JP2661765B2 - Orifice plate manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an orifice plate used for a head of an ink jet printer and a member used for the method.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the orifice plate is punched by a press and then attached and fixed to a head portion with an adhesive. For this process, there are roughly two types of production systems described below.

One is a method for processing in a hoop shape having a width of one plate as shown in FIG. 3, and the other is a method for processing in a sheet shape as shown in FIG. In both cases, a plate is obtained by punching out the punched portion 3 of the hoop material 5 or the sheet material 6. Note that the two-dot chain line in the figure is a virtual line indicating a punched portion.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

FIG. 5 shows an example of the component shape of the orifice plate. The orifice plate 1 is provided with ink discharge microholes 2 having a diameter of 20 to 50 μm, and its thickness t is very thin, 20 to 30 μm. The accuracy of the hole shape accuracy of the minute holes and the accuracy of the pitch p between the holes is required to be as high as ± several μm. For this reason, at the time of drilling, the film as the material must be held at a constant tension to prevent wrinkles and sagging.

Conventionally, when a hoop material is used, it is necessary to precisely control the tension applied during processing to several tens of g, but in practice, this tension cannot be guaranteed due to the processing load and vibration during pressing,
Processing with hoop material had a practically difficult problem.

When a sheet material is used, tension control is relatively rough and practical, but it is necessary to position the work in both the X and Y directions during press working and pasting, resulting in cost reduction of the processing machine. This has led to upsizing and upsizing.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention is a composite tape in which a hoop material for an orifice plate is attached to a carrier film having a perforation for conveyance and a hole larger than the outer shape of the orifice plate. Also, the present invention is a method for manufacturing an orifice plate, in which a microhole for ink ejection is formed by pressing the composite tape, and an orifice plate is punched out to obtain an orifice plate. And an orifice plate manufacturing method in which an orifice plate is obtained by drawing out and transporting the composite tape from the reel and performing the press working and the punching work.

As the material of the carrier film, a resin film, a thin metal plate or a combination thereof is preferably used, and as the material of the orifice plate, an organic material (resin), a thin metal plate, or a combination thereof is preferably used, but it is not limited thereto. Not something.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows the composite tape 17 used in the embodiment. The composite tape is formed by attaching a hoop material 5 to a carrier tape 11. The carrier tape has a thickness several times the thickness of the hoop material, and the transport perforations 12 are processed,
It also has a hole 13. The hole 13 is larger than the outer shape of the orifice plate 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of an orifice plate processing system using the composite tape of FIG. Reference numeral 7 denotes a material supply reel on which a composite tape is wound. Reference numeral 8 denotes a press working machine for processing micro holes, and 9 denotes a sticking machine. Reference numeral 10 denotes a take-up reel for winding the discharged material from which the orifice plate has been cut off, reference numeral 15 denotes a sprocket for drawing out the tape, and reference numeral 16 denotes a sprocket for feeding the tape.

The composite tape 17 wound on the material supply reel 7 is guided into the press machine 8 by the sprocket 15 using the transport perforations 12 as feed holes. Pressing machine 8
In the inside, a constant tension is applied to the composite material 17 by means not shown, and micro-perforation is performed in a state where wrinkles of the composite tape 17 are removed. At this time, most of the tension applied to the composite material is absorbed by the carrier tape, and an appropriate tension (several tens g) is uniformly applied to the hoop material 5.
No wrinkles or abnormal elongation occur.

In this press step, the micro holes 2 shown in FIG. 5 are continuously processed. Since the stamping press used at this time is as small as several tens of μm in diameter, it has a rigid carrier tape 11.
Since holes cannot be punched out, holes 13 are previously formed in the carrier tape as reliefs during press working.

Next, the composite tape 17 having been subjected to the fine perforation is moved into the attaching machine 9 by the sprocket 16, and is punched out in a state where it is attracted to the finger portion of the automatic hand of the attaching machine by means (not shown). Pasting is performed on the head body. At this time, the holes 13 are formed in the carrier tape 11 in advance to keep the cutting load at a minimum.

Further, the composite tape from which the orifice plate portion has been removed is taken up by the take-up reel 10, and the processing step ends.

An example was described in which the pressing process and the attaching process were integrated.However, if the number of holes in the orifice plate increases and the tact balance between the pressing and the attaching process is deteriorated, separate the pressing process and the attaching process using separate lines. In this case, it is sufficient to take up the product on a reel after pressing and transport it to the bonding process, which keeps the simplicity of physical distribution, and also pays special attention to the attachment of dust and the application of stress to micro holes. It can be prevented without doing.

In the above description, the width of the composite tape is set to a width for obtaining one orifice plate. However, a composite tape having a width for obtaining a plurality of orifice plates is used. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which they are arranged side by side.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the overall structure of an ink jet head to which the orifice plate of the present invention can be applied. An ink passage 45 on a suitable substrate 41 such as glass, metal, plastic, etc.
And an ink liquid chamber 47 are formed, and a discharge energy generator 44 for generating energy used for discharging ink such as heat energy to another substrate 42 is disposed, and the substrate 41 and the substrate 42 are joined. Thus, the head body 40 is obtained. The orifice plate 1 of the present invention is precisely bonded to this to obtain an ink jet head.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing an example of an ink jet recording apparatus to which a head having an orifice plate according to the present invention can be applied.

