Liquid discharge device, nozzle cover, and article production method

Abstract

To provide a liquid discharge device which controls a propagation direction of ink mist to achieve high durability.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge device includes: a liquid discharge head having a recording element substrate on which nozzle ports configured to discharge a liquid are disposed; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; and a nozzle cover having a first surface for covering at least a part, excluding the nozzle ports, of a surface having the nozzle ports of the recording element substrate. The first surface has a liquid droplet control area. In the liquid droplet control area, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member extends is larger than a second sliding angle in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device, a nozzle cover, and a method for manufacturing an article. [Background technology]

[0002] As a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid onto a target, there is an inkjet recording device that ejects ink droplets from a liquid ejection head onto a recording medium to perform printing. The inkjet recording device ejects minute ink droplets onto a recording medium from the nozzles of the liquid ejection head to record images such as desired characters and figures. In this inkjet recording device, since the liquid ejection head is close to the recording medium during a recording operation, the ink scattering (hereinafter also referred to as mist) that occurs when the ink droplets collide with the recording medium may bounce back onto the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head and contaminate the nozzle surface. In particular, in the liquid ejection head of an on-demand type inkjet recording device, the ejection of ink droplets is due to a weak pressure applied to the ink near the nozzle. Therefore, the ejection energy of the ink droplets is small and they are arranged at a distance of only a few mm from the recording medium, and the rebound of the ink mist is likely to adhere to the nozzle surface.

[0003] However, because the pressure is small, once clogging occurs in the nozzle, the clogging cannot be easily restored by itself. For this reason, in order to prevent or recover from clogging of the nozzles of the liquid ejection head, a suction operation is performed to remove the clogged ink by sucking ink from the nozzle opening when the printing operation is not being performed. After this suction, ink may remain on the nozzle surface, and if ink remains, it may contaminate the nozzle surface. Such contamination of the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head may lead to adhesion of fibers and dust from the recording medium, which may cause clogging of the nozzles during long-term use of the liquid ejection head, and may have adverse effects such as the inability to eject ink or the flight deflection of ink droplets during ejection. In order to solve such problems, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a wiping blade to wipe and remove ink from the entire surface of the nozzle surface to prevent poor ink ejection.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes absorbing ink into the gap with the nozzle cover to prevent ink from wrapping around the sides of the head or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-277756 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2009-220421 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, even when a wiping blade mechanically contacts the entire nozzle surface to wipe the nozzle surface, residual ink and ink mist can still re-adhere to the wiring members. If the re-adhered ink adheres to the wiring members, it can corrode them due to electrochemical corrosion, leading to disconnections.

[0007] Furthermore, as described in Patent Document 2, even if a structure is adopted in which the ink is absorbed in the gap with the nozzle cover to prevent the ink from wrapping around the side of the head, etc., the position of the mist cannot be controlled when the ink mist reattaches, and as a result, there is a possibility that the ink will wrap around the side and propagate to the wiring member. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly durable liquid ejection device that controls the ink propagation direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A liquid ejection device for solving the above problem is a liquid ejection head comprising a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged, a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate, and a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a portion of the surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings, wherein the first surface has a droplet control region, and in the droplet control region, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member extends is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0009] Furthermore, a liquid ejection device according to one aspect of the present invention is a liquid ejection device comprising: a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; and a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a portion of the surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings, wherein the first surface has an uneven structure, and the uneven structure is characterized in that concave and convex portions are alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends.

[0010] In addition, a liquid ejection device according to another aspect of the present invention is a liquid ejection device comprising: a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; and a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a portion of the surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings, wherein the first surface has a droplet control region, and the droplet control region has an area in which hydrophilic portions and water-repellent portions are alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends.

[0011] A nozzle cover according to one aspect of the present invention is a nozzle cover having a first surface covering at least a part of a surface of a recording element substrate having a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid, excluding the nozzle openings, the first surface having a liquid droplet control region, and the liquid droplet control region having a region in which a first sliding angle in a first direction from the position of the nozzle opening toward the outside of the nozzle cover is larger than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A liquid ejection device according to one aspect of the present invention is a liquid ejection device comprising the nozzle cover, a liquid ejection head having the recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged, and a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate.

[0012] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing an article according to one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an article, which includes a step of ejecting a liquid using the above-mentioned liquid ejection device, characterized in that the liquid is an ink containing a functional material for forming a functional thin film or a functional element. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, the direction in which the redeposited ink moves can be controlled. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a highly durable liquid ejection device that is capable of controlling the propagation direction of the ink. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a schematic top view and a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 5A and 5B are schematic top and cross-sectional views of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 11A and 11B are schematic top and cross-sectional views of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 11A and 11B are schematic top and cross-sectional views of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 13A and 13B are schematic top and cross-sectional views of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a schematic top view of an example of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the example of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1A is a schematic top view of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to the conventional technology, and FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to the conventional technology. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are a top view and a side view, respectively, that diagrammatically illustrating an example of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2A is a schematic top view illustrating anisotropy in the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a schematic view illustrating a sliding angle in the present invention. [Figure 10] 13A and 13B are schematic top and cross-sectional views of a portion of a liquid ejection device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] (Nozzle cover and liquid ejection device) A liquid ejection device according to the present invention is a liquid ejection device comprising a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged, a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate, and a nozzle cover having a first surface covering at least a portion of the surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings excluding the nozzle openings, wherein the first surface has a droplet control region, and in the droplet control region, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member extends is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this specification, the droplet control region refers to a region that controls the propagation of droplets.

