Patent Grant
10974510
The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2018-223233, filed Nov. 29, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a liquid ejecting head such as an ink jet recording head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle, a liquid ejecting apparatus including the liquid ejecting head, and a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus, and in particular, a liquid ejecting head applicable to a plurality of types of liquid ejecting apparatuses having different specifications, a liquid ejecting apparatus including the same, and a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus.
A liquid ejecting head is configured to receive a liquid supplied from a liquid storage member and eject (discharge) the liquid from a nozzle by driving a pressure generating element such as a piezoelectric element or a heating element. As a liquid ejecting apparatus including the liquid ejecting head, there is an apparatus configured to attach the liquid ejecting head to a head holding member called a carriage or the like (for example, JP-A-2005-67130). In such a configuration, in order to ensure landing accuracy of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting apparatus, it is important to position the liquid ejecting head and the head holding member. Therefore, in the configuration of JP-A-2005-67130, a fixing hole provided on the liquid ejecting head side is fitted with a protrusion portion provided on the head holding member side. Therefore, an arrangement position of the liquid ejecting head with respect to the head holding member, in particular, an in-plane inclination parallel to a nozzle formation surface on which the nozzle of the liquid ejecting head is formed is defined.
Incidentally, depending on the specifications of the liquid ejecting apparatus, a position of a member such as a protrusion or a recessed portion used for positioning with respect to the liquid ejecting head in the head holding member may be changed due to structural restrictions or the like. Therefore, when the specification of the liquid ejecting apparatus is changed, it is necessary to change the specification of the liquid ejecting head accordingly.
According to an aspects of the present disclosure is to provide a liquid ejecting head which is mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus including a first roller disposed on an upstream in a transport direction of a medium and a second roller disposed on a downstream in the transport direction, and which ejects a liquid onto the medium transported by the first roller and the second roller, the liquid ejecting head including a nozzle formation surface provided with a nozzle ejecting a liquid, and disposed between the first roller and the second roller in the transport direction, a first positioning portion (42) used for positioning with respect to a first head holding member (60) provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus (59) in which a distance between the first roller (67) and the second roller (68) in the transport direction is set to a first distance (Lb), and a second positioning portion (43) used for positioning with respect to a second head holding member (4) provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus (1) in which the distance between the first roller (8) and the second roller (9) in the transport direction is set to a second distance (La) shorter than the first distance.
Hereinafter, embodiments for performing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments described below, although various limitations are made as preferred specific examples of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description. In addition, hereinafter, a liquid ejecting apparatus 1 of first embodiment in which a liquid ejecting head 3 is mounted on a second head holding member 4 and a liquid ejecting apparatus 59 of second embodiment in which the liquid ejecting head 3 is mounted on a first head holding member 60 will be mainly exemplified and described. The liquid ejecting apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is an example of a second apparatus, the liquid ejecting apparatus 59 of the second embodiment is an example of a first apparatus.
The transport mechanism 6 is provided with a first roller 8 positioned on the upstream of the nozzle formation surface than the liquid ejecting head 3 mounted on the second head holding member 4 in the Y direction, and a second roller 9 positioned on the downstream than the nozzle formation surface. The first roller 8 has a driving roller 8a forming a pair in the Z direction and a driven roller 8b driven by the driving roller 8a , and is configured to be rotatable in directions opposite to each other in a state where the medium 2 is pinched between the driving roller 8a and the driven roller 8b . The driving roller 8a is driven by power from a paper feed motor (not illustrated). The driving roller 8a and the driven roller 8b rotate in directions opposite to each other while the medium 2 is pinched between the driving roller 8a and the driven roller 8b driven by the driving roller 8a . Therefore, the medium 2 is transported between the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting head 3 and the platen 7. Similarly to the first roller 8, the second roller 9 is configured to include a driving roller 9a and a driven roller 9b driven by the driving roller 9a , which form a pair in the Z direction. The driving roller 9a and the driven roller 9b rotate in directions opposite to each other while the printed medium 2 is pinched to guide the medium 2 to the paper discharge side. Hereinafter, the two driving rollers 8a and the driven roller 8b which are paired as described above are simply referred to as the first roller 8 (second roller 9 is also the same) unless it is particularly necessary to distinguish these.
