Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6217157
Timestamp: 2018-03-21 17:56:39
Document Index: 11997790

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 8', 'art 8', 'arts 8', 'art 8', 'art) 110', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'art 8', 'arts 8', 'art 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'arts 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8']

US6217157B1 - Liquid discharging head and liquid discharging apparatus - Google Patents
Liquid discharging head and liquid discharging apparatus Download PDF
US6217157B1
US6217157B1 US09333003 US33300399A US6217157B1 US 6217157 B1 US6217157 B1 US 6217157B1 US 09333003 US09333003 US 09333003 US 33300399 A US33300399 A US 33300399A US 6217157 B1 US6217157 B1 US 6217157B1
US09333003
The present invention is applicable to a printer for recording on various recording media such as paper, yarn, fiber, fabrics, leather, metal, plastics, glass, timber, ceramics etc., a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus having a communication system, a work processor having a printer unit, and an industrial recording apparatus combined in composite manner with various processing apparatus. In the present invention, the “recording” means not only forming a meaningful image such as a character or graphics on the recording medium but also forming a meaningless image such as a pattern.
FIGS. 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E and 22F are magnified cross-sectional views, along a line 22A to 22F—22A to 22F in FIG. 1A, of the vicinity of the movable separating membrane in another embodiment of the present invention;
When thermal energy is given to the heat generating member 2 (consisting of a heat-generating resistance member of 40×105 μm in the present embodiment) in this state, the heat generating member 2 is rapidly heated whereby the surface thereof in contact with the second liquid in the bubble generating area heats the liquid and generates a bubble therein (FIGS. 1B and 2B). A bubble 6 thus formed is based on a film boiling phenomenon as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,129 and is generated with an extremely high pressure over the entire area of the heat generating member. The generated pressure is transmitted as a pressure wave in the second liquid in the second liquid path 4 and acts on the movable separating membrane 5, whereby the recessed portion 8 thereof is deformed to initiate the discharge of the first liquid in the first liquid path 3. However the corner parts 8 a formed at the fulcrums of the recessed portion 8 are not involved in such deformation.
Under the condition V2<V1, the movable separating member in the recessed portion 8 does not show elongation or contraction even at the maximum displacement. Consequently V1 and V2 remain always constant, thereby stabilizing the liquid discharge. The volume V1 of the recessed portion means a volume defined between the face of the movable separating membrane 5 at the side of the first liquid path and the bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion 8 in the initial state, and the volume V2 means a volume surrounded by faces in contact with the inflection parts 8c of the recessed portion 8 and the bottom part 8 b thereof at the maximum displacement. Also the “inflection part” used in the present specification and the appended drawings means, in the recessed portion of the movable separating membrane, a part showing the largest deformation at the maximum displacement.
Therefore, the heat generating member 102 in the above-described embodiment may be constructed with the electrical resistance layer (heat generating part) 110 d only between the wiring electrodes 110 c or with a protective layer for protecting the electrical resistance layer 110 d.
In the present embodiment, the heat generating member 102 is provided with a heat generating part constituted by a resistance layer capable of heat generation in response to an electrical signal, but the present invention is not limited to such configuration and there may be employed any heat generating part capable of generating, in the bubble generating liquid, a bubble sufficient for discharging the discharge liquid. For example there may be employed a photothermal converting member for generating heat by receiving light such as from a laser, or a heat generating part for generating heat by receiving a high frequency radio wave.
For discharging the liquid by driving the heat generating part of the electrothermal converting member provided on the aforementioned element board 110, a rectangular pulse is applied to the electrical resistance layer 110 d through the wiring electrodes 110 d thereby causing rapid heat generation in the electrical resistance layer 110 d.
FIG. 9 is a wave form chart showing the voltage to be applied to the electrical resistance layer 110 d shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. In the liquid discharging head of the above-described embodiment, the heat generating member is driven by applying an electrical signal of a voltage of 24 V, a pulse duration of 7 μsec and a current of 150 mA with a frequency of 6 kHz to discharge liquid ink from the discharge opening by the aforementioned functions. However the conditions of the driving signal in the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above but there may be employed any drive signal capable of appropriate bubble generation in the bubble generating liquid.
