Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-06-05
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
C347S063000, C347S065000, C029S890100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241335
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing an ink jet recording head that discharges ink to record and an ink jet recording head produced by the method.
2. Related Background Art
An ink jet recording device is integrally or separately provided as an output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a word processor, computer, and the like, and also, the ink jet recording device is widely used in a copy machine combined with an information reading device or the like, a facsimile apparatus having an information transmitting and receiving function, a printing machine for printing a character etc. to a cloth, and the like. This ink jet recording device has a feature that a high-definition image can be recorded at a high speed by discharging ink from a discharge port as fine droplets.
Particularly, a type of an ink jet recording device that uses an electrothermal converting member as an energy generator which generates energy which is utilized for discharging ink, and discharges ink by utilizing the ink bubbling generated with the thermal energy which is generated by the electrothermal converting member is suitable for high-definition properties of images, high speed recording properties, miniaturization of the recording head and device, and also coloring of images. Therefore, such type ink jet recording device have been recently noted.
An ink jet recording head which is used in an in jet recording device is usually provided with a plurality of discharge ports. The ink jet recording head is hereinafter referred to as merely a “head”. Each electrothermal converting member, which generates thermal energy, which is utilized for discharging ink respectively from the discharge ports, is provided on a substrate, with the electrothermal converting member corresponding to each of ink paths. The electrothermal converting member is mainly constructed with exothermic resistors, electrode wiring for supplying the resistors with electric power, and insulating protective films.
The head often has a basic structure connected a substrate provided with electrothermal converting members to an ink paths-formed top plate. In each ink flow path included in the ink path, the discharge port and the opposite end are communicated with a common ink chamber. In this common ink chamber is stored ink which is supplied from an ink tank. A plurality of ink flow paths and the common ink chamber will be integrally referred to as an “ink path” later.
Ink supplied to the common ink chamber is led to each of the ink flow paths and held near the discharge port while forming a meniscus. Thermal energy generated is utilized by selectively driving an electrothermal converting member at this state, to heat rapidly ink on a heat surface to boil it. After that, the ink is discharged from the discharge port.
One conventional example of methods of producing such head is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,317.
FIGS. 1A
to
1
F are schematic perspective views for explaining the steps of the method. As shown in
FIG. 1A
, on an ink path formation portion on a substrate
21
provided with electrothermal converting members
27
each respectively arranged so as to correspond an ink path, is provided a solid layer
28
made of a resin having, for example, a positive type photosensitive property. Then, as shown in
FIG. 1B
, on thus obtained structure is formed a layer made of a material to be set or cured with an active energy line, which material will be an ink path wall forming member
22
. Then, as shown in
FIG. 1C
, on the obtained structure is laminated a top plate
24
provided with a recess
29
communicated with an ink supply port
26
. After that, as shown in
FIG. 1D
, a photo-mask
32
is provided on a portion which corresponds to a common ink chamber, an active energy line is irradiated in the arrow direction, and a portion of the material to be set with an active energy line is set. Then, as shown in
FIG. 1E
, a solid layer removing liquid is introduced in a direction shown with arrows therein, from the ink supply port
26
and the like, to remove the solid layer
28
. Thus, as shown in
FIG. 1F
, an ink path which is communicated with a discharge port
33
.
However, by such method, a variance of connecting strength between the layer made of the material set with the active energy line, which will be the ink path forming member
22
, and the top plate is generated. Thus, a slight gap therebetween is formed and ink is leaked therefrom, and further, the strength and durability of the head itself are deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing an ink jet recording head, by which a high-definition ink jet recording head having its enhanced strength and durability, can be efficiently and easily produced.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing an ink jet recording head comprising:
a solid layer forming step of forming a solid layer in a pattern on a portion of a substrate, which portion is communicated with a discharge port, which discharges ink, and corresponds to an ink path provided with an energy generator which generates energy which is utilized for discharging ink from said discharge port;
a wall member providing step of providing a non-cured material for forming a wall member of said ink path on a top plate so that the wall member is held with a surface tension at a side end of said top plate;
an approaching step of allowing said substrate and said top plate to approach each other so that said non-cured material covers said solid layer; and
a solid layer removing step of removing said solid layer to form said ink path.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a high-definition ink jet recording head having its enhanced strength and durability, produced by such a production method.
According to the present invention, since a non-cured material for forming the wall member of the ink path is provided on a top plate, an ink jet recording head having its enhanced strength and durability and the connecting strength between the wall member and the top plate, can be produced. Further, since the non-cured material is held with a surface tension at a side end of said top plate, the wall member of the ink path, having a relatively large and desired thickness, can be easily formed at a desired position. Additionally, if the top plate which is thinner at a portion corresponding to a plurality of ink paths than other portions is used, it is preferably possible to decrease a spacer for forming a space in which the material for forming the wall member of the ink path is filled.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4450455 (1984-05-01), Sugitani et al.
patent: 4558333 (1985-12-01), Sugitani et al.
patent: 5030317 (1991-07-01), Noguchi
patent: 5332466 (1994-07-01), Nozawa
patent: 5924197 (1999-07-01), Murakami et al.
patent: 6041501 (2000-03-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 60-203451 (1985-10-01), None
patent: 4-191052 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 8-156273 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 9-29980 (1997-02-01), None
Barlow John
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Shah M.
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