Claims
- 1. A drop-on-demand ink-let printing head comprising:
- a nozzle plate having an array of a plurality of nozzle apertures;
- an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at regular intervals and each fixed on one end thereof to a base, another end of each of said piezoelectric elements being a free end which is in opposition to a respective one of the nozzle apertures; and
- ink reservoir portions formed between said nozzle apertures and said free ends,
- wherein said plurality of piezoelectric elements comprises lamination of multiple piezoelectric material layers and multiple conductive layers alternately stacked, the lamination being fired to provide a piezoelectric plate, and the plate being cut at predetermined widths to provide said plurality of piezoelectric elements,
- wherein conductive members are disposed at each of the ends of said piezoelectric elements such that application of an electric signal between predetermined conductive members produces an axial expansion in the piezoelectric element disposed between the predetermined conductive members; and
- wherein said ink reservoir portions are formed by providing recess portions in a spacer interposed between said nozzle plate and a vibration plate said vibration plate connected to said spacer.
- 2. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 1, wherein the fixed end of each of said piezoelectric elements is an inactive portion and the free end is an active portion experiencing the axial expansion when the electric signal is applied.
- 3. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 2, wherein the active portion extends to the fixed end of each of said piezoelectric elements.
- 4. A drop-on-demand ink-et printing head comprising:
- a nozzle plate having an array of a plurality of nozzle apertures;
- an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at regular intervals and each fixed on one end thereof to a base, another end of each of said piezoelectric elements being a free end which is in opposition to a respective one of the nozzle apertures; and
- ink reservoir portions formed between said nozzle apertures and said free ends,
- wherein said plurality of piezoelectric elements comprises lamination of multiple piezoelectric material layers and multiple conductive layers alternately stacked, the lamination being fired to provide a piezoelectric plate, and the plate being cut at predetermined widths to provide said plurality of piezoelectric elements,
- wherein conductive members are disposed at each of the ends of said piezoelectric elements such that application of an electric signal between predetermined conductive members produces an axial expansion in the piezoelectric element disposed between the predetermined conductive members, and
- wherein said ink reservoir portions are formed by providing recess portions in said nozzle plate and a vibration plate interposed between said nozzle plate and said piezoelectric elements.
- 5. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 4, wherein the fixed end of each of said piezoelectric elements is an inactive portion and the free end is an active portion experiencing the axial expansion when the electric signal is applied.
- 6. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 5, wherein the active portion extends to the fixed end of each of said piezoelectric elements.
- 7. A drop-on-demand ink-et printing head comprising:
- an array of nozzle apertures; and
- an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at regular intervals and each fixed at one end thereof to a base, another end of each of said piezoelectric elements being a free end which is in opposition to a respective one of said nozzle apertures,
- wherein said nozzle apertures and said free ends are arranged to form spaces therebetween for storing ink,
- wherein said plurality of piezoelectric elements comprises lamination of multiple piezoelectric material layers and multiple conductive layers alternately stacked, the lamination being fired to provide a piezoelectric plate, and the plate being cut at predetermined widths to provide said plurality of piezoelectric elements,
- wherein conductive members are disposed at each of the ends of said piezoelectric elements such that application of an electric signal between predetermined conductive members produces an axial expansion in the piezoelectric element disposed between the predetermined conductive members, and
- wherein each of said piezoelectric elements has an immovable area at said fixed end, said area having a length equal to a quarter of a vibration wavelength of said piezoelectric element.
- 8. A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head comprising:
- an array of nozzle apertures;
- an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at regular intervals and each fixed at one end thereof to a base, another end of each of said piezoelectric elements being a free end which is in opposition to a respective one of said nozzle apertures; and
- a nozzle plate provided with said nozzle apertures and supported by a support member so as to be disposed in opposition to said free ends of said piezoelectric elements with a predetermined space therebetween,
- wherein said nozzle apertures and said free ends are arranged to form Spaces therebetween for storing ink,
- wherein said plurality of piezoelectric elements comprises a lamination of multiple piezoelectric material layers and multiple conductive layers alternately stacked, the lamination being fired to provide a piezoelectric plate, and the plate being cut at predetermined widths to provide said plurality of piezoelectric elements,
- wherein conductive members are disposed at each of the ends of said piezoelectric elements such that application of an electric signal between predetermined conductive members produces an axial expansion in the piezoelectric element disposed between the predetermined conductive members, and
- wherein said support member comprises a piezoelectric element plate.
- 9. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 8, in which said support member comprises support portions disposed on both sides of respective ones of said piezoelectric elements.
- 10. A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head comprising:
- an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at regular intervals and each fixed at one end thereof to a base, another end of each of said piezoelectric elements being free end;
- a partition member disposed so as to be in opposition to the respective free ends of said piezoelectric elements while a space for forming an ink reservoir is defined between said partition member and said free ends; and
- a nozzle plate provided with a plurality of nozzle apertures and disposed so as to be in opposition to the space,
- wherein said plurality of piezoelectric elements comprises a lamination of multiple piezoelectric material layers and multiple conductive layers alternately stacked, the lamination being fired to provide a piezoelectric plate, and the plate being cut at predetermined widths to provide said plurality of piezoelectric elements, and
- wherein conductive members are disposed at each of the ends of said piezoelectric elements such that application of an electric signal between predetermined conductive members produces an axial expansion in the piezoelectric element disposed between the predetermined conductive members.
- 11. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 10, in which said partition member is constituted by piezoelectric plate material.
- 12. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 10, in which elastic material is interposed between adjacent ones of said piezoelectric elements.
- 13. The drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head according to claim 10, in which said cutting extends, at said predetermined width, in a predetermined cutting direction, said cutting direction being disposed at an angle relative to direction perpendicular to an array direction along which said nozzle apertures are arrayed.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2-43787 |
Feb 1990 |
JPX |
|
2-337278 |
Nov 1990 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/657,910, filed Feb. 20, 1991, abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0372521 |
Jun 1990 |
EPX |
0402171 |
Dec 1990 |
EPX |
58-108163 |
Jun 1983 |
JPX |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
657910 |
Feb 1991 |
|