PRINT HEAD FOR DROP-ON-DEMAND INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS

Abstract: The present invention relates to a print head for a drop-on-demand ink jet printer of the type which comprises an actuator section (12) of relatively large cross section and including a plurality of electromechanical transducers (26), each formed with an ink path having an entrance end (32) and an exit end (34), an ink manifold (18), means (17) for conveying ink from said ink manifold to the entrance end of the ink path in each of said transducers, a print element section (14) having a relatively small cross section and including a plurality of nozzles (36), one nozzle for each of the transducers, and a connecting section (16) located between the actuator section (12) and the print element section (14) and including a plurality of ink paths (35, 45, 48) providing a respective ink path between the exit end of each transducer and its corresponding nozzle. According to the invention the print head is characterised in that the connecting section (16) is shaped so that it forms a fan-in section connecting the relatively large cross section actuator section to the relatively small cross section print element section and is made at least partially from a resilient material so that it forms a seal for each of the ink paths at its junctions with the actuator section and the print element section.

Description: This invention relates to a print head for an ink jet printing apparatus, of the type in which ink drops are generated on demand in response to suitable electrical signals. Such printing apparatus is commonly termed a "drop-on-demand" ink jet printing apparatus. The structure of an ink jet printer matrix print head can be divided into two major assemblies, the actuator section which provides the driving force and the print element section. For an ink jet drop-on-demand print head, each actuator is a small electromechanical transducer such as a cylindrical piezoelectric crystal and each print element is an orifice in a plate which supports the meniscus. Usually, the scale of the actuator section is considerably larger than that of the print element section. As a consequence, a transition section is required to converge the larger scale spacing of the transducers to the smaller scale spacing of the print elements. This transition section is called a "fan-in" section. The design of fan-in sections for ink jet drop-on-demand print heads conventionally falls into one of two categories. The first category is a monolithic design which results in a complete fan-in section, typically by a plastic moulding or casting. An example of this type of fan-in section is shown in US-A-4,492,968 to Lee et al. Another example of this type of fan-in section is shown in US-A-3,747,120 to Stemme. The second category is a bonded or layered design which requires two or more parts bonded together by welding or adhesives. An example of this type of fan-in section is shown in US-A-4,460,906 to Kanayama in which the components of the print head are welded together. Another example is shown in US-A-4,392,145 to Parkola which shows a multi-layer ink jet apparatus in which the layers are bonded together by an epoxy material. A third example of a multi-layer ink jet apparatus is shown in US -A-3,988,745 to Sultan which is assembled by screws or other fastening devices. The prior art design of fan-in sections has several drawbacks. First, both the monolithic and layered fan-in sections are somewhat difficult to manufacture and in some cases the fan-in section is as long as the actuator section. Both the monlithic and layered fan-in section embodiments require precision parts having a fine surface finish such as that produced by lapping, for example. Precision parts mean added expense and, naturally, are to be avoided where possible. Probably the most important factor is that the addition of a long transition section between the actuator section and the print element section degrades the performance of the print head. Therefore, both the monolithic and layer fan-in sections suffer from the same problems of manufacturability, size and reduced system response. JP-A-55 101 466 describes a print head for an ink jet printer having an actuator section which has a relatively large cross section and a print element section which has a relatively small cross section. The print head also includes a connecting section located between the actuator section and the print element section. The connecting section contains a plurality of ink paths and is shaped so that it forms a fan-in section connecting the relatively large cross section actuator section to the relatively small cross section print element section. In order for the print head to function correctly there must be seals between the individual sections so that the ink paths are complete. The nature of these seals is not described. It must be assumed that the seals are formed by various different components in addition to those already described. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved print head for an ink jet drop-on-demand printing apparatus which is compact in size and easy to manufacture and which produces greatly enhanced printer system performance. The invention relates to a print head for a drop-in-demand ink jet printer comprising an actuator section of relatively large cross section and including a plurality of electromechanical transducers, each formed with an ink path having an entrance end and an exit end, an ink manifold, means for conveying ink from the ink manifold to the entrance end of the ink path in each of the transducers, a print element section having a relatively small cross section and including a plurality of nozzles, one nozzle for each of the transducers, and a connecting section located between the actuator section and the print element section and including a plurality of ink paths providing a respective ink path between the exit end of each transducer and its corresponding nozzle and being shaped so that it forms a fan-in section connecting the relatively large cross section actuator section to the relatively small cross section print element section. According to the invention the print head is