JPH0364311B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting head equipped with a plurality of ejection ports, specifically, a so-called inkjet recording method,
In particular, the present invention relates to a liquid ejecting head suitable for multicolor recording systems.

[Prior Art] The inkjet head applied to the above inkjet recording method is generally provided with a minute ink ejection opening (orifice), an ink flow path, and a part of this ink flow path, and is equipped with droplet formation energy applied to the ink. The inkjet printer includes an ink ejection energy generating section that generates ink ejection energy. As with other recording systems, research and development are being conducted to realize not only monochrome recording but also multicolor or full-color recording in such inkjet recording systems. For ink jet heads for multi-color or full-color recording, in order to separate and introduce a plurality of different color inks into the head, an ink flow path group having a plurality of separated liquid paths may be constructed; It is necessary to arrange ink ejection port groups for each color.

[Technical Issues] However, in the past, when trying to satisfy these demands, the internal structure of the head became extremely complicated, making it difficult to obtain a highly reliable head, and further increasing the size of the head. There were disadvantages such as difficulty in adapting to the so-called scanning recording method in which recording is performed while moving the head.

[Objective] The present invention aims to solve the disadvantages seen in the above-mentioned prior art, and furthermore provides a liquid ejecting head that is small and compact and has multiple ejection ports, especially multicolor or The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid ejecting head suitable for full-color recording.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention achieves the above object by providing a first liquid path group having a plurality of liquid paths for receiving a first liquid, and a plurality of liquid paths for receiving a second liquid of a different color from the first liquid. a second liquid path group having a liquid path, wherein the first liquid chamber communicates with the first liquid path group, and the first liquid chamber is separated from the second liquid path group. A second liquid chamber communicating with the group of channels is provided inside the head, and a substrate included in the head has a first liquid chamber communicating with the first liquid chamber.
a second through hole communicating with the second liquid chamber, and a heating element provided in each of the liquid paths of the first liquid path group and the second liquid path group; The liquid ejecting head is characterized in that the ejection port and the ejection port communicating with the liquid path face each other.

According to the present invention, it is possible to further promote the miniaturization of color recording heads, for which there has been a limit to miniaturization in the past.
Since the substrate itself is provided inside the head with through holes for supplying liquid to the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber, while separating the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber, each liquid path and each Even if a partial temperature rise occurs in the liquid chamber, heat can be dispersed, so the state of the first and second liquids is made uniform and the temperature rise is reliably reduced, allowing stable color images to be produced independently. It has the effect of being able to be formed well even when mixed colors are used.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples using drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the liquid ejecting head of the present invention. This first
In the liquid ejecting head shown in the figure, through holes 9-
Reference numerals 1 and 9-2 denote a liquid path (four liquid paths are formed in the figure) that communicate with the first liquid chamber, which is composed of the side wall of the through hole 6, the plate-shaped body 11, and the substrate 1. form,
These four liquid paths constitute a first liquid path group. On the other hand, the through holes 8-1 and 8-2 are connected to a liquid path (in the figure, the liquid path The second liquid path group is formed by these four liquid paths. Moreover, on the substrate 1,
Two through holes 3-1 and 3-2 are provided as first and second through holes communicating with the first and second liquid chambers, respectively. Furthermore, the plate-like body 14 is provided with through holes 8-3 and 9-3 as discharge ports. As shown in Figure 1, glass, ceramics,
A desired number of heating elements (thermal energy generating elements) 2 are disposed on a substrate 1 made of a suitable material such as plastic, silicon, or metal (eight in the figure). The heating element 2 is located in the liquid path and heats the liquid near the heating element 2, thereby generating a discharge pressure for discharging the liquid from each of the through holes 8-3 and 9-3. Further, these heating elements 2 are connected to signal input electrodes (not shown). In this case, for example, multilayer wiring using processing techniques such as photolithography and vacuum deposition can also be applied. Also, substrate 1
The first and second liquid chambers communicate with the first and second liquid chambers, respectively.
Two through holes 3-1 and 3-2 are provided as through holes, and a conduit 4-1 for supplying the first liquid is provided from the back surface of the substrate 1 to the through hole 3-1.
A second liquid of a different color from the first liquid is placed in the through hole 3-2.
A conduit 4-2 for supplying liquid is inserted. At this time, the conduit 4-1 communicates with a first liquid chamber to be described later, and the conduit 4-2 communicates to a second conduit to be described later. That is, first, second
The liquid chamber is a so-called common liquid chamber that holds the supplied liquid and supplies the liquid to each liquid path in which the heating element 2 is arranged. A plate-shaped body 5 is installed on the upper surface of the substrate 1. This plate-like body 5 includes a through hole 7 connected to the conduit 4-2, a through hole 6 forming a side wall of the first liquid chamber,
and a through hole 8- that forms part of a liquid path that is an individual communication path for supplying liquid to the position of the heating element 2.
1 is provided. Incidentally, the through hole 8-1 is
They are arranged so as to correspond to one heating element 2, respectively. On the upper surface of this plate-like body 5, another plate-like body 11 is provided.
are stacked. The plate-like body 11 has a through hole 10 connected to the through hole 7, a through hole 8-2 connected to each of the through holes 8-1, and a plurality of through holes connected to predetermined locations of the through hole 6. A hole 9-1 is provided. and,
These through holes 8-2 and 9-1 are arranged so as to correspond to the heating elements 2, respectively. Furthermore,
Another plate-like body 12 is installed on the upper surface of this plate-like body 11. In this plate-like body 12, among the through holes,
A through hole 13 forming a side wall of the second liquid chamber connected to the liquid chamber 8-2, and a plurality of through holes 9-2 connected to the through hole 9-1, respectively, are provided. Therefore, the head assembled according to this embodiment has through holes 9-1,
A first liquid path group consisting of a plurality of liquid paths formed by connecting the through holes 8-1 and 8-2, and a plurality of liquid paths formed by connecting the through holes 8-1 and 8-2. A second liquid path group is provided. The outermost surface of the head is formed by placing a plate-like member 14 on the upper surface of the plate-like member 12. This plate-like body 14 is provided with through holes 8-3 and 9-3 facing the heating element 2, each of which has a discharge port (also called an orifice) for discharging liquid. It consists of

