Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection apparatus, and head support device

Abstract

It is possible to avoid the deviation of the position of the rotation center related to the inclination adjustment of the head.SOLUTION: The supply member 10 supplies ink to the nozzle forming member 30 through the alignment plate 20. In the nozzle forming member 30, a plurality of nozzles 31 including a reference nozzle 31Q are formed on a nozzle surface 30B. A reference protrusion 15 protruding upward is formed on the upper surface of the supply member 10. The outer surfaces of the reference convex portions 15 pass through at least three reference points which are equidistant from the shaft α passing through the reference nozzle 31Q in the vertical direction and are located at different positions in the circumferential direction about the shaft α.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection apparatus including the same, and a head support device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a recording device capable of adjusting the attitude (tilt) of a recording head (liquid ejection head). In the recording device of Patent Document 1, two locations on the outer periphery of a head holder that holds the recording head are formed into cylindrical surfaces with a predetermined radius centered on the rotation axis position, and a first support portion and a second support portion that constitute a head attitude adjustment means are in contact with these two cylindrical surfaces. A pressure spring applies pressure to rotate the head holder in one direction, and a stopper (adjustment screw) is provided to stop that rotation. By operating the screw to change the position of the stopper and thereby rotating the head, the attitude (tilt) of the head can be adjusted while maintaining the rotation axis position set to the position of one of the nozzles relative to the device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-051213 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the configuration of Patent Document 1, the position of the rotation axis of the head (position of the rotation center) can be maintained as long as the first support part and the second support part are in contact with appropriate parts on the outer periphery of the head holder. Therefore, if the first support part and the second support part are not in contact with appropriate parts on the outer periphery of the head holder, the position of the rotation center will shift.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection device, and a head support device that can prevent the position of the rotation center related to tilt adjustment of the head from shifting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A liquid ejection head according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a flow path member having formed on its surface a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid, a flow path for supplying liquid to the plurality of nozzles, and a reference convex portion which is a convex portion protruding in a direction opposite to the ejection direction of liquid from the plurality of nozzles, and the outer surface of the reference convex portion passes through at least three points which are equidistant from an axis passing through a reference nozzle which is one of the plurality of nozzles along the ejection direction and which are at different positions in the circumferential direction around the axis.

[0007] A liquid ejection head according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a flow path member having formed on its surface a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid, a flow path for supplying liquid to the plurality of nozzles, and a reference recess which is a recess that is recessed in the ejection direction of liquid from the plurality of nozzles, and the inner surface of the reference recess passes through at least three points which are equal to each other in distance from an axis that passes through a reference nozzle, which is one of the plurality of nozzles, along the ejection direction and which are different from each other in the circumferential direction centered on the axis.

[0008] A liquid ejection device of the present invention includes a plurality of the liquid ejection heads described above and a base member having through holes formed therein, wherein the plurality of liquid ejection heads are attached to the base member with the first flow path member penetrating the through holes from one surface of the base member to the other surface and with the tip end of the lateral protrusion in contact with the one surface of the base member. In the above liquid ejection head, the flow path member includes a first flow path member having the plurality of nozzles and individual flow paths for supplying liquid to each of the plurality of nozzles formed therein, and a second flow path member for supplying liquid to the first flow path member, wherein the second flow path member is laminated on a surface of the first flow path member opposite a nozzle surface in which the plurality of nozzles are opened, and the reference protrusion is formed on the second flow path member. In addition, a lateral protrusion is formed which is a protrusion that protrudes from the second flow path member to a side of the first flow path member in the ejection direction.

[0009] The head support device of the present invention is a device for supporting the liquid ejection head, and includes a mating portion having a recess formed therein that fits with the reference protrusion, and a movement mechanism that moves the mating portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the outer surface of the reference convex portion passes through three points equidistant from an axis passing through the reference nozzle. Therefore, for example, by supporting the reference convex portion and rotating it around an axis equidistant from the three points, the liquid ejection head can be rotated around the reference nozzle. Therefore, compared to conventional means of moving the head using a member in contact with the side of the head, it is easier to avoid misalignment of the rotation center for adjusting the head tilt.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the inner surface of the reference recess passes through three points equidistant from an axis passing through the reference nozzle. Therefore, for example, by supporting the reference recess using a member having a protrusion that engages with the reference recess and rotating the reference recess around an axis equidistant from the three points, the liquid ejection head can be rotated around the reference nozzle. Therefore, compared to conventional means of moving the head using a member in contact with the side of the head, it is easier to avoid misalignment of the rotation center involved in adjusting the head tilt.

[0012] According to the liquid ejection device of the present invention, alignment of the head is facilitated because alignment is performed while the side protrusions are in contact with the base member.