characterised in that the connecting section is made at least partially of a resilient material so that it forms a seal for each of the ink paths at its junction with the actuator section and the print element section. A specific embodiment of a 9-channel print head is described in which the ink paths converge radially through the fan-in section. The dual function fan-in section is made from an elastomer such as fibre imbedded rubber, and the components of the print head can be assembled by screws, for example, without the use of any adhesive or bonding material. A further embodiment includes a multiple layer fan-in section so that a larger number of ink paths can be provided in the print head. In order that the invention may be more readily understood an embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view in section of a prior art print head for a drop-on-demand ink jet printing apparatus, Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of a print head for a drop-on-demand ink jet printing apparatus embodying the present invention, Fig. 3 is a partial side view, in section, of the print head of Fig. 2 which shows a single ink path, Fig. 3A is a partial end view of the print head of Fig. 2 sectioned along line A-A of Fig. 3, Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the actuator section, the fan-in section and the print element section of a specific embodiment of a print head for a drop-on-demand ink jet print head embodying the present invention, Fig. 5 is a partial side view in section of a print head which includes a multiple layer fan-in section, and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic end view of the multiple layer fan-in section of Fig. 5. Before describing the present invention, reference is first made to Fig. 1 in which is shown part of a prior art drop-on-demand ink jet printer including a print head. Fig. 1 is a side view in section of the array 11 of drop-on-demand ink jet print elements in the printer print head. The print element array 11 comprises an actuator section 12 to which liquid ink is supplied from manifold 18, and a print element section 14. Actuator section 12 provides the driving force to project a drop of liquid ink from print element section 14 by means of the ink path provided in a fan-in section 13 connecting the actuator section 12 to the print element section 14. Fig. 2 shows a specific embodiment of a print head 10 including an array of drop-on-demand ink jet print elements embodying the present invention. The print head 10 comprises an actuator section 12 having a relatively large cross section and to which a marking fluid such as liquid ink is supplied from an ink supply means 17 through a manifold 18. Actuator section 12 provides the driving force to project drops of liquid ink from a print element section 14 having a relatively small cross section. A connecting section 16 serves the dual function of not only providing a fan-in section between the relatively large cross section actuator section 12 and the relatively small cross section print element section 14, but also sealing the ink flow paths between the actuator section 12 and the print element section 14 in fluid tight relation. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, (Figs 2-4), actuator section 12 comprises a plurality of piezoelectric tubes 26 which are held in position by a tubular housing member 20. Tubular housing member 20 can be moulded from a plastic material, for example, and is formed with a plurality of openings 22 into which the electromechanical transducers formed by the piezoelectric tubes 26 fit closely. The piezoelectric tubes 26 are provided with electrodes (not shown) as is known in the art. When an electric pulse is applied to the electrodes of a tube 26 from a control means 15, for example, the tube momentarily contracts and generates a pressure wave in the ink inside the tube. This pressure wave travels forward in the channel from the tube 26 and the forward travelling wave causes the ejection of a drop of ink when the pressure wave reaches exit orifices in the print element section 14. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the print element section 14 comprises an orifice plate 36 into which is formed a plurality of orifices or nozzles 38. Each of the orifices 38 is in alignment with a respective one of a plurality of ink channels 48 each of which extends from a respective transducer 26. The orifice plate 36 is permanently bonded to a substrate 40 which provides support for the relatively fragile orifice plate 36. The dual function connecting section 16 provides the ink paths between the actuator section 12 and the print element section 14 and also seals the ink paths at their joints with the actuator section 12 and the print element section 14. The section 16 comprises a subplate 44 having a plurality of openings 45 each of which is in alignment with the opening of a respective one of the piezoelectric tubes 26. Section 16 also comprises a first gasket member 46 which has a plurality of slots 48, one end of each of which is aligned with a respective one of the openings 45 in the subplate 44 and the other end of each of which is aligned with a respective one of a plurality of openings 35 in a nozzle supporting plate 40. Gasket member 46 is made of a resilient material such as fibre-imbedded rubber, for example, so that the gasket member seals the junction of the ink paths between the connecting member 16 and the print element section 14. Connecting section 16 also includes a second gasket member 47 made of a resilient material such as fibre-imbedded rubber and formed with holes each of which is aligned with a respective tube 26. This second gasket member 47 seals the junction of the ink paths betwen the actuator section 12 and the connecting section 16. The ink enters the entrance ends 32 of the piezoelectric tubes 26 from the manifold 18, proceeds through the tubes 26 and out the exit ends 34 of tubes 26. The ink proceeds through holes in gasket member 47 and through the openings 45 in subplate 44 which extend generally along the length of the connecting section. When the ink has passed through the subplate 44, it makes a right angled turn and proceeds down one of the slots 