The liquid ejecting head according to the embodiment described above includes a substrate 1 and plate-like bodies 5, 11, 12, 14.
After aligning the through holes etc., they are laminated by gluing them together or crimping them with screws, screws, etc.
It is constructed by combining them. Therefore, inside the liquid ejecting head, first and second liquid chambers are formed separately. In other words, since the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber are separated and provided inside the head,
Even if a temperature rise occurs partially in each liquid path or each liquid chamber, heat can be dispersed, so that the states of the first and second liquids can be made uniform and the temperature rise can be reliably reduced. In addition, all of the plate-like bodies 5, 11, 12, and 14 are
Silicon, glass, ceramics, plastic, metal, etc. (preferably resistant to liquids)
After development using a cutting method, molding method, press punching method, etching method, or photosensitive resin, in the formation of any of the above-mentioned through holes,
Methods such as dissolving and removing can be used. Furthermore, substrate 1
Regarding, since heating element 2 is used,
It is desirable to construct this by selecting a material that is heat resistant and has good heat dissipation properties. Incidentally, the plate-like bodies 5, 11, 12, 14, etc. may have some elasticity, and the shapes of the through holes formed therein are not limited to those shown in the figures, for example. ,
It can also be rectangular or oval.

The head shown in Figure 1 configured in this way has
Since two independent liquid chambers and liquid path groups are configured, by introducing different color inks into these heads and operating them separately, multicolor, for example, two-color inkjet recording can be easily achieved. be able to.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the finished product shown in FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same components.

FIG. 3 shows a partially modified version of the example shown in FIG. 1, in which two heads having almost the same structure as in FIG. The appearance of the injection head is schematically shown. In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIG.
Reference numerals 1-3 and 22-3 both indicate discharge ports for discharging liquid. In the head of Figure 3, the first
By slightly modifying the illustrated example, four independent liquid chambers and liquid path groups are constructed, so different colored inks (for example, yellow, cyan, magenta, black, etc. inks) can be separately inserted into this head. The head shown in FIG. 3 can be suitably used as a recording head for multi-color recording or full-color recording. Also, although no illustrated example is given,
By modifying the example shown in Figure 1 (however, the number of plate-like bodies used is somewhat increased), three or more independent liquid chambers are provided.
It is also possible to construct it in the thickness direction of the head.

[Effects] According to the present invention, it is possible to further promote the miniaturization of color recording heads, for which there has been a limit to miniaturization in the past.
Since the substrate itself is provided inside the head with through holes for supplying liquid to the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber, while separating the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber, each liquid path and each Even if a partial temperature rise occurs in the liquid chamber, heat can be dispersed, so the state of the first and second liquids is made uniform and the temperature rise is reliably reduced, allowing stable color images to be produced independently. It has the effect of being able to be formed well even when mixed colors are used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the embodiment, and FIG.
The figure is an external perspective view of another embodiment. In the figure, 1 is a substrate, 2 is a heating element, 3-1, 3-2 are through holes, 4-1, 4-2, 20-1, 20-2 are conduits, 5, 11, 12, 14 is a plate-like body, 6, 7,
8-1, 8-2, 8-3, 9-1, 9-2, 9-
3, 10, 13, 21-3, and 22-3 are through holes.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first liquid having a plurality of liquid channels for receiving the first liquid.
A liquid ejecting head comprising a liquid path group and a second liquid path group having a plurality of liquid paths receiving a second liquid of a color different from the first liquid, the second liquid path group communicating with the first liquid path group. a first liquid chamber;
a second liquid passage separated from the liquid chamber and communicating with the second liquid path group;
A liquid chamber is provided inside the head, and a substrate of the head has a first through hole communicating with the first liquid chamber, a second through hole communicating with the second liquid chamber, and a first through hole communicating with the second liquid chamber.
A liquid characterized in that it has a heating element provided in each of the liquid paths of the liquid path group and the second liquid path group, and a discharge port communicating with the liquid path faces the heating element. injection head.