Liquid discharge head and manufacturing method of the same
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2022195835
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing liquid ejection heads face issues with air entrapment in the sealing material at the intersection of terminals and electrical connections, leading to potential electrical failures due to condensation.
A liquid ejection head design that uses a sealing material configuration with a high-viscosity second sealing material covering the first sealing material, and an upper layer film with lateral extensions or concave shapes to prevent air inclusion, ensuring complete coverage and prevention of condensation.
The design effectively prevents air from being trapped in the sealing material, reducing the risk of electrical failures and ensuring reliable operation by maintaining a sealed electrical connection.
Smart Images

Figure 00000000_0001_ABST 
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head and a manufacturing method thereof. [Background technology]
[0002] In order to supply an electric signal for driving to the energy generating element provided on the element substrate of the liquid ejection head, the terminal of the element substrate electrically connected to the energy generating element and the terminal of the electric wiring substrate are electrically connected by a connecting member such as a bonding wire. This electric connection part is covered and protected by a sealing material to prevent defects such as an electric short circuit caused by the adhesion of a liquid or the like. In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the side (second side) of the element substrate on the terminal side intersects with the side (third side) of the support substrate that supports the electric wiring substrate and the element substrate. The electric connection part on the element substrate is covered with a first sealing material and a second sealing material with a higher viscosity that is located on the upper layer of the first sealing material. The first sealing material that diffuses along the second side of the element substrate is suppressed from diffusing at the intersection of the second side and the third side of the support substrate, and remains in the vicinity of this intersection. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-205903 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] According to the configuration of Patent Document 1, the first sealant is held at the intersection to prevent diffusion, but the inclusion of air when the second sealant is applied cannot be sufficiently prevented, particularly in the vicinity of the terminals of the electrical wiring board. If the inclusion of air is present in the vicinity of the electrical connection, condensation may occur due to changes in the operating environment of the liquid ejection head, which may cause electrical failure.
[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid ejection head and a manufacturing method thereof that can prevent air from being trapped in the sealing material when the terminals of the element substrate, the terminals of the electrical wiring board, and the connecting members are covered with the sealing material. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] The liquid ejection head of the present invention comprises an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row consisting of a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, an electric wiring substrate having a second terminal row consisting of a plurality of second terminals, the second terminal row being positioned side by side with the first terminal row, a connecting member electrically connecting the first terminals and the second terminals, and a sealing material sealing the first terminals, the second terminals, and the connecting member, the electric wiring substrate having an upper layer film on one side, the upper layer film being arranged to avoid the area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and having a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row in the arrangement direction of the second terminals. Effect of the Invention
[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid ejection head in which, in a configuration in which the terminals of the element substrate, the terminals of the electric wiring substrate, and the connection members are covered with a sealant, it is possible to prevent air from being entrapped in the sealant. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a liquid ejection head according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2A and 2B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view showing an element substrate, an electric wiring substrate, and a support member of the liquid ejection head shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view showing a bonding process of an element substrate and an electric wiring substrate of the liquid ejection head shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view showing a step subsequent to the step shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view showing a step subsequent to the step shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 7A to 7C are a schematic perspective view, a schematic plan view, and a schematic sectional view showing a step subsequent to the step shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view of a main part of an electric wiring board of a modified example of the liquid ejection head according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 5A and 5B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view of a main part of an electric wiring board of another modified example of the liquid ejection head according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view of a main part of an electric wiring board of a liquid ejection head according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 13A and 13B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view of a main part of an electric wiring board of a modified example of a liquid ejection head according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 13A and 13B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view of a main part of an electric wiring board of another modified example of the liquid ejection head according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13A and 13B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic plan view of a main part of an electric wiring board of another modified example of the liquid ejection head according to the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the longitudinal direction of an electric wiring board 6 having a substantially rectangular planar shape is referred to as direction A, and the arrangement direction of the second terminals 13, i.e., the extending direction of the second terminal row 13A, is referred to as direction B. (First embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a liquid ejection head 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an element substrate 2, an electric wiring substrate 6, and a support member 14 of the liquid ejection head 1, and FIG. 2(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. FIG. 3(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged main part of the electric wiring substrate 6, and FIG. 3(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. The liquid ejection head 1 has an element substrate 2 which is a multi-layer substrate in which a substrate 3 and a flow path forming member 4 are laminated, a liquid storage section (for example, a liquid tank) 5, and an electric wiring substrate 6. The substrate 3 is provided with a supply path 7 which is a through hole, and the supply path 7 is connected to the liquid storage section 5. The flow path forming member 4 is provided with a pressure chamber 8 and an ejection port 9 which communicates with the pressure chamber 8 and opens toward the outside. The pressure chamber 8 is connected to the supply path 7 of the substrate 3. The multiple ejection ports 9, the multiple pressure chambers 8, and the supply path 7 are each formed by photolithography technology. Energy generating elements 10 (e.g., heat generating elements or piezoelectric elements) are formed on the substrate 3 at positions on the flow path forming member 4 side and substantially opposing each discharge port 9. As will be described later, as shown in Fig. 2, the substrate 3 is provided with wiring (not shown) electrically connected to the energy generating elements 10 and a first terminal 11. The first terminal 11 is connected to a second terminal 13 of the electric wiring board 6 via a connecting member such as a bonding wire 12.
