Inkjet head and method of manufacturing inkjet head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10086610-B2
Application number	US-201715694926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2016
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes a plurality of actuators on a substrate in a row and spaced from each other, each actuator extending from the substrate to form a chamber space between each adjacent pair of actuators in the plurality of actuators, a flow passage block including a frame portion surrounding an outer periphery of the plurality of actuators and a blocking portion having protrusions sealing both ends of the chamber spaces between every other adjacent pair of actuators along the row, and a common ink chamber above the flow passage block and in fluid communication with the chamber spaces between any adjacent pairs of actuators not sealed at both ends by the blocking portion with a plurality of chamber spaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inkjet head comprising:
a plurality of actuators on a substrate in a row and spaced from each other, each actuator extending from the substrate to form a chamber space between each adjacent pair of actuators in the plurality of actuators;
a flow passage block including a frame portion surrounding an outer periphery of the plurality of actuators and a blocking portion having protrusions sealing both ends of the chamber spaces between every other adjacent pair of actuators along the row; and
a common ink chamber above the flow passage block and in fluid communication with the chamber spaces between any adjacent pairs of actuators not sealed at both ends by the blocking portion with a plurality of pressure chambers.

2. The inkjet head according to claim 1 , wherein the flow passage block is formed from a photosensitive resin.

3. The inkjet head according to claim 1 , wherein at least one protrusion of the blocking portion includes a pair of support portions supporting an adjacent pair of actuators, and a recess is between the pair of support portions.

4. The inkjet head according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a casing on the substrate enclosing the common ink chamber and the flow passage block.

5. The inkjet head according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an orifice plate on the substrate and having a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the common ink chamber.

6. The inkjet head according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of nozzles is formed in the substrate and in fluid communication with the common ink chamber.

7. The inkjet head according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber spaces between adjacent pairs of actuators alternate along the row between a first width, in a row direction, and a second width, in the row direction, the first and second widths being different from each other.

8. A method of manufacturing an inkjet head, comprising:
forming a plurality of actuators on a substrate in a row and spaced from each other, each actuator extending from the substrate to form a chamber space between each adjacent pair of actuators in the plurality of actuators;
placing a frame around an outer periphery of the plurality of actuators;
filling a photosensitive resin into the frame; and
curing the photosensitive resin to form a flow passage block including a frame portion surrounding the outer periphery of the plurality of actuators and a blocking portion, the blocking portion having protrusions sealing both ends of the chamber spaces between every other adjacent pair of actuators along the row.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
removing cured portions of the photosensitive resin from the frame portion outside the blocking portion.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
attaching a casing to the substrate to enclose a common ink chamber and the flow passage block.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the common ink chamber is in fluid communication with chamber spaces between adjacent pairs of actuators not sealed by the blocking portion.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
attaching an orifice plate to the substrate.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
forming a plurality of nozzles in the substrate.

14. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
forming a pair of support portions supporting an adjacent pair of actuators on at least one protrusion of the blocking portion; and
forming a recess between the pair of support portions.

15. An inkjet printer comprising
a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet on which an image can be recorded;
a plurality of actuators on a substrate in a row and spaced from each other, each actuator extending from the substrate to form a chamber space between each adjacent pair of actuators in the plurality of actuators;
a flow passage block including a frame portion surrounding an outer periphery of the plurality of actuators and a blocking portion having protrusions sealing both ends of the chamber spaces between every other adjacent pair of actuators along the row;
a common ink chamber above the flow passage block and in fluid communication with the chamber spaces between any adjacent pairs of actuators not sealed at both ends by the blocking portion with a plurality of pressure chambers; and
an ink storage container fluidly connected to the common ink chamber and from which ink is supplied to the common ink chamber.

16. The inkjet printer according to claim 15 , wherein the flow passage block is formed from a photosensitive resin.

17. The inkjet printer according to claim 15 , wherein at least one protrusion of the blocking portion includes a pair of support portions supporting an adjacent pair of actuators, and a recess is between the pair of support portions.

18. The inkjet printer according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a casing on the substrate enclosing the common ink chamber and the flow passage block.

19. The inkjet printer according to claim 15 , further comprising:
an orifice plate on the substrate and having a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the common ink chamber.

20. The inkjet printer according to claim 15 , wherein the substrate includes a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the common ink chamber.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Miyazawa Toshio

Classifications

• B41J2/14201 Primary

  Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B41J2/04533

  controlling a head having several actuators per chamber · CPC title

• B41J2202/03

  Specific materials used · CPC title

• B41J2002/14217

  Multi layer finger type piezoelectric element · CPC title

• B41J2202/22

  Manufacturing print heads · CPC title