Bubble generating liquid 1 ethanol 40 wt. %
Bubble generating liquid 2 water 100 wt. %
Bubble generating liquid 3 isopropyl 10 wt. %
styrene-acrylic acid-ethyl 1 wt. %
monoethanolamine 0.25 wt. %
polyethyleneglycol 200 100 wt. %
polyethyleneglycol 600 100 wt. %
Then the dry film was developed with a developer (BMRC-3 manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Co.) consisting of a mixture of xylene and butyl cellosolve acetate to dissolve the unexposed portions, thereby leaving the portions hardened by exposure as the second liquid path walls. Further, the residue remaining on the substrate surface was eliminated by processing with an oxygen plasma ashing apparatus (MAS-800 manufactured by Alcantec Co.) for about 90 seconds, and the exposed portions were completely hardened by ultraviolet irradiation of 100 mJ/cm2 for 2 hours at 150° C.
As shown in FIGS. 13A to 13F, the recessed portion 8 of the movable separating membrane 5 is provided with inflection parts 8 c between the corner parts 8 a and the bottom part 8 b, and the thickness (W8 c) of the inflection parts 8 c is made smaller than that (W8 b) of the bottom part 8 b. The “inflection part” used in the present specification and in the appended drawings means a part showing largest deformation in the recessed portion of the movable separating membrane at the maximum displacement thereof.
When thermal energy is given to the heat generating member 2 (consisting of a heat-generating resistance member of 40×105 μm in the present embodiment) in this state, the heat generating member 2 is rapidly heated whereby the surface thereof in contact with the second liquid in the bubble generating area heats the liquid and generates a bubble therein (FIGS. 12B and 13B). A bubble 6 thus formed is based on a film boiling phenomenon as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,129 and is generated with an extremely high pressure over the entire area of the heat generating member. The generated pressure is transmitted as a pressure wave in the second liquid in the second liquid path 4 and acts on the movable separating membrane 5, whereby the recessed portion 8 thereof is deformed, starting from the thinner inflection parts 8 c, to initiate the discharge of the first liquid in the first liquid path 3. However the corner parts 8 a formed at the fulcrums of the recessed portion 8 are not involved in such deformation.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20A, the recessed portion of the movable separating membrane 5 is so formed as to satisfy a condition h2≧h1, wherein h1 is the height from the heat generating member 2 to the bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion in the still state and h2 is the height from bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion to the inflection part 8 c thereof in the still state. For example if h2 is 20 μm, h1 is preferably within a range of 5 to 10 μm. The “inflection part” used in the present specification and the appended drawings means, in the recessed portion of the movable separating membrane, a part showing the largest deformation at the maximum displacement.
When thermal energy is given to the heat generating member 2 (consisting of a heat-generating resistance member of 40×105 μm in the present embodiment) in this state, the heat generating member 2 is rapidly heated whereby the surface thereof in contact with the second liquid in the bubble generating area heats the liquid and generates a bubble therein (FIG. 20B). A bubble 6 thus formed is based on a film boiling phenomenon as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,129 and is generated with an extremely high pressure over the entire area of the heat generating member. The generated pressure is transmitted as a pressure wave in the second liquid in the second liquid path 4 and acts on the movable separating membrane 5. As the height h2 from the bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion 8 to the inflection part 8 c thereof is selected equal to or larger than the height h1 from the heat generating member 2 to the bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion 8, the pressure by bubble generation is transmitted to the movable separating membrane 5 before it can escape to the upstream and downstream sides of the second liquid path 4, so that the pressure can be efficiently transmitted to the movable separating membrane 5. The transmission of the pressure by bubble generation to the movable separating membrane causes deformation of the recessed portion 8 thereof, thereby initiating the discharge of the first liquid in the first liquid path 3. However the corner parts 8 a formed at the fulcrums of the recessed portion 8 are not involved in such deformation.