[0010] In the liquid ejection head 1 of this embodiment, liquid is supplied from the liquid storage section 5 to the pressure chamber 8 via the supply path 7. Then, an electric signal is supplied from the electric wiring board 6 to the energy generating element 10 at an appropriate timing via the second terminal 13, the wire 12, the first terminal 11, and wiring (not shown). The energy generating element 10 is driven by the supply of the electric signal and generates energy (for example, heat or pressure), and a portion of the liquid in the pressure chamber 8 to which the energy has been imparted is ejected as droplets from the ejection port 9 to the outside.
[0011] As shown in FIG. 2, the element substrate 2 and the electric wiring substrate 6 are arranged on the support member 14 so that the first terminal 11 of the element substrate 2 and the second terminal 13 of the electric wiring substrate 6 are close to each other, and are fixed to the support member 14 by an adhesive (not shown). The first terminal 11 of the element substrate 2 and the second terminal 13 of the electric wiring substrate 6 are electrically connected via the wire 12. An electrical connection portion 15 including the first and second terminals 11, 13 and the wire 12 is sealed by a sealing material 16. In the element substrate 2, the first terminals 11 are arranged in one or more substantially linear rows to form a first terminal row 11A. In the electric wiring substrate 6, the second terminals 13 are arranged in one or more substantially linear rows to form a second terminal row 13A. The B direction is a direction extending at an angle within a range of 90 degrees ± 45 degrees with respect to the A direction. In the absence of the sealing material 16, the first terminals 11 and the second terminals 13 are exposed on the surface of the element substrate 2 or the electric wiring board 6 (the surface opposite to the surface bonded to the support member 14). The shape and material of the support member 14 are not particularly limited as long as the element substrate 2 and the electric wiring board 6 can be mounted, and the support member 14 may be made of various materials such as resin, ceramic, metal, etc. As an example, in this embodiment, a support member 14 made of alumina, which has excellent heat resistance, is used to fix the element substrate 2 and the electric wiring board 6 on the support member 14 using a thermosetting adhesive.
[0012] The element substrate 2 is a multi-layer substrate having a laminated structure of a substrate 3 and a flow path forming member 4. The substrate 3 is a silicon substrate having a thickness of about 0.6 mm to 1 mm. The element substrate 2 is provided with energy generating elements 10, wiring electrically connected to the energy generating elements 10, and a first terminal 11. The wiring is formed, for example, by using a film forming technique, although not shown. The first terminal 11 preferably has a gold plating layer in terms of the planarity of the upper surface and the resistance when transmitting an electric signal. As an example, the energy generating elements 10, the wiring, and the first terminal 11 are formed on the surface of the substrate 3 that is joined to the flow path forming member 4. The flow path forming member 4 has a smaller planar shape than the substrate 3, and the first terminal 11 is disposed at a position that is not covered by the flow path forming member 4 and is at least one end of the substrate 3.
