Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection apparatus, and manufacturing method of liquid ejection head

Abstract

To provide a technique by which a recording medium with a curled leading edge portion can be guided from a leading edge of the recording medium and increase in weight can be inhibited.SOLUTION: A liquid ejection head includes: an element board for ejecting a liquid; a support member supporting the element board; a protection cover which covers and protects the element board while forming a gap with the support member; and a guide part which is provided near the protection cover in the support member and may restrict entry of a leading edge of a recording medium having a curled leading edge portion into the gap and guide the leading edge to a front surface side of the protection cover.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid ejection head that includes a cover member that covers a flexible wiring board connected to a recording element substrate while exposing the ejection ports of the recording element substrate supported by a support member to the outside. This cover member is formed with a guide portion on the upstream side in the recording medium transport direction, which is inclined so as to guide a recording medium with a curved (curled) tip into the space between the liquid ejection head and a support portion (platen) from the tip during transport. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-168641 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the cover member covers the entire support surface of the support member except for the area where the ejection ports are formed, and is formed to extend from the support surface to the upstream and downstream sides in the transport direction, which results in an increase in the size of the cover member and an increase in the weight of the liquid ejection head.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can guide a recording medium with a curled tip from its tip and can suppress an increase in weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one embodiment of a liquid ejection head according to the present disclosure is characterized by having an element substrate that ejects liquid, a support member that supports the element substrate, a protective cover that covers and protects the element substrate while providing a gap between the support member and the protective cover, and a guide portion that is provided on the support member near the protective cover and that is capable of guiding the tip of a recording medium with a curled tip portion toward the surface side of the protective cover while restricting the tip from entering the gap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a recording medium with a curled leading end can be guided from the leading end, and an increase in weight can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a liquid ejection device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an external view of a liquid ejection head. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a discharge unit. [Figure 4] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the ejection unit is supported by the support member. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a guide portion according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid ejection device according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a guide portion according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] 9 is a diagram showing a modified example of the guide portion of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples of the guide portion. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples of the guide portion. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples of the guide portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection device, and a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiment does not limit the present disclosure, and not all combinations of features described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential to the solutions of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the positions, shapes, etc. of the components described in the present embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the present invention to only those.

[0010] (First embodiment) First, a liquid ejection head according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] <Configuration of Liquid Ejection Device> The following describes an outline of the configuration of a liquid ejection device equipped with a liquid ejection head according to this embodiment. In the following description, a liquid ejection device equipped with a liquid ejection head that ejects ink as a liquid and ejects ink from the liquid ejection head to perform recording on a recording medium will be described as an example. Note that the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head is not limited to ink, but also includes a treatment liquid that performs a predetermined process on the ink ejected onto the recording medium. In this embodiment, the transport direction of the recording medium is defined as the X direction, the width direction of the recording medium perpendicular to the X direction is defined as the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the X direction and the Y direction is defined as the Z direction. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, the liquid ejection head will be described using the direction when mounted on the liquid ejection device. In the following description, the "transport direction of the recording medium" will be referred to simply as the "transport direction" as appropriate.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a liquid ejection device. The liquid ejection device 10 in Fig. 1 includes a transport unit 12 that transports a recording medium M, and a liquid ejection head 14 that ejects ink onto the recording medium M transported by the transport unit 12 to perform recording. The transport unit 12 is configured to transport the recording medium M in the X direction, and includes a support unit (platen) 16 that supports the transported recording medium M. Therefore, the recording medium M is transported by the transport unit 12 into a space formed between the support unit 16 and the liquid ejection head 14, and while supported by the support unit 16, ink is ejected from the liquid ejection head 14 to perform recording.

[0013] In the liquid ejection device 10, for example, the transport unit 12 transports a plurality of recording media M continuously or intermittently, while the liquid ejection head 14 continuously performs recording on the recording media M. The recording media M used in the liquid ejection device 10 include not only paper such as cut paper and roll paper, but also anything that can accept ink, such as cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, and leather.

[0014] <Configuration of liquid ejection head> Next, the configuration of the liquid ejection head 14 will be described. Fig. 2 is an external view of the main parts of the liquid ejection head 14, and is a perspective view seen from the bottom surface side facing the support part 16 of the transport part 12. The liquid ejection head 14 includes a recording element substrate 202 on which ejection ports 200 for ejecting ink are formed, and a support member 204 that supports the recording element substrate 202. The recording element substrate (hereinafter also referred to as "element substrate") 202 is disposed on a surface 204a of the support member 204 facing the support part 16 of the transport part 12 so as to be able to eject ink onto the recording medium M supported by the support part 16.

[0015] The liquid ejection head 14 includes a protective cover 206 that covers and protects the recording element substrate 202 while leaving a predetermined area including the ejection ports 200 exposed to the outside through the openings 205. Therefore, the bottom surface 14a of the liquid ejection head 14 includes the surface 204a of the support member 204, the protective cover 206, and the predetermined area of ​​the recording element substrate 202 that includes the ejection ports 200. The liquid ejection head 14 also includes a flexible wiring board 208 for transmitting power and drive signals to the recording element substrate 202, and a liquid supply unit 210 for supplying ink to the recording element substrate 202 via the support member 204. The liquid supply unit 210 has various known functions, such as an ink circulation function, a temperature control function, and a filter function, depending on the characteristics of the ink used and the functions of the liquid ejection head 14.

