EP0454152A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing nozzle plate for ink jet printer
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1991-04-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-04-26
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of elongated beams are generated by dividing a laser beam (3), said plurality of beams being respectively applied to corresponding lens elements of a flyeye lens (4) array. The structure is arranged in such a manner that the diameter of the plurality of the beams in the shorter direction is made smaller than that of each of the lens elements, so that the plurality of beams are further divided into a plurality of elongated secondary beams by the flyeye lens. The plurality of the secondary beams are bundled on a diaphragm in such a manner that their lengthwise directions substantially coincide with each other so that a beam pattern is formed. A row of openings arranged in the lengthwise direction of the beam pattern and formed in the diaphragm member are uniformly and efficiently irradiated with the thus-formed beam pattern. Then, the image of the row of openings is projected onto a plastic plate (12) or the like so that a multiplicity of holes are formed in the plate. As a result, a nozzle plate of an ink jet printer head can be accurately and quickly manufactured.
Inventors
- 👤 Masayuki Nishiwaki
- 👤 Jun Koide
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:39
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/09; G02B27/0938; G02B27/0988; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/064; B23K26/066; B23K26/067; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/16; B41J2/162; B41J2/1621; B41J2/1632; B41J2/1634; G02B27/0905; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49401
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate for an ink jet printer head by applying to a plate a plurality of elongated secondary light beams from a flyeye lens including an array of lens elements, the method comprising the steps of: dividing a laser beam to provide a plurality of elongated beams, each having a width smaller than a corresponding lens element; applying the plurality of elongated beams to corresponding lens elements to generate the plurality of elongated secondary light beams; condensing the plurality of secondary beams so they substantially coincide to form an elongated beam pattern for application to a diaphragm member, the length of the beam pattern being arranged in a direction in which openings are arranged in the diaphragm member; and projecting the image of the openings formed by the beam pattern onto the surface of the plate, whereby holes are formed therein to provide nozzles for ink jet printing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein the laser beam is provided by an excimer laser.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein the diaphragm member comprises a glass substrate having a chrome pattern thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein the diaphragm member comprises a metal plate having a hole therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein at least one of the elongated beams includes plural optical components, each of which corresponds to a lens element.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of manufacturing a printer head for an ink jet printer by applying to a plate a plurality of elongated secondary light beams from a flyeye lens including an array of lens elements and affixing the plate to a printer head body, the method comprising the steps of: dividing a laser beam to provide a plurality of beams, each elongated beams having a width smaller than a corresponding lens element; applying the plurality of elongated beams to corresponding lens elements to generate the plurality of elongated secondary light beams; condensing the plurality of secondary light beams so they substantially coincide to form an elongated beam pattern for application to a diaphragm member, the length of the beam pattern being arranged in a direction in which openings are arranged in the diaphragm member; and projecting the image of the openings formed by the beam pattern onto the surface of the plate, whereby holes are formed therein to provide nozzles for ink jet printing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to Claim 6, wherein said laser beam is provided by an excimer laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to Claim 6, wherein the diaphragm member comprises a glass substrate having a chrome pattern thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 6, wherein the diaphragm member comprises a metal plate having a hole therein.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 6, wherein at least one of the elongated beams includes plural optical components, each of which corresponds to a lens element.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of manufacturing an ink jet printer by applying to a plate a plurality of elongated secondar light beams from a flyeye lens including an array of lens elements and affixing the plate to a printer head body, the method comprising the steps of: dividing a laser beam to provide a plurality of elongated beams, each having a width smaller than a corresponding lens element; applying the plurality of elongated beams to corresponding lens elements to generate the plurality of elongated secondary light beams; condensing the plurality of secondary light beams so they substantially coincide to form an elongated beam pattern for application to a diaphragm member, the length of the beam pattern being arranged in a direction in which openings are arranged in the diaphragm member; and projecting the image of the openings formed by the beam pattern onto the surface of the plate, whereby holes are formed therein to provide nozzle for ink jet printing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein the laser beam is provided by an excimer laser.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein the diaphragm member comprises a glass substrate having a chrome pattern thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein the diaphragm member comprises a metal plate having a hole therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein at least one of the elongated beams includes plural optical components, each of which corresponds to a lens element.