[0013] The electric wiring board 6 is a flexible board having a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, which is made of a conductive copper foil printed wiring and a pair of insulating, thin, soft polyimide films that sandwich the copper foil printed wiring and are bonded together. For convenience, the polyimide film of the pair of polyimide films of the electric wiring board 6 that is located on the opposite side to the side bonded to the support member 14 is referred to as the upper layer film 6a, and the portion other than the upper layer film 6a is referred to as the base portion 6b. The electric wiring board 6 has a planar shape of an elongated, approximately rectangular shape. The planar shape of the upper layer film 6a is smaller than that of the base portion 6b, and at least one end of the base portion 6b in the A direction (see FIG. 2) is exposed without being covered by the upper layer film 6a. As a result, the end of the copper foil printed wiring is exposed in a state without the sealing material 16. The end of the copper foil printed wiring that is exposed in this way becomes the second terminal 13. In other words, the upper layer film 6a is provided so as to avoid the region 17 in which the second terminals 13 are arranged, and the upper layer film 6a does not cover the second terminal row 13A. In this specification, the portion of the copper foil printed wiring other than the second terminals 13, i.e., the portion covered by the upper layer film 6a, is simply referred to as wiring (not shown). The planar shape of the upper layer film 6a will be described later.
[0014] On the support member 14, an end portion where the first terminal row 11A of the element substrate 2 is provided and an end portion where the second terminal row 13A of the electric wiring substrate 6 is provided are disposed. As a result, the first terminal row 11A and the second terminal row 13A are positioned close to each other and substantially parallel to each other. In this embodiment, the planar shape of the element substrate 2 is a parallelogram, and is inclined with respect to the A direction. Therefore, the support member 14 is formed in a planar shape in which a portion supporting the rectangular electric wiring substrate 6 and a portion supporting the parallelogram element substrate 2 are bent. The first terminal row 11A extends. The multiple pressure chambers 8, the multiple discharge ports 9, and the multiple energy generating elements 10 of the element substrate 2 are arranged in parallel to the first terminal row 11A and the second terminal row 13A along the B direction.
[0015] The first terminals 11 of the element substrate 2 and the second terminals 13 of the electric wiring substrate 6 are electrically connected to each other by wires 12, which are connecting members. In each drawing, the number of the first and second terminals 11, 13 and the wires 12 is reduced for convenience. However, depending on the size of the element substrate 2, the first and second terminals 11, 13 and the wires 12 are actually provided in an amount of about 50 to 200. In this case, the wires 12 are arranged at intervals of about 50 μm to 500 μm to connect the first terminals 11 of the element substrate 2 and the second terminals 13 of the electric wiring substrate 6. The length of the wires 12 is about 0.5 mm to 5 mm. There is no particular limitation on the material of the wires 12, and the wires 12 may be made of various materials such as gold, silver, copper, and aluminum. However, the wires 12 made of gold are preferable from the viewpoints of corrosion resistance and resistance during electrical signal transmission. Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the diameter of the wire 12, and for example, a commonly used bonding wire having a diameter of 20 μm to 35 μm can be used.
[0016] As described above, the portion where the first terminals 11 of the element substrate 2, the second terminals 13 of the electrical wiring substrate 6, and the wires 12 connecting them are present (for convenience, referred to as the electrical connection portion 15) is covered with the sealing material 16. In this embodiment, two types of sealing materials are used, and the second sealing material 16B located in the upper layer has a higher viscosity than the first sealing material 16A located in the lower layer. The first sealing material 16A covers the first and second terminals 11 and 13 of the electrical connection portion 15 and fills the space below the wires 12. However, the upper portion of the wires 12 may not be completely covered by the first sealing material 16A. The upper portion of the wires 12 that is not covered by the first sealing material 16A is covered by the second sealing material 16B. Therefore, the electrical connection portion 15 is sealed by the first sealing material 16A and the second sealing material 16B.
[0017] The first sealing material 16A is preferably a curable resin such as epoxy resin, acrylic resin, epoxy acrylate resin, imide resin, or amide resin. Various methods can be used to cure these resins, such as two-liquid mixing curing by mixing a curing agent, heat curing by heating, or UV curing by ultraviolet irradiation. The first sealing material 16A is required to have fluidity so as to fill the intricate shape of the electrical connection portion 15 and the space below the wire 12. However, the first sealing material 16A may expose a part of the electrical connection portion 15, particularly the upper part of the wire 12, without covering it. As an example, the first sealing material 16A is preferably a liquid resin with a viscosity of 10 Pa·s to 100 Pa·s that is applied and solidified.
