EP0443628A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1991-02-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head provided with an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements (12,12') arranged at regular intervals and fixed at their one ends to a base (2), the other ends of the respective piezoelectric elements being free ends which are disposed in opposition to nozzle respective apertures (10, 10'), the piezoelectric elements (12, 12') being formed by cutting, at predetermined width, a piezoelectric plate obtained by firing a lamination of paste-like piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers. Since each piezoelectric element (12, 12') is composed of a thin piezoelectric plate interposed between electrodes, if a voltage of only about 30V, which is sufficient to drive the thin piezoelectric plate, is applied across the electrodes, it is possible to largely flex the whole of the piezoelectric element. By this transformation, ink between the top end of the piezoelectric element (12, 12') and the nozzle aperture (10, 10') is discharged to the outside as an ink drop. Because the driving voltage required for forming an ink drop is as low, it is possible to simplify a driving circuit, and because of cutting a piezoelectric plate, it is possible to form small-sized piezoelectric elements with the same accuracy as in a process of producing a semiconductor.
Inventors
- 👤 Minoru Usui
- 👤 Haruhiko Koto
- 👤 Haruo Nakamura
- 👤 Yozo Shimada
- 👤 Tomoaki Abe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:54
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/16; B41J2/1621; B41J2/1623; B41J2/14; B41J2/14201; B41J2/14274; B41J2/14282; B41J2/1607; B41J2/161; B41J2/1612; B41J2/1614; B41J2/1626; B41J2/1632; B41J2002/14387
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head comprising: a nozzle plate (8) having an array of a plurality of nozzle apertures (10, 10'); and an array of plurality of piezoelectric elements (12, 12') arranged at regular intervals and fixed at one ends thereof to a base (2), the other ends of said respective piezoelectric elements (12, 12') being free ends which are in opposition to respective ones of said nozzle apertures (10, 10'), said piezoelectric elements (12, 12') being formed by cutting, at predetermined width, a piezoelectric plate (25) obtained by a lamination of piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers (21, 23, 22), ink reservoir portions (6a, 6b) being formed between said nozzle apertures (10, 10') and said free ends.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 1, in which said piezoelectric plate is obtained by firing a lamination of paste-like piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternativley in layers (21, 23, 22).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a vibration plate (4) driven by said piezoelectric element array (12, 12') and interposed between said nozzle plate (8) and said piezoelectric element array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 1, 2, or 3, in which said ink reservoirs are formed by providing recess portions (6a, 6b, 6c) in a spacer (6) interposed between said nozzle plate (8) and a vibration plate (4).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 1, 2, or 3, in which said ink reservoirs are formed by providing recess portions (33e, 33f; 32b, 32c, 32a, 32d) in said nozzle plate (33) and/or a vibration plate (32).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
117 words
A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head, especially according of one of the preceding claims, comprising: an array of nozzle apertures (41, 42); and an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements (45, 46) arranged at regular intervals and fixed at one ends thereof to a base (44), the other ends of said respective piezoeletric elements (45, 46) being made to be free ends which are in opposite to said nozzle apertures (41, 42) respectively, said piezoelectric elements being formed by cutting, at predetermined width, a piezoelectric plate obtained by a lamination of piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers (68, 69), spaces being formed between said nozzle apertures and said free ends for storing ink therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 6, in which said piezoelectric plate is obtained by burning a lamination of paste-like piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternatively in layers (68, 69).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of the preceding claims, in which an elastic materials (162) is injected between adjacent ones of said piezoelectric elements (160).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of the preceding claims, in which recess portions, (90; 98; 106) are formed at said nozzle apertures opposite to said free ends of respective ones of said piezoelectric elements (88; 96; 110).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of the preceding claims, in which each of said piezoelectric elements has an immovable area (76) at the base side (70), said area having a length equal to a quarter of vibration wavelength of the piezoelectric element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a viscoelastic material layer (84) is interposed between said piezoelectric elemetns (82) and said base (80) so as to fix said piezoelectric elements to said base.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of the preceding claims, in which slits (87) are formed in said piezoelectric elements (86) at the base side (85) thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of claims 6 to 12, further comprising a nozzle plate provided with said nozzle apertures and supported by a support member so as to be disposed in opposition to said free ends portions of said piezoelectric elements with a predetermined space therebetween.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 13, in which said support member (146) comprises a piezoelectric element plate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of claims 6 to 12, further comprising a nozzle plate (136) provided with a partition member (176) betweem adjacent ones of said nozzle apertures (180, 182) and supported by a support member (184) so as to be disposed at a predetermined distance from respective free ends of said piezoelectric elements (172).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of claims 6 to 12, further comprising a nozzle plate (150) provided with at least one nozzle aperture (152) disposed so as to be in elastic contact with respective free ends of said piezoelectric elements (154).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
144 words
A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements (258, 260), arranged at regular intervals and fixed at one ends thereof to a base (240), the other ends of said respective piezoelectric elements being free ends, said piezoelectric elements being formed by cutting, at predetermined width, a piezoelectric plate (248) obtained by a lamination of piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers; at least one partition member (56) disposed so as to be in opposition to the respective free ends of said piezoelectric elements (254) while a space (250, 252) for forming an ink reservoir is defined between said partition member and said free ends; and a nozzle plate (266) provided with a plurality of nozzle apertures (262) and disposed so as to be in opposition to said space.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 17, in which said piezoelectric plate is obtained by firing a lamination of paste-like piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The drop-on demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 17 or 18, in which said at least one partition member (256) is consituted by a piezoelectric plate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of claims 17 to 19, in which elastic material is interposed between adjacent ones of said piezoelectric elements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of claims 17 to 20, in which the direction of said cutting (254) is disposed by a predetermined angle from the direction perpendicular to the direction of array of said nozzle apertures.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
110 words
A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a plurality of lead pieces (270) with one ends thereof fixed to a base (282) and their other ends being free ends disposed in opposition to nozzle apertures (280), said lead pieces (270) being formed by cutting, at predetermined width, a stack of a piezoelectric plate (274), fixed at one surface of a plate (272) made of an elastic material, said piezoelectric plate (274) being obtained by a lamination of piezoelectic material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers, an ink reserving space formed between said nozzle apertures and said free ends of said lead pieces.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 22, in which said piezoelectric plate (274) is obtained by a lamination of paste-like piezoelectric material and conductive material stacked alternately in layers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 22 or 23, in which said piezoelectric material and said conductive material are laminated in parallel to said plate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to one of claims 22 to 23, in which said piezoelectric material and said conductive material are laminted perpendicular to said plate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing heaad according to claim 13, in which said support members are dispoed on both sides of respective piezoelectric elements.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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