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of exposing a workpiece to light via an elongated opening or a row of openings formed in a diaphragm member extending in a predetermined direction, the method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of secondary beams by applying to an array of lens elements a plurality of elongated beams, each having a width smaller than a corresponding lens element; and forming a beam pattern extending in the predetermined direction by condensing the plurality of secondary beams so they substantially coincide for application to the diaphragm member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to Claim 16, wherein said elongated beam are excimer laser beams.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to Claim 16, wherein the image of the diaphragm member formed by the beam pattern confronts the workpiece.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for exposing a workpiece to light via an elongated opening or an opening array extending in a predetermined direction, the apparatus comprising: a lens including an array of lens elements; irradiating means for applying plural elongated beams to corresponding said lens elements, the width of each elongated beam being smaller than said corresponding lens element; and a condenser lens for forming a beam pattern extending in said predetermined direction by condensing together secondary beams formed by said lens elements from the elongated beams, the secondary beams being condensed so that the lengthwise directions thereof substantially coincide with each other for application to the elongated opening or opening array.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to Claim 19, wherein said irradiating means comprises an excimer laser for emitting laser beams.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to Claim 19 further comprising a projecting lens system for projecting on the workpiece the image of the elongated opening or array of opening formed by the condensed secondary beams.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate for an ink jet printer head by applying a plurality of secondary beams from a lens array to a diaphragm member having a row of openings formed in a predetermined direction, the method comprising the steps of: generating the plurality of secondary beams by applying a plurality of elongated beams to corresponding lens elements in the lens array, the width of the elongated beams being smaller than corresponding lens elements; and forming a beam pattern extending in the predetermined direction by condensing the secondary beams so that the lengthwise directions thereof substantially coincide with each other for application to the row of openings in the diaphragm member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to Claim 22, wherein the elongated beams are excimer laser beams.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to Claim 22, wherein the image of the row of openings formed by applying the beam pattern to the diaphragm member is made to confront a workpiece to have holes formed therein to provide nozzles for ink jet printing.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of manufacturing a printer head for an ink jet printer by applying a plurality of secondary beams from a lens array to a diaphragm member having a row of openings formed in a predetermined direction to form a nozzle plate and of fixing the nozzle plate to a printer head body, the method comprising the steps of: generating the plurality of secondary beams by applying a plurality of elongated beams to corresponding lens elements in the lens array, the width of the elongated beams being smaller than corresponding lens elements; and forming a beam pattern extending in the predetermine direction by condensing the secondary beams so that the lengthwise directions thereof substantially coincide with each other for application to the row of openings in the diaphragm member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to Claim 25, wherein the image of the row of openings formed by applying the beam pattern to the diaphragm member is made to confront a workpiece to have holes formed therein to provide the nozzle plate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to Claim 25, wherein said elongated beams are excimer laser beams.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of manufacturing an ink jet printer by applying a plurality of secondary beams from a lens array to a diaphragm member having a row of openings formed in a predetermined direction to form a nozzle plate and affixing the nozzle plate to a printer head body, the method comprising the steps of: generating the plurality of secondary beams by applying a plurality of elongated beams to corresponding lens elements in the lens array, the width of the elongated beams being smaller than corresponding lens elements; and forming a beam pattern extending in the predetermined direction by condensing the secondary beams so that the lengthwise directions thereof substantially coincide with each other for application to the row of openings in the diaphragm member.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to Claim 28, wherein the image of the row of openings formed by applying the beam pattern to the diaphragm member is made to confront a workpiece to have holes formed therein to provide the nozzle plate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to Claim 28, wherein said elongated beams are excimer laser beams.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate for an ink jet printer head by using a member having a row of openings in a predetermined direction, the method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of elongated laser beams; forming a beam pattern extending in said predetermined direction by condensing the plurality of laser beams so that their lengthwise directions substantially coincide with each other; and exposing the row of openings in the member with the beam pattern to form a plurality of holes in the plate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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