[0018] The second sealing material 16B reliably seals the portion of the electrical connection portion 15 that is not sufficiently covered by the first sealing material 16A (particularly the upper portion of the wire 12). Like the first sealing material 16A, the second sealing material 16B may be a curable resin such as an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, an epoxy acrylate resin, an imide resin, or an amide resin. The second sealing material 16B is required to have a viscosity sufficient to cover the upper portion of the wire 12 and remain there without flowing off the wire 12. As an example, the second sealing material 16B is preferably a liquid resin having a viscosity of 100 Pa·s to 500 Pa·s that is applied and solidified.
[0019] In this embodiment, the low-viscosity first sealing material 16A can sufficiently reach the complicated and intricate parts including the space below the wire 12, and can seal the electrical connection part 15 except for the upper part of the wire 12. The high-viscosity second sealing material 16B covers the parts not sufficiently covered by the low-viscosity first sealing material 16A (for example, the upper part of the wire 12), and is held without flowing off. In this way, by using two types of sealing materials 16A and 16B with different viscosities, the electrical connection part 15 can be covered and insulated for protection by utilizing the respective characteristics of both sealing materials 16A and 16B.
[0020] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric wiring board 6 has a characteristic configuration around the area (second terminal arrangement area 17) where the multiple second terminals 13 are arranged. As shown in Figs. 3(A) and 3(B), the second terminal row 13A of the electric wiring board 6 is exposed without being covered by the upper layer film 6a. In the electric wiring board 6, the height of the second terminal arrangement area 17 (height in this specification means the dimension in the thickness direction of the electric wiring board 6) is lower than other parts by the thickness of the upper layer film 6a. In this embodiment, the upper layer film 6a has a side extension portion 18 that extends to a position on the side of the second terminal row 13A in the B direction and outside the second terminal row 13A. In the electric wiring board 6, the height of the electric wiring board 6 at the part where the side extension portion 18 is located is higher than the second terminal arrangement area 17. For example, the side extension portion 18 can be formed by performing mechanical processing such as punching or chemical processing such as etching on the upper layer film 6a. Furthermore, the height of the electric wiring board 6 is higher by the thickness of the upper film 6a in a longitudinal inner portion 19, which is a portion on the inside in the A direction (the portion opposite the end portion) of the second terminal arrangement region 17. That is, the second terminal arrangement region 17 is adjacent to a portion (the portion where the lateral extension portion 18 and the longitudinal inner portion 19 are provided) that is higher by the thickness of the upper film 6a in three directions, that is, on the inside in the A direction and on both sides in the B direction, than the region 17.
[0021] The manufacturing method of the liquid ejection head 1 of this embodiment, particularly the process of connecting and sealing the first terminal 11 of the element substrate 2 and the second terminal 13 of the electric wiring substrate 6, will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 7. Figs. 4 to 7 sequentially show the method of joining the element substrate 2 and the electric wiring substrate 6 of the liquid ejection head 1, Figs. 4(A), 5(A), 6(A), and 7(A) are schematic perspective views, and Figs. 4(B), 5(B), 6(B), and 7(B) are schematic plan views. Fig. 7(C) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 7(B). First, as shown in Fig. 4, the element substrate 2 having a plurality of first terminals 11 and the electric wiring substrate 6 having a plurality of second terminals 13 are disposed on the support member 14. At this time, the electric wiring substrate 6 and the element substrate 2 are disposed so that the second terminal row 13A is positioned substantially parallel to the first terminal row 11A. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, wire bonding is performed using a wire 12, which is a connecting member, to electrically connect the first terminal 11 and the second terminal 13. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, a first sealing material 16A is applied so as to cover the electrical connection portion 15 including the first terminal 11, the second terminal 13, and the wire 12. The application of the first sealing material 16A is convenient and preferable to be performed by a dispense method. Specifically, a method of drawing and applying from one end of each of the first terminal row 11A and the second terminal row 13A to the other end can be adopted. The first sealing material 16A is applied from above the first and second terminals 11, 13, and the wire 12, and drips down from the gap in the wire 12 to fill the space below the wire 12. Since the first sealing material 16A has a relatively low viscosity, it can spread to a part having a complex three-dimensional shape, such as the space below the wire 12 between the element substrate 2 and the electrical wiring substrate 6, and can seal most of the electrical connection portion 15 well. Due to the difference in height, the first sealing material 16A cannot ride up onto the longitudinal inner portion 19 of the electric wiring board 6 that is on the inner side in the A direction than the second terminal arrangement region 17, and the side extending portions 18 on both sides in the B direction. As a result, the first sealing material 16A is held within the second terminal arrangement region 17 that is on the inner side of the side extending portions 18 in the B direction. Note that the upper portion of the wire 12 may be left exposed without being covered with the first sealing material 16A. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the second sealing material 16B is applied onto the first sealing material 16A.Since the second sealing material 16B has a relatively high viscosity, it is held above the first sealing material 16A without flowing down from the position covering the upper part of the wire 12. This configuration prevents air from being taken in when the second sealing material 16B is applied, and prevents air bubbles from being generated near the second terminal 13. This point will be described below.
