DROPLET DISCHARGING HEAD AND DROPLET DISCHARGING APPARATUS

Abstract

A droplet discharging head includes a first drive unit and a base coupled to the first drive unit. The base includes a portion defining a first cavity, a portion defining a first discharging port, and a portion defining a first through hole through which the portion defining a first cavity and the portion defining a first discharging port communicate with each other. The droplet discharging head also includes a plurality of first electrode branches and a plurality of second electrode branches. The plurality of first electrode branches and the plurality of second electrode branches are disposed alternately apart from each other on a periphery of the portion defining a first discharging port, and extend on a surface of the portion defining a first through hole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is a drawing schematically showing construction of a droplet discharging apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing composition of a control system of the droplet discharging apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an oblique perspective view partially showing a detailed structure of a part of a droplet discharging head through which a liquid material is discharged.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view partially showing the detailed structure of the part of the droplet discharging head through which the liquid material is discharged.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing disposition of electrodes.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing another form of the electrodes.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing still another form of the electrodes.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view showing yet another form of the electrodes.

FIG. 9 is an oblique perspective view schematically showing a droplet discharging head according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an exploded oblique perspective view of the droplet discharging head shown in FIG. 9.

Claims

1. A droplet discharging head comprising: a first drive unit;a base coupled to the first drive unit, the base including a first portion defining a first cavity, a second portion defining a first discharging port, and a third portion defining a first through hole through which the first portion defining the first cavity and the second portion defining the first discharging port communicate with each other;a plurality of first electrode branches; anda plurality of second electrode branches, the plurality of first electrode branches and the plurality of second electrode branches being disposed alternately apart from each other on a periphery of the second portion defining the first discharging port and extending on a surface of the third portion defining the first through hole.

2. A droplet discharging head comprising: a first drive unit;a second drive unit;a base coupled to the first and second drive units, the base including a first portion defining a first cavity controlled by the first drive unit, a second portion defining a first discharging port, a third portion defining a first through hole through which the first portion defining the first cavity and the second portion defining the first discharging port communicate with each other, a fourth portion defining a second cavity controlled by the second drive unit, a fifth portion defining a second discharging port, and a sixth portion defining a second through hole through which the fourth portion defining the second cavity and the fifth portion defining the second discharging port communicate with each other;a first electrode formed on a periphery of the second portion defining the first discharging port;a second electrode formed on a periphery of the second portion defining the first discharging port;a third electrode formed on a periphery of the fifth portion defining the second discharging port; anda fourth electrode formed on a periphery of the fifth portion defining the second discharging port, the first to fourth electrodes being formed apart from each other.

3. A droplet discharging head comprising: a first drive unit;a base coupled to the first drive unit, the base including a first portion defining a first cavity, a second portion defining a first discharging port, and a third portion defining a first through hole through which the first portion defining the first cavity and the second portion defining the first discharging port communicate with each other;a first electrode; anda second electrode, the first and second electrodes being formed apart from each other on a periphery of the second portion defining the first discharging port.

4. The droplet discharging head according to claim 2, the first and second electrodes extending on a surface of the third portion defining the first through potion.

5. The droplet discharging head according to claim 3, wherein: the first electrode includes a plurality of first electrode branches;the second electrode includes a plurality of second electrode branches; andthe plurality of first electrode branches and the plurality of second electrode branches are disposed alternately on a surface of the third portion defining the first through hole.

6. The droplet discharging head according to claim 2, wherein the periphery of the second portion defining the first discharging port is formed of an insulating material.

7. The droplet discharging head according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the third portion defining the first through hole is formed of an insulating material.

8. The droplet discharging head according to claim 2, wherein: the first drive unit includes a piezoelectric element; andthe first portion defining the first cavity is a first pressure chamber whose volume varies according to an operation of the first drive unit.

9. The droplet discharging head according to claim 2, wherein: the base includes a flow channel substrate and a nozzle plate;the first portion defining the first cavity is formed in the flow channel substrate; andthe second portion defining the first discharging port and the third portion defining the first through hole are formed in the nozzle plate.

10. A droplet discharging apparatus comprising: the droplet discharging head according to claim 2; anda control unit for controlling the first drive unit, the control unit having a function of measuring a resistance between the first and second electrodes to detect a measured resistance.

11. A droplet discharging apparatus comprising: the droplet discharging head according to claim 2; anda control unit for controlling the first drive unit, the control unit having a function of measuring a resistance between the first and second electrodes to detect a measured resistance and having a function of halting an operation of the first drive unit if the measured resistance is a resistance setting or less.