48 in the gasket member 46 which extend generally at right angles to the length of the connecting section and forms the actual fan-in. At the other end of the slot 48, the ink makes another right angled turn and proceeds through one of the holes 35 in the orifice plate substrate 40 which extend generally along the length of the connecting section and then exits from the print head through one of the orifices 38 in the orifice plate 36. A specific arrangement of a 9-channel ink jet drop-on-demand print head is shown in Fig. 4. An exploded view of the actuator section 12, the fan-in section (44, 46) and the print element section 14 is shown. The components of the print head can be assembled by means of screws in openings 41, for example, without the use of any adhesive or bonding material. The components of the print head can alternatively be held together by the force of one or more clamps or clips. In this arrangement, the ink paths converge radially through the fan-in section from the positions of the drive transducers 26 to the positions of the orifices 38 in plate 36. The fan-in section connecting the piezoelectric transducer tubes 26 and the orifice plate substrate 40 includes the resilient gasket members 46 and 47. In contrast to the prior art fan-in section arrangements which required precision parts, the fan-in section described herein can be produced either in a stamping operation in the same manner as a simple gasket, or in a simple moulding operation. The gasket members 46 and 47 are made from a resilient material that is chemically inert with respect to the ink, and are readily formable by punching, moulding or equivalent techniques. In addition, the orifice plate substrate 40 and the subplate 44, between which the gasket member 46 is constrained, must be acoustically rigid. Suitable materials for gasket members 46 and 47 include a polymer filled fibre gasket material and a fibre-imbedded rubber material which are suitable for forming by a punching operation. Suitable materials also include poly-tetra-fluroethylene and Viton brand of synthetic rubber manufactured by E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. which are suitable for forming by moulding. It can be seen that a fan-in section made as described above is not only simple to manufacture but is also very compact. It has the same cross section as the actuator section and, in a specific embodiment similar to that shown in Fig. 4, the thickness was about 0.5 mm. The ink path length was short, of the order of 2-3 mm. These characteristics combine to produce a print head with a broad frequency response and with minimum drive requirements. As the number of ink paths increases, the radial dimension of the fan-in section also increases in order to maintain separation between the ink paths, and this factor represents a limitation on the number of ink paths that can be conveniently provided. One way to avoid this limitation is to use a multiple layer fan-in section. This concept is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 represents a cross-section of a two-layer gasket member fan-in section. In this case two subplates 50, 52 are utilised with a first gasket fan-in member 54 positioned between the two separator plates and a second gasket fan-in member 56 positioned between the second separator plate 52 and a nozzle support plate 58. Fig. 6 is a top view of the same two layer fan-in section assembly and in this view the fan-in gasket slots 60 of the first gasket fan-in member 54 are shown in dashed lines and the fan-in gasket slots 62 in the second fan-in gasket member 56 are shown in solid lines. From the illustration of the two-layer fan-in section, it is evident that further variations could also be used. For example, one could use an assembly with more than two layers in the fan-in section. Also, additional bends could be introduced into the folding process. This technique could be used to adjust for equal ink path lengths throughout the various fan-in layers. A drop-on-demand ink jet print head similar to that shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 was built and tested. The characteristics of the print head which incorporates the fan-in section illustrated are a broad response with good high-frequency performance, low drive requirements, small sized rugged construction, and a modular design which is easily manufacturable.

Claims: A print head for a drop-in-demand ink jet printer comprising an actuator section (12) of relatively large cross section and including a plurality of electromechanical transducers (26), each formed with an ink path having an entrance end (32) and an exit end (34), an ink manifold (18), means (17) for conveying ink from said ink manifold to the entrance end of the ink path in each of said transducers, a print element section (14) having a relatively small cross section and including a plurality of nozzles (36), one nozzle for each of said transducers, and a connecting section (16) located between said actuator section (12) and said print element section (14) and including a plurality of ink paths (35, 45, 48) providing a respective ink path between the exit end of each transducer and its corresponding nozzle and being shaped so that it forms a fan-in section connecting said relatively large cross section actuator section (12) to said relatively small cross section print element section (14), characterised in that said connecting section (16) is made at least partially of a resilient material so that it forms a seal for each of the ink paths at its junction with said actuator section (12) and said print element section (14). A print head as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that said connecting section is made at least partially of a polymeric material. A print head as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that said connecting section is made at least partially of an elastomer. A print head as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that said connecting section is made at least partially of a fibre imbedded rubber.

Inventors: LEE, FRANCIS CHEE-SHUEN, MILLS, ROSS NEAL, MOSSBRUGGER, HORST GEBHART, STURM, GARY VANN
Applicants: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2