Droplet ejection head and recording device

Abstract

The position of the coupler that supplies liquid in the droplet dispensing head is stabilized. [Solution] The droplet dispensing head comprises a flow path member, a reservoir member, a head cover, a coupler, and an auxiliary member. The flow path member has a plurality of dispensing holes from which droplets are dispensed. The reservoir member is located above the flow path member and supplies liquid to the flow path member. The head cover is located above the reservoir member. The coupler has a coupler body that supplies liquid to the reservoir member and a locking portion provided on the outer surface of the coupler body. The auxiliary member is located on the side of the head cover and has a first through hole and a slit connected to the first through hole, and supports the coupler with the locking portion connected to the outer edge of the first through hole.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a droplet ejection head and a recording apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a print head, for example, a droplet ejection head that performs various prints by ejecting a liquid such as ink supplied from an ink tank through an ink pipe onto a recording medium is known. Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet head having a discharge unit unit that discharges ink in response to a drive signal and a drive board unit that outputs a drive signal. The drive board unit is fixed to the side wall of the housing and has a locking member that detachably locks an intermediate portion in the axial direction of the supply-side ink pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above locking member locks the ink pipe to the side wall of the housing, and does not lock the coupler to the side wall of the housing. Therefore, the conventional locking member does not disclose a technique for stably locking the position of the coupler, and there is room for improvement in the conventional locking member in this regard.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a droplet ejection head and a recording apparatus capable of stabilizing the position of a coupler that supplies a liquid.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A droplet dispensing head according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a flow channel member, a reservoir member, a head cover, a coupler, and an auxiliary member. The flow channel member has a plurality of dispensing holes from which droplets are dispensed. The reservoir member is located above the flow channel member and supplies liquid to the flow channel member. The head cover is located above the reservoir member. The coupler has a coupler body that supplies liquid to the reservoir member and a locking portion provided on the outer surface of the coupler body. The auxiliary member is located on the side of the head cover and has a first through hole and a slit connected to the first through hole, and supports the coupler with the locking portion connected to the outer edge of the first through hole. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the position of the coupler that supplies liquid in the droplet dispensing head can be stabilized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a printer according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a printer according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a droplet dispensing head according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member and its surrounding members according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member and its surrounding members according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line AA shown in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the configuration of an auxiliary member according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view of an auxiliary member according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of the coupler's configuration and method of fixing the coupler. [Figure 10]Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the BB line shown in Figure 9. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments for implementing the droplet ejection head and recording device according to this disclosure (hereinafter referred to as "Embodiments") will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined as appropriate, provided that the processing content is not inconsistent. Also, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in each of the following embodiments, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] Furthermore, in the embodiments described below, expressions such as "constant," "orthogonal," "perpendicular," or "parallel" may be used, but these expressions do not require strict adherence to "constant," "orthogonal," "perpendicular," or "parallel" conditions. In other words, each of the above expressions allows for deviations such as manufacturing accuracy or installation accuracy.

[0011] Furthermore, in the drawings referenced below, for the sake of clarity, mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axis directions are sometimes defined, and a Cartesian coordinate system is shown with the positive Z axis pointing vertically upward.

[0012] <Printer Configuration> First, an overview of printer 1, which is an example of a recording device according to one embodiment, will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic side view of printer 1 according to one embodiment, and Figure 2 is a schematic top view of printer 1 according to one embodiment. Printer 1 according to one embodiment is, for example, a color inkjet printer.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 1 includes a paper feed roller 2, a guide roller 3, a coating machine 4, a head case 5, multiple transport rollers 6, multiple frames 7, multiple droplet ejection heads 8, a transport roller 9, a dryer 10, a transport roller 11, a sensor unit 12, and a recovery roller 13.

[0014] Further, the printer 1 has a control unit 14. The control unit 14 controls a paper feed roller 2, a guide roller 3, a coater 4, a head case 5, a plurality of conveyance rollers 6, a plurality of frames 7, a plurality of droplet discharge heads 8, a conveyance roller 9, a dryer 10, a conveyance roller 11, a sensor unit 12, and a recovery roller 13.

[0015] The printer 1 records an image or characters on the printing paper P by landing droplets on the printing paper P. The printing paper P is an example of a recording medium. The printing paper P is in a state of being wound around the paper feed roller 2 before use. Then, the printer 1 conveys the printing paper P from the paper feed roller 2 into the inside of the head case 5 via the guide roller 3 and the coater 4.

[0016] The coater 4 uniformly applies a coating agent to the printing paper P. As a result, the surface treatment can be performed on the printing paper P, so that the printing quality of the printer 1 can be improved.

[0017] The head case 5 houses a plurality of conveyance rollers 6, a plurality of frames 7, and a plurality of droplet discharge heads 8. Inside the head case 5, a space is formed that is isolated from the outside, except for a part such as a portion where the printing paper P enters and exits, which is connected to the outside.

[0018] The internal space of the head case 5 is controlled by the control unit 14 for at least one of the control factors such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure, as necessary. The conveyance roller 6 conveys the printing paper P inside the head case 5 near the droplet discharge head 8.

[0019] The frame 7 is a rectangular flat plate and is positioned close above the printing paper P conveyed by the conveyance roller 6. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the frame 7 is positioned such that the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the printing paper P. And inside the head case 5, a plurality (for example, four) of frames 7 are positioned along the conveyance direction of the printing paper P.

[0020] In the following explanation, the transport direction of the printing paper P will also be referred to as the "sub-scanning direction," and the direction perpendicular to this sub-scanning direction and parallel to the printing paper P will also be referred to as the "main scanning direction."