[0016] Ink is supplied to the liquid ejection head 14 from an ink tank (not shown) provided in the liquid ejection device 10. This supplied ink is then supplied to the recording element substrate 202 in the liquid ejection head 14 via a liquid supply unit 210 and a support member 204. Then, in the liquid ejection head 14, energy generating elements (not shown) in the recording element substrate 202 are driven by power and drive signals transmitted via a flexible wiring substrate 208. Then, ink is ejected from the ejection ports 200 by energy generated by driving the energy generating elements.

[0017] The liquid ejection head 14 has a line-type head configuration in which ejection units 220, each including a recording element substrate 202, a protective cover 206, and a flexible wiring substrate 208, are arranged in a staggered pattern over a range corresponding to the length of the recording medium in the width direction (Y direction). In this embodiment, the liquid ejection head 14 has four ejection units 220 arranged in a staggered pattern, but this is not limited to this. The number of ejection units 220 arranged in the liquid ejection head 14 is not limited to four, and may be one, two, three, or five or more. Furthermore, the arrangement of the ejection units 220 in the liquid ejection head 14 is not limited to a staggered arrangement, and various known arrangements such as an inline arrangement may also be used.

[0018] <Configuration of the discharge unit> Next, the configuration of the discharge unit 220 will be described. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the discharge unit 220. As described above, the discharge unit 220 includes the recording element substrate 202, the protective cover 206, and the flexible wiring substrate 208. The recording element substrate 202 includes an ink flow path (not shown) and an energy generating element (not shown) therein, and is formed, for example, from a silicon base.

[0019] The recording element substrate 202 is provided with an ejection port forming member made of, for example, photosensitive resin, and the ejection ports 200 are formed in this ejection port forming member. In order to protect a portion of the surface of the recording element substrate 202 on which the ejection ports 200 are formed and the surrounding area thereof, a protective cover 206 is attached to the recording element substrate 202 via an adhesive, with a predetermined area including the ejection ports 200 exposed to the outside through an opening 205. The protective cover 206 is made of metal and has a thickness of, for example, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. In this embodiment, the protective cover 206 has a substantially rectangular plate shape extending in the XY plane.

[0020] The energy generating elements may be various known elements such as heat generating elements, piezoelectric elements, etc. The energy generating elements are electrically connected to a flexible wiring board 208, and are supplied with power from a power source via the flexible wiring board 208, and are also transmitted with a drive signal from a control unit (not shown) of the liquid ejection device 10, for example.

[0021] In this embodiment, the flexible wiring substrate 208 is connected to two opposing sides of the recording element substrate 202. The flexible wiring substrate 208 is mainly composed of a base film 302, a cover film 304, and electrical wiring 306. The base film 302 and the cover film 304 are made of a flexible resin, such as polyimide resin, to improve flexibility in handling. The electrical wiring 306 is formed of copper foil or the like and is bonded with an adhesive so as to be sandwiched between the base film 302 and the cover film 304. At both ends in the extension direction of the flexible wiring substrate 208, a portion of the electrical wiring 306 is exposed to the outside on the base film 302. The electrical wiring 306 exposed at one end of the flexible wiring substrate 208 is electrically connected to the recording element substrate 202, and the electrical wiring 306 exposed at the other end is electrically connected to an electrical board or the like on the liquid ejection device side.

[0022] <Discharge unit in support member> Next, the attachment of the discharge unit 220 to the support member 204 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the discharge unit 220 is attached to the support member 204. Note that in FIG. 4, configurations other than the discharge unit 220 and the support member 204 are omitted for ease of understanding. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of the support member 204 with the discharge unit 220 attached, as seen from the front surface 204a side. FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IVb-IVb in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 4(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IVc-IVc in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 4(d) is an enlarged view of the area within the frame IVd in FIG. 4(b).

[0023] The ejection unit 220 is adhered to the support member 204 with high precision to support high-resolution recording. The support member 204 supports the recording element substrate 202 and also functions as a flow path member that supplies ink to the recording element substrate 202. Therefore, the recording element substrate 202 in the ejection unit 220 is adhered to the support member 204 via an adhesive 402 with the flow paths communicating. When adhering the recording element substrate 202 and the support member 204, the recording element substrate 202 to which the adhesive 402 has been applied may be adhered to the support member 204, or the recording element substrate 202 may be adhered to the support member 204 to which the adhesive 402 has been applied.

[0024] The adhesive 402 is preferably resistant to the ink used, and in this embodiment, a thermosetting epoxy resin is used, which is cured by heating at an actual temperature of 100°C. If a temperature change occurs in the liquid ejection head 14 due to heating when curing the adhesive 402 or heating when adjusting the temperature of the ink, internal stress will be generated due to the difference in the expansion coefficients of the support member 204 and the recording element substrate 202, and there is a risk that the liquid ejection head 14 will be damaged. For this reason, it is preferable to reduce the difference in linear expansion coefficients between the support member 204 and the recording element substrate 202. In this embodiment, alumina is used for the support member 204.

[0025] When the recording element substrate 202 is bonded to the support member 204, the flexible wiring substrate 208 in the discharge unit 220 is bent and inserted into the hole 404 provided in the support member 204, and is inserted into the support member 204 (see FIG. 4(b)). The inserted flexible wiring substrate 208 is connected to an electric board (not shown) of the liquid discharge device 10.

