IP Library Granted Patent US 12703186
Granted Patent B2
US 12703186 · App. 18/505,957 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Liquid ejection head

Inventors: Shin Ishimatsu (Kanagawa, JP); Takatsugu Moriya (Tokyo, JP); Koichi Ishida (Tokyo, JP); Keiji Tomizawa (Kanagawa, JP); Yoshihiro Hamada (Kanagawa, JP); Fumi Tanaka (Kanagawa, JP); So Aizawa (Kanagawa, JP); Kyosuke Toda (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
B41J2/17563B41J2/1404B41J2/18
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703186
App. No.
18/505,957
Filed
Nov 9, 2023
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2853
USPC
347/93
Abstract

A liquid ejection head includes ejection nozzles, pressure compartments, a supply port, and first pillar structures. The pressure compartments which each communicate with a corresponding ejection nozzle of the ejection nozzles and are each combined with an energy generating element configured to generates ejection energy for ejecting liquid. The supply port supplies the liquid to the pressure compartments. The first pillar structures are arranged between the supply port and the pressure compartments. The pressure compartments is each defined by a flow path walls arranged in line and parallel to each other. A liquid flow path is formed and configured to allow the liquid to flow through the liquid flow path from the at least one supply port via the first pillar structures into the pressure compartments. A longest clearance between the first pillar structures is smaller than a shortest clearance between the flow path walls and the first pillar structures.

Claims (49)

1 . A liquid ejection head comprising:

a plurality of ejection nozzles configured to eject liquid;

a plurality of pressure compartments which each communicate with a corresponding ejection nozzle of the plurality of ejection nozzles and are each combined with an energy generating element configured to generates ejection energy for ejecting the liquid;

at least one supply port configured to supply the liquid to the plurality of pressure compartments; and

a plurality of first pillar structures arranged between the at least one supply port and the plurality of pressure compartments,

wherein the plurality of pressure compartments is each defined by a plurality of flow path walls arranged in line and parallel to each other,

wherein a liquid flow path is formed and configured to allow the liquid to flow through the liquid flow path from the at least one supply port via the plurality of first pillar structures into the plurality of pressure compartments, and

wherein a longest clearance between the plurality of first pillar structures is smaller than a shortest clearance between the plurality of flow path walls and the plurality of first pillar structures.

2 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the longest clearance between the plurality of first pillar structures is smaller than an opening diameter of each of the plurality of ejection nozzles.

3 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow path walls is arranged at predetermined intervals, and the longest clearance between the plurality of first pillar structures is smaller than a clearance between adjacent two of the plurality of flow path walls.

4 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of first pillar structures is arranged in line at predetermined intervals, and

wherein a distance from a row of the plurality of first pillar structures to the at least one supply port is shorter than a distance from the row of the plurality of first pillar structures to the plurality of flow path walls.

5 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , further comprising a sidewall surrounding the at least one supply port, the plurality of first pillar structures, and the plurality of pressure compartments,

wherein a clearance between a first pillar structure adjacent to the sidewall of the plurality of first pillar structures and the sidewall is smaller than the shortest clearance between the plurality of flow path walls and the plurality of first pillar structures.

6 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 5 ,

wherein the sidewall includes a first sidewall extending in a first direction,

wherein the at least one supply port comprises a plurality of supply ports arranged in line in the first direction adjacent to the first sidewall,

wherein the plurality of first pillar structures forms a plurality of pillar structure lines each provided to a corresponding supply port of the plurality of supply ports, and

wherein the plurality of pillar structure lines is each formed in a C-like shape so as to surround the corresponding supply port, and the corresponding supply port is defined by the pillar structure line having the C-like shape and the first sidewall.

7 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 5 ,

wherein the sidewall includes a first sidewall extending in a first direction and two second sidewalls parallel to each other and extending from both ends of the first sidewall in a second direction intersecting with the first direction,

wherein the at least one supply port comprises a plurality of supply ports arranged in line in the first direction adjacent to the first sidewall,

wherein the plurality of first pillar structures includes a first pillar structure line extending in the first direction and a plurality of second pillar structure lines arranged between the plurality of supply ports and extending in the second direction, and

wherein the plurality of supply ports is defined by the first pillar structure line, the plurality of second pillar structure lines, the first sidewall, and the two second sidewalls.

8 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one supply port is a supply port extending in a first direction, and the plurality of ejection nozzles, the plurality of pressure compartments, and the plurality of first pillar structures are arranged on both sides of the at least one supply port.

9 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one discharge port configured to discharge the liquid; and

a plurality of second pillar structures arranged between the at least one discharge port and the plurality of pressure compartments,

wherein the liquid supplied from the at least one supply port flows into the plurality of pressure compartments via the plurality of first pillar structures, and the liquid that has passed through between the plurality of flow path walls is discharged from the at least one discharge port via the plurality of second pillar structures.

10 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , wherein a longest clearance between the plurality of second pillar structures is smaller than a shortest clearance between the plurality of flow path walls and the plurality of second pillar structures.

11 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of second pillar structures is arranged closer to the at least one discharge port than an intermediate position between the at least one discharge port and the plurality of pressure compartments.

12 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of flow path walls is arranged at predetermined intervals, and a longest clearance between the plurality of second pillar structures is smaller than a clearance between adjacent two of the plurality of flow path walls.

13 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 ,

wherein the plurality of second pillar structures is arranged in line at predetermined intervals, and

wherein a distance from a row of the plurality of second pillar structures to the at least one discharge port is shorter than a distance from the row of the plurality of second pillar structures to the plurality of flow path walls.

14 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , further comprising a sidewall surrounding the at least one supply port, the at least one discharge port, the plurality of first pillar structures, the plurality of second pillar structures, and the plurality of pressure compartments,

wherein a clearance between the sidewall and a second pillar structure adjacent to the sidewall of the plurality of second pillar structures is smaller than a shortest clearance between the plurality of flow path walls and the plurality of second pillar structures.

15 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 14 ,

wherein the sidewall includes a first sidewall extending in a first direction,

wherein the at least one discharge port comprises a plurality of discharge ports arranged in line in the first direction adjacent to the first sidewall,

wherein the plurality of second pillar structures forms a plurality of pillar structure lines each provided to a corresponding discharge port of the plurality of discharge ports, and

wherein the plurality of pillar structure lines is each formed in a C-like shape so as to surround the corresponding discharge port, and the corresponding discharge port is defined by the pillar structure line having the C-like shape and the first sidewall.

16 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 14 ,

wherein the sidewall includes a first sidewall extending in a first direction and two second sidewalls parallel to each other and extending from both ends of the first sidewall in a second direction intersecting with the first direction,

wherein the at least one discharge port comprises a plurality of discharge ports arranged in line in the first direction adjacent to the first sidewall,

wherein the plurality of second pillar structures includes a first pillar structure line extending in the first direction and a plurality of second pillar structure lines arranged between the plurality of discharge ports and extending in the second direction, and

wherein the plurality of discharge ports is defined by the first pillar structure line, the plurality of second pillar structure lines, the first sidewall, and the two second sidewalls.

17 . The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first pillar structures and the plurality of second pillar structures are arranged line-symmetrically with respect to a center line of a row of the plurality of flow path walls.