[0021] The droplet ejection head 8 is supplied with a liquid, such as ink, from a liquid tank (not shown). The droplet ejection head 8 ejects droplets supplied from the liquid tank.

[0022] The control unit 14 controls the droplet ejection head 8 based on data such as images or characters, and ejects droplets toward the printing paper P. The distance between the droplet ejection head 8 and the printing paper P is, for example, about 0.5 to 20 mm.

[0023] The droplet ejection head 8 is fixed to the frame 7. The droplet ejection head 8 is fixed to the frame 7, for example, at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The droplet ejection head 8 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing paper P.

[0024] In other words, the printer 1 according to one embodiment is a so-called line printer in which a droplet ejection head 8 is fixed inside the printer 1. However, the printer 1 according to one embodiment is not limited to a line printer, but may also be a so-called serial printer. A serial printer is a printer that alternately performs the operation of recording while moving the droplet ejection head 8 in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the printing paper P, for example, in a nearly perpendicular direction, and transporting the printing paper P.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, multiple (for example, five) droplet ejection heads 8 are fixed to a single frame 7. Figure 2 shows an example where three droplet ejection heads 8 are located in front of the printing paper P in the transport direction and two are located behind it, and the droplet ejection heads 8 are positioned so that the centers of each droplet ejection head 8 do not overlap in the transport direction of the printing paper P.

[0026] A head group 8A is formed by multiple droplet ejection heads 8 located on a single frame 7. The four head groups 8A are positioned along the transport direction of the printing paper P. Droplet ejection heads 8 belonging to the same head group 8A are supplied with ink of the same color. As a result, the printer 1 can print using four colors of ink with the four head groups 8A.

[0027] The ink colors ejected from each head group 8A are, for example, magenta (M), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and black (K). The control unit 14 controls each head group 8A to eject multiple colors of ink onto the printing paper P, thereby enabling the printing of a color image on the paper P.

[0028] Furthermore, in order to treat the surface of the printing paper P, a coating agent may be dispensed onto the printing paper P from the droplet ejection head 8.

[0029] Furthermore, the number of droplet ejection heads 8 included in one head group 8A, or the number of head groups 8A installed in printer 1, can be appropriately changed depending on the object to be printed or the printing conditions. For example, if the color to be printed on the printing paper P is a single color and the printing is limited to the area that can be printed with one droplet ejection head 8, then the number of droplet ejection heads 8 installed in printer 1 may be as small as one.

[0030] The printed paper P, which has been processed inside the head case 5, is transported to the outside of the head case 5 by the transport roller 9 and passes through the inside of the dryer 10. The dryer 10 dries the printed paper P. The dried printed paper P is transported by the transport roller 11 and collected by the recovery roller 13.

[0031] In printer 1, drying the printing paper P in the dryer 10 reduces the likelihood of overlapping printing paper P sticking together or undried liquid rubbing against each other in the recovery roller 13.

[0032] The sensor unit 12 is composed of a position sensor, a speed sensor, or a temperature sensor, etc. Based on the information from the sensor unit 12, the control unit 14 can determine the state of each part of the printer 1 and control each part of the printer 1.

[0033] The printer 1 described so far has shown the case where printing paper P is used as the printing target (i.e., recording medium), but the printing target in printer 1 is not limited to printing paper P. For example, the printing target may be a roll of cloth or the like.

[0034] Alternatively, the printer 1 may transport the printing paper P on a conveyor belt instead of directly transporting it. By using a conveyor belt, the printer 1 can print on sheets of paper, cut cloth, wood, tiles, etc.

[0035] The printer 1 may also print wiring patterns for electronic devices by ejecting droplets containing conductive particles from the droplet ejection head 8. Alternatively, the printer 1 may produce chemical compounds by ejecting a predetermined amount of liquid chemical agent or droplets containing a chemical agent from the droplet ejection head 8 toward a reaction vessel or the like.

[0036] The printer 1 may also include a cleaning unit for cleaning the droplet ejection head 8. The cleaning unit cleans the droplet ejection head 8, for example, by wiping or capping.

[0037] Wiping is a process that removes liquid adhering to the droplet dispensing head 8 by wiping the surface of the area where the droplets are dispensed with a flexible wiper, for example.

[0038] Furthermore, the capping process is carried out, for example, as follows: First, a cap is placed over the surface of the area from which the droplets are dispensed (this is called capping). This creates a nearly sealed space between the surface of the area from which the droplets are dispensed and the cap.

[0039] Next, the droplets are repeatedly dispensed within this sealed space. This removes any liquid or foreign matter with a higher viscosity than standard that may have clogged the nozzle from which the droplets are dispensed.

[0040] <Configuration of the droplet dispensing head> Next, the configuration of the droplet dispensing head 8 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the droplet dispensing head 8 according to one embodiment. For ease of understanding, the tube 60 and auxiliary member 70 are omitted from Figure 3.

[0041] The droplet dispensing head 8 comprises a head body 20, a tube 60 (see Figure 6), a wiring section 30, a head cover 40, two heat sinks 45, and two heat insulating members 50. The head body 20 includes a flow path member 21, a piezoelectric actuator substrate (not shown), a branched flow path member 23, and a reservoir member 24. The tube 60 supplies liquid such as ink to the reservoir member 24.

[0042] In the following explanation, for convenience, the direction in which the head body 20 is provided in the droplet dispensing head 8 may be referred to as "down," and the direction in which the head cover 40 is provided relative to the head body 20 may be referred to as "up."

