DISCHARGE DEVICE

Abstract

There is disclosed a small and thin ink jet head having an excellent productivity, in which Piezoelectric elements capable of developing a large displacement amount and a high displacement generation force can highly densely be arranged together with ink chambers and nozzles and in which generation of crosstalk is inhibited. A discharge device comprises a channel section in which a plurality of channels are formed, each channel having an introduction hole, a pressurizing chamber and a discharge hole; and an actuator section having a top plate, a pair of support walls arranged at opposite ends of the top plate and a plurality of piezoelectric elements hanging from the top plate, spread between the pair of support walls, arranged independently of one another and forming pairs with the channels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of one embodiment of a discharge device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exposed inner part of the discharge device shown in FIG. 1 cut along one cutting line;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an exposed inner part of the discharge device shown in FIG. 1 cut along another cutting line;

FIGS. 4( a)-4(b) are sectional, views showing one embodiment of the discharge device according to the present invention, FIG. 4(a) is a diagram showing an OFF state in which any displacement is not generated in a piezoelectric element, and FIG. 4(b) is a diagram showing an ON state in which displacement to expand the piezoelectric element is generated: and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view (an explanatory view) showing elements constituting one embodiment of the discharge device according to the present invention so as to facilitate understanding of a structure.

Claims

1. A discharge device comprising: a channel section in which a plurality of channels are formed, each channel having an introduction hole into which a fluid is introduced, a pressurizing chamber which communicates with the introduction hole and a discharge hole which communicates with the pressurizing chamber to discharge the fluid; andan actuator section having a top plate, a pair of support walls arranged at opposite ends of the top plate and a plurality of piezoelectric elements hanging from the top plate, spread between the pair of support walls, arranged independently of one another and forming pairs with the channels, the top plate, the pair of support walls and the plurality of piezoelectric elements being formed of a ceramic material and integrally fired,ceiling walls of the pressurizing chambers constituting the channels of the channel section being relatively thin walls as compared with another portion, the actuator section being attached to the channel section so as to allow distal end surfaces of the piezoelectric elements hanging from the top plate of the actuator section to abut on the ceiling walls,the ceiling walls being bent by displacements of the piezoelectric elements to change capacities of the pressurizing chambers, the fluid being pressurized to discharge the fluid from the discharge holes.

2. The discharge device according to claim 1, further comprising: pier walls arranged in parallel with the piezoelectric elements and hanging from the top plate externally from opposite sides of the plurality of arranged piezoelectric elements,the pier walls being formed of a ceramic material and fired integrally with the top plate.

3. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of piezoelectric elements of the actuator section has layered piezoelectric bodies and electrodes which are alternately laminated, and generates the displacement by a vertical effect.

4. The discharge device according to claim 3, wherein side surfaces of the piezoelectric element formed by laminated sections of the layered piezoelectric bodies and electrodes which are alternately laminated are constituted of fired surfaces.

5. The discharge device according to claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric body is not sandwiched between the electrodes constituting the piezoelectric element in the vicinity of the support wall.

6. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein any retreated step portion is not present in the channel section.

7. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the channel section is formed of a ceramic material.

8. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator section and the channel section are formed of a piezoelectric ceramic material, and integrally fired.

9. A method of manufacturing the discharge device according to claim 3, comprising: a step 1a of preparing a plurality of green sheets A including a ceramic material as a main component, and making hole portions a constituting channels during laminating in the green sheets A;a step 1b of preparing a plurality of green sheets B including a piezoelectric ceramic material as a main component, forming conductive films constituting later the electrodes on the green sheets B and then making hole portions b forming later spaces among the plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged independently of one another in the green sheets B;a step 1c of preparing a green sheet C including a ceramic material as a main component and constituting a top plate later; anda second step of laminating the green sheets A including the hole portions a so as to form the channels, laminating the green sheets B including the conductive films and the hole portions b so as to form the piezoelectric elements, laminating the green sheet C on the green sheets B, pressing the whole green sheets to form a laminated green body, and integrally firing the laminated green body to obtain a fired laminated body.