Liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10639898-B2
Application number	US-201816225511-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Aug 17, 2012
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head unit capable of ejecting a liquid from a nozzle provided in a nozzle surface of a nozzle plate, an anchoring plate in which the head unit is anchored and that is provided with an opening region that exposes the nozzle surface, and a wiper member that wipes an anchoring plate exposed-surface located on the opposite side of the head unit of the anchoring plate and the nozzle surface. When an angle of contact between the nozzle surface and the liquid is taken as θn, an angle of contact between the anchoring plate exposed-surface and the liquid is taken as θs, and an angle of contact between the wiper member and the liquid is taken as θw, the relationship θn>θs>θw>90° is fulfilled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A recording head, comprising:
a plate comprising a first surface and a second surface;
a head unit connected to the first surface, the head unit comprising:
a pressure chamber formation plate provided with a plurality of pressure chambers;
first flow paths of the liquid in communication with the pressure chambers;
piezoelectric elements for ejecting liquid of the pressure chambers; and
a protective plate covering the piezoelectric elements in a plan view seen from a first axis direction; and

a case comprising:
a third surface connected to the first surface; and
a cavity recessed in the third surface and defined by a first wall and second wall, the first wall surrounding the protective plate in the plan view, the second wall defining a second flow path of the liquid in communication with the first flow path, and the second wall overlapping the protective plate in the plan view, and

wherein the head unit further comprises a common chamber between the first flow paths and the second flow path.

2. The recording head according to claim 1 , wherein the protective plate comprises a silicon single-crystal substrate.

3. The recording head according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is provided on an insulating film.

4. The recording head according to claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric elements are configured to work in a flexurally-vibrating mode.

5. The recording head according to claim 1 , wherein the second surface comprises liquid-repellency.

6. The recording head according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the common chamber is in communication with a plurality of nozzles; and
a film for sealing the common chamber and absorbing pressure changes in the common chamber.

7. The recording head according to claim 1 , wherein the second flow path overlaps the head unit in the plan view.

8. A liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising:
a plate comprising a first surface and a second surface;
a wiper for wiping the first surface;
a head unit connected to the first surface, the head unit comprising:
a pressure chamber formation plate provided with a plurality of pressure chambers;
first flow paths of the liquid in communication with the pressure chambers;
piezoelectric elements for ejecting liquid of the pressure chambers; and
a protective plate covering the piezoelectric elements in a plan view seen from a first axis direction; and

a case comprising:
a third surface connected to the first surface; and
a cavity recessed in the third surface and defined by a first wall and second wall, the first wall surrounding the protective plate in the plan view, the second wall defining a second flow path of the liquid in communication with the first flow path, and the second wall overlapping the protective plate in the plan view,
wherein, the head unit further comprises a common chamber between the first flow paths and the second flow path.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the protective plate further comprising a through-cavity for containing a driving IC.

10. The recording head according to claim 1 , wherein the protective plate further comprises a through-cavity for containing a driving IC.

11. A recording head, comprising:
a plate comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second surface comprising liquid-repellency;
a head unit connected to the first surface, the head unit comprising:
a pressure chamber formation plate provided with a plurality of pressure chambers;
first flow paths of the liquid in communication with the pressure chambers;
piezoelectric elements for ejecting liquid of the pressure chambers; and
a protective plate covering the piezoelectric elements in a plan view seen from a first axis direction; and

a case comprising:
a third surface connected to the first surface; and
a cavity recessed in the third surface and defined by a first wall and second wall, the first wall surrounding the protective plate in the plan view, the second wall defining a second flow path of the liquid in communication with the first flow path, and the second wall overlapping the protective plate in the plan view.

12. The recording head according to claim 11 , wherein the protective plate further comprises a through-cavity for containing a driving IC.

13. The recording head according to claim 11 , wherein the head unit further comprises a common chamber between the first flow paths and the second flow path.

14. The recording head according to claim 11 , wherein the protective plate comprises a silicon single-crystal substrate.

15. The recording head according to claim 11 , wherein the first electrode is provided on an insulating film.

16. The recording head according to claim 11 , wherein the piezoelectric elements are configured to work in a flexurally-vibrating mode.

17. The recording head according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a common chamber in communication with a plurality of nozzles; and
a film for sealing the common chamber and absorbing pressure changes in the common chamber.

18. The recording head according to claim 11 , wherein the second flow path overlaps the head unit in the plan view.

19. A liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising:
a plate comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second surface comprising liquid-repellency;
a wiper for wiping the first surface;
a head unit connected to the first surface, the head unit comprising:
a pressure chamber formation plate provided with a plurality of pressure chambers;
first flow paths of the liquid in communication with the pressure chambers;
piezoelectric elements for ejecting liquid of the pressure chambers; and
a protective plate covering the piezoelectric elements in a plan view seen from a first axis direction; and

a case comprising:
a third surface connected to the first surface; and
a cavity recessed in the third surface and defined by a first wall and second wall, the first wall surrounding the protective plate in the plan view, the second wall defining a second flow path of the liquid in communication with the first flow path, and the second wall overlapping the protective plate in the plan view.

20. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the protective plate further comprising a through-cavity for containing a driving IC.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Watanabe Shunsuke
• Fukuzawa Yuma
• Enomoto Katsumi
• Okui Hiroaki
• Miyata Yoshinao
• Oguchi Satoshi
• Akahane Fujio

Classifications

• B41J2/16538

  with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate · CPC title

• B41J2002/14241

  having a cover around the piezoelectric thin film element · CPC title

• B41J2/14233

  of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm · CPC title

• B41J2002/14362

  Assembling elements of heads · CPC title

• B41J2/16535 Primary

  using wiping constructions (B41J2/16552 takes precedence) · CPC title