[0016] The liquid ejection device according to the present invention is a liquid ejection device including a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged, a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate, and a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings, characterized in that the first surface has a concave-convex structure, and the concave-convex structure has concaves and convex parts alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends. In this specification, the concaves can refer to the lowest surface in the concave-convex structure, and the convex parts can refer to parts higher than the concaves. In this specification, the concave-convex structure refers to one in which the convex parts are greater than 0.2 μm.

[0017] In this specification, the liquid handled by the liquid ejection device may be referred to as "ink", but the ink is not limited to liquid for forming characters or images. For example, the ink may be liquid containing a functional material for forming a functional thin film such as an electrode or an optical filter, or a functional element such as an organic electroluminescence element. In addition, ejecting a liquid and applying it to an object may be referred to as "recording", but the recording in this case is not necessarily limited to recording information such as characters or images, and also includes applying a liquid to an object to form a functional thin film or functional element, for example. In addition, the object to which the liquid is applied may be referred to as a "recording medium", but the recording medium is not limited to a medium for recording information such as characters or images, and includes parts and articles that serve as a base material for forming a functional thin film or functional element.

[0018] FIG. 7A is a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device according to the prior art, and FIG. 7B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device according to the prior art (a) cut along the line GG'. A recording element substrate 702 is connected to a nozzle cover 701 via an adhesive 704, and the recording element substrate 702 is protected by the nozzle cover 701. Note that in FIG. 7B, the adhesive 704 is partially omitted for ease of understanding. The recording element substrate 702 has a plurality of nozzle openings 703. A wiring member 706 (e.g., a flexible printed wiring board) for applying electricity to the recording element substrate 702 is joined. The recording element substrate 702 and a liquid chamber 708 are joined. In order to maintain a good application state from the nozzle opening 703, wiping is performed with a wiper 711 after ejection. However, there are cases where the ink 705 that becomes mist after wiping is reattached to the nozzle cover 701. The surface of the nozzle cover 701 in the prior art is controlled to be either water repellent or hydrophilic. The redeposited ink 705 may move to the end of the nozzle cover 701 and adhere to the wiring member 706 from the side surface.

[0019] An example of the overall configuration of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 8(a) and (b) and Figs. 6(a) and (b). Fig. 8(a) is a top view showing an example of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention, and Fig. 8(b) is a schematic side view of the liquid ejection device of (a). Fig. 6 shows a schematic top view of an example of a part of the liquid ejection device of (a) according to the present invention, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device of (a) cut along the line FF'. The liquid ejection device 801 includes a base 809, and the base 809 is provided with a stage 810 for setting a recording medium 806. A sub-scanning guide rail 807 extending in the X direction in a top view is fixed to the base 809 via a support member 808. A main scanning guide rail 805 serving as a conveying device movable on the sub-scanning guide rail 807 along the X direction is placed on the sub-scanning guide rail 807. A main scanner 804 is placed on the main scanning guide rail 805, and is movable along the Y direction on the main scanning guide rail 805. A liquid ejection unit 802 capable of ejecting liquid toward a recording medium 806 is attached to the main scanner 804. By moving the main scanning guide rail 805 in the X direction and the main scanner 804 in the Y direction, the liquid ejection unit 802 can be freely scanned in the X and Y directions above a recording medium 806 set on a stage 810.

[0020] The liquid ejection unit 802 is provided with a flow path including a sub-tank for supplying ink to the liquid ejection head 803 . A main tank 811 is installed on the base 809. Ink is stored in the main tank 811 to replenish the ink when the remaining amount of ink in the sub-tank of the liquid ejection unit 802 decreases. The main tank 811 is connected to a flow path 812 for circulating the stored ink.

[0021] A liquid ejection head 803 capable of ejecting liquid toward a recording medium 806 is mounted on the liquid ejection unit 802. The liquid ejection head 803 has a recording element substrate 602, a liquid chamber 608 to which the recording element substrate 602 is joined, an intermediate member 605, and a supply tank 607, as shown in FIG. 6(b). The intermediate member 605 is adhered to the supply tank 607, and then the liquid chamber 608 to which the recording element substrate 602 is joined is joined. The recording element substrate 602 has a plurality of nozzle openings 603 formed therein, which are through holes for ejecting liquid. In FIGS. 8(a) and (b) and FIGS. 6(a) and (b), the liquid ejection head has the recording element substrate, a liquid chamber, an intermediate member, and a supply tank, but the present invention also includes a mode in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber, an intermediate member, and a supply tank.

