be described. First, the actuator member 4 in which the intermediate plate 3 is bonded to both surfaces of the pair of actuator substrates 2 with an adhesive is formed. And the nozzle plate 5 is joined to the one end surface side of the actuator member 4 with an adhesive.
Next, the manifold members 6 are respectively attached to both surfaces of the extended portion 3a of the intermediate plate 3, and an ultraviolet curable adhesive B3 (for example, ThreeBond Co., Ltd.) as a temporary fixing adhesive is attached to the space 6e of the manifold member 6. (Registered Trademark) TB3056B) is inserted, and then the adhesive B3 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to temporarily bond the manifold member 6 to the intermediate plate 3.
[0020]
After such a manifold member 6 is temporarily fixed, the first space portion 6c and the second space portion 6d have a high ink resistance, elasticity, a sealing agent having a sealing action and an adhesive action, for example, room temperature. A moisture-curing silicone sealant (KE4897 manufactured by Shin-Etsu Silicon (registered trademark)) is filled.
9 and 10 show the filling state of the silicon-based sealant with a shaded pattern B1. This filling operation is performed with the actuator member 4 placed in a state where the nozzle hole NA opens downward, that is, in a state where the longitudinal direction of the first space 6c is the vertical direction. The sealing agent is injected into the first space portion 6c by inserting a known thin pipe-like dispenser into the first space portion 6c, and along the second space portion 6d from the first space portion 6c. By moving the dispenser, the sealing agent is also injected into the second space 6d. At this time, as described above, even if the sealing agent injected from the dispenser tries to confine the air in the first space portion 6c, the air escapes from the slit-like communication portion 6g and does not form a bubble mass. The sealing agent is completely filled from the bottom of the first space 6c by gravity. Moreover, although the 1st space part 6c is long in an up-down direction, a sealing agent is hold | maintained without flowing out by the outer side wall part MB2.
Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the same sealant B4 is also supplied to the outer periphery of the contact portion between the manifold member 6 and the actuator substrate 2 to be sealed.
[0021]
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a sealing agent B2 (for example, ThreeBond Co., Ltd.) having an air permeability lower than that of the sealing agent, having elasticity, and having a sealing action and an adhesive action on the sealing agent B1. Made of 31X-038-2). In FIG. 9, this sealant is placed on the entire top surface of the sealant B1, but after fixing the support plate SB shown in FIG. 11, the sealant B2 (FIG. 11) is opened from the openings SB5, SB6, SB7 of the sealant B1. (Not shown) may be partially placed on the upper surface of the sealant B1.
The former sealing agent B1 is required to have high ink resistance because it directly contacts the ink leaking from the gap between the contact portions of the manifold member 6 and the intermediate plate 3 or the actuator substrate 2. Further, since the support plate SB and the intermediate plate 3 and the support plate SB and the manifold member 6 are bonded with a heat-curable epoxy adhesive, the manifold member 6 and the intermediate plate 3 are exposed to a high temperature atmosphere. And in order to prevent the deformation | transformation and generation | occurrence | production of a crack by the difference in the linear expansion coefficient of the actuator board | substrate 2, it is requested | required that sealing agent B1 should have elasticity. For example, the manifold member 6 is a synthetic resin material (in the case of PBT / ABS resin, the linear expansion coefficient is 90 × 10 −6 / ° C.), and the intermediate plate 3 is ceramic (for example, forsterite and the linear expansion coefficient is 10.5 × 10 − 6 / ° C.), the actuator substrate 2 is a piezoelectric ceramic (linear expansion coefficient is 1 to 4 × 10 −6 / ° C.). If the sealant B1 is sufficiently elastic to absorb the deformation of each member due to the required temperature after curing, the one-component heating is excellent in terms of adhesive force and displacement without sacrificing the sealing performance A curable adhesive (for example, an epoxy-based adhesive) can be used, and changes in ambient temperature can be accommodated.
