Printing apparatus and method for controlling the spread of fluid around a nozzle orifice

• US 6,257,700 B1
• Filed: 01/24/1997
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Aihara, Takashi, Naganuma, Tohru, Ando, Makoto, Kishima, Koichiro, Okamoto, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brooke, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US08/787,269
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 347/44, 347/47, 347/48, 347/95, 347/45
• US Class Current: 347/44
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14274 of stacked structure type, deformed by compression/extension and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1606 Coating the nozzle area or the ink chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/162 Manufacturing of the nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1625 electroforming
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/211 Mixing of inks, solvent or air prior to paper contact
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14475 characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A printing apparatus having a printing head that prevents ink, diluent, and a mixed solution thereof from adhering to and spreading about a portion of the printing head around a nozzle. The printing apparatus has an enhanced ability to reproduce a gradation of concentration, thereby making it possible to form a recorded image of high resolution. The printing head has a first nozzle, which discharges a discharge medium, and a second nozzle, which discharges a metering medium. The orifices of the first and second nozzles are adjacent to each other in a nozzle outlet face of the printing head. A groove, a hydrophilic portion, or an insular projection is formed between the first and second nozzles to control the spread of ink, diluent, and a mixed solution thereof around the nozzles. The hydrophilic portion may be made by a non-processed portion of the outlet face of the printing head, and a portion other than the nonprocessed portion may be made a hydrophobic portion. Several variations of the groove, hydrophilic portion, and insular projection are disclosed.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising a print head, said print head comprising:

a first chamber into which a discharge medium is introduced;

a second chamber into which a metering medium is introduced;

a first nozzle having a first orifice, communicating with said first chamber;

a second nozzle having a second orifice, communicating with said second chamber; and

first and second piezo-electric elements connected to said first and second chambers, respectively;

wherein said first and second nozzles are located in a nozzle member having a surface on which said first and second orifices are located, and further wherein said second piezo-electric element moves said metering medium from said second orifice to said first orifice through said surface, and a groove is formed in said surface between said first and second orifices,

wherein said first and second nozzles are located between said first and second chambers,

and wherein both first and second orifices have diameters, a width of said groove is smaller than said diameter of said second orifice, and a depth of said groove becomes gradually smaller from said second orifice to said first orifice.

2. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said groove is connected with at least one of said first and second orifices.

3. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said groove is connected with said second orifice.

4. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said groove is connected with both of said first and second orifices.

5. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said groove continues from an edge of said second orifice to a midpoint between said first and second orifices.

6. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said groove comprises a first groove connecting with said first orifice, and a second groove connecting with said second orifice, wherein said first and second grooves are not connected with each other.

7. A printing apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein each of said grooves has a depth, wherein said depth of said first groove becomes gradually smaller in a direction away from said first orifice, and said depth of said second groove becomes gradually smaller in a direction away from said second orifice.

8. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein a recess is formed on said surface around at least said first and second orifices.

9. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein a recess is formed on said surface around said second orifice.

10. A printing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said surface is covered with a hydrophobic film, and said groove is defined by a removed portion of said hydrophobic film.

11. A printing apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein said hydrophobic film is a polyimide film.

12. A printing apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein said polyimide is a light sensitive polyimide.

13. A printing apparatus comprising a print head, said print head comprising:

a first chamber into which a discharge medium is introduced;

a second chamber into which a metering medium is introduced;

a first nozzle having a first orifice, communicating with said first chamber; and

a second nozzle having a second orifice, communicating with said second chamber; and

first and second piezo-electric elements connected to said first and second chambers, respectively;

wherein said first and second nozzles are located in a nozzle member having a surface on which said first and second orifices are located, and further wherein said second piezo-electric element moves said metering medium from said second orifice to said first orifice through said surface, and a groove is formed in said surface between said first and second orifices,

and wherein said groove comprises a plurality of parallel grooves extending between said first orifice and said second orifice.

14. A printing apparatus comprising a print head, said print head comprising:

a first chamber into which a discharge medium is introduced;

a second chamber into which a metering medium is introduced;

a first nozzle having a first orifice, communicating with said first chamber; and

a second nozzle having a second orifice, communicating with said second chamber; and

first and second piezo-electric elements connected to said first and second chambers, respectively;

wherein said first and second nozzles are located in a nozzle member having a surface on which said first and second orifices are located, and further wherein said second piezo-electric element moves said metering medium from said second orifice to said first orifice through said surface, and a hydrophilic portion is formed in said surface between said first and second orifices,

wherein said first and second nozzles are located between said first and second chambers.

15. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein a hydrophobic portion is formed on said surface elsewhere from said hydrophilic portion.

16. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said hydrophilic portion is connected with at least one of said first and second orifices.

17. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said hydrophilic portion is connected with both of said first and second orifices.

18. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said hydrophilic portion continues from an edge of said second orifice to a middle part between said first and second orifices.

19. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said hydrophilic portion comprises a first hydrophilic portion connecting with said first orifice, and a second hydrophilic portion connecting with said second orifice, wherein said first and second hydrophilic portions are not connected to each other.

20. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said hydrophilic portion is further formed around at least one of said first and second orifices.

21. A printing apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein said hydrophilic portion is further formed around both of said first and second orifices.

22. A printing apparatus comprising a print head, said print head comprising:

a first chamber into which a discharge medium is introduced;

a second chamber into which a metering medium is introduced;

a first nozzle having a first orifice, communicating with said first chamber; and

a second nozzle having a second orifice, communicating with second chamber; and

first and second piezo-electric elements connected to said first and second chambers, respectively;

wherein said first and second nozzles are located in a nozzle member having a surface on which said first and second orifices are located, and further wherein said second piezo-electric element moves said metering medium from said second orifice to said first orifice through said surface, and a hydrophobic portion is formed in said surface elsewhere from between said first and second orifices, and a hydrophilic portion is formed on said surface between said first and second orifices.

23. A printing apparatus as described in claim 22, wherein said hydrophilic portion is connected with at least one of said first and second orifices.

24. A printing apparatus as described in claim 22, wherein said hydrophilic portion is connected with both of said first and second orifices.

25. A printing apparatus as described in claim 22, wherein said hydrophilic portion continues from an edge of said second orifice to a middle part between said first and second orifices.

26. A printing apparatus as described in claim 22, wherein said hydrophilic portion is further formed around at least one of said first and second orifices.

27. A printing apparatus comprising a print head, said print head comprising:

a first chamber into which a discharge medium is introduced;

a second chamber into which a metering medium is introduced;

a first nozzle having a first orifice, communicating with said first chamber; and

a second nozzle having a second orifice, communicating with said second chamber; and

first and second piezo-electric elements connected to said first and second chambers, respectively;

wherein said first and second nozzles are located in a nozzle member having a surface on which said first and second orifices are located, and further wherein said second piezo-electric element moves said metering medium from said second orifice to said first orifice through said surface, and

an insular projection is formed in said surface between said first and second orifices without contacting either orifice.