Abstract:
A liquid ejection print head includes a base accommodated in a frame and having electrothermal transducers supplied with energy from an external source for having liquid to eject the liquid to effect printing, a conductive layer for forming an electrical wiring, and a tape member for supporting the conductive layer. The tape member has connecting portions, which include (i) branch portions, which are electrically connected to the transducers via electrode portions on the base, and (ii) reinforcement portions, which are connected to dummy electrode portions on the base and are more rigid than the branch portions so as to prevent deformation of the branch portions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This application is based on Patent Application No. 2000-389249 filed Dec. 21, 2000 in Japan, the content of which is incorporated hereinto by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a liquid ejection print head which performs printing by ejecting a print liquid onto a printing surface of a print medium, and a tape provided with a base used for the same. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A liquid ejection printing head, for example, an ink-jet printing head of a side shooter type, as shown in FIG.  11  and  FIG. 12 , includes a body having an ink supply portion  8  to which an ink tank (not shown) is mounted; a print element board  14  bonded to a bottom of a recessed portion  8   b  of the ink supply portion  8  to eject ink; and a frame member  3  having an opening  2   a  opposing the print element board  14  and electrically connected to each electrode of the print element board  14 . 
   The bottom of the recessed portion  5   b  of the ink supply portion  8  is formed into flat shape by a metal core member  10  which is molded together with the body. At a periphery of the recessed portion  8   b  of the ink supply portion  8  the frame member  3  is securely attached. 
   At the bottom of the recessed portion  8   b  of the ink supply portion  8  one end of an ink supply passage  8   a  that introduces ink from the ink tank is opened. The cross-sectional shape of the ink supply passage  8   a  is shaped like a slot extending over a predetermined distance along arrays of ink ejection ports (described later). 
   The print element board  14  includes: a base  16  having an ink supply opening  14   a  communicating with an open end of the ink supply passage  8   a  in the ink supply portion  8  and a plurality of heaters arranged therein; and an orifice plate  12  having a plurality of ink supply branch passages  12   b i for introducing ink from the ink supply opening  14   a  to each heater. 
   A plurality of heaters are arranged at both sides of the ink supply opening  14   a  so that they sandwich the ink supply opening  14   a , at predetermined intervals in a line extending in a direction almost perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG.  12 . 
   The base  16  has electrode portions  16   d  to which connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  (described later) are connected at one end corresponding to each heater. 
   The orifice plate  12  has ink ejection ports  12   a i formed at positions facing each heater in the base  16 . The ink branch supply passages  12   b i are provided individually for each heater in the base  16 . 
   The print element board  14  and the frame member  3  are electrically connected to each other by tape automated bonding (TAB), for example. The frame member  3  includes a tape member  2  with an opening  2   a  and a conductive layer  6  bonded by an adhesive layer  4  to an entire surface of the tape member  2  on the side of the ink supply portion  8 . 
   The tape member  2  is formed of resin, and the conductive layer  6  is formed of a metal sheet 20-30 μm in thickness. The periphery of the opening  2   a  encloses an area corresponding to the outer circumferential portion of the print element board  14  installed below. The conductive layer  6  has an opening  6 A at a position corresponding to the opening  2   a  and also has a plurality of connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  electrically connected to the corresponding electrode portions  16   d  of the base  16  of the print element board  14 . One end of the narrow two or more connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  extend from the periphery of the opening  6 A of the conductive layer  6  to the corresponding electrode portions  16   d , respectively. 
   A gap between the periphery of the opening  2   a  of the tape member  2  and the outer circumferential portion of the print element board  14  is sealed with a sealant  18 . The sealant  18  covers the plurality of connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  and encloses the print element board  14 . 
   Arranging the print element board  14  to face the opening  2   a  of the tape member  2  of the frame member  3  and making electrical connections between them is performed as follows. First, the print element board  14  is located and positioned at a position relative to the opening  2   a  of the tape member  2  as by image processing or the like. Then, for example, one end of the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  are bonded to the electrode portions  16   d  of the base  16  of the print element board  14  as by thermocompression or ultrasonic vibration. 
   Then, the print element board  14  connected with the frame member  3  through the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  is positioned on and secured to the top surface of the ink supply portion  8 . As a result, the print element board  14  is positioned relative to and reliably secured to the bottom of the recessed portion  8   b  of the ink supply portion  8 . 