The former sealant B1 is suitable in the above properties, but has higher air permeability than the latter sealant B2. The minute bubbles generated in the ink in the manifold channel 6b and the ink groove 2a rise by buoyancy and adhere to the ceiling portion of the manifold channel 6b (the ink jet recording head ejects downward as shown in FIG. 9). Therefore, when a small amount of external air passes through the sealing agent B1 and further enters through the gap between the manifold member 6 and the intermediate plate 3 or the actuator substrate 2, bubbles grow, and the manifold The flow path 6b and the ink groove 2a are closed, and ejection failure is likely to occur.
In order to prevent this, the sealing agent B2 having a lower air permeability than the sealing agent B1 is stacked on the sealing agent B1. The sealing agent B2 may be overlaid on all the sealing agents B1, but as described above, the bubbles in the ink gather at the ceiling portion of the manifold channel 6b, and are thus placed in the upper part of the manifold channel 6b. It is effective. Further, since the sealant B2 does not come into contact with ink, the sealant B2 may be less resistant to ink than the sealant B1, and the above example of the sealant B2 has the same degree of elasticity as the sealant B1. However, since the sealing agent B1 is interposed between the manifold member 6 and the intermediate plate 3, it may be less elastic than the sealing agent B1.
[0022]
Next, the flexible cable FC is attached to the actuator substrate 2 by, for example, soldering. In this case, an adhesive is applied between the flexible cable FC on the free end side relative to the soldering portion and the manifold member 6, and the flexible cable FC is fixed to the manifold member 6. Can be prevented. Thereafter, the manifold member 6 and the intermediate plate 3 are joined to the support plate SB using the heat-curable epoxy adhesive.
At that time, an epoxy adhesive is applied to the upper end surfaces of the manifold member 6 and the intermediate plate 3 and the support plate SB is placed thereon. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, an ultraviolet curable type is formed along the periphery of the openings SB5 and SB6. Adhesive B5 is applied, the sealing agent B5 is cured by ultraviolet irradiation, and the support plate SB is temporarily fixed. Thereafter, the ambient temperature is raised to the curing temperature of the epoxy adhesive, and the main bonding is performed. In this case, if an adhesive B5 having a sealing function with low air permeability is used and part of the adhesive B5 is placed on the sealing agent B1 in FIGS. 9 and 10, the sealing agent B2 may be omitted. it can.
[0023]
On the other hand, the joint member JB is also manufactured in parallel. Specifically, the lower joint member JB1 is attached to the upper joint member JB2 with the filters IF and AF attached to the ink supply paths JBa of the lower joint member JB1 and the upper joint member JB2. In this case, since the lower joint member JB1 and the upper joint member JB2 are both made of synthetic resin such as ABS, for example, an ultrasonic welding method can be used.
As shown in FIG. 15, when the assembled joint member JB is placed on the mounting table, the lengths of the hook portion JB3 and the hook portion JB4 are set so that the tip of the supply pipe JB1a that dislikes dirt does not touch the mounting table. Longer than the length of the supply pipe JB1a is desirable.
The ink supply pipe 6a of the manifold member 6 and the supply pipe JB1a of the joint member JB are connected by the joint rubber 7, and the hook portion JB3 of the upper joint member JB2 and the pair of hook-like hook portions JB4 are connected to the support plate SB. The ink jet recording head 1 is formed by being inserted into the through holes SB3 and SB4 and locked.
