IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,291,031
Granted Patent B2
US 12,291,031 · App. 18/176,742 · Granted May 6, 2025

Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus

Inventors: Shusei Murai (Tokyo, JP); Tatsumi Suzuki (Tokyo, JP); Keiko Maruyama (Miyagi, JP); Satoshi Kudoh (Miyagi, JP); Hiroyasu Umehara (Miyagi, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
B41J2/14201B41J2002/14491
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 12,291,031
App. No.
18/176,742
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle forming member having a nozzle configured to discharge liquid; an opening and closing member configured to open and close the nozzle; a piezoelectric body configured to expand and contract in an axial direction in response to a drive voltage so as to actuate the opening and closing member such that the nozzle is opened and closed; a first housing member having a cylindrical shape and configured to house the piezoelectric body; and a ground member configured to contact an inner side of the first housing member.

Claims (17)

1. A liquid discharge head comprising:

a nozzle forming member having a nozzle configured to discharge liquid;

an opening and closing member configured to open and close the nozzle;

a piezoelectric body configured to expand and contract in an axial direction in response to a drive voltage so as to actuate the opening and closing member such that the nozzle is opened and closed;

a first housing member having a cylindrical shape and configured to house the piezoelectric body;

a ground member configured to contact an inner side of the first housing member; and

a ground wire, the ground member being electrically connected to the ground wire and the first housing member.

2. The liquid discharge head according to claim 1 , further comprising a second housing member configured to be inserted into the first housing member,

wherein the ground member is supported by the second housing member.

3. The liquid discharge head according to claim 2 , wherein the second housing member and the ground member are integrally insertable into and removable from the first housing member.

4. The liquid discharge head according to claim 2 , further comprising

a supply wire configured to supply the drive voltage to the piezoelectric body, and

a support member provided within the second housing member and configured to support the ground wire and the supply wire at mutually different positions as viewed in a direction in which the second housing member is inserted into the first housing member.

5. The liquid discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein the ground member is elastically deformable, and the ground member contacts the inner side of the first housing member while being elastically deformed.

6. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

the liquid discharge head according to claim 1 ; and

a driver configured to drive the liquid discharge head.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2023
From: MURAI, SHUSEI; SUZUKI, TATSUMI; MARUYAMA, KEIKO; KUDOH, SATOSHI; UMEHARA, HIROYASU
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062842/0901 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-037977 · Mar 11, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230286271A1 · Sep 14, 2023
References Cited (20)
US 20130187976A1 · Kobayashi · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130293607A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20150009254A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20180336443A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190217614A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190272454A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200023580A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200031117A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200039217A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200272867A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200324312A1 · Kaiba et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20220111405A1 · Maruyama et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220111406A1 · Kudoh et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220161562A1 · Murai et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2004297042 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013151094 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015160162 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 20220133990A · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO 2019042585 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for 23159596.8 mailed on Jul. 24, 2023. [cited by applicant]