When thermal energy is given to the heat generating member 2 (consisting of a heat-generating resistance member of 40×105 μm in the present embodiment) in this state, the heat generating member 2 is rapidly heated whereby the surface thereof in contact with the second liquid in the bubble generating area heats the liquid and generates a bubble therein (FIG. 21B). A bubble 6 thus formed is based on a film boiling phenomenon as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,129 and is generated with an extremely high pressure over the entire area of the heat generating member. The generated pressure is transmitted as a pressure wave in the second liquid in the second liquid path 4 and acts on the movable separating membrane 5. As the height h2 from the bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion 8 to the inflection part 8 c thereof is selected equal to or larger than the height h1 from the heat generating member 2 to the bottom part 8 b of the recessed portion 8, the pressure by bubble generation is transmitted to the movable separating membrane 5 before it can escape to the upstream and downstream sides of the second liquid path 4, so that the pressure can be efficiently transmitted to the movable separating membrane 5. The transmission of the pressure by bubble generation to the movable separating membrane causes deformation of the recessed portion 8 thereof, thereby initiating the discharge of the first liquid in the first liquid path 3. However the corner parts 8 a formed at the fulcrums of the recessed portion 8 are not involved in such deformation.
The pressure by bubble generation can be more efficiently transmitted to the movable separating membrane by satisfying a relation W1≧W3≧WH, more preferably W1≧W3≧WH≧W2. The “inflection part” used in the present specification or in the appended drawings means a part, in the recessed portion of the movable separating membrane, showing the largest deformation at the maximum displacement.
When thermal energy is given to the heat generating member 2 (consisting of a heat-generating resistance member of 40×105 μm in the present embodiment) in this state, the heat generating member 2 is rapidly heated whereby the surface thereof in contact with the second liquid in the bubble generating area heats the liquid and generates a bubble therein (FIG. 23B). A bubble 6 thus formed is based on a film boiling phenomenon as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,129 and is generated with an extremely high pressure over the entire area of the heat generating member. The generated pressure is transmitted as a pressure wave in the second liquid in the second liquid path 4 and acts on the movable separating membrane 5, whereby the recessed portion 8 of the movable separating membrane 5 deforms starting from the thinner inflection parts 8 c to initiate the discharge of the first liquid in the first liquid path 3. However the corner parts 8 a formed at the fulcrums of the recessed portion 8 are not involved in such deformation.
The pressure by bubble generation can be more efficiently transmitted to the movable separating membrane by satisfying a relation S1≧S3≧SH, more preferably S1≧S3≧SH≧S2. The “inflection part” used in the present specification or in the appended drawings means a part, in the recessed portion of the movable separating membrane, showing the largest deformation at the maximum displacement.
a discharge liquid path communicating with a discharge opening for discharging a discharge liquid and adapted to flow said discharge liquid;
a movable separating membrane adapted for mutually and substantially separating said discharge liquid path and said bubble generating liquid path and having a recess, in a position corresponding to said bubble generating area, deviated so as to narrow said bubble generating liquid path;
wherein said recess has substantially non-displacing corner portions and is adapted to displace, excluding said corner portions, by a bubble generated in said bubble generating area.
2. A liquid discharging head according to claim 1, wherein the displacing portion of said recess is a central area of said recess, surrounded by said corner portions.
wherein the volume V1 of said recess in a still state and the volume V2 of said recess at the maximum displacement satisfy a relation:
V 2<V 1.
4. A liquid discharging head according to claim 3, wherein said recess has substantially non-displacing corner portions and is adapted to displace, excluding said corner portions, by a bubble generated in said bubble generating area.
h 2≧h 1.
9. A liquid discharging head according to claim 8, wherein h1 is within a range from 5 to 10 μm.
W 1≧WH≧W 2.
11. A liquid discharging head according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said recess has inflection portions constituting fulcrums of displacement, and the distance W1 between the corner portions of said recess seen from the side of said discharge opening, distance W3 of the inflection portions of said recess and width WH of said heat generating member satisfy a relation:
W 1≧W 3≧WH.
12. A liquid discharging head according to claim 11, wherein the width W2 of the bottom portion of said recess and width WH of said heat generating member satisfy a relation:
WH≧W 2.
13. A liquid discharging head according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said recess has inflection portions constituting fulcrums of displacement, and, in the projected areas toward said heat generating member, the area S1 formed by connecting the corner portions of said recess, area S2 of the bottom portion of said recess and area SH of said heat generating member satisfy a relation:
S 1≧SH≧S 2.
14. A liquid discharging head according to claim 13, wherein SH is the area of an effective bubble generating area of said heat generating member.
