Ink jet type recording head

• US 6,386,672 B1
• Filed: 02/17/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Tsutomu, Usuda, Hidenori, Okazawa, Noriaki, Tanaka, Ryoichi, Tamura, Noboru, Kitahara, Tsuyoshi, Kimura, Hitotoshi, Takahashi, Tomoaki, Otokita, Kenji, Momose, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOUTTET, BLAISE L
• Application Number:
  US09/251,401
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 347/68, 347/18, 347/65, 347/57, 347/58, 347/59, 347/17, 347/69, 347/88, 347/14, 347/70, 347/71, 347/72, 361/704, 361/707, 361/718, 417/423.8, 257/706, 257/707, 257/712, 257/713
• US Class Current: 347/18
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14274 of stacked structure type, deformed by compression/extension and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14387 Front shooter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/08 dealing with thermal variations, e.g. cooling

Abstract

An ink jet recording head including a flow path unit having pressure generating chambers, a piezoelectric vibrator for pressurizing the pressure generating chambers, a semiconductor integrated circuit for supplying a drive signal to the piezoelectric vibrator, and a member for absorbing the heat produced by the integrated circuit.

Claims

1. An ink jet recording head having a case comprising:

a flow path unit forming a plurality of pressure generating chambers communicating with respective nozzle openings that are adapted to eject ink from said ink jet recording head,

pressure generating means for pressurizing said pressure generating chambers,

a semiconductor integrated circuit for supplying a drive signal to said pressure generating means, and

a member to which heat of said semiconductor integrated circuit is conducted,

wherein said pressure generating means is mounted on said member.

2. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein said member includes a first member and a second member.

3. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein said member is exposed to outside said case.

4. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein a liquid layer is disposed between said member and said semiconductor integrated circuit.

5. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of fins for cooling said semiconductor integrated circuit is formed on said member.

6. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein an ink guide path is provided for transporting ink in the vicinity of said semiconductor integrated circuit.

7. An ink jet recording head according to claim 6, wherein said member includes a flat expanded area formed opposite said ink guide path.

8. An ink jet recording head according to claim 7, wherein the fixed base includes fins and concave parts which contact the ink in said expanded area.

9. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, further including a heat conductive material extending from the inside of said case to the outside of said case.

10. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein said heat conductive material is composed of a thin metal plate or a foil.

11. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein an electrical insulated layer having heat conductivity is formed on a surface between said heat conductive material and said semiconductor integrated circuit.

12. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein said heat conductive material contacts a mold layer insulating said semiconductor integrated circuit.

13. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein said heat conductive material closely contacts an external surface side of said case.

14. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein an ink guide path for supplying ink to said flow path unit is formed in said case, and said heat conductive material is in the vicinity of said ink guide path.

15. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein said flow path unit and said case are fixed within a metal frame, and a part of the exposed area of said heat conductive material contacts said metal frame.

16. An ink jet recording head according to claim 15, wherein a layer which is a heat conductor and an electrical insulator is formed at a contacting area between said heat conductive material and said metal frame.

17. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein a cooling fin is provided at an exposed area of said heat conductive material.

18. An ink jet recording head according to claim 17, wherein an electrical insulator layer having heat conductivity is formed at a contacting area between said heat conductive material and said cooling fin.

19. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein a ventilated space is provided between an exposed area of said heat conductive material and said case.

20. An ink jet recording head according to claim 9, wherein said heat conductive material closely contacts (1) a carriage holder on which said ink jet recording head is mounted, and on which ink cartridges are installed, or (2) an outside surface of an ink carriage that is mounted on said case.

21. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor integrated circuit is provided with diodes for detecting temperature.

22. An ink jet recording head according to claim 21, wherein said diodes transmit a signal in proportion to the temperature detected to a switching means for supplying the drive signal to said pressurizing means.

23. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein concave parts are provided on said member.

24. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, further including a cooling plate fixed to said member.

25. An ink jet recording head according to claim 24, wherein said cooling plate includes fins provided at an exposed surface of said cooling plate.

26. An ink jet recording head according to claim 24, wherein said cooling plate includes projections provided at an exposed surface of said cooling plate.

27. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, further including a fin exposed to the outside for absorbing heat from said member.

28. An ink jet recording head according to claim 1, further including a drive signal controller which controls the drive signal as a function of a temperature detected by temperature detecting diodes.

29. An ink jet recording head according to claim 28, wherein said drive signal controller transmits the drive signal directly to said pressurizing means when said temperature is in a first range, reduces said drive signal by a first predetermined amount when said temperature is in a second range, and reduces said drive signal by a second predetermined amount when said temperature is in a third range.

30. An ink jet recording head comprising:

a flow path unit forming pressure generating chambers each of which communicate with respective nozzle openings,

pressurizing means for pressurizing said pressure generating chambers,

a fixed base fixed to said pressurizing means,

a semiconductor integrated circuit supplying a drive signal to said pressurizing means;

wherein a length mode of said pressurizing means is fixed at a predetermined interval on said fixed base, and heat of said semiconductor integrated circuit is conducted to said fixed base.

31. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein heat conductive fluid is sandwiched between said semiconductor integrated circuit and said fixed base.

32. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein concave parts for cooling are formed on said fixed base.

33. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein fins for cooling are formed on said fixed base.

34. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein an exposed portion of said fixed base is exposed to an outside of a case of said ink jet recording head.

35. An ink jet recording head according to claim 34, wherein concave parts are formed on said exposed part.

36. An ink jet recording head according to claim 34 wherein fins are formed at said exposed part.

37. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein said fixed base is composed with metal or ceramics.

38. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein a circuit substrate is fixed at an opposite side of said flow path unit of a case of said ink jet recording head, and the heat of said fixed base is conducted to said circuit substrate.

39. An ink jet recording head according to claim 38, wherein a cooling support member is provided with said circuit substrate.

40. An ink jet recording head according to claim 39, wherein said cooling support member is provided with fins.

41. An ink jet recording head according to claim 39, wherein said cooling support member is made of metal.

42. An ink jet recording head according to claim 38, wherein an ink guide path is formed at an area where heat is conducted to said case.

43. An ink jet recording head according to claim 42, wherein an area of said ink guide path to which heat is conducted is expanded.

44. An ink jet head according to claim 43, wherein a wall thickness of a portion of said ink guide path that contacts said fixed base is thin.

45. An ink jet recording head according to claim 42, wherein said fixed base is provided with a flow path in which ink of said ink guide path flows.

46. An ink jet recording head according to claim 42, wherein a portion of said ink guide path is expanded and includes an opening that is sealed by said fixed base.

47. An ink jet recording head according to claim 46, wherein concave parts are formed in a face of that said fixed base that seals said opening of said ink guide path.

48. An ink jet recording head according to claim 47, wherein fins are formed in said concave parts.

49. An ink jet heat according to claim 42, wherein said ink guide path includes an expanded section formed at a location where said ink guide path contacts said fixed base.

50. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, further including an ink guide path extending through said recording head, said ink guide path including a concave part and communicating holes communicated with an ink guide inlet of said flow path unit, and a flow path forming member including an elastic member which seals said concave part and contacts said fixed base.

51. An ink jet recording head according to claim 50, wherein said concave part is formed at a backside facing said fixed base to form a gap between said flow path forming member and said concave part, whereby pressure fluctuation of the ink flowing in said flow path forming member is absorbed by elastic deformation of said flow path forming member.

52. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein said fixed base is composed of a first area forming member to which said pressurizing means is fixed, and a second area forming member having higher heat conductivity than that of the first area forming member, and said second area forming member is fixed to said semiconductor integrated circuit.

53. An ink jet recording head according to claim 52, further including a concave part formed on at least said second area, wherein said concave part contacts ink in an ink guide path.

54. An ink jet recording head according to claim 52, wherein a circuit base is fixed to an opposite surface of fixed said flow path unit in said case, and the heat of said semiconductor integrated circuit is conducted to one edge of the second area forming member of said fixed substrate and said circuit substrate.

55. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein a part of a cable supplying the drive signal to said pressurizing means is bonded to said fixed base by an adhesive.

56. An ink jet recording head according to claim 30, wherein temperature detecting diodes are provided with a semiconductor substrate forming said semiconductor integrated circuit, and said temperature detecting diodes detect a temperature change of said semiconductor substrate.

57. An ink jet recording head according to claim 56, wherein said temperature detecting diodes are formed in the vicinity of a switching means for supplying the drive signal to said pressurizing means.

58. An ink jet recording head having a case comprising:

a flow path unit forming a plurality of pressure generating chambers communicating with respective nozzle openings that are adapted to eject ink from said ink jet recording head,

pressure generating means for pressurizing said pressure generating chambers,

a semiconductor integrated circuit for supplying a drive signal to said pressure generating means, and

a heat conductive material extending from the inside of said case to the outside of said case, wherein heat of said semiconductor integrated circuit is conducted to said heat conductive material, and wherein said heat conductive material extends to an end of a backside of said case, the backside being opposite a side of said case that is connected to said flow path unit.

59. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein said heat conductive material is composed of a thin metal plate or a foil.

60. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein an electrical insulated layer having heat conductivity is formed on a surface between said heat conductive material and said semiconductor integrated circuit.

61. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein said heat conductive material contacts a mold layer insulating said semiconductor integrated circuit.

62. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein said heat conductive material closely contacts an external surface side of said case.

63. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein an ink guide path for supplying ink to said flow path unit is formed in said case, and said heat conductive material is in the vicinity of said ink guide path.

64. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein said flow path unit and said case are fixed within a metal frame, and a part of the exposed area of said heat conductive material contacts said metal frame.

65. An ink jet recording head according to claim 64, wherein a layer which is a heat conductor and an electrical insulator is formed at a contacting area between said heat conductive material and said metal frame.

66. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein a cooling fin is provided at an exposed area of said heat conductive material.

67. An ink jet recording head according to claim 66, wherein an electrical insulator layer having heat conductivity is formed at a contacting area between said heat conductive material and said cooling fin.

68. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein a ventilated space is provided between an exposed area of said heat conductive material and said case.

69. An ink jet recording head according to claim 58, wherein said heat conductive material closely contacts (1) a carriage holder on which said ink jet recording head is mounted, and on which ink cartridges are installed, or (2) an outside surface of an ink carriage that is mounted on said case.