[0022] Conventionally, when a first sealing material 16A having a relatively low viscosity and a second sealing material 16B having a relatively high viscosity are used, the first sealing material 16A is applied and then the second sealing material 16B is applied thereon to seal the electrical connection portion 15. However, since the first sealing material 16A having a low viscosity has high fluidity, it may flow out to the outside of the electrical connection portion 15, and the first sealing material 16A may flow out from the position covering the second terminal 13, exposing the second terminal 13. If the second sealing material 16B is applied in this state, the second sealing material 16B having a high viscosity may not be able to completely cover the second terminal 13, and air may remain near the second terminal 13. If air remains near the second terminal 13 and bubbles are present in this way, condensation may occur, which may cause electrical failure. If the fluidity of first sealing material 16A is reduced (viscosity is increased) in order to prevent first sealing material 16A from spreading more than necessary, it may not be able to reach parts with complex three-dimensional shapes such as the space below wire 12, resulting in some parts containing residual air. Also, if the viscosity of second sealing material 16B is reduced so that second sealing material 16B sufficiently covers second terminal 13, second sealing material 16B may flow down from the position covering the top of wire 12, exposing the top of wire 12, resulting in incomplete sealing.
[0023] In contrast, in this embodiment, the first sealing material 16A is adjacent to the high part (the part where the longitudinal inner part 19 and the lateral extension part 18 are provided) on both the inside in the A direction and both sides in the B direction. Therefore, the first sealing material 16A is prevented from spreading any further by being blocked by the longitudinal inner part 19 and the lateral extension part 18, and is held in the second terminal arrangement region 17, and is prevented from flowing out to the periphery. In addition, the first sealing material 16A applied to the second terminal arrangement region 17 is held by the capillary force of the corner part at the base of the lateral extension part 18, and the second terminal 13 is prevented from being exposed. This makes it possible to prevent the first sealing material 16A from spreading too far outside the electrical connection part 15 without reducing the fluidity of the first sealing material 16A. Since the first sealing material 16A does not spread too far outside the electrical connection portion 15, the second terminal 13 can be sufficiently sealed, and air is prevented from remaining near the second terminal 13 when the second sealing material 16B is applied. Since the second sealing material 16B has a higher viscosity than the first sealing material 16A, it can be sufficiently sealed without flowing down from the top of the wire 12. Thus, according to this embodiment, the first and second sealing materials 16A and 16B are in close contact with each other without air being interposed, and both sealing materials 16A and 16B are unlikely to contain air, so that electrical failure due to condensation or the like is less likely to occur. Moreover, the electrical connection portion 15 can be well sealed.
[0024] In this embodiment, the lateral extensions 18 of the upper layer film 6a are provided at both ends of the electric wiring board 6 in the B direction to increase the height. However, this is not limited to the configuration, and the lateral extensions 18 may be provided at only one end of the electric wiring board 6 to increase the height, taking into account the wet spreadability of the first sealing material 16A. Also, the sizes and shapes of the lateral extensions 18 at both ends of the electric wiring board 6 may be different from each other. Also, in this embodiment, the electrical connection portion 15 is sealed using two types of sealing materials 16A and 16B. However, this is not limited to the configuration, and the electrical connection portion 15 may be sealed using only one type of sealing material, or three or more types of sealing materials. In either case, the height of the end of the electrical wiring board 6 is increased by the lateral extension 18 of the upper film 6a, and the sealing material is held in place by the capillary force of the corners of the lateral extension 18 of the upper film 6a, thereby preventing exposure of the second terminal 13.