In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes an ink jet head cartridge provided with a nozzle group for discharging ink while facing a recording surface of a recording sheet sent on a platen 24. Numeral 25 denotes a carriage for holding the recording head 20, which is connected to a part of a driving belt 28 for transmitting the driving force of a driving motor 27, and is slidable with two guide shafts 29A and 29B arranged in parallel with each other. Accordingly, the recording head 20 can reciprocate over the entire width of the recording paper.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a head recovery device, which is disposed at one end of the movement path of the recording head 20, for example, at a position facing the home position. The head recovery device 26 is operated by the driving force of the motor 22 via the transmission mechanism 23, and the recording head 20 is capped. The cap section of this head recovery device 26
In connection with the capping of the recording head 20 by 26A, the ink is sucked by an appropriate suction unit provided in the head recovery device 26 or the ink is fed by an appropriate pressurizing unit provided in the ink supply path to the recording head 20. In addition, an ejection recovery process such as removing the thickened ink in the nozzles by forcibly discharging the ink from the ejection port is performed. Also,
By performing capping at the end of recording or the like, the recording head is protected.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a blade disposed on a side surface of the head recovery device 26 and formed as a wiping member made of silicone rubber.The blade 30 is held in a cantilever form by a blade holding member 30A, and the motor 22 is provided similarly to the head recovery device 26. And the transmission mechanism 23 operates to enable engagement with the ejection surface of the recording head 20. Thereby, at an appropriate timing in the recording operation of the recording head 20, or after the ejection recovery processing using the head recovery device 26, the blade 30 is made to protrude into the moving path of the recording head 20 to accompany the moving operation of the head 20. To remove condensation, wetness, dust and the like on the ejection surface of the head 20.

The present invention brings about an excellent effect particularly in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a valve jet system among the ink jet recording systems.

Regarding the typical configuration and principle, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink). By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling to the electric heat exchanger, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal converter, and the recording is performed. This is effective because the film is boiled on the heat-acting surface of the head and, as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) can be formed in one-to-one correspondence with the drive signal. By discharging the liquid (ink) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. As the pulse-shaped driving signal, US Pat. No. 4,463,359
No. 4,434,262 are suitable. Further, when the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of the ejection port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (linear liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, a thermal action A configuration using U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose a configuration in which a portion is arranged in a bending region, is also included in the present invention. In addition, Patent No. 123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal conversion pair for a plurality of electrothermal converters.
The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 138461/1984, which discloses a configuration in which an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy corresponds to a discharge portion.

Further, as a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the width of the maximum recording medium that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, the flow is reduced by a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification. Either a configuration that satisfies the above or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head may be used, but the present invention can more effectively exert the above-described effects.

In addition, a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body, or provided integrally with the recording head itself The present invention is also effective when a cartridge type recording head is used.

It is preferable to add recovery means for the printhead, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like, which are provided as components of the printing apparatus of the present invention, since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specific examples thereof include a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressurizing or suctioning unit, a preheating unit using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof, and a recording unit. Performing a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from the above is also effective for performing stable printing.

Further, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, and may be a printing head integrally formed or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is extremely effective also in an apparatus provided with at least one of the full color according to the above.

〔The invention's effect〕

 The following effects can be obtained by the present invention.

(1) The positioning table for the X and Y directions of the material conventionally required in the breathing process is not required, and the breathing apparatus can be reduced in size and cost.

(2) The work of changing the sheet material becomes unnecessary, and the waiting time during processing is eliminated.

(3) The positioning table in the X and Y directions of the laminating machine is not required, and the laminating machine can be reduced in size and cost.

(4) Since the pressing process and the attaching process can be performed continuously,
Defects due to adhesion of dust between processes were reduced.

(5) The tension applied to the orifice plate material in the press working can be made constant, the precision of the fine hole shape and the pitch between the holes is stabilized, and the printing quality of the ink jet printer is stabilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a composite tape used in the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an orifice plate manufacturing system used in the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a conventional hoop material, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an orifice plate, FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an example of an ink jet head, and FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing an example of an ink jet recording apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Orifice plate, 2 ... Micro hole, 3 ... Punched part, 5 ... Hoop material, 6 ... Sheet material, 7 ... Supply reel, 8 ... Press working machine, 9 ... Pasting machine, 10 ... take-up roll, 11 ... carrier tape, 12 ... perforation, 13 ... hole, 15, 16 ... sprocket, 17 ... composite tape, 20 ... inkjet head cartridge, 22 ... motor, 23 …… Transmission mechanism, 24 …… Platen, 25 …… Carriage, 26 …… Head recovery device, 26A …… Cap part, 27 …… Drive motor, 28 …… Drive belt, 29 …… Guide shaft, 30 …… Blade , 30A ... blade holding member, 40 ... head body, 41 ... substrate, 42 ... substrate, 44 ... energy generator, 45 ... ink flow path, 47 ... ink chamber.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An orifice plate hoop is attached to a carrier film having a perforation for conveyance and a hole larger than the outer diameter of an orifice plate to form a composite tape. And an orifice plate manufacturing method in which an orifice plate is obtained by punching out the outer shape of the orifice plate. 2. The composite tape is once wound on a reel,
2. The method for manufacturing an orifice plate according to claim 1, wherein the composite tape is drawn out from the reel, conveyed, and subjected to the pressing and punching to obtain an orifice plate. 3. A composite tape in which a hoop material for an orifice plate is attached to a carrier film having perforations for conveyance and holes larger than the outer shape of the orifice plate.