S 1≧S 3≧SH.
16. A liquid discharging head according to claim 15, wherein the area S2 of the bottom portion of said recess and area SH of said heat generating member satisfy a relation:
SH≧S 2.
17. A liquid discharging head according to claim 15, wherein SH is the area of an effective bubble generating area of said heat generating member.
a liquid discharging head including a discharge liquid path communicating with a discharge opening for discharging a discharge liquid and adapted to flow said discharge liquid; a bubble generating liquid path including a bubble generating area for bubble generation and adapted to flow a bubble generating liquid; and a movable separating membrane adapted for mutually and substantially separating said discharge liquid path and said bubble generating liquid path and having a recess, in a position corresponding to said bubble generating area, deviated so as to narrow said bubble generating liquid path; wherein said recess has substantially non-displacing corner portions and is adapted to displace, excluding said corner portions, by a bubble generated in said bubble generating area; and
transport means for transporting a recording medium for forming a record by receiving the discharge liquid from said liquid discharging head.
26. A liquid discharging apparatus comprising:
a liquid discharging head including a discharge liquid path communicating with a discharge opening for discharging a discharge liquid and adapted to flow said discharge liquid; a bubble generating liquid path including a bubble generating area for bubble generation and adapted to flow a bubble generating liquid; and a movable separating membrane adapted for mutually and substantially separating said discharge liquid path and said bubble generating liquid path and having a recess, in a position corresponding to said bubble generating area, deviated so as to narrow said bubble generating liquid path; wherein the volume V1 of said recess in a still state and the volume V2 of said recess at the maximum displacement satisfy a relation V2<V1; and
transport means for transporting a recording medium for forming a record by receiving the discharge liquid discharged from said liquid discharging head.
US09333003 1998-06-22 1999-06-15 Liquid discharging head and liquid discharging apparatus Expired - Fee Related US6217157B1 (en)
JP10-174775 1998-06-22
JP10-174772 1998-06-22
JP17477298A JP2000006405A (en) 1998-06-22 1998-06-22 Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus
JP10-174773 1998-06-22
JP17477598A JP2000006408A (en) 1998-06-22 1998-06-22 Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus
JP10-174774 1998-06-22
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JP10-174771 1998-06-22
JP17477498A JP2000006407A (en) 1998-06-22 1998-06-22 Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus
JP17477398A JP2000006406A (en) 1998-06-22 1998-06-22 Liquid ejection head and liquid ejector
JP10-256964 1998-09-10
JP25696498A JP3571929B2 (en) 1998-09-10 1998-09-10 Liquid ejection head and liquid ejection apparatus
US6217157B1 true US6217157B1 (en) 2001-04-17
ID=27553424
US09333003 Expired - Fee Related US6217157B1 (en) 1998-06-22 1999-06-15 Liquid discharging head and liquid discharging apparatus
US (1) US6217157B1 (en)
EP (1) EP0967079B1 (en)
KR (1) KR100394920B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1160193C (en)
CA (1) CA2275113C (en)
DE (2) DE69922085D1 (en)
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EP0811492A2 (en) 1996-06-07 1997-12-10 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid discharge method and liquid discharge apparatus
EP0819541A2 (en) 1996-07-12 1998-01-21 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha A liquid ejection apparatus and a recovery method thereof
EP0841166A2 (en) 1996-11-08 1998-05-13 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Co. Ltd. Spray device for ink-jet printer
JPH0881172A (en) 1994-09-14 1996-03-26 Douei Unyu Kk Cargo collapse preventing device for slinged cargo
KR100394920B1 (en) 2003-08-19 grant
DE69922085T2 (en) 2005-12-15 grant
CN1160193C (en) 2004-08-04 grant
KR20000006314A (en) 2000-01-25 application
CN1243065A (en) 2000-02-02 application
EP0967079A2 (en) 1999-12-29 application
EP0967079A3 (en) 2000-11-15 application
DE69922085D1 (en) 2004-12-30 grant
EP0967079B1 (en) 2004-11-24 grant
CA2275113A1 (en) 1999-12-22 application
CA2275113C (en) 2004-11-02 grant
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:YOSHIHIRA, AYA;KASHINO, TOSHIO;KUDO, KIYOMITSU;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:010283/0429