Method and droplet-ejecting head for droplet-ejecting recording apparatus capable of achieving high recording image quality

• US 20070222812A1
• Filed: 02/22/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tokuno, Toshiroh, Ueno, Kaichi, Umezawa, Michio, Ohnishi, Kouji
• Granted Patent: US 7,950,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/22
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/165 Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles

Abstract

This patent specification describes a droplet-ejecting head including a nozzle substrate having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting droplets, and an actuator configured to be driven to generate energy for ejecting droplets through each nozzle. The nozzle substrate is cleaned by a cleaning liquid containing microbubbles before being bonded to another member.

Claims

1. A droplet-ejecting head comprising:

a nozzle substrate having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting droplets; and

an actuator configured to be driven to generate energy for ejecting droplets through each nozzle;

wherein the nozzle substrate is cleaned by a cleaning liquid containing microbubbles before being bonded to another member.

2. The droplet-ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle substrate includes

a nozzle forming member having a plurality of nozzles, and

a liquid chamber forming member having a plurality of liquid chambers, one face of the nozzle forming member being bonded to one face of the liquid chamber forming member,

wherein the nozzle substrate is cleaned by the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles before being bonded to the actuator.

3. The droplet-ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the nozzle substrate is made of silicon.

4. The droplet-ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle forming member is made of a resin film.

5. The droplet-ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein a water-repellent film made of a silicon dioxide film and a fluorine-based water-repellent agent is provided on one side of the nozzle forming member.

6. The droplet-ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the nozzles are formed in the nozzle forming member by excimer laser machining.

7. An image forming apparatus employs the droplet-ejecting head of claim 1.

16. A method for cleaning the droplet-ejecting head of claim 1,

wherein, when the nozzle forming member having the nozzles formed therein is cut into individual nozzle substrates of a predetermined size, the nozzle substrates are cleaned with the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles to remove therefrom sawdust produced by cutting.

8. A method for manufacturing a droplet-ejecting recording apparatus comprising a plurality of droplet ejecting nozzles, a plurality of liquid chambers in communication with the nozzles, and a plurality of actuators configured to be driven to generate energy for ejecting droplets through the nozzles, said method comprising:

cleaning at least one member through which a liquid passes before being transformed into droplets using a cleaning liquid containing microbubbles.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein a nozzle is formed in said at least one member through which the liquid passes.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

bonding a sheet-like liquid chamber forming member cluster to one face of a sheet-like nozzle forming member cluster to form a nozzle substrate cluster;

attaching adhesive tape to one face of the nozzle substrate cluster;

cutting the nozzle substrate cluster into individual nozzle substrates and cutting the adhesive tape halfway therethrough;

cleaning the nozzle substrates held together by the adhesive tape with a cleaning liquid containing microbubbles; and

peeling off the adhesive tape from the nozzle substrates to produce chip-like nozzle substrates.

11. The method according to claim 10,

wherein, in the cutting step, the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles is jet-sprayed to the surface being cut while the cutting operation is being performed.

12. The method according to claim 10,

wherein, in the cleaning step, the plurality of nozzle substrates cut apart and held together by the adhesive tape are submerged in the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles to remove adhered sawdust from the nozzle substrates.

13. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles comprises pure water and inert gas, the inert gas bubbles being 30 mm or less in diameter.

14. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles comprises pure water and air, the air bubbles being 30 mm or less in diameter.

15. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the cleaning liquid containing microbubbles comprises pure water, organic alcoholic solvent, and inert gas or air, the inert gas or air bubbles being 30 mm or less in diameter, the organic alcoholic solvent being contained in the pure water.