Here, although the transport mechanism 6 is provided with a plurality of rollers (not illustrated) other than the first roller 8 and the second roller 9, the first roller 8 is a roller disposed on the upstream than the nozzle formation surface in the Y direction and is a roller disposed at a position closest to the nozzle formation surface among the rollers provided in the transport mechanism 6. Similarly, the second roller 9 is a roller disposed on the downstream than the nozzle formation surface in the Y direction and is a roller disposed at a position closest to the nozzle formation surface. The rollers 8b and 9b exemplified as the driven rollers in the present embodiment may be driving rollers that are driven by power similarly to the rollers 8a and 9a . That is, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the rollers 8a and 8b constituting the first roller 8 are rotationally driven in directions opposite to each other. Similarly, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the rollers 9a and 9b constituting the second roller 9 are rotationally driven in directions opposite to each other. In addition, in the present embodiment, a configuration is exemplified in which the rollers 8a and 9a disposed on the opposite side of the recording surface of the medium 2, that is, the lower side (negative side) in the Z direction are the driving rollers, and the rollers 8b and 9b disposed on the recording surface side of the medium 2, that is, the upper side (positive side) in the Z direction are the driven rollers, and the rollers are not limited thereto. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the rollers 8b and 9b disposed on the upper side in the Z direction are the driving rollers and the rollers 8a and 9b disposed on the lower side in the Z direction are the driven rollers.
As the above ink, various inks such as water-based ink and solvent-based ink can be used. Such an ink is stored in an ink cartridge (not illustrated) as a liquid storage member. The ink cartridge is detachably attached to the second head holding member 4. In addition, a configuration may be adopted in which the liquid storage member is disposed on the main body side of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 and the ink is supplied from the liquid storage member to the liquid ejecting head 3 through a supply tube (not illustrated). As the liquid storage member, a tank-like member that can be refilled with the ink can also be adopted. In such a configuration, the second head holding member 4 is equipped with a member called a sub tank capable of adjusting the ink supply pressure.
A home position, which is a standby position of the liquid ejecting head 3, is set at a position deviated from one end side (right side in
The wiping mechanism 12 performs a wiping operation as a type of maintenance to wipe the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting head 3 by a wiper 14. The wiping mechanism 12 according to the present embodiment is configured to be convertible into a state where the wiper 14 is in contact with the nozzle formation surface or a retracted state separated from the nozzle formation surface. The wiper 14 can adopt various configurations. For example, the wiper 14 is made of an elastic blade body whose surface is covered with a cloth. In the present embodiment, in a state where the wiper 14 is in contact with the nozzle formation surface, the liquid ejecting head 3 moves in the main scanning direction, so that the wiper 14 slides on the nozzle formation surface and wipes. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the nozzle formation surface is wiped by the wiper 14 self-running with the liquid ejecting head 3 stopped moving.
The liquid ejecting head 3 according to the present embodiment is provided with a case head 17, an introduction path unit 18 stacked on the upper surface side in the Z direction of the case head 17, and a liquid ejecting unit 19 (refer to
The case head 17 is molded of, for example, a synthetic resin, and is configured to include a box-shaped case main body 20 to which the liquid ejecting unit 19 is fixed, and a flange portion 21 in which the introduction path unit 18 is disposed so as to extend from the upper surface side of the case main body portion 20 in the Z direction (in other words, introduction path unit 18 side) to the side in the X direction. Inside the case head 17, a flow path (not illustrated) for supplying the ink from the introduction path unit 18 to the liquid ejecting unit 19 side, a circuit substrate 22, and the like are accommodated.
As illustrated in
On the lower surface of the actuator substrate 26, the communication plate 25 having a larger area than the actuator substrate 26 in a plan view viewed from the substrate laminating direction is bonded. In the communication plate 25 according to the present embodiment, a nozzle communication port 33 for communicating the pressure chamber 30 with the nozzle 29, a common liquid chamber 34 provided in common to each of the pressure chambers 30, and an individual communication port 35 for communicating the common liquid chamber 34 with the pressure chamber 30. The common liquid chamber 34 is an empty portion that extends along the direction where the nozzles 29 are disposed in parallel. A plurality of individual communication ports 35 are formed along a nozzle row direction corresponding to each of the pressure chambers 30. The individual communication port 35 communicates with an end portion of the pressure chamber 30 opposite to a portion communicating with the nozzle communication port 33.