[0043] The flow path member 21 of the head body 20 is substantially flat in shape and has a first surface (not shown) which is a main surface, and a second surface (not shown) located on the opposite side of the first surface. The first surface has an opening (not shown), and liquid is supplied from the reservoir member 24 to the inside of the flow path member 21 through this opening.

[0044] The second surface has multiple discharge holes (not shown) for discharging droplets onto the printing paper P. The flow channel member 21 has a flow channel inside for transferring liquid from the first surface to the second surface.

[0045] The piezoelectric actuator substrate is located on the first surface of the flow channel member 21. The piezoelectric actuator substrate has a plurality of displacement elements (not shown). The flexible substrate 31 of the wiring section 30 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator substrate.

[0046] The branch channel member 23 is located on the channel member 21. The branch channel member 23 has a branch channel (not shown) inside that connects to the channel of the channel member 21. The branch channel member 23 is made of metal, for example. The branch channel member 23 is a box-shaped member that extends long in the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction) and has an open top surface. The branch channel member 23 has a slit portion (not shown), through which a flexible substrate 31 connected to the piezoelectric actuator substrate is inserted.

[0047] The reservoir member 24 is located on the branch channel member 23. The reservoir member 24 is an injection-molded resin product. The reservoir member 24 is provided with resin boss portions 247 at both ends in the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction). Here, "resin" means made of resin, including resin which is the main component and contains small amounts of impurities. These boss portions 247 are molded integrally with the reservoir member 24. A tube 60, described later, is inserted into the boss portion 247. Specifically, the tube 60 is fixed in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the boss portion 247. The reservoir member 24 has a flow path inside, and liquid is supplied from the outside via the tube 60. The reservoir member 24 supplies liquid to the branch channel member 23. The reservoir member 24 stores the liquid supplied to the branch channel member 23.

[0048] Tube 60 (see Figure 6) is a flexible piping member for supplying and recovering liquid from the inside of the reservoir member 24. Tube 60 is inserted into boss portions 247 located at both ends of the reservoir member 24 in the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction). Liquid is supplied to the reservoir member 24 via tube 60 connected to one of the two boss portions 247. The liquid supplied to the reservoir member 24 is then discharged from the reservoir member 24 via tube 60 connected to the other of the two boss portions 247.

[0049] When printing, liquid may be supplied from one tube 60 while the other tube 60 is closed. Alternatively, liquid may be supplied from both tubes 60. When initially introducing liquid to the droplet ejection head 8, supplying liquid from one tube 60 and collecting it from the other tube 60 makes it easier for air and storage liquid that were in the flow path inside the reservoir member 24 to escape from the flow path. This makes it easier to introduce liquid to the droplet ejection head 8.

[0050] Furthermore, while printing is in progress, liquid may be supplied from one tube 60 and collected from the other tube 60. Doing so makes it less likely for air bubbles to accumulate in the flow path inside the reservoir member 24. In addition, by supplying liquid adjusted to a constant temperature, the temperature of the droplet ejection head 8 can be stabilized. The collected liquid may be passed through a filter or the like and then supplied back to the droplet ejection head 8. In other words, the liquid may be circulated. The supply and collection of liquid to and from the droplet ejection head 8, or the circulation of the liquid, may be controlled by the control unit 14.

[0051] Furthermore, liquid may be supplied from the reservoir member 24 to the flow path member 21, and liquid may be recovered from the flow path member 21 to the reservoir member 24. In addition, within the flow path member 21, liquid may be supplied and recovered in the flow path facing the nozzle (discharge hole) to prevent liquid from accumulating inside and around the nozzle. In such an embodiment, liquid is supplied to the droplet discharge head 8 from the outside, a portion of the liquid is discharged from the discharge hole, and the undischarged liquid is recovered to the outside.

[0052] The wiring section 30 includes a flexible substrate 31, a wiring substrate 32, a plurality of driver ICs 33, and a pressing member 34. The flexible substrate 31 is a flexible wiring substrate that transmits a predetermined signal sent from the outside to the head body 20. As shown in Figure 3, the droplet ejection head 8 according to one embodiment has two flexible substrates 31.

[0053] One end of the flexible circuit board 31 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator board of the head body 20. The other end of the flexible circuit board 31 is led upward through the slit portion of the branched flow channel member 23 and is electrically connected to the wiring board 32. This allows the piezoelectric actuator board 22 of the head body 20 to be electrically connected to the outside.

[0054] The wiring board 32 is located above the head body 20. The wiring board 32 distributes signals to multiple driver ICs 33.

[0055] Multiple driver ICs 33 are located on one main surface of the flexible substrate 31. As shown in Figure 3, in the droplet dispensing head 8 according to one embodiment, two driver ICs 33 are provided on each flexible substrate 31. However, the number of driver ICs 33 provided on a single flexible substrate 31 is not limited to two.

[0056] The driver IC 33 drives each displacement element on the piezoelectric actuator substrate of the head body 20 based on the drive signal sent from the control unit 14 (see Figure 1). This allows the driver IC 33 to drive the droplet dispensing head 8.

[0057] The pressing member 34 is, for example, a leaf spring having a roughly U-shape in cross-section. The pressing member 34 is located between the two flexible substrates 31 and presses the driver IC 33 on the flexible substrates 31 toward the heat sink 45. This ensures that the driver IC 33 is in close contact with the heat sink 45, allowing the heat generated when the driver IC 33 is operating to be efficiently dissipated to the heat sink 45. The pressing member 34 is located between the reservoir member 24 and the head cover 40. Alternatively, the pressing member 34 may be positioned to bring the driver IC 33 into contact with the heat sink 45.