[0013] According to the head support device of the present invention, it is possible to move the head based on the position of the reference nozzle by moving the fitting portion while fitting the reference protrusion into the recess. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the printer in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of a head installed in the printer of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a nozzle surface of the head of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the head of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 4 is a plan view of a reference protrusion formed on the head of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is a bottom view of the head of FIG. 3, with the nozzles not shown. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the ellipse in FIG. 3. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a head support device that supports the head of FIG. 3. [Figure 10]10 is a cross-sectional view of a movement mechanism of the head support device of FIG. 9 taken along a plane perpendicular to the paper width direction. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a head according to a second embodiment, which is another embodiment of the present invention, taken along a plane perpendicular to the paper width direction. [Figure 12] 12 is a plan view of a reference recess formed in the head of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a reference protrusion according to a modified example taken along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] [First embodiment] The head 1 and printer 100 shown in Fig. 1 correspond to a first embodiment of a liquid ejection head and liquid ejection device according to the present invention. The head 1 is included in a line-type printer 100. The printer 100 comprises a housing 100A, a base plate 2 to which six heads 1 are attached, a platen 3, a transport mechanism 4, and a control unit 5. The heads 1, base plate 2, platen 3, transport mechanism 4, and control unit 5 are arranged inside the housing 100A.

[0016] The base plate 2 (corresponding to the "base member" of the present invention) is a rectangular flat plate member along a plane parallel to both the paper width direction and the conveyance direction, and is fixed to the housing 100A. The paper width direction is the direction along the width of the paper 9 and is perpendicular to the vertical direction. Six mounting holes 2A are formed in the base plate 2 for mounting six heads 1. Each mounting hole 2A penetrates the base plate 2. The upper surface of the base plate 2 corresponds to "one surface of the base member" of the present invention, and the lower surface of the base plate 2 corresponds to "the other surface of the base member" of the present invention.

[0017] The six heads 1 are fixed to the base plate 2 while being aligned along a plane parallel to both the paper width direction and the transport direction. This results in the six heads 1 being arranged in a staggered pattern in the paper width direction. The length of the heads 1 in the paper width direction is longer than the length of the heads 1 in the transport direction. The lower part of each head 1 (the part corresponding to the nozzle forming member 30 described below) penetrates the mounting hole 2A of the base plate 2 in the direction from the upper surface to the lower surface (vertically downward).

[0018] The platen 3 is a plate along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, and is disposed below the head unit 1 X. A paper sheet 9 is supported on the upper surface of the platen 3.

[0019] The transport mechanism 4 includes a roller pair 41 having two rollers, a roller pair 42 having two rollers, and a transport motor 43 shown in Fig. 2. In the transport direction, the head 1, base plate 2, and platen 3 are disposed between the roller pair 41 and the roller pair 42. The transport direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction and the paper width direction.

[0020] When the conveying motor 43 is driven under the control of the control unit 5, the rollers of the roller pair 41, 42 rotate. As the rollers of the roller pair 41, 42 rotate, the paper 9 sandwiched between the rollers of the roller pair 41, 42 is conveyed in the conveying direction.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 5 includes a CPU 51, a ROM 52, and a RAM 53.

[0022] The CPU 51 executes various controls based on data input from an external device and in accordance with programs and data stored in the ROM 52 and RAM 53. The external device is, for example, a personal computer (PC).

[0023] The ROM 52 stores programs and data for the CPU 51 to perform various controls. The RAM 53 temporarily stores data used when the CPU 51 executes the programs.

[0024] Next, the configuration of the head 1 will be described.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, the head 1 includes a supply member 10, an alignment plate 20, a nozzle forming member 30, and a driver IC 41, which are stacked in the vertical direction.

[0026] The supply member 10 (corresponding to the "second flow path member" of the present invention) is laminated on the surface of the nozzle forming member 30 opposite the nozzle surface 30B described below, with an alignment plate 20 sandwiched between the supply member 10 and the nozzle forming member 30. The supply member 10 is made of a synthetic resin material (e.g., polyacetal resin), and its main body is formed in a flat plate shape. A tube connection portion 11 is formed on the upper surface of the supply member 10. The tube connection portion 11 protrudes vertically upward from the upper surface of the supply member 10. One end of an ink tube 61 is connected to the tube connection portion 11. The tube connection portion 11 and the ink tube 61 are connected via, for example, a joint. The joint is fixed to the tube connection portion 11 by a screw or the like via a sealing member such as an O-ring. The other end of the ink tube 61 is connected to an ink cartridge installed in the housing 100A. Ink from the ink cartridge is supplied to the tube connection portion 11 through the ink tube 61. The supply member 10 has a through hole 10A formed therein, which serves as a flow path for ink supplied to the tube connection portion 11. The through hole 10A is connected to an opening formed in the upper surface of the tube connection portion 11, and extends downward from that opening inside the tube connection portion 11. The lower end of the through hole 10A opens into the lower surface of the supply member 10.

