LIQUID EJECTING HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS

• US 20140375722A1
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: MIYATA, Yoshinao
• Granted Patent: US 9,050,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/40
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/162 Manufacturing of the nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/164 thin film formation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14241 having a cover around the piezoelectric thin film element
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14306 Flow passage between manifold and chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14483 Separated pressure chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection

Abstract

A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle plate provided with nozzle openings; an actuator unit including a flow channel formation substrate in which pressure generation chambers are provided and piezoelectric actuators that cause a change in the pressure of the liquid within respective pressure generation chambers; a communication substrate in which communication channels that communicate between the pressure generation chambers and corresponding nozzle openings are provided; a first case member that is a frame member affixed to the communication substrate so that the actuator unit is disposed within the first case member and that, along with the actuator unit, forms a manifold that holds the liquid to be supplied to the pressure generation chambers; and a second case member that is affixed to the first case member and in which is formed an introduction channel that sends the liquid from the exterior to the manifold.

Claims

1. A liquid ejecting head comprising:

a nozzle plate provided with nozzle openings that eject a liquid;

an actuator unit including a flow channel formation substrate in which pressure generation chambers that communicate with respective nozzle openings are provided and pressure generation units that cause a change in the pressure of the liquid within respective pressure generation chambers;

a communication substrate, provided between the nozzle plate and the actuator unit, in which communication channels that communicate between the pressure generation chambers and corresponding nozzle openings are provided;

a first case member that is a frame member affixed to the communication substrate so that the actuator unit is disposed within the first case member and that, along with the actuator unit, forms part of a liquid holding portion that holds the liquid to be supplied to the pressure generation chambers; and

a second case member that is affixed to the first case member and in which is formed an introduction channel that sends the liquid from the exterior to the liquid holding portion.

2. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing membrane that seals part of the liquid holding portion and that serves as a flexible portion that is at least partially flexible,

wherein the first case member includes a wall surface portion formed in the peripheral portion of the surface of the frame member on which the second case member is stacked; and

the second case member includes a main case body and the sealing membrane that forms the flexible portion, and is embedded in an internal space formed by the frame member so that the sealing membrane is sandwiched between the surface of the frame member on the stacked side and the main case body.

3. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1,

wherein the pressure generation unit of the actuator unit is covered by a protective member, and the protective member faces the liquid holding portion and includes a cutout portion that opposes the flexible portion.

4. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 1.

5. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 2.

6. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 3.