The nozzle plate 24 having a plurality of nozzles 29 formed thereon is bonded to the lower surface of the above communication plate 25. The nozzle plate 24 is bonded by an adhesive or the like in a state where the nozzle communication port 33 and the nozzle 29 communicate with each other on the lower surface of the communication plate 25. As illustrated in
The actuator substrate 26 and the communication plate 25 are fixed to the lower surface of the case main body 20 of the case head 17 in the Y direction. Inside the case head 17, introduction liquid chambers 36 that communicate with the common liquid chamber 34 of the communication plate 25 are formed on both sides of the actuator substrate 26. In addition, introduction ports 37 communicating with each of the introduction liquid chambers 36 are respectively opened on the upper surface of the case head 17. The ink sent from the introduction path unit 18 side is introduced into the introduction port 37, the introduction liquid chamber 36, and the common liquid chamber 34, and is supplied from the common liquid chamber 34 to each of the pressure chambers 30 through the individual communication port 35. In the liquid ejecting unit 19 having the above configuration, in a state where the flow path from the introduction liquid chamber 36 to the nozzle 29 through the common liquid chamber 34 and the pressure chamber 30 is filled with the ink, when the piezoelectric element 31 is driven, a pressure fluctuation occurs in the ink in the pressure chamber 30, and the ink is ejected from a predetermined nozzle 29 due to the pressure fluctuation (in other words, pressure vibration). The liquid ejecting head 3 and the liquid ejecting unit 19 are not limited to the exemplified configuration, and various well-known configurations can be adopted.
In addition, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The circuit substrate 22 provided in the case head 17 is a relay substrate for receiving a drive signal from a control unit (not illustrated) and applying the drive signal to the piezoelectric element 31 through the wiring member 23 (refer to
Each of the fixed portions 70 is disposed at a position deviated to the upstream or the downstream in the Y direction than an outer periphery 80 of the nozzle plate 24 indicated by a broken line in
On the lower surface of the flange portion 21 of the case head 17, the first positioning portion 42 used for positioning the liquid ejecting head 3 is provided on one side in the Y direction, that is, on the downstream edge portion in the transport direction. More specifically, the first positioning portions 42 (42a , 42b ) are formed at both corners on the downstream of the lower surface of the flange portion 21, respectively. For example, these first positioning portions 42a and 42b are configured to include a recessed portion recessed from the lower surface of the flange portion 21 to the middle of the flange portion 21 in the thickness direction (that is, Z direction), or a through-hole penetrating the flange portion 21. In the present embodiment, these first positioning portions 42a and 42b are not used, and are used for positioning with respect to the first head holding member 60 according to second embodiment described later.
The introduction path unit 18 is a member in which an ink introduction path (not illustrated) for introducing the ink supplied from the liquid storage member side to the introduction liquid chamber 36 side of the case head 17 is formed inside. As illustrated in
Screw holes 46 through which male screw portions of a fixed member 48 (refer to
As illustrated in
In the present embodiment, although the configuration in which only one second positioning portion 43 is formed is exemplified, the configuration is not limited thereto, and on the lower surface of the introduction path unit 18, in the portion extending to the downstream in the Y direction than the flange portion 21 of the case head 17, a configuration in which a second positioning portion 43′ (portion indicated by a broken line in
The second head holding member 4 according to the present embodiment is a box-shaped member with an open upper surface that includes a bottom plate 51 and side walls 52 provided upright from the periphery of the bottom plate 51 and surrounding the four sides of the bottom plate 51. A space partitioned by these bottom plate 51 and the side wall 52 functions as an accommodation empty portion 16 that accommodates the liquid ejecting head 3. The upper surface of the bottom plate 51 (that is, surface on the accommodation empty portion 16 side) functions as a head placement portion and is a portion on which the liquid ejecting head 3 is placed. The bottom plate 51 is provided with an insertion port 53. The insertion port 53 is a through-hole having a size into which the case main body 20 of the liquid ejecting head 3 can be inserted and into which the introduction path unit 18 cannot be inserted. When the liquid ejecting head 3 is accommodated and attached in the accommodation empty portion 16 of the second head holding member 4, the case main body 20 is inserted into the insertion port 53 and protrudes outward (downward) than the bottom plate 51 of the second head holding member 4. The lower surface of the introduction path unit 18 of the liquid ejecting head 3 is seated on the bottom plate 51 of the second head holding member 4 so that the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 in the second head holding member 4 in the Z direction is defined. For example, a configuration can be adopted in which the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 in the Z direction is defined by contacting the lower surface of the introduction path unit 18 with a protruding portion such as a boss protruding upward from the bottom plate 51 in the Z direction.
