Drive circuit unit, head unit, and liquid discharge apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12397570-B2
Application number	US-202318476383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2023
Priority date	Sep 30, 2022
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a drive circuit unit that is coupled to a head connector located opposite to a discharge port of a head, the drive circuit unit including: a first substrate having a first connector coupled to the head connector; a third substrate on which a drive circuit generating a drive signal is mounted; and a fan that generates wind, in which the drive signal is supplied from the third substrate to the first connector via the first substrate, the third substrate is B-to-B-coupled to the first substrate and stands upright with respect to the first substrate, the fan stands upright with respect to the first substrate, and a rotation axis of the fan is substantially parallel to a surface of the third substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive circuit unit that is coupled to a head connector located opposite to a discharge port of a head, the drive circuit unit comprising:
a first substrate having a first connector coupled to the head connector;
a third substrate on which a drive circuit generating a drive signal is mounted; and
a fan that generates wind, wherein
the drive signal is supplied from the third substrate to the first connector via the first substrate,
the third substrate is B-to-B-coupled to the first substrate and stands upright with respect to the first substrate,
the fan stands upright with respect to the first substrate, and
a rotation axis of the fan is substantially parallel to a surface of the third substrate.

2. The drive circuit unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first cover, wherein
the first substrate and the first cover surround the third substrate except for a first port and a second port, and
the fan generates wind from the first port to the second port.

3. The drive circuit unit according to claim 2 , wherein
the fan, the first port, the third substrate, the second port, and the first connector are arranged in an order of the fan, the first port, the third substrate, the second port, and the first connector.

4. The drive circuit unit according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a first straightening mechanism that changes a direction of the wind from a direction substantially parallel to the first substrate to a direction away from the first substrate between the second port and the first connector.

5. The drive circuit unit according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a second straightening mechanism that adjusts the wind between an end portion opposite to the first connector among end portions of the first substrate, and the fan.

6. The drive circuit unit according to claim 2 , wherein
the fan, the first port, the third substrate, the second port, and the first connector are arranged in an order of the first port, the third substrate, the second port, the fan, and the first connector.

7. The drive circuit unit according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a first straightening mechanism that changes a direction of the wind from a direction substantially parallel to the first substrate to a direction away from the first substrate between the fan and the first connector.

8. The drive circuit unit according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a second straightening mechanism that adjusts the wind between an end portion opposite to the first connector among end portions of the first substrate, and the first port.

9. The drive circuit unit according to claim 2 , wherein
the fan, the first port, the third substrate, the second port, and the first connector are arranged in an order of the fan, the second port, the third substrate, the first port, and the first connector.

10. The drive circuit unit according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a first straightening mechanism that changes a direction of the wind from a direction approaching to the first substrate to a direction substantially parallel to the first substrate between the first port and the first connector.

11. The drive circuit unit according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a second straightening mechanism that adjusts the wind between an end portion opposite to the first connector among end portions of the first substrate, and the fan.

12. The drive circuit unit according to claim 2 , wherein
the fan, the first port, the third substrate, the second port, and the first connector are arranged in an order of the second port, the third substrate, the first port, the fan, and the first connector.

13. The drive circuit unit according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a first straightening mechanism that changes a direction of the wind from a direction approaching to the first substrate to a direction substantially parallel to the first substrate between the fan and the first connector.

14. The drive circuit unit according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a second straightening mechanism that adjusts the wind between an end portion opposite to the first connector among end portions of the first substrate, and the second port.

15. The drive circuit unit according to claim 1 , wherein
when the fan is viewed in a direction orthogonal to the first substrate, the fan is included within an outline of the first substrate.

16. The drive circuit unit according to claim 15 , wherein
in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the fan and parallel to a surface of the first substrate, a length of the fan is equal to or more than 0.8 times and less than 1 time a length of the first substrate.

17. The drive circuit unit according to claim 15 , wherein
a plurality of the third substrates are provided, and
the drive circuits of the third substrates are all accommodated within a range in which the fan is projected in a rotation axis direction of the fan.

18. The drive circuit unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the third substrate is mounted with a capacitor on a first substrate side with respect to the drive circuit.

19. The drive circuit unit according to claim 18 , wherein
the third substrate is mounted with all electronic components taller than the drive circuit on the first substrate side with respect to the drive circuit.

20. The drive circuit unit according to claim 1 , wherein
all couplings between the third substrate and other substrates are via a B-to-B coupling to the first substrate.

21. A head unit comprising:
a head including a discharge port and a head connector located opposite to the discharge port; and
a drive circuit unit coupled to the head connector, wherein
the drive circuit unit includes
a first substrate having a first connector coupled to the head connector,
a third substrate on which a drive circuit generating a drive signal is mounted, and
a fan that generates wind,

the drive signal is supplied from the third substrate to the first connector via the first substrate,
the third substrate is B-to-B-coupled to the first substrate and stands upright with respect to the first substrate,
the fan stands upright with respect to the first substrate, and
a rotation axis of the fan is substantially parallel to a surface of the third substrate.

22. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a transport unit transporting a medium;
a head including a discharge port and a head connector located opposite to the discharge port; and
a drive circuit unit coupled to the head connector, wherein
the drive circuit unit includes
a first substrate having a first connector coupled to the head connector,
a third substrate on which a drive circuit generating a drive signal is mounted, and
a fan that generates wind,

the drive signal is supplied from the third substrate to the first connector via the first substrate,
the third substrate is B-to-B-coupled to the first substrate and stands upright with respect to the first substrate,
the fan stands upright with respect to the first substrate, and
a rotation axis of the fan is substantially parallel to a surface of the third substrate.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Yanagihara Hirokazu

Classifications

• B41J2/04541

  Specific driving circuit · CPC title

• B41J2/04586

  controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type · CPC title

• B41J2202/08

  dealing with thermal variations, e.g. cooling · CPC title

• B41J2002/14419

  Manifold · CPC title

• B41J2/14233

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