Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive... – Making named article
Reexamination Certificate
1996-04-01
2002-10-08
Ver Steeg, Steven H. (Department: 1753)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive...
Making named article
C430S327000, C216S027000, C029S890100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06461798
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing an ink jet head for discharging ink which is used in an ink jet printing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process which enables one to efficiently form a precise ink pathway with no deformation for an ink jet head and to attain the mass-production of a high quality ink jet head at a high yield by way of a process for producing an ink jet head which includes the steps of forming a photosensitive resin layer capable of contributing to the formation of an ink pathway on a substrate for an ink jet head, forming a coating resin layer on said photosensitive resin layer, and removing a predetermined ink pathway-forming portion of said photosensitive resin layer by way of elution to form an ink pathway.
2. Related Background Art
There are known a number of ink jet heads used in an ink jet printing system (or a liquid jet recording system) for performing printing. These ink jet heads are usually provided with a discharging outlet (which will be hereinafter occasionally called an orifice) for discharging printing liquid (ink), an ink pathway communicated with said discharging outlet and an energy generating element for generating energy utilized for discharging said ink.
As for the production of such ink jet head, there is known a process wherein fine grooves for the formation of ink pathways are formed at a given plate made of glass, metal or the like by way of cutting processing or etching processing, and the plate having the thus formed fine grooves is joined with a substrate for an ink jet head which is provided with discharging energy-generating elements to form ink pathways. However, as for this process for the production of an ink jet head, there are such problems as will be described as follows. In the case where the formation of said fine grooves is by way of the cutting processing, problems entail in that it is difficult for each of the fine grooves to have a smooth inner wall face, a crack or/and breakage are liable to occur at the plate, and therefore, a desirable yield cannot be attained. In the case where the formation of said fine grooves is by way of the etching processing, problems entail in that it is difficult to attain a uniformly etched state for all the fine grooves obtained, and the process for practicing the etching processing is complicated, resulting in an increase in the production cost. Therefore, there is a tendency for ink jet heads produced according to the above process for the production of an ink jet head to be varied in printing characteristics and therefore, the above process for the production of an ink jet head is difficult to stably mass-produce a desirable ink jet head having ink pathways having a uniform pattern at a high yield. In addition, as for the above process for the production of an ink jet head, there is also a problem in that upon joining the plate having the fine grooves with the substrate for an ink jet head, precise positioning between the two members cannot be easily conducted. Consequently, the above process for the production of an ink jet head is not suitable for the mass-production of a high quality ink jet head at a high yield.
In order to eliminate the problems in the foregoing process for the production of an ink jet head, U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,455 (hereinafter referred to as document 1) discloses a process for the production of a liquid jet recording head (that is, an ink jet head) which comprises providing a substrate for an ink jet head which is provided with energy generating elements disposed thereon, forming a dry film composed of a photosensitive resin material on the substrate for an ink jet head, forming grooves for the formation of ink pathways at the dry film by way of photolithography, joining a top plate made of glass or the like to the substrate for an ink jet head which is provided with the grooves using an adhesive to obtain a joined body, and mechanically cutting an end portion of the joined body to form discharging outlets, thereby obtaining an ink jet head.
The process for the production of an ink jet head described in document 1 has advantages in that as the grooves for the formation of ink pathways are formed by way of photolithography, the grooves can be precisely formed as desired; and the joining of the substrate for an ink jet head to the top plate can be easily conducted without the necessity of severely positioning the two members since the grooves for the formation of ink pathways are previously formed at the energy generating elements-bearing substrate for an ink jet head prior to joining the substrate to the top plate. However, as for the process for the production of an ink jet head described in document 1, there are such disadvantages as will be described as follows: (1) in the step of joining the substrate for an ink jet head to the top plate, the adhesive is liable to get in the ink pathways formed, wherein there is a tendency for the resulting ink pathways to be deformed; (2) in the step of mechanically cutting the joined body in order to form the discharging outlets, a swarf caused during the mechanical cutting is liable to get in the ink pathways, wherein the resulting ink jet head is liable to suffer from clogging during the operation thereof for performing printing; and (3) since the ink pathway-forming portions of the joined body are caved, some of the discharging outlets formed by mechanically cutting the joined body are liable to be accompanied with a breakage.
Consequently, the process for the production of an ink jet head described in document 1 is also not suitable for the mass-production of a high quality ink jet head at a high yield.
In order to eliminate these problems, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,631 (hereinafter referred to as document 2) discloses a process for the production of an ink jet head which comprises providing a substrate for an ink jet head which is provided with energy generating elements disposed thereon, forming a resin pattern (that is, a resin solid layer) composed of a solubilizable resin at a predetermined ink pathway-forming portion on the substrate for an ink jet head, forming a coating resin layer composed of epoxy resin or the like so as to cover the resin solid layer on the substrate for an ink jet head, hardening the coating resin layer, and removing the resin solid layer by eluting it to form ink pathways, thereby obtaining an ink jet head. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,344 (hereinafter referred to as document 3) discloses a process for the production of an ink jet head which comprises providing a substrate for an ink jet head which is provided with, energy generating elements disposed thereon, forming a two-layered photosensitive layer comprising a first photosensitive layer and a second photosensitive layer on the substrate for an ink jet head, forming a latent image pattern for the formation of ink pathways at the first photosensitive layer while forming a latent image pattern for the formation of discharging outlets at the second photosensitive layer, and developing these two latent image patterns at the same time, thereby obtaining an ink jet head. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,254 (hereinafter referred to as document 4) discloses a process for the production of an ink jet head based on the process described in document 2 wherein an ionizing radiation decomposable photosensitive resin is used as the constituent resin of the resin pattern (the resin solid layer) in the process described in document 2.
In any of the processes described in documents 2, 3 and 4, a solubilizable resin layer is disposed at a predetermined ink pathway-forming portion on the substrate for an ink jet head and a coating resin layer is disposed on the solubilizable resin layer while maintaining the resin layer as it is, and the resin layer is removed by way of elution, wherein desired ink pathways can be precisely formed without being deformed and without the incorporation of an adhesive into the ink pathways which occurs in the case of the pr
Miyagawa Masashi
Ohkuma Norio
Toshima Hiroaki
LandOfFree
Process for the production of an ink jet head does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process for the production of an ink jet head, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process for the production of an ink jet head will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2999401