In addition, although not illustrated, the bottom plate 51 of the second head holding member 4 is formed with a total of four female screw portions corresponding to each of the screw holes 46a to 46d on the liquid ejecting head 3 side. When the liquid ejecting head 3 is fixed to the second head holding member 4, the male screw portion of the fixed member 48 is inserted from the screw holes 46a to 46d side of the liquid ejecting head 3 and screwed into the female screw portion of the bottom plate 51. Therefore, the liquid ejecting head 3 can be screwed to the second head holding member 4. These female screw portions can adopt a configuration formed inside a member such as a boss for positioning in the Z direction. Furthermore, on the upper surface of the bottom plate 51, a protrusion 55 protruding upward from the bottom plate 51 in the Z direction is formed at a position corresponding to the second positioning portion 43 of the liquid ejecting head 3. The case main body 20 of the liquid ejecting head 3 is inserted into the insertion port 53 and the protrusion 55 is inserted into the second positioning portion 43. Therefore, the arrangement position of the liquid ejecting head 3 with respect to the second head holding member 4, that is, the position of the nozzle formation surface, more specifically, the position of each of the nozzles 29 in the X direction and the Y direction can be normally defined. The protrusion 55 is disposed at a position farther from the nozzle formation surface than the first positioning portion 42 of the liquid ejecting head 3 held by the second head holding member 4 in the Y direction.
Furthermore, the bottom plate 51 of the second head holding member 4 is provided with the adjustment mechanism 47 for adjusting the arrangement position of the liquid ejecting head 3. For example, the adjustment mechanism 47 according to the present embodiment is configured to include an eccentric cam, is provided at a position where the adjustment mechanism 47 can come into contact with the end surface of the liquid ejecting head 3 disposed on the bottom plate 51 on the downstream in the Y direction (for example, end surface of the introduction path unit 18 on the downstream in the Y direction), and at a position where the second positioning portion 43 and the protrusion 55 are shifted to the opposite side across the center of the liquid ejecting head 3 in the X direction (for example, position on the screw hole 46b side). In addition, the end surface of the liquid ejecting head 3 disposed on the bottom plate 51 on the upstream in the Y direction is biased toward the adjustment mechanism 47 side, that is, the downstream by a biasing member 56 such as a spring. The adjustment mechanism 47 is not limited to the illustrated eccentric cam, and various configurations can be adopted as long as the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 can be adjusted. For example, a configuration can be adopted in which the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 is adjusted by the tightening amount of the adjusting screw in a state where the tip end portion is in contact with the liquid ejecting head 3.
When the liquid ejecting head 3 is attached to the second head holding member 4 in the manufacturing step of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1, the case main body 20 of the liquid ejecting head 3 is inserted into the insertion port 53 of the second head holding member 4, and the protrusion 55 of the second head holding member 4 is inserted into the second positioning portion 43 of the liquid ejecting head 3. Therefore, when the lower surface of the introduction path unit 18 is seated on the bottom plate 51 of the second head holding member 4, the liquid ejecting head 3 is roughly positioned on the second head holding member 4. In addition, in this state, as described above, the liquid ejecting head 3 is biased toward the adjustment mechanism 47 by the biasing member 56. Next, the male screw portion of the fixed member 48 is inserted into each of the screw holes 46, and the fixed member 48 is screwed into the female screw portion of the second head holding member 4 to such an extent that the liquid ejecting head 3 can be moved somewhat with respect to the second head holding member 4. Therefore, the liquid ejecting head 3 is temporarily fixed to the second head holding member 4. In this state, the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 is adjusted by the adjustment mechanism 47. In the present embodiment, the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 with respect to the second head holding member 4, in particular, the inclination of the nozzle formation surface with respect to the X direction and the Y direction is adjusted by rotating the adjustment mechanism 47 as the eccentric cam. In other words, when the adjustment mechanism 47 is rotated, the cam diameter from the rotation center to the outer peripheral surface in contact with the introduction path unit 18 increases or decreases. As a result, as described above, the position of the liquid ejecting head 3 can be finely adjusted around the second positioning portion 43. In this position adjustment, for example, the ink is ejected from each of the nozzles 29 onto the medium 2 to print a test pattern such as a ruled line, and based on the test pattern, the position adjustment can be performed using the adjustment mechanism 47 so that each of the nozzle rows 28 on the nozzle formation surface is parallel to the Y direction, that is, the ruled lines of the test pattern are aligned in the Y direction. When the position adjustment is completed, the liquid ejecting head 3 is permanently fixed to the second head holding member 4 by tightening the fixed member 48.