[0025] FIG. 8(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board 6 of the modified example of the liquid ejection head 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. In this modified example, as described above, the height of the electric wiring board 6 is increased at the portion where the longitudinal inner portion 19 and the side extension portion 18 of the upper film 6a are provided. In this embodiment, the cutout portion 18a is provided at the base portion of the side extension portion 18 on both sides in the B direction. According to this modified example, the first sealing material 16A is more reliably held in the vicinity of the second terminal 13 by the large capillary force acting in the cutout portion 18a. As a result, the possibility that the first sealing material 16A will flow out from the second terminal arrangement region 17 to the outside can be further reduced. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the cutout portion 18a extends inward in the A direction of the electric wiring board 6, but the direction in which the cutout portion 18a extends is not limited. The configuration and effects other than those described above are the same as those described above, so explanations and illustrations will be omitted.
[0026] FIG. 9(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board 6 of another modified example of the liquid ejection head 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. In this modified example, as described above, the electric wiring board 6 has a higher height at the portion where the longitudinal inner portion 19 and the lateral extension portion 18 of the upper film 6a are provided. The upper film 6a of this modified example further has a tip connection portion 20 that connects the tips of the two lateral extension portions 18 to each other. That is, the upper film 6a has a rectangular opening at the end in the A direction, and has a planar shape that is in the shape of a square. As a result, the second terminal arrangement region 17 is surrounded on all four sides by a portion (where the lateral extension portion 18, the longitudinal inner portion 19, and the tip connection portion 20 are provided) that is higher by the thickness of the upper film 6a. According to this modified example, it is possible to further reduce the possibility that the first sealing material 16A will flow out from the second terminal arrangement region 17 to the outside. The other configurations and effects are the same as those described above, so explanations and illustrations will be omitted.
[0027] Second embodiment FIG. 10(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board 6 of the liquid ejection head 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. In this embodiment, the upper film 6a has a planar shape having a concave shape 21 on at least a part of the side (side extending in the B direction) adjacent to the second terminal row 13A. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of concave shapes 21 are provided, and the side of the upper film 6a adjacent to the second terminal row 13A is zigzag. Each concave shape 21 can hold the first sealant 16A therein by capillary force. According to this modification, a part of the first sealant 16A is held inside the concave shape 21 by the capillary force of the concave shape 21, thereby reducing the possibility that the first sealant 16A will flow out from the second terminal arrangement region 17 to the outside. Other configurations and effects are the same as those described above, and therefore will not be described or illustrated.
[0028] FIG. 11(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board 6 of the modified liquid ejection head 1 of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. The upper layer film 6a of the electric wiring board 6 of this modified example has a planar shape having a concave shape 21 on the side adjacent to the second terminal row 13A, similar to the example shown in FIG. 10. Furthermore, the upper layer film 6a of this modified example has a side extension portion 18 located outside the second terminal row 13A in the B direction, similar to the first embodiment. The side extension portion 18 is higher in height than the second terminal arrangement region 17 by the thickness of the upper layer film 6a. According to this modified example, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the capillary force of the concave shape 21 can further reduce the possibility that the first sealing material 16A will flow out from the second terminal arrangement region 17 to the outside. Other configurations and effects are the same as those described above, so explanations and illustrations are omitted.
[0029] FIG. 12(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board 6 of another modified example of the liquid ejection head 1 of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. In this modified example, in addition to the configuration of the modified example shown in FIG. 11, a cutout portion 18a is provided at the base portion of the lateral extension portion 18 on both sides, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 8. According to this modified example, the cutout portion 18a holds the first sealant 16A by capillary force, so that the first sealant 16A is more reliably held in the vicinity of the second terminal 13. As a result, the possibility that the first sealant 16A will flow out from the second terminal arrangement region 17 to the outside can be further reduced. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the cutout portion 18a extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the A direction of the electric wiring board 6, but the direction in which the cutout portion 18a extends is not limited. The configuration and effects other than those described above are the same as those of the configuration described above, so that description and illustration will be omitted.
[0030] FIG. 13(A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the electric wiring board 6 of yet another modified example of the liquid ejection head 1 of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13(B) is a schematic plan view thereof. In this modified example, in addition to the configuration of the modified example shown in FIG. 11, the upper film 6a further has a tip connection part 20 that connects the tips of the two side extension parts 18, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 9. In this modified example, the second terminal arrangement area 17 is surrounded on all sides by a part (where the side extension parts 18, the longitudinal inner part 19, and the tip connection part 20 are provided) that is higher by the thickness of the upper film 6a. According to this modified example, it is possible to further reduce the possibility that the first sealing material 16A will flow out from the second terminal arrangement area 17 to the outside. Other configurations and effects are the same as those of the configuration described above, so explanations and illustrations will be omitted.