[0026] A plurality of discharge units 220 are attached to the support member 204 so as to align the positions in the height direction (Z direction) of the discharge surfaces 202a, on which the discharge ports 200 are formed, of the recording element substrate 202 (see FIG. 4(c)). The discharge units 220 (recording element substrates 202) vary in size in the Z direction. For this reason, when the recording element substrate 202 and the support member 204 are attached, a floating mount is performed in which the amount of compression of the adhesive 402 is varied to absorb the size variations in the Z direction among the discharge units 220. When the floating mount is performed, if the protective cover 206 comes into contact with the support member 204, the positions of the discharge surfaces 202a of the discharge units 220 in the Z direction cannot be aligned. For this reason, a gap g is provided between the support member 204 and the protective cover 206 (see FIG. 4(d)). The gap g is greater than the thickness of the recording medium M.

[0027] <Possible concerns about protective covers> In the liquid ejection device 10 configured as described above, ink is ejected from the liquid ejection head 14 onto the recording medium M transported by the transport unit 12 to perform recording.

[0028] As described above, a gap g is provided between the support member 204 and the protective cover 206 on the surface 204a of the support member 204 that forms the bottom surface 14a of the liquid ejection head 14. Therefore, if the leading edge portion of the recording medium M curls and the leading edge Mt rises above the support portion 16, the leading edge Mt will enter the gap g during transport of the recording medium M (see FIG. 4(b)), and further transport thereafter will result in jamming. Note that in this embodiment, the leading edge portion of the recording medium M refers to a portion within a predetermined range from the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M, including the leading edge Mt of the recording medium. Furthermore, the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M refers to the end portion of the recording medium M on the downstream side in the transport direction.

[0029] When jamming occurs, it is necessary to stop the recording that is being performed in order to remove the recording medium M. In addition, there is a risk that the connecting portion between the recording element substrate 202 and the flexible wiring substrate 208 may be damaged due to the contact of the entering tip Mt with the recording element substrate 202 or the impact at that time.

[0030] <Guide section> Therefore, in this embodiment, a guide portion 500 is provided for each discharge unit 220, which prevents the leading edge Mt of the curled recording medium M from entering the gap g and guides the leading edge Mt toward the surface 206a of the protective cover 206 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). That is, when the curled recording medium M is conveyed, the guide portion 500 prevents the leading edge Mt from entering the gap g and guides the leading edge Mt into the space between the liquid discharge head 14 and the support portion 16. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the guide portion 500. FIG. 5(a) is a perspective view of the support member 204 to which the discharge unit 220 is attached, as seen from the surface 204a side. FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Vb-Vb in FIG. 5(a). FIG. 5(c) is an enlarged view of the area enclosed by the frame Vc in FIG. 5(b). FIG. 5(d) is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for forming the guide portion.

[0031] The guide portion 500 is provided on the surface 204a of the support member 204, on the upstream side in the transport direction of each discharge unit 220. More specifically, the guide portion 500 is provided adjacent to the protective cover 206, on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the protective cover 206. The guide portion 500 protrudes in the -Z direction (vertically downward) on the surface 204a (see FIG. 5(b)), and is formed in a straight line that is approximately parallel to the long side of the protective cover 206 (see FIG. 5(a)).

[0032] The guide portion 500 is formed, for example, by applying a resin material to the surface 204a of the support member 204 from an application needle 502 (see FIG. 5(d)) and then curing the resin material. The guide portion 500 is formed to have a length in the Y direction equal to or greater than the length of the side of the protective cover 206 on the upstream side in the transport direction. Note that, in cases where the discharge units 220 are adjacent to each other in the Y direction, the guide portions 500 corresponding to the protective covers 206 in these discharge units 220 may be formed by connecting them.

[0033] The greater the thickness T (length in the Z direction) of the guide portion 500, the better the effect of restricting the entry of the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M and the effect of guiding the leading edge Mt. However, to perform high-resolution recording, it is necessary to narrow the distance between the recording medium M and the ejection surface 202a. For this reason, the thickness T (see FIG. 5(c)) is preferably formed so that it does not protrude in the -Z direction from the surface 206a of the protective cover 206. Specifically, it is more preferable that the guide portion 500 is formed higher in the -Z direction than the back surface 206b (the adhesive surface to the recording element substrate 202) of the protective cover 206 attached to the recording element substrate 202, but lower than the front surface 206a (see FIG. 5(c)). In other words, it is preferable that the apex P (see FIG. 5(c)) of the guide portion 500 be positioned between the front surface 206a and the back surface 206b of the protective cover 206 in the Z direction.

[0034] Thus, thickness T of guide portion 500 needs to be formed with high precision. For this reason, when forming guide portion 500, the Z-direction positions of surface 206a of protective cover 206 and surface 204a of support member 204 are measured using a laser displacement meter or the like. Then, based on the measurement results, the Z-direction position of application needle 502 is changed so that the resin material is applied by application needle 502.

[0035] Furthermore, the guide portion 500 is formed at a distance L from the protective cover 206 that allows the leading end Mt of the curled recording medium M to be guided into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support portion 16, based on the allowable degree of curl of the recording medium M (see FIG. 5(c)). Note that, in order to enhance the guiding effect of the leading end Mt, it is preferable to narrow the distance L (see FIG. 5(c)) between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500. Specifically, it is preferable that the distance L is smaller than the thickness Tm (see FIG. 5(b)) of the recording medium M.

[0036] <Guide section formation> The guide portion 500 is shaped so that it can guide the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M, the leading edge of which is curled, into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support portion 16 while the recording medium M is being transported (see FIG. 5(b)). Specifically, the guide portion 500 has a shape in which the surface on the upstream side in the transport direction (i.e., the surface formed on the upstream side in the transport direction from the vertex P) is inclined in the -Z direction as it progresses in the transport direction. In this way, in this embodiment, the surface on the upstream side in the transport direction of the guide portion 500 is an inclined surface that inclines from the support member 204 side toward the protective cover 206 as it approaches the protective cover 206.

