INKJET HEAD AND INKJET RECORDING DEVICE

• US 20160347055A1
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: YAMAGUCHI, HIRONOBU
• Granted Patent: US 9,649,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04563 detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14072 Electrical connections, e.g. details on electrodes, connecting the chip to the outside...
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14201 Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements
• 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 2/155 for line printing
• 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 2/17593 Supplying ink in a solid state
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/195 for monitoring ink quality
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/08 dealing with thermal variations, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 Assembling head units

Abstract

Provided are an inkjet head and an inkjet recording device that can effectively heat an ink near nozzles of a nozzle board or an ink inside a head chip. The inkjet head includes the head chip in which a nozzle board, an intermediate plate, a pressure chamber board, a spacer board, and a wiring board are joined in order, a common ink chamber forming member provided at a side of the wiring board of the head chip to form at least a part of a common ink chamber, and a heater provided to the common ink chamber forming member. The nozzle board is smaller than the intermediate plate when the head chip is viewed from the side of the nozzle board in plan view. A thermal conductive member being in contact with the heater and joined with the nozzle board and the wiring board across the head chip is provided. At least a part of the wiring board and a part of the common ink chamber forming member are joined through the thermal conductive member. The thermal conductive member is joined with a side surface of the nozzle board and a nozzle board-side surface of the intermediate plate, the nozzle board-side surface being larger than the nozzle board.

Claims

1. An inkjet head comprising:

a head chip in which

a nozzle board including a plurality of nozzles, each of the nozzles discharging an ink,

an intermediate plate provided at an opposite side to a discharge surface to which the ink is discharged through the nozzle of the nozzle board, and allowing the nozzle and a pressure chamber that pressurizes the ink discharged through the nozzle to communicate into each other,

a pressure chamber board including the pressure chamber,

a spacer board provided with a piezoelectric element for pressurizing the ink in the pressure chamber, and including a passage communicating into the pressure chamber, and

a wiring board provided with an ink inflow port at an opposite side to a side being in contact with the spacer board, and allowing the ink inflow port and the passage of the spacer board to communicate into each other are joined in order;

a common ink chamber forming member forming at least a part of the common ink chamber provided at a side of the wiring board of the head chip; and

a heater provided to the common ink chamber forming member, wherein

the nozzle board is formed smaller than the intermediate plate when the head chip is viewed from a side of the nozzle board in plan view,

a thermal conductive member provided in contact with the heater, and joined with at least a part of the nozzle board and a part of the wiring board across the head chip, and

the wiring board and the common ink chamber forming member are joined through the thermal conductive member to form the common ink chamber, and the thermal conductive member is joined with a side surface of the nozzle board, and at least a region of the intermediate plate at a side of the nozzle board, the region being formed larger than the nozzle board when the head chip is viewed from the side of the nozzle board in plan view.

3. The inkjet head according to claim 1, wherein

the thermal conductive member includes

a heat transfer plate provided in contact with the heater,

a holding member being in contact with the heat transfer plate, and joined between the common ink chamber forming member and the wiring board to form the common ink chamber together with the common ink chamber forming member and the wiring board, and

a top plate member joined with the holding member, and joined with at least a region of the intermediate plate at the side of the nozzle board, the region being formed larger than the nozzle board.

5. The inkjet head according to claim 3, wherein

adjacent boards that are at least a part of the boards that configure the head chip are joined with a thermally conductive adhesive.

6. The inkjet head according to claim 3, wherein

the heater is provided in contact with each of the two common ink chamber forming members that form two facing side surfaces of the common ink chamber, and

the heat transfer plate is arranged in contact with surfaces of the heaters at an opposite side to contact surfaces of the heaters with the common ink chamber forming members.

7. The inkjet head according to claim 3, wherein

an end portion of the heat transfer plate is bent and joined with the holding member.