[0058] The head cover 40 is attached to the head body 20 and is positioned to cover the wiring section 30 located on the head body 20, such as the flexible circuit board 31, the wiring circuit board 32, etc. The head cover 40 is a component that covers a predetermined structure such as the wiring section 30, and does not necessarily have to be located on the head body 20. This allows the head cover 40 to seal the wiring section 30. The head cover 40 is made of, for example, resin or metal.

[0059] The head cover 40 is box-shaped and extends long in the main scanning direction, and has a first opening 40a and a second opening 40b on two opposing sides along the sub-scanning direction. In the example in Figure 3, the first opening 40a is provided on the side located on the positive X-axis side, and the second opening 40b is provided on the side located on the negative X-axis side. The head cover 40 also has a third opening 40c on its lower surface and a fourth opening 40d on its upper surface.

[0060] The side surface of the head cover 40 is provided with two first protrusions 42a for positioning the auxiliary member 70 (described later) and four through holes 42b for attaching the auxiliary member 70. Furthermore, a second protrusion 43 for positioning the pressing member 34 is provided at the lower part of the side surface having the first protrusions 42a.

[0061] The two heat sinks 45 are attached to the sides of the head cover 40. One of the two heat sinks 45 is positioned to cover the first opening 40a, and the other is positioned to cover the second opening 40b.

[0062] The heat sink 45 is, for example, a plate-shaped member that is long in the longitudinal direction of the droplet ejection head 8, and is made of a metal or alloy with high heat dissipation properties. The heat sink 45 is provided so as to be in contact with the driver IC 33 and dissipates the heat generated by the driver IC 33.

[0063] Each of the two heat sinks 45 has multiple through holes 46 through which screws (not shown) are inserted. The head cover 40 also has multiple through holes 41 through which screws are inserted. The multiple through holes 41 in the head cover 40 are located in positions corresponding to the multiple through holes 46 in the heat sinks 45. The screws are inserted through the through holes 41 in the head cover 40 and the through holes 46 in the heat sinks 45 and fitted into the through holes 41 in the head cover 40. In this way, the two heat sinks 45 are fixed to the head cover 40. The head cover 40 with the heat sinks 45 attached has a box shape with the first opening 40a and the second opening 40b closed and the third opening 40c and the fourth opening 40d open.

[0064] The third opening 40c is positioned opposite the reservoir member 24. The flexible substrate 31 is inserted through the third opening 40c.

[0065] The fourth opening 40d is provided for inserting a connector (not shown) provided on the wiring board 32. Sealing the space between the connector and the fourth opening 40d with resin or the like makes it difficult for liquids or debris to enter the inside of the head cover 40.

[0066] Furthermore, the heat sink 45 has through holes 48a to 48c in the central and both ends of the longitudinal direction of the head body 20. The heat sink 45 and the heat insulating member 50 are fitted together by the projections 54 of the heat insulating member 50 fitting into the through holes 48a to 48c, respectively.

[0067] The heat insulating member 50 is located between the heat sink 45 and the head body 20. The longitudinal width of the heat insulating member 50 is wider than the longitudinal width of the heat sink 45. The heat insulating member 50 is made of, for example, resin. The thermal conductivity of the heat insulating member 50 may be lower than that of the heat sink 45. By providing the heat insulating member 50, heat generated by the driver IC 33 is less likely to be transferred to the head body 20 via the heat sink 45.

[0068] Furthermore, the heat insulating member 50 has a plurality of through holes 55 for accommodating screws (not shown). These through holes 55 are located in positions corresponding to the through holes in the reservoir member 24. The heat insulating member 50 is fixed to the reservoir member 24 by fitting the screws into the through holes 55 of the heat insulating member 50 and the through holes in the reservoir member 24.

[0069] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the droplet dispensing head 8, and may include other components besides those shown in Figure 3.

[0070] <Configuration of auxiliary and peripheral members> The configuration of the auxiliary member 70 and its peripheral members will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 9. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the auxiliary member 70 and its peripheral members according to one embodiment. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the auxiliary member 70 and its peripheral members according to one embodiment. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line AA shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the auxiliary member 70 according to one embodiment. Figure 8 is a plan view of the auxiliary member 70 according to one embodiment. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the coupler 80 and an example of a method for fixing the coupler 80. Note that in Figures 4 and 5, the tube 60 and coupler 80 are omitted for ease of understanding.

[0071] The auxiliary member 70 is, for example, an injection-molded resin product. The auxiliary member 70 has a bottom portion 70a, a mounting portion 70b, two side wall portions 70c, and an upper portion 70d. The auxiliary member 70 is attached to the side of the head cover 40.

[0072] The mounting portion 70b faces the head cover 40 and has a mounting surface for the head cover 40. As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the mounting portion 70b has two through holes 72 into which the first protrusion 42a of the head cover 40 is fitted, through holes 77a and 77b for accommodating the screw 74a, and through holes 78a and 78b for accommodating the screw 74b (see Figure 5).

[0073] The through-hole 72 is located in a position corresponding to the first protrusion 42a on the side surface of the head cover 40. As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the auxiliary member 70 is positioned and its rotation is restricted when the first protrusion 42a of the head cover 40 is fitted into the through-hole 72.

[0074] As shown in Figure 5, the auxiliary member 70 has a support portion 73 on its upper part 70d that supports the coupler 80, which will be described later. As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the support portion 73 has a first through hole 73a, a slit 75 connected to the first through hole 73a, and a notch portion 73b located on the opposite side of the position where the slit 75 of the first through hole 73a connects. The first through hole 73a penetrates the upper part 70d. The first through hole 73a has radial gaps at two locations. One gap connects to the slit 75 formed in the mounting portion 70b, and the other gap connects to the notch portion 73b.