[0037] In this embodiment, when forming the guide portion 500 at a distance L from the protective cover 206, the position of the end 206c (see FIG. 5(c)) of the protective cover 206 on the upstream side in the conveying direction is measured using an image measuring device or the like. Then, based on the measurement results, the position of the application needle 502 on the XY plane is determined. Thereafter, while moving the application needle 502 in the Y direction, a resin material is applied from the application needle 502 to the surface 204a of the support member 204, and the applied resin material is cured to form the guide portion 500. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cross section of the guide portion 500 in the conveying direction is dome-shaped (see FIG. 5(d)). As a result, the surface of the guide portion 500 on the upstream side in the conveying direction is curved and inclined in the -Z direction as it progresses in the conveying direction.

[0038] For this reason, when the recording medium M with its leading edge curled is transported, its leading edge Mt first comes into contact with the guide section 500. At this time, the leading edge Mt comes into contact with the surface of the guide section 500 on the upstream side in the transport direction. The shape of the surface on the upstream side in the transport direction of the guide section 500 is inclined in the -Z direction as it progresses in the transport direction. For this reason, as the recording medium M is further transported, the leading edge Mt travels along that surface and is guided into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support section 16 (see FIG. 5(b)).

[0039] When forming the guide portion 500 using the application needle 502, a clearance CL of approximately 0.1 mm is required between the protective cover 206 and the application needle 502. The value of this clearance CL takes into consideration the precision of an application device used to apply the resin material to form the guide portion 500, and is set to prevent the application needle 502 from contacting the protective cover 206. Furthermore, since the application needle 502 has a thick wall portion 502b (see FIG. 5(d)) that forms the space 502a through which the resin material passes, the position where the resin material is applied is separated from the protective cover 206 in the X direction. Furthermore, in order to form the thickness T of the guide portion 500 so that it does not protrude beyond the surface 206a of the protective cover 206 in the -Z direction, it is difficult to apply the resin material while the guide portion 500 and the protective cover 206 are in contact with each other.

[0040] Using a highly fluid resin material for forming the guide portion 500 allows the guide portion 500 and the protective cover 206 to come into contact with each other. However, in this case, the resin material tends to wet and spread after application, making it difficult to achieve the required thickness. For this reason, the resin material for forming the guide portion 500 is required to have a low fluidity and a viscosity that allows it to maintain its shape from application to hardening. Specifically, the viscosity of the resin material for forming the guide portion 500 is preferably 200 Pa·s to 1500 Pa·s. In this embodiment, the guide portion 500 is formed using a resin material with a viscosity of 300 Pa·s. Furthermore, the guide portion 500 is preferably hard enough to resist abrasion when contacted by the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M. Therefore, the resin material for forming the guide portion 500 is preferably one that, after hardening, has a hardness that is unlikely to be damaged even when contacted by the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M during transport. In this embodiment, a thermosetting epoxy resin is used. The resin is cured at an actual temperature of 100°C.

[0041] <Action and effect> As described above, in the liquid ejection head 14, the protective cover 206 is provided independently on each of the recording element substrates 202 supported by the support member 204, with a gap g between the protective cover 206 and the surface 204a of the support member 204. Furthermore, in the support member 204, a guide section 500 is provided on the upstream side of the protective cover 206 in the transport direction, which guides the leading edge Mt of the curled recording medium into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support section 16 while restricting the leading edge Mt from entering the gap g during transport.

[0042] As a result, in the liquid ejection head 14, the member that protects the recording element substrate 202 and the member that guides the leading edge Mt of the curled recording medium between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support portion 16 can be made smaller than the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1. This makes it possible to prevent an increase in the weight of the liquid ejection head 14, and also makes it possible to reduce power consumption when moving the liquid ejection head 14, such as during maintenance.

[0043] (Second embodiment) Next, a liquid ejection head according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the liquid ejection device according to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0044] This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a filler is filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500 to connect the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500. The filler and the filling method thereof will be described in detail below.

[0045] <Filler> FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the filler to be filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500. FIG. 6(a) is a perspective view of the support member 204 to which the discharge unit 220 is attached, viewed from the surface 204a side. FIG. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIb-VIb in FIG. 6(a). FIG. 6(c) is an enlarged view of the area within the frame VIc in FIG. 6(b), and illustrates an example of a method for filling the filler. FIG. 6(d) is a diagram illustrating an inclined portion formed by the filler.

[0046] The filler 600 is filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500 so that the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500 are connected to each other. At this time, the filler 600 is formed so that the ridge between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500 (i.e., the line connecting the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500) is gentle in a cross section in the conveyance direction (see FIG. 6(c)). The filler 600 is made of, for example, the same resin material as the guide portion 500, and has higher fluidity than the resin material used to form the guide portion 500. The filler 600 preferably has a viscosity of, for example, 10 to 200 Pa·s when filled.

[0047] In this embodiment, a thermosetting epoxy resin with a viscosity of 40 Pa·s is used as the filler 600, and is cured by heating at an actual temperature of 100°C. A resin material different from the resin material used to form the guide portion 500 may be used for the filler 600. Alternatively, the filler 600 may have the same components as the resin material used to form the guide portion 500, and the viscosity may be adjusted by changing at least one of the diameter and amount of the filler contained therein.

