DROPLET EJECTOR

• US 20100128089A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Sugahara, Hiroto
• Granted Patent: US 8,167,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/47
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/145 Arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/11 characterised by specific geometrical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 Modules

Abstract

The droplet ejector includes: a head unit set composed of four head units arranged in a staggered manner in the arrangement direction; a head supporting member which supports the head unit set; a liquid supplier which supplies liquid to the head unit set; and a conveyor mechanism which conveys an ejection target. Each head unit has a passage structure having a liquid passage. At one edge of the passage structure in the arrangement direction, a liquid supply opening which is connected to the liquid passage and the liquid supplier is provided. Two passage structures neighboring in the arrangement direction are disposed so that the respective edges where the liquid supply openings are provided oppose each other in the arrangement direction.

Claims

1. A droplet ejector comprising:

at least one head unit set each composed of four head units which are disposed in a staggered manner in an arrangement direction on a plane;

a head supporting member which supports said at least one head unit set;

a liquid supplier which supplies liquid to said at least one head unit set; and

a conveyor mechanism which conveys, in an area opposing said at least one head unit set, an ejection target in a direction in parallel to the plane;

each of the head units including;

a passage structure having plural nozzles disposed in the arrangement direction and a liquid passage connected to the nozzles; and

a liquid supply opening which is provided at an edge of passage structure in the arrangement direction and which is connected to the liquid passage and the liquid supplier,

the passage structures of two of the head units neighboring each other in the arrangement direction being arranged so that the respective edges where the liquid supply openings are provided oppose each other in the arrangement direction.

2. The droplet ejector according to claim 1, wherein,

each of the head units includes:

an actuator unit which is provided in the passage structure and provides ejection energy to liquid in the liquid passage; and

a wiring component which has a fixed part connected to the actuator unit, and

the wiring component further has a non-fixed part whose boundary with the fixed part is at an edge opposite to the liquid supply opening of the passage structure.

3. The droplet ejector according to claim 1, wherein,

the head supporting member has the head units, the number of these head units being an integral multiple of four, and

all of the head units are arranged in a staggered manner four by four so as to constitute said at least one head unit set.

4. The droplet ejector according to claim 1, wherein,

two head unit sets are disposed in the arrangement direction, and

the passage structures of two head units which belong to different ones of said at least one head unit set, respectively, and which neighbor each other in the arrangement direction are arranged so that respective edges of the two head units which edges are opposite to the edges at which the liquid supply openings are formed oppose each other in the arrangement direction.

5. The droplet ejector according to claim 4, further comprising:

a pushing mechanism which pushes, in a direction of droplet ejection from the nozzles, the ejection target conveyed by the conveyor mechanism, wherein,

the pushing mechanism is disposed between the two head units which belong to the two different head unit sets, respectively, and which neighbor each other in the arrangement direction.

6. The droplet ejector according to claim 4, wherein,

each of the head units includes:

an actuator unit which is provided in the passage structure and provides ejection energy to liquid in the liquid passage; and

a wiring component which has a fixed part connected to the actuator unit and on which a driver IC is mounted,

the wiring component further has a non-fixed part whose boundary with the fixed part is at an edge opposite to the liquid supply opening of the passage structure, and

a heat sink is provided between the two head units which belong to the two head unit sets, respectively, and which neighbor each other in the arrangement direction, the heat sink being in contact with the two wiring components fixed to the two head units.