[0075] In the example shown in Figure 7, the slit 75 is an elongated hole in which the width in the Z-axis direction (depth direction) is longer than the width in the X-axis direction. However, the shape of the slit 75 is not limited to an elongated hole; any shape is acceptable as long as the support portion 73 widens in the circumferential direction. The slit 75 allows the size of the first through-hole 73a to be temporarily widened, making it easier to fit the coupler body 81 into the first through-hole 73a.

[0076] As shown in Figure 8, the width W of the notch 73b is smaller than the diameter φ of the virtual circle V passing through the outer edge of the first through hole 73a. This prevents the coupler 80 from coming off the support part 73 after it has been supported with the locking part 82 and the outer edge of the first through hole 73a connected, as shown in Figure 9. The diameter φ of the virtual circle V is equal to the diameter of the first through hole 73a. The outer edge of the first through hole 73a is C-shaped.

[0077] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the through holes 77a, 77b, 78a, and 78b of the auxiliary member 70 are positioned to correspond to the four through holes 42b of the head cover 40. As shown in Figure 9, two screws 74a are fitted into the through holes 77a, 77b and the two through holes 42b of the head cover 40. Additionally, two screws 74b are fitted into the through holes 78a, 78b and the two through holes 42b of the head cover 40. This secures the auxiliary member 70 to the head cover 40.

[0078] As shown in Figure 7, the through holes 77a and 77b are elongated holes, with a width (width in the X direction) longer than a width (width in the Z direction). The through holes 78a and 78b are circular holes. The through holes 77a and 77b are adjacent to both sides of the slit 75. The through holes 78a and 78b are located below the through holes 77a and 77b, at a height between the two through holes 72. For fixing the coupler 80, the screw 74a passes through the through holes 77a and 77b of the auxiliary member 70 and the through hole 42b of the head cover 40, temporarily fastening the auxiliary member 70 to the head cover 40. By making the through holes 77a and 77b elongated, the positions of the through holes 77a and 77b relative to the temporarily fastened screw 74a can be slid laterally according to the widening of the slit 75. In this way, by ensuring that the support portion 73 opens in accordance with the widening of the slit 75 when the coupler 80 is installed, the process of fitting the coupler body 81 into the first through hole 73a can be made easier.

[0079] The screw 74a and through holes 77a and 77b are examples of fixing parts adjacent to the slit 75 that secure the auxiliary member 70 to the side surface of the head cover 40. The fixing parts may include the screw 74b that secures the auxiliary member 70 to the side surface of the head cover 40. However, it is not limited to the through holes 77a and 77b being elongated holes; either one of the through holes 77a or 77b may be an elongated hole.

[0080] As shown in Figure 9, the auxiliary member 70 has ribs 76 around the screws 74a and 74b. The ribs 76 may be U-shaped, surrounding the screws 74a and 74b and extending substantially parallel to the end of the side wall portion 70c. After the auxiliary member 70 is fixed to the head cover 40 by the screws 74a and 74b, a resin such as silicone is applied around the screws 74a and 74b within the ribs 76. At this time, the ribs 76 prevent the resin from dripping outwards from the area around the screws 74a and 74b. As a result, the resin is applied around the screws 74a and 74b that are to be sealed, and the screws 74a and 74b and their surroundings are sealed by the resin. This makes it difficult for liquids or dirt to enter the inside of the head cover 40. A waterproofing material 90 (see Figure 6) may be positioned between the mounting portion 70b of the auxiliary member 70 and the head cover 40.

[0081] Each of the two side wall portions 70c has a roughly rectangular shape and connects the bottom portion 70a, the mounting portion 70b, and the upper portion 70d. The auxiliary member 70 having side wall portions 70c improves the strength of the droplet dispensing head 8.

[0082] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the bottom portion 70a faces the reservoir member 24 and has a second through-hole 71. The first through-hole 73a and the second through-hole 71 are located opposite each other in the Z-axis direction. The diameter of the first through-hole 73a is larger than the diameter of the second through-hole 71. The second through-hole 71 is located radially outward from the boss portion 247 and surrounds the boss portion 247 and the tube 60 inserted into the boss portion 247 through a gap 71a. The diameter of the second through-hole 71 is, for example, the diameter of the tube 60 inserted into the boss portion 247 + 0.4 mm or less.

[0083] With this configuration, even when a force is applied to the resin boss portion 247, which has lower bending strength compared to a metal boss portion, in a direction that causes the boss portion 247 to bend, the force can be received by the auxiliary member 70, thereby reducing the likelihood of the boss portion 247 breaking. The direction in which the boss portion 247 bends is the direction that intersects the axis of the boss portion 247. For example, if the direction along the axis of the boss portion 247 is defined as the longitudinal direction of the boss portion 247, the direction in which the boss portion 247 bends may be the transverse direction or a direction that includes a transverse component.

[0084] The reservoir member 24 comprises a reservoir member body 241 and a top cover 242 positioned on top of the reservoir member body 241. The reservoir member body 241 and the top cover 242 are made of resin. The reservoir member body 241 has an opening 244 and a positioning projection 246. The opening 244 and the projection 246 are located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir member body 241. Specifically, the projection 246 is located longitudinally inward of the reservoir member body 241 than the opening 244. The opening 244 is provided in a position corresponding to the boss portion 247 (see Figure 6).