   When the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  are bonded to the electrode portions  16   d  of the base  16 , lead forming is performed together with the bonding. Lead forming is defined as a process of correcting the amount of deformation of the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  to prevent the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  from contacting the edge of the base  16  (edge touch) as shown in FIG.  13 A and thereby to prevent a short-circuit from occurring during operation. 
   When a gang bonder is used, the amount of lead forming is expressed based on a relative difference in height between the conductive layer  6  of the frame member  3  and the upper surface of the base  16 , Lfa and Lfb, for example, as shown in FIG.  13 B and FIG.  13 C. Hence, the amount of lead forming for the height difference Lfa is larger than that for the height difference Lfb. 
   After having been subjected to a predetermined amount of lead forming, the frame member  3  and the print element board  14  coupled mutually through the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  are arranged at predetermined positions in the ink supply portion  8 . 
   In the process of assembly, however, because the lead forming is performed while keeping the frame member  3  and the print element board  14  separated from the ink supply portion  8 , and the print element board  14  is supported only by the elongate connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  and the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b  have insufficient rigidity and are easily deformed, the amount of lead forming may vary from one print head to another. 
   When there are variations in the amount of lead forming, the following problems occur. 
   First, since the variations in the amount of lead forming result in variations in the size of the gap between the periphery of the opening  2   a  of the tape member  2  and the outer circumferential portion of the print element board  14 , the sealant  18  is not applied uniformly, resulting in defective sealing of the connecting portions  6   a ,  6   b , which in turn may cause corrosion. To avoid such a situation, in some cases, the amount of sealant  18  applied could be increased. But this is not a good idea because it might clog the ejection openings with the sealant  18 . 
   Second, problems arise when the frame member  3  is bonded to the ink supply portion  8 . 
   Upon bonding the frame member  3  to the ink supply portion  8 , with reference to the bonding surface of the frame member  3 , the gap between the base  16  of the print element board  14  and the bottom of the recessed portion  8   b  can vary too, which may cause ink leakage or errors in the relative positions of the ejection openings of the orifice plate  12  with respect to the printing surface of the print medium. 
   Third, when the frame member  3  is bonded to the ink supply portion  8 , upon bonding the frame member  3  to the ink supply portion  8 , with reference to the bonding surface of the base  16 , a gap is formed between the conductive layer  6  of the frame member  3  and the bonded surface of the ink supply portion  8 , which may cause corrosion of the conductive layer  6  by ink. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Considering the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid ejection print head which performs printing by ejecting a print liquid onto a surface of a print medium and which can minimize variations in the amount of lead forming. 
   To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a tape provided with a base, comprising: a base having electrothermal transducers formed therein, the electrothermal transducers being adapted to heat a liquid used for printing and introduced through a liquid introduction passage and to eject the liquid through an ejection port forming surface; and a tape member arranged at a periphery of an accommodating portion where the base is accommodated, and having connecting portions including branch portions electrically connected to the electrothermal transducers in the base and reinforcement portions having a greater rigidity than that of the branch portions and connected at one end to dummy electrode portions on the base. 
   The present invention provides a liquid ejection print head, for example, an ink-jet printing head, which comprises: the tape provided with a base as above, a conductive layer having connecting portions joined to the tape member, the connecting portions being connected to electrode portions on the base, the electrode portions being electrically connected to the electrothermal transducers, and a body having a liquid supply portion for introducing the liquid to the base, wherein the connecting portions include branch portions branched at one end and electrically connected to electrode portions on the base and reinforcement portions having a greater rigidity than that of the branch portions and connected at one end to dummy electrode portions on the base. 
   In the above-described tape provided with a base and liquid ejection print head, the branch portions are power-supplying connecting portions and the electrode portions on the base to which they are connected are power-supplying electrode portions. The reinforcing portions are dummy electrode connecting portions and the electrode portions on the base to which they are connected are dummy electrode portions. 
   As can be seen from the explanation above, because the liquid ejection print head of this invention is characterized in that the connecting portions include branch portions branched at one end and electrically connected to electrode portions on the base and reinforcement portions having a greater rigidity than that of the branch portions and connected at one end to dummy electrode portions on the base, the base is supported by the branch portions and the reinforcement portions. This can prevent the branch portions from being deformed undesirably easily and minimize variations in the amount of lead forming. 
   Therefore, the base and the liquid supply portion are bonded together without a gap so that when the liquid is supplied to the base, there is no leakage of the liquid, thus ensuring a satisfactory printed image on a surface of the print medium. 