[0027] The alignment plate 20 is a flat plate member that is parallel to both the paper width direction and the transport direction. The supply member 10 and the nozzle forming member 30 are fixed to the alignment plate 20. The supply member 10 and the nozzle forming member 30 are aligned with respect to the alignment plate 20. This allows the supply member 10 and the nozzle forming member 30 to be properly positioned within the head 1. A through hole 20A is formed in the alignment plate 20 along the vertical direction. The opening at the upper end of the through hole 20A is connected to the opening of the through hole 10A of the supply member 10.

[0028] The nozzle forming member 30 (corresponding to the "first flow path member" of the present invention) is a metal member in which a plurality of nozzles 31 that eject ink and ink flow paths 30A that supply ink to the nozzles 31 are formed. The plurality of nozzles 31 open to a nozzle surface 30B that is the lower surface of the nozzle forming member 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzles 31 are arranged in both the paper width direction and the transport direction.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 3, the ink flow path 30A opens on the upper surface of the nozzle forming member 30. This opening is connected to the opening of the through-hole 20A in the alignment plate 20. The ink flow path 30A extends downward from its opening at its upper end toward the interior of the nozzle forming member 30, and from there extends along the paper width direction. The ink flow path 30A branches into multiple individual flow paths 30X within the nozzle forming member 30. Each individual flow path 30X extends downward and is connected to a respective nozzle 31 at its lower end.

[0030] Ink supplied to the tube connection portion 11 through the ink tube 61 fills the ink flow path 30A through the through holes 10A and 20A.

[0031] The driver IC 41 has a substrate and electronic components arranged in the vertical direction. The driver IC 41 is driven under the control of the control unit 5 and generates an electrical signal for ejecting ink from the nozzle 31. This electrical signal is supplied to an actuator installed on the nozzle forming member 30 via a wiring member 42. The actuator operates in response to the electrical signal supplied from the driver IC 41 and imparts energy to the ink in the individual flow path 30X. The ink in the individual flow path 30X to which energy has been imparted is supplied to the nozzle 31 and ejected from the nozzle 31.

[0032] During the manufacturing process of the printer 100, when the head 1 is attached to the base plate 2, it is aligned along a plane parallel to both the paper width direction and the transport direction. Conventionally, this alignment has been achieved by bringing an alignment member into contact with the outer periphery of the head or a peripheral component of the head, and then moving the alignment member to move the head. However, this alignment method can cause the center of rotation of the head to shift, making the alignment process difficult.

[0033] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to prevent the center of rotation of the head 1 from shifting during alignment, the head 1 is configured as follows.

[0034] First, the head 1 has a reference protrusion 15 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The reference protrusion 15 is part of the supply member 10 and is made of the same synthetic resin material as the other parts of the supply member 10. The reference protrusion 15 protrudes vertically upward from the top surface of the flat body of the supply member 10. The reference protrusion 15 has a rough shape of a cylinder cut along a plane parallel to the vertical direction. Therefore, the reference protrusion 15 has an outer surface 15A that follows a portion of the outer surface of the cylinder and an outer surface 15B that follows a flat plane. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 6, the outer surface 15A follows a circle centered on the axis α of the cylinder, and the outer surface 15B follows a chord of that circle. The axis α is set to pass through a reference nozzle 31Q, one of the nozzles 31, along the vertical direction. The reference nozzle 31Q is the nozzle 31 arranged at the outermost position in both the paper width direction and the transport direction.

[0035] Assume that three reference points (hereinafter referred to as "three reference points") are taken on the outer surface 15A. The three reference points are taken at different positions in the circumferential direction centered on the axis α and at the same predetermined position in the vertical direction (for example, position Z in FIG. 10), as shown by points P1, P2, and P3 in FIG. 6 as an example. In this case, the three reference points are equidistant from the axis α. The outer surface 15A of the reference protrusion 15 extends along the axis α while passing through all three reference points. Furthermore, the outer surface 15A of the reference protrusion 15 extends along the circumferential direction centered on the axis α while passing through all three reference points. A through-hole 15C is formed in the upper part of the reference protrusion 15, penetrating the reference protrusion 15 in the conveying direction (see FIGS. 3, 5, and 6).