[0085] The top cover 242 has the boss portion 247 and the through hole 248 described above. The boss portion 247 and the through hole 248 are located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the top cover 242. Specifically, the through hole 248 is located further inward in the longitudinal direction of the top cover 242 than the boss portion 247.

[0086] As shown in Figure 6, the boss portion 247 has a hollow shape and is located at a position corresponding to the opening 244 of the reservoir member body 241. As shown in Figure 6, a large-diameter portion 247a may be located in the middle of the boss portion 247, which has a larger diameter than other parts of the middle portion. Here, the middle portion of the boss portion 247 refers to the area excluding the base of the boss portion 247. For example, if the boss portion 247 is divided into three equal parts in the longitudinal direction, the area closest to the top cover 242 is the base of the boss portion 247, and the other two areas are the middle portion. This large-diameter portion 247a functions as a "return" to reduce the slippage of the tube 60. The second through hole 71 of the auxiliary member 70 described above faces the large-diameter portion 247a, as shown in Figure 6.

[0087] Because the auxiliary member 70 has a second through hole 71, even if a force is applied to the boss portion 247 in a bending direction, the force can be received by the auxiliary member 70, thereby reducing the risk of the boss portion 247 breaking. Furthermore, as described above, if the second through hole 71 is located opposite the large diameter portion 247a, the large diameter portion 247a will first come into contact with the auxiliary member 70 and receive the force, thus reducing stress on the base of the boss portion 247.

[0088] As shown in Figure 4, the through hole 248 is located at a position corresponding to the projection 246 of the reservoir member body 241. The pressing member 34 has a through hole 35, a positioning groove 36, and a through hole 37. The through hole 35, the groove 36, and the through hole 37 are located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member 34. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the groove 36 is located further inward in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member 34 than the through hole 35. The through hole 37 is located further inward in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member 34 than the groove 36. The through hole 35 is located at a position corresponding to the boss portion 247. As shown in Figure 6, the boss portion 247 is inserted through the through hole 35.

[0089] The groove 36 is located at a position corresponding to the second protrusion 43 of the head cover 40. As shown in Figure 6, the head cover 40 is positioned when the second protrusion 43 of the head cover 40 is fitted into the groove 36. This reduces variations in the bending accuracy of the head cover 40. The groove 36 may also penetrate the pressing member 34.

[0090] The through-hole 37 is located in a position corresponding to the projection 246 of the reservoir member body 241. The projection 246 of the reservoir member body 241 is inserted through the through-hole 248 of the upper cover 242 and the through-hole 37 of the pressing member 34, thereby positioning the upper cover 242 and the pressing member 34.

[0091] As described above, the auxiliary member 70 in the droplet dispensing head 8 according to one embodiment is located radially outward from the boss portion 247 and has a second through-hole 71 that surrounds the boss portion 247 and the tube 60 inserted into the boss portion 247 through a gap 71a. Therefore, even if a force is applied in a direction that causes the boss portion 247 to bend, the force can be received by the auxiliary member 70, thereby reducing the bending of the boss portion 247.

[0092] In this description, an example has been given in which the reservoir member 24 has a reservoir member body 241 and a top cover 242, but the configuration of the reservoir member 24 is not limited to this. For example, the reservoir member body 241 and the top cover 242 may be integrally molded. In this case, the integrally molded reservoir member 24 may be made of resin.

[0093] Furthermore, although this example shows the reservoir member 24 having a boss portion 247, that is, the boss portion 247 being integrally molded with the reservoir member 24, the configuration of the boss portion 247 is not limited to this. For example, the boss portion 247 may be configured as a separate component from the reservoir member 24.

[0094] <Coupler configuration and method of fixing the coupler> Next, the configuration of the coupler 80 and the method of fixing the coupler 80 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line BB shown in Figure 9.

[0095] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the coupler 80 has a coupler body 81 connected to the tube 60 and a locking portion 82 provided on the outer surface of the coupler body 81. The coupler 80 supplies a liquid such as ink to the reservoir member 24 via the tube 60. The end of the coupler body 81 is the portion below the locking portion 82 and is the connection portion between the coupler body 81 and the tube 60. The end of the coupler body 81 includes the connection surface 82b (lower end surface) of the coupler body 81 that the tube 60 abuts against or comes into close proximity to when the coupler body 81 and the tube 60 are connected. The surface obtained by cutting the coupler body 81 perpendicular to the Z axis at the end of the coupler body 81 and the locking portion 82 is circular in shape. As shown in Figure 10, the locking portion 82 may be a ring-shaped groove 82a provided on the outer surface of the coupler body 81. The diameter of the groove 82a is smaller than the diameter of the coupler body 81 adjacent to the groove 82a above and below. The diameter of the coupler body 81 adjacent to the groove 82a is equal to the diameter of the connecting surface 82b of the coupler body 81.

[0096] The diameter of the first through-hole 73a is larger than the diameter of the groove 82a, and smaller than the diameter of the coupler body 81 adjacent to the groove 82a vertically. The auxiliary member 70 supports the coupler 80 while connecting the groove 82a and the outer edge of the first through-hole 73a. Specifically, the coupler body 81 is placed on the upper part 70d of the auxiliary member 70 at the outer edge of the first through-hole 73a. In this way, the auxiliary member 70 can support the coupler 80 while restricting its radial and vertical movement.

