Patent ID: 7252371
Filing Date: 2007-08-07
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A liquid delivering device comprising: (a) a cavity unit defining a plurality of pressure chambers for accommodating a liquid which is to be delivered to an exterior of said liquid delivering device; and (b) a piezoelectric actuator unit superposed on said cavity unit, and having a plurality of active portions which are opposed to the respective pressure chambers and which are selectively deformable upon application of a drive voltage thereto so as to deliver the liquid from the corresponding pressure chambers to the exterior of said liquid delivering device, wherein said piezoelectric actuator unit has a plate-like shape, and includes (b-1) a piezoelectric material layer which is deformable at least in a direction parallel thereto upon generation of an electric field therein as a result of the application of the drive voltage to said piezoelectric actuator unit, (b-2) a first flexible layer which is laminated on one of opposite side surfaces of said piezoelectric material layer, and (b-3) a second flexible layer which is laminated on the other of said opposite side surfaces of said piezoelectric material layer, wherein a portion of said piezoelectric material layer located in a central region of each of said active portions is offset from a center of said piezoelectric actuator unit, as viewed in a thickness direction of said piezoelectric actuator unit, in one of a direction toward said cavity unit and a direction away from said cavity unit, while a portion of said piezoelectric material layer located in an outer region of each of said active portions is offset from said center of said piezoelectric actuator unit, as viewed in said thickness direction, in the other of said direction toward said cavity unit and said direction away from said cavity unit, said liquid delivering device further comprising a plurality of nozzles which are held in communication with the respective pressure chambers and through which an ink as the liquid accommodated in said pressure chambers is ejected to the exterior of said liquid delivering device, so that said liquid deliver device constitutes an inkjet print head.