[0024]
As described above in detail, according to the ink jet recording head 1 of this embodiment, the intermediate plate 3 (the first plate) that constitutes the ink flow path for supplying ink to the ink groove 2a that stores the ink ejected as droplets. In the inkjet recording head 1 including at least one component) and a manifold member 6 (second component), the intermediate plate 3 (first component) and the manifold member 6 (second component) are combined in the intermediate plate. 3 and the manifold member 6 are formed with a second space portion 6d for inserting a sealant, and the second space portion 6d is elastic on the side of the manifold channel 6b and has high ink resistance. To attach. Furthermore, since the second sealing agent having low air permeability is attached to the opposite side of the first sealing agent to the manifold channel 6b side, elasticity is given to the sealing portion, and deformation due to temperature change is caused. In addition to being able to prevent, the ink resistance of the sealed portion is improved, and further, the intrusion of air into the manifold channel can be suppressed and the growth of bubbles generated in the ink can be prevented, thereby reducing the ejection failure. be able to.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and other modifications are possible. For example, although the actuator substrate 2 is attached to both surfaces of the intermediate plate 3, it may be attached to only one surface of the intermediate plate 3.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the ink flow path for supplying ink to the ink groove that stores the ink ejected as droplets is configured, and at least the first component and the second component having different linear expansion coefficients are provided. In the ink jet recording head provided, in a state where the first component and the second component are combined, a space portion for filling the sealant is formed, and an elastic first is formed on the ink flow path side of the space portion. A sealant is attached, and further, on the side opposite to the ink flow path side of the first sealant, Than this first sealant Since the second sealing agent having low air permeability is attached, elasticity is given to the sealing portion, deformation due to temperature change and the like can be prevented, and ink can be prevented from entering the manifold channel. The growth of bubbles generated therein can be prevented, and injection failure can be reduced.
[0026]
According to the invention of claim 2, in an ink jet recording head comprising at least a first component and a second component constituting an ink flow path for supplying ink to an ink groove that accommodates ink ejected as droplets. In a state where the first component and the second component are combined, a space for filling the sealant is formed, and the first sealant having high ink resistance is attached to the ink flow path side of the space. And, on the opposite side of the first sealant to the ink flow path side, Than this first sealant Since the second sealing agent having low air permeability is attached, the ink resistance at the sealing portion is improved, and the invasion of air into the manifold channel is suppressed, and the growth of bubbles generated in the ink is prevented. It is possible to reduce injection failure.
[0027]
According to the invention of claim 3, the first component and the second component have different linear expansion coefficients, and the first sealant has elasticity, so the first component has different linear expansion coefficients. Even when the second component is used and the elastic first sealant is used, even when the first component and the second component are subjected to expansion changes, deformation or the like is prevented. It does not cause ink leakage or air intrusion.
[0028]
According to the invention of claim 4, since the second sealant is attached to a position above the ink flow path when the ink jet recording head is in use, the second sealant floats above the ink flow path. It is possible to prevent external air from entering the bubbles that have gathered and growing the bubbles.
[0029]
According to the invention of claim 5, in a state where the first component and the second component are combined, a protruding portion protruding from at least one of the two components at a position away from the outer periphery of the ink flow path; A temporary fixing space for inserting the adhesive is formed between the other component and the temporary fixing adhesive is inserted into the temporary fixing space, so that the first component and the second component Since the components are temporarily fixed, the first component and the second component can be combined and fixed without the first component and the second component being displaced from each other.
[0030]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the recording head further includes a third component formed by opening a plurality of the ink grooves on one surface, and the first component is included in the third component. A cover plate fixed to cover the plurality of ink grooves, extending from the ink introduction end of the plurality of ink grooves to the upstream side longer than the third component, wherein the second component is the first component A manifold channel wall for forming a manifold channel for distributing ink to the plurality of ink grooves between the extended portion of the component parts, and the first channel on the side of the manifold channel wall; Since the first sealing agent is attached, and the second sealing agent is attached to the opposite side of the first sealing agent on the side of the manifold channel wall, the manifold channel and the sealing agent are filled. Easily configure a recording head that maintains space Door can be. In addition, by attaching the first sealant and the second sealant in that order from the manifold channel side, the deformation of the sealed portion due to temperature change or the like is prevented as described above, or the ink resistance is improved. In addition, the growth of bubbles generated in the ink in the manifold channel can be prevented.
