IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,794,473
Granted Patent B2
US 11,794,473 · App. 17/504,510 · Granted Oct 24, 2023

Liquid discharge head, discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

Inventor: Yoshinori Bandoh (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B41J2/14233B41J2/1433B41J2002/14419B41J2002/14459B41J2202/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,794,473
App. No.
17/504,510
Granted
Oct 24, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid discharge head includes multiple nozzles arrayed in two-dimensional matrix, the multiple nozzles configured to discharge a liquid, multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles, multiple common-supply branch channels, each communicating with the multiple pressure chambers, multiple common-collection branch channels, each communicating with the multiple pressure chambers, the multiple common-collection branch channels respectively communicating with the multiple common-supply branch channels through the multiple pressure chambers, a common-supply main channel communicating with each of the multiple common-supply branch channels, a common-collection main channel communicating with each of the multiple common-collection branch channels, and two or more bypass channels communicating with the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels.

Claims (76)

1. A liquid discharge head comprising:

multiple nozzles arrayed in two-dimensional matrix, the multiple nozzles configured to discharge a liquid;

multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles;

multiple common-supply branch channels, each communicating with the multiple pressure chambers;

multiple common-collection branch channels, each communicating with the multiple pressure chambers, the multiple common-collection branch channels respectively communicating with the multiple common-supply branch channels through the multiple pressure chambers;

a common-supply main channel communicating with each of the multiple common-supply branch channels;

a common-collection main channel communicating with each of the multiple common-collection branch channels; and

two or more bypass channels communicating with the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels,

wherein the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels are disposed alternately in a flow direction of the liquid in the common-supply main channel, and

the two or more bypass channel includes:

a first bypass channel communicating with one of the multiple common-supply branch channels and one of the multiple common-collection branch channels; and

a second bypass channel communicating with another of the multiple common-supply branch channels and another of the multiple common-collection branch channels, and

a fluid resistance of the first bypass channel is different from a fluid resistance of the second bypass channel,

wherein the common-supply main channel and the common-collection main channel are extending in the flow direction,

the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels are extending in another flow direction different from the flow direction,

one end of each of the multiple common-supply branch channels is connected to the common-supply main channel at an inlet,

one end of each of the multiple common-collection branch channels is connected to the common-collection main channel at an outlet,

another end of each of the multiple common-supply branch channels is in a vicinity of the common-collection main channel, each of the multiple common-supply branch channels configured to flow the liquid from the inlet toward said another end of each of the multiple common-supply branch channels in said another flow direction,

another end of each of the multiple common-collection branch channels is in a vicinity of the common-supply main channel, each of the multiple common-collection branch channels configured to flow the liquid from said another end of each of the multiple common-collection branch channels toward the outlet in said another flow direction,

the multiple pressure chambers include one group of multiple pressure chambers arrayed in said another flow direction, the one group of the multiple pressure chambers connecting the one of the multiple common-supply branch channels and the one of the multiple common-collection branch channels, and

the first bypass channel includes:

a first upstream bypass channel in a vicinity of the inlet, the first upstream bypass channel disposed upstream of the one group of the multiple pressure chambers; and

a first downstream bypass channel in a vicinity of the outlet, the first downstream bypass channel disposed downstream of the one group of the multiple pressure chambers,

wherein each of the multiple pressure chambers extends in the flow direction,

each of the multiple pressure chambers includes:

a supply-side individual channel upstream of one of the multiple nozzles in the flow direction; and

a collection-side individual channel downstream of the one of the multiple nozzles in the flow direction, and

a relation of Rf×R2−Rr×R1>0 is satisfied, where:

Rf is a fluid resistance of the supply-side individual channel;

Rr is a fluid resistance of the collection-side individual channel;

R1 is a fluid resistance from the inlet to the first upstream bypass channel; and

R2 is a fluid resistance from the outlet to the collection-side individual channel of most upstream pressure chamber in the one group of the multiple pressure chambers in said another flow direction.

2. A liquid discharge head comprising:

multiple nozzles arrayed in two-dimensional matrix, the multiple nozzles configured to discharge a liquid;

multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles;

multiple common-supply branch channels, each communicating with the multiple pressure chambers;

multiple common-collection branch channels, each communicating with the multiple pressure chambers, the multiple common-collection branch channels respectively communicating with the multiple common-supply branch channels through the multiple pressure chambers;

a common-supply main channel communicating with each of the multiple common-supply branch channels;

a common-collection main channel communicating with each of the multiple common-collection branch channels; and

two or more bypass channels communicating with the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels,

wherein the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels are disposed alternately in a flow direction of the liquid in the common-supply main channel, and

the two or more bypass channel includes:

a first bypass channel communicating with one of the multiple common-supply branch channels and one of the multiple common-collection branch channels; and

a second bypass channel communicating with another of the multiple common-supply branch channels and another of the multiple common-collection branch channels, and

a fluid resistance of the first bypass channel is different from a fluid resistance of the second bypass channel,

wherein the common-supply main channel and the common-collection main channel are extending in the flow direction,

the multiple common-supply branch channels and the multiple common-collection branch channels are extending in another flow direction different from the flow direction,

one end of each of the multiple common-supply branch channels is connected to the common-supply main channel at an inlet,

one end of each of the multiple common-collection branch channels is connected to the common-collection main channel at an outlet,

another end of each of the multiple common-supply branch channels is in a vicinity of the common-collection main channel, each of the multiple common-supply branch channels configured to flow the liquid from the inlet toward said another end of each of the multiple common-supply branch channels in said another flow direction,

another end of each of the multiple common-collection branch channels is in a vicinity of the common-supply main channel, each of the multiple common-collection branch channels configured to flow the liquid from said another end of each of the multiple common-collection branch channels toward the outlet in said another flow direction,

the multiple pressure chambers include one group of multiple pressure chambers arrayed in said another flow direction, the one group of the multiple pressure chambers connecting the one of the multiple common-supply branch channels and the one of the multiple common-collection branch channels, and

the first bypass channel includes:

a first upstream bypass channel in a vicinity of the inlet, the first upstream bypass channel disposed upstream of the one group of the multiple pressure chambers; and

a first downstream bypass channel in a vicinity of the outlet, the first downstream bypass channel disposed downstream of the one group of the multiple pressure chambers,

wherein each of the multiple pressure chambers extends in the flow direction,

each of the multiple pressure chambers includes:

a supply-side individual channel upstream of one of the multiple nozzles in the flow direction; and

a collection-side individual channel downstream of the one of the multiple nozzles in the flow direction, and

a relation of Rf×R4−Rr×R3<0 is satisfied, where:

Rf is a fluid resistance of the supply-side individual channel;

Rr is a fluid resistance of the collection-side individual channel;

R3 is a fluid resistance from the inlet to the supply-side individual channel of most downstream pressure chamber in the one group of the multiple pressure chambers in said another flow direction; and

R4 is a fluid resistance from the outlet to the first downstream bypass channel.

3. A liquid discharge device comprising:

a base; and

the liquid discharge head according to claim 1 on the base,

wherein the liquid discharge head includes multiple liquid discharge heads arrayed on the base.

4. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

the liquid discharge device according to claim 3 .

5. A liquid discharge device comprising:

a base; and

the liquid discharge head according to claim 2 on the base,

wherein the liquid discharge head includes multiple liquid discharge heads arrayed on the base.

6. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

the liquid discharge device according to claim 5 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2021
From: BANDOH, YOSHINORI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.,
Reel/Frame 057829/0700 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-186763 · Nov 9, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220143977A1 · May 12, 2022