   The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a plan view showing a frame member along with print element boards, used in an embodiment of the ink-jet printing head according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view showing the frame member being coupled to the print element boards. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line II—II of FIG.  1 A. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line III—III of FIG.  1 A. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the ink-jet printing head according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment as shown in FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view showing the frame member along with the print element boards, used in another embodiment of the ink-jet printing head according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line VII—VII of FIG.  6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII—VIII of FIG.  6 . 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view showing the frame member along with the print element boards, used in still another embodiment of the ink-jet printing head according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a partial cross section taken along the line X—X of FIG.  9 . 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing a frame member used in a conventional ink-jet printing head. 
       FIG. 12  is a partial cross section of an embodiment as shown in FIG.  11 . 
       FIGS. 13A ,  13 B and  13 C are partial cross sections used for explaining lead forming. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   FIG.  4  and  FIG. 5  show an external view of the liquid ejection print head according to the present invention and a part of the interior thereof, respectively. 
   The print head shown in FIG.  4  and  FIG. 5  is an ink-jet printing head, for example. 
   The ink-jet printing head shown in FIG.  4  and  FIG. 5  is, for example, a side shooter type which includes: a body  22  having an ink supply portion  22 B to which ink tanks (not shown) are mounted and an input terminal unit  22 A electrically connected to a carriage (not shown) to receive drive control signals from the carriage; three print element boards  24  bonded to a bonding surface of the ink supply portion  2213  of the body  22 ; and a frame member  26  electrically connected to the three print element boards  24  to supply the drive control signals from the input terminal unit  22 A to each print element board  24 . 
   The ink supply portion  22 B has a recessed portion  22   b  in which three print element boards  24  are accommodated. A plurality of ink supply passages  22   r  for introducing inks from the ink tanks have one of their ends opened at the bottom of the recessed portion  22   b , that forms the bonding surface, at positions corresponding to the print element boards  24 . Arranged around the ink supply passages  22   r  is a core member  22 D that is formed together with the ink supply portion  22 B. The core member  22 D is formed flat from, for example, an aluminum alloy material and has a predetermined planarity at its bottom surface. 
   The periphery of the recessed portion  22   b  is surrounded by a flat surface to which a frame member  26  (described later) is bonded. 
   The print element boards  24  eject inks of different colors, such as yellow, magenta and cyan, respectively. 
   Each of the print element boards  24  includes a base  30  and an orifice plate  28 . The base  30  has an ink supply opening  30   a  communicating with an open end of the associated ink supply passage  22   r  in the ink supply portion  22 B and heaters  30   b i (i=1 to n, n is an integer) arranged on both sides of the ink supply opening  30   a . The orifice plate  28  has a plurality of ink supply branch passages  28   a i (i=1 to n, n is an integer) that supply ink from the ink supply opening  30   a  to the heaters  30   b i. 
   The base  30  is formed from, for example, a silicon material into a plate with a predetermined thickness. The surface of the base  30  facing the bottom of the recessed portion  22   b  is bonded to that bottom. The heaters  30   b i in the base  30  are formed from, for example, hafnium boride or tantalum nitride. The heaters  30   b i in  FIG. 5  are installed at pairs of intersections formed by two parallel longitudinal lines extending perpendicular to the plane of the paper on both sides of the ink supply opening  30   a  and a number of parallel oblique lines crossing the two longitudinal lines at predetermined intervals (600 dpi) at a predetermined angle. The heaters  30   b i at each pair of intersections are arranged to face each other. On the outer circumferential portion of the base  30  including the heaters  30   b i, a thin film of, for example, silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) is deposited to a predetermined thickness as a protective film against ink. The thin film of silicon dioxide may be formed by sputtering. The heaters  30   b i may be tantalum-aluminum (TaAl) anodic-oxidized heaters. In that case, a protective film against ink is not required. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the heaters  30   b i are each electrically connected to electrode bumps  30   d  through a conductive layer (not shown). At each end of the base  30  on its short side the electrode bumps  30   d  are arrayed in a line at predetermined intervals in such a way that they correspond, one to one, to the associated heaters  30   b i. The electrode bumps  30   d  may be formed about 18 μm high on the upper surface of the base  30 . 
   The orifice plate  28  is formed from a thermosetting resin material into a plate with a predetermined thickness. The thermosetting resin material may be composed of 100 parts of a first component (trademark EHPE-3150: Daicel Chemical Industry make), 100 parts of a second component (trademark ADECAOPTOMER SP 170: Asahi Denka Gokyo make) and 1.5 parts of a third component (xylene), by weight. 
