Ink jet print head with improved spacer made from silicon single-crystal substrate

• US 5,956,058 A
• Filed: 11/04/1994
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miura, Kazuhiko, Furuta, Tatsuo, Naka, Takahiro, Katakura, Takahiro, Sakai, Shinri, Suzuki, Kazunaga, Momose, Kaoru, Kamoi, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKENS, CHARLENE
• Application Number:
  US08/336,060
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/68, 347/69, 347/70, 347/71, 347/72
• US Class Current: 347/71
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14274 of stacked structure type, deformed by compression/extension and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1612 of stacked structure type, deformed by compression/extension 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 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14387 Front shooter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/03 Specific materials used
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/11 characterised by specific geometrical characteristics

Abstract

An ink jet printer head includes a spacer including pressure generating chambers continuous to nozzle openings, ink supply paths, and reservoirs, a cover member for covering the pressure generating chambers in a sealing fashion, and pressure generating means for generating pressure in the pressure generating chambers in accordance with print data. In processing a silicon single-crystal substrate vertically oriented in (110) by anisotropic etching process, one of the walls of a path hole for forming a pressure generating chamber is aligned with one of the walls of a path hole for forming a reservoir. Walls defining the path hole for forming a pressure generating chamber, which are located in the vicinity of a nozzle opening, are connected to each other at an obtuse angle. As a result, the ink supply path serving as a narrow path for ink flow and the pressure generating chamber are formed as smooth flow paths. The walls in an area in the vicinity of the nozzle opening where ink tends to stay are substantially equally distanced from the nozzle opening. A smooth flow of ink is ensured.

Claims

1. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a spacer, a first cover member plate, a second cover member plate, a nozzle, and pressure generating means;

said spacer comprising a silicon single-crystal substrate vertically oriented in (110) having a first outer surface, a second outer surface opposite said first outer surface, and a plurality of through holes extending from said first outer surface to said second outer surface, wherein said plurality of through holes is defined by inner surfaces extending through said silicon single-crystal substrate,

said plurality of through holes including a first path hole, a second path hole, and a third path hole;

inner surfaces of said first path hole defining a plurality of first path hole walls, inner surfaces of said second path hole defining a plurality of second path hole walls, and inner surfaces of said third path hole defining a plurality of third path hole walls;

said second path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said third path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said first path hole adjoining said respective first distal end of said second path hole, said respective first distal end of said third path hole communicating with said nozzle, said respective second distal end of said third path hole adjoining said respective second distal end of said second path hole;

said first cover member plate having a first cover member plate inner surface;

said second cover member plate having a second cover member plate inner surface;

said first outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said first cover member plate inner surface and said second outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said second cover member plate inner surface;

said plurality of first path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said first path hole so as to define a reservoir;

said plurality of second path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said second path hole so as to define an ink supply path;

said plurality of third path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said third path hole so as to define a pressure generating chamber; and

said pressure generating means generating pressure in said pressure generating chamber;

wherein at least four of said plurality of third path hole walls at said respective first distal end of said third path hole are connected to respective adjacent ones of said plurality of third path hole walls at obtuse angles.

2. The ink jet printer head according to claim 1, wherein at least six of said plurality of third path hole walls at said respective first distal end of said third path hole are connected to respective adjacent ones of said plurality of third path hole walls at obtuse angles.

3. The ink jet printer head according to claim 2, wherein at least seven of said plurality of third path hole walls at said respective first distal end of said third path hole are connected to respective adjacent ones of said plurality of third path hole walls at obtuse angles.