[0022] Furthermore, a vibration plate member (not shown) is formed on the recording element substrate 602, and a piezoelectric element (not shown) which is an energy generating element corresponding to each vibration plate member is disposed thereon. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element is deformed so as to bend inward. The volume of the liquid chamber 608 is reduced by the deformation of the piezoelectric element, and pressure is applied to the liquid supplied from the supply tank 607 through a flow path (not shown) in the liquid chamber 608. When pressure is applied to the liquid, a part of the liquid is discharged from the nozzle opening 603 as droplets. The supply tank 607 may be the sub-tank described above, or may be provided separately from the sub-tank. A wiring member 606 (for example, a flexible printed wiring board) is electrically connected to the recording element substrate 602. A nozzle cover 601 is bonded to the recording element substrate 602 via an adhesive 604. In FIG. 6(b), the adhesive 604 is partially omitted for ease of understanding.

[0023] The nozzle cover 601 has a first surface 609 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 602 having a plurality of nozzle openings 603, excluding the nozzle openings 603. The first surface 609 of the nozzle cover 601 has a droplet control region, and in the droplet control region, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member 606 extends is larger than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first surface 609 of the nozzle cover 601 has a concave-convex structure 610 toward the first direction in which the wiring member 606 extends. That is, the concave-convex structure 610 has concaves and convexities alternately repeated toward the direction in which the wiring member 606 extends. This makes it possible to suppress the ink from propagating in the first direction in which the wiring member 606 extends.

[0024] Specifically, in the uneven structure 610 on the first surface 609 of the nozzle cover 601, the first sliding angle in the first direction in which the wiring member 606 extends is larger than the second sliding angle in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this case, the uneven structure 610 on the first surface 609 of the nozzle cover 601 can be used as a droplet control region. The uneven structure on the first surface preferably has a pitch in the range of 10 μm to 200 μm. The pitch refers to the length of a repeating unit of a recess and a protrusion. If it is within the above numerical range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be sufficiently large, and the liquid can be sufficiently suppressed from propagating in the first direction. In addition, the height of the protrusion is preferably in the range of 3 μm to 100 μm. If it is within the above numerical range, the second sliding angle in the second direction can be sufficiently small, and the liquid can easily propagate in the second direction. In addition, the uneven structure on the first surface may be curved with respect to the direction in which the wiring member extends. As a result, no uneven structure is formed in the vicinity of the nozzle opening, making it easier to remove ink from the vicinity of the nozzle opening, and thus making it possible to realize a liquid ejection device with higher durability.

[0025] In the above example, the nozzle cover and the liquid ejection device have a concave-convex structure to control the ink propagation direction, but the effect of the present invention can be obtained by another method. Specifically, the liquid ejection device according to the present invention is a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged, a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate, and a nozzle cover having a first surface covering at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings, and the first surface has a liquid droplet control region, and the liquid droplet control region has a region in which hydrophilic parts and water-repellent parts are alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends. In this case, the liquid ejection device may also have a concave-convex structure as described above. Furthermore, in the liquid ejection device according to the present invention, the first surface of the nozzle cover has a concave-convex structure, and the concave-convex structure has concave and convex parts alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends, and the convex parts of the concave-convex structure are water-repellent parts and the concave parts are hydrophilic parts. Furthermore, the hydrophilic and water-repellent portions in the droplet control region of the first surface may be curved with respect to the extending direction of the wiring member. The water-repellent portion may refer to a portion having a contact angle of 90 degrees or more. The hydrophilic portion may refer to a portion having a contact angle of less than 90 degrees. The contact angle may be the angle formed between a droplet (e.g., pure water) dropped on the surface of the object to be measured and the solid surface.

[0026] The liquid ejection device according to the present invention may have a cleaning member that wipes off the liquid adhering to the nozzle cover. For example, when an uneven structure is present in the second direction in the droplet control region of the first surface of the nozzle cover, the cleaning member may operate along the uneven structure. Although not shown in FIG. 8, the liquid ejection device 801 may have a wiper as a cleaning member. In FIG. 6(a), after ejection of the liquid, the wiper 611 wipes the first surface 609 of the nozzle cover 601 in the second direction, and the ejection state from the nozzle opening 603 can be maintained in a good condition. The nozzle cover 601 and the liquid ejection device 801 are configured such that even if the ink mist reattaches to the uneven structure 610 after cleaning by the wiper 611, the ink mist does not move in the first direction with a large sliding angle.

[0027] Since the contact angles differ between the first direction and the second direction on the first surface 609 of the nozzle cover 601 and a difference in the sliding angle occurs, it is possible to suppress the propagation of ink to the wiring member 606, and to realize a highly durable liquid ejection device that is less susceptible to breakage due to ink contamination.

[0028] Furthermore, the nozzle cover of the present invention can be a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a portion of a surface of a recording element substrate having a plurality of nozzle openings that eject liquid, excluding the nozzle openings, wherein the first surface has a droplet control region, and in the droplet control region, there is an area in which a first sliding angle in a first direction from the position of the nozzle opening toward the outside of the nozzle cover is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0029] Furthermore, the liquid ejection device according to the present invention can be a liquid ejection device characterized by comprising the above-mentioned nozzle cover, a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged, and a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate.

