Droplet ejection head and droplet ejection apparatus

Abstract

A droplet ejection head includes a nozzle plate that has nozzles and includes a polymer material. The polymer material forming the nozzle plate includes a lubricant having an average particle size of not smaller than 0.01 μm and not larger than 8% of a hole diameter of each of the nozzles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a droplet ejection head according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a detailed view of a portion B in FIG. 2A;

FIGS. 3A to 3H are sectional views schematically showing a method for manufacturing the droplet ejection head according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views of a droplet ejection apparatus (color printer) according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a 3000× SEM image obtained by photographing a nozzle of a droplet ejection head obtained in Example 1 and the vicinity of the nozzle frontally by a scanning electron microscope (SEM);

FIG. 5B is a 2000× SEM image obtained by photographing the nozzle of the droplet ejection head obtained in Example 1 and the vicinity of the nozzle obliquely by the scanning electron microscope (SEM);

FIG. 6A is a 1300× SEM image obtained by photographing a nozzle of a droplet ejection head obtained in Comparative Example and the vicinity of the nozzle frontally by the scanning electron microscope (SEM); and

FIG. 6B is a 1500× SEM image obtained by photographing the nozzle of a droplet ejection head obtained in Comparative Example and the vicinity of the nozzle obliquely by the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Claims

1. A droplet ejection head comprising: a nozzle plate that has nozzles and comprises a polymer material,wherein the polymer material forming the nozzle plate comprises a lubricant having an average particle size of not smaller than 0.01 μm and not larger than 8% of a hole diameter of each of the nozzles.

2. The droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the polymer material is not larger than 5% of the hole diameter of each of the nozzles.

3. The droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the polymer material is not larger than 1% of the hole diameter of each of the nozzles.

4. The droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the nozzles formed in the nozzle plate are formed by laser machining on the nozzle plate.

5. The droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant is silicon dioxide (SiO2) or magnesium carbonate (MgCO3).

6. A droplet ejection apparatus comprising a droplet ejection head comprising a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles and comprises a polymer material, the apparatus ejecting droplets from the plurality of nozzles to a droplet-landing surface in accordance with a driving signal,wherein the polymer material forming the nozzle plate comprises a lubricant having an average particle size of not smaller than 0.01 μm and not larger than 8% of a hole diameter of each of the nozzles.