[0036] Second, the head 1 has three side protrusions 16 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The side protrusions 16 are part of the supply member 10 and are made of the same synthetic resin material as the other parts of the supply member 10. The side protrusions 16 are formed on each of the extensions 17 to 19 of the supply member 10. The extensions 17 to 19 are portions where the flat plate-shaped main body of the supply member 10 is partially extended. The extensions 17 and 18 extend in the transport direction, and the extension 19 extends in the direction opposite to the transport direction. The side protrusions 16 formed on the extensions 17 and 18 and the side protrusion 16 formed on the extension 19 sandwich the nozzle forming member 30 in the transport direction, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0037] The lateral protrusions 16 protrude downward from the lower surface of each of the extensions 17 to 19 to the sides of the nozzle forming member 30. The sides of the nozzle forming member 30 refer to the range in which the nozzle forming member 30 exists in the vertical direction, and correspond to positions outside the nozzle forming member 30 in the transport direction or paper width direction. Figure 8 shows a state in which the lateral protrusions 16 protrude slightly beyond the alignment plate 20 in the vertical direction to the sides of the nozzle forming member 30. The lateral protrusions 16 are the portions of the sides of the nozzle forming member 30 that protrude most vertically downward.

[0038] A method for aligning the head 1 with respect to the base plate 2 will be described below. The head support device 200 used in this alignment method has a base 201, support columns 202 and 203, and six movement mechanisms 210, as shown in FIG. 9. The base 201 is a flat plate member. The support columns 202 and 203 are fixed to diagonal corners of the base 201. The support columns 202 and 203 extend from the base 201 in a direction perpendicular to the base 201, and their tips are fixed to diagonal corners of the base plate 2. The base plate 2 is arranged parallel to the base 201 so that the surface on which the head 1 is attached faces the base 201. Furthermore, six heads 1 are arranged on the base plate 2 with their lateral protrusions 16 in contact with the surface of the base plate 2, as shown in FIG. 10.

[0039] In the following description, the same three directions, the paper width direction, the transport direction, and the vertical direction, are used so that the relationship between the base plate 2 in the printer 100 and the base plate 2 is maintained even for a base plate 2 arranged parallel to the base 201.

[0040] The six movement mechanisms 210 correspond one-to-one to the six heads 1. Each movement mechanism 210 is attached to the surface of the base 201 facing the base plate 2. The movement mechanism 210 has translational movement units 211 and 212, a rotational movement unit 213, and a holding unit 214.

[0041] The holding portion 214 is a portion that holds the head 1 and moves translationally and rotationally by the translational movement portions 211 and 212 and the rotational movement portion 213. The holding portion 214 has an inner cylinder portion 215 (corresponding to the "fitting portion" of the present invention) and an outer cylinder portion 216. The upper portion of the inner cylinder portion 215 is disposed within the outer cylinder portion 216. The lower portion of the inner cylinder portion 215 protrudes from the opening at the lower end of the outer cylinder portion 216 to the outside of the outer cylinder portion 216 and extends linearly toward the base plate 2.

[0042] A step E1 is formed on the outer surface of the inner cylindrical portion 215 between its upper and lower portions. The step on the inner surface of the outer cylindrical portion 216 comes into contact with the step E1 on the inner cylindrical portion 215, thereby restricting downward movement of the inner cylindrical portion 215. A spring 217 is installed at the upper portion inside the inner cylindrical portion 215. The upper end of the spring 217 protrudes upward from the inner cylindrical portion 215, and the upper end inside the outer cylindrical portion 216 is fixed to the translational movement portion 212. The lower end of the spring 217 comes into contact with the step E2 formed on the inner surface of the inner cylindrical portion 215 from above, and applies an elastic force to the inner cylindrical portion 215 to move the inner cylindrical portion 215 downward.

[0043] A through-hole 215B is formed in the upper part of the lowest part 215P of the inner cylinder 215, passing through the inner cylinder 215 in the conveying direction.

[0044] A cavity 215A is formed inside the inner cylinder 215. The cavity 215A opens at the tip of the lowest part 215P of the inner cylinder 215. The reference protrusion 15 of the head 1 is inserted into this opening, as will be described later. In other words, the lowest part 215P of the inner cylinder 215 functions as a recess that fits with the reference protrusion 15 of the head 1.

[0045] At the lowest part 215P of the inner cylinder 215, the cavity 215A widens in both the paper width direction and the transport direction as it approaches the opening at the tip. In other words, the cavity 215A is tapered. In a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the cross-sectional shape of the cavity 215A at the lowest part 215P is similar to the cross-sectional shape of the reference protrusion 15 of the head 1. Furthermore, the cross-section of the cavity 215A at the lowest part 215P is the same size as the cross-section of the reference protrusion 15 of the head 1 at position Z, which is slightly above the through-hole 215b in the vertical direction.