[0031] Disclosure of embodiments of the present invention includes the following configurations. (Configuration 1) an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row including a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, an electric wiring board having a second terminal row including a plurality of second terminals, the second terminal row being arranged side by side with the first terminal row; a connection member that electrically connects the first terminal and the second terminal; a sealing material that seals the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connection member; having the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface; A liquid ejection head, characterized in that the upper layer film is arranged to avoid the area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and has a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row in the arrangement direction of the second terminals. (Configuration 2) an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row including a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, an electric wiring board having a second terminal row including a plurality of second terminals, the second terminal row being arranged side by side with the first terminal row; a connection member that electrically connects the first terminal and the second terminal; a sealing material that seals the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connection member; having the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface; A liquid ejection head, characterized in that the upper film is arranged to avoid the area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and has a planar shape having a concave shape on at least a portion of the side of the upper film adjacent to the second terminal row. (Configuration 3) The liquid ejection head according to configuration 2, wherein the upper film has a planar shape having a plurality of concave shapes on a side of the upper film adjacent to the second terminal row. (Configuration 4) The liquid ejection head according to configuration 3, wherein the upper film has a planar shape in which a side of the upper film adjacent to the second terminal row is formed in a zigzag shape. (Configuration 5) The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 2 to 4, wherein the upper film has a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row in the arrangement direction of the second terminals. (Configuration 6) The liquid ejection head according to configuration 1 or 5, wherein a region of the electric wiring board in which the second terminal row is arranged is lower in height than a portion in which the lateral extension portion is provided. (Configuration 7) The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1, 5, and 6, wherein the upper film has a planar shape having a notch at the base of the lateral extension. (Configuration 8) A liquid ejection head described in any one of configurations 1, 5, 6, and 7, wherein the upper layer film has a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row at both ends in the arrangement direction of the second terminals, and further has a tip connection portion connecting the tips of the two lateral extension portions to each other. (Configuration 9) A liquid ejection head as described in configuration 8, wherein the area of the electrical wiring board in which the second terminal row is arranged is surrounded by a portion that is higher than that area by the thickness of the upper film. (Configuration 10) A liquid ejection head described in any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein the sealing material includes a first sealing material located in a lower layer and a second sealing material located in an upper layer and having a higher viscosity than the first sealing material. (Configuration 11) A liquid ejection head as described in configuration 10, wherein the first sealing material covers the first terminal, the second terminal, and at least a portion of the connecting member, and the second sealing material covers at least an upper portion of the connecting member. (Configuration 12) 12. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, further comprising a support member that supports the element substrate and the electrical wiring substrate. (Configuration 13) 13. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, wherein the connection member is a bonding wire. (Configuration 14) Further comprising a liquid storage portion, 14. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 13, wherein the element substrate is provided with a supply path, a pressure chamber, an energy generating element, and an ejection port, and the liquid storage section is connected to the supply path. (Method 1) a step of arranging an element substrate having a first terminal row including a plurality of energy generating elements and a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, and an electric wiring substrate having a second terminal row including a plurality of second terminals, such that the second terminal row is positioned next to the first terminal row; electrically connecting the first terminal and the second terminal with a connecting member; sealing the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connection member with a sealing material; Including, the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface; the upper layer film has a lateral extension portion that is provided to avoid an area in which the second terminal row is arranged and is located outside the second terminal row in an arrangement direction of the second terminals, A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head, wherein in the step of sealing with a sealant, the sealant is held inside the side extension portion in an arrangement direction of the second terminals. (Method 2) a step of arranging an element substrate having a first terminal row including a plurality of energy generating elements and a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, and an electric wiring substrate having a second terminal row including a plurality of second terminals, such that the second terminal row is positioned next to the first terminal row; electrically connecting the first terminal and the second terminal with a connecting member; sealing the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connection member with a sealing material; Including, the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface, the upper layer film is provided to avoid an area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and the upper layer film has a planar shape having a concave shape on at least a part of a side of the upper layer film adjacent to the second terminal row, A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head, wherein in the step of sealing with a sealant, a part of the sealant is held inside the concave shape by capillary force. [Explanation of symbols]
[0032] 1 Liquid ejection head 2. Element Substrate 6 Electrical wiring board 6a Top film 10 Energy generating element 11 First Terminal 11A 1st terminal row 12 Connection parts (wires) 13 Second Terminal 13A Second Terminal Row 16,16A,16B Sealing material 18 Lateral extension
Claims
1. an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row including a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, respectively; an electric wiring board having a second terminal row consisting of a plurality of second terminals, the second terminal row being arranged side by side with the first terminal row; a connection member that electrically connects the first terminal and the second terminal; a sealing material that seals the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connecting member; and the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface; the upper layer film is provided to avoid an area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and has a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row in an arrangement direction of the second terminals, The liquid ejection head is characterized in that the upper layer film has a planar shape with a notch at the base of the lateral extension.
