Liquid-jet head and liquid-jet apparatus

• US 20070263041A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Owaki, Hiroshige
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/71
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/161 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14241 having a cover around the piezoelectric thin film element
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A liquid-jet head has a passage-forming substrate with an individual path including a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice which ejects a liquid. The head also has a pressure-generating element, a protection plate, a reservoir, a compliance plate, a through hole, an introducing path, and a flexible portion with flexibility in a region of the compliance plate, the region facing the reservoir, which region covers at least from a part facing the through hole to a part surrounding the introducing path.

Claims

1. A liquid-jet head comprising:

a passage-forming substrate provided with an individual path including a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice which ejects a liquid;

a pressure-generating element provided in a region facing the pressure-generating chamber on the side of a first surface of the passage-forming substrate;

a protection plate which is joined to the first surface of the passage-forming substrate on the pressure-generating chamber side, and which is provided with a pressure-generating element holding portion having the pressure-generating element arranged therein on a first surface of the protection plate;

a reservoir formed in a region on the side of a second surface of the protection plate, the region facing the pressure-generating element holding portion;

a compliance plate formed on a surface of the reservoir on the opposite side to the passage-forming substrate;

a through hole which is provided in a region in the protection plate on a first end side in the longitudinal direction of the pressure-generating chamber, and which causes the reservoir to communicate with the individual path;

an introducing path, which is provided in a region in the compliance plate on a second end side in the longitudinal direction of the pressure-generating chamber, and which supplies the liquid to the reservoir from a storage having the liquid stored therein; and

a flexible portion with flexibility provided in a region of the compliance plate, the region facing the reservoir, which region covers at least from a part facing the through hole to a part surrounding the introducing path.

2. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion in the compliance plate is provided continuously over the pressure-generating chamber in the longitudinal direction.

3. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein

a head case provided with an introducing port which communicates with the introducing path is joined to the compliance plate, and

a drive circuit which drives the pressure-generating element is mounted on the head case.

4. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein a drive circuit is mounted on the top of the passage-forming substrate, the drive circuit being arranged in parallel to, and being separated from, the protection plate.

5. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is provided independently for each individual path group formed of a plurality of individual paths.

6. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is independently provided for each individual path.

7. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein the individual path includes at least the pressure-generating chamber and a liquid supply path which communicates with one end of the pressure-generating chamber, which has a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the pressure-generating chamber, in the width direction, and which generates a passage resistance to a liquid supplied from the reservoir.

8. The liquid-jet head according to claim 6 wherein the individual path is formed of the pressure-generating chamber, while the through hole functions as a liquid supply path which generates a passage resistance to a liquid supplied from the reservoir.

9. The liquid-jet head according to claim 1, wherein a reservoir forming plate which defines a side surface of the reservoir is joined onto the protection plate.

10. A liquid-jet apparatus comprising a liquid-jet head according to claim 1.