[0046] In each moving mechanism 210, the reference protrusion 15 of each head 1 is inserted from below into the lowest part 215P of the inner cylinder 215. At this time, the reference protrusion 15 is smoothly guided into the inner cylinder 215 by the taper formed in the cavity 215A. The inner cylinder 215 is also pressed toward the reference protrusion 15 by the spring 217. As a result, the inner cylinder 215 and the reference protrusion 15 fit together without any gaps at position Z. In this state, the holding unit 214 is positioned so that the portion of the reference protrusion 15 on the inner surface of the cavity 215A that contacts the outer surface 15A is equidistant from the rotation axis of the holding unit 214 by the rotational movement unit 213. In this case, if three reference points (points P1, P2, and P3 in FIG. 6) are taken at position Z on the outer surface 15A as described above, these three reference points are equidistant from both the rotation axis of the holding unit 214 by the rotational movement unit 213 and the axis α. That is, when the inner cylinder portion 215 and the reference protrusion 15 are mated, the rotation axis of the holding portion 214 by the rotational movement portion 213 and the axis α coincide. Furthermore, when the inner cylinder portion 215 and the reference protrusion 15 are mated, the through-hole 15C of the reference protrusion 15 and the through-hole 215B of the inner cylinder portion 215 are aligned in the conveyance direction. In this state, the fixing pin 215B is inserted into the through-holes 15C and 215B. This fixes the holding portion 214 and the head 1 together.

[0047] The translational movement units 211 and 212 and the rotational movement unit 213 move the holding unit 214 in a direction along the base plate 2. When the holding unit 214 moves, the head 1 held by the holding unit 214 moves relative to the base plate 2 while bringing the lateral protrusions 16 into contact with the base plate 2.

[0048] Each of the translational movement units 211 and 212 and the rotational movement unit 213 has a knob that can be manually operated. For example, Fig. 10 shows knobs 212A and 213A of the translational movement unit 212 and the rotational movement unit 213. By manually operating these knobs, the holding unit 214 can be translated or rotated.

[0049] The translational movement units 211 and 212 and the rotational movement unit 213 are arranged on an extension of the axis α with the inner cylinder unit 215 and the reference protrusion 15 engaged. The translational movement unit 212 translates the holding unit 214 parallel to the conveyance direction. The translational movement unit 211 is installed on the translational movement unit 212 and translates the translational movement unit 212 and the holding unit 214 together in the paper width direction. The rotational movement unit 213 is installed on the translational movement unit 211 and translates the translational movement unit 211, the translational movement unit 212, and the holding unit 214 together in a rotational direction around the axis α.

[0050] According to the present embodiment described above, the reference protrusion 15 has an outer surface 15A. The outer surface 15A corresponds to a portion of the outer surface of a cylinder whose center is an axis α passing through the reference nozzle 31Q in the vertical direction. Therefore, three reference points (e.g., points P1, P2, and P3 in FIG. 6) that are equidistant from the axis α can be taken at predetermined positions on the outer surface 15A (e.g., position Z in FIG. 10). Therefore, the head 1 can be aligned while grasping the axis α based on the three reference points.

[0051] For example, when using the head support device 200 described above, when the reference protrusion 15 is supported by the holder 214 of the movement mechanism 210, the inner cylinder 215 and the reference protrusion 15 fit together without any gaps at position Z in FIG. 10 . At this time, as described above, based on the three reference points, it is shown that the rotation axis of the holder 214 rotated by the rotational movement unit 213 coincides with the axis α. Therefore, the rotational movement unit 213 can rotate the head 1 around the axis α passing through the reference nozzle 31Q. Therefore, compared to conventional means of moving the head using a member in contact with the side of the head, it is easier to avoid misalignment of the rotation center related to tilt adjustment of the head 1.

[0052] According to the conventional alignment method, as described above, the head is moved by contacting an alignment member with the outer periphery of the head or a peripheral component of the head and then moving the alignment member. In this method, the alignment member is placed around the head. Therefore, for example, when the distance between the heads is short, it is difficult to place the alignment member. Furthermore, when readjusting the position of a head that has been aligned and fixed in the device, it is very difficult to install a conventional alignment member around the head because the head already has ink tubes and other components connected to it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the holding portion 214 simply connects to the reference protrusion 15 from vertically above. Therefore, alignment is easy to perform even when the distance between the heads 1 is short or when the ink tubes 61 and other components are connected to the head 1.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the outer surface 15A corresponds to a part of the outer surface of the cylinder, the outer surface 15A extends along the circumferential direction centered on the axis α while passing through all three reference points. Therefore, for example, when the inner cylinder portion 215 and the reference protrusion 15 are fitted together without any gaps at position Z, they come into contact with each other without any gaps along the circumferential direction. This allows the rotation about the axis α by the rotational movement portion 213 to be performed with high precision. Furthermore, the outer surface 215A extends along the axis α while passing through all three reference points. Therefore, the inner cylinder portion 215 and the reference protrusion 15 can be fitted together with high precision.

