IP Library Granted Patent US 12,409,652
Granted Patent B2
US 12,409,652 · App. 18/478,104 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Liquid discharge apparatus

Inventors: Masahiko Tsuyuki (Chino, JP); Makoto Takamuku (Matsumoto, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
B41J2/14233B41J2/14201B41J2/04541B41J2/14072B41J2002/14491B41J2202/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,409,652
App. No.
18/478,104
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including a substrate unit, in which the substrate unit includes a wiring substrate which is a rigid flexible substrate having a plurality of rigid members and flexible member, the flexible member includes a first surface, a second surface, a first region, a second region, and a third region, a first rigid member among the plurality of rigid members is laminated on the first surface of the first region such that a first front surface, the second rigid member among the plurality of rigid members is laminated on the first surface of the second region such that a second front surface, the flexible member includes a power supply voltage wiring, and the power supply voltage wiring is continuously provided over the first region, the second region, and the third region of the flexible member.

Claims (44)

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a print head that discharges a liquid; and

a substrate unit electrically coupled to the print head, wherein

the print head includes

a discharge section that has a piezoelectric element that is displaced by receiving a driving signal and discharges a liquid by displacement of the piezoelectric element,

a logic circuit that switches whether or not to supply the driving signal to the piezoelectric element, and

a first connector electrically coupled to the substrate unit,

the substrate unit includes

a second connector that is electrically coupled to the print head by being fitted to the first connector, and

a wiring substrate provided with a plurality of circuit components having the second connector,

the wiring substrate is a rigid flexible substrate including a plurality of rigid members provided with the plurality of circuit components and a flexible member more flexible than the plurality of rigid members,

the flexible member includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first region, a second region, and a third region,

the third region is positioned between the first region and the second region,

the plurality of rigid members include a first rigid member and a second rigid member,

the first rigid member includes a first front surface, and is laminated on the first surface of the first region such that the first front surface extends along the first surface,

the second rigid member includes a second front surface, and is laminated on the first surface of the second region such that the second front surface extends along the first surface,

the flexible member includes a power supply voltage wiring through which a power supply voltage signal supplied to the logic circuit and the plurality of circuit components propagates, and

the power supply voltage wiring is continuously provided over the first region, the second region, and the third region of the flexible member.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the power supply voltage wiring is provided linearly from the first region to the second region in the flexible member.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the first rigid member and the second rigid member are positioned such that the first front surface and the second front surface face each other when the flexible member is bent in the third region.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the substrate unit includes a drive circuit that outputs the driving signal,

the plurality of circuit components include drive circuit electronic components that configure the drive circuit, and

the drive circuit electronic component is provided on at least one of the first front surface and the second front surface.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of rigid members include a third rigid member and a fourth rigid member,

the third rigid member includes a third front surface, and is laminated on the second surface of the first region such that the third front surface extends along the second surface,

the fourth rigid member includes a fourth front surface, and is laminated on the second surface of the second region such that the fourth front surface extends along the second surface, and

the drive circuit electronic component is not provided on the third front surface and the fourth front surface.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the flexible member includes a fourth region and a fifth region,

the fifth region is positioned between the second region and the fourth region,

the plurality of rigid members include a fifth rigid member and a sixth rigid member,

the fifth rigid member includes a fifth front surface, and is laminated on the first surface of the fourth region such that the fifth front surface extends along the first surface,

the sixth rigid member includes a sixth front surface, and is laminated on the second surface of the fourth region such that the sixth front surface extends along the second surface,

the fifth rigid member is positioned such that a normal direction of the fifth front surface intersects both a normal direction of the first front surface and a normal direction of the second front surface when the flexible member is bent in the fifth region, and

the second connector is provided on the sixth rigid member.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the drive circuit includes a class D amplifier circuit.

8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of circuit components include an FPGA that outputs a reference driving signal which is a basis of the driving signal, and

the FPGA is provided on the first rigid member.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2023
From: TSUYUKI, MASAHIKO; TAKAMUKU, MAKOTO
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065075/0445 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-158885 · Sep 30, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240109312A1 · Apr 4, 2024
References Cited (3)
US 10232612B2 · Iijima · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10265949B2 · Matsumoto · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018099835A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,666,874