Liquid delivering apparatus and method of producing the same

• US 7,461,926 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sugahara, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOLOMON, LISA
• Application Number:
  US10/944,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 347 68- 72, 347/18
• US Class Current: 347/68
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• 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 2/1626 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 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14266 Sheet-like thin film type piezoelectric element
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/08 dealing with thermal variations, e.g. cooling

Abstract

A liquid delivering apparatus, including a flow-passage unit including an opening and a pressure chamber which accommodates liquid and which communicates with the opening; an oscillating plate which partially defines the pressure chamber; a piezoelectric material layer which is one of directly and indirectly stacked on the oscillating plate and which deforms upon application of an electric field thereto so as to oscillate the oscillating plate for delivering the liquid from the pressure chamber through the opening; and an electrode pattern and a drive circuit which apply the electric filed to the piezoelectric material layer. The drive circuit and the electrode pattern are one of directly and indirectly provided on the oscillating plate.

Claims

1. A liquid delivering apparatus, comprising:

a flow-passage unit including an opening and a pressure chamber which accommodates liquid and which communicates with the opening, the flow-passage unit including a first outer side edge and a second outer side edge opposite the first outer side edge;

an oscillating plate which partially defines the pressure chamber and which includes an extending portion that initially extends from the first outer side edge of the flow-passage unit to an outside thereof so as to be away from the second outer side edge;

a piezoelectric material layer which is one of directly and indirectly stacked on the oscillating plate and which deforms upon application of an electric field thereto so as to oscillate the oscillating plate for delivering the liquid from the pressure chamber through the opening;

an electrode pattern and a drive circuit which apply the electric field to the piezoelectric material layer, the electrode pattern being one of directly and indirectly provided on the oscillating plate, the drive circuit is one of directly and indirectly mounted on the extending portion of the oscillating plate; and

a heat dissipating member provided on the extending portion in the vicinity of the drive circuit.

2. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode pattern includes an electrode which has a size smaller than that of the pressure chamber and a connecting portion which extends from one end of the electrode and is connected to the drive circuit.

3. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extending portion is folded so as to be opposed to the flow-passage unit.

4. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow-passage unit has a generally rectangular shape and the extending portion of the oscillating plate initially extends from the first outer side edge of the flow-passage unit to the outside thereof so as to be away from the second outer side edge.

5. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of pressure chambers which include the pressure chamber and which are arranged in a row, the flow-passage unit having a generally rectangular shape, the extending portion of the oscillating plate initially extending from the first outer side edge of the flow-passage unit which is parallel to the row of the plurality of pressure chambers and to the outside thereof so as to be away from the second outer side edge.

6. The liquid delivering apparatus accc1rding to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipating member is bonded to one of opposite surfaces of the oscillating plate which is opposite to the other of the opposite surfaces on which the drive circuit is one of directly and indirectly mounted.

7. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heat dissipating member is formed of a metal material which is the same as a metal material which constitutes at least a part of the flow-passage unit.

8. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the flow-passage unit is formed of a plurality of metal plates which are stacked on one another and each of which is formed with at least one hole for forming at least one flow passage, and the heat dissipating member is formed of a plurality of metal plates which are stacked on one another and which are the same as the plurality of metal plates for providing the flow-passage unit.

9. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipating member has a plurality of heat dissipating recesses formed on a surface thereof.

10. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a casing in which the flow-passage unit and the oscillating plate are accommodated and which holds the heat dissipating member so as to be exposed to an exterior of the casing.

11. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillating plate is formed of an electrically conductive material and the piezoelectric material layer is formed so as to be superposed at least on a portion of a region of the oscillating plate, which region corresponds to the pressure chamber, the electrode pattern being superposed on the piezoelectric material layer, the liquid delivering apparatus being arranged such that the electric field is applied between the electrode pattern and the oscillating plate.

12. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the piezoelectric material layer is formed at least on a region of the oscillating plate which corresponds to the electrode pattern.

13. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillating plate is formed of an electrically conductive material and the piezoelectric material layer is formed so as to be superposed at least on a portion of a region of the oscillating plate, which region corresponds to the pressure chamber, the liquid delivering apparatus further comprising an electrically insulating layer formed on at least a portion of a region of the oscillating plate on which the piezoelectric material layer is not formed, the electrode pattern being formed so as to extend over both of the piezoelectric material layer and the electrically insulating layer, the liquid delivering apparatus being arranged such that the electric field is applied between the electrode pattern and the oscillating plate.

14. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the piezoelectric material layer is formed at least on a portion of a region of the oscillating plate, which region corresponds to the electrode pattern, and the electrically insulating layer is formed at least on the other portion of the region.

15. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillating plate is formed of an electrically insulating material and the piezoelectric material layer is formed so as to be superposed at least on a portion of a region of the oscillating plate, which region corresponds to the pressure chamber, with a lower electrode being interposed between the piezoelectric material layer and the oscillating plate, the electrode pattern being superposed on the piezoelectric material layer, the liquid delivering apparatus being arranged such that the electric field is applied between the electrode pattern and the lower electrode.

16. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric material is formed at least on a region of the oscillating plate in which the electrode pattern and the lower electrode overlap each other.

17. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electrically insulating layer which is formed on the oscillating plate by using a ceramic material having an electrically insulating property, the drive circuit being mounted on the extending portion of the oscillating plate with the electrically insulating layer therebetween.

18. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the electrode pattern is formed on the electrically insulating layer and the piezoelectric material layer is formed at least on a portion of a region of the electrically insulating layer, which region corresponds to the pressure chamber, with the electrode pattern being interposed therebetween, the liquid delivering apparatus further comprising an upper electrode formed so as to be superposed on the piezoelectric material layer and being arranged such that the electric field is applied between the upper electrode and the electrode pattern.

19. An ink-jet recording head including the liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid stored in the pressure chamber is ink which is delivered to an exterior of the apparatus through the opening communicating with the pressure chamber.

20. A liquid delivering apparatus, comprising:

a flow-passage unit including an opening and a pressure chamber which accommodates liquid and which communicates with the opening, the flow-passage unit including a first outer side edge and a second outer side edge opposite the first outer side edge;

an oscillating plate which partially defines the pressure chamber and which includes an extending portion that initially extends from the first outer side edge of the flow-passage unit to an outside thereof so as to be away from the second outer side edge;

a piezoelectric material layer which is stacked on the oscillating plate and which deforms upon application of an electric field thereto so as to oscillate the oscillating plate for delivering the liquid from the pressure chamber through the opening;

an electrode pattern and a drive circuit which apply the electric field to the piezoelectric material layer, the electrode pattern being one of directly and indirectly provided on the oscillating plate while the drive circuit is one of directly and indirectly mounted on the extending portion of the oscillating plate; and

an electrically insulating layer which is formed on the oscillating plate by using a ceramic material having an electrically insulating property, the drive circuit being mounted on the extending portion of the oscillating plate with the electrically insulating layer therebetween.

21. The liquid delivering apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the electrode pattern is formed on the electrically insulating layer and the piezoelectric material layer is formed at least on a portion of a region of the electrically insulating layer, which region corresponds to the pressure chamber, with the electrode pattern being interposed therebetween, the liquid delivering apparatus further comprising an upper electrode formed so as to be superposed on the piezoelectric material layer and being arranged such that the electric field is applied between the upper electrode and the electrode pattern.

22. A liquid delivering apparatus, comprising:

a flow-passage unit including an opening and a pressure chamber which accommodates liquid and which communicates with the opening, the flow-passage unit including a first outer side edge and a second outer side edge opposite the first outer side edge;

an oscillating plate which partially defines the pressure chamber and which includes an extending portion that initially extends from the first outer side edge of the flow-passage unit to an outside thereof so as to be away from the second outer side edge;

a piezoelectric material layer which is stacked on the oscillating plate and which deforms upon application of an electric field thereto so as to oscillate the oscillating plate for delivering the liquid from the pressure chamber through the opening; and

an electrode pattern and a drive circuit which apply the electric field to the piezoelectric material layer,

wherein the liquid delivering apparatus further comprises;

an electrically insulating layer superposed on the oscillating plate at both of a region of the oscillating plate overlapping the flow-passage unit and a region of the oscillating plate corresponding to the extending portion,

wherein the drive circuit is mounted on the extending portion of the oscillating plate while the electrode pattern is superposed on the electrically insulating layer at both of the region of the oscillating plate overlapping the flow-passage unit and the region of the oscillating plate corresponding to the extending portion,

wherein the piezoelectric material layer is superposed on the electrically insulating layer at the region of the oscillating plate overlapping the flow-passage unit, with the electrode pattern interposed between the electrically insulating layer and the piezoelectric material layer,

wherein the liquid delivering apparatus further comprises;

an upper electrode superposed on the piezoelectric material layer; and

an upper-electrode connecting portion which is superposed on the electrically insulating layer at the region of the oscillating plate corresponding to the extending portion, for connecting the upper electrode and the drive circuit to each other, and

wherein the liquid delivering apparatus is arranged such that the electric field is applied between the electrode pattern and the upper electrode.