4. The ink jet printer head according to claim 2, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the spacer.

5. The ink jet printer head according to claim 4, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the spacer.

6. The ink jet printer head according to claim 1, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the spacer.

7. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a spacer, a first cover member plate, a second cover member plate, a nozzle, and pressure generating means;

said spacer comprising a silicon single-crystal substrate vertically oriented in (110) having a first outer surface, a second outer surface opposite said first outer surface, and a plurality of through holes extending from said first outer surface to said second outer surface, wherein said plurality of through holes is defined by inner surfaces extending through said silicon single-crystal substrate,

said plurality of through holes including a first path hole, a second path hole, and a third path hole;

inner surfaces of said first path hole defining a plurality of first path hole walls, inner surfaces of said second path hole defining a plurality of second path hole walls, and inner surfaces of said third path hole defining a plurality of third path hole walls;

said second path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said third path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said first path hole adjoining said respective first distal end of said second path hole, said respective first distal end of said third path hole communicating with said nozzle, said respective second distal end of said third path hole adjoining said respective second distal end of said second path hole;

said first cover member plate having a first cover member plate inner surface;

said second cover member plate having a second cover member plate inner surface;

said first outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said first cover member plate inner surface and said second outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said second cover member plate inner surface;

said plurality of first path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said first path hole so as to define a reservoir;

said plurality of second path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said second path hole so as to define an ink supply path;

said plurality of third path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said third path hole so as to define a pressure generating chamber;

said pressure generating means generating pressure in said pressure generating chamber; and

there being defined a first end of said ink supply path at said respective first distal end of said second path hole, a second end of said ink supply path at said respective second distal end of said second path hole, and a middle portion of said ink supply path disposed between said first end of said ink supply path and said second end of said ink supply path, said first end of said ink supply path having a first end cross section, said middle portion of said ink supply path having a middle portion cross section, and said second end of said ink supply path having a second end cross section;

wherein said first end cross section is greater than said middle portion cross section; and

wherein said second end cross section is greater than said middle portion cross section.

8. The ink jet printer head according to claim 7, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the spacer.

9. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a spacer, a first cover member plate, a second cover member plate, a nozzle, and pressure generating means;

said spacer comprising a silicon single-crystal substrate vertically oriented in (110) having a first outer surface, a second outer surface opposite said first outer surface, and a plurality of through holes extending from said first outer surface to said second outer surface, wherein said plurality of through holes is defined by inner surfaces extending through said silicon single-crystal substrate,

said plurality of through holes including a first path hole, a second path hole, and a third path hole;

inner surfaces of said first path hole defining a plurality of first path hole walls, inner surfaces of said second path hole defining a plurality of second path hole walls, and inner surfaces of said third path hole defining a plurality of third path hole walls;

said second path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said third path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said first path hole adjoining said respective first distal end of said second path hole, said respective first distal end of said third path hole communicating with said nozzle, said respective second distal end of said third path hole adjoining said respective second distal end of said second path hole;

said first cover member plate having a first cover member plate inner surface;

said second cover member plate having a second cover member plate inner surface;

said first outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said first cover member plate inner surface and said second outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said second cover member plate inner surface;

said plurality of first path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said first path hole so as to define a reservoir;

said plurality of second path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said second path hole so as to define an ink supply path;

said plurality of third path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said third path hole so as to define a pressure generating chamber; and

said pressure generating means generating pressure in said pressure generating chamber;

wherein said spacer further comprises a plurality of closed-rectangle shaped indentations disposed around said first, said second, and said third path hole, there being adhesive disposed in one or more of said closed-rectangle shaped indentations.

10. The ink jet printer head according to claim 9, wherein an opening area of each of said indentations is 0.001 mm² to 0.01 mm².

11. The ink jet printer head according to claim 10, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the spacer.

12. The ink jet printer head according to claim 9, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface of the spacer.

13. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a spacer, a first cover member plate, a second cover member plate, a nozzle, and pressure generating means;

said spacer comprising a silicon single-crystal substrate vertically oriented in (110) having a first outer surface, a second outer surface opposite said first outer surface, and a plurality of through holes extending from said first outer surface to said second outer surface, wherein said plurality of through holes is defined by inner surfaces extending through said silicon single-crystal substrate,

said plurality of through holes including a first path hole, a second path hole, and a third path hole;

inner surfaces of said first path hole defining a plurality of first path hole walls, inner surfaces of said second path hole defining a plurality of second path hole walls, and inner surfaces of said third path hole defining a plurality of third path hole walls;

said second path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said third path hole being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said first path hole adjoining said respective first distal end of said second path hole, said respective first distal end of said third path hole communicating with said nozzle, said respective second distal end of said third path hole adjoining said respective second distal end of said second path hole;

said first cover member plate having a first cover member plate inner surface;

said second cover member plate having a second cover member plate inner surface;

said first outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said first cover member plate inner surface and said second outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said second cover member plate inner surface;

said plurality of first path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said first path hole so as to define a reservoir;

said plurality of second path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said second path hole so as to define an ink supply path;

said plurality of third path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said third path hole so as to define a pressure generating chamber; and

said pressure generating means generating pressure in said pressure generating chamber;

wherein said spacer comprises a bridge formed across at least one of;

said pressure generating chamber and

said ink supply path.