[0030] In FIG. 6, the first direction is defined as the direction in which the wiring member 606 extends, but the first direction can also be defined as the direction from the position of the nozzle opening of the recording element substrate toward the outside of the nozzle cover in the droplet control region on the first surface of the nozzle cover. The direction from the position of the nozzle opening of the recording element substrate toward the outside of the nozzle cover can refer to the direction in which the concave and convex portions are repeatedly arranged when the first surface has an uneven structure (when the droplet control region has an uneven structure). Furthermore, the direction from the position of the nozzle opening of the recording element substrate toward the outside of the nozzle cover can refer to the direction in which the hydrophilic and water-repellent portions are repeatedly arranged when the droplet control region on the first surface has a structure in which the hydrophilic and water-repellent portions are repeatedly arranged. In other words, the first direction can refer to the direction from the center toward the outside of the nozzle cover when the position of the nozzle opening of the recording element substrate is the center. When the first direction is the direction from the position of the nozzle opening of the recording element substrate toward the outside of the nozzle cover, the second direction refers to a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0031] FIG. 9(a) is a top view showing a schematic example of a part of a liquid ejection device for explaining the anisotropy in the present invention. A wiring member (not shown) is electrically connected to a recording element substrate 902 on which a plurality of nozzle openings 903 for ejecting liquid are arranged. A nozzle cover 901 is attached to the recording element substrate 902 via an adhesive 904, and the nozzle cover 901 has a first surface 907 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 902 having the plurality of nozzle openings 903, excluding the nozzle openings 903. The first surface 907 of the nozzle cover 901 has a droplet control region 905, and in the droplet control region, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member extends is larger than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. This makes it difficult for a mist 906 of liquid to flow in the first direction, and easy to flow in the second direction. FIG. 9(b) is a diagram for explaining the sliding angle in the present invention. The sliding angle is the angle θ at which the pure water starts to move in the direction of the arrow when 20 μL of pure water is dropped onto the substrate to be measured and the substrate is tilted. The sliding angle can be measured using, for example, a contact angle meter (DM-501) made by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd., and the sliding angle can be measured from the angle displayed on the monitor of the meter. The difference between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction is preferably 20 degrees or more, and more preferably 30 degrees or more.

[0032] (Production method of the article) The method for manufacturing an article according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing an article including a step of discharging a liquid using the liquid discharge device according to the present invention, and is characterized in that the liquid is an ink containing a functional material for forming a functional thin film or a functional element. A liquid discharge method including a step of discharging a liquid using the liquid discharge device according to the present invention can also be used. Here, the liquid can be an ink containing a functional material for forming a functional thin film or a functional element. Although multiple types of solvents may be used in the ink containing the functional material, the present invention is not particularly limited to the type of solvent used. EXAMPLES

[0033] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but is not limited to these. Example 1 Example 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is (a) a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device in Example 1 of the present invention, and (b) a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the liquid ejection device in (a) cut along the line AA'. A groove structure was formed on a first surface 107 of a stainless steel nozzle cover 101 by laser processing, forming a concave-convex structure 105. Then, a liquid chamber 108 was joined to a recording element substrate 102 in which a plurality of nozzle openings 103 were formed, to form a liquid ejection head. A wiring member 106 was bonded to the recording element substrate 102, and the recording element substrate 102 was bonded to the nozzle cover 101 in which the concave-convex structure 105 was formed via an adhesive 104. The nozzle cover 101 has a first surface 107 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 102 having a plurality of nozzle openings 103, excluding the nozzle openings 103, and the concave-convex structure 105 is formed on the first surface 107. In Example 1, the liquid ejection head has a recording element substrate and a liquid chamber, but the present invention also includes an embodiment in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber. In addition, in FIG. 1(b), the adhesive 104 is partially omitted for ease of understanding. The dimensions of this uneven structure 105 were a groove width of 20 μm, a groove depth (height of the convex portion) of 12.5 μm, and a pitch of 40 μm. As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and (b), the uneven structure 105 was formed toward a first direction in which the wiring member 106 extends. The groove width of this uneven structure is preferably 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 10 μm or more and 40 μm or less. Within the above groove width range, the first sliding angle in the first direction in which the wiring member 106 extends can be made sufficiently large.

[0034] The groove depth (height of the convex portion) is preferably 3 μm to 50 μm, more preferably 5 μm to 40 μm. Within the above range of groove depth, the second sliding angle in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction can be sufficiently small. The pitch of the concave-convex structure is preferably 10 μm to 100 μm, more preferably 20 μm to 80 μm. Within the above pitch range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be made sufficiently large.

[0035] Within the above dimensional range, the difference in sliding angle between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees or more, and the directionality of the ink mist (the ink propagation direction) could be sufficiently controlled. In the uneven structure in Example 1, the first sliding angle in the first direction was 80 degrees, and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 40 degrees, and the difference in sliding angle was 40 degrees. Printing was performed using a liquid ejection device in which the above-mentioned members were set, and it was confirmed that even if the ink mist adhered to the nozzle cover, it did not move in the first direction, which is the direction in which the wiring member extends. This makes it possible to suppress the ink from propagating to the wiring members, thereby realizing a highly durable liquid ejection device in which the occurrence of disconnections and the like due to ink contamination is suppressed.

