LIQUID-DROPLET EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID-DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME

• US 20110122199A1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: TAKEMOTO, Takeshi, Tajima, Yukitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,480,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/48
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/055 Devices for absorbing or preventing back-pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14241 having a cover around the piezoelectric thin film element
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection

Abstract

A liquid-droplet ejection head includes a nozzle substrate, a chamber substrate, a liquid supply substrate, a frame substrate, a driving circuit member, and wire members. The nozzle substrate includes nozzles. The chamber substrate is formed on the nozzle substrate and includes liquid chambers, diaphragms, and electro-mechanical transducers. The liquid supply substrate is formed on the chamber substrate and includes liquid supply channels. The frame substrate is formed on a first face of the liquid supply substrate opposite a second face of the liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate. The driving circuit member that drives the electro-mechanical transducers is mounted on the frame substrate. The wire members connect the electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member. A voltage applied to the electro-mechanical transducers through the wire members deforms the electro-mechanical transducers and the diaphragms to generate pressure in the liquid chambers.

Claims

1. A liquid-droplet ejection head comprising:

a nozzle substrate comprising a plurality of nozzles;

a chamber substrate formed on the nozzle substrate and comprising a plurality of liquid chambers connected to the respective nozzles, a plurality of diaphragms forming part of the plurality of liquid chambers, and a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers mounted on the diaphragms corresponding to the plurality of liquid chambers;

a liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate and comprising a plurality of liquid supply channels through which liquid is supplied to the plurality of liquid chambers in the chamber substrate;

a frame substrate formed on a first face of the liquid supply substrate opposite a second face of the liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate;

a driving circuit member mounted on the frame substrate that drives the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers; and

a plurality of wire members connecting the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member, wherein a voltage applied to the electro-mechanical transducers through the plurality of wire members deforms the electro-mechanical transducers and the diaphragms to generate pressure in the liquid chambers.

2. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer member formed on the frame substrate; and

a thin-plate frame member formed on the buffer member to reinforce the buffer member,

wherein the driving circuit member is mounted on the thin-plate frame member.

3. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 2, further comprising an opening in a middle portion of each of the liquid supply substrate, the frame substrate, the buffer member, and the thin-plate frame member,

wherein the plurality of wire members connects the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member through the opening.

4. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 2, further comprising a printed board intervening between the driving circuit member and the thin-plate frame member.

5. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 4, wherein the thin-plate frame member is made of metal.

6. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 1, further comprising an opening through a middle portion of each of the liquid supply substrate and the frame substrate, wherein the plurality of wire members connects the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member through the opening.

7. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a common chamber formed over both the liquid supply substrate and the frame substrate and connected to the plurality of liquid chambers, with a concave portion formed on a first face of the common chamber opposite a second face of the common chamber that faces the liquid supply channels of the liquid supply substrate; and

a buffer member covering the concave portion to buffer transmission of pressure generated in the common chamber.

8. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply substrate is made of glass or silicon.

9. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the frame substrate is made of resin.

10. The liquid-droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wire members connects the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member by wire bonding.

11. A liquid-droplet ejection apparatus comprising a liquid-droplet ejection head,

the head comprising:

a nozzle substrate comprising a plurality of nozzles;

a chamber substrate formed on the nozzle substrate and comprising a plurality of liquid chambers connected to the respective nozzles, a plurality of diaphragms forming part of the plurality of liquid chambers, and a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers mounted on the diaphragms corresponding to the plurality of liquid chambers;

a liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate and comprising a plurality of liquid supply channels through which liquid is supplied to the plurality of liquid chambers in the chamber substrate;

a frame substrate formed on a first face of the liquid supply substrate opposite a second face of the liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate;

a driving circuit member mounted on the frame substrate that drives the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers; and

a plurality of wire members connecting the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member, wherein a voltage applied to the electro-mechanical transducers through the plurality of wire members deforms the electro-mechanical transducers and the diaphragms to generate pressure in the liquid chambers.

12. The liquid-droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the liquid-droplet ejection head further comprises:

a buffer member formed on the frame substrate; and

a thin-plate frame member formed on the buffer member to reinforce the buffer member, and

wherein the driving circuit member is mounted on the thin-plate frame member.

13. The liquid-droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the liquid-droplet ejection head further comprises an opening in a middle portion of each of the liquid supply substrate, the frame substrate, the buffer member, and the thin-plate frame member, and

wherein the plurality of wire members connects the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member through the opening.

14. The liquid-droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the liquid-droplet ejection head further comprises a printed board intervening between the driving circuit member and the thin-plate frame member.

15. The liquid-droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the liquid-droplet ejection head further comprises an opening through a middle portion of each of the liquid supply substrate and the frame substrate, wherein the plurality of wire members connects the plurality of electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member through the opening.

16. The liquid-droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the liquid-droplet ejection head further comprises:

a common chamber formed over both the liquid supply substrate and the frame substrate and connected to the plurality of liquid chambers, with a concave portion formed on a first face of the common chamber opposite a second face of the common chamber that faces the liquid supply channels of the liquid supply substrate; and

a buffer member covering the concave portion to buffer transmission of pressure generated in the common chamber.