14. The ink jet printer head according to claim 13, wherein;

said bridge comprises a first and a second bridge surface, and a respective cross section;

said first and said second bridge surface are each slanted with respect to said first outer surface of said spacer;

said respective cross section of said bridge is triangular, has a vertex, has a base, and has a respective height from said base to said vertex;

said spacer has a respective thickness; and

said respective height of said bridge is smaller than said respective thickness of said spacer.

15. The ink jet printer head according to claim 14, wherein said first and said second bridge surface of said bridge are each slanted at an angle of approximately 35°

.

16. The ink jet printer head according to claim 13, wherein;

said ink jet printer head further comprises an ink hole for receiving ink from an external ink tank, said ink hole being in communication with said first path hole; and

said spacer further comprises an ink hole partition wall that traverses said ink hole.

17. The ink jet printer head according to claim 16, wherein said ink hole partition wall has a respective thickness, said respective thickness thereof being within a range from 20 μ

m to 80 μ

m.

18. The ink jet printer head according to claim 16, wherein;

said ink jet printer head further comprises a nozzle array which includes said nozzle, and

said ink hole partition wall is oblique with respect to said nozzle array.

19. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a spacer, a first cover member plate, a second cover member plate, a plurality of nozzles, and pressure generating means, said plurality of nozzles being arranged in a nozzle array;

said spacer comprising;

a first outer surface, a second outer surface opposite said first outer surface, and a plurality of through holes extending from said first outer surface to said second outer surface, wherein said plurality of through holes is defined by inner surfaces extending through said silicon single-crystal substrate,

said plurality of through holes including a first path hole, a plurality of second path holes, and a plurality of third path holes;

inner surfaces of said first path hole defining a plurality of first path hole walls, inner surfaces of each said plurality of second path holes defining a respective plurality of second path hole walls, and inner surfaces of each of said plurality of said third path hole defining a respective plurality of third path hole walls;

each of said plurality of second path holes being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

each of said plurality of third path holes being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said first path hole adjoining said respective first distal end of each of said plurality of second path holes, said respective second distal end of each of said plurality of second path holes adjoining said respective second distal end of a corresponding one of said plurality of third path holes, and each of said plurality of third path holes being in communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of nozzles;

said first cover member plate having a first cover member plate inner surface;

said second cover member plate having a second cover member plate inner surface;

said first outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said first cover member plate inner surface and said second outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said second cover member plate inner surface;

said plurality of first path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said first path hole so as to define a reservoir;

said respective plurality of second path hole walls for each of said plurality of second path holes, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing each of said plurality of second path holes so as to define a plurality of ink supply paths;

said respective plurality of third path hole walls for each of said plurality of third path holes, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing each of said plurality of third path holes so as to define a plurality of pressure generating chambers, including a first and a second pressure generating chamber, said first and said second pressure generating chamber being adjacent; and

said pressure generating means generating pressure in each of said plurality of pressure generating chambers;

wherein said spacer further comprises a plurality of slits, one of said plurality of slits being disposed between said first pressure generating chamber and said second pressure generating chamber;

wherein a respective portion of said spacer disposed between said first pressure generating chamber and said one of said plurality of slits is a first respective partition wall of said first pressure generating chamber;

wherein a respective portion of said spacer disposed between said second pressure generating chamber and said one of said plurality of slits is a second respective partition wall of said second pressure generating chamber;

said first and said second respective partition wall each being resiliently deformable in response to said pressure generated by said pressure generating means.