As described above, in the present embodiment, even with a configuration in which the liquid ejecting head 3 and the second head holding member 4 are positioned by using the second positioning portion 43 with lower positioning accuracy than that of the first positioning portion 42, the position of each of the nozzles on the nozzle formation surface can be adjusted with higher accuracy by having the adjustment mechanism 47. In addition, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, since positioning is performed using the second positioning portion 43 positioned at a position farther from the nozzle formation surface in the Z direction than the first positioning portion 42 (in other words, further separated position), as illustrated in
Similar to the transport mechanism 6 in the first embodiment, a transport mechanism 65 according to the present embodiment is provided with a first roller 67 including a pair of upper and lower rollers 67a and 67b positioned on the upstream than the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting head 3 mounted on the first head holding member 60 in the Y direction, and a second roller 68 including a pair of upper and lower rollers 68a and 68b positioned on the downstream than the nozzle formation surface. The first roller 67 is a roller on the upstream in the Y direction than the nozzle formation surface and is disposed at a position closest to the nozzle formation surface among the rollers included in the transport mechanism 65. Similarly, the second roller 68 is a roller on the downstream in the Y direction than the nozzle formation surface and is disposed at a position closest to the nozzle formation surface. In the liquid ejecting apparatus 59 in which the liquid ejecting head 3 is mounted on the first head holding member 60, the liquid ejecting head 3 and the first head holding member 60 are positioned by using the first positioning portion 42. Therefore, in the first head holding member 60, since the bottom plate 61 and the protrusion 62 are disposed below in the Z direction than the lower surface of the flange portion 21 of the liquid ejecting head 3, that is, on the medium 2 side during printing, the distance from the lower surface of the bottom plate 61 of the first head holding member 60 to the medium 2 during printing is narrower than the second head holding member 4.
Here, the distance (in other words, gap) from the medium 2 to the nozzle formation surface is set to a predetermined value, and in recent years, the height of the case head 17 tends to be lowered as the liquid ejecting head 3 is downsized. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the second roller 68 on the downstream among the first roller 67 and the second roller 68 of the transport mechanism 65 is arranged below the portion where the first positioning portion 42 of the liquid ejecting head 3 is provided in the first head holding member 60, the second roller 68 cannot be disposed at this position because the second roller 68 interferes with the first head holding member 60. In the present embodiment, in order to avoid interference with the first head holding member 60, the second roller 68 is positioned at a position farther from the nozzle formation surface (that is, closer to downstream) than the first positioning portion 42 in the Y direction. As a result, compared to the distance La between the first roller 8 and the second roller 9 in the transport mechanism 6 according to the first embodiment, the distance Lb (corresponding to the first distance in the disclosure) between the first roller 67 and the second roller 68 according to the present embodiment is increased. Therefore, in the present embodiment, although the transport accuracy of the medium 2 is lower than in the first embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the liquid ejecting head 3 and the first head holding member 60 are positioned by using the first positioning portion 42. Therefore, the position of each of the nozzles on the nozzle formation surface can be adjusted with higher accuracy. As a result, also in the present embodiment, the landing accuracy of the liquid in the medium 2 can be ensured. In addition, in the present embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 47 is unnecessary, which contributes to reducing the size and cost of the first head holding member 60.
