Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus

• US 9,254,652 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yazaki, Shiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, ERICA S Y
• Application Number:
  US14/204,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2002/14491 Electrical connection

Abstract

A piezoelectric layer is integrally formed in such a way that opening portions of a plurality of pressure chambers in a flow channel forming member are covered. In a region that corresponds to a position between adjacent pressure chambers in the piezoelectric layer, a hollow that penetrates the piezoelectric layer or that has a relatively thin thickness in the piezoelectric layer is formed along the sides of the opening of each of the pressure chambers. The hollow is formed to avoid a region along a corner of the pressure chamber in the region.

Claims

1. A liquid ejecting head comprising:

a pressure chamber forming member that is formed with pressure chambers that communicate with nozzles; and

a piezoelectric element that includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are laminated in a position corresponding to an opening portion of each of the pressure chambers in the pressure chamber forming member in a sequence from a side close to the opening portion, wherein the first electrode is disposed on top of a vibration plate of the liquid ejecting head, the piezoelectric layer is disposed on top of the first electrode, and the second electrode is disposed on top of the piezoelectric layer,

wherein the opening portion of each of the pressure chambers has a polygonal shape that includes a plurality of corners and sides that connect the corners to each other, and

wherein the piezoelectric layer is integrally formed throughout the plurality of pressure chambers in the pressure chamber forming member,

wherein a region along the sides from among regions that are interposed between adjacent pressure chambers includes a hollow that penetrates the piezoelectric layer or a hollow where a portion of the piezoelectric layer has been removed such that a thickness of the piezoelectric layer in the hollow is less than a thickness of the portion of the piezoelectric layer that is not part of the hollow, and

wherein a region along the corners is thicker than the portion of the piezoelectric layer in the hollow.

3. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1,

wherein, in a position that is a region interposed between adjacent hollows and that corresponds to the opening portion of each of the pressure chambers, the piezoelectric layer that is thicker than thickness of the piezoelectric layer in the hollows is provided, and

wherein a width of the piezoelectric layer in the position in a direction in which the pressure chambers are disposed in parallel is narrower than a width of the opening portion of each of the pressure chambers in a same direction.

4. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1,

wherein, on the piezoelectric layer that is positioned on both sides of the opening portion of each of the pressure chambers in a direction intersecting a direction in which the pressure chambers are disposed in parallel and that covers at least one corner, a laminated material that causes a total thickness of the part to be thicker than other parts is provided.

5. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 4,

wherein the laminated material includes a metal film, and is formed in a series along a first direction in order to electrically conduct to the second electrode of the plurality of piezoelectric elements.

6. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 4, further comprising:

a sealing member that includes an empty portion inside, which is capable of receiving an active portion in which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are superimposed on each other,

wherein the sealing member is bonded to the laminated material in a state in which the active portion is received in the empty portion.

7. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 1.

9. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 3.

10. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 4.

11. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 5.

12. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 6.

2. A liquid ejecting head comprising:

a pressure chamber forming member that is formed with pressure chambers that communicate with nozzles; and

a piezoelectric element that includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are laminated in a position corresponding to an opening portion of each of the pressure chambers in the pressure chamber forming member in a sequence from a side close to the opening portion, wherein the first electrode is disposed on top of a vibration plate of the liquid ejecting head, the piezoelectric layer is disposed on top of the first electrode, and the second electrode is disposed on top of the piezoelectric layer,

wherein the opening portion of each of the pressure chambers includes a polygonal shape which includes a plurality of corners and sides that connect the corners to each other,

wherein the piezoelectric layer is integrally formed throughout the plurality of pressure chambers in the pressure chamber forming member,

wherein a region that is interposed between sides from among regions that are interposed between adjacent pressure chambers includes a hollow that penetrates the piezoelectric layer or a hollow where a portion of the piezoelectric layer has been removed such that a thickness of the piezoelectric layer in the hollow is less than a thickness of the portion of the piezoelectric layer that is not part of the hollow, and

wherein a region, that is interposed in such a way that the corners are positioned on at least one side, is thicker than the portion of the piezoelectric layer in the hollow.

8. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 2.