INK-JET HEAD

Abstract

The confronting area of flexible printed circuit is interposed between the leading face and the passage unit. A protruding length of the protrusion region from the spaced face is equal or larger than that of the fixed region. A recess is formed on the support face of the passage unit at a position confronting the leading face. Both ends of the leading face are interposed between both ends of the opening of the recess with respect to a draw-out direction. The confronting area of the flexible printed circuit passes through the recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an ink-jet head according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the internal construction of the ink-jet head illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a reservoir unit;

FIG. 5 is an exploded plan view of the reservoir unit illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a passage component illustrated in FIG. 4 as obliquely viewed from downward;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the passage component illustrated in FIG. 4 as obliquely viewed from upward;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a head main body;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of an area indicated by the dashed dotted line in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view taken along lines X-X illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11A is an enlarged sectional view of an actuator unit;

FIG. 11B is a plan view illustrating individual electrodes disposed on the surface of the actuator unit in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 12A is a plan view illustrating a head main body and a plate fixed to a passage unit of an ink-jet head according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12B is a partial sectional view taken along lines XIIB-XIIB illustrated in FIG. 12A.

FIG. 13A is a partial sectional view corresponding to FIG. 12B when the projection is of a curved shape convex toward the bottom of the faces of the recesses in the first embodiment. and

FIG. 13B is a partial sectional view corresponding to FIG. 12B when the projection is of a curved shape convex toward the bottom of the faces of the recesses in the second embodiment.

Claims

1. An ink-jet head comprising: a passage unit that has a plurality of pressure chambers arranged along a plane and communicating with a plurality of ink ejection ports that are formed on an ink discharging face;an actuator unit that is supported by a support face of the passage unit opposite to the ink discharging face, that has a plurality of individual electrodes each confronting the pressure chambers, and that changes in volume of the pressure chambers;a flexible printed circuit that has a plurality of wirings which supply driving signals to the individual electrodes, and that is provided with a connection area where the respective wirings are electrically connected with corresponding individual electrodes and which confronts the actuator unit, and a confronting area continuous with the connection area and confronting not the actuator unit but the passage unit; anda covering that includes a spaced region, a fixed region, and a protrusion region, wherein the spaced region has a spaced face spaced apart from the connection area with respect to a direction perpendicular to the ink discharging face, the fixed region has a fixed face that protrudes toward the passage unit from the spaced face and is fixed to the support face as well, the protrusion region has a leading face that protrudes toward the passage unit from the spaced face, and the confronting area is interposed between the leading face and the passage unit;wherein a protruding length of the protrusion region from the spaced face is equal or larger than that of the fixed region,wherein a recess is formed on the support face of the passage unit at a position confronting the leading face,wherein both ends of the leading face are interposed between both ends of the opening of the recess with respect to a draw-out direction that is parallel to the support face and is toward the confronting area from the connection area,wherein the protrusion region is spaced apart from an inner face of the recess, andwherein the confronting area of the flexible printed circuit passes through the recess.

2. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering is provided with the one or more protrusion regions such that both ends of the flexible printed circuit with respect to a direction perpendicular to the draw-out direction in the confronting area respectively confront the leading face.

3. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the confronting area of the flexible printed circuit passes through the recess across the overall width thereof.

4. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more actuator units are supported on the support face, and the flexible printed circuit is connected to the respective actuator units, and wherein the protrusion region is continuous with at least one of the fixed region associated with corresponding actuator unit and the fixed region associated with an adjacent actuator unit, so that the covering is provided with an annular protrusion surrounding the one or more spaced region.

5. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion region of the covering enters the recess together with the confronting area of the flexible printed circuit.

6. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the leading face of the protrusion region is flush with the support face with respect to the direction perpendicular to the ink discharging face.

7. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the leading face of the protrusion region is of a curved shape convex toward the inner face of the recess.

8. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the boundary between the confronting area of the flexible printed circuit and the covering, and the boundary between the confronting area of the flexible printed circuit and the passage unit are blocked by a sealant.

9. The ink-jet head as claimed in claim 1, comprising a circuit board on the covering, wherein, the flexible printed circuit is connected to the actuator unit at one end, and drawn along a side of the covering, and connected to the board at the other end.