IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,988,263
Granted Patent B2
US 7,988,263 · App. 11/951,521 · Granted Aug 2, 2011

Liquid droplet ejection head, liquid droplet ejection device, and image forming apparatus

Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,988,263
App. No.
11/951,521
Granted
Aug 2, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid droplet ejection head having: a vibrating plate at which is formed a piezoelectric element which deforms when voltage is applied; a wiring board disposed above the piezoelectric element, an electric wire for deforming the piezoelectric element being disposed at the wiring board; a liquid storage chamber provided at a side opposite to the piezoelectric element, with the wiring board sandwiched therebetween; a pressure chamber provided at a side opposite to the wiring board, with the vibrating plate sandwiched therebetween; an ejection opening that ejects liquid droplets from the pressure chamber; a liquid supply opening that supplies liquid within the liquid storage chamber to the pressure chamber; and an electrical connection portion that passes through the wiring board and electrically connects the piezoelectric element and the electric wire through the liquid supply opening, is provided.

Claims (41)

1. A liquid droplet ejection head, comprising:

a vibrating plate at which is formed a piezoelectric element which deforms when voltage is applied;

a wiring board disposed above the piezoelectric element, an electric wire for deforming the piezoelectric element being disposed at the wiring board;

a liquid storage chamber provided at a side opposite to the piezoelectric element, with the wiring board sandwiched therebetween;

a pressure chamber provided at a side opposite to the wiring board, with the vibrating plate sandwiched therebetween;

an ejection opening that ejects liquid droplets from the pressure chamber;

a liquid supply opening that supplies liquid within the liquid storage chamber to the pressure chamber; and

an electrical connection portion that passes through the wiring board and electrically connects the piezoelectric element and the electric wire through the liquid supply opening;

wherein a partitioning resin layer is layered above the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element comprises an upper electrode, a portion of which projects out from an inner edge portion of the partitioning resin layer at the liquid supply opening, and a lower electrode that is ground potential, one end side of the electrical connection portion is connected to the projecting-out portion of the upper electrode, and the other end side of the electrical connection portion is connected to the electric wire.

2. The liquid droplet ejection head of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection portion is formed at an inner wall of the liquid supply opening.

3. The liquid droplet ejection head of claim 2 , wherein the electrical connection portion is formed by a vacuum deposition method.

4. The liquid droplet ejection head of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection portion is formed by a vacuum deposition method.

5. The liquid droplet ejection head of claim 1 , wherein the electric wire and the electrical connection portion are covered by a protective film.

6. The liquid droplet ejection head of claim 1 , wherein a projecting portion is formed convexly at a bottom surface side of the wiring board, at a position which corresponds to a peripheral wall of the pressure chamber, and the electrical connection portion is formed along surfaces of the wiring board.

7. A liquid droplet ejection device, wherein a plurality of liquid droplet ejection heads are disposed along a width direction of a region at which liquid droplets can be ejected,

each of the liquid droplet ejection heads comprising:

a vibrating plate at which is formed a piezoelectric element which deforms when voltage is applied;

a wiring board disposed above the piezoelectric element, an electric wire for deforming the piezoelectric element being disposed at the wiring board;

a liquid storage chamber provided at a side opposite to the piezoelectric element, with the wiring board sandwiched therebetween;

a pressure chamber provided at a side opposite to the wiring board, with the vibrating plate sandwiched therebetween;

an ejection opening that ejects liquid droplets from the pressure chamber;

a liquid supply opening that supplies liquid within the liquid storage chamber to the pressure chamber, and

an electrical connection portion that passes through the wiring board and electrically connects the piezoelectric element and the electric wire through the liquid supply opening;

wherein a partitioning resin layer is layered above the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element comprises an upper electrode, a portion of which projects out from an inner edge portion of the partitioning resin layer at the liquid supply opening, and a lower electrode that is ground potential, one end side of the electrical connection portion is connected to the projecting-out portion of the upper electrode, and the other end side of the electrical connection portion is connected to the electric wire.

8. The liquid droplet ejection device of claim 7 , wherein the electrical connection portion is formed by a vacuum deposition method.

9. The liquid droplet ejection device of claim 7 , wherein the electric wire and the electrical connection portion are covered by a protective film.

10. The liquid droplet ejection device of claim 7 , wherein the electrical connection portion is formed at an inner wall of the liquid supply opening.

11. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a conveying portion that conveys a recording medium; and

a liquid droplet ejection device which ejects liquid droplets onto the recording medium conveyed at the conveying portion, wherein

the liquid droplet ejection device is provided with a plurality of liquid droplet ejection heads along a width direction of a region at which liquid droplets can be ejected,

each of the liquid droplet ejection heads, comprising:

a vibrating plate at which is formed a piezoelectric element which deforms when voltage is applied;

a wiring board disposed above the piezoelectric element, an electric wire for deforming the piezoelectric element being disposed at the wiring board;

a liquid storage chamber provided at a side opposite to the piezoelectric element, with the wiring board sandwiched therebetween;

a pressure chamber provided at a side opposite to the wiring board, with the vibrating plate sandwiched therebetween;

an ejection opening that ejects liquid droplets from the pressure chamber;

a liquid supply opening that supplies liquid within the liquid storage chamber to the pressure chamber; and

an electrical connection portion that passes through the wiring board and electrically connects the piezoelectric element and the electric wire through the liquid supply opening;

wherein a partitioning resin layer is layered above the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element comprises an upper electrode, a portion of which projects out from an inner edge portion of the partitioning resin layer at the liquid supply opening, and a lower electrode that is ground potential, one end side of the electrical connection portion is connected to the projecting-out portion of the upper electrode, and the other end side of the electrical connection portion is connected to the electric wire, and

the liquid droplets are ink.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2007
From: SETO, SHINJI; USAMI, HIROYUKI; MURATA, MICHIAKI
To: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020253/0899 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-058107 · Mar 8, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080218556A1 · Sep 11, 2008