[0031]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the recording head further includes a support plate that fixes and supports the first and second components, and the second sealing agent has an ultraviolet curing adhesive function. And attached to the side opposite to the ink flow path side of the first sealant, attached over the first and second components and the support plate, and cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. And the second component and the support plate are fixed, so that the second sealant blocks the passage of air and quickly irradiates the first and second component and the support plate by ultraviolet irradiation. Can be fixed to.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an ink jet recording head according to an embodiment, and is a perspective view as viewed from an ink ejection side.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the ink jet recording head according to the present embodiment, and is a perspective view seen from the side opposite to FIG.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the ink jet recording head according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where a manifold member is attached to the actuator substrate according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the manifold member according to the present embodiment is joined to only one side of the intermediate plate.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing only a manifold member according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state where two actuator substrates and an intermediate plate according to the present embodiment are joined.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view showing a state where two actuator substrates and an intermediate plate according to the present embodiment are joined.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view for explaining a manufacturing process of the ink jet recording head of the embodiment, and shows a portion to which a sealant is applied in an emphasized manner.
10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of a support plate and a manifold member according to the embodiment.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing a cross section of the ink jet recording head of the embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which a manifold member and an actuator member are attached to the support plate of the embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a front view showing a state in which the joint member of the embodiment is placed on the mounting table.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Inkjet recording head
2 ... Actuator board
2a: Ink groove
3 ... Intermediate plate (cover plate)
4 ... Actuator member
5 ... Nozzle plate
6 ... Manifold member
6b ... Manifold flow path
6c ... 1st space part
6d ... 2nd space part
6e ... Space for temporary fixing
6f ... opening
6g ・ ・ ・ Communication part
7 ... Joint rubber
MB1 ... Manifold channel wall
MB2 ... Outer wall
MB3 ... second protrusion
MB4 ... Projection
KB: Cover member
SB ... Support plate
JB ... Joint member
JB1 ... Upper joint member
JB2 ... Lower joint member
JB1a ... supply pipe
NA ... Nozzle hole
A1 ... Contact surface
A2 ... Contact surface
A3 ... Contact surface
B1, B2 ... Adhesive

Claims (7)

In an ink jet recording head comprising an ink flow path for supplying ink to an ink groove containing ink ejected as droplets, and comprising at least a first component and a second component having different linear expansion coefficients,
In a state where the first component and the second component are combined, a space for filling the sealant is formed, and an elastic first sealant is attached to the ink flow path side of the space, Further, an ink jet recording head, wherein a second sealant having a lower air permeability than the first sealant is attached to the opposite side of the first sealant to the ink flow path side. In an ink jet recording head comprising at least a first component and a second component constituting an ink flow path for supplying ink to an ink groove containing ink ejected as droplets,
In a state where the first component and the second component are combined, a space for filling the sealant is formed, and the first sealant having high ink resistance is attached to the ink flow path side of the space. Further, a second sealant having a lower air permeability than the first sealant is attached to the side opposite to the ink flow path side of the first sealant. .  3. The inkjet recording head according to claim 2, wherein the first component and the second component have different linear expansion coefficients, and the first sealant is elastic. Recording head.  4. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the second sealant is attached to a position above the ink flow path when the ink jet recording head is in use. An ink jet recording head.  5. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein both the components are arranged at a position away from an outer periphery of the ink flow path in a state where the first component and the second component are combined. A temporary fixing space for inserting an adhesive is formed between the protruding portion protruding from at least one of the parts and the other component, and the temporary fixing adhesive is filled in the temporary fixing space. An ink jet recording head characterized by temporarily fixing the first component and the second component. The inkjet recording head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the recording head further includes a third component formed by opening a plurality of the ink grooves on one surface,
The first component is a cover plate fixed to the third component so as to cover the plurality of ink grooves, and extends from the ink introduction end of the plurality of ink grooves to the upstream side longer than the third component. Exist,
The second component has a manifold channel wall for forming a manifold channel for distributing ink to the plurality of ink grooves between the extended portion of the first component and the second component; The first sealant is adhered to the manifold channel wall side, and the second sealant is adhered to the side of the first sealant opposite to the manifold channel wall side. An ink jet recording head. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the recording head further includes a support plate that fixedly supports the first and second components.
The second sealant has an ultraviolet curing adhesive function, and is attached to the side opposite to the ink flow path side of the first sealant, and the first and second components. An ink jet recording head, wherein the ink jet recording head is attached to the support plate and cured by irradiation of ultraviolet rays to fix the first and second components and the support plate.

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