[0054] In addition, in this embodiment, the reference protrusion 15 is made of a synthetic resin material. Therefore, it is easy to select a material that is suitable for supporting and moving the reference protrusion 15. For example, it is possible to select a material that is easy to fit with the inner cylinder portion 215 of the head support device 200.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reference nozzle 31Q, which serves as the reference for the axis α, is positioned at the outermost position of all the nozzles 31 in both the transport direction and the paper width direction. This makes it easier to visually identify the reference nozzle 31Q during the alignment of the head 1. This is for the following reason. For example, assume that the reference nozzle is set to the third nozzle 31 from the outside among the nozzles 31 formed on the head 1. In this case, it is difficult for an operator to distinguish the third nozzle 31 from the fourth or second nozzle, and there is a risk of misidentifying the position of the reference nozzle. In contrast, if the reference nozzle 31Q is positioned at the outermost position, the above-mentioned misidentification is less likely to occur. Furthermore, when the position of the reference nozzle is confirmed while capturing the nozzles 31 with a camera, the magnification may be set so that, for example, approximately three adjacent nozzles 31 fit within the camera's field of view. In this case, if the outermost reference nozzle 31Q is centered in the field of view, it appears as if a nozzle 31 is present adjacent to one of the reference nozzles 31Q and no nozzle 31 is present adjacent to the other. This makes it easier to accurately identify the reference nozzle.

[0056] In this embodiment, the reference protrusion 15 is installed on the head 1 as part of the supply member 10. The supply member 10 is a member that supplies ink to the nozzle-forming member 30 and is laminated on the surface of the nozzle-forming member 30 opposite the nozzle surface 30B. Members that are laminated on a member having nozzles formed therein and that supply ink to that member, such as the supply member 10, often have a connection part for connecting to an ink supply source, such as the tube connection part 11. This connection part is then fixed to the joint by screws or the like via a sealing member, as described above. At this time, the screw fastening points are three to four apart, spaced apart, to ensure that the sealing member is evenly crushed. Therefore, the overall size of the member needs to be secured to a certain extent. Therefore, such relatively large members have the advantage that it is easy to secure space for forming the reference protrusion 15.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, lateral protrusions 16 are formed that protrude from the supply member 10 to the sides of the nozzle forming member 30. When aligning the head 1 using the head support device 200, the head 1 is moved with only the lateral protrusions 16 in contact with the base plate 2. For this reason, for example, by forming the lateral protrusions 16 using a material (e.g., polyacetal resin) or a shape that does not easily generate frictional resistance against the head 1, it is easy to reduce the frictional resistance that occurs in the head 1 during alignment.

[0058] In this embodiment, the lateral protrusions 16 are the portions of the nozzle-forming member 30 that protrude most vertically downward. In other words, the nozzle-forming member 30 is the only portion of the head 1 that protrudes further than the lateral protrusions 16. This facilitates movement of the head 1 while the lateral protrusions 16 are in contact with the base plate 2. For example, as described above, a material with good sliding properties, such as polyacetal resin, is used, and the lateral protrusions 16 are shaped to minimize their contact area with the base plate 2. This allows for smooth movement of the head 1 while the lateral protrusions 16 are in contact with the base plate 2 during alignment. If the head 1 does not move smoothly, it may become stuck. Forcing the head 1 to move while it is stuck results in a sudden, large movement, making it difficult to stop the head 1 at the desired position. Smooth movement of the head 1, as described above, reduces this problem.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple side protrusions 16 are arranged to sandwich the nozzle forming member 30. Therefore, when the multiple side protrusions 16 are brought into contact with the base plate 2, the nozzle forming member 30 is stably supported.

[0060] Furthermore, when the head support device 200 is used to align the head 1 according to this embodiment, the movement mechanism 210 moves the inner cylinder 215 that is engaged with the reference protrusion 15. This allows the head 1 to translate and rotate around the axis α.

[0061] Furthermore, in the head support device 200 according to this embodiment, the cavity 215A within the inner cylinder portion 215 is tapered. This allows the reference protrusion 15 to be smoothly guided into the inner cylinder portion 215, facilitating the engagement of the inner cylinder portion 215 and the reference protrusion 15. If the cavity 215A within the inner cylinder portion 215 were not tapered, backlash (misalignment) could occur when the reference protrusion 15 and the inner cylinder portion 215 engage with each other. If backlash occurs, the center of rotation of the head 1 in the movement mechanism 210 would be displaced from the axis α. In contrast, the tapered cavity 215A allows the reference protrusion 15 to move smoothly until it engages with the inner cylinder portion 215 without any gaps at position Z in FIG. 10 . This suppresses the occurrence of backlash, making it easier for the center of rotation to coincide with the axis α.

[0062] Furthermore, in the head support device 200 according to this embodiment, the rotational movement part 213 of the movement mechanism 210 is disposed on an extension of the axis α, so that the rotational movement part 213 can be disposed in a space-saving manner.