[0036] In this embodiment, stainless steel is used as the material for the nozzle cover, but a workable metal or a workable resin may also be used, and the same effect can be obtained with the same shape as above.

[0037] Example 2 Example 2 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows (a) a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device in Example 2 of the present invention, and (b) a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device in (a) taken along line BB'. A silicon film of 40 μm was formed on a stainless steel nozzle cover 201 by sputtering.

[0038] Next, a resist pattern with a pitch of 80 μm and a pattern width of 40 μm was formed by patterning using a photolithography process. Next, the silicon film was etched to a depth of 20 μm by dry etching using a fluorine-based gas, and then the resist was peeled off to form a concave-convex structure 205. Then, a liquid chamber 208 was bonded to a recording element substrate 202 on which a plurality of nozzle openings 203 were formed, to form a liquid ejection head. A wiring member 206 was bonded to the recording element substrate 202, and the nozzle cover 201 on which the concave-convex structure 205 was formed was bonded via an adhesive 204. The nozzle cover 201 has a first surface 207 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 202 having a plurality of nozzle openings 203, excluding the nozzle openings 203, and the concave-convex structure 205 is formed on the first surface 207. In Example 2, the liquid ejection head has a recording element substrate and a liquid chamber, but the present invention also includes an embodiment in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber. In FIG. 2(b), the adhesive 204 is partially omitted for ease of understanding. The dimensions of the uneven structure 205 of the silicon film formed on the nozzle cover 201 were a pitch of 80 μm, a pattern width of 40 μm, and a depth (height of the convex portion) of 20 μm. As shown in FIGS. 2(a) and (b), the uneven structure 205 was formed toward the first direction in which the wiring member 206 extends. The pitch of this uneven structure is preferably 20 μm or more and 150 μm or less, more preferably 40 μm or more and 120 μm or less. Within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction in which the wiring member 206 extends can be made sufficiently large.

[0039] The pattern width of this uneven structure is preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less, and within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be made sufficiently large. The depth of this uneven structure (the height of the convex portions) is preferably 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 10 μm or more and 40 μm or less, and within this range, the second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction can be made sufficiently small.

[0040] Within the above dimensional range, the difference in sliding angle between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees or more, and the directionality of the ink mist (the ink propagation direction) was sufficiently controlled. In the uneven structure in Example 2, the first sliding angle in the first direction was 60 degrees, and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 10 degrees, and the difference in sliding angle was 50 degrees.

[0041] By printing with the liquid ejection device equipped with the above components, it was confirmed that even if the ink mist adhered to the nozzle cover, it would not move in the first direction, which is the direction in which the wiring member extends. By increasing the sliding angle difference, the effect of suppressing the ink propagation to the wiring member was improved, and a highly durable liquid ejection device was realized in which disconnections due to ink contamination were further suppressed.

[0042] In this embodiment, a silicon film is used as the material for the uneven structure, but any material that can be dry etched can be used, and the same effect can be obtained with the same shape as above. For example, oxide films such as silicon oxide film, silicon nitride film, aluminum oxide film, and titanium oxide film, and metals such as stainless steel, silicon, aluminum, and titanium can also be used.

[0043] Example 3 Example 3 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows (a) a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device in Example 3 of the present invention, and (b) a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device in (a) cut along line CC'. A mask was set on a first surface 307 of a stainless steel nozzle cover 301, and a fluorine-based water-repellent film, SURFCLEAR100 (Canon Optron Inc.), was deposited and then heated at 120°C for 2 hours.

[0044] The mask was then removed to form a water-repellent portion 305-1 using a fluorine-based water-repellent film. A liquid chamber 308 was then bonded to a recording element substrate 302 having a plurality of nozzle openings 303 formed therein to form a liquid ejection head. A wiring member 306 was bonded to the recording element substrate 302, which was then bonded to a nozzle cover 301 via an adhesive 304.

[0045] At this time, the portion where the water-repellent portion 305-1 is not formed is a hydrophilic portion 305-2 made of stainless steel. The nozzle cover 301 has a first surface 307 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 302 having the nozzle orifices 303, excluding the nozzle orifices 303. The water-repellent portions 305-1 and the hydrophilic portions 305-2 are formed on the first surface 307 so as to be alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member 306 extends. In the third embodiment, the liquid ejection head has a recording element substrate and a liquid chamber, but the present invention also includes an embodiment in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber. Note that the adhesive 304 is partially omitted in FIG. 3(b) for ease of understanding.

[0046] In Example 3, the contact angle of the water-repellent portion 305-1 measured using pure water was 100 to 110 degrees, and the contact angle of the hydrophilic portion 305-2 (stainless steel) measured using pure water was 50 to 70 degrees. The pitch of the repeating structure of the water-repellent portion 305-1 and the hydrophilic portion 305-2 of the fluorine-based water-repellent film formed on the nozzle cover 301 was 100 μm, the pattern width of the water-repellent portion 305-1 was 50 μm, and the thickness was 0.1 μm. The pitch of the repeating structure of the water-repellent portion and the hydrophilic portion is preferably 50 μm or more and 200 μm or less, more preferably 80 μm or more and 180 μm or less, and within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction in which the wiring member 306 extends can be sufficiently large. The pattern width of the water-repellent portion is preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less. Within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be sufficiently large. When the water-repellent portion is produced by the above method, a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 μm may be obtained.

