Retaining structure of wiring member, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

• US 9,498,950 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): MRUK, GEOFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US14/931,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20160128175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14072 Electrical connections, e.g. details on electrodes, connecting the chip to the outside...
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14241 having a cover around the piezoelectric thin film element
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14403 including a filter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/18 Electrical connection established using vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/049 Wire bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits

Abstract

A retaining structure of a flexible wiring member includes a flexible wiring member and a retaining member. The flexible wiring member includes a front side wiring electrode formed on a front side of the flexible wiring member and a rear side electrode formed on a rear side thereof, and the flexible wiring member is bonded to the retaining member via the rear side electrode. Such structure may be employed in a liquid discharge head in which wiring and a pressure generator are disposed in an actuator substrate including an electrode. The electrode of the actuator and that of the flexible wiring member are connected, and the flexible wiring member is retained to the actuator or a member joined to the actuator via the retaining structure of the wiring member.

Claims

1. A retaining structure of a flexible wiring member, comprising:

a flexible wiring member; and

a retaining member,

wherein the flexible wiring member includes a front side wiring electrode formed on a front side thereof and a rear side electrode formed on a rear side thereof, and

wherein the rear side electrode of the flexible wiring member is bonded directly to the retaining member with an adhesive.

2. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear side electrode is patterned.

3. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear side electrode is a dummy electrode that is not used for transmitting signals.

4. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rear side electrode is formed of a conductive material having adhesion to the adhesive and is disposed not to transmit signals.

5. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the rear side electrode corresponding to an area other than a connection area of the front side wiring electrode is removed.

6. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear side electrode is formed along an outer edge of the wiring member.

7. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front side wiring electrode is connected to other connection terminals via wire bonding.

8. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface metal of the front side wiring electrode and that of the rear side electrode are different.

9. The retaining structure of the wiring member as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fillet shape of an adhesive is formed between the rear side electrode of the wiring member and an end surface of the retaining member.

10. A liquid discharge head comprising:

a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid;

an individual liquid chamber to hold the liquid;

a pressure generator to press the liquid inside the individual liquid chamber;

an actuator substrate, including an electrode, in which a wiring and the pressure generator are disposed;

the flexible wiring member having the front side wiring electrode connected to the electrode of the actuator substrate; and

the retaining structure as claimed in claim 1, retaining the flexible wiring member to the actuator substrate or a member joined to the actuator substrate.

11. A liquid discharge device comprising the liquid discharge head as claimed in claim 10.

12. The liquid discharge device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the liquid discharge head is formed as a single integrated unit with at least one of a head tank to store a liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head, a carriage to mount the liquid discharge head thereon, a supply unit to supply the liquid to the liquid discharge head, a maintenance unit to maintain the liquid discharge head, and a main scan moving unit to move the liquid discharge head in a main scanning direction.

13. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising the liquid discharge device as claimed in claim 12.

14. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising the liquid discharge head as claimed in claim 10.