2. an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row including a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, respectively; an electric wiring board having a second terminal row consisting of a plurality of second terminals, the second terminal row being arranged side by side with the first terminal row; a connection member that electrically connects the first terminal and the second terminal; a sealing material that seals the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connecting member; and the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface; A liquid ejection head characterized in that the upper layer film is arranged to avoid the area where the second terminal row is arranged, and has a planar shape with a concave shape on at least a portion of the side of the upper layer film adjacent to the second terminal row.
3. The liquid ejection head according to claim 2 , wherein the upper film has a planar shape with a plurality of recesses on a side of the upper film adjacent to the second terminal row.
4. 4. The liquid ejection head according to claim 3, wherein the upper film has a planar shape in which a side of the upper film adjacent to the second terminal row is formed in a zigzag shape.
5. 3. The liquid ejection head according to claim 2, wherein the upper film has a lateral extension portion positioned outside the second terminal row in the arrangement direction of the second terminals.
6. 6. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein an area of said electrical wiring board where said second terminal row is arranged is lower in height than a portion where said lateral extension portion is provided.
7. A liquid ejection head as described in claim 1 or 5, wherein the upper layer film has a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row at both ends in the arrangement direction of the second terminals, and further has a tip connection portion connecting the tips of the two lateral extension portions.
8. 8. The liquid ejection head according to claim 7, wherein the area of the electrical wiring board where the second terminal row is arranged is surrounded by a portion that is higher than the area by the thickness of the upper layer film.
9. 6. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the sealing material includes a first sealing material located in a lower layer and a second sealing material located in an upper layer and having a higher viscosity than the first sealing material.
10. The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , wherein the first sealing material covers the first terminal, the second terminal, and at least a portion of the connecting member, and the second sealing material covers at least an upper portion of the connecting member.
11. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , further comprising a support member that supports the element substrate and the electrical wiring board.
12. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is a bonding wire.
13. Further comprising a liquid storage portion, The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the element substrate is provided with a supply channel, a pressure chamber, an energy generating element, and an ejection port, and the liquid storage section is connected to the supply channel.
14. a step of arranging an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row consisting of a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, and an electric wiring substrate having a second terminal row consisting of a plurality of second terminals, so that the second terminal row is positioned alongside the first terminal row; electrically connecting the first terminal and the second terminal with a connecting member; a step of sealing the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connection member with a sealing material; Including, the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface; the upper layer film is provided to avoid an area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and has a lateral extension portion located outside the second terminal row in an arrangement direction of the second terminals, A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head, wherein in the step of sealing with a sealant, the sealant is held inside the side extension portion in the arrangement direction of the second terminals.
15. a step of arranging an element substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements and a first terminal row consisting of a plurality of first terminals electrically connected to the energy generating elements, and an electric wiring substrate having a second terminal row consisting of a plurality of second terminals, so that the second terminal row is positioned alongside the first terminal row; electrically connecting the first terminal and the second terminal with a connecting member; a step of sealing the first terminal, the second terminal, and the connection member with a sealing material; Including, the electrical wiring board has an upper layer film on one surface, the upper layer film is provided to avoid an area in which the second terminal row is arranged, and the upper layer film has a planar shape having a concave shape on at least a part of a side of the upper layer film adjacent to the second terminal row; A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head, wherein in the step of sealing with the sealant, a portion of the sealant is held inside the recessed shape by capillary force.