[0047] Within the above dimensional range, the difference in sliding angle between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees or more, and the directionality of the ink mist (the ink propagation direction) could be sufficiently controlled. In the repeating structure of the water-repellent portion and the hydrophilic portion in Example 3, the first sliding angle in the first direction was 80 degrees, the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees, and the difference in sliding angle was 60 degrees.

[0048] By printing with the liquid ejection device equipped with the above components, it was confirmed that even if the ink mist adhered to the nozzle cover, it would not move in the first direction, which is the direction in which the wiring member extends. This made it possible to suppress the ink from propagating to the wiring member, suppressing the occurrence of disconnections due to ink contamination, and realizing a liquid ejection device with a higher durability that is less susceptible to mist adsorption due to the absence of an uneven structure.

[0049] In this embodiment, a fluorine-based water-repellent film was selected for the water-repellent portion, but other water-repellent films that can maintain the sliding angle difference may also be used without any problems. In this study, Canon Optron Inc.'s SURFCLEAR100 was used for the water-repellent coating, but the same effect was obtained using OF-SR made by the same company. This water-repellent coating is made of fluorine compounds chemically bonded via siloxane bonds. Metals such as stainless steel, silicon, aluminum, and titanium are examples of hydrophilic parts. The same effect can be obtained by using the above materials and with the same shape as above.

[0050] Example 4 Example 4 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is (a) a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device in Example 4 of the present invention, and (b) a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device in (a) cut along line DD'. A mask with a curved surface was set on a stainless steel nozzle cover 401, and a silicon oxide film was deposited to a thickness of 50 µm using a deposition device.

[0051] Thereafter, the mask was removed to form a concave-convex structure 405 having a convex structure of a silicon oxide film. A liquid chamber 408 was bonded to a recording element substrate 402 having a plurality of nozzle openings 403 formed thereon to form a liquid ejection head. A wiring member 406 was bonded to the recording element substrate 402, and the recording element substrate 402 was bonded to a nozzle cover 401 having a concave-convex structure 405 formed thereon via an adhesive 404. The nozzle cover 401 has a first surface 407 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 402 having a plurality of nozzle openings 403, excluding the nozzle openings 403, and the concave-convex structure 405 is formed on the first surface 407 so as to be curved with respect to the extending direction of the wiring member 406. In the fourth embodiment, the liquid ejection head has a recording element substrate and a liquid chamber, but the present invention also includes an embodiment in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber. In FIG. 4(b), the adhesive 404 is partially omitted for ease of understanding.

[0052] The dimensions of the uneven structure 405 having a convex structure of the silicon oxide film formed on the nozzle cover 401 in the cross-sectional view were a pitch of 120 μm, a pattern width of the convex structure of 40 μm, and a height of the convex structure (convex portion) of 50 μm. The pitch of the uneven structure is preferably 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less, more preferably 80 μm or more and 180 μm or less, and within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction in which the wiring member 406 extends can be sufficiently increased. The pattern width of the convex structure is preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less, and within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be sufficiently increased. The height of the convex structure (convex portion) is preferably 10 μm or more and 80 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 60 μm or less, and within this range, the second sliding angle in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction can be sufficiently reduced.

[0053] Within the above-mentioned dimensional range, the difference in sliding angle between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees or more, and the directionality of the ink mist could be sufficiently controlled. In the uneven structure in Example 4, the first sliding angle in the first direction was 80 degrees, and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 30 degrees, and the difference in sliding angle was 50 degrees. Printing was performed using a liquid ejection device in which the above-mentioned members were set, and it was confirmed that even if the ink mist adhered to the nozzle cover, it easily flowed in the second direction where there was no wiring member, and did not move in the first direction, which is the direction in which the wiring member extends.

[0054] This makes it possible to prevent ink from spreading to the wiring member, thereby preventing breaks and other problems caused by ink contamination, and because no uneven structure is formed near the nozzle opening, it is easier to remove ink from near the nozzle opening, resulting in a more durable liquid ejection device.

[0055] In this embodiment, a silicon oxide film was selected as the convex structure, but other oxide films or metal films that can maintain the sliding angle difference can also be used. In addition, other metals such as aluminum can also be used as the material for the nozzle cover. Using the above materials, the same effect can be obtained with the same shape as above.

[0056] Example 5 Example 5 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 shows (a) a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device in Example 5 of the present invention, and (b) a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device in (a) taken along line EE'. A silicon film of 30 µm was formed on a first surface 507 of a stainless steel nozzle cover 501 by sputtering.