As described above, at the time of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 in which the distance between the first roller 67 and the second roller 68 is set to the second distance La, and which includes the second head holding member 4 having the protrusion 55 at a position corresponding to the second positioning portion 43, when holding the liquid ejecting head 3 on the second head holding member 4, the liquid ejecting head 3 and the second head holding member 4 are positioned by using the second positioning portion 43, and the position of the nozzle formation surface is adjusted by using the adjustment mechanism 47. In addition, at the time of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus 59 in which the distance between the first roller 67 and the second roller 68 is set to the first distance Lb, and which includes the first head holding member 60 having the protrusion 62 at a position corresponding to the first positioning portion 42, when holding the liquid ejecting head 3 on the first head holding member 60, the liquid ejecting head 3 and the first head holding member 60 are positioned by using the first positioning portion 42. Therefore, the liquid ejecting head 3 according to the present disclosure can be applied to a plurality of types of liquid ejecting apparatuses having different specifications without structural changes.
In each of the above embodiments, although the case head 17 is illustrated as the first member in the present disclosure, and the introduction path unit 18 is illustrated as the second member in the present disclosure, the disclosure is not limited thereto. Among the constituent members constituting the liquid ejecting head, a configuration may be used in which the first positioning portion is provided on the first member disposed closer to the nozzle formation surface, and the second positioning portion is provided on the second member disposed farther from the nozzle formation surface in the Z direction. By adopting such a configuration, compared with the case where the second positioning portion is used, when the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member are positioned by using the first positioning portion, the nozzle formation surface can be positioned with higher accuracy.
Hereinbefore, the ink jet type liquid ejecting head is described as an example of the liquid ejecting head. The present disclosure can also be applied to another liquid ejecting head mounted on a head holding member of a liquid ejecting apparatus including a first roller disposed on the upstream in the transport direction and a second roller disposed on the downstream in the transport direction of the medium, and a liquid ejecting apparatus including the same. For example, the present disclosure can also be applied to a liquid ejecting head including a plurality of ejecting heads such as a color material ejecting head used in manufacturing of a color filter such as a liquid crystal display, an electrode material ejection head used for electrode formation of organic electro luminescence (EL) display, a field emission display (FED), and a bioorganic matter ejecting head used in manufacturing of a biochip (biochemical element), and a liquid ejecting apparatus including the same.
Hereinafter, the technical idea grasped from the embodiment and the modification described above and the operation and effect thereof will be described.
The liquid ejecting head of the present disclosure, which is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus including the first roller disposed on the upstream in the transport direction of the medium and the second roller disposed on the downstream in the transport direction, and which ejects the liquid onto the medium transported by the first roller and the second roller, the liquid ejecting head includes the nozzle formation surface provided with the nozzle ejecting the liquid, and disposed between the first roller and the second roller in the transport direction, the first positioning portion used for positioning with respect to the first head holding member provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus in which the distance between the first roller and the second roller in the transport direction is set to the first distance, and the second positioning portion used for positioning with respect to the second head holding member provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus in which the distance between the first roller and the second roller in the transport direction is set to the second distance shorter than the first distance (first configuration).
Since the liquid ejecting head according to the present disclosure includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, the liquid ejecting head can be applied to a plurality of types of liquid ejecting apparatuses having different specifications without structural changes.
In the first configuration, it is desirable to adopt a configuration in which the distance between the first positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface is shorter than the distance between the second positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (second configuration).
According to this configuration, the first head holding member and the liquid ejecting head are positioned by using the first positioning portion closer to the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction, so that the position of the nozzle formation surface can be positioned with higher accuracy.
In the first configuration, it is desirable to adopt a configuration in which the distance between the first positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface is shorter than the distance between the second positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the direction orthogonal to the nozzle formation surface (third configuration).
According to this configuration, the first head holding member and the liquid ejecting head are positioned by using the first positioning portion closer to the nozzle formation surface in the direction orthogonal to the nozzle formation surface, so that the position of the nozzle formation surface can be positioned with higher accuracy.
In the first configuration, it is desirable to adopt a configuration in which the liquid ejecting head further includes the first member provided with the first positioning portion, and the second member provided with the second positioning portion, in which the nozzle formation surface is disposed closer to the first member than the second member in the direction orthogonal to the nozzle formation surface (fourth configuration).
According to this configuration, since the first positioning portion is provided on the first member closer to the nozzle formation surface, compared with the case where the second positioning portion is used, when the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member are positioned by using the first positioning portion, the nozzle formation surface can be positioned with higher accuracy.
In addition, the liquid ejecting apparatus of the disclosure includes the liquid ejecting head according to the first configuration, and the second head holding member on which the liquid ejecting head is mounted, and that includes the adjustment mechanism adjusting the position of the nozzle formation surface (fifth configuration).