[0097] The locking portion 82 may be a stepped portion. The stepped portion is provided on the outer surface of the coupler body 81. The outer surface of the coupler body 81 expands in diameter from below the stepped portion upwards. That is, the inner diameter of the stepped portion is equal to the diameter of the coupler body 81 adjacent to the stepped portion below the stepped portion, and the outer diameter of the stepped portion is equal to the diameter of the coupler body 81 adjacent to the stepped portion above the stepped portion. As a result, the auxiliary member 70 supports the coupler 80 with the stepped portion connected to the outer edge of the first through hole 73a. Specifically, the coupler body 81 is placed on the upper part 70d at the outer edge of the first through hole 73a by the stepped portion. As a result, the auxiliary member 70 can support the coupler 80 while restricting its radial and downward movement. However, if the locking portion 82 is a stepped portion, the upward movement of the coupler 80 may be restricted by fixing the lower end of the coupler body 81 to the auxiliary member 70 with a hose clip to prevent the tube 60 from coming out of the coupler 80.

[0098] The tube 60 is made of resin and is a relatively soft material. Therefore, if the support portion 73 supports the coupler 80 from below at the connection surface 82b, the tube 60 may be damaged. To avoid this, the support portion 73 supports the coupler 80 by a locking portion 82 located at a position other than the connection surface 82b that contacts the tube 60. This prevents damage to the tube 60.

[0099] The coupler body 81 has a coupler connection portion 86 that protrudes from the center of the connection surface 82b at the end of the coupler body 81 and is inserted into the tube 60. The tube 60 is fixed in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the coupler connection portion 86. The coupler body 81 has a flow path inside. A flow path is also formed inside the coupler connection portion 86. Liquid is supplied to the reservoir member 24 from the outside through the internal flow paths of the coupler body 81, the tube 60, and the boss portion 247 (see Figures 6 and 10). The coupler connection portion 86 may have a large-diameter portion 86a that is larger in diameter than other parts. Such a large-diameter portion 86a functions as a "return" to reduce the slippage of the tube 60.

[0100] The method for fixing the coupler 80 will be explained with reference to Figures 5 to 10. As for the method of fixing the coupler 80, before supporting the coupler 80 on the auxiliary member 70, the auxiliary member 70 is temporarily fixed to the head cover 40. Screw 74a is fitted into through holes 77a and 77b and two through holes 42b at the top of the head cover 40. Screw 74b is fitted into through holes 78a and 78b and two through holes 42b at the bottom of the head cover 40. At this point, the fixing of the auxiliary member 70 by screw 74a is temporary, and screw 74a may be slightly loose. The fixing of the auxiliary member 70 by screw 74b is permanent, and screw 74a may be firmly fixed or it may be only temporarily fixed.

[0101] Next, the groove 82a is inserted from the notch 73b toward the head cover 40 in the positive Y-axis direction and fitted into the first through hole 73a. As a result, the auxiliary member 70 supports the coupler 80 with the groove 82a and the outer edge of the first through hole 73a connected, and the coupler 80 is supported by the support portion 73. In this way, the auxiliary member 70 can stabilize the position of the coupler 80 while restricting its radial and vertical movement. The tube 60 is also housed inside the auxiliary member 70. As a result, as shown in Figure 6, the auxiliary member 70 makes it easier to connect the coupler 80, such as connecting the tube 60 to the boss portion 247. Furthermore, the auxiliary member 70 guides the connection portion from the coupler 80 to the boss portion 247 through the tube 60 into the auxiliary member 70 via the first through hole 73a and the second through hole 71. This prevents damage to these connection points and improves work efficiency by eliminating the need for hose clips.

[0102] Furthermore, when the groove 82a is fitted into the first through-hole 73a from the notch 73b, the slit 75 makes it easier for the outer edge of the first through-hole 73a, into which the coupler body 81 is fitted in the circumferential direction, to widen. Also, by making the through-holes 77a and 77b elongated, the positions of the through-holes 77a and 77b relative to the temporarily fastened screw 74a can be slid laterally in accordance with the widening of the slit 75. As a result, the auxiliary member 70 can temporarily widen the size of the first through-hole 73a. Consequently, the coupler 80 can be easily fitted into the first through-hole 73a from the notch 73b.

[0103] Furthermore, the width of the notch 73b is smaller than the diameter of the first through hole 73a. This allows the auxiliary member 70 to support the coupler 80 while connecting the groove 82a and the outer edge of the first through hole 73a, and then prevent the coupler 80 from coming out of the support part 73 through the notch 73b.

[0104] After the coupler 80 is supported by the support portion 73, the screw 74a is permanently fastened through the through holes 77a and 77b and the through hole 42b of the head cover 40. In this way, the auxiliary member 70 is fixed to the head cover 40 by the screws 74a and 74b. Furthermore, after the coupler 80 is supported by the support portion 73, the auxiliary member 70 can prevent the slit 75 from opening and prevent the coupler 80 from coming out of the support portion 73.

[0105] <Effects of one embodiment> For example, a droplet discharge head 8 according to one embodiment includes a flow channel member 21 having a plurality of discharge holes from which droplets are discharged, a reservoir member 24 located above the flow channel member 21 and supplying liquid to the flow channel member 21, and a head cover 40 located above the reservoir member 24. Furthermore, the droplet discharge head 8 includes a coupler 80 having a coupler body 81 that supplies liquid to the reservoir member 24 and a locking portion 82 provided on the outer surface of the coupler body 81, and an auxiliary member 70 located on the side surface of the head cover 40, having a first through hole 73a and a slit 75 connected to the first through hole 73a, and supporting the coupler 80 in a state where the locking portion 82 and the outer edge of the first through hole 73a are connected.