[0057] Next, a resist pattern with a pitch of 100 μm and a pattern width of 50 μm was formed by patterning using a photolithography process. Next, the silicon film was etched to a depth of 30 μm by dry etching using a fluorine-based gas, and then the resist was peeled off to form a convex structure, and a concave-convex structure 505 was formed. Since the base was stainless steel, selective etching with this fluorine-based gas was possible. Then, a liquid chamber 508 was bonded to a recording element substrate 502 in which a plurality of nozzle openings 503 were formed, to form a liquid ejection head. A wiring member 506 was bonded to the recording element substrate 502, and then the wiring member 506 was bonded to a nozzle cover 501 in which a concave-convex structure 505 was formed via an adhesive 504. The nozzle cover 501 has a first surface 507 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 502 having a plurality of nozzle openings 503, except for the nozzle openings 503, and a concave-convex structure 505 is formed on the first surface 507 so as to surround the nozzle openings 503 on all four sides. In the fifth embodiment, the liquid ejection head has a recording element substrate and a liquid chamber, but the present invention also includes an embodiment in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber. In FIG. 5(b), the adhesive 504 is partially omitted for ease of understanding. The dimensions of the uneven structure 505 having a convex structure of the silicon film formed on the nozzle cover 501 in the cross-sectional view were a pitch of 100 μm, a pattern width of the convex structure of 50 μm, and a height of the convex structure (convex portion) of 30 μm. The pitch of this uneven structure is preferably 20 μm or more and 150 μm or less, more preferably 40 μm or more and 120 μm or less. Within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction toward the outside of the nozzle cover 501 can be sufficiently large.

[0058] The pattern width of this convex structure is preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less, and within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be made sufficiently large. The height of this convex structure (convex portion) is preferably 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 10 μm or more and 40 μm or less, and within this range, the second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction can be made sufficiently small.

[0059] Within the above dimensional range, the difference in sliding angle between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees or more, and the directionality of the ink mist (the ink propagation direction) could be sufficiently controlled. In the uneven structure in Example 5, the first sliding angle in the first direction was 70 degrees, the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees, and the difference in sliding angle was 50 degrees.

[0060] Printing was performed using the liquid ejection device in which the above-mentioned components were set, and it was confirmed that even if ink mist adhered to the nozzle cover, it was difficult for it to flow in the first direction toward the outside of the nozzle cover. By providing an uneven structure that surrounds all four sides of the nozzle opening, it is possible to prevent ink from getting around to all sides of the nozzle cover, thereby also preventing ink contamination of the liquid ejection head. This makes it possible to realize a nozzle cover that is less susceptible to ink contamination, thereby realizing a nozzle cover and liquid ejection device with higher durability.

[0061] In this embodiment, silicon oxide film is used as the material for the convex structure (convex portion), but other metals or oxide films can be used as long as they can be selectively etched with stainless steel. In addition, other metals such as aluminum can also be used as the material for the nozzle cover. Using the above materials, the same effect can be obtained with the same shape as above.

[0062] Example 6 Example 6 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 10. Figure 10 shows (a) a schematic top view of a part of a liquid ejection device in Example 6 of the present invention, and (b) a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the liquid ejection device in (a) cut along line HH'. A resist resin film of 40 μm was formed on a first surface 1007 of a stainless steel nozzle cover 1001 using a coater.

[0063] Next, a resist pattern having a semicircular cross section with a pitch of 120 μm and a pattern width of 60 μm was formed by adjusting the exposure and development conditions in a photolithography process. Thereafter, the resist pattern was cured by heating at 120°C for 1 hour, forming a concave-convex structure 1005 having a semicircular cross section. The contact angle of the resist resin film with pure water was 93 to 98 degrees. Thereafter, a liquid chamber 1008 was bonded to a recording element substrate 1002 in which a plurality of nozzle openings 1003 were formed, to form a liquid ejection head. A wiring member 1006 was bonded to the recording element substrate 1002, which was then bonded to a nozzle cover 1001 in which a concave-convex structure 1005 was formed via an adhesive 1004.

[0064] The nozzle cover 1001 has a first surface 1007 that covers at least a part of the surface of the recording element substrate 1002 having the nozzle orifice 1003, except for the nozzle orifice 1003, and a concave-convex structure 1005 that surrounds the four sides of the nozzle orifice 1003 is formed on the first surface 1007. At this time, since the resist resin is water-repellent and the stainless steel is hydrophilic, the convex parts of the concave-convex structure 1005 are water-repellent parts and the concave parts are hydrophilic parts. In Example 6, the liquid ejection head has a recording element substrate and a liquid chamber, but the present invention also includes an embodiment in which the liquid ejection head does not include a liquid chamber. Note that the adhesive 1004 is partially omitted in FIG. 10(b) for ease of understanding. The dimensions of the concave-convex structure 1005 having a semicircular cross section formed on this nozzle cover 1001 were a pitch of 120 μm in the cross-sectional view, a pattern width of the convex structure of 60 μm, and a height of the convex structure (convex part) of 40 μm. The pitch of this uneven structure is preferably 20 μm or more and 150 μm or less, more preferably 40 μm or more and 120 μm or less. Within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction toward the outside of the nozzle cover 1001 can be made sufficiently large.

[0065] The pattern width of this convex structure is preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less, and within this range, the first sliding angle in the first direction can be made sufficiently large. The height of this convex structure (convex portion) is preferably 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 10 μm or more and 40 μm or less, and within this range, the second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction can be made sufficiently small.

