Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-12
2004-10-26
Vo, Anh T. N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06808256
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing member residing inclusively between two members having opening portions, which enables the opening portions of such members to be communicated, while seals them from the outside, and a connecting structure provided with such sealing member. The invention also relates to a liquid discharge recording head that records by discharging recording liquid from discharge ports.
2. Related Background Art
The liquid discharge recording method (ink jet recording method), in which droplets of recording liquid (ink) or the like, are discharged from the discharge ports (orifices) of a liquid discharge recording head, is the so-called non-impact recording method that makes high-speed recording possible, and also, makes recording possible on various recording mediums with the advantage that noises are not practically generated at the time of recording. As a result, the liquid discharge recording apparatus that mounts the liquid discharge recording head is widely adopted as recording means for a printer, a word processor, facsimile equipment, a copying machine, and a mailing machine, among some others.
As the typical example of the liquid discharge recording head of the kind, there is one that uses electrothermal converting element for heating recording liquid to bubble, thus discharging liquid droplets from fine discharge ports to a recording medium for the execution of recording. Then, as the liquid discharge recording head, it is generally practiced to form a structure with the recording unit that forms liquid droplets, and the recording liquid storing unit that supplies recording liquid to the recording unit.
With reference to FIG.
17
and
FIG. 18
, the conventional liquid discharge recording head will be described.
FIG. 17
is a partially broken perspective view that shows the recording unit of the conventional liquid discharge recording head.
FIG. 18
is an exploded perspective view.
As shown in
FIG. 18
, the liquid discharge recording head is structured by bonding the recording unit
1140
and the recording liquid storing unit
1130
.
As shown in
FIG. 17
, for the recording unit
1140
, the recording element base plate
1107
provided with the recording element
1106
that serves as the energy generating member for discharging liquid is die bonded on the supporting base plate
1110
, which is formed by aluminum, ceramics, or the like. On the recording element base plate
1107
, there are provided shift registers for driving use, and wiring patterns, although not shown, besides the recording element
1106
. These are incorporated together with the recording element
1106
on the recording element base plate
1107
in advance by use of the silicon formation technologies and techniques. To the recording element base plate
1107
, the ceiling plate
1100
having pressed portions that become liquid flow paths
1103
and a liquid chamber
1104
is fixed by means of a flat spring
1105
or other pressure means or bonding means, such as bonding agent. In this manner, the liquid flow paths
1103
and common liquid chamber
1104
are partitioned. Further, the flow path formation member
1120
is arranged on the upper face of the ceiling plate
1100
, which connected with the supply port
1122
, thus supplying recording liquid to the common liquid chamber
1104
in the ceiling plate
1100
. Inside the flow path formation member
1120
, flow paths of recording liquid are formed, and a porous member
1121
is bonded in the flow paths on the side opposite to the bonding portion to the ceiling plate for trapping impurities contained in recording liquid. Also, an orifice plate
1101
is aligned and bonded to the end face of the ceiling plate
1100
and the recording element base plate
1107
. The orifice plate
1101
is provided with fine discharge port groups (orifice groups)
1102
for discharging liquid droplets.
To the supporting base plate
1110
, the wiring base plate
1108
, which makes electric connection with the liquid discharge recording apparatus main body, is bonded besides the recording element base plate
1107
. The recording element base plate
1107
and the wiring base plate
1108
are electrically connected by use of wire bonding, lead bonding, or the like. For the wiring base plate
1108
, contact pads (not shown) are formed to electrically connect it with the liquid discharge recording apparatus main body.
On the other hand, as shown in
FIG. 18
, the recording liquid storing unit
1150
is provided with the frame member
1130
having a recording liquid storing chamber (not shown) that contains recording liquid therein, which serves as the housing to support the recording unit
1140
. The frame member
1130
that forms the principal part of the recording liquid storing unit
1150
is structured with the frame member main body
1130
a
and the frame member cover
1130
b
. Then, the frame member cover
1130
b
is bonded to the frame member main body
1130
a
by means of ultrasonic welding or the like on the plane that faces the connecting portion of the recording unit
1140
. In this way, the recording liquid storing chamber is formed inside the frame member
1130
.
Then, the recording unit
1140
is positioned and fixed to the frame member
1130
by bonding means, such as screws
1131
, bonding agent, or the like. There is provide a predetermined gap for the bonding portion between the frame member
1130
and the recording unit
1140
, and the gap is completely closed by sealing applied with the sealant or bonding agent, which flows into the gap to be solidified in it.
In the liquid discharge recording head, recording liquid stored in the recording liquid storing chamber is supplied to the liquid flow paths
1103
through the flow path formation member
1120
and the ceiling member
1100
.
Here, the liquid discharge recording head is in the mode in which a single recording element base plate
1107
is die-bonded to the supporting base plate
1110
. However, there is another mode in which plural recording element base plates
1107
are die-bonded to the supporting base plate
1110
. Also, there are the liquid discharge recording apparatus of the mode in which is mounted only one liquid discharge recording head having single recording element base plate
1107
assembled thereon, and the liquid discharge recording apparatus of the mode in which plural liquid discharge recording heads are mounted.
In the liquid discharge recording head that uses electrothermal converting element as the recording element
1106
, the electrothermal converting element is provided inside the liquid flow path
1103
, and then, when electric pluses carrying recording signals are applied thereto, thermal energy is given to recording liquid. With the phase changes of recording liquid at that time, recording liquid bubbles (film boiling occurs), and the bubbling pressure is utilized for discharging recording liquid droplets. Here, in the case of the liquid discharge recording head that uses electrothermal converting element as the recording element
1106
, there are the method in which recording liquid is discharged in parallel to the recording element base plate
1107
having the electrothermal converting element is arranged therefor (that is, the edge shooter method: see FIG.
17
), and the method in which recording liquid is discharged vertically to the recording element base plate having the electrothermal converting element arranged therefor (that is, the side shooter method: not shown).
Also,
FIG. 19
is an exploded perspective view that shows the other conventional liquid discharge recording head. The frame member
2202
of the liquid discharge recording head that forms the principal part of the recording storing unit thereof is structured by bonding the frame member main body
2201
and the frame member cover
2204
by ultrasonic welding after the insertion of the porous member
2203
. Then, inside the frame member, a recording liquid storing chamber (not shown) is formed. To the surface of the frame me
Koizumi Yutaka
Umeyama Mikiya
Yamaguchi Yukuo
Yamakubo Takeshi
LandOfFree
Sealing member, connecting structure using sealing member,... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sealing member, connecting structure using sealing member,..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sealing member, connecting structure using sealing member,... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3309942