Patent ID: 6679589
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink jet print head comprising:a pressure chamber portion with pressure chambers; an orifice plate formed with orifices in a one-to-one correspondence with the pressure chambers, each orifice bringing a corresponding pressure chamber into fluid communication with atmosphere; a restrictor plate formed with ink channels in fluid communication with the pressure chambers; a diaphragm forming a side of the pressure chambers; stacked piezoelectric elements each having a first end face and a second end face opposite from the first end face, the first end faces of the stacked piezoelectric elements being attached to the diaphragm in a one-to-one correspondence with the pressure chambers, each stacked piezoelectric element generating, through the diaphragm, a pressure fluctuation in a corresponding pressure chamber when applied with an electric signal; a piezoelectric element fixing plate fixedly attached to the second end faces of the stacked piezoelectric elements and supporting the stacked piezoelectric elements; and a housing including: a common ink channel portion formed with a common ink channel in fluid communication with the channels in the restrictor plate; and internal side walls that adjoin the diaphragm at one side to define a space that is open at an end opposite from the diaphragm, the piezoelectric element fixing plate and the stacked piezoelectric elements being disposed partially in the space with a gap existing between the piezoelectric element fixing plate and the internal side walls that define the space.