   The orifice plate  28  has ink ejection ports  28   b i at positions corresponding to the heaters  30   b i of the base  30 , as shown in FIG.  1 A. The number of ink ejection ports may be set, for example, at  128 , which is equal to that of the heaters  30   b i. For illustrative convenience,  FIG. 1A  shows an enlarged view of a smaller number of ink ejection ports. The ink supply branch passages  28   a i are separately provided for individual heaters  30   b i of the base  30 . 
   The frame member  26  is electrically connected to the electrode bumps  30   d  of the print element board  24  by the TAB system. 
   The frame member  26  comprises, as shown in FIG.  1 A and  FIG. 3 , a tape member layer  32  forming an external surface layer and a conductive layer  36  bonded to the inner surface of the tape member layer  32  to be stacked on top of each other through an adhesive layer  34 . 
   The tape member layer  32  is formed of, for example, polyimide resin, has a thickness of 50-125 μm, and surrounds the periphery of the recessed portion  22   b.    
   The tape member layer  32  has opposed openings  32 A, used as so-called device holes, in its inner area at opposing ends of the print element board  24  on its short sides. The tape member layer  32  also has an opening  32 B that connects the opposing openings  32 A to each other. 
   The openings  32 A are formed in an almost rectangular shape at predetermined intervals to face branches  36   m  of the conductive layer  36  (described later). Base end-sides of the branches  36   m  in each opening  32 A are spaced a predetermined distance from the ends of each print element board  24 . 
   The opening  32 B is formed in a rectangular shape extending in a direction of array of the openings  32 A. Both ends of the periphery of the opening  32 B are spaced a predetermined distance from the ends of the base  30  of the print element boards  24  installed below, respectively. 
   At corners where the openings  32 A and the opening  32 B in the tape member layer  32  intersect each other, almost square notches  32 S are formed. This causes reinforcing portions  36   b  of the conductive layer  36  (described later) to be exposed through the notches  32 S. 
   The conductive layer  36  is formed, for example, of a copper alloy material and has a thickness of about 23 μm. The conductive layer  36  has a plurality of openings  36 A in its inner area at positions corresponding to the openings  32 A of the tape member layer  32 . In the openings  36 A, the narrow branches  36   m , as leads, are integrally formed with another portion, corresponding to electrode bumps  30   d . The branches  36   m  are respectively bonded at one end to the electrode bumps  30   d  of the base  30  as by thermo-compression or ultrasonic-vibration or the like, as shown in FIG.  3 . The branches  36   m  are power-supplying connecting portions, and the electrode bumps  30   d , to which they are bonded, are power supplying electrode bumps. 
   The conductive layer  36  has an opening  36 B at a position corresponding to the opening  32 B of the tape member layer  32 . 
   Further, as shown in FIG.  1 B and  FIG. 2 , the conductive layer  36  has reinforcing portions  36   b  joined to the electrode bumps  30   e , which are provided at the corners of the base  30 . The reinforcing portions  36   b  bonded to the tape member layer  32  are formed between the laterally adjacent openings  36 A for different print element boards  24  and on both sides of the opening  36 B, respectively. The portions of the eight reinforcing portions  36   b  that face the electrode bumps  30   e  are joined to and supported by the electrode bumps  30   e , respectively. The reinforcing portions  36   b  are not supplied with power when the ink-jet printing head is operated. Thus, the reinforcing portions  36   b  are dummy electrode connecting portions, and the electrode bumps  30   e , to which they are connected, are dummy electrode bumps. 
   The gaps between the peripheries of the openings  32 A,  32 B of the tape member layer  32  and the outer circumferential portion of the orifice plate  28  and also the mutual gaps between the orifice plates  28  are sealed with a predetermined sealant  38  (FIG.  5 ). 
   Accordingly, when the reinforcing portions  36   b  of the conductive layer  36  are bonded to the electrode bumps  30   e  and the branches  36   m  of the conductive layer  36  are bonded to the electrode bumps  30   d , and lead forming is performed with the frame member  26  and the print element boards  24  connected as shown in  FIG. 1B , since the print element boards  24  are more firmly supported by the branches  36   m  and the reinforcing portions  36   b  of the conductive layer  36 , which are bonded to the tape member layer  32 , the rigidity of the supporting is enhanced, and the branches  36   m  do not easily become deformed. 