8. The inkjet head according to claim 3, wherein

the holding member is provided with a groove portion fit with a bottom portion of the common ink chamber forming member.

9. An inkjet recording device comprising:

the inkjet head according to claim 1;

a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of an inside of the head chip or the thermal conductive member being in contact with the head chip; and

a control unit configured to control an operation of the heater based on the measured temperature of the temperature measuring unit.

10. An inkjet recording device comprising:

the inkjet head according to claim 3;

a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of an inside of the head chip or the thermal conductive member being in contact with the head chip; and

a control unit configured to control an operation of the heater based on the measured temperature of the temperature measuring unit, wherein

the temperature measuring unit is provided in any of the holding member, the top plate member, and the spacer board.

2. An inkjet head comprising:

a head chip in which

a nozzle board including a plurality of nozzles, each of the nozzles discharging an ink,

an intermediate plate provided at an opposite side to a discharge surface to which the ink is discharged through the nozzle of the nozzle board, and allowing the nozzle and a pressure chamber that pressurizes the ink discharged through the nozzle to communicate into each other,

a pressure chamber board including the pressure chamber,

a spacer board provided with a piezoelectric element for pressurizing the ink in the pressure chamber, and including a passage communicating into the pressure chamber, and

a wiring board provided with an ink inflow port at an opposite side to a side being in contact with the spacer board, and allowing the ink inflow port and the passage of the spacer board to communicate into each other are joined in order;

a common ink chamber forming member forming at least a part of a common ink chamber provided at a side of the wiring board of the head chip; and

a heater provided to the common ink chamber forming member, wherein

the nozzle board and the intermediate plate are formed smaller than the pressure chamber board when the head chip is viewed from a side of the nozzle board in plan view,

a thermal conductive member provided in contact with the heater, and joined with at least a part of the nozzle board and a part of the wiring board across the head chip, and

the wiring board and the common ink chamber forming member are joined through the thermal conductive member to form the common ink chamber, and the thermal conductive member is joined with side surfaces of the nozzle board and the intermediate plate, and at least a region of the pressure chamber board at the side of the nozzle board, the region being formed larger than the nozzle board and the intermediate plate when the head chip is viewed from the side of the nozzle board in plan view.

4. The inkjet head according to claim 2, wherein

the thermal conductive member includes

a heat transfer plate provided in contact with the heater,

a holding member being in contact with the heat transfer plate, and joined between the common ink chamber forming member and the wiring board to form the common ink chamber together with the common ink chamber forming member and the wiring board, and

a top plate member joined with the holding member, and joined with at least a region of the pressure chamber board at the side of the nozzle board, the region being formed larger than the nozzle board and the intermediate plate.

11. The inkjet head according to claim 4, wherein

adjacent boards that are at least a part of the boards that configure the head chip are joined with a thermally conductive adhesive.

12. The inkjet head according to claim 4, wherein

the heater is provided in contact with each of the two common ink chamber forming members that form two facing side surfaces of the common ink chamber, and

the heat transfer plate is arranged in contact with surfaces of the heaters at an opposite side to contact surfaces of the heaters with the common ink chamber forming members.

13. The inkjet head according to claim 4, wherein

an end portion of the heat transfer plate is bent and joined with the holding member.

14. The inkjet head according to claim 4, wherein

the holding member is provided with a groove portion fit with a bottom portion of the common ink chamber forming member.

15. An inkjet recording device comprising:

the inkjet head according to claim 2;

a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of an inside of the head chip or the thermal conductive member being in contact with the head chip; and

a control unit configured to control an operation of the heater based on the measured temperature of the temperature measuring unit.

16. An inkjet recording device comprising:

the inkjet head according to claim 4;

a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of an inside of the head chip or the thermal conductive member being in contact with the head chip; and

a control unit configured to control an operation of the heater based on the measured temperature of the temperature measuring unit, wherein

the temperature measuring unit is provided in any of the holding member, the top plate member, and the spacer board.