[0048] In this way, the filler 600 connects the protective cover 206 and the guide unit 500 with a gently sloping ridge. Therefore, the leading end Mt that abuts against the upstream surface of the guide unit 500 in the transport direction travels along the guide unit 500 and then reaches the filler 600 (see FIG. 6(b)). Then, as the recording medium M is further transported, the leading end Mt travels along the filler 600 and reaches the surface 206a of the protective cover 206, and is thereby guided into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support unit 16. In this way, in this embodiment, the guide unit 500 and the filler 600 function as a configuration that can guide the leading end Mt of the curled recording medium M toward the surface 206a of the protective cover 206.

[0049] Because the filler 600 has high fluidity, when it fills the gap between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500, it flows into the gap g between the protective cover 206 and the surface 204a of the support member 204 by capillary action. Filling the gap g with the filler 600 allows the protective cover 206 to be supported on the surface 204a via the filler 600, improving the resistance to external forces exerted on the vicinity of the upstream end 206c of the protective cover 206 in the transport direction. Furthermore, filling the gap g with the filler 600 makes it difficult for minute droplets generated when ink is ejected from the ejection ports 200 to adhere to electrical components, such as the flexible wiring board 208, between the protective cover 206 and the surface 204a. Note that if minute droplets adhere to electrical components, electrical malfunctions may occur.

[0050] The amount and position of the filler 600 to be filled are determined based on information such as the position of the protective cover 206 and the support member 204 in the Z direction, and the position of the upstream end 206c of the protective cover 206 in the transport direction in the XY plane, which were used when applying the filler to the guide portion 500. This position information may be acquired when the filler 600 is filled. Furthermore, when filling the filler 600, the application needle 502 may be positioned using a jig or the like. The filler 600 is filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500 without contacting the surface 206a of the protective cover 206.

[0051] In the above description, the filler 600 is filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500, but the present invention is not limited to this. Furthermore, an inclined portion 602 may be formed on the upstream side of the guide portion 500 in the conveying direction so as to gently connect the surface 204a of the support member 204 and the vicinity of the apex P of the guide portion 500 (see FIG. 6(d)). When forming the inclined portion 602, for example, a resin material is used as the filler 600. This allows the leading end Mt to be guided smoothly into the guide portion 500, making jamming less likely to occur.

[0052] <Action and effect> As described above, the filler 600 is filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 500 so as to smoothly connect the surface 206a of the protective cover 206 and the vicinity of the apex P of the guide portion 500. This provides the effect of smoothly transferring the tip Mt from the guide portion 500 to the surface 206a of the protective cover 206, making it less likely that jamming will occur during the transfer from the guide portion 500 to the protective cover 206, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment.

[0053] Furthermore, an inclined portion 602 is formed on the upstream side of the guide portion 500 in the conveying direction, gently connecting the vicinity of the apex P of the guide portion 500 with the surface 204a of the support member 204. This allows the tip Mt to move smoothly from the surface 204a to the guide portion 500, making it less likely that jamming will occur when the tip Mt moves from the surface 204a to the guide portion 500.

[0054] (Third embodiment) Next, a liquid ejection head according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In the following description, the same or corresponding components as those in the liquid ejection device according to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] The liquid ejection head according to the first embodiment is configured to be compatible with a line-type liquid ejection device, whereas the liquid ejection head according to the second embodiment is configured to be compatible with a serial scan-type liquid ejection device. The liquid ejection head according to this embodiment differs from the liquid ejection head of the first embodiment in that guide portions are provided in the vicinity of three sides of the protective cover 206: the upstream side in the transport direction, and one and the other sides in the scanning direction of the liquid ejection head.

[0056] <Configuration of Liquid Ejection Device> Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a liquid ejection device equipped with a liquid ejection head according to this embodiment. The liquid ejection device 700 of Fig. 7 includes a transport unit 12 that transports a recording medium M, and a liquid ejection head 714 that performs printing on the recording medium M transported by the transport unit 12 while scanning in a direction intersecting (orthogonal in this embodiment) the transport direction of the recording medium M by the transport unit 12. In the liquid ejection head 714, an ejection port array formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports 200 in a recording element substrate 202 is installed so as to intersect with the scanning direction (Y direction) of the liquid ejection head 714. Hereinafter, the "scanning direction of the liquid ejection head 714" will be referred to simply as the "scanning direction" as appropriate.

[0057] The liquid ejection device 700 performs a recording operation by ejecting ink from the liquid ejection head 714 onto the recording medium M at the recording position while moving in the scanning direction. Then, a transport operation is performed by the transport unit 12 to transport the recording medium M by a predetermined distance, and then the recording operation is performed again. In this way, the liquid ejection device 700 performs recording on the recording medium by alternately and repeatedly executing the recording operation and the transport operation.

[0058] <Configuration of liquid ejection head> Next, the configuration of the liquid ejection head 714 will be described. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the main components of the liquid ejection head 714. FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing an example in which one ejection unit 220 is provided. FIG. 8(b) is a diagram showing an example in which four ejection units 220 are provided. FIG. 8(c) is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the guide portion 800 in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b). FIG. 8(d) is a modified example of FIG. 8(a). FIG. 8(e) is a modified example of FIG. 8(b). FIG. 8(f) is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the guide portion 800 in FIGS. 8(d) and 8(e). Note that the arrows in FIGS. 8(c) and 8(f) indicate the relative movement direction of the recording medium M with respect to the liquid ejection head 714 (i.e., the transport direction and the scanning direction). In the following description, differences between the liquid ejection head 714 and the liquid ejection head 14 will be described, and descriptions of the same configurations will be omitted.

