Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-09
2001-03-27
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206507
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a printer. In particular, the invention relates to an actuator in a recording device, and connecting the actuator to a driving circuit via a flexible printed circuit.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventionally, in a printer for recording an image on a recording medium, a printed circuit board that drives a recording head (an actuator) is disposed far from a nozzle of the printer. This avoids staining the printed circuit board with superfluous ink, such as ink mist that is generated when ink is jetted from the ink jetting nozzle during recording. The recording head and the driving printed circuit board are electrically connected via a flexible printed circuit.
FIG. 8
shows an example of a head unit of the printer.
FIG. 8
is an exploded perspective view showing the head unit. A head unit
100
is provided with a recording head
2
that records according to an ink-jet method, a head holder
3
on which the recording head
2
is fixed, a head guide
4
that protects the recording head
2
, a case holder
6
that protects an ink cartridge
5
, in which ink is filled, and a printed circuit board
7
that drives the recording head
2
, and a manifold
8
that supplies ink from the ink cartridge
5
to the recording head
2
. Seal rubber
10
is attached to an end of the manifold
8
. A flexible printed circuit
21
, provided with electrodes in pitch corresponding to the nozzles of the recording head
2
, is connected to the recording head
2
. The recording head
2
and the printed circuit board
7
are electrically connected by connecting the flexible printed circuit
21
to the recording head
2
and to a connector
7
B of the printed circuit board
7
, which is disposed at an opposite side of the head holder
3
from the recording head
2
.
Further, as shown in
FIG. 9
in detail, the flexible printed circuit
21
is formed so that one end is provided with a characteristic electrode pitch which corresponds to the nozzles of the recording head
2
, and the other end is provided with an electrode pitch which is suitable for connecting to the connector
7
B of the printed circuit board
7
.
However, this conventional structure is subject to the problem that, since the flexible printed circuit
21
must be manufactured so that the one end is provided with the characteristic electrode pitch corresponding to the nozzles of the recording head
2
, the manufacturing cost of the flexible printed circuit
21
is comparatively high, and thus the manufacturing cost of the printer is comparatively high. The flexible printed circuit
21
is long because it is connected to the printed circuit board
7
, which is disposed far from the nozzles of the recording head
2
. The handling of the flexible printed during its manufacture, and the handling of the recording head
2
after the flexible printed circuit is attached, are difficult. It is also difficult to automate the manufacture. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is comparatively high.
It has been proposed to reduce the manufacturing cost of a printer by electrically connecting a recording head and its driving circuit via a flexible printed circuit that is provided with electrodes in pitch corresponding to the nozzles of the recording head, and a general purpose flexible printed circuit.
However, since electrodes of the flexible printed circuit that are in pitch corresponding to the nozzles of the recording head and the general purpose flexible printed circuit may be exposed, the problem arises that superfluous ink that is generated when the printer is operated, as well as various cleaning solvents and other materials used during manufacturing, adhere to the exposed electrodes. The connection is dirtied by the ink and other materials, and the connection fails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention solves the above problems, and its object is to provide a printer, wherein the manufacturing cost of the printer is reduced by electrically connecting a recording head and its driving circuit via a flexible printed circuit that is provided with electrodes in pitch corresponding to the nozzles of the recording head and a general purpose flexible printed circuit, while at the same time the connection of both flexible printed circuits is prevented from becoming dirty, and the manufacture is facilitated by facilitating the handling of the recording head and the flexible printed circuits during manufacturing.
To achieve this object, the printer according to the invention is provided with a recording device that records an image on a recording medium. The recording device is provided with an actuator that has multiple recording elements and a printed circuit board that drives the actuator. One end of a first flexible printed circuit is connected to the printed circuit board. One end of a second flexible printed circuit, that is provided with electrodes in pitch corresponding to the recording elements of the actuator, is connected to the actuator. The electrode pitch at the other end of the second flexible printed circuit is approximately similar to the electrode pitch of electrodes of the first flexible printed circuit. The electrodes at the other ends of both flexible printed circuits are connected, and the outer surface of the connection is coated with an insulating member.
According to the above structure, since the actuator and its driving circuit board are electrically connected via the first flexible printed circuit, one end of which is connected to the printed circuit board that drives the actuator, and the second flexible printed circuit, one end of which is provided with electrodes in pitch corresponding to the recording elements of the actuator and which is connected to the actuator, a comparatively low-priced general purpose flexible printed circuit can be used as the first flexible printed circuit, and connection between the actuator and the driving circuit board is realized at a low price.
Since the second flexible printed circuit is small, the handling of the flexible printed circuit itself and the recording head, to which the flexible printed circuit is attached, is simple, and automation during manufacturing is easy.
Since the outer surface of the connection of both flexible printed circuits is coated with an insulating member, and electrodes in the connection of both flexible printed circuits are prevented from being exposed, superfluous ink that is generated when the printer is operated, as well as various cleaning solvents and other materials used during manufacturing, never adhere to the electrodes, and the connection can be prevented from failing.
Also, the printer according to the invention is provided with two flexible printed circuits. Both flexible printed circuits are connected by overlapping the respective other ends of both flexible printed circuits and soldering the respective electrodes.
Since, in the above structure, both flexible printed circuits are connected by soldering them, the respective electrodes of both flexible printed circuits can be securely connected.
Also, the recording device according to the invention is provided with multiple recording element rows, and the flexible printed circuit is connected to each recording element row.
According to the above structure, the recording device that is provided with multiple recording element rows, and its driving circuit board, can be easily connected.
Also, in the printer according to the invention, laminated films that are provided with an adhesive layer on opposite inner sides can be used as an insulating member.
According to the above structure, the connection of the first flexible printed circuit and the second flexible printed circuit can be simply and securely coated with laminated films due to an adhesive layer provided on the inner side of the laminated films.
Also, the recording element of the actuator according to the invention is a nozzle for jetting ink. The actuator is provided with an element corresponding to each nozzle on the side in parallel with the nozzle row. The electro
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Le N.
Nghiem Michael
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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