   This prevents the branches  36   m  from being deformed undesirably easily during the lead forming, thus minimizing variations in the amount of lead forming among the print element boards  24 . 
   Then, the frame member  26  and the print element boards  24 , both of which have been positioned relative to each other and subjected to lead forming, are bonded to their predetermined positions on the ink supply portion  22 B of the body  22 . 
   While in this example the reinforcing portions  36   b  are formed as a part of the conductive layer  36  bonded to the tape member layer  32 , the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, it is possible to use as the reinforcing portions those portions of the tape member layer  32  bonded to the print element boards  24  that have a relatively high stiffness. 
     FIG. 6  shows another example of the frame member in an example of the liquid ejection print head of the present invention. 
   In the example shown in  FIG. 1A , the reinforcing portions  36   b  are provided between the laterally adjacent openings  32 A and at the intersecting portions between the openings  32 A and the opening  32 B. In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , reinforcing portions  44 A ( FIG. 7 ) are provided between adjacent branches  44   m  for each base  30 ′. 
   In the example of FIG.  6  and in other examples described later, constitutional elements identical with those of  FIG. 1A  are given like reference numbers and their explanations are omitted. 
   As shown in FIG.  6  and  FIG. 8 , a frame member  40  is electrically connected to electrode bumps  30 ′ d  of the bases  30 ′ by the TAB system. 
   As shown in FIG.  6  and  FIG. 7 , the frame member  40  comprises a tape member layer  42  forming an outer surface layer and a conductive layer  44  bonded to an inner surface of the tape member layer  42  to be stacked on top of each other through an adhesive layer  34 . 
   The tape member layer  42  is formed of, for example, polyimide resin, has a thickness of 50-125 μm, and has an almost rectangular opening  42 H, used as a so-called device hole, in its inner area. 
   The periphery of the opening  42 H is spaced a predetermined distance from the outer circumferential portion of each print element board  24  installed at the bottom of the recessed portion  22   b  below. 
   Those portions of the periphery of the opening  42 H which oppose the base  30 ′ are integrally formed with projections  42 A protruding inwardly on the same plane. At the front ends of projections  42 A, notches  42   a  are formed, respectively. Thus, a part  44   b  of each reinforcing portion  44 A of the conductive layer  44  (described later) is exposed through the notch  42   a.    
   The conductive layer  44  is formed of, for example, a copper alloy material, has a thickness of about 23 μm, and has an opening  44 H in its inner area at a position corresponding to the opening  42 H of the tape member layer  42 . In each opening  44 H one end of an elongate branch  44   m , as a lead, protrudes corresponding to an electrode bump  30 ′ d . The branches  44   m  are bonded at one end to the electrode bumps  30 ′ d  of the base  30 ′, respectively, as by thermocompression or ultrasonic-vibration or the like, as shown in FIG.  8 . The base portions of the branches  44   m  are integrally formed with the conductive layer  44 . The branches  44   m  are power-supplying connecting portions, and the electrode bumps  30 ′ d , to which they are bonded, are power-supplying electrode bumps. 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , the conductive layer  44  has reinforcing portions  44 A bonded to electrode bumps  30 ′ e , which are provided near centers of the both ends of the base  30 ′. The reinforcing portions  44 A, provided between adjacent branches  44   m , are bonded to the base  30 ′ below the projections  42 A, respectively. The portions  44   b  of the six reinforcing portions  44 A, which face the electrode bumps  30 ′ e , are bonded to the electrode bumps  30 ′ e . These portions  44   b  of the reinforcing portions  44 A, which face the electrode bumps  30 ′ e , are not supplied with power when the ink-jet printing head is operated. Thus, reinforcing portions  44 A, and portions  44   b  thereof, constitute dummy electrode connecting portions, and electrode bumps  30 ′ e , to which they are bonded, constitute dummy electrode bumps. 
   The gap between the periphery of the opening  42 H of the tape member layer  42  and the outer circumferential portions of the orifice plates  28  and the gap between the orifice plates  28  are sealed with a predetermined sealant  38 . 
   Accordingly, when the reinforcing portions  44 A of the conductive layer  44  are bonded to the dummy electrode bumps  30 ′ e , the branches  44   m  of the conductive layer  44  are bonded to the power-supplying electrode bumps  30 ′ d , and lead forming is performed, since the bases  30 ′ are more firmly supported by the branches  44   m  and the reinforcing portions  44 A, which are bonded to the projections  42 A, the rigidity of the supporting is enhanced, and the branches  44   m  do not easily become deformed. 