[0059] The liquid ejection head 714 may be configured to include, for example, one ejection unit 220 (see FIG. 8(a)), or may be configured to include, for example, four ejection units 220 arranged in a staggered pattern extending in the transport direction (see FIG. 8(b)). Note that the number and arrangement of the ejection units 220 in the liquid ejection head 714 are not limited to this. In the liquid ejection head 714, a guide portion 800 is formed on the surface 204a of the support member 204, and is connected to surround three sides of the protective cover 206: the upstream side in the transport direction, one side in the scanning direction, and the other side in the scanning direction. In other words, when four ejection units 220 are provided, the liquid ejection head 714 has a guide portion 800 formed to surround the three sides of the protective cover 206 of each ejection unit 220, and is connected to surround the three sides.

[0060] In the guide portion 800, the cross section in the transport direction is dome-shaped in the region S1 located on the upstream side in the transport direction, and the cross section in the scanning direction is dome-shaped in the regions S2 and S3 located on one side and the other side in the scanning direction. The guide portion 800 is formed so as to be spaced a distance L from each side of the protective cover 206. As described above, the distance L is smaller than the thickness Tm of the recording medium M.

[0061] In this case, if the leading edge portion of the recording medium M is curled, the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M will come into contact with the guide portion 800 due to the transport of the transport unit 12 and the scanning of the liquid ejection head 714. At this time, the surface of the guide portion 800 against which the leading edge Mt comes into contact is gradually inclined in the -Z direction toward the downstream side in the relative movement direction (i.e., toward the protective cover 206) (see FIG. 8(c)). Therefore, with further transport or scanning, the leading edge Mt will be guided along the guide portion 800 into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support portion 16. Note that in this embodiment, the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M includes the end of the recording medium M on the downstream side in the transport direction and one end and the other end of the recording medium M in the width direction (scanning direction).

[0062] In the liquid ejection head 714, as in the second embodiment, a filler 810 may be filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 800 (see FIGS. 8(d), 8(e), and 8(f)). In this case, the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 800 are smoothly connected by the filler 810. If the leading end portion of the recording medium M is curled, the leading end Mt of the recording medium M will come into contact with the guide portion 800 due to the transport of the transport unit 12 and the scanning of the liquid ejection head 714. Thereafter, due to further transport or scanning, the leading end Mt will travel along the guide portion 800 and the filler 810 and be guided into the space between the liquid ejection head 714 and the support portion 16 (see FIG. 8(f)).

[0063] <Action and effect> As described above, in the liquid ejection head 714, the guide portion 800 is provided on the upstream side of the protective cover 206 in the transport direction, on one side in the scanning direction, and on the other side in the scanning direction, so that the leading edge Mt of the recording medium M, the leading edge of which is curled, can be guided between the protective cover 206 and the support portion 16. This allows the liquid ejection head 714 to obtain the same effects as those in the first embodiment.

[0064] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiment may be modified as shown in the following (1) to (6).

[0065] (1) In the third embodiment, the guide portion 800 is formed so as to be connected to surround three sides of the protective cover 206, namely, the upstream side in the transport direction, one side in the scanning direction, and the other side in the scanning direction, but is not limited to this. For example, the guide portion 800 may be formed so as to be connected to surround four sides of the protective cover 206, namely, the upstream side in the transport direction, one side in the scanning direction, the other side in the scanning direction, and the downstream side in the transport direction (see FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b)).

[0066] In this case, if a filler 810 is filled between the protective cover 206 and the guide portion 800 (see FIGS. 9(c) and 9(d)), the amount of the filler 810 that protrudes can be reduced. In this case, the gap g between the protective cover 206 and the surface 204a around the recording element substrate 202 is sealed with the filler 810. This improves the resistance of the recording element substrate 202 to external forces. Furthermore, minute droplets that are generated when ink is ejected from the ejection ports 200 are less likely to adhere to electrical components such as the flexible wiring substrate 208.

[0067] (2) In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the guide portion 500 is dome-shaped, but is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the guide portion 500 may be any shape as long as it can guide the leading end Mt of the curled recording medium M into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support portion 16 during transport. Also, in the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the guide portion 800 is dome-shaped, but is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the guide portion 800 may be any shape as long as it can guide the leading end Mt of the curled recording medium M into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support portion 16 during transport and scanning.

[0068] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 10 , an example of a shape other than a dome shape will be described using the guide unit 500 as an example. FIG. 10 shows a guide unit 1000, which is a modified example of the guide unit 500. FIG. 10(a) is a plan view of the discharge unit 220 and the guide unit 1000 attached to the support member 204, and FIG. 10(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Xb-Xb of FIG. 10(a). The guide unit 1000 is formed so as to gradually incline in the -Z direction as it advances in the conveying direction. Note that the guide unit 1000 is formed so as not to protrude in the -Z direction beyond the surface 206a of the protective cover 206. Furthermore, the guide unit 1000 and the protective cover 206 are formed with a distance L between them in the conveying direction (X direction). Although not shown, a filler 600 may be filled between the guide unit 1000 and the protective cover 206, as in the second embodiment.

[0069] (3) In the above embodiment, the guide portion 500, 800 is configured to be formed by a single line, but this is not limited thereto and the guide portion 500 may be configured by multiple lines. An example of a guide portion configured by multiple lines will be described below with reference to FIG. 11, using the guide portion 500 as an example. FIG. 11 shows an example of a guide portion 1100 formed in the shape of multiple lines, where (a) is a plan view of the discharge unit 220 and the guide portion 1100 attached to a support member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIb-XIb in (a).

