IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,289,994

Granted Patent B2

US 9,289,994 · App. 14/554,129 · Granted Mar 22, 2016

Ink jet head and ink jet printer

Inventors: Shohei Koide (Nagoya, JP); Atsushi Ito (Nagoya, JP)

Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

B41J2/15 B41J2/14233 B41J2002/14266 B41J2002/14459

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 9,289,994
App. No.: 14/554,129
Granted: Mar 22, 2016
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A channel-structure has first to third nozzle-rows for first-ink, and first and second nozzle-rows for second-ink. Between the first nozzle-row for the first-ink and the first nozzle-row for the second-ink, and between the second nozzle-row for the first-ink and the second nozzle-row for the second-ink, each nozzle is located in the same position. The third nozzle-row for the first-ink is located in a different position with respect to the first and second nozzle-rows. Either the first and the second nozzle-rows for the second-ink are arranged between the first and second nozzle-rows for the first-ink, or the first and second nozzle-rows for the first-ink are arranged between the first and second nozzle-rows for the second-ink. A distance between the first nozzle-row for the first-ink and the first nozzle-row for the second-ink is equal to a distance between the second nozzle-row for the first-ink and the second nozzle-row for the second-ink.

Claims (66)

1. An ink jet head configured to jet a plurality of types of ink while moving in a scanning direction, the ink jet head comprising:

a channel structure in which ink channels including a plurality of nozzles are formed; and

a pressure application mechanism configured to apply a pressure to the ink inside the ink channels;

wherein the channel structure includes:

a first nozzle row for a first ink, a second nozzle row for the first ink, and a third nozzle row for a first ink, the nozzles in the first to third nozzle rows for the first ink being aligned in a nozzle array direction intersecting the scanning direction; and

a first nozzle row for a second ink and a second nozzle row for the second ink, the nozzles in the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink being aligned in the nozzle array direction;

wherein the first nozzle row for the first ink, the second nozzle row for the first ink, and the third nozzle row for the first ink, and the first nozzle row for the second ink and the second nozzle row for the second ink are arranged in the scanning direction;

wherein each of the nozzles in the first nozzle row for the first ink and each of the nozzles in the first nozzle row for the second ink are located at the same position in the nozzle array direction;

wherein each of the nozzles in the second nozzle row for the first ink and each of the nozzles in the second nozzle row for the second ink are located at the same position in the nozzle array direction;

wherein each of the nozzles in the third nozzle row for the first ink is located in a different position in the nozzle array direction with respect to one of the nozzles in the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink;

wherein, in the scanning direction, the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink are arranged between the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink, or the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink are arranged between the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink;

wherein a separation distance in the scanning direction between the first nozzle row for the first ink and the first nozzle row for the second ink is equal to a separation distance in the scanning direction between the second nozzle row for the first ink and the second nozzle row for the second ink;

wherein the channel structure includes a plurality of first common ink chambers and a plurality of second common ink chambers formed therein, the first common ink chambers supplying the first ink to the first to third nozzle rows for the first ink, and the plurality of second common ink chambers supplying the second ink to the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink;

wherein the first nozzle row for the first ink is connected to one of the plurality of first common ink chambers, and the second nozzle row for the first ink is connected to another one of the plurality of first common ink chambers; and

wherein the third nozzle row for the first ink is connected to either the one of the first common ink chambers connected to the first nozzle row for the first ink or the another one of the first common ink chambers connected to the second nozzle row for the first ink.

2. The ink jet head according to claim 1 ;

wherein the first to third nozzle rows for the first ink are arranged between the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink in the scanning direction.

3. The ink jet head according to claim 2 ;

wherein the third nozzle row for the first ink is arranged between the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink in the scanning direction.

4. An ink jet printer comprising:

the ink jet head as defined in claim 1 ;

a head drive portion configured to move the ink jet head in the scanning direction; and

a controller configured to control the ink jet head and the head drive portion to perform:

jetting the first ink from the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink and jetting the second ink from the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink, while moving the ink jet head to one side in the scanning direction;

jetting the first ink from the first, second and third nozzle rows for the first ink, while moving the ink jet head in the scanning direction.

5. An ink jet head configured to jet a plurality of types of ink while moving in a scanning direction, the ink jet head comprising:

a channel structure in which ink channels including a plurality of nozzles are formed; and

a pressure application mechanism configured to apply a pressure to the ink inside the ink channels;

wherein the channel structure includes:

a first nozzle row for a second ink and a second nozzle row for the second ink, the nozzles in the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink being aligned in the nozzle array direction;

wherein, in each nozzle row of the channel structure, the plurality of nozzles are arrayed at a pitch in the nozzle array direction;

wherein, in the second nozzle row for the first ink, each of the nozzles is shifted in the nozzle array direction by ½ of the pitch with respect to the first nozzle row for the first ink;

wherein, in the second nozzle row for the second ink, each of the nozzles is shifted by ½ of the pitch with respect to the first nozzle row for the second ink;

wherein, in the third nozzle row for the first ink, each nozzle is shifted in the nozzle array direction by 1/4 of the pitch with respect to the first nozzle row for the first ink;

wherein the channel structure further includes a fourth nozzle row for the first ink, each nozzle of which is shifted in the position in the nozzle array direction by 1/2 of the pitch with respect to the third nozzle row for the first ink;

wherein the first nozzle row for the first ink and the second nozzle row for the second ink are arranged on one side of the third nozzle row for the first ink and the fourth nozzle row for the first ink in the scanning direction; and

wherein the second nozzle row for the first ink and the first nozzle row for the second ink are arranged on the other side of the third nozzle row for the first ink and the fourth nozzle row for the first ink in the scanning direction.

6. The ink jet head according to claim 5 ;

wherein the channel structure includes:

a first channel member in which ink channels including the third and fourth nozzle rows for the first ink are formed;

a second channel member which is arranged on one side of the first channel member in the scanning direction, and in which ink channels including the first nozzle row for the first ink and the second nozzle row for the second ink are formed; and

a third channel member which is arranged on the other side of the first channel member in the scanning direction, and in which ink channels including the second nozzle row for the first ink and the first nozzle row for the second ink are formed; and

wherein the ink channels have an identical channel structure among the first to third channel members.

7. An ink jet head configured to jet a plurality of types of ink while moving in a scanning direction, the ink jet head comprising:

a channel structure in which ink channels including a plurality of nozzles are formed; and

a pressure application mechanism configured to apply a pressure to the ink inside the ink channels;

wherein the channel structure includes:

a first nozzle row for a second ink and a second nozzle row for the second ink, the nozzles in the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink being aligned in the nozzle array direction;

wherein, in the scanning direction, the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink are arranged between the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink;

wherein a number of the nozzles in the first and second nozzle rows for the first ink is larger than a number of the nozzles in the first and second nozzle rows for the second ink.

8. The ink jet head according to claim 7 ;

wherein the first ink is a black ink.

Assignments (1)

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2014

From: KOIDE, SHOHEI; ITO, ATSUSHI

To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Reel/Frame 034267/0293 →

Priority Claims (1)

JP 2013-252750 · Dec 6, 2013 · national

Continuity (1)

Related Publication 20150158294A1 · Jun 11, 2015