[0063] [Second embodiment] A head 301 according to a second embodiment, which is another embodiment of the present invention, will be described below with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Head 301 is replaceable with head 1 according to the first embodiment. Head 301 has many components in common with head 1. Therefore, in the following description, these common components will be assigned the same reference numerals as above, and their description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0064] The head 301 is configured by using a supply member 310 in place of the supply member 10 in the head 1. The supply member 310 is made of a synthetic resin material and has a flat plate-shaped main body. The supply member 310 has flow paths formed therein that supply ink to the alignment plate 20 and the nozzle forming member 30, similar to the supply member 10, but has a reference recess 315 formed therein instead of the reference protrusion 15.

[0065] The reference recess 315 is a recess formed on the upper surface of the main body of the supply member 310. The reference recess 315 has a cylindrical inner surface centered on an axis α passing through the reference nozzle 31Q in the vertical direction. Assume that three reference points (hereinafter referred to as "three reference points") are set on the inner surface of the reference recess 315. The three reference points are set at different positions in the circumferential direction around the axis α and at the same predetermined positions in the vertical direction. Points R1, R2, and R3 in FIG. 12 are examples of three reference points set at the opening of the reference recess 315. In this case, the three reference points are equidistant from the axis α. The inner surface of the reference recess 315 extends along the axis α, passing through all three reference points. The inner surface of the reference protrusion 315 extends along the circumferential direction around the axis α, passing through all three reference points.

[0066] An engagement recess 316 is connected to the center of the reference recess 315 in the paper width direction. The engagement recess 316 is formed on the upper surface of the main body of the supply member 310, and extends from the reference recess 315 on both sides in the transport direction.

[0067] A holding portion 414 for moving the head 301 is inserted into the reference recess 315 as described above. The holding portion 414 is used in place of the above-mentioned holding portion 214. The holding portion 414 has a columnar main body 414A, a tapered portion 414B protruding vertically downward from the bottom end of the main body 414A, and an engaging protrusion 414C protruding parallel to the conveying direction from the tapered portion 414B. The tapered portion 414B has a truncated cone shape tapered vertically downward. The diameter of the tapered portion 414B is adjusted so that it exactly matches the diameter of the reference recess 315 at position Z' slightly below the main body 414A.

[0068] When the holder 414 is inserted into the reference recess 315 from above, it is smoothly guided into the reference recess 315 by the tapered portion 414B. Then, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 11 , when the holder 414 is inserted until position Z′ reaches the opening of the reference recess 315, the outer surface of the tapered portion 414B at position Z′ fits snugly into the opening of the reference recess 315, and the engaging protrusion 414C is inserted into the engaging recess 316. When the outer surface of the tapered portion 414B fits snugly into the opening of the reference recess 315, the central axis of the tapered portion 414B, which is equidistant from the three reference points, coincides with the axis α. In this state, when the holder 414 is rotated around the central axis of the tapered portion 414B, the engaging protrusion 414C engages with the engaging recess 316, allowing the head 301 to rotate about the axis α in conjunction with the rotation of the holder 414. Furthermore, by translating the holding portion 414 in the transport direction or the paper width direction, the head 301 can be similarly translated.

[0069] According to the embodiment described above, the inner surface of the reference recess 315 is formed in a cylindrical shape centered on the axis α passing through the reference nozzle 31Q along the vertical direction. Therefore, three reference points, each equidistant from the axis α, can be taken, for example, at the opening of the reference recess 315. That is, when the holder 414 is inserted into the reference recess 315, the outer surface of the holder 414 fits snugly into the opening of the reference recess 315. At this time, as described above, the central axis of the tapered portion 414B, which is equidistant from the three reference points (points R1, R2, and R3 in FIG. 12 ), coincides with the axis α. Therefore, by rotating the holder 414 around the central axis of the tapered portion 414B, the head 301 can be rotated around the axis α passing through the reference nozzle 31Q. Therefore, compared to conventional methods that move the head using a member in contact with the side of the head, it is easier to avoid misalignment of the rotation center for adjusting the tilt of the head 301.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the inner surface of the reference recess 315 is cylindrical, the inner surface of the reference recess 315 extends along the circumferential direction centered on the axis α while passing through all three reference points. Therefore, for example, when the outer surface of the holding portion 414 and the opening of the reference recess 315 are fitted together without any gaps, they come into contact with each other along the circumferential direction without any gaps. This allows rotation of the holding portion 414 around the axis α with high precision. Furthermore, the inner surface of the reference recess 315 extends along the axis α while passing through all three reference points. Therefore, the outer surface of the holding portion 414 and the opening of the reference recess 315 can be fitted together with high precision.