[0070] The guide portion 1100 includes a first line 1100a on the upstream side of the protective cover 206 in the conveying direction, the first line 1100a being spaced a distance L from an end 206c of the protective cover 206. The guide portion 1100 also includes a second line 1100b on the upstream side of the first line 1100a in the conveying direction, spaced a predetermined distance from the first line 1100a, and having a thickness (length in the Z direction) thinner than that of the first line 1100a.

[0071] The predetermined distance may be, for example, the same as the distance L between the first line 1100a and the protective cover 206, or may be shorter than the distance L. The first line has the same configuration as the guide unit 500. Furthermore, the width W2 (length in the transport direction) of the second line 1100b may be the same as the width W1 of the first line 1100a, or may be smaller than the width W1. In other words, in the guide unit, the line located upstream in the direction of relative movement of the recording medium with respect to the liquid ejection head is formed smaller than the line located downstream in that direction of movement.

[0072] In this way, a smaller line is formed upstream in the direction in which the recording medium M moves relative to the liquid ejection head (relative movement direction), which allows the leading edge Mt of the curled recording medium M to be smoothly guided into the space between the liquid ejection head 14 and the support part 16. This improves the effect of suppressing jamming.

[0073] In the above description, guide portion 1100 is configured with two lines, but this is not limiting and guide portion 1100 may be configured with three or more lines. Furthermore, in guide portion 1100, filler 600 may be filled in at least one of the space between first line 1100a and protective cover 206 and the space between first line 1100a and second line 1100b.

[0074] (4) In the above embodiment, the guide portions 500, 800 are formed as continuous, straight lines substantially parallel to the opposing sides of the protective cover 206. However, this is not limiting. For example, the guide portions 500 (800) may be broken at predetermined intervals (see FIG. 12(a)), or may be curved or bent at a predetermined width in the conveying direction (and scanning direction) (see FIG. 12(b)). Note that FIG. 12 illustrates the shape of the guide portion 500 as an example of a modified example, but this modified example can also be applied to the guide portion 800. When the guide portion is curved or bent at a predetermined width in the conveying direction (and scanning direction), the filler 600 may connect the guide portion and the protective cover 206 at a position where the guide portion is close to the protective cover 206 in the conveying direction (and scanning direction).

[0075] (5) In the above embodiment, the guide portion 500 (800) is formed at a distance L from the protective cover 206, but this is not limited to this. For example, the guide portion 500 (800) may be formed so as to contact the protective cover 206 without using a filler. To form the guide portion 500 (800) so as to contact the protective cover 206, for example, before attaching the discharge unit 220 to the support member 204, a resin material for forming the guide portion 500 (800) is applied to a position that can contact the protective cover 206. Thereafter, the discharge unit 220 is attached to the support member 204, and the resin material is cured while the uncured resin material and the protective cover 206 are in contact with each other.

[0076] (6) The above embodiment and the various configurations shown in (1) to (5) above may be combined as appropriate.

[0077] The disclosure of the above embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Configuration 1) an element substrate that ejects liquid; a support member for supporting the element substrate; a protective cover that covers and protects the element substrate while providing a gap between the protective cover and the support member; A liquid ejection head characterized by having a guide portion provided near the protective cover on the support member, which is capable of guiding the tip of a recording medium with a curled tip portion toward the surface side of the protective cover while restricting the tip from entering the gap. (Configuration 2) 2. The liquid ejection head according to configuration 1, wherein the guide portion is provided adjacent to the protective cover on the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium. (Configuration 3) The liquid ejection head according to configuration 2, wherein the guide portions are further provided adjacent to the protective cover on one side in a scanning direction of the liquid ejection head and on the other side in the scanning direction. (Configuration 4) The liquid ejection head according to Configuration 3, wherein the guide portion is further provided adjacent to the protective cover on the downstream side in the transport direction. (Configuration 5) 5. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the guide portion is formed at a predetermined distance from the protective cover. (Configuration 6) 6. The liquid ejection head according to configuration 5, wherein the predetermined distance is smaller than the thickness of the recording medium. (Configuration 7) 5. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the guide portion is formed in contact with the protective cover. (Configuration 8) The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the guide portion includes an inclined surface that inclines from the support member side toward the protective cover as it approaches the protective cover. (Configuration 9) The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the guide portion is formed so as not to protrude beyond the protective cover in the vertical direction. (Configuration 10) 10. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein the guide portion is formed to have a length equal to or greater than the length of an adjacent side of the protective cover. (Configuration 11) 11. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 10, wherein the gap is larger than the thickness of the recording medium. (Configuration 12) 12. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein the guide portion is formed continuously. (Configuration 13) 12. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein the guide portion is formed by breaking at predetermined intervals. (Configuration 14) 12. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein the guide portion is formed to have a predetermined width and is curved or bent. (Configuration 15) 15. The liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 1 to 14, wherein the guide portion is formed by a plurality of lines. (Configuration 16) A liquid ejection head according to configuration 15, wherein the guide portion is formed so that the line located upstream in the relative movement direction of the recording medium relative to the liquid ejection head is smaller than the line located downstream in the movement direction of the line. (Configuration 17) a conveying means for conveying the recording medium; and the liquid ejection head according to configuration 2, which is formed so as to be able to eject liquid onto an area corresponding to the recording medium in a width direction of the recording medium that intersects with the transport direction of the transport means. (Configuration 18) a conveying means for conveying the recording medium; 5. A liquid ejection apparatus comprising: the liquid ejection head according to configuration 3 or 4, which performs recording on the recording medium while scanning in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying means. (Configuration 19) A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head having an element substrate that ejects liquid, a support member that supports the element substrate, a protective cover that covers and protects the element substrate while providing a gap between the element substrate and the support member, and a guide section that can guide a tip of a recording medium having a curled tip portion to a surface side of the protective cover while restricting the tip from entering the gap, A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head, comprising the step of applying a resin material to the support member in the vicinity of the protective cover, and hardening the applied resin material to form the guide portion. (Configuration 20) 20. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 19, wherein in the forming step, the guide portion is formed from a resin material that can maintain its shape from application until hardening. (Configuration 21) 21. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to aspect 19 or 20, wherein the resin material has a viscosity of 200 Pa·s to 1500 Pa·s. (Configuration 22) 20. The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 19, wherein in the forming step, the guide portion is formed using two resin materials having different fluidities. (Configuration 23) In the forming step, a first member is formed from a first resin material having a relatively low fluidity, the first member being spaced a predetermined distance from the protective cover; 23. A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to configuration 22, wherein a second resin material having a relatively high fluidity is filled between the first member and the protective cover to form a second member, thereby forming the guide portion. (Configuration 24) A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to configuration 23, wherein the forming process further comprises forming an inclined portion using the second resin material on the side of the first member on which the second member is not formed, the inclined portion connecting the surface of the support member to the vicinity of the vertex of the first member. (Configuration 25) the first resin material has a viscosity of 200 Pa·s to 1500 Pa·s; 25. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to any one of aspects 22 to 24, wherein the second resin material has a viscosity of 10 Pa·s to 200 Pa·s. (Configuration 26) 26. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to any one of configurations 22 to 25, wherein the two resin materials have different fluidities due to differences in at least one of the diameter and amount of filler contained therein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 14,714 Liquid ejection head 202 Recording element substrate (element substrate) 204 Support member 206 Protective Cover 500, 800 guide part

