Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Patent
1997-05-14
2000-12-12
Barlow, John
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
B41J 2045
Patent
active
061588474
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a laminated ink-jet recording head, a process for making the head and an apparatus such as a printer having the recording head; in particular, the invention relates to a laminated ink-jet recording head or the like that comprise a nozzle plate, pressure generating members and a diaphragm in superposition and which have piezoelectric vibrators of a flexural vibrating mode mounted on a surface of the diaphragm.
BACKGROUND ART
Laminated ink-jet recording heads have heretofore been known that comprise a nozzle plate, pressure generating compartments and a diaphragm in superposition and which have piezoelectric vibrators of a flexural vibrating mode mounted on a surface of the diaphragm (for example, Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application (kohyo) No. Hei 5-504740). Typically, most of the members that constitute the laminated ink-jet recording head are formed of ceramics. Hence, by sintering the aforementioned members in the form of superposed green sheets (claey sheets), those members can be fixed without using an adhesive. The resulting advantage of this feature is that the step of joining the individual layers together can be eliminated to thereby simplify the manufacturing process.
However, with the aforementioned conventional art laminated ink-jet recording head, two operations are necessary, one for superposing the green sheets of the respective members and the other for sintering them. It should here be noted that since the aforementioned respective members are made of ceramics comprising different ingredients, the diaphragm and the piezoelectric vibrator that have different coefficients of thermal expansion are superposed and sintered. Hence, due to the thermal expansion mismatch between the two members, deformation may occur after sintering or warpage and the like may prevent complete joining of the two members.
Under the circumstances, the present inventors conducted intensive studies and obtained a novel finding in that the above-mentioned problems could advantageously be solved by producing piezoelectric vibrating elements utilizing a hydrothermal method (hereunder sometimes referred to as a "hydrothermal synthesis method"). This hydrothermal method has heretofore been generally known since it has been proposed by, for example, Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application (kokai) Nos. Hei 5-136476, Hei 6-206787, and Hei 6-314821; however, neither of these patents give consideration to the utilization of the hydrothermal method in the manufacture of laminated ink-jet recording heads.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a laminated ink-jet recording head that has a strong joint between the diaphragm and the piezoelectric vibrating element and which can be driven on low voltage. Another object of the invention is to provide a process for producing the laminated ink-jet recording head. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus such as a printer that is equipped with the recording head.
In order to attain these objects, the present invention provides a laminated ink-jet recording head including a spacer in which a pressure generating chamber is formed, a diaphragm that closes one side of the pressure generating chamber and which has a piezoelectric vibrating element of a flexural vibrating mode secured to the surface, and a nozzle plate that closes the other side of the pressure generating chamber and which has a nozzle orifice bored for the issuance of ink drops, the head including a lower electrode on the diaphragm in at least a region that corresponds to the pressure generating chamber, the lower electrode being overlaid with the piezoelectric vibrating element formed by a hydrothermal method, the piezoelectric vibrating element in turn being overlaid with an upper electrode, and the piezoelectric vibrating element having a film thickness of not less than 1 .mu.m but not more than 10 .mu.m. This structure can provide a laminated ink-jet recording head that has a strong joint between
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Murai Masami
Nishiwaki Tsutomu
Shimada Masato
Sumi Kouji
Usui Minoru
Barlow John
Seiko Epson Corporation
Stewart Jr. Charles W.
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