According to this configuration, the liquid ejecting head can be mounted on the second head holding member without structural changes. In addition, since the position of the nozzle formation surface can be adjusted by the adjustment mechanism in the state of positioning by using the second positioning portion, the nozzle formation surface can be positioned with higher accuracy.
In addition, in the fifth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the first roller and the second roller are provided, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are disposed on the upstream than the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction, the distance between the first roller and the nozzle formation surface is shorter than the distance between the second positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (sixth configuration).
Alternatively, in the fifth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the first roller and the second roller are provided, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are disposed on the downstream than the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction, the distance between the second roller and the nozzle formation surface is shorter than the distance between the second positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (seventh configuration).
In the fifth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the second head holding member is provided with the protrusion, the second positioning portion is the recessed portion or the through-hole into which the protrusion is inserted, and the distance between the protrusion and the nozzle formation surface is longer than the distance between the first positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (eighth configuration).
According to this configuration, the liquid ejecting head and the second head holding member can be positioned by using the second positioning portion.
In addition, in the fifth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the second head holding member is provided with the recessed portion or the through-hole, the second positioning portion is the protrusion inserted into the recessed portion or the through-hole, the distance between the recessed portion or the through-hole and the nozzle formation surface is longer than the distance between the first positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (ninth configuration).
According to this configuration, the liquid ejecting head and the second head holding member can be positioned by using the second positioning portion.
In addition, the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present disclosure includes the liquid ejecting head according to the first configuration, and the first head holding member on which the liquid ejecting head is mounted (tenth configuration).
According to this configuration, the liquid ejecting head can be mounted on the first head holding member without structural changes. In addition, since the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member can be positioned by using the first positioning portion disposed at a position closer to the nozzle formation surface than the second positioning portion, the nozzle formation surface can be positioned with higher accuracy. In addition, since the adjustment mechanism is unnecessary as compared with the configuration in which the liquid ejecting head and the second head holding member are positioned by using the second positioning portion, it contributes to downsizing of the first head holding member and also contributes to cost reduction.
In the tenth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the first roller and the second roller are provided, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are disposed on the upstream than the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction, the distance between the first roller and the nozzle formation surface is longer than the distance between the first positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (eleventh configuration).
Alternatively, in the tenth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the first roller and the second roller are provided, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are disposed on the downstream than the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction, the distance between the second roller and the nozzle formation surface is longer than the distance between the first positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (twelfth configuration).
In the tenth configuration, the first head holding member is provided with the protrusion, the first positioning portion is the recessed portion or the through-hole into which the protrusion is inserted, the distance between the protrusion and the nozzle formation surface is shorter than the distance between the second positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (thirteenth configuration).
According to this configuration, the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member can be positioned by using the first positioning portion.
Alternatively, in the tenth configuration, a configuration can be adopted in which the first head holding member is provided with the recessed portion or the through-hole, the first positioning portion is the protrusion inserted into the recessed portion or the through-hole, the distance between the protrusion and the nozzle formation surface is shorter than the distance between the second positioning portion and the nozzle formation surface in the transport direction (fourteenth configuration).
According to this configuration, the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member can be positioned by using the first positioning portion.
In addition, a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present disclosure is a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the fifth configuration, the method includes positioning the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member by using the first positioning portion, when the liquid ejecting head is held on the first head holding member, and positioning the liquid ejecting head and the second head holding member by using the second positioning portion, when the liquid ejecting head is held on the second head holding member (first method).
According to the present disclosure, since the liquid ejecting head includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, the liquid ejecting head can be applied to the plurality of types of liquid ejecting apparatuses having different specifications without structural changes.
In addition, a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present disclosure is a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the tenth configuration, the method includes positioning the liquid ejecting head and the first head holding member by using the first positioning portion, when the liquid ejecting head is held on the first head holding member, and positioning the liquid ejecting head and the second head holding member by using the second positioning portion, when the liquid ejecting head is held on the second head holding member (second method).
According to the present disclosure, since the liquid ejecting head includes the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, the liquid ejecting head can be applied to the plurality of types of liquid ejecting apparatuses having different specifications without structural changes.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2018-223233 | Nov 2018 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7837309 | Owaki | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 8500245 | Hagiwara et al. | Aug 2013 | B2 |
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