Claims

1. an element substrate that ejects liquid; a support member for supporting the element substrate; a protective cover that covers and protects the element substrate while providing a gap between the protective cover and the support member; A liquid ejection head characterized by having a guide portion provided near the protective cover on the support member, which is capable of guiding the tip of a recording medium with a curled tip portion toward the surface side of the protective cover while restricting the tip from entering the gap.

2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is provided adjacent to the protective cover on the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium.

3. The liquid ejection head according to claim 2 , wherein the guide portions are further provided adjacent to the protective cover on one side in the scanning direction of the liquid ejection head and on the other side in the scanning direction.

4. The liquid ejection head according to claim 3 , wherein the guide portion is further provided adjacent to the protective cover on the downstream side in the transport direction.

5. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed at a predetermined distance from the protective cover.

6. 6. The liquid ejection head according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined distance is smaller than the thickness of the recording medium.

7. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed in contact with the protective cover.

8. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion has an inclined surface that inclines from the support member side to the protective cover side as it approaches the protective cover.

9. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed so as not to protrude beyond the protective cover in the vertical direction.

10. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed to have a length equal to or greater than the length of the adjacent side of the protective cover.

11. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the gap is larger than the thickness of the recording medium.

12. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed continuously.

13. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed by being broken at predetermined intervals.

14. 2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is formed to have a predetermined width and is curved or bent.

15. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is formed by a plurality of lines.

16. The liquid ejection head according to claim 15, wherein the guide portion is formed so that a line located upstream in the relative movement direction of the recording medium with respect to the liquid ejection head is smaller than a line located downstream in the movement direction of the line.

17. a conveying means for conveying the recording medium; 3. A liquid ejection device comprising: the liquid ejection head according to claim 2, which is formed so as to be able to eject liquid onto an area corresponding to the recording medium in a width direction of the recording medium which intersects with a direction of transport by the transport means.

18. a conveying means for conveying the recording medium; 5. A liquid ejection apparatus comprising: the liquid ejection head according to claim 3, which performs printing on the printing medium while scanning the printing medium in a direction intersecting the direction of conveyance by the conveying means.

19. A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head having an element substrate that ejects liquid, a support member that supports the element substrate, a protective cover that covers and protects the element substrate while providing a gap between the element substrate and the support member, and a guide section that can guide a tip of a recording medium having a curled tip portion to a surface side of the protective cover while restricting the tip from entering the gap, A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head, comprising the step of applying a resin material to the support member in the vicinity of the protective cover, and hardening the applied resin material to form the guide portion.

20. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 19, wherein in the forming step, the guide portion is formed from a resin material that can maintain its shape from application until hardening.

21. 21. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 20, wherein the resin material has a viscosity of 200 Pa·s to 1500 Pa·s.

22. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 19, wherein the forming step forms the guide portion using two resin materials having different fluidities.

23. In the forming step, a first member is formed from a first resin material having a relatively low fluidity, the first member being spaced a predetermined distance from the protective cover; The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 22, wherein the guide portion is formed by filling a second resin material having a relatively high fluidity between the first member and the protective cover to form the second member.

24. 24. A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head as described in claim 23, wherein the forming process further comprises forming an inclined portion using the second resin material on the side of the first member on which the second member is not formed, the inclined portion connecting the surface of the support member to the vicinity of the vertex of the first member.

25. the first resin material has a viscosity of 200 Pa·s to 1500 Pa·s; 24. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 23, wherein the second resin material has a viscosity of 10 Pa·s to 200 Pa·s.

26. The method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 22, wherein the two resin materials are made to have different fluidities by varying at least one of the diameter and amount of filler contained therein.

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