Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus
A liquid discharge head includes: a discharge port through which a liquid is discharged in a discharge direction; a valve body to openably close the discharge port; and a driver coupled to the valve body to move the valve body in the discharge direction, wherein the valve body includes: an elastic member including: a first elastic portion having a first elastic modulus; and a second elastic portion having a second elastic modulus different from the first elastic modulus, the elastic member to contact the discharge port to close the discharge port; and a core attached to the elastic member to support the elastic member.
1 . A liquid discharge head, comprising:
a discharge port through which a liquid is discharged in a discharge direction;
a valve body to openably close the discharge port; and
a driver coupled to the valve body to move the valve body in the discharge direction, wherein
the valve body includes an elastic member including:
a first elastic portion having a first elastic modulus; and
a second elastic portion having a second elastic modulus different from the first elastic modulus, the elastic member to contact the discharge port to close the discharge port; and
a core attached to the elastic member to support the elastic member,
the first elastic portion is closer to the discharge port than the second elastic portion in the discharge direction,
the first elastic portion has a sheet-like shape, and
the first elastic portion is fixed to the core by a holding plate.
2 . The liquid discharge head of claim 1 , wherein the second elastic portion is closer to the core than the first elastic portion in the discharge direction.
3 . The liquid discharge head of claim 2 , wherein the first elastic modulus of the first elastic portion is higher than the second elastic modulus of the second elastic portion.
4 . The liquid discharge head of claim 3 , wherein
the first elastic portion has:
a diameter of 0.5 to 1 mm and a thickness of 450 to 500 μm; and
a spring constant of 1 to 2 N/μm, and
the second elastic portion has:
a diameter of 0.5 to 1 mm and a thickness of 50 to 500 μm; and
a spring constant of 0.05 to 1 N/μm.
5 . The liquid discharge head of claim 2 , wherein the second elastic modulus of the second elastic portion is higher than the first elastic modulus of the first elastic portion.
6 . The liquid discharge head of claim 5 , wherein
the first elastic portion has:
a diameter of 0.5 to 1 mm and a thickness of 450 to 500 μm; and
a spring constant of 0.05 to 1 N/μm, and
the second elastic portion has:
a diameter of 0.5 to 1 mm and a thickness of 50 to 500 μm; and
a spring constant of 1 to 2 N/μm.
7 . The liquid discharge head of claim 5 , wherein the liquid contains fillers.
8 . The liquid discharge head of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first elastic portion or the second elastic portion includes one of a resin member or a rubber member.
9 . The liquid discharge head of claim 1 , wherein the core has a recess into which the elastic member is insertable.
10 . A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
the liquid discharge head of claim 1 ;
a liquid supply unit to supply the liquid to the liquid discharge head;
a controller to control the liquid discharge head and the liquid supply unit; and
a carriage to movably support the liquid discharge head.
11 . The liquid discharge head of claim 1 , wherein the holding plate applies a compression preload to the first elastic portion such that the first elastic portion is compressed to the core.
12 . The liquid discharge head of claim 1 , wherein the holding plate is disposed so as to cover a periphery of the core.
13 . The liquid discharge head of claim 12 , wherein the holding plate is pressure-bonded to the core by thermal contraction.
14 . The liquid discharge head of claim 1 , wherein
the second elastic portion includes a projection that projects in the discharge direction, and
the first elastic portion covers the projection.
15 . The liquid discharge head of claim 1 , wherein the first elastic portion comprises a fluororesin sheet.