[0071] <Modification> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations should not be considered to be limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above description of the embodiments, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0072] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the reference protrusion 115 and the reference recess 315 are formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. That is, their cross sections in the vertical direction are circular. However, reference protrusions and reference recesses having other cross-sectional shapes may be used. For example, the reference protrusions 501, 502, and 503 shown in FIGS. 13(a), 13(b), and 13(c) may be used. The reference protrusion 501 has a prism shape with a square cross section. In this case, three reference points S1, S2, and S3 equidistant from the axis α can be taken on the outer surface of the reference protrusion 501 within the same cross section. The reference protrusion 502 has a prism shape with a regular hexagonal cross section. In this case, three reference points T1, T2, and T3 equidistant from the axis α can be taken on the outer surface of the reference protrusion 502 within the same cross section. The reference protrusion 503 has a column shape with a T-shaped cross section. In this case, three reference points U1, U2, and U3 equidistant from the axis α can be taken within the same cross section on the outer surface of the reference protrusion 503. As long as three reference points equidistant from the axis α can be taken, other polygonal cross sections or other closed curved cross sections may be used. Furthermore, reference recesses having cross-sectional shapes corresponding to those shown in Figures 13(a), 13(b), and 13(c) may be used.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment, the cavity 215A of the inner cylinder 215 and the holding portion 414 that are paired with the reference protrusion 115 and the reference recess 315 have a tapered shape. However, the reference protrusion and the reference recess may be formed in a tapered shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1,301 head 2 base plate 10, 310 Supply material 15, 115, 501, 502, 503 Reference protrusion 16 Lateral convex part 30 Nozzle forming member 30B nozzle surface 30X individual channels 31Q Reference Nozzle 100 printers 200 Head support device 210 Moving mechanism 211, 212 Translation part 213 Rotational moving part 315 Reference recess

Claims

1. a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid; a flow channel for supplying liquid to the plurality of nozzles; a reference convex portion that is a convex portion that protrudes in a direction opposite to the ejection direction of the liquid from the plurality of nozzles, and A liquid ejection head characterized in that the outer surface of the reference convex portion passes through at least three points that are equal to each other in distance from an axis that passes through a reference nozzle, which is one of the plurality of nozzles, along the ejection direction and that are located at different positions in the circumferential direction centered on the axis.

2. a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid; a flow channel for supplying liquid to the plurality of nozzles; a reference recess that is a recess recessed toward the ejection direction of the liquid from the plurality of nozzles, and a flow path member having a reference recess formed on a surface thereof, A liquid ejection head characterized in that the inner surface of the reference recess passes through at least three points that are equal to each other in distance from an axis that passes through a reference nozzle, which is one of the plurality of nozzles, along the ejection direction and that are different from each other in the circumferential direction centered on the axis.

3. 2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the reference protrusion extends along the circumferential direction while passing through all of the three points.

4. 2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the reference protrusion extends along the axis while passing through all of the three points.

5. 2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the reference protrusion is made of synthetic resin.

6. 2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the reference nozzle is disposed at the outermost position of the plurality of nozzles in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction.

7. the flow path member includes a first flow path member in which the plurality of nozzles and individual flow paths for supplying liquid to each of the plurality of nozzles are formed, and a second flow path member for supplying liquid to the first flow path member, the second flow path member is laminated on a surface of the first flow path member opposite to a nozzle surface on which the plurality of nozzles are opened, The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the reference protrusion is formed on the second flow path member.

8. 8. The liquid ejection head according to claim 7, further comprising a lateral protrusion formed on the second flow path member, the lateral protrusion protruding from the second flow path member in the ejection direction to a side of the first flow path member.

9. 9. The liquid ejection head according to claim 8, wherein the lateral protrusion is a portion that protrudes most toward the ejection direction on the outer side of the first flow path member in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction.

10. A plurality of the side protrusions are formed on the second flow path member, 9. The liquid ejection head according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of side protrusions sandwich the first flow path member between them in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction.

11. a plurality of the liquid ejection heads according to claim 8 and a base member having through holes formed therein; A liquid ejection device characterized in that the first flow path member penetrates the through hole from one surface of the base member to the other surface, and the multiple liquid ejection heads are attached to the base member with the tip of the lateral convex portion in contact with the one surface of the base member.

12. 2. A device for supporting the liquid ejection head according to claim 1, a mating portion having a recess formed therein that fits with the reference protrusion; a moving mechanism for moving the engagement portion.

13. The recess of the mating portion is formed in a tapered shape that widens in a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction as it approaches the opening, 13. The head support device according to claim 12, wherein the reference protrusion has a surface along the axis.

14. the reference protrusion is formed in a tapered shape that becomes narrower in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction as it approaches its tip, 13. The head support device according to claim 12, wherein the recess of the engagement portion has a surface along the axis.

15. 13. The head support device according to claim 12, wherein the movement mechanism includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the engagement portion in the circumferential direction, and a translation mechanism that translates the engagement portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

16. 16. The head support device according to claim 15, wherein the rotation mechanism is disposed on the shaft.

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