20. The ink jet printer head according to claim 19, wherein;

said spacer is a silicon single-crystal substrate,

each of said plurality of slits has a respective cross section that is trapezoidal in shape.

21. The ink jet printer head according to claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of slits is formed between adjacent ones of said plurality of pressure generating chambers.

22. The ink jet printer head according to claim 19, wherein said spacer further comprises a plurality of bridges, each of said bridges traversing a corresponding one of said plurality of pressure generating chambers.

23. The ink jet printer head according to claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of slits is opened to the air.

24. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a first cover member plate with an array of nozzle openings;

a spacer including a plurality of pressure generating chambers, a plurality of ink supply paths, and a reservoir;

a second cover member plate covering said spacer opposite said first cover member plate; and

pressure generating means for generating pressure in each of said plurality of pressure generating chambers,

wherein said spacer includes;

a main area containing a plurality of path holes for forming said plurality of pressure generating chambers and said plurality of ink supply paths,

a peripheral area containing a path hole for forming said reservoir, and

a traversing partition wall connecting said main area and said peripheral area, and traversing an ink hole in second cover member plate, said ink hole being positioned to receive ink supplied thereto.

25. The ink jet printer head according to claim 24, wherein a respective thickness of said traversing partition wall is within a range from 20 μ

m to 80 μ

m.

26. The ink jet printer head according to claim 24, wherein said traversing partition wall is oblique with respect to said array of nozzle openings.

27. The ink jet printer head according to claim 24, wherein said spacer includes another partition wall that crosses said traversing partition wall at a central part of said ink hole.

28. An ink jet printer head comprising:

a spacer, a first cover member plate, a second cover member plate, a plurality of nozzles, and pressure generating means, said plurality of nozzles being arranged in a nozzle array;

said spacer comprising;

a first outer surface, a second outer surface opposite said first outer surface, and a plurality of through holes extending from said first outer surface to said second outer surface, wherein said plurality of through holes is defined by inner surfaces extending through said silicon single-crystal substrate,

said plurality of through holes including a first path hole, a plurality of second path holes, and a plurality of third path holes;

inner surfaces of said first path hole defining a plurality of first path hole walls, inner surfaces of each said plurality of second path holes defining a respective plurality of second path hole walls, and inner surfaces of each of said plurality of said third path hole defining a respective plurality of third path hole walls;

each of said plurality of second path holes being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

each of said plurality of third path holes being elongate and having a respective first and a respective second distal end;

said first path hole adjoining said respective first distal end of each of said plurality of second path holes, said respective second distal end of each of said plurality of second path holes adjoining said respective second distal end of a corresponding one of said plurality of third path holes, and each of said plurality of third path holes being in communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of nozzles;

said first cover member plate having a first cover member plate inner surface;

said second cover member plate having a second cover member plate inner surfaces;

said first outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said first cover member plate inner surface and said second outer surface of said spacer being in contact with said second cover member plate inner surface;

said plurality of first path hole walls, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing said first path hole so as to define a reservoir;

said respective plurality of second path hole walls for each of said plurality of second path holes, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing each of said plurality of second path holes so as to define a plurality of ink supply paths;

said respective plurality of third path hole walls for each of said plurality of third path holes, said first cover member plate inner surface, and said second cover member plate inner surface substantially enclosing each of said plurality of third path holes so as to define a plurality of pressure generating chambers, including a first and a second pressure generating chamber, said first and said second pressure generating chamber being adjacent; and

said pressure generating means generating pressure in each of said plurality of pressure generating chambers;

wherein at least two of said third path hole are (111) faces vertical to a surface of the silicon single-crystal substrate; and

wherein at least two of said second path hole walls are (111) faces slanted to the surface of the silicon single-crystal substrate.

29. The ink jet printer head according to claim 28, wherein the two (111) faces of each of the ink supply paths form a V-shaped groove.

30. The ink jet printer head according to claim 28, wherein the nozzle openings each have walls of two (111) faces slanted to the surface of the silicon single-crystal substrate.

31. The ink jet printer head according to claim 30, wherein the two (111) faces of the nozzle opening form a V-shaped groove.