   Thus the branches  44   m  are prevented from being deformed undesirably easily during the lead forming. As a result, an effect similar to that described above can be obtained. 
   FIG.  9  and  FIG. 10  show a still further example of the flame member in an embodiment of liquid ejection print head of the present invention. 
   In the example shown in  FIG. 1A , a single opening  32 B of the tape member layer  32  is formed to enclose the three orifice plates  28  arranged below. In the example shown in FIG.  9  and  FIG. 10 , a tape member layer  52  has three separate openings  52 X,  52 Y,  52 Z formed therein, each facing a corresponding orifice plate  28 . 
   The openings  52 X,  52 Y, and  52 Z of the tape member  52  each have the same structure, and thus the structure of only the opening  52 X and its periphery will be described. The explanation of the structure of the other openings  52 Y and  52 Z is omitted. 
   At each end of a base  56  on its long side, electrode bumps are arranged along the direction of an array of the ink ejection ports  28   b i in the orifice plate  28 . 
   A frame member  50  is electrically connected to the electrode bumps of the base  56  by the TAB system. 
   The frame member  50  comprises a tape member layer  52  forming an outer surface layer and a conductive layer  54  bonded to the inner surface of the tape member layer  52  to be stacked on top of each other through an adhesive layer  34 . 
   The tape member layer  52  is formed of, for example, polyimide resin, has a thickness of 50-125 μm and has almost rectangular openings  52 X,  52 Y and  52 Z, used as so-called device holes, in its inner area 
   The periphery of the opening  52 X is spaced a predetermined distance from the outer circumferential portion of the base  56  installed at the bottom of the recessed portion  22   b  below. 
   The periphery portion of the opening  52 X opposing the base  56  has integrally formed therewith four opposing projections  52 A that protrude inwardly toward the base  56  on the same plane as each other. At the front end of each of the projections  52 A there is formed an almost square notch  52   a , through which a part  54   b  of a reinforcing portion  54 A of the conductive layer  54  (described later) is exposed. 
   The conductive layer  54  is formed of, for example, a copper alloy material, has a thickness of about 23 μm, and has in its inner area an opening  54 X at a position corresponding to the opening  52 X of the tape member layer  52 . In the opening  54 X, elongate branches  54   m , as leads, whose base portions are integrally formed with the conductive layer  54 , protrude corresponding to electrode bumps. The branches  54   m  are each bonded at one end to these electrode bumps, respectively, of the base  56  as by thermo-compression or ultrasonic-vibration. The branches  54   m  are power-supplying connecting portions, and the electrode bumps, to which they are bonded, are power-supplying electrode bumps. 
   The conductive layer  54  has four reinforcing portions  54 A bonded at one end to dummy electrode bumps  56   e , respectively, which are provided on the base  56  at respective ends of two groups of the power-supplying electrode bumps, to which the branches  54   m  are respectively bonded at one end. The reinforcing portions  54 A extend under and are bonded to the associated projections  52 A. The portions  54   b  of the four reinforcing portions  54 A, which face the electrode bumps  56   e , are bonded to them. These portions  54   b  of the reinforcing portions  54 A, which face the electrode bumps  56   e , are not supplied with electricity when the ink-jet printing head is operated. Thus the reinforcing portions  54 A, and the portions  54   b  thereof, constitute dummy electrode connecting portions, and the electrode bumps  56   e , to which they are bonded, constitute dummy electrode bumps. 
   The gap between the periphery of the opening  52 X in the tape member layer  52  and the outer circumferential portion of the orifice plate  28  and the gap between the orifice plates  28  are sealed with a predetermined sealant  38 . 
   Since the reinforcing portions  54 A of the conductive layer  54  are bonded to the dummy electrode bumps  56   e  and the branches  54   m  of the conductive layer  54  are bonded to the power-supplying electrode bumps, the bases  56  are more firmly supported by the branches  54   m  and the reinforcing portions  54 A, which are bonded to the projections  52 A, than when supported only by the branches  54   m . This prevents the branches  54   m  from being deformed undesirably easily during the lead forming. As a result, an effect similar to that described above can be obtained. 
   In the examples described above, although the ink-jet printing head has been described as ejecting inks of various colors, it may also eject a processing liquid that renders inks insoluble. 
   The present invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and it is the intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.