[0106] With this configuration, the auxiliary member 70 supports the coupler 80 while connecting the locking portion 82 and the outer edge of the first through hole 73a, thereby stabilizing the position of the coupler 80 while restricting its radial movement and at least downward movement. This allows the auxiliary member 70 to simplify the connection work of the coupler 80. Furthermore, the auxiliary member 70 guides the connection portion from the coupler 80 to the boss portion 247 through the tube 60 via the first through hole 73a and the second through hole 71. This prevents damage to these connection portions and improves workability by eliminating the need for hose clips.

[0107] Furthermore, since the auxiliary member 70 has a slit 75 connected to the first through hole 73a, the size of the first through hole 73a can be temporarily widened when supporting the coupler 80 on the support part 73, making it easier to fit the coupler body 81 into the first through hole 73a.

[0108] Furthermore, the auxiliary member 70 has a notch 73b on the opposite side of the position where the slit 75 of the first through hole 73a connects, thereby preventing the coupler 80 from coming out of the support part 73 after it has been locked to the outer edge of the first through hole 73a of the support part 73 by the locking part 82.

[0109] In one embodiment, the recording device (for example, printer 1) may include the droplet ejection head 8 described in one embodiment and a control unit (for example, control unit 14) that controls the droplet ejection head 8.

[0110] Furthermore, the following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiments. <Note> (1) A flow channel member having multiple discharge holes from which droplets are discharged, A reservoir member located above the flow channel member and supplying liquid to the flow channel member, A head cover located on the reservoir member, A coupler having a coupler body that supplies the liquid to the reservoir member, and a locking portion provided on the outer surface of the coupler body, An auxiliary member located on the side surface of the head cover, having a first through-hole and a slit connected to the first through-hole, and supporting the coupler while connecting the locking portion and the outer edge of the first through-hole, A droplet dispensing head equipped with a droplet dispensing head. (2) The locking portion is a ring-shaped groove, The droplet dispensing head according to (1), wherein the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the diameter of the groove and smaller than the diameter of the coupler body adjacent to the groove. (3) The locking portion is a ring-shaped stepped portion, The droplet dispensing head according to (1), wherein the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the inner diameter of the stepped portion and smaller than the outer diameter of the stepped portion. (4) The auxiliary member has a notch on the opposite side of the position where the slit of the first through hole connects, The droplet dispensing head according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the width of the notch is smaller than the diameter of a virtual circle passing through the outer edge of the first through hole. (5) The auxiliary member is a droplet dispensing head according to (4), wherein the coupler body is fitted into the first through hole from the notch, thereby locking the locking portion to the outer edge of the first through hole. (6) The coupler body has a coupler connection portion that protrudes from the end of the coupler body, The droplet dispensing head has a tube connected to the coupler connection part, The reservoir member has a resin boss portion into which the tube is inserted, The auxiliary member is a droplet dispensing head according to any one of (1) to (5), having a second through-hole that surrounds the tube inserted into the boss portion with a gap in between. (7) The auxiliary member and the head cover are fixed together by screws. The auxiliary member surrounds the screw with ribs, The droplet dispensing head according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the area around the screw is sealed with resin inside the rib. (8) A droplet dispensing head according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein a fixing portion for fixing the auxiliary member to the side surface of the head cover is provided adjacent to the slit. (9) A droplet dispensing head as described in any one of (1) to (8), A control unit for controlling the droplet dispensing head, A recording device equipped with the following features.

[0111] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Indeed, the embodiments described above can be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0112] 1. Printer 8 droplet dispensing heads 20 Head Body 21 Flow channel member 24 Reservoir component 40 headcovers 60 tubes 70 Auxiliary member 70a bottom 70b Mounting section 70c side wall part 70d upper 71 Second through hole 71a Gap 73 Support part 73a 1st through hole 73b Notch 74a, 74b screws 75 slits 76 Ribs 80 couplers 81 Coupler body 82 Locking part 247 Boss Section

Claims

1. A flow channel member having multiple discharge holes from which droplets are discharged, A reservoir member located above the flow channel member and supplying liquid to the flow channel member, A head cover located on the reservoir member, A coupler having a coupler body that supplies the liquid to the reservoir member, and a locking portion provided on the outer surface of the coupler body, An auxiliary member located on the side surface of the head cover, having a first through-hole and a slit connected to the first through-hole, and supporting the coupler while connecting the locking portion and the outer edge of the first through-hole, A droplet dispensing head equipped with a droplet dispensing head.

2. The locking portion is a ring-shaped groove, The droplet dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the diameter of the groove and smaller than the diameter of the coupler body adjacent to the groove.

3. The locking portion is a ring-shaped stepped portion, The droplet dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the inner diameter of the stepped portion and smaller than the outer diameter of the stepped portion.

4. The auxiliary member has a notch on the opposite side of the position where the slit of the first through hole connects, The droplet dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the width of the notch is smaller than the diameter of a virtual circle passing through the outer edge of the first through hole.

5. The droplet dispensing head according to claim 4, wherein the auxiliary member causes the coupler body to be fitted into the first through hole through the notch, thereby engaging the locking portion with the outer edge of the first through hole.

6. The coupler body has a coupler connection portion that protrudes from the end of the coupler body, The droplet dispensing head has a tube connected to the coupler connection part, The reservoir member has a resin boss portion into which the tube is inserted, The droplet dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the auxiliary member has a second through-hole that surrounds the tube inserted into the boss portion with a gap in between.

7. The auxiliary member and the head cover are fixed together by screws. The auxiliary member surrounds the screw with ribs, The droplet dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the area around the screw is sealed with resin inside the rib.

8. A droplet dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a fixing portion adjacent to the slit for fixing the auxiliary member to the side surface of the head cover.

9. A droplet dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A control unit for controlling the droplet dispensing head, A recording device equipped with the following features.

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