[0066] Within the above dimensional range, the difference in sliding angle between the first sliding angle in the first direction and the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees or more, and the directionality of the ink mist (the ink propagation direction) could be sufficiently controlled. In the uneven structure in Example 6, the first sliding angle in the first direction was 60 degrees, the second sliding angle in the second direction was 20 degrees, and the difference in sliding angle was 40 degrees.

[0067] Printing was performed using the liquid ejection device in which the above-mentioned components were set, and it was confirmed that even if ink mist adhered to the nozzle cover, it was difficult for it to flow in the first direction toward the outside of the nozzle cover. By providing an uneven structure that surrounds all four sides of the nozzle opening, it is possible to prevent ink from getting around to all sides of the nozzle cover, thereby also preventing ink contamination of the liquid ejection head. This makes it possible to realize a nozzle cover that is less susceptible to ink contamination, thereby realizing a nozzle cover and liquid ejection device with higher durability.

[0068] In this embodiment, a resist resin is used as the material for the convex structure, but other materials can be used as long as they are photosensitive resins and can be formed by a photolithography process. In addition, other metals such as aluminum can also be used as the material for the nozzle cover. By using the above materials, the same effect can be obtained with the same shape as above.

[0069] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Configuration 1) a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface having a droplet control region; A liquid ejection device, characterized in that in the droplet control region, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member extends is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. (Configuration 2) 2. The liquid ejection device according to configuration 1, wherein a difference between the first sliding angle and the second sliding angle is 20 degrees or more. (Configuration 3) a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface has an uneven structure, The liquid ejection device, wherein the uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends. (Configuration 4) the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 4. The liquid ejection device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the uneven structure has a pitch of 10 μm or more and 200 μm or less. (Configuration 5) the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 5. The liquid ejection device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the height of the protrusions of the concave-convex structure is 3 μm or more and 100 μm or less. (Configuration 6) the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 6. The liquid ejection device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the convex portions of the concave-convex structure are water-repellent portions and the concave portions are hydrophilic portions. (Configuration 7) the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 7. The liquid ejection device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the concave-convex structure is curved with respect to the extending direction of the wiring member. (Configuration 8) a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface having a droplet control region; The liquid ejection device, wherein the liquid droplet control region has a region in which hydrophilic portions and water-repellent portions are alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends. (Configuration 9) The liquid ejection apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, further comprising a cleaning member that wipes off liquid adhering to the nozzle cover. (Configuration 10) a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of a recording element substrate having a plurality of nozzle openings that eject liquid, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface having a droplet control region; A nozzle cover characterized in that in the droplet control area, a first sliding angle in a first direction from the position of the nozzle opening toward the outside of the nozzle cover is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. (Configuration 11) A nozzle cover according to configuration 10; a liquid ejection head having the recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting the liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate. (Method 12) A method for manufacturing an article, comprising a step of ejecting a liquid using the liquid ejection device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9 and 11, The method for manufacturing an article, wherein the liquid is an ink containing a functional material for forming a functional thin film or a functional element. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 901, 1001 Nozzle Cover 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 902, 1002 Printing element substrate 103, 203, 303, 403, 503, 603, 703, 903, 1003 Nozzle mouth 106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706, 1006 Wiring materials

Claims

1. a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface having a droplet control region; A liquid ejection device, characterized in that in the droplet control region, a first sliding angle in a first direction in which the wiring member extends is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

2. 2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the difference between the first sliding angle and the second sliding angle is 20 degrees or more.

3. a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface has an uneven structure, The liquid ejection device, wherein the uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends.

4. the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the uneven structure has a pitch of 10 [mu]m or more and 200 [mu]m or less.

5. the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the height of the projections of the projection-recess structure is 3 [mu]m or more and 100 [mu]m or less.

6. the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the convex portions of the concave-convex structure are water-repellent portions and the concave portions are hydrophilic portions.

7. the first surface has an uneven structure, The uneven structure has concave and convex portions alternately repeated in an extending direction of the wiring member, 4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the concave-convex structure is curved with respect to a direction in which the wiring member extends.

8. a liquid ejection head having a recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate; a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of the recording element substrate having the plurality of nozzle openings, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface having a droplet control region; The liquid ejection device, wherein the liquid droplet control region has a region in which hydrophilic portions and water-repellent portions are alternately repeated in the direction in which the wiring member extends.

9. 9. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning member for wiping off liquid adhering to the nozzle cover.

10. a nozzle cover having a first surface that covers at least a part of a surface of a recording element substrate having a plurality of nozzle openings that eject liquid, excluding the nozzle openings; the first surface having a droplet control region; A nozzle cover characterized in that in the droplet control area, a first sliding angle in a first direction from the position of the nozzle opening toward the outside of the nozzle cover is greater than a second sliding angle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

11. A nozzle cover according to claim 10; a liquid ejection head having the recording element substrate on which a plurality of nozzle openings for ejecting the liquid are arranged; a wiring member electrically connected to the recording element substrate.

12. A method for manufacturing an article, comprising a step of ejecting a liquid using the liquid ejection device according to claim 1, 3 or 8, The method for manufacturing an